Viking Shadow

by Griff Hosker

  When we had left I was the one they were concerned about. What had happened? The joy of my return disappeared in an instant. We lowered the sail and the oars took us the last half mile into the harbour. I saw my son and grandson waiting for me. Their wives and their families were not there. What did that mean? My men did not know of the sadness and, as we tied up they began to chant, “Dragonheart!” Over and over. They beat their shields with their swords and stamped on the decks. The horses became agitated.

  I raised my hand, “Peace! Save your joy for your families. Remember we have but a short time and then there will be war!”

  I saw Ragnar and Gruffyd exchange glances. I stepped ashore when we were tied up. Ragnar said, “War?”

  I nodded, “First give me the news that makes your faces dark and your hearts heavy.”

  Gruffyd said, “Aiden?” I nodded. “My sister, Erika, her husband and their children are all dead. Hibernians attacked the hall in Dyflin and slew them and most of the other Vikings there. The ones who survived fled to Veisafjǫrðr. Is it a war with the Hibernians?”

  I shook my head, “That vengeance is for the future. For now, we have a greater threat. The King of Mercia comes north with an army of more than a thousand men. He is on the road from Caestir. We must summon the clan; all of it.”

  Ragnar, who was older than Gruffyd, put his arms around my shoulders. “And we have been remiss. The disease is gone?” I nodded. He beamed. “Then we should be celebrating.”

  I shook my head, “That will have to wait. I will ride back to Cyninges-tūn with Aiden. I need to summon Ketil, Ulf and Asbjorn. I leave you two to raise the bondi. Have the knarr sail south to find out where the Mercians march. I believe it will be along the coast. I will return within two days.”

  Baldr had brought the horses from the drekar. I turned to Ragnar. “Have a couple of saddles brought. Baldr, you will come with Aiden and me. We ride to Cyninges-tūn.”

  Baldr looked confused until Sámr said, “It is his home. He will return with you will he not, great grandfather?”

  “Aye we will all be back here. Within seven days we will have a fight to save the Land of the Wolf.”

  When the saddles were brought Baldr said, “I need no saddle.”

  “Then you are a true horseman.”

  I donned my cloak and strapped Ragnar’s Spirit to my side. My chest could stay here. We mounted and headed up through the darkening gloom of late afternoon to Cyninges-tūn. I had much to do. This was not the homecoming I had anticipated when we had left Miklagård. Of the three of us Baldr seemed the happiest. No doubt that was because he was on a horse. Aiden was wrapped in his own thoughts. Dyflin had been a place where we could trade and find allies. If the jarl and my daughter were dead then we were even more isolated. The shadow grew over the Land of the Wolf. Our enemies grew and did not diminish. The Danes had not finished with us. Pridbjørn Ellesefsson had shown me that there were still Danes out there with vengeance in their hearts. With Man a den of pirates and now Dyflin bereft of allies there were few that we could turn to. Empress Theodora was many leagues hence. By the time we reached my hall the gates were barred. The rider with the news of our arrival would have beaten us by many hours. None would have expected us to ride for home.

  “Open the gates. It is Jarl Dragonheart.”

  It was Karl who opened them. Karl was the captain of my guard. An Ulfheonar, he had been wounded and, like Germund, was lame. It did not stop him wanting to serve the clan. “We heard you were back jarl but we did not expect you so soon.”

  I nodded. I could speak plainly with Karl. “The Mercians are coming. War has returned.”

  Kara was wrapped in a wolf cloak as was Ylva and they came out to us. Kara threw her arms around me, “I am happy that there is a magic stronger than mine. I could not save you but now I see that you are whole again.”

  Ylva hugged her father. He said, simply, “The Mercians come. They are just days away.”

  Ylva smiled, “I sensed danger. Now that we know whence it comes we can put our mind to defeating it.”

  “I think, granddaughter, that it will be the steel of my men which will defeat them.”

  Ylva kissed me on the cheek, “But a little magic cannot hurt.” She saw Baldr for the first time. “And who is this?”

  “This is Baldr, we gave him that name for he was a slave. He was a prince of the horsewarriors in the steppes to the east of Miklagård. We found him floating on a pierce of driftwood in the Blue Sea. He had been there for more than half a day. The Allfather sent him to us.”

