Regnum Iudaeorum - The Lost Ten Tribes Of Israel

Alright, I've kept you all waiting long enough. Now you get to hear the rest.


It took Ezra a moment to get enough air to speak, as Pekah’s hands still clutched his throat tightly. But once he had mustered enough breath, he told the tale of that most terrible day, when Chief Elihu of Reuben slew Ahaz and usurped control of the tribes…

It was the morning after Jehu and Larissa had departed for Kerkinitis, so that Jehu could join in the martial training being offered there. The morning had started off normally. Most of the men had left their tents and had gone to work in the fields as they had done regularly since settling down under the protection of Kerkinitis two years previous. Nothing seemed amiss.

Ahaz and Ezra were having breakfast together in the chief’s tent, and had been enjoying a pleasant conversation when Nikodemos was announced and told he could enter. The Lochagos smiled and greeted the two men, and thanked them when they invited him to join their meal. The three friends continued to talk until their meal was finished. With that they stood up to discuss the matters which had brought Nikodemos to the Hebrew camp.

However, they would never get to discuss said matters. Chief Abijah of Manasseh entered the tent, his sword drawn, with two guards at his side. He told them that Elihu was marching towards their tent with over one thousand armed men. Both Nikodemos and Ezra reacted with instant outrage. But Ahaz kept his cool, and told the Lochagos to go out with Abijah and confirm the report. When they were alone again, Ahaz gripped Ezra’s shoulders firmly, looked him in the eyes, and said, “I will go and speak with Elihu. We may have to do battle. If I am slain, I want you to take command of the Tribe of Ephraim. The men look up to you. And I want you to stay by his side for now.”

Ezra immediately rejected the idea, and stated that he would rather die that stand by Elihu’s side. But Ahaz was insistent, “Ezra, listen to me! You have to do this! We cannot, under any circumstances, let the Hebrew people fight amongst themselves in open battle! Our people are much too weak to survive that! Better to serve Elihu until a chance arrives to overthrow him without more bloodshed! Promise me, Ezra!”

Ezra promised, but asked what would happen to Jehu. The Hebrew Chief sighed, “I will send Nikodemos to protect my son. This is not Nikodemos’ battle, and his life should certainly be spared. If he rides to rescue Jehu and Larissa, maybe, just maybe, he, too, will be safe.”

Just then, the Lochagos returned to then and confirmed it. His eyes were filled with disbelief as he spoke, “Elihu is indeed marching upon us! And supported not only by Hebrews, but also by one thousand of my own countrymen! I cannot believe it, but Iason has betrayed us. He has betrayed all of us! I swear to you, Ahaz, I had no part in this!”

Ahaz put a comforting hand on the Lochagos’ shoulder and said, “I know, Nikodemos. You have been a good friend these two years. Now, please, in friendship, do what I now ask of you.”

Nikodemos knelt, bowed his head, and said, “I will do anything you ask. You are my chief now, Ahaz. I serve Iason no longer.”

“Then as my servant and as my friend, go now from this place and protect my son. Jehu’s life is of the utmost importance. Promise me you will save him,” was the Chief’s somber command.

Nikodemos rose with tears in his eyes, “I will protect him with my life, sire.” With that, the two friends embraced one last time. Then Nikodemos put his helmet back over his head, and strode out of the tent towards his horse, and set off with his two loyal guards to protect Jehu. Ahaz asked Ezra to help him get his own armour on, and the captain immediately obeyed.

When Ahaz left the tent, dressed in full armour, with sword and shield in hand, he saw Elihu standing not far away, shouting at Abijah to let him by, and threatening him. Ahaz called out, “Let him pass, Abijah.” The Manassite Chief obeyed reluctantly and stepped aside. Then, as Elihu began to march closer to Ahaz, the Hebrew Chief said sternly, “Why is it that you come before me so armed, Elihu, Chief of Reuben?”

Elihu sneered, “I come to claim what is rightfully mine: leadership of the tribes. It is my birthright, as I am the firstborn of my line, the rightful ruler of Reuben, and he was the firstborn of Jacob, who was called Israel, and so the rightful ruler of the Tribes of Israel. You are the heir of an usurper, and you deserve no power.”

Ahaz remained calm as he replied, “You know full well that Reuben forsook his birthright when he defiled his father’s bed. It was first to the youngest and most humble of tribes that Adonai gave leadership of Israel when He made Saul the Benjamite King of Israel. When Saul betrayed Adonai, he was removed and replaced by David of Judah, again at Adonai’s choosing. David pleased Adonai in all that he did, but his son Solomon did not always keep to Adonai’s commands, and angered Him by worshipping other gods to please his wives and concubines. For this, upon his death, Adonai snatched ten of the tribes away from Solomon’s line, away from his son Rehoboam, and chose instead an Ephraimite, Jeroboam, to rule the Ten Tribes. Now Jeroboam himself also did evil, as did most of the Kings of the North, but never did Adonai decree a new tribe to have supremacy over the Ten. The right remained with Ephraim. And as the rightful heir to the last King of Israel, Hosea, an Ephraimite, I am the rightful ruler of these people. You have no claim, Elihu Bar-Zerah.”

At this Elihu became indignant. He swiftly drew his sword and lunged at Ahaz. Now in his youth, Ahaz had been a great fighter, but now the old Chief was over fifty years old, whilst Elihu was only just over thirty, and was much more agile. Ahaz could not deflect the blow in time, and the Reubenite Chief landed a blow straight into Ahaz’s throat. The death was almost instant. Chief Abijah of Manasseh and his two men immediately drew their own blades and attacked, but were quickly cut down by Elihu’s men.

Elihu then looked Ezra in the eyes and said, “You are leader of Ephraim now, I suppose. Do you stand with me, or with your dead Chief?”

Ezra wanted nothing more than to kill Elihu then and there, but he remembered Ahaz’s last command to him, and swallowed his pride, his thirst for revenge, for justice, and said, “I stand with you, Elihu of Reuben, rightful ruler of Israel.”

