by Griff Hosker
Chapter 18
Haaken and Olaf Leather Neck arrived just a short time after dusk. Asbjorn the Strong was with them and brought the men of Windar’s Mere and the dale of Grize. Our numbers were growing. I told them our plan. Olaf Leather Neck did not care so long as he got to fight. He was pleased to be fighting with other Ulfheonar once more. He and Rolf the Horse Killer used the same weapon, the Danish axe. They were a formidable pair in a shield wall. Raibaert’s people had prepared food. The harvest had been collected in. They were grateful that I was fighting south of their land. I could have chosen more favourable ground to the north. That was not my way. I wanted the battle to be as far from my people as possible. We ate in the open. It was pleasant evening and it was good that the army could see that their leaders endured the same conditions and food as they did. There were many farmers who had never had to fight before. It was rare for me to ask them to do so. They knew that it was a serious threat we faced.
I saw that Sámr did not sit with Ulla War Cry and Mordaf ap Gruffyd. He sat with Germund, Baldr and the other warriors who had been on the voyage to Miklagård. It was sad but understandable. Sámr would be in the shield wall when we fought. He would not be in the front rank. He and Germund would be in the third. Sámr’s inexperience and Germund’s leg determined that. My two grandsons would be used as messengers. They sat close to their fathers. My son and grandson would be discussing the battlefield. Their sons were hanging on to their every word.
Ylva sat by me. Haaken One Eye was on the other side of her. Haaken had been with me when we had rescued her from the witch and there was a bond between the two of them. I saw some of the newer warriors like Snorri Gunnarson and Sven Stormbringer observing her. They had never see a woman go to war. Ylva smiled, “Your men do not know what to make of me, grandfather.”
“They are new to the land. It has yet to grab and hold them. The Land of the Wolf is special.” I shook my head and laughed, “What am I doing telling you that? You know better than any. It will soon seep into their heart and they will be attuned to it. Then they will understand that here the power of the spirits and the land is as powerful a weapon as Ragnar’s Spirit.”
She shook her head, “I do not mind the scrutiny. It allows me to read their minds. They are good men and they will not crumble when they are attacked by overwhelming numbers.”
“You can see that now?”
“They are less than three days from us. I can feel them. I could not give you a precise number but I know that they will outnumber you.”
Haaken picked his teeth with the small bone he had taken from the chicken. “That is nothing new for us but I am intrigued, Jarl Dragonheart, how do you plan to defeat them?”
“Raibeart’s short cut will help us. The river where we will make our stand is wide and it has mud banks and shoals. The Mercians will cross the river close to the sea at low tide. At this time of the year it is not deep.”
Ylva asked, “How can you be certain that they will cross there?”
“It is the more direct route north. His scouts were heading up the coast. To the east is the forest and high ground that is Bogeuurde. It forces any large army west. When he sees me he will be confident for I will have just a hundred men in byrnies there and a hundred archers. They will not recognise them as archers for their bows will be hidden. They will see what they think is my warband. Their King will seize the opportunity to kill me and take my land quickly. I will have my banner and I will be standing at the fore. When they try to cross we will use our archers to thin their numbers as they cross the river. It is muddy close to the north bank.”
“How do you know?” Ylva could read my thoughts but Haaken could not.
“When I arrived, Haaken, I spoke at length with Raibeart. I know this land well from the time of Sigtrygg but I asked if it had changed. It has not. The course of the river is slightly different but the conditions are still the same. The priory was north of the river. Sigtrygg destroyed it many years ago but the some of the stone foundations remain. As the river sometimes flood the monks built up the ground. It lies less than half a mile from the river. The sea is also less than half a mile away. We hold them between the sea and the priory. We hide the bulk of our warriors in the ruins and behind the hill. We will feign a retreat towards the sands. They will think we are trapped and they will send all of their men to follow us. That is when Ragnar and Gruffyd will lead the bulk of our men to attack their rear and to catch as many as they can in the river. By then we will have precise numbers for Rolf and Rollo will have returned from their scouting expedition.”
