by Griff Hosker
I had purpose once more. Now that we knew when we had to assemble I could organize the horses and weapons that we would need. We had to await the message which would tell us where we would meet but I suspected that would be Tomworðig. I was closeted with Gawan and Llenlleog for many hours each day. Arturus was allowed time with his daughter and wife. Gawan was also happy with the power which Gwenhwyfar had within her. He did not resent her superior powers. Myrddyn had taught us both that the Mother gave those women who followed her cult greater powers. We both knew that the witch who had trained Gwenhwyfar had been priestess of that cult. She had been the sacrifice to enable her acolyte to come to the aid of Rheged. Even whilst he was in the spirit world Myrddyn watched over Rheged. It was as though he was not dead.
We had few maps of the land around the Humber. We knew a little about Lindum, the major Roman fort and the road which led to Eoforwic but the rest was largely conjecture. We had never travelled that far east before.
“There will be swamps.” We both looked at Gawan. In answer to our unspoken questions he jabbed a finger at the crude maps. “It stands to reason. When the Romans came Lindum was almost at the sea. Now ships cannot travel there for the sea is moving away.” He shrugged, “The gods have not finished shaping this land. We know that at its mouth the river is as wide as a sea. That means that it is a powerful river and will be spread out with tributaries and streams feeding it. The land around the borders is flat. It will be swamp.”
He sounded a little irritated. I smiled, that was like Myrddyn. “So, it is swamp.”
“And that means that your horses will be at a disadvantage. They like hard ground. You will not be able to manoeuvre. You need to persuade the King, when you see him, to allow you the freedom to move around the swamps and the streams.”
In the end we discovered that we were wrong and we had done King Penda a disservice. A messenger arrived ten days after Myfanwy was born. He handed me the boar token and then spoke. “Warlord, King Penda would have you meet him at Stanwyck.”
Even Gawan had not expected that. “Stanwyck?”
The messenger nodded, “Aye Warlord. He is marching north. King Oswiu and his family are north of the Tinea at a place called Iedeu.”
I looked at Gawan who quickly took the map which Old Oswald the priest had made for us. “It is remote, brother. Is the King certain?”
The messenger smiled. “He has his own spies Warlord. He sent them north when he received your message from the Eorledman. The Northumbrian armies are still in their winter camps. He intends to pass through them. He would have you and your men take Stanwyck and hold it for him.”
Llenlleog said, “That would be hard, Warlord. We would not be able to use our horses.”
“We did not use them at Din Guardi either.” I turned to the messenger. “We can do this. We will await you at Stanwyck.”
My renewed energy after my talk with Gwenhwyfar was rewarded. We were ready to ride within two days. The ground was hard but the ice which gripped the land would make a good surface for our horses. We would be able to reach Stanwyck within two days. I knew that they would not be expecting us. I saw that Arturus was torn between wishing to serve with me and being with his wife and new born child. I made it easy for him.
“I need someone to stay here and guard my land. I will be taking most of the men. You would not want your child exposed to danger.”
“Then I will stay but this will be the last time I do not ride at your side.”
I was relieved. “That is a promise!”
Gwenhwyfar came with her babe to see us off. Arturus held his arm protectively around her. She looked serious. She held the babe so that its blue eyes pierced our spirits, “Myfanwy here are your grandsires. They go to do battle with the Angles. They are great warriors. When you grow remember them. Tell your son of them for they have laid the foundation stones for a future kingdom here in Rheged.”
I kissed her on the cheek and the babe on the forehead. I felt power surge through my body.
Gwenhwyfar smiled, “The power of the Mother will be with you, for a while at least.”
Gawan did the same and then embraced his son, “Watch over your family, my son.”
“I will and we would have you return safe and whole!”
Arturus did not know but his wife, father and uncle did; we would not be coming back. This would be the last time I would see my family. I drank them in like a heady wine. I burned their faces in my mind.