“Good,” was all the Reubenite said. He then declared that as Adonai had forsaken Reuben in refusing to grant the birthrights of the firstborn, Reuben, and thus all of Israel, would forsake Adonai. The Children of Israel would now serve Baal and Molech. Any and all who refused were put to death…

This was where Ezra’s tale ended. His eyes were filled with tears, and it was clear that he was in deep pain on account of these memories. The others were all in such shock at the story, and Pekah released his grip on Ezra’s throat and collapsed to the ground. At last, they all looked to Jehu. He was breathing heavily, clearly trying to restrain himself from rage. His fists were clenched, his muscles tensed, they could even see the sinews of his neck as his entire body reacted to the anger. At last he said, “I will kill Elihu with my bare hands if I have to, but he will die for what he has done! And it will not be quick… or painless… he will suffer before he dies! I swear it!”

Then, without warning, the anger fled, and was replaced with a deep, painful sorrow. Jehu’s eyes filled with tears, his knees gave way, and he sank to the ground. He beat the ground with his fists as he wept, shouting, “Abba! Abba! Abba!” (Which means, “Father! Father! Father!”) None of the Hebrews knew what to do, except for Ezra. He went over to his half-brother, helped him up off the ground, embraced him in brother love, and said, “We will avenge our father’s death together, Jehu.”

After the embrace, Jehu wiped the tears from his eyes, looked at all of his men, ashamed to have lost control of his emotions like that, and said, “You will have to forgive me. Such behavior was not becoming of a Chief.”

Caleb put a comforting hand on his Chief’s shoulder and said, “Considering the circumstances, I think we can let it slip this one time. I assure you, my Chief, you have not lost anyone’s respect this day.”


All this had happened in one morning, and Jehu was still getting used to it all. In one morning, he had discovered that Ezra was not a traitor, but was in fact his ever loyal half-brother. He had at last learned the truth about his father’s murder after eight years, and though it did not make him happy in any way to know the exact circumstances, it somehow gave him a small measure of peace.

Early that afternoon they saw a horse riding towards them from Noviomagus. Jehu recognized the rider before anyone else and called out with joy, “Larissa!”

She called his name back with equal joy, halted her horse about one hundred paces away, dismounted, and ran to meet him. He dismounted as well and ran to her, and the two embraced tenderly. She looked into his eyes and said, “I heard the news from Chief Kimarcus! What did the Oracle have to say?”

“Oh, Larissa! I have such things to tell you! You wouldn’t even believe them all!” The two of them began to walk into the woods to talk, completely oblivious to all else around them, until Caleb cleared his throat loud enough to get their attention. Jehu turned to his loyal friend and asked, “What is it, Caleb?”

The Benjamite leaned forward on his horse and said, “With all due respect, might this reunion wait just a little? We are still two and a half days out from Noviomagus. Can you at least discuss things while we ride back? And speaking of our distance, Larissa, did you come out here all by yourself?”

Larissa giggled, “Ofcourse not, Caleb! You raised me better than that! Micah and Joab have escorted me the whole way. I just enjoy riding a ways ahead of them to enjoy some alone time in the forest. It annoys them to no end, which makes it more fun. They should arrive any minute now.”

Then Jehu smiled and said, “Good. And besides, Caleb, as you said, we are more than two full days out from Noviomagus yet. Let us have a little time, eh?”

Caleb groaned. There was no arguing with Jehu. No point. Even if he hadn’t been chief, the lad was more stubborn than a bad-tempered mule. The Benjamite dismounted and the others followed suit. “I guess we’re taking a rest, lads,” he said.

Soon after, Micah and Joab arrived, just as Larissa had predicted. The two of them went off to talk alone, though Caleb followed, close enough to keep an eye on them (as much for safety’s sake as for decency’s) yet far enough to let them speak in private. The others made a small camp and enjoyed a light meal while they had conversations of their own.

Jehu thought this day couldn’t get any better. He had discovered and reunited with his half-brother, and now he was with his future wife as well. This was truly a marvelous day. But then he heard the chuckle…

He turned to his left to see who had made the sound and standing there before him, fully armed, was Cassivelaunos of the Catuvellauni. Cassivelaunos chuckled again and said, “Do you remember me, Jehu?”

“How could I forget a face so ugly?” was Jehu’s response.

“I like your wit,” said Cassivelaunos. “I see you aren’t accompanied by that brutish son of Kimarcus, eh? But look at what lovely company you do have! Does she have a name?”

“Back away,” said Jehu, reaching for his sword. “What right do you have to be so deep in the territory of the Regnenses?”


“Now now, Jehu. You know better than to threaten me. I have with me a full raiding party, and you are all alone. So, why don’t you both come with us now? We’ve been looking for you, you see,” Was the Catuvellaunid warrior’s reply.

“Looking for us?” asked Jehu.

“Well, looking for you. The wench is a bonus. See, Dumnorix has paid my father a substantial amount of money for you, Jehu. So you see, we need you to come with us. And we appreciate the girl, too,” He gave her a leering glance and said in a sarcastic tone, “It’s been so long since we had a well cooked meal.”

At that, Jehu drew his sword and said, “You’ll not get either of us, I swear. And know that Chief Kimarcus will hear about this!”

“Oh,” said Cassivelaunos, “We’re counting on that fact.” With that, he struck at Jehu, and three of his men joined in. Larissa screamed as two more grabbed her by the arms. She flailed and kicked, and scored a hit with her right foot, planting it in the man’s tenders. As he sank to his knees in pain, two more of his comrades came to take his place and hold the girl hostage.

Meanwhile, Jehu was still under attack from Cassivelaunos and his three men. All the Catuvellauni were so focused on the battle, that none of them noticed Caleb had joined the fight until he had already decapitated one of Jehu’s four opponents. Suddenly, the other men all joined in the fray. Caleb quickly blew the signal horn he always kept with him, and proceeded to parry a thrust from one of the Catuvellauni. He quickly gutted the man before engaging another target.