My two Ulfheonar had eaten already and they would retire early. We would leave at dawn by which time they would be heading down to scout out the Mercian army. We needed to know their numbers and their position. Both were crucial.”
Ylva asked, “Where will I be?”
“Where you can do the most good.”
She nodded, “Then the high ground would be the best. I can confuse the minds of their leaders and disguise the ambush.” She smiled, “A clever plan but it relies on the Saxons doing exactly what you expect.”
I drank some of the excellent ale Raibeart had provided, “And if they do not then I will change my plans. If they come to my land on the road which is further east then we have the opportunity to get behind them. The last thing they would expect would be an attack on their baggage. I have fought Saxons before. They like their comfort. They will have tents, wagons and carts. But I do not think they will come from the far road. Their scouts were close to the coast. That will be their route.”
Before we went to bed and with plenty of sentries patrolling I spoke with the jarls who had arrived late and told them of our plan. Asbjorn asked, “And who will make up the two hundred men who will be live bait?”
“The Ulfheonar, the men of Cyninges-tūn and those who were in Miklagård with me. There are archers in numbers amongst my men. It will make it easier when the ambush is sprung for each jarl will lead their own men. Ragnar son of Wolf Killer will lead the rest. There will be five warbands who will fall upon the Saxons. Five warbands with a snout of mailed warriors and the ones without armour supporting. The five warbands will slice through the Saxons. You and those who attack will be like a Viking shadow. You will be attacking men from their right. They will not have shields to protect them and you will drive them back towards the mud and the sands of the river. I will lead my warband to complete the trap.”
Asbjorn said, “You have just recovered, jarl. Is this wise?”
“What has wisdom to do with this? I am Dragonheart and it is the right thing to do!” I smiled, “Asbjorn, when I was in Miklagård I almost died. I saw Valhalla and Eystein the Rock.” His eyes widened. Eystein had been his friend and shield brother. “I do not fear death. This Mercian king thinks that I am old and that he can claim a great victory. He sees this as his chance to become as great a king as Coenwulf or even Offa. His arrogance will be his undoing. The Saxons think that we are all barbarians. They believe that they know how to make war. They are wrong.”
More men arrived during the night. There were just the three northern warbands to come. Galmr would bring them to us but not across the sands. That was too risky. It meant they might not arrive in time. That could not be helped. This was the Norn’s web. We left at dawn. There were nine miles to go before we reached the sands. Our guide had chosen low tide for our crossing. He knew the sands well. I had seen the sands many times. They looked deceptively solid but they were not. More importantly the sea could quickly sweep in. When we began to cross we would have to do so quickly.
After we reached the sands, we dismounted. It was not worth risking the weight of a mailed warrior and a horse. We sank a little in the soft sands and the sands threatened to come over my seal skin boots. My dream came back to me. We followed the footsteps of Raibeart and his guides. The four or five miles we trudged through the wet and cloying sand seemed to take forever. But when I saw Raibeart and his men ahead of us on dry land then I knew
our ordeal was almost over. Once on dry land we rested and drank from our skins. When we marched south the sands and the incoming tide were to the west of us. I would not wish to make the journey a second time. We mounted our horses. It was late afternoon when we reached the deserted priory. All of us went to the river to wash the mud and sand from us. I took my mail off too. I would not need it until the battle. I was one of the first to return to the priory. I examined it as though I was King Beorhtwulf. The men would have to lie down if they were to remain hidden. There were a few places where they could watch from but I could not see how they would know when to spring the trap.
The ground between the old priory and the sea had been farmed until seven years ago. Since then it had been left to its own devices. It was weed covered. The grass was as high as a man’s waist in places. Scrubby brambles and elder had sprouted as well as all manner of weeds. It would not hinder us for the land was largely flat. It rose towards the mound on the hill where the old priory and the scrubby trees stood.
