"That's impossible, I don't have any cousins. None that are known, anyway," Johan finally replied, after the initial shock of the revelation passed. Swanhild and Cyneric looked amused by this, which was irritating.
"That is what your father thought as well, until we captured him. It was quite the surprise for us to learn our long-lost uncle and cousin were both landed knights, believe me," said Swanhild.
"This has to be a trick," Johan said, though he had the sinking feeling that it wasn't. "Where are the Brothers of Equality, and where is my father?"
"You're among the Brothers of Equality, Johan" replied Cyneric, still smirking.
"Though one of us is a sister," added Swanhild.
"As for our uncle, we can take you to him. He is comfortable, don't worry." Swanhild said something in the lilting language and the group of guards surrounded the three companions and led them out of the hall to another location at spearpoint.
Another search party returned to the King's castle empty handed. Not a day had passed without searching for the Princess since King Gerard came to personally and apologetically tell the Good King that she had disappeared without a trace. Dame Barbara was beside herself with worry, insisting that she must have been kidnapped somehow, even though Gerard had swore that no one had access to her besides members of Princess Francesca's entourage. And Sabina was not with them.
The King shook his head sadly as Count Tremaine delivered his report. A traveling troupe of actors had seen a young squire in blue riding a mare that matched the description of Sabina's horse Sybilla, but he was traveling alone on his way to meet his master, not exactly the most likely candidate for kidnapping. But there was no note asking for ransom, no demands, nothing. She had simply vanished, sending the kingdom into a state of shock and mourning.
Later that day, a guard came into the throne room bearing news. A party of men bearing the standards of Lord Balthazar was making it way through the countryside. Needing a place to spend the night and food to eat, they had commandeered a peasant family's house, sending the family fleeing to the castle for safety. Both kings raced to the courtyard where the family waited, with children and what few animals and possessions they could gather before fleeing.
They did not see the Princess with the men, but their description of the commander sounded disturbingly like Prince Lothar.
"He's supposed to be dead!" said the King, gravely.
"I would not lie, my Lord, it looked exactly like the fallen prince, but he looked sick, and had an iron gauntlet on his hand. We did not look long, we ran for our lives. We've heard the rumors of what goes on in Balthazar's kingdom and did not want to find out if they were true. But I did hear then speak of going north," said the father of the family.
"You did well to come here and report this," said the King "I will see to it that your family has a place to stay and is compensated for the loss of your farm."
As they walked back to the throne room, Pepin asked Gerard if he thought that Lothar was responsible for Sabina's disappearance.
"If we had seen anyone like him, he would have been arrested immediately," said Gerard, "But if he is indeed in league with Balthazar, then he could have any number of tricks up his sleeve. And he has tried to kidnap the Princess in the past after she turned him down as a suitor. Do you think he'd go so far as to break into my castle and steal her for revenge?"
"It is a stretch, but so far he is our only suspect. And if he does have her, she is in grave danger," said Pepin mournfully.
"Uncle, I must return to my castle to get some affairs in order, but I insist that you let me go after Lothar to search for her. She vanished under my watch and I feel it's my responsibility to see her to safety."
Johan, Peewit and Dennis were led through the village with Maenad following behind of four paws. They went over a few bridges where canals cut through and finally got a good look at the lay of the land. The castle and main town were built on an artificial hill, with scattered houses and patches of woods around it, along with farms where cattle grazed. It was oddly peaceful for being a pirate's haven.
Finally they came to the riverbank, where a small boat waited for them. It had a cabin, and the armed men led the three aboard where another man waited. Though seated, he was tall and lanky, middle aged, with salt and pepper hair. Johan recognized him immediately. He stood with the help of a cane and limped out to meet them. Johan always remembered his father being very athletic. Was this limp something new, or the results of his injury at the hands of the Slavs? The walking stick looked to be good quality, crowned with a carved eagle head; it must be something he'd lived with for a while.
"See, safe and sound like we told you," said Cyneric.
"Johan, it is you. You came," He spoke with a slight accent, one very familiar to Johan.
Johan took a few eager steps forward, but then paused.
"What's going on here? I thought you were kidnapped, held prisoner. We received a ransom note!"
