THE UNDERDOG
Chieft Lamekins The Underdog
***
On the wooden bridge over a sparkling spring there was a woman sitting. She was playing with amber beads and singing an ancient melody. Someone arrived and shadowed sun. Viba raised her head.
- “Hey Viba!” kiss on cheek.
- “Hey Lamí” replied young wife: “Mm, is that honey?”
- “Yes, from Semigallia! Greetings from Viesturs. Sweet, take a comb or two!”
- “How is High Chief?” Viba asked
- “He is great! Going to war against Riga! Gonna throw them crusaders into the Sea”
- “Oh, I wish he would”
- “And I will help him!”
- “Wait, Lami!”
- “No worries, War is men business! And Perkons is my protector!”
- “Yes, but why die for HIS goals?”
- “Viba, we cant let that bishop Albert snake...”
- “Why don’t we raid Vinno’s order castle in Tukums instead?”
- “Take some cows and slaves.. hmm”
- “... and if lucky take Tukums hillfort itself”
- “But Viba, the Holy Order is strong and Semigallia needs our hand!”
- “Has he agreed to betroth Agita to our ‘puika’ yet?”
- “Well... he said he would..”
- “Should we rush our help before that?”
- “Hmm.., agreed, first betrothal, then help in war. But - I raid Tukums!”
- “Sure, Lami, you are the Chief!”
- “Viba, one more thing, I took one conc ...”
- “About Dardedze? I know, you are the Chief, you need many women. Prestige”
- “Ehhhm..”
- “I talked to her, she is a good girl. Have fun!”
***
The meadow got busy and noisy. Men were challenging each other. Fighting with wooden sticks or bare hands. Cheers, grunts and cries! An old man laughing. Dardedze was observing warriors whilst sharpening her sword. Chieftess approached her with a smile and a hug.
- “Dardedze!”
- “Yes, Viba!”
- “May Laima bless you!”
- “And may Perkons protect you!”
- “You blackeyed our man!” Viba smiled
- “It was a warrior initiation duel”
- “I know. Sure. Speaking of that, are you joining?”
- “The raid? yes!”
- “Stay besides Lamekins, watch his ass!”
- “Off course!”
- “No, I mean it! He is too brave, watch his ass out of trouble”
- “Understood” said young girl. Short moment of silence got broken by Viba:
- “Ehm, have you both? Has he? With you?”
- “Sex? No, you know, we are not interested in that” (they are both chaste - author remark)
- “If anyone asks, he does you two times per night, ok?” half joking, half serious asked Viba
- “Of course!” Replied Dardedze, took her sword and after careful examination put it into scabbard.
***
*Military Maneuvers of Baltic tribes against Crusaders*
On year 1204 High Chief Viesturs of Zemgale lead joint Semigall-Vanema campaign against Riga. Semigalls sieged down Riga and Curonians raided Tukums land.
Bishop Albert managed to summon Teutones Order to help Christian cause. In the great battle of Riga joined forces of Letts were victorious. About 1,000 crusaders perished.
In the last battle of Ledurga 1,400 Vanemans took on 1,700 Order brothers. A group of crusaders came for surprise attack and slaughtered Lamekin’s Guard. That enraged the young Chief. He chased down their famous commander - brother Simon, disregarding higher combat experience of the opponent. Dardedze took the battle for him. As a result they captured Simon and sacrificed him to Dievas. Curonian warriors got inspired by the event and earned a decisive victory. From this day Lamekins got known as The Underdog. Fighting and winning against the odds.
On July 1205 Riga went into hands of Semigalls, on December 1205 Tukums got conquered by Curonians.
Livonian Order got pushed back into the Sea!
***
Meat and ale, and bread, and milk, and honey. Semigallian High Chief had invited his men and Vaneman allies to celebrate. Long table was covered by food: Tervete’s bread and ale, foreign goods captured at Riga port, animals hunted by the Medeina Band.
High Chief Viesturs was sitting in the Master’s Chair recently “acquired” from Riga StPeter’s Church. Right next to him sits Lamekins, Chief of Vanema:
- “For the Underdog and his brave Vanemans!” Viesturs raised his ale.
- “For the High Chief Viesturs and our Semigall brothers!” returned Lamekins.
- “Ayyyy!” roared men on both sides of the Table.
After toasts and drinking conversations went more friendly and personal.
- “Nice ring, where did you get that?” Asked Viesturs.
- “Oh, this one. We robbed some Norse traveler,” answered Lamekins with a bit of laugh, “he said it was cursed. Was cursed for him for sure!”
- Viesturs chuckled: “But beware my friend, curses are real! You know the story of Andvar’s ring?”
- “It brings wealth and curse to the owner? I could use some wealth. And ale, a bit more ale”
- Viba joined the conversation: “Could we see our future daughter- in -law, we heard she was a beautiful young girl?”
- “But of course! Agita! Come!” Viesturs waved to daughter: “please be introduced to your future father and mother!”
- Shy 7 year old came and greeted Vanema couple: “May Laima bless you!”
- “And may Perkons protect you!” Returned Viba: “what a well raised kid you are! Noble child worthy her noble parents!”
- “Thank you Chieftess” girl replied silently.
- “Go on, play, thank you for coming,” Viba was all smiles. A perfect wife for little Dausprungas and a bond with mighty allies for the Tribe.
***
The second morning Lamekins woke up. Hands were shaking a bit, Head was heavy. A horse rode in the backyard with Vanema’s insignia, Skirmants jumped of the horse:
- “Chief, Chief, Ose, Ose..”
- “What Ose, Skirmant, my head is shaking, what is going on?”
- “Oselians!”
- “What? Don’t torture me! Tell me, I need an ale for Perkons sake!” Lamekins raised up, and sat down again.
- “Oselians declared the war on us”
- “What do they want?”
- “Tukums”
- “Ok, go gather men!”
- “Hey Underdog, if you need a hand?” Viesturs offered. How could he be so fresh the second morning?
- “All good. They aren’t much of a threat”
Lamekins requested ale and went back to bed. It did not take long. Another rider arrived:
- “Chief!?”
- “What is it today?? What??”
- “Poles!”
- “Poles? Poles are in the South, What?”
- “They are attack...”
- “If it is the Prussian Budo requesting support, our hands are busy,” Lamekins sat up and took a glass in his hands: “thank you!”
- “They are attacking us!”
- Chief’s eyes opened wide: “What do they want?”
- “Tukums, Chief”
- Viesturs laughed: “How about my hand now?”
- “Damn Velnias, what a morning! Damn!” Lamekins drunk all glass in one go: “Damn, they got like three times fighters than we have!!”
---
May Laima Bless you!