Ylva joined me. She smiled. “You have read my thoughts?”
She nodded, “It is simple. I shall sit here and watch the Mercians approach. They will not fear a young woman. When the time is right I will tell Ragnar and Gruffyd and they can begin their attack. It will also help me to use my powers.” She tapped the stone. “This stone was quarried from Old Olaf. I can feel the connection. I will use these stones to channel my power. It is wyrd.” She took out a piece of wool. I saw that there were knots on it. It was a hex. “I wove this when I knew I was coming with you. It will frighten the Danes and the Hibernians.”
I had my jarls organise the men so that the camp was hidden behind the hill and the trees. We would have cold fare. “No fires. We have water and cold rations!” I wanted no smoke to tell the Saxons that my army waited behind the hill.
Ylva laughed, “Grandfather! Have your men by the river do the cooking! You wish them to be seen.”
I felt foolish. This young woman of twenty-seven summers was teaching me how to make war. “You are right and I am a foolish old man.”
“You have much to think of. Ragnar and Gruffyd should do more. I will speak with them.” They were both older than Ylva and yet they were in awe of her. I headed back to my men. Sámr had been delighted when I had told him he would be with me. Even though he knew that he would be in the third rank he was happy. Baldr was also waiting for orders. He carried the banner but it was furled.
“Olaf Leather Neck, get a fire going. We, at least, will have hot food. Baldr, take our horses to the camp. We will not need them until the battle is fought and won.”
“I will come with you.” Sámr led one of the animals.
Just then Haaken shouted, “We have company!” and pointed north. It was Aðils Shape Shifter and his band. It was the smallest contingent. There were just twelve of them but I knew that they would all be good archers. Aðils was the best that I had.
I smiled as he approached. “How did you know we would be here? Did you not go to the gathering?”
He looked a little sheepish. “I came to scout ahead, jarl. My men are not the warriors for a shield wall. They are archers and scouts.”
“Fear not I have Rolf and Rollo scouting and your men will be needed as archers.” I told him my plan and he nodded.
“I will head up the river. If the Saxons have sent scouts by the other road then I will find them.” He spoke briefly with his men and then loped off.
Haaken shook his head, “That one never changes but I am glad that he has come. He might make all the difference.”
We lit fires and laid nets across the river. We would enjoy fresh fish. The sun had just set when Rolf and Rollo rode in. They looked weary. Olaf and Haaken joined us. Rollo pointed south. “They are at Prestune. There are no scouts.” He smiled, “Not anymore. We found four of them. They were on foot. We counted forty thegns and another forty who looked to be housecarls. They are all mounted. There are seven of their hundreds.”
Haaken nodded, “Then that is less than the prisoner said.”
Rolf said, “Aye but he did not tell us about the fifty Danes and sixty odd wild Hibernians.”
“Do you think he lied?”
“No Haaken One Eye, I think he did not know about them. King Beorhtwulf would save them for us. If he has them with him then he will use those to attack us first. If they die then he does not have to pay them. “
“But it makes out task harder.”
“And the task of the rest of the clan easier. They will be attacking the fyrd. It is we who will bear the brunt of the attack of these mercenaries. We have to be strong and to hold a little while longer than we might have expected. Rolf, Rollo, you have done well eat.”
Aðils Shape Shifter arrived much later. “I have scouted as far east as Bogeuurde. I saw nothing. I even climbed Clougha Pike. They do not have scouts out.”
“That confirms what Rolf and Rollo said. Then they could be here tomorrow. It is twenty miles up the Roman Road.” I was thinking as I was speaking. The tide would be on the way in and they would be keeping their scouts close to their army. I guessed the scouts would be within hailing distance of the army. They would see us at the end of the day and would think that they had caught the Dragonheart with just a few men. It might just make all the difference. If they waited and camped then they would have to endure a night of the Ulfheonar. Leaving my men at the riverside camp I went to the main camp to speak to the others. I would hold a council of war.
“Danes will be with them?”