Commius and the other Hebrews heard the horn, and immediately drew their weapons and rushed to the scene. As soon as they saw two score of the Catuvellauni battling with just Jehu and Caleb, they rushed in to help. The fight now turned into an all out melee, as the Hebrews fought with desperate fervor to reach their comrades. Commius' hatred was even deeper. For centuries his people had been rivals of the Catuvellauni, but fear of the Dumnonii had always kept them from fighting each other. If the Catuvellauni were in Regnenses territory, it could only mean one thing: they had sided with the Dumnonii and were now legitimate enemies. He reveled in the chance to finally kill the hated people.

Miraculously, the Hebrews were winning the fight. Cassivelaunos could see it, too. They had reached Jehu and he knew that his key prize was lost. But his men still held the girl. He commanded the men who held her to make a run for it. He grabbed two more of his men and fled with the ones holding the girl. The rest of his men would die to buy him time.

Caleb however, spotted their withdrawal, broke away from the fight, and rushed after them at full speed. Jehu called his name, but he was gone already in hot pursuit.

He heard Joab cry out and saw his comrade sink to the ground, wounded. He did not have time to be distracted though. He killed another man in front of him and saw his chance to follow Caleb, to help rescue Larissa. He was not about to let them escape. He darted from the group and followed in the direction the others had run. He knew his men could handle what was left of the Catuvellauni.

Jehu followed them for what felt like an eternity, though it was only for a minute or two, before he found what had happened. What he found, however, made his heart sink. He saw four bodies lying on the ground: three Catuvellauni… and Caleb. Quickly he rushed to Caleb’s side, and saw a huge, gaping wound in his mentor’s gut. He knew the Benjamite did not have long to live.

Weakly, Caleb called his Chief’s name. Jehu replied, “I’m here, Caleb.”

“F-F-F-Forgive me,” said Caleb, struggling for life already. “I… I failed you.”

“No, no. You did not fail me,” said Jehu, tears brimming up in his eyes.

“They… escaped… with Larissa. I tried… I tried… but Cassi… Cassivelaunos he…”

Jehu shushed his friend and said, “You did your best. That is all I could ever ask. They won’t get away with Larissa for long. I swear it.”

Once more, Caleb called Jehu’s name. The Chief replied, “I am here, my friend. What is it?”

“W-When you return… to kill Elihu… g-go to Kerkinitis… to the synagogue… ask… ask for Agathe… tell… tell her… tell her… I’m… I’m sorry… tell her I… I…” with that, he breathed his last, and his spirit went to Abraham’s bosom.

Jehu wept silently for a moment, until he heard a grunting noise. He turned and saw one of the three Catuvellauni that Caleb had downed was still alive, barely. He rushed over to the man, put his sword at the man’s throat, and said, “You’re dead anyways, but I can make it quick and easy if you tell me where they are taking her!”

The man spit a spray of blood and saliva into Jehu’s mouth, “I do not fear any death”.

“Oh?” said Jehu, filled with rage. “Then you will not mind as I cut off your fingers one by one… followed by your hands… your toes… your feet… and on from there until you’ve bled out!”

The man grinned in spite, “You don’t have it in you.”

“Do I now?” said Jehu as he put his sword under one of the man’s thumbs. He only needed to begin applying pressure before the man’s façade cracked and he said, “Alright! Alright! I’ll tell you!”

“Good. Now, first, will they harm her? At all?”

“No, no,” said the man. “Not a hair on her head.”

“Are you certain?” asked Jehu.

“Yes. Very. It’s you Dumnorix wants. She’ll… she’ll be perfect bait. They’ll leave her unspoilt so as to better bait you in. If they did anything to her… Dumnorix would kill them. I swear to you by all the gods she will be safe.”

“Good. Now, tell me where exactly they are taking her…”

The man began to breath quickly, “To Isca, Dumnorix’s capital.”

Upon hearing that, true to his word, Jehu dispatched the man quickly and painlessly. He rose as he saw his companions arriving, carrying the wounded Joab. He could see that Joab would survive. But still he cursed his luck: because Caleb was dead and Larissa was taken…

Enewald: One more has died indeed. And I shall try to give you more updates of this length. I've been averaging 5 pages per chapter as of late, but this one was 7 pages long. I will try to make more chapters this length.

AlexanderPrimus: Things are not looking good for Jehu at all. And his future is going to get even rougher. I don't want to spoil anything, though, so I'll leave it at that for now.

GhostWriter: They do expect to survive. We shall see soon enough whether their expecations are realistic or not (though I'm sure you've already figured out the answer to that ).

gis: I wish I could answer your questions right now, gis, but that would spoil some crucial parts of the plot! Don't worry, before Book I is over, you will have your answers.


To all my readAARs, next chapter should be coming within the next couple of days as I have pretty much all week off from work (summer jobs, go figure). No promises, ofcourse, but my goal is to get the next chapter up by Tuesday night (early Wednesday morning for my European readers).

Indeed it is, GhostWriter. Sorry about the week-long delay. A lot of unexpected stuff came up, as unexpected stuff usually does.



The return to Noviomagus was not the glorious entry that had been pictured when the companions had left Cartimandua. Instead of returning happily to their home with news of Cartimandua’s words, Jehu and his companions rode through the streets of Noviomagus in stoic silence, with Caleb’s body embalmed and riding behind Jehu’s horse on a crude sledge they had made to transport him back to the capital of the Regnenses.

Chief Kimarcus came out to greet them upon their return, but his smile was killed the moment he saw their somber faces. When he spoke, he asked them why their faces were so down trodden, then he beheld the body. “Who has died?” he asked, scanning their faces. He noted that Caleb and Larissa were gone, but the body was too big to be the girl’s, and so he knew who was now in the afterlife. Before anyone else could speak, the chief asked another question, “Who did this?”

