Under Antso IV
A Strange Visitor
From 1066 to New Year's Eve 1067
Irun
September, 15
1066
The hunters entered the castle carrying their trophies, followed suit by dogs and servants. The servants took care of the pieces and took them to the kitchen, where the cooks waited eagerly to make the best of the boars and stags.
A horseman unmounted. He was a 31 year old, tall, thin brunette man with a moustache and a goatee. Even before he finished, a woman called him.
"Eneko!"
The Lord of Bizkaia, more of a first among equals than a true "count" as other nobles stubbornly call him, smiled indulgently.
"He-he-hello, little ziz. W-w-what are you doing here?"
He suffered both of stutter and lisp. That didn't stop him from assuming the role of his father, the late Lope Velazquez and doing so with good results.
His half-sister Mentzia, on the other hand, was quite the fearsome social animal. Beautiful, ruthless and intelligent, she was expelled thrice from the nunnery where her mother sent her for "proper feminine education". Futile attempts. She never accepted being relegated to purely domestic works and her brother Eneko felt sorry for the man that would eventually marry her. She reluctantly accepted the idea that she would have to marry and bore children to a probably boring man. But nothing below of a count. It suited the plans of the family quite well, in fact.
"That King of Castile! He keeps saying that he is your liege."
Unnoticed by everyone, a lone knight or nobleman entered the castle. He was quite fat and had a less distinguished version of Eneko's shaving style and had a half-raised hood.
"It is not the case, young lady?"
Mentzia went red with rage, but she restrained herself.
"No."
The man smirked. He had a rather cynical look and he was constantly looking around himself, as expecting an attack. Eneko recognized him, but he was silenced with the merest of gestures.
"Who is your King, then? "
"The one sitting on his throne in Pamplona!"
The man smiled more broadly.
"I was told that you were the children of the Wolf*. But finding that the female ones are as fierce as the male ones is quite surprising."
Mentzia finally erupted.
"Who are you that you dare come here and insult me?"
The man removed the hood.
"I am a much relieved man. I don't think I could handle the idea of a fierce woman like you in front of me, instead of alongside me."
Everybody went mute. As every time that the situation required it, Eneko dominated his stutter and presented him.
"Mentzia, this is our rigthful King, Antso, fourth of his name."
She went pale but she recovered quickly. Instead of yielding, she retorted again.
"I am sorry, my King. But, surely, your highness won't fail to understand the dangers of visiting us without a proper announcement... And alone."
The King laughed.
"Definitely, she IS a wolf. Well, Eneko. Won't you invite your purported King for dinner."
The feast was an special one. It was the first time since the times of Antso's grandfather The Great that a Pamplonese, or Navarran, as they were starting to be known, King visited the castle guarding the Bidasoa river, built upon the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Oiasso.
"Zh..zhe's correct, my King. It'z dangerous to travel without."
"The only direct danger I suffer right now is my traitorous brother. I don't trust him. I swear, he would be able to push me over a cliff just to take the Crown. Bears and bandits are nothing compared to him."
"I am zorry to hear that, my King."
"You will help me. I need to excerpt more authority."
He raised his hand.
"I know, you value your independence. Just enough power to keep him on a short leash."
He served himself more cider. Of course, several persons tasted it before him. It was probably too much, but he was under constant assassination attempts. He appreciated the taste. Strong and refreshing.
"Did you hear the news?"
"W-w-what news?"
"The ones that had half the European crowns holding their breath, of course! Harold of England is fending not one, but two invasions! That viking King, Harald, is invading from the north and the Bastard, what-was-his-name? Guillaume? is invading from the south."
"W-who will win?"
"Who knows? The Saxons are not as soft as Viking or Normans think. Even if one of then success, will be able to control the country?"
Antso shrugged.
"Anyway. I am glad to see that you keep your promises. How are your business going?"
"I had every member of the council put to work. We are poor and we do not have a lot of men, but they are yours."
"Excellent. Keep the good work. We probably need it for stopping the Castilians, Aragonese, my brother... I sure hope the Moors keep silent. "
He stood.
"Good night. Send my best wishes to your sister. She is... Quite the remarkable woman."
Lord Eneko didn't fail to notice how the King's eyes wandered remembering Mentzia. But he didn't dare hope. Certainly, a King could make Mentzia his lover, but not his wife... Would he? Antso already had a pair of bastards. He still had the problem of succession. Not a problem Eneko had, with his four sons assuring somebody of his blood would inherit. In fact, he would rather had a daughter to strenghten the family alliances.
"I-I will, my King."
The next days, the decision became known. Even if the King of Castille branded him a traitor, Eneko stood by his decision and supported King Antso's project.
Little happened for the rest of that year. The war for Albion raged on, without a clear winner and a Holy War for Toledo was launched by the Leonese King, with very little success.
The routine was only disrupted by things like small tournaments.
The next year started the same. Albion was still hanging in the balance and Toledo refused to fall for Catholic forces when something really strange happened.
Eneko stormed his siter's room. She was, as usual, doing things by herself without accepting the help of any servant.
"Me-me-mentzia! W-w-w-what have you done?"
"Oh, he really took offence."
"W-what?"
"He tried to seduce me. I told him that, even if he was a King, only my husband could have me."
"W-we will accept, of courz!"
"Yes, of course. He appears to be a nice man, behind all the King and cynical things. I am more worried about his brother. He is the legal heir now..."
"Ke-keep me informed."
"Of course, Eneko. I will be the queen consort by virtue of marriage, but I am forever your sister."
Before retiring, she kissed him in the cheek.
"And don't forget to build that palisade. We need more protection. I the long run, we also need to build a village. Send Toda my best wishes."
Eneko found his wife alone, looking at the fire. She took the news joyously.
"Two good news the same day!"
"Two?"
"I am pregnant, Eneko."
"I-I-I hope it will be a daughter thiz time!"
"Me, too."
The end of the year arrived. Lord Eneko couldn't sleep. There was something in the wind. Not simply the cold. He could smell treason.
He looked upon the shield he had painted for the family. The two wolves appeared like they looked straight at him.
He knew, at that instant, that the traitor would only go down with the sword. He took the old sword of his father and felt that it was upon him, even with his craven nature, to stop it from happening.
"So, let it be!"
*Lope is a derivation from the Latin word lupus, meaning wolf. The suffix -ez denotes "son of".