"Ah, that. Well you see, I was kidnapped. Little did I know my kidnappers were long lost kin, and the note was sent before The Brothers realized who I was." The three looked utterly confused. "I think we owe you an explanation. Sit down."
"The people in these villages harbor runaways of all sorts. Their villages are, as you have no doubt found, very isolated; they are ruled by neither king nor lord, but a council of tribal chieftains. As a result, they attract fugitives, escaped slaves, pirates, and the like. It's a good refuge, and has been since anyone can remember," Cyneric began.
"Our mother was one of those runaways; her people had all been killed in a war, forced to flee their country, or sold into slavery. She was captured by our predecessors on a slave ship bound for Novgorod, and freed after she married a chieftain's son here. She never spoke about being a princess by birth; not that it matters in a place like this where royalty means nothing and people come to hide from their pasts. As a freed slave, our family became her adopted family. She could read, so everyone figured she was at least a noblewoman at some point." Continued Swanhild.
"You're saying that you mother is…"
"My sister, Ermentrude. Your aunt. You know I had six siblings who I lost when I fled my England. My brothers were all killed, my sisters went missing. I never thought I'd see either of them again until the ship I was on got boarded. While attempting to help the crew fight them off, I ran into Ermentrude, looking as if she had not aged a day! It wasn't her of course, it was Swanhild. But it did take me a while to convince her and her brother of that once I'd been captured. I'd actually hoped it would be you who was sent to ransom me, so I could explain. Though I am truly sorry I missed your adoubement, son."
"Is Ermentrude still here?" Asked Dennis. He was fascinated by the story of the runaway princess-slave.
"No. She died some years back. Drowned in a storm surge that hit our village, along with father. Cyneric was just a young man with a little sister to support, so he joined the crew of a ship here, and we've been raiders ever since."
"That's so tragic," said Peewit, also entranced by the story. "It's the stuff that inspires ballads!"
"Not being under the rule of a king is all well and good, but why do you insist on raiding royal ships?" asked Johan, trying to process all he'd learned.
"Because Lord Fulk is trying to starve these villages out, that's why. He's the closest ruler to us and it infuriates him that we take in the serfs he abuses, and that we don't pay him any tribute. It's not like there's any riches here. These are poor people. You read the ransom note didn't you? We didn't ask for gold, we asked for food and weapons to defend ourselves with. We have to keep up a fierce reputation to scare away unwanted visitors, but we really just want to keep these villages free. If not for this refuge, Swanhild and I would have been born into slavery God knows where."
Slavery was made illegal in Hauvon after King Pepin returned from his journeys abroad and declared it un-Christian. He found the practice so distasteful that he instituted a means for slaves to purchase their freedom, which had come in handy when they needed to free a Smurf from a traveling circus. But it had only recently been outlawed in England, and the Vikings, Scots, North Africans and Turks still participated in a lucrative slave trade; a trader could become quite wealthy by selling only a few able-bodied captives.
"I see. Is that why you've stayed here too, father? You don't seem to be a prisoner."
"No, I'm not a prisoner," Edelhart said with a chuckle. "You have no idea what a dream come true this is. I'd given up hope of ever seeing my family again. I don't have Ermentrude back, but I have her children, and that's more than I could have wished for. And now you're here, son, with your companions…" he gestured at Dennis and Peewit, and Johan realized with a bit of embarrassment that he had not introduced them.
"This is Dennis, my squire, and this is Peewit, the King's jester and my most trusted friend. And…this is Maenad," he said, rubbing Maenad's ears. She laid them back and glared at him.
"She's a fine looking bitch, do you hunt with her?" asked Cyneric. "She looks like she could take down a stag easily."
"Oh, she can, I've seen her do it." Said Peewit, skipping away from her angry growl.
"I'm going to go let the others know that we have an honored guest, Sir Johan, our long-lost cousin, and his companions," said Swanhild, hurrying off,
"I think a feast is in order, at least, as much of one as we can mange. You will all come, yes?" She did not say it as a question, though speaking to Edelhart and learning the truth behind the village put Johan, Dennis, and Peewit more at ease.
"Come on my boy, we have a lot of catching up to do," Edelhart said.