Jehu dismounted, bowed his head in respect, and then looked his father-in-law in the eyes and said, “Cassivelaunos of the Catuvellauni. He attacked me, and Caleb fell in my defense. He was in the employ of Dumnorix.”

Kimarcus’ eyes filled with fire, “This is an act of war! To attack a member of my household, my daughter’s own husband! And on my own territory what’s more!” Then, pausing for a moment, he remembered that both Caleb and Larissa were missing from the group, but there was only one body. “Where is Larissa?” he asked.

“Cassivelaunos has taken her to Isca,” was Jehu’s reply.

The Chief of the Regnenses saw the hatred in Jehu’s eyes and put a hand on his son-in-law’s shoulder, “You will have your chance to rescue her and to secure your revenge, Jehu. But first, you must bury Caleb. Then we shall have our war council. There we will decide what is the best course of action.”


The funeral was a most somber occasion, and all of the Hebrews wept. Even Jehu allowed a few tears to run down his cheek, though he refused to let his emotions control him. He was the Chief of the Hebrews, and he had to be strong for his companions. But secretly, in his heart of hearts, he was weeping bitterly. Ever since the murder of Ahaz eight years ago, Caleb had raised Jehu and had been like a father to him. Losing one father was hard enough. But to lose his second father, and to actually witness him die this time... it was all he could do not to break down and weep like a child.

Kimarcus had dispatched riders to Chief Catugnatus of the Atrebates and to Chief Segovax of the Cantii. These arrived with their escorts before the week was out, and so Kimarcus summoned them, along with Commius, the Regnensian war leaders, and also Jehu and his companions to the war council. There were some twenty men present at the council, all of them stern and somber. They stood on the brink of a war they probably could not win, and they knew it.

The Chief of the Regnenses was the first to speak. Everyone in the room listened to the grizzled veteran with respect as he spoke, “My friends, our situation is grim. The Catuvellauni have attacked my own household, my son-in-law, Jehu, and on my own territory! Honour demands that we make them pay for their insolence! What’s more, they have murdered a friend of mine, a man I accepted as one of my own: Caleb. They have also kidnapped a young woman under my protection, Larissa. This is a threefold offense! There is a problem, however…”

The Chief indicated to his son, Commius, signaling that the Prince of the Regnenses would complete the sentence. Commius cleared his throat and said, “We are not simply facing the Catuvellauni and their confederates, the Trinovantes and the Iceni. The Northern Alliance has been bought out by Dumnorix, and he adds them to his own six tribes: The Dumnonii, the Durotriges, the Dobunni, the Silures, the Demetae, and the Ordovices. With nine tribes at his beckon and call, Dumnorix can summon over forty thousand men to war. The Regnenses can only summon about eight thousand. If we add to that the strength of the Atrebates and the Cantii, we almost reach sixteen thousand. It will not be enough.”

“What are we to do then?” asked Segovax.

Several proposals were made, each more preposterous than the one before it, and the men at the council began to argue amongst themselves. Jehu, however, began to think. What he wanted to do was head straight for Isca to free Larissa. But to go alone would certainly be suicide, and would do Larissa no good. Nor could the Southern Alliance march against forty thousand warriors. That’s when the idea hit him. He stood up and said, “I will bring my people to fight by your side!”

Everyone became quiet at this for a moment, absorbing what Jehu had just said. It was Segovax who first spoke, “Your ‘countrymen’ are on the far side of the world! From what I’ve heard, it took you a year to get here from them. Besides, aren’t you here as an exile? What makes you think you could bring them here to Pretannia?”

Jehu looked him in the eyes and said, “I am an exile because the traitor Elihu murdered my father and usurped his power. I will kill Elihu and take back what is mine. With him dead, the Hebrew people will have no reason not to follow me.”

Kimarcus motioned for everyone to sit down. Tempers usually rose as people did, and sank in a similar fashion. Everyone sat down, calmed down, and turned their attention to the Chief of the Regnenses. He turned to Jehu and said, “My son, even if you were able to kill Elihu and claim leadership of your people, it is over a year’s journey to this ‘Krimea’ where they reside, and then over a year’s journey back. You would be gone for the better part of three years. And what are we to do in that time?”

“Stall for time,” said Jehu. “Dumnorix believes me to be this deliverer that Cartimandua prophesied. He’s afraid of me. I saw it in his eyes at Nemetostatio. That is why Cassivelaunos kidnapped Larissa. His original goal was to kill me then and there, but failing that, he is trying to draw me in with her as the bait. It’s me he wants. Dumnorix knows he can’t have Pretannia while I live.”

“But if you are away for three years, don’t you think he will strike?” asked Catugnatus.

Jehu nodded, “He very well may do that. But what other option have we? Sixteen thousand men cannot contend with the horde Dumnorix will amass. You will need the aid of the Hebrews if you are to overcome this threat.” Then he looked to Kimarcus, eyes pleading, “Most honoured father, you know me well enough to know that I would not suggest a course of action that took me away from the Regnenses, who have become my people every bit as much as the Hebrews are, unless I thought there was no other way. This is the only way.”


The old chief sighed, “Your argument is valid, Jehu. You have my leave to go. But do not dither in your quest. Hasten to the Krimea, kill Elihu and hasten back.”

Jehu nodded, “I give you my word. The Regnenses are my people now, too. And what’s more, Dumnorix has Larissa. I won’t let him keep her a moment longer than I have to. Nor will I let Caleb’s murder go unpunished.”

Kimarcus nodded, “Then go make ready, Jehu. Leave as soon as you can.”

Commius rose and said, “Father, I am going with him.”

“You cannot, my son!” Kimarcus insisted. “I need you here at my side. If I should fall, who will lead the Regnenses?”

“With all due respect, father,” said Commius, “Were you to fall in battle, you know I would be there to die right alongside you. It would mean the end of our dynasty, and quite possibly of our people. But should war come while we are away, and should Dumnorix conquer our people, I will be able to return and liberate them at Jehu’s side. Surely this is the wiser course of action.”

