by Griff Hosker
When I reached my hall, I saw that the priest now wore a cloak to cover his naked body. Æðelwald of Remisgat looked up as I entered. His face was already swollen from my blow. He looked defiant, “You cannot kill a priest!”
I laughed, “You forget that I am a barbarian! Will I be excommunicated by your Pope? Perhaps King Charles the Fat will punish me?” I jabbed a finger at his face. “I know of your treachery. I spoke with the men you met. You thought I was not aware that you were a spy?” His face fell. “You think me a crude barbarian and you feel superior. You abused your position and you abused your church. You will die. Resign yourself to that. There are two choices for the death which awaits you. You will choose your manner of death. I can make it swift or I can hand you over to Æbbi Bonecrusher and my men. They will make you die piece by piece. It will take days and you will beg for death yet it will not come.”
“King Charles will punish you! He will take your title from you! He will drive you hence!”
“Fool! I know that the Franks, Bretons and Saxons conspire against me. What I need from you before I give you a swift death is all that you know of their plans.”
He gave me a sly look. “I could tell you lies and you would not know!”
I turned to Æbbi Bonecrusher, “What do you think?”
He took out a seax and put the tip under the priest’s right eye. He put his face close to Æðelwald of Remisgat and said, quietly, “Oh I would know, priest. Know this, I would rather you told us nothing for I would punish you for what you have done to my lord. When I take you away you are mine until you die!”
The priest saw then that he was doomed. “I would confess to Padraig! I will not go to my God unshriven!”
“I am not certain that your God would have you after your crimes but I will allow this. Godwin, fetch the priest.” He scurried off. In the distance I heard the noise from my walls. My drekar had come. “Æbbi, when he has confessed take him to the armoury in the cellar. It is quiet there and none can hear screams.”
“I will tell all! Let me stay here!”
“Look on this light for the last time. For soon you will have a world of darkness.” Padraig appeared. “The priest would confess. My men will stand apart but you will not be out of their sight. When you are done he will be taken away.”
Padraig nodded. I left the hall. I never saw the priest again. I had wanted to end his life myself but I needed his knowledge more. I put the faithless couple from my mind. I had the problem of William yet to solve. I could not tell him the truth for he would not understand. He would have to be told a story which made sense. He was a clever boy and he was all that I had left now. I headed for the main gate. Egil and Godwin flanked me. “You two have done well. Go to your chambers. Rest.”
Godwin said, “Lord, I had my cot in Brother Padraig’s chamber. Do I return there?”
Egil said, “I think, Godwin, that we will both move to the warrior hall. Is that not right, my lord?”
“It is. You will both receive a good share from this raid on the Bretons. When we go to war you will have war gear which all will envy.”
Egil said, “I once thought that was all that I wanted now I see that there are other treasures which can be won and lost which are more important.”
In contrast to those of us who had ridden through the night the rest of my men were in high spirits. We had done that which we intended and one enemy was dead. Our losses had been light and our gains great. The Haugr was avenged and the winter would be a better one for all my warriors. We had another drekar and all of the weapons we had taken from the Danes. When we fought King Alan we would have steel and we would have a fleet.
I sought out Harold Strong Arm and Haaken the Bold. “How is the leg, Harold?”
“A little better lord why?”
The sun was rising. “I need to ride down the river. I would have you come with me.”
“Aye, of course, lord.”
“Haaken fetch horses.”
By the time Haaken returned with the horses the sun was warming the air and we headed towards the convent. Harold and Haaken were two of my oldest hearth weru and I needed to tell them of my wife. They would ensure that any rumours were quashed. When I had told them Harold said, “I am not married, lord, but I would have strangled her with my own hands. Why are you being so generous?”
“She is the mother of William. Would you have me drive a wedge between us?” He shook his head. “This is the Norns. All those years ago they began to weave their threads. The priest came to my grandfather and inveigled himself into his graces. He was blind to the danger. Now I see that the curse was not just that the priest saw my brother’s birth but the priest himself.”
“Should we rid ourselves of all Christians then, lord?”
I shook my head, “No Haaken for we are bound up with them. Most of our men have married Christians. Many have Christian children. We have to live in a world of the White Christ, I hope that when the priest dies his thread is cut and the curse will end.”
The Mother Superior listened as I told her that my wife and her lady would be entering the nunnery. I did not give the reason. If Poppa wished to make up a story then that was her choice. “But I want to make one thing clear. If you wish me to allow your nunnery to continue to exist and to prosper, if you want me to continue to protect you from all enemies then you make certain that Lady Poppa and Sprota never leave your walls.”
“You would have us as their gaolers?”
“It is for you to decide that. You have nuns here who come as young girls and never leave. Is this a prison for them?”
“It is their own choice.”
“Then perhaps the Lady Poppa will see this as her choice.” She nodded. She had no choice.
The town was thronged when I returned. I was greeted like a conquering hero but although I smiled my spirits were low. “Have horses readied for my wife and her lady. Tell them they have the day to pack. You two will escort them to the nunnery.”
“Aye lord. We will do as you bid.”
Popæg was in the Great Hall. I saw that there was a wet nurse, a young Saxon, feeding Gerloc. William was there with Padraig and both Egil and Godwin were with him. All looked at me expectantly. Only William smiled and he ran to my arms, “Father! Egil has told me of the raid! We have punished the Danes!”
I nodded, “Aye we have. Come with me, my son. Let us walk my walls. I have words I need to say with you.”
