Chapter 21: Mountain Clans
Movan's scouting party two miles from Veluca
Movan and his guard rode alongside the road in the thick forest and highlands that made up the landscape of the Kingdom of Roses. Movan motioned for his men to halt as he listened he heard a low rumbling sound that was growing louder as it came closer. Movan taped his horse's side lightly with his spurs and they began to ride forward. Then one of Movan's men grunted in pain and fell from his horse a crossbow bolt was lodged into the man's back more crossbow bolts came and more of Movans guards fell Movan and what was left of his twenty guards dismounted. The guards made a tight circle around their King and locked their shields together and had their spears at the ready. Over one of the hill several horsemen and crossbow men came over and surrounded the six guards and Movan.
"Surrender and you will not be harmed." Said one of the Riders riding forward.
"You've already harmed us mate." Movan said from the center of his men.
"Who are you?" Asked the rider.
"I am Movan Beltasus King of the Kingdom of Roses." Movan said proudly. "And who might you be?"
"I am Birk Colquhoun of Chief of the Colquhoun Mountain Clan." The rider said. "And you are under Movan Beltasus."
"Your weapons are steel Swadian made your horses are Swadian not mountain bread stedes I'd wager you were hired by Swadia to raid the villages." Movan said as he looked at their weapons.
"Aye they promised to leave us be if we helped them in their war, they paid us well to." Birk said with pride.
"That is admirable I have a more than a few Clansmen in my army they are the best fighters I have best Crossbow men I've seen." Movan said cautiously.
"Aye ever since the fall of the Rhodoks we have been sending men to the new Rulers of the Mountains we will be free to rule ourselves once more."
Movan laughed and motioned for his men to clear the way. "Yes free from one conqueror and conquered by another I fought for the Swadians as a Hired Blade once long ago during the wars with the Rhodoks the Swadians look down on the Hill Clans see them as primitive and stupid." Movan said with a sneer on his face. "You want to know what I think of you?"
"Would I be able to stop you?" Birk asked with a bored look.
"I think you are a wise people you know the hills better than any in all the Kingdoms combined you and your kin have been raiding Caravans and patrols for years and now you what settle down and fight for those who would see you imprisoned It was not just I who took your lands the Swadians have taken your lands as well. divided your clans and burned your homes. When I came to power I did not burn villages I took the castles and cities the swadians burned your lands and now you fight for them?"
Many of the Clansmen grumbled and nodded in agreement as Movan spoke Birk looked around at his men.
"And What makes you any better?" Birk asked looking Movan in the Eye.
"I have treated you fair, and how do the Swadians treat you?" Movan asked looking at Birk.
"They overtax us and our villages these past few months they have been taking a share out of our crops and imprisoning those that oppose their unfair taxes or can't pay their taxes." said one of Birks men.
"How would you all like to be rid of the Swadians?" Movan asked looking at all the men around him.
"AYE" Said almost all of Birk's men.
"I can help you all of you accomplish this If you help me take back Veluca I in turn will make things better for the Mountain Clans, but first we must have a victory." Movan said.
"Ah to hell with it we're with you Movan Beltasus king of the Hills." Birk said after a long pause. "One condition I have change the name of your kingdom so that people stop attacking thinking we are a weak Kingdom because of our Kingdoms name."
"Fair enough we'll talk about it later after we take back Veluca." Movan said with a smile.
"Alright you bastards let's get back to the village,Bren go to the other Clans and tell them to I'm calling a meeting of the Clans." Birk ordered. "As for you and your men mount up we have far to ride." Birk pointed to Movan and his remaining guards.
Birk and his men escorted Movan and his guard to the village of Fedner south of Veluca and there they waited for the other Clan leaders to arrive. Movan sent one of his guard to inform the rest of the Army of the situation and to stay camped near Jelkala to guard from attacks that came from the west. Two days passed and the Clansmen kept them hidden from Swadian patrols that passed through the area. On the evening of the second day the other two Clan leaders came escorted six guards each and all armed to the teeth with knives daggers, axes and swords. Birk brought Movan into the meeting hall the Clans men around Movan erupted in protest at seeing Movan enter the room.
"What's this all about Birk?" Asked a tall muscular man with red hair and a short red beard. "And why is he here?"
"You all Know Movan Beltasus King of the Kingdom of the Roses." Birk said glaring at the other three men. Movan the red headed one is Shamus Gerboldt leader of the Gerboldt Clan of Emer Village. Then there is Mira she leads the MacDougall Clan of Chaeza Village, and lastly we have Miraud of the Bernis Clan of Sarimish village.
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance." Mira said looking at Movan a little impressed.
"Birk what is this about?" Asked Shamus again.
"Settle down Shamus I'm getting to that." Birk said exasperatedly. "Now Movan here has a proposition that is the reason I summoned all of you hear Movan if you would explain why they are here."
"I want you to help take back Veluca." Movan began but was cut off by laughter from the other three.
"And why would we do that the Swadians have paid us more than enough they over tax us, but it's well worth the price for freedom." Shamus said proudly.
"How much freedom?" Movan asked curiously.
"The Swadians have promised to let us rule ourselves and they would leave us alone long as we pay them tribute." Shamus said. "In exchange for tribute they let us keep our land and rule freely.
"And should you grow tired of paying tribute to those greedy bastards your lands will be burned and your Clans forced into slavery while the Swadians take all your freedoms." Movan pointed out. "I came here offering something better, I will let you live freely, not only that I will not raise your taxes, I also will allow you to hold councils like these which I will attend so I can be informed. In matters of war I will consult the clans we will make a document that makes it so that the Nobles do not have ultimate power to tax how they wish or do as they please. I will sign it as a show of goodwill toward the clans, I want us to coexist side by side peacefully together we are strong divided we will crumble. I will also add would the Swadians allow you to meet like this in the old tradition?"
"No this meeting is secret and the Swadians would not approve of us meeting like this as we are used to, they only allow travel within their borders several families have been divided as a result from the wars I have not seen my son in almost a year." Mira said sadly. "He left for one of the villages around Yalen to visit a friend since the Swadians I finally saw him when Veluca was taken by Swadia i hadn't seen him in nearly five years.
"You see even then the Swadians show you injustice as citizens of our kingdom travel would be unrestricted you could cross borders freely and trade freely as you willed hunt freely keep a majority of your crops when harvest came." Movan said.
"He makes a point it has been a year since the Swadians took over and we nearly starved when winter came because they took over half of our crops." Miraud said nodding. "Perhaps we should join this one Shamus."
"Perhaps you're right this one sounds like a man of his word and speaks plainly and not in riddled words." Shamus said with a smile. "Of course how do we take back his Castle?"
"I have thought of that." Movan said with a cunning smile.
"We're listening." Birk said looking at the other Clan leaders.
"Far as the Swadians know you are loyal to them I want you to take myself and a few men to Veluca bring us in as prisoners, then when we are in the hall cut us loose and we will force a surrender." Movan said. "How many men do you have?"
"In all we are two hundred strong how many will you commit to the battle?" Mira asked curiously.
"I will bring fifty men, the garrison in veluca will number at least one hundred most of them will probably be ill trained with a few veterans for sergeants to command them." Movan said.
"We are worth ten of them we will cleave through them like a knife through butter." Shamus said proudly.