Before Kimarcus could reply, Gwendolen burst into the chamber, clung to Jehu, and said, “I am going with my husband!”

To this the Chief of the Regnenses said, “Must I be robbed of all three of my children? And Gwendolen, you are not even supposed to be here! This is a secret council of war!”

But Gwendolen was insistent that she stay with her husband, Jehu. And so at last it was decided that both Commius and Gwendolen would accompany Jehu, escorted by ten of Kimarcus’ most loyal bondsmen. The Chief of the Regnenses was not pleased by this at all, but there was little else he could do.


As Jehu stood in his quarters, his mind was spinning. After eight long years he was at last going to embark on a journey back to his people. He hoped and prayed that Adonai would safeguard the Regnenses while he was away. He also prayed for Larissa. He hoped she would understand why he would be away for so long. It would not be easy for her to wait in Dumnorix’s clutches for close to three years, but what else could be done?

Just then, Micah entered the room and said, “You wanted to see me, sir?”

Jehu nodded and turned to his friend, “Micah, I have a special favor to ask of you. If you do not wish to do it, I will understand.”

The Ephraimite soldier saluted his Chief and said, “I will do whatever you ask of me, sir.”

His Chief sighed and said, “Micah, I will not accept an answer before I have told you what I will ask. You must have the freedom to decline this task.”

Micah nodded and said, “What task would you ask of me, my Chief?”

Jehu put his hand on his friend’s shoulder and answered, “Micah, you know that Larissa is being kept in Dumnorix’s palace at Isca. She is going to be there for almost three years before I can at last kill Dumnorix and free her. I want her to know why. And to know that I will never forget her, nor will I stop loving her. I want her to know that I will come back for her. That is where you come in. I need someone to ride to Isca and somehow deliver the message to her.”


The Ephraimite solider knew what his Chief was asking. To go to Isca now would mean that Micah was not going to go back to his people with the others. It was very risky, too. Dumnorix was not a man known for his civility. But he had trusted Jehu this far and he would continue to do so. He straightened up and said, “I would be honoured to deliver your message, my Chief.”

Jehu embraced him, catching him off guard, and said, “Thankyou, my friend! May Adonai bless you!”

When the embrace had ended, the two said their farewells, and Micah went to the stables to ready a horse and to depart as soon as possible. As he passed through the door out of Jehu’s quarters, he turned back to his chief, and the two friends looked each other in the eyes. After a moment, Micah continued on his way to the stables. They could not have known that it would be the last time they would ever see each other.

After a few minutes, Gwendolen entered and embraced her husband. After the embrace, Jehu looked her in the eyes and asked, “Why did you say you would come, Gwen?”

“You do not want me to come?” asked the Regnensian Princess, frowning.

Jehu sighed, “We will be passing through dangerous and barbaric lands. Your life will be in danger if you come.”

“In case you haven’t noticed,” said Gwendolen, tears brimming in her eyes, “Pretannia is a very dangerous and barbaric land as well! Recent events should have shown you that! And do you really think I will be safer here, with Dumnorix threatening war?”


“You are right,” answered Jehu, “You are no safer here in Noviomagus that you would be with me. But that still doesn’t answer my question. Why do you wish to come with me? And don’t tell me that it is because you are my wife. I know you well enough to know you would need a better reason than that.”

Gwendolen shrugged his arms off of hers and said, “Well, if you must know, you aren’t the reason I want to come. I heard what you told Micah. What you want him to tell Larissa. I know you love that girl with all that you are, and that there is nothing left of your heart to give to me. That’s fine. I’ve accepted that. I’ve been your wife for five years and you have yet to even kiss me, so why should you love me? You say it is just because your people demand the marriage to be performed by some Levite sod, but I know there’s more to it than that. You say you know me well. I also know you very well. I know the real reason you won’t touch me as a husband should. You love her more than you ever will love me. That’s fine. After five years, I’ve come to accept that fact. So I come in the hopes of finding another husband, a man who will accept me, so that you may release me to him, and then we can all be happy.”

Jehu was unsure of how to respond to this. He tried to say something, but only managed to stammer out, “Gwendolen I--” before she interrupted him and said, “Nothing you can say is going to change my mind. I’ve already set my eyes on this Ezra fellow. I’m not giving up.”

“Ezra?” asked Jehu is disbelief.

“He is your half-brother, isn’t he? He sure looks the part,” she said.

“He-he is, but…”

“But nothing, Jehu. Everything about you that made me fall in love with you, he has it, too. The dark, curly hair. That exquisite darkened beard. The blood of a people from the far side of the world. You were everything that the men of Pretannia are not. That is why I loved you. And Ezra is everything you are. So I can and I will love him, too,” she said, with fire in her eyes.

Jehu simply nodded and said, “Then I hope it works out for you. Ezra is a good man. And if he will have you, then I will release you to him, in accordance with Regnensian Law, and you two can be married amongst my people under the Mosaic Law.”

“Thankyou,” was all she said. Then she embraced him, kissed his cheek, and left.


The next day, the seventeen companions left the shores of Pretannia in solemn silence. Final goodbyes were said amidst tears. Kimarcus embraced his daughter, his son, and his son-in-law, and told Jehu to protect both Commius and Gwendolen. He wanted all three of his children to come back to Pretannia. Jehu gave his word that no harm would come to Commius or Gwendolen, but said he could not make the same promise concerning himself. Kimarcus nodded and replied, “I understand, my lad. The burden of a Chief is great, but you bear it well. I may never have met Ahaz, but I am certain he would be proud of the man his son has grown up to be.”

Jehu tried to hold back tears. It was a very emotional thought, his father being proud of him. He succeeded in controlling himself, and simply smiled as he said, “I believe he would also thank you for showing mercy and accepting me and my followers as your own.”