  Ylva walked up to him and put her hand on his forehead. She closed her eyes. Baldr seemed both bemused and bewitched. Ylva opened her eyes, “Here is a tale. He was sent to us. You saved him just as you were saved by Old Ragnar. You must train him to become a warrior.”

  I shook my head. “It is too late. You begin a warrior’s training when he has seen seven summers. Any older and it is too late.”

  She smiled, enigmatically, “Then this will be your challenge. Besides it will occupy you and stop you becoming so melancholic!”

  My granddaughter had the power to bewitch even me. She had taken my mind from the task in hand. I shook my head and turned to Karl. “At first light send riders to my jarls. I need every warrior gathered at Úlfarrston in three days. Every farmer from around here is needed too. We have to fight an army of a thousand men. This will not be easy.”

  “Aye jarl!”

  I turned to Baldr, “Come you shall stay in my hall.”

  He shook his head, “First I will see to the horses. They have been ridden hard. Do you have a stable?”

  I saw Karl smile as he put his arm around Baldr’s shoulder, “Come with me, young horseman. I will take you to the jarl’s hall when that is done.”

  Uhtric stood in my door. I saw tears in his eyes, “You live, Jarl. The Allfather heard my plea.”

  “Thank you for telling my daughter and Aiden of my problem. I was foolish. We have a guest. He is far from his home. He was a slave for many years and he was badly treated. Make him welcome.”

  “Always, jarl.”

  It felt good to be back in my hall. Before I had left it had felt cold and melancholy. Now it felt warm and welcoming. It was the same hall. It was me that had changed. The healer had cut out more than the disease. He had cut out that part of me which looked inward. I had not been the leader I once had and I was diminishing. I was become less than I should. Now I had purpose.

  Uhtric brought me ale, bread and cheese. I smiled, “You will no longer have to wash bedding each day, Uhtric.”

  “Good.”

  Karl brought Baldr. I said, “This is Uhtric, he looks after me and my hall. He will show you to your chambers. There is ale, cheese and bread if you wish it.”

  He nodded, “I would like that.”

  Uhtric smiled and pulled another chair so that Baldr could sit close to the fire. He tasted the beer, “This is good beer.”

  “It is made from the water here and that is the finest water anywhere. We have good ale wives.”

  “Will I be with you, when you go to war?”

  “Would you like to be?”

  “I am part of this clan. I like what I have seen and the land, the little I have seen of it, looks like it is worth defending.”

  “Then you will be with me but I will try to keep you from danger. We have many enemies to fight.”

  “And you do not fight on a horse.”

  “No Baldr, but when we fight we fear no horsemen.”

  “On the ship coming here I spoke with Sámr. I know that I have little skill in war. Had I still been with my father then I would be a warrior who was to be feared. I know how to fight but I have not the body nor the skills yet. Give me time and you, Sámr and Germund will be proud of me.”

  We spoke long into the night. He told me of his family and how they fought. I told him of Wolf Killer and the battles we had fought until Uhtric said, “Jarl, he is asleep.”

  “Then put him to
bed. I have much to ponder.”

  As I finished off the ale I devised a way to defeat an army that would be twice as large as mine. If I took every warrior from my land then I might be able to have parity of numbers with his levy. I could not do that. Ketil and Ulf would need to leave men guarding their stad. The Northumbrians might have heard of the Mercian attack. They might take advantage of our dilemma. We could muster, perhaps, six or seven hundred men and still leave my stad protected. Of those only four hundred would be warriors. Less than half of those warriors would have mail. We would have to use guile, magic and the Land of the Wolf to defeat the King of Mercia.

  Even though I had been up late I was still awake early. I had eaten already when Baldr entered. “I have much to do. You can occupy yourself until I return?”

  “I will see to the horses.” He dropped to one knee. “Thank you for taking me into your clan, Jarl Dragonheart. I can speak your language now and I would swear an oath to serve you.”

  “You know that an oath is a sacred vow which will bind you to me.”

  “I do and I wish to do so freely.”