I rode Star. Copper was getting old and it was still winter here in the north. We left and headed along the Roman road which ran by the wall. We knew that we had destroyed our enemies at Hagustaldes-ham. There were none at Roman Bridge, Morbium. We could approach Stanwyck from the one direction they would not expect it; the north!
This time we were not a handful of men. I had every equite save Arturus and most of my archers. We numbered more than two hundred and fifty warriors. We also had twenty servants with the tents and the spare weapons. We were travelling in winter and we would not fight nature as well as our enemies. I noticed Gawan looking around him as we headed east.
“You seem interested in the land, brother. At this time of year, it is but a bleak white world.”
Enigmatically he said, “And that is why I stare for I have never travelled it as this time of year. It is beautiful is it not? The animals and the trees all sleep beneath the icy white blanket and that I find remarkable. The Mother will wake them all and within a few moons it will be green and full of life. We need it to be bleak so that it can be reborn. Out of the dead white land comes life.” He waved a hand behind us, “The same will be true of Rheged. When we are gone the land will die but it is an illusion. Out of that death a seed will grow.”
I lowered my voice, “You speak of Myfanwy.”
He smiled, “Arturus’ wife is powerful. She is, perhaps, as powerful, in her own way as Myrddyn. She is stronger than Arturus and yet it is he who will be remembered. I have spent many hours with Gwenhwyfar and even now she is here.” He tapped his head.
I felt a little betrayed. I had thought that I had been the only one with whom she had confided.
Gawan reached over and put a gloved hand on mine, “Brother do not be angry. I spoke to her as one mystic to another. She spoke to you as the defender of Rheged. What you do will echo through eternity.”
We camped at Hagustaldes-ham. There was no one to stop us. The monks in the monastery kept their doors barred but we left them alone. I wondered if they would send a message to King Oswiu and then I realised that he and his family were at Iedeu in secret. As we sat around a fire warming ourselves I asked, “Why has King Oswiu gone to Iedeu?”
“I have heard that there is a monastery there. The messenger from King Penda seemed to think that the Angle was trying to prepare for war through contemplation.”
Kay snorted, “A waste of time. The only way to prepare for war is to practise war!”
Perhaps he was right. Had the spirits lured King Oswiu north to enable us to have the final victory? If King Oswiu was dead then the Mercians would rule the land. The White Christ would be finally defeated.
Chapter 12
Geraint and my scouts reported that the garrison at Stanwyck were within their walls. They had seen little sign that they had left during the last month or so. There was hardened virgin snow. It boded well.
I sent Bors and ten archers to cut the hill fort off from the south. They would light no fires despite the cold for, when we attacked I wanted it to be a surprise.
We camped to the north of the hill fort deep in the trees. The servants used the tents to mask the fires that we would use. We needed hot food for we would be attacking. The days were still short and when we rose, the next day, I wasted no time in scouting out the ramparts. I went with Tadgh, Llenlleog and Gawan. We wore no mail but had, instead our wolf cloaks. This was the time of wolves. As we had rode along the wall we had heard their howling. This was a wolf winter. It was harsh and the wolves were desperate for food
. They would risk their greatest enemy- man. If a sentry did see us he would take us for prowling wolves. I did not intend to be seen.
The tree line ended just two hundred paces from the first of the ramparts. There were two sets of ramparts and three ditches. When the hill fort had been repaired they had not built two sets of palisades as the builders had originally intended. They had just used the inner one. It meant they needed fewer sentries. It was a mistake. Tadgh pointed down to the stream which ran along the eastern side of the fort. It was frozen and would not be a barrier. We would be able to cross it easily. We could hide in the ditches and rise to scale the walls. The wooden walls were as high as a man on the back of a horse. We would not need ladders. We could use our shields to boost warriors over the top. It would be a task for our squires. Once they were over the top then they could open the gates and we would flood in.
We headed back to our camp and I spoke to the equites and Daffydd. “We rest during the day and we leave just before dusk. As soon as it is dark I would have us move towards the ditches. When we get back to the camp I will tell all what they need to do.”