The two leaders had one final embrace before Jehu boarded the boat with the rest. As the boat departed for the shores of the Belgae, those onboard looked back one last time. Nobody could have known what the future held in store. None of them could have realized the impact that this departure would have. No one… except for Cartimandua…

Enewald: They'll find a way through. They made it once before.

AlexanderPrimus: Things look bleak indeed. But they can't stay that way forever...

Fiftypence: Glad you liked that part. I was very worried that it would not turn out well, but apparently I did better than I thought. And indeed, nobody likes the fact Jehu has to leave on the eve of war, but there was no other option.

GhostWriter: Well, technically there are seven left (and I should correct the number of people on the voyage, I forgot about Joab, not that that is very surprising, as he plays a very minor role): Jehu, Larissa, Ezra, Benoni, Micah, Pekah, and Joab. But as you know, Larissa and Micah are not going to be coming back to the Krimea, so that leaves five of the house of Israel left for the return journey.

gis: Indeed, the return to the Krimea has begun. And I assure you, it is going to be an eventful return, in both expected and unexpected ways...



To all readAARs, my plan is to get the next chapter up sometime next week. Hopefully I can stick to that.

GhostWriter: Indeed. It is easy to forget the minor details like that. Sometimes when I go back and reread my past work for both this AAR and the Morea, I catch little things I had missed the first time through.

Good point with Larissa there. And with Micah. For the sake of knowing what happens to them while Jehu is away, I am going to make a slight exception in the way I am writing Book I. Thus far, it has been entirely from a Third Person Limited perspective, that of Jehu's. But I will provide a few snippets here and there of what happens to Micah and Larissa during the next three years. I think it would be cruel of me to make you all wait as long as Jehu must to find out what happens to them.

And yes, I did correct the number of people on the boat.

By the way, I was just browsing through the ACA archives, and I discovered something that I am shocked escaped my notice for so long... This AAR tied for the victory in the category of Favourite Rome Narrative for Q4 of 2008! Naturally I was quite distracted with school and Christmas break and such at the time, but it still should not have escaped my notice for nearly seven months! I would like to thank everyone who voted for me in that round, and also all my readAARs in general, for your support! I apologize that it took me so long to finally get that thankyou out! You all are the best!

Well, I promised to have an update up this week, and I almost didn't make it. But, with just enough time to spare, I got it up for you. Hope you like it!



The boat ride across the channel to the lands of the Belgae had passed in relative silence. For the Hebrews, they were beginning their journey home. For the Regnenses, it was a journey far from home, and they feared that there might not be a home left when they returned. For the time being, all they had to lean on was the companionship of each other. There was nothing else.

As their boat neared the shores of the Belgae, they noticed a small band of warriors waiting on the coast, apparently for them. When the boat was close enough, Jehu hopped out, quickly followed by Commius and Benoni. The rest remained onboard for the time being, waiting for a signal of what to do. As Jehu and his two companions waded towards the shore, they saw the Belgae draw their weapons. Before Commius’ and Benoni’s warrior instincts could react, Jehu held up his hands and called out, “We mean no harm!” His companions quickly held up their own hands as well, following his lead.

“I am Tugnus,” called out the leader of the Belgic warriors. Jehu noted the size and strength of the man, and knew he must be a great fighter. With a cold expression on his face, Tugnus said, “If you mean no harm, then why do you bring weapons into the lands of the Belgae?”

“My name is Jehu Bar-Ahaz,” came the reply. “We wish only to pass through your lands. I am Chief of a people on the far side of the world. When I was a boy, my father was murdered and I was driven out with a small band of loyal followers. In our flight, we crossed the entire world until we reached Pretannia with the help of my companion and brother-in-law, Commius.” Jehu indicated with his hands towards the Regnensian Prince. “The time has now come for me to return to my people and reclaim what is rightfully mine. The sword at my side waits to spill the traitor Elihu’s blood. It seeks no quarrel with the Belgae.”

Tugnus looked deep into Jehu’s eyes before saying, “I believe what you speak. But permission to pass through these lands is not mine to give. That must be sought at the court of my Chief. Come with me.”

Jehu pointed back to the boat, “What of my companions? There are seventeen of us in total.”

“I do not have enough warriors with me here to guard all of you,” was Tugnus’ reply.

“I give you my word,” said Jehu, “On the blood of my father, Ahaz. We shall not betray your trust.”

Tugnus sighed, “I don’t know what it is about you, Jehu Bar-Ahaz, but something inside me compels me to trust you. So be it. You may all come with me.”

Jehu thanked Tugnus. Then he motioned for his friends to disembark from the boat and to join them on the shore. The seventeen companions then followed Tugnus and his men to the court of their Chief, to plead for a right of passage through the lands. They did not know what the future held in store for them.


Micah gasped as the walls of Isca loomed before him. These were no wooden palisades like the fortifications around the other major settlements of Pretannia. These were mighty stone battlements which blocked the way of any army wishing to get in. The gatehouse was especially impressive, and carved into the stones at the top was the proclamation: “Dumnonos is god over all”. Micah uttered a quick prayer of forgiveness for even reading such blasphemy, and then turned to his escort, Dumnorix’s lieutenant, Drustan.

Drustan was a fiery red-head, with a matching temper. He quickly matched Micah’s gaze and shouted, “What are you looking at?”

Micah simply gestured towards the gate and said, “Am I to be permitted to speak with your master? Or must Dumnorix wait to hear the words of Jehu?”

Drustan called out to the guards to open the gate. Then, turning back to Micah, he spat and said, “Hebrew filth. There’s your open gate. Now follow me.”

And follow Micah did. Upon entering the fortress, Drustan dismounted and loudly barked for Micah to follow suit. Once on foot, their horses were led away and the two of them proceeded into the palace. The palace itself was almost like a fortress within the fortress. It was surrounded by ramparts, and even had four separate towers, one at each corner. This was more powerful even than Kerkinitis, though the old Greek city of the Krimea had better craftsmanship and was more aesthetically pleasing, Micah noted.