  “Then I will take you as an oathsworn. When I return we will go to the Water and you shall swear there.”

  I wanted to speak to Kara and Ylva but I had men to find. I spent the morning in the stad and the farms which were close by, speaking to the men I would take and giving instructions for the ones I would leave behind. I sent the men who would fight off to Úlfarrston. The gathering had to begin as soon as possible. I was on my way back to my hall and Baldr when I met Aiden and his family. They were heading for my hall.

  Kara was smiling and her smile was like dawn on the Water. It lit up the valley. “This is the father we thought we had lost. He has purpose and a spring in his step. His eyes smile and his head is held high.”

  “Thank you, daughter. It is strange. The disease was in here,” I touched my middle, “and yet I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.”

  “And what do you do now, father?”

  I will go and fetch those who live in the Lang Dale. Then I will spend one more night here and head to Úlfarrston in the morning.”

  “Ylva will come with you. You will need one of us on the battlefield.”

  I looked at Ylva. She seemed so small and helpless. The three of them laughed as they read my thoughts, or perhaps my face. She shook her head. “I have been in the depths of the earth and faced a Norn. I think I can face Mercians for they are merely men and I am a witch. I will be safe.”

  “Then I will be glad for Ulla War Cry, Mordaf and Sámr will be there also.”

  “With the power of their spirits combined with my power this Mercian king knows not what awaits him.”

  Kara nodded and slipped her arm through Aiden’s. “And we will stay here and use the power of Old Olaf and the Water to protect this land.”

  When I reached my hall Uhtric was laying out food and Baldr was helping. “We eat quickly and then we ride. We have much to do this day.”

  I could not persuade Baldr to use a saddle. We headed up towards the dale where my best Ulfheonar lived. Aðils Shape Shifter had taken a wife and made a home in the wildest and most remote part of my land. He was the most skilled Ulfheonar I had ever had.

  Baldr had not seen my mountains the night before. He had seen the forest and the Water only. From what Aiden had told me he had been born in the flat plains. He had lived in the rich valleys of Frankia and now he saw the wild and untamed mountains and crags that made up the Land of the Wolf. He twisted and turned to take it all in. I saw wonder on his face and in his eyes. My land did that to all who saw it.

  It had been some time since I had visited Aðils Shape Shifter. His stad had grown. There were now four or five huts around his hall. He had senses which even I did not understand and he was waiting to greet us as we descended from the forest. He smiled, “You live, Jarl Dragonheart. The Allfather heard our pleas.”

  “Thank you. This is Baldr. You will hear his tale in time but time is a luxury for us. The Mercian king marches north with an army to take the Land of the Wolf from us. I need you and as many men as you can bring to gather at Úlfarrston.”

  He nodded, “I will do so. The Ulfheonar will fight once more eh, Jarl Dragonheart?”

  “They will. Can you gather those who live twixt here and my hall?”

  “Aye. It was good to meet you, Baldr the Horseman.”

  Baldr started, “How did you know I was a horseman?”

  Aðils laughed, “The way you sit upon the horse and the way that your hand has not stopped stroking her since you arrived.”

  As we headed south Baldr said, “Jarl, what are the Ulfheonar?”

  “We are warriors with special skills. We can move in the night like a wolf; silently and with deadly purpose. We are a weapon of terror. When we fight on a battlefield then we are hard to defeat for we are all brothers of the wolf.” I touched my wolf cloak. “We all have to kill a wolf as part of our initiation. I killed my first one when I was about your age.” He nodded. “There is a reason I would like you to use a saddle. When we ride to war we need to take weapons with us. It is easier to do so using a saddle. If you are to come with me to war then you will be armed. There will be a banner to rally my men.”

  He nodded, “Then I will use a saddle even though I do not need one.”

  “And we need a helmet, sword, shield, spear and leather byrnie for you too. I do not expect you to fight but I do not want you hurt.”

  When we reached my hall, the sun was setting and it was a perfect time to go to the Water and for Baldr to swear an oath. There were just the two of us and as the sun made the waters red and bathed my wife, Erika’s grave, in a warm glow, Baldr the prince from the east, swore to be my bondsman. I now saw the Allfather’s purpose. The Norns had conspired to put obstacles in our way but the Allfather had used them to help me.