Daffydd ap Miach was unhappy that it was the squires who would be risking their lives. “Warlord, my archers are good with knives! Let us do this.”
“This war will need your archers later. The squires must become warriors sooner rather than later. This is wyrd. Let the squires become blooded.”
We had servants to watch the horses and the camps. We headed south, through the woods to the ramparts. There was a moon, if was a wolf moon. It seemed as though it burned in the sky. As we peered to the ramparts Daffydd said, “The light is good enough for our archers. They will see us if we move in large numbers.”
I nodded, “We have time. Let us see their routine.”
We saw that they had six sentries and they patrolled a section some hundred paces long. They had a fire burning at each corner of the wall. It must have been in a brazier and set upon the earth rather than the fighting platform.
Daffydd said, “I have seen enough, Warlord. Let me go and clear one section. Then the squires can come. They will have an easier task.”
“Very well.” Twenty of my archers scurried down the slippery slope. I turned to Pelas, “Take the squires. We will follow.”
The archers and the squires were lighter on their feet than we were and they were faster. They reached the outer rampart before the sentries had returned from the warmth of the brazier. Inevitably it was our weight which was our undoing. We had armour. The squires and Archers did not. Bors and Kay crashed through the ice. As the four sentries on our side of the walls turned Daffydd’s archers sent their deadly arrows into them. One cried out as he fell.
“Bors, Kay and Pol, take half the equites and help the squires. The rest of you with me. We shall take the gates!”
Inside I could hear the sounds of alarm. The other sentries ran around the ramparts to see what was amiss and three of them died by arrows for their trouble. I ignored the wall and ran over the rampart and down into the ditch. It was slippery at the bottom for the water there had frozen. Llewellyn slipped over. I just ran and, mercifully, did not fall. I knew that the men inside would have to get from the hall to the walls. They would either have to waste time grabbing a shield, helmet and weapon or come as they were.
When we reached the gate, there was no one above us. I turned. “Form a shield wall. We will batter this gate down.” The bridge which led to the gate was four men wide. Llenlleog, Griflet and Llewellyn flanked me. Others formed behind. I shouted, “One, two, three!” We ran at the gate. There were twelve of us and we were mailed. The gate creaked and cracked. “Once more and it will fall!”
I heard the sound of combat as my squires scaled the walls and began to fight the defenders. This would be a test of their skills!
“One, two, three!” We ran and when we hit it this time it shattered and cracked open wide. Running into the flat area where my great grandparents had lived I looked for Angles. I saw men fighting on the ramparts but there were none close to us. I spied the warrior hall. Raising my sword, I ran towards it. The thegn and his warriors burst out. They had donned helmets and leather armour. They hefted shields and swords. We were together and, as they came out of the hall piecemeal, they were not. I held my shield before me and raised Saxon Slayer. I did not pause for an instant. I ran at the thegn who emerged exhorting his men to kill the pagans. He had leather armour and I had mail. His sword smashed into my shield and mine swung down to hack across his shoulder, into his collar bone and then his neck. I pushed his body away and turned to slash the next Angle in the back. My back handed stroke shattered his spine. The Angles were desperate to hurt us. They poured from the hall and the buildings. They had a bigger garrison than I had expected.
Three of them ran at Kay as he descended the rampart. The dunking in the cold water must have slowed him. Even as he slew one the other two hacked at his legs. He killed a second but the third rammed his sword up into his middle. Kay brought his sword around and took the Angle’s head but the damage had been done. Kay sank to his knees and I could see that he was mortally wounded. I had not time to look longer for six Angles burst out of the hall. Llenlleog ran to my side and Agramaine hurried to help me. I had a cold anger within me. Kay was one of my oldest equites. He needed vengeance. I blocked an axe on my shield and, dropping to one knee, rammed my sword into the guts of one Bernician. As I flicked it out I sliced into the side of a second who thought I had not seen him. I stood and punched my shield into the face of a third. As he reeled backwards I swung my sword to take his head. The six were all despatched and I ran to the hall. Inside were merely women and slaves.