As they entered the main courtroom, Drustan signaled for Micah to stop. The Lieutenant then approached the throne and bowed. When Dumnorix indicated for him to rise, he did so, and said, “My lord, this is Micah. He comes as emissary for Jehu Bar-Ahaz.”


Dumnorix motioned for Micah to come forth, but before the Hebrew could move, all eyes turned to Eoghan, Dumnorix’s chief druid. The old man was writhing on the floor in an intense seizure. His body convulsed and contorted, and he cried out strange words. When it was all over, two bondsmen helped him to his feet, and he looked around. After a moment, he pointed straight at Micah and said, “Him! He comes to stall for time! Jehu Bar-Ahaz has left these shores!”

“Is this true?” Dumnorix asked Micah, though in truth he already believed it, for he never doubted the words of Eoghan.

“It is not the full truth,” replied Micah, refusing to show the fear that threatened to eat him away in this place of evil. He swallowed a lump in his throat and said, “It is true, my lord Jehu has departed Pretannia, but only for a time. Your worm, Cassivelaunos, has no doubt brought the maiden Larissa to this very place. Jehu knows this. And he sends you word that you have made a terrible mistake. He leaves now to liberate his people, the Hebrew Nation, and to bring them here, to wage war upon you. It will be three years before he returns, but as sure as the sun shall rise, he shall return. And just as the sun shall set this very evening, so too is it certain that upon his return, you, Dumnorix, shall die. Your false god shall be laid low, and your people driven back into the sea, back to the lands of Armorica whence you came! You have sealed your own fate, Dumnorix. Thus says my master.”

The entire court was aghast at what Micah had said. The entire court, save two. Micah noticed that there was one slave girl, who looked like a Regnensian, had a glimmer of hope in her eyes. The other was Dumnorix, who began to laugh. When he had finished laughing, Dumnorix said, “This is what you came all this way to tell me? Jehu sent you to my court just to tell me his plans? And to threaten me? I do not understand Hebrew reasoning!” And with that, he began to laugh once more, arrogantly.

The whole court joined their lord in laughter until Micah spoke. His words were filled with such deep conviction that their hearts were frozen solid, “If you truly knew my master, you would not be laughing now. The circumstances of his life have made him a formidable warrior. He shows kindness to those he loves, but he is perfectly capable of destruction as well. You have taken his betrothed hostage and you have threatened his adoptive family and tribe. You have made an enemy of the wrong man, Dumnorix.”

Dumnorix rose from his throne and strode towards Micah. The Hebrew was surprised at just how tall the Chief of the Dumnonii really was. Dumnorix stood a whole head taller than the Hebrew and looked down his nose to meet Micah’s gaze. The look in his eyes sent shivers down Micah’s spine, but the Hebrew refused to show fear. Dumnorix snorted and said, “Your master talks a good game because he thinks he has the power of the Southern Alliance waiting for him upon his return. But I promise you, when he comes, he will find them all dead. Regnenses, Atrebates, Cantii. I will see every last one of them put to the sword. If Jehu wants a fight, he’s got one. He shall return to desolation and know that his time has come. And before his death, I will force him to kneel before the statue of Dumnonos! And then, when his final shame is finished, I will personally strike off his head. Now go. Tell Chief Kimarcus that he has one month to live. For when I come, I come in force, and I will not leave one man, woman, or child standing. Go!”

Micah’s heart sank as he realized what Dumnorix was saying. He quickly left the palace and took his horse. Once mounted, he rode as hard as he could for Noviomagus. Chief Kimarcus had to be warned! In his haste, Micah completely forgot that he had not ensured that Larissa had heard the message that Jehu would come in three years and why it would take so long. Thankfully, he did not have to…


The court of the Belgic Chief was filled with people, all of whom stared in amazement at the band of Hebrews and Regnenses who stood before them. The Regnenses were not so surprising in appearance, as they were distant cousins of the Belgae. But the Hebrews were something altogether different. Many of them had heard the tales that circulated about the strange, curly-haired boy who had defeated one of the greatest warriors of the Sweboz eight years ago. Some had also heard that this same mysterious lad was the brave (or foolhardy, depending on one’s perspective) young man who had dared to defy Dumnorix, a name feared even in the northern coasts of Gaul. Very few could actually believe what their eyes were showing them, this same lad was here, in the flesh, standing before them.

Their Chief was also very impressed with Jehu’s track record. He smiled as the Hebrew Chief and his companions entered his mighty hall. After they had bowed, he motioned for them to rise. He then stood up from his throne and began to walk towards them, saying, “Jehu Bar-Ahaz! I am Chief Lugurix, and I welcome you to my court! Word of your exploits have even reached us here in the lands of the Belgae. They say that you know no fear.”

Jehu nodded and said, “I have heard such stories myself. Let me assure you, they are not true. I am but a man, like any man here among us in this court. I have felt fear on many occasions. Courage is not the absences of fear, but rather the discipline to press on despite your fear. And I have courage in great abundance.”

Lugurix smiled, “I admire your answer, Jehu. It truly does take courage to say that every man has fear when you are in a room filled with warriors who pride themselves on being fearless. Why, many of our elite soldiers enter battle completely naked to show that there is no fear whatsoever in their bodies. I am certain that these men would love teach you how little fear they possess.”

The Hebrew Chief looked around the room and saw in the eyes of those present that his remark had indeed made quite the impression on them. He knew that to continue to defend his position would almost certainly offend them. But to back down would be a sign of weakness, and they would lose all respect for him then. He knew he had to stand his ground if ever he was to get through the lands of the Belgae. He took a deep breath and said, “Fearlessness is foolhardiness. A man without fear will take unnecessary risks.”