  We had the weapons and mail for Baldr in my hall. My son and my grandsons, not to mention my great grandsons had all left mail, weapons and armour in my hall. Brigid had complained frequently about the mess. She had never understood the martial nature of our clan. Now Baldr had a wide choice from which to choose. He did so well. He might have been a slave for half of his life but warrior’s blood coursed through his veins. He knew what he wanted even though he had never used weapons in anger. It boded well.

  We left the next morning just after dawn. Ylva rode the third of the Saxon horses. She wore a wolf cloak about her and a seax hung from her belt. I had offered her a shield and helmet but she had laughed for her weapons were less obvious and deadlier; it was her magic. Rolf Horse Killer and Rollo Thin Skin rode with me. They, too were Ulfheonar. They had their own men now for both lived in their own stad. In all I led fifty men south. More than that had already gone. Over half of the men I led were mounted. We would not fight from the backs of horses but we would reach the place I had chosen to fight, quicker.

  I called at the shipyard where Erik had the ‘Heart of the Dragon’ out of the water for repairs. The threttanessa, ‘Red Dragon’ was in the water next to her. She had just had her hull recaulked. Our larger drekar were moored at Whale Island. I spoke for some time with Erik and gave him instructions and then we carried on to the armed camp.

  A huge camp was already in place just north of Úlfarrston. The men from the south and west of my land were already there. Leif Ulfsson, Ketil, Asbjorn the Strong and Ulf Olafsson would be the last to reach us. They had the furthest to travel. In fact, I feared that Ketil would not reach us until we had left the camp. Time, as I knew was not on our side. I saw that Mordaf ap Gruffyd and Ulla War Cry were with their fathers. Both had leather byrnies. Sámr was with the men who had sailed on ‘Heart’ and I saw that he wore one of his father’s old mail byrnies. He looked like an oar brother now. Ragnar and Gruffyd came to greet me. They were with Raibeart ap Pasgen who was the jarl of Úlfarrston.

  “What did the knarr report?”

  “That the Saxons have still to cross the Belisi
ma. They have not yet reached Prestune.” The Belisima was the name the Romans had given to the river which was well south of us. It was further south than where we had found and killed their scouts. That was good for it meant they were still blind.

  “Then they are still more than two days from us. We leave in the morning. I hope that the other jarls will have reached us here but if not then we will go without them. I intend to hold them at the river the Welsh called Ēa Lōn. There is no bridge but the ford is sandy and they cannot cross quickly. We will use our men with bows to thin their numbers. There is an old abandoned priory close by. Further east is the old Roman fort. We will make our stand at the old priory. It is on a small hill. Sigtrygg Thrandson repaired the ditches and the walls. We can use that for our horses and our bondi. They will fight better behind a little stone wall. There are trees there for I would disguise our numbers.”

  Raibeart ap Pasgen said, “A good plan. I have a man who knows the way across the sands.” I looked up from the map I had been using. “The sands were treacherous and could swallow up whole armies”. He smiled, “Do not worry, jarl, he collects shellfish and knows the sands. He can find us a way. It is but twenty miles across them. We can be there in less than a day. If we go by safer routes it will take more than one day.”

  Ragnar nodded, “I know the place you have chosen to fight. It is a good site but we will need to do work.”

  It was my turn to laugh, “Now do you read my mind too?”

  Ylva said, “The blood of Erika the matriarch of the family courses through our veins. All of us have inherited some of her powers.” She shrugged, “I have more than most but we know your thoughts.”

  “Aye grandfather. We cannot defeat the Saxons with the numbers of men available to us. We must use the land and our cunning too.”

  Wyrd; Ragnar had come to the same conclusion as me. The land would be safe in his hands and Sámr’s.

  “Good then you and your people will lead Raibeart ap Pasgen. My son and grandson will accompany you. Galmr Haldisson will wait here for the other jarls and he can bring them to meet us at the deserted priory which lies close to Cynibald's cross. We can use the old priory grounds for our camp. Rollo and Rolf can head south and scout out the enemy. If the Ulfheonar fight with us, let us use them.”