“Aye Ylva.”
“Then I can use my power against them. They will have priests of the White Christ but the Danes believe in witches. I will give them the evil sign.” She held up the hex.
“That might make them attack you.”
“No grandfather. Snorri, Haaken and yourself were the only men foolish enough to attack a witch. The followers of the White Christ might but not Danes.”
Ragnar said, “The fact that it is the end of the day will help us. We will be in the east and harder to see.” I should have known that the Norns would be spinning. They would not allow me so cheap and easy a victory.
Gruffyd nodded, “The Allfather helps us as I knew he would.”
That night I felt more confident about the outcome. I would take nothing for granted but the Saxons were approaching from the direction I had predicted. My plan could still succeed. It would come down to the steel of my men!
I woke before dawn. Now it was because I had so much to do and not because of blood or the need to make water. Mornings were now a joy. We still had food we had cooked the night before and some bread we had brought from Úlfarrston. The men were in good spirits. That always helped before a battle. I sent Aðils Shape Shifter with four of Raibeart’s men who knew the area. They would scout and give us warning of the enemy’s approach. They did not need to remain hidden but I sent Aðils Shape Shifter so that it would be an accurate report. We had the whole day to prepare. Ragnar had had some caltrops prepared. If the fyrd attacked us then they might not have shoes. We seeded the grassy bank by the river. When they emerged from the mud it would be another shock. We had learned that distraction often paid.
Ylva prepared her surprise. She had already woven the piece of wool, the hex, and was now knotting it. She would place it on our side of the river. When the Danes came they would see Ylva weaving. The Saxons might not worry about such things but the Danes and the Hibernians would. It was one thing to face a warrior but quite another to face a witch.
We had brought with us fifty or so boys. They had a number of purposes. One was to fetch and carry for the warriors. They would also use their slings to not only annoy the enemy but to actually hurt them. They were higher up the river collecting more stones when there was a shout from the west. “Jarl, it is ‘Red Dragon’.”
I saw the drekar anchoring just off the river mouth. None knew of this surprise. Raibeart ap Pasgen took a horse and galloped from the camp. “What is this Jarl Dragonheart? Does i
t mean my home is threatened?”
I shook my head. “I planned this with Erik Short Toe. He has twenty ship’s boys aboard. They have bows. When we retreat towards the sea the Mercian king will think that I mean to flee, by sea.”
“But you would never do such a thing.”
“He does not know that! In addition, the arrows they will send can protect us.”
“How do you think of such things? Where do the ideas come from?”
I touched my chest, “Perhaps I do have a dragon’s heart for we know that the dragon is the most cunning of creatures.” I led him back to the camp. “Our plans are all made. Now we wait for Leif Ulfsson, Ketil, and Ulf Olafsson. I fear that without them then all my plans will be in vain. We need five warbands and not two.”
It was late in the afternoon when the three warbands arrived. They were weary. Galmr had led them the long way, the safe way. It had added more than fifteen miles to the journey. I let Ragnar son of Wolf Killer give them their instructions. He would be leading them. When Aðils Shape Shifter arrived a short time later it was with the news that the Saxon army was hard on their heels. They had been seen. I had Sámr sound the horn. That was the signal for my warband to form up and the rest to hide. Would King Beorhtwulf take the bait?
Baldr had asked me if he could hold my banner sitting on a horse. He said that it would make him feel more confident. I was going to say no and then I realised that this was meant to be. He was a horseman. That was how his people fought. He would be higher and, if things went against us then he and my banner could escape. He held my banner high. He was with Sámr in the third rank. He was safer there and yet my banner could be clearly seen. Wyrd. We were in the front rank and we were close to the river. Fifty paces east of us was the hex which Ylva had placed there. When the enemy came then Baldr would take his place at the rear of the warriors with the spears. Behind him would be the men with bows and on our flanks were thirty boys with slings. I hoped King Beorhtwulf and his mercenaries would not smell a trap.