Jehu did not notice Benoni smiling proudly. The Manassite was pleased at how much his pupil had remembered from their combat training. What Jehu did notice was the response from the Belgic warriors. They all began to shout at him, declaring that he had besmirched their honour by calling them fools. Lugurix, however, seemed unphased. He simply clasped his hands behind his back and said, “Well, Jehu, you certainly have angered my warriors. This needs to be settled. Here and now. What would you say to a sword duel against… oh… say… Tugnus here?”

Jehu had no desire to fight Tugnus, but eight years amongst Celts had more than taught him their ways. He knew there was no other option. So he agreed. The two warriors looked each other in the eyes before removing all armour and laying aside their shields. They now faced each other wearing nothing but their tunics and armed with nothing but their swords. After bowing to each other, Jehu and Tugnus readied their weapons and the duel began.

Tugnus immediately lunged, truly showing no fear. Jehu side-stepped and clubbed Tugnus on the back of the head with the hilt of his Xiphos sword. The Belgic warrior stumbled, but quickly regained control. He brought his sword down towards Jehu with a swift stroke, but the Hebrew was quick to parry. Benoni’s smile only grew as the battle raged on. Jehu had learned much. He had truly reached what Benoni had always called “The Epitome of Fighting Prowess”. His sword was no longer a weapon, but an extension of his body. No longer was it a tool for butchery, but a force of nature.

By now Tugnus was growing tired and Jehu was on the offensive. The Hebrew Chief attacked with fluid motion and seemed more like he was in a dance than in a fight. With each blow, Tugnus’ face winced. It was clear that the Belgic warrior would lose now. It was only a question of when. Twice in his fatigue, Tugnus left a spot open, but Jehu chose not to strike. The Hebrew did not desire to kill such a valiant man. At last, with a loud shout, Jehu brought his Xiphos down with such force that it sent Tugnus sprawling on the ground, and the Belgic warrior’s sword was seen careening into a wall. Jehu stood over Tugnus, sword at his throat.

Tugnus reached out a pleading hand to Jehu and begged, “Kill me now. I have been shamed in defeat.”

Instead, Jehu took the man’s arm and helped him up. When Tugnus looked to him in confusion, Jehu said, “I did not come to the lands of the Belgae to spill blood. My quarrel is not with you. I go now to the lands of the Krimea, to free my people from the tyranny of Elihu the traitor. I will return here in three years time with thousands of warriors at my beckon and call. At that time, I will cross the channel and engage the armies of Dumnorix. I will not stop until he is dead, his god, Dumnonos, is cast down, and his people, the Dumnonii, are driven back into the sea whence they came! I would be very grateful if I could count on your support in my war against Dumnorix upon my return. What say you?”

Lugurix folded his hands together and answered, “I do not know what it is about you that compels me, so, Jehu Bar-Ahaz, but I cannot deny you. You have proven your worth as a warrior today by defeating Tugnus, and you have proven your worth as a Chieftain by sparing the life of a valiant man defeated in battle. You are free to pass through our lands on your way to this ‘Krimea’ of yours. And when you return, the Belgae shall be at your command.”

Jehu nodded, “Words cannot express my gratitude, Lugurix. If you could do one more thing for me, rally as many of the other Gallic tribes as you can to our cause. I want to present Dumnorix with such a foe that even he quakes in fear.”

Lugurix rapidly nodded assent, “It shall be done.”

With that, Jehu and his companions departed the lands of the Belgae and began their journey through Germania and into the Krimea. They were en route to their destiny. Commius, Gwendolen, and the other Regnenses would see for the first time this land about which they had heard so much. On the other hand, Jehu and his fellow Hebrews would return to discover just how much had changed in eight years… and just how much had remained the same…


Larissa sat, alone and in despair. Dumnorix had forbidden his men to touch her, and this had angered them. Since they could not have their way with her, they decided she would have to suffer for their denial. Thus she sat in a dank, disgusting cell, clothed only in a most uncomfortable garment of sackcloth that constantly irritated her skin. She prayed whenever she could, for there was nothing else to bring her any comfort. She wondered when Jehu would come for her. If he would even come for her. Perhaps he was happy enough with that blasted Regnensian witch. Let him have Gwendolen! She spat at that name. She wanted to hate Jehu, but something deep inside her heart would not let her.

She was suddenly disturbed to hear a small, feminine voice whisper her name. She looked to the source of the sound and saw a young slave girl crouching just outside the bars. Larissa crawled over and asked “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

The girl shushed her and said, “The guards are sleeping. If they wake, we will both be in trouble for this. My name is Arra, and I have a message for you from Jehu.”

“What do you mean?”

Arra shook her head, “I was captured when I was very little. My parents were Regnenses. The Dumnonii think I don’t remember my parents, but I do. I can still hear their final screams when I go to sleep at night. I want to see the Dumnonii destroyed. And I believe this Jehu can do it. I was in the throne room when a man named Micah delivered a message to Dumnorix from Jehu. Jehu says he has left Pretannia to free his people. He said he would return, in force, in three years and that that is when he would kill Dumnorix and free you. He said that capturing you was the greatest mistake Dumnorix ever made. Jehu must love you very much. I wish someone would rescue me, too.”

Tears welled up in Larissa’s eyes. Now she knew why she could not bring herself to hate Jehu. Her thoughts when back to that night, seven years ago, when they had first arrived in Pretannia, in the court of Kimarcus. She remembered how jealous she had been when Gwendolen was flirting with Jehu. But then Jehu had taken Larissa aside and spoken to her privately, and he had promised that as long as his shield bore the white lambda that represented her name, it meant that he loved her and would always be there for her. She pictured him standing in his full armour, Hoplon shield and all. With his Corinthian helmet down he was truly a terrifying sight to behold, and she hoped that that sight would one day strike fear into Dumnorix’s heart.

Then she remembered Arra, who was still crouching by the cell bars. She reached her hands out and took the little slave girl’s hands. She looked Arra in the eyes and said, “I promise you, Arra, when Jehu comes in three years, we shall both be rescued…”