I turned and shouted, “Rheged!”
From around the ramparts came answering shouts. Daffydd and his archers were now on the inner rampart and the wolf moon helped them to pick off the isolated Angles who fought on. It was a large hillfort and it took us until dawn to ensure that it was clear of enemies.
I saw Bors lead ten equites towards a shield wall of Bernicians. The thegn knew his business. Bors and the equites smashed into them. The spear which stabbed into Bors’ side was not meant for him. It was just unlucky. The wound half turned him as he slowed. The thegn saw his chance and he swung his sword at Bors’ shield. Bors was slow, thanks to the wound, and the blade bit into his shoulder. The warrior next to the thegn rammed his sword into Bors’ middle. It was a mortal wound but Bors just roared. He smashed his shield into the face of the thegn and then took the head of the man who had stabbed him. As the thegn tried to rise Bors took his sword in two hands and fell, dying, into the chest of the thegn. Their resistance crumbled and my men fell upon them.
There had been more then one hundred and fifty defenders. King Oswiu intended this to be a bastion. We had lost Kay and Bors. The dousing in the frozen stream had been their undoing. Four squires had died but we had the fort and we had their food. After repairing the gate, we piled the enemy in a pyre beyond the ramparts and burned them. Our dead we buried, with honour in the centre of the hill fort. When we left we would burn the halls as a memorial to our brave dead. Llenlleog, Gawan and I stood by the two graves. “I shall miss those too, Warlord.”
“As shall I, Llenlleog, but I shall see them sooner than you!”
Gawan said, “And now we wait for King Penda.”
Llenlleog nodded, “Fear not Gawan. We can defend this better than the Angles did and besides they do not know we have taken it!”
This was the first time Gawan and I had been in the hill fort. I knew that he was sensing the spirits of our grandparents. Our father had told us that the boys had buried them close by their hut. With no marker there was no way of finding them. While our men made the hill fort safe, secure and comfortable Gawan and I walked around it. This was too far from our land to make it our own but I admired its construction. When first built it would have been impregnable. The three ditches and two rows of palisades with offset entrances would have been a death trap for any attacker.
Gawan was in reflective mood. He had been quiet since we had left our home. “It is strange that we should begin this campaign here. It is where our father started his war against the Angles.”
I shook my head, “When he led his two younger brothers and killed those who slew our grandparents he would have been little more than a youth with neither training nor skill. How did they survive?”
Gawan and I had reached the westernmost part of the walls and he looked towards Rheged, hidden behind the great divide. “They were chosen; the Warlord was selected by the spirits to hold back the tide. The knife in his back ended that dream. We had a brief moment when a golden world returned and then…”
“Yet Myrddyn seemed hopeful.”
Gawan turned, “What I have learned in my dealings with Myrddyn is that he sees beyond time. We see each battle, victory and defeat as important. He saw them as interesting moments in time which would shape the future. He saw the future.” He smiled, “I was wrong about Gwenhwyfar. Myrddyn was right because he saw the future. When I dream I dream a world half seen through a thick fog. I believe that Gwenhwyfar has far more powers than I.” He looked at me sadly, “Her words, when we left were goodbye. It was not a farewell it was an ending.”
I had sensed it. “I know but we are men and we are warriors. Whatsoever happens is wyrd. I have come to learn that. We walk in footsteps laid down by others. We have to follow them where they take us; even if we like not the destination.”
Llenlleog and the others could not understand our sombre mood. They put it down to the deaths of Bors and Kay. “They died as warriors. They were happy in their deaths.”
“And what of their sons? Ban son of Kay and Geraint son of Bors are both in Civitas Carvetiorum. When we return with the news of their father’s death, what will they think? I know that when the Warlord fell I took little comfort in the fact that he knew he was going to die and that he had sacrificed himself for Rheged. I just saw my father lying murdered.”