He took my hand and I led him from the hall. I was aware that we were followed by the eyes of the others. When we reached the fighting platform I waved the sentries away. “Son, your mother and Lady Sprota are going away.” William nodded. “They are entering a nunnery. Your mother will become a nun.”
“Does she want to?”
I sidestepped the question, “She will serve God, her God, and she will find peace.”
“And will Æðelwald of Remisgat go there with her?” My son had an innocent look upon his face. “He is her special friend. She often told me that. Will he go so that he can comfort her at night? She often needs comfort at night when you are away.”
I shook my head. “No, Æðelwald of Remisgat is also leaving but he is leaving my land. You will never see him again.” I became angry again. My son had seen but his innocence had protected him. I began to regret my clemency towards the priest. My son’s fingers squeezed my finger. I had to forget the faithless pair and concentrate on him. “Popæg will care for you now. Does that make you happy?”
He grinned, “She is soft and comfortable, father. I like her and she has wonderful stories!”
“Good.”
When we entered my hall the faces of those within turned to us. “Popæg, I would give you your freedom. You are no longer a slave.”
She nodded, “And I can leave your hall if I wish?”
Her words felt like a blow. Had I miscalculated? Was it impossible for me to read women? “Of course. I am a man of my word and I have given you full freedom. You may leave. You can tak
e a ship and return to Cent if you have a mind.”
She nodded, “Then I choose to stay but if I am to care for your children then I need payment.” She plucked at her clothes. “These are not the raiments of a lady and you will need a lady to care for your children.”
I smiled. I had not miscalculated. “Of course. Padraig see to it.”
He smiled, “Aye lord!”
My world began to attain some sort of normality.
Chapter 13
Æðelwald of Remisgat told us all that he knew. Æbbi Bonecrusher was convinced of his words. He was given a quick death and his body weighted with stones and thrown into the river at night so that none saw his passing. His masters might suspect his fate but they would not know it. I gave orders that all priests who arrived in my town were to be detained and questioned. After the first two came asking for the priest no more came. King Charles and King Alan now knew that their spies would no longer report to them.
We confirmed much that we suspected. The priest had been the conduit between the two kings. He did not tell us directly but we knew that King Alan had been promised the Cotentin in return for weakening us. The most disappointing news was that my wife would have been made Countess of Rouen after I had been defeated and publicly executed. Æðelwald of Remisgat would become Bishop of Rouen as a reward. King Charles the Fat, it seemed, would be turning a blind eye to a bishop and a countess’ relationship. Any remorse I might have felt about putting her in a nunnery disappeared when I heard how she would have callously cast me aside. After his death I rode, with William, to my lords. They needed to know both of the infidelity and the plot. I told them all privately. Each time I told them the pain grew less. They were as angry as I had been when I had discovered them together. We were away until Mörsugur.
Normally my wife would have been preparing for Christmas. The warriors celebrated the winter solstice and I wondered what we would do this first year without my wife. Padraig and Popæg came to me when I returned. Padraig spoke but I knew that the two of them had conspired together.
“Lord, we would have a Christmas celebration. You and your warriors will celebrate the solstice but more than half of those who live in your home are Christian.”
I nodded, “I do not object.”
They looked at each other, “And there is one thing more, lord.”
“Yes, Padraig?”
“We would baptise Gerloc.” I said nothing. “Lord, her parents are Christian. The wet nurse and Popæg are Christian. Even if you do not like it she will be brought up a Christian.”
Popæg said quietly, “You said she would be cared for. This is important lord.”
I nodded, “Very well but do not expect me to witness this.”
“We will do it discreetly, lord.”
Popæg kissed my hand, “Thank you lord. You have a hard shell but I know that there is a Christian heart beating within.”
“You are wrong. My heart belongs to the old ways and will for all time.” I should have known that the Norns were spinning.
I knew that Gerloc was not mine but she was innocent of any misdeed and I found myself becoming fond of her. That was partly the fault of Popæg who made certain that I saw the child each day. I can see now that she was a clever woman. I did not mind. I had my son and he was healthy. A daughter, even one fathered by another, was something to enjoy.
Now that I knew for certain that King Charles the Fat intended to break the treaty I had my men watching the ships which used our river. When I launched my attack then King Charles the Fat would suddenly find that he had no river to use. My men hewed trees and my smiths attached chains to them. When I chose I would block my river in two different places. We would become a fortress. Bagsecg and his horsemen made sure that the land between Montfort and the river was both safe and secure. My lords, mindful of the two disasters, also kept scouts looking for any threat. Our drekar were repaired. Those lords, like Sven Blue Cheek who had not used their vessels for some time, had them drawn from the water and given a thorough overhaul. Each lord knew my deadline. It would remain a secret until seven days before we set sail. The Bretons and the Franks would know that we were coming but only I knew the exact landing place.
One early morning at the start of Gói my sentries reported two drekar heading upstream. After Godfrid we were wary and I had my walls manned. As the drekar came up the river I recognised the leading one. It was ‘Dellingr’. Her captain had been Harold Haroldsson. He had been my father’s shipwright and had helped me to defeat my brother. When I became Lord of Rouen he said that he had done what he had promised and secured me a home. He asked to be released from his oath so that he could sail the seas with his son. I gave him ‘Dellingr’. The men who sailed with him were the others who had not had enough of raiding. That had been more than fifteen years ago. I saw that ‘Dellingr’ looked old and tired. From the few oars which both ships used they were under crewed. The years had not been kind to her or perhaps she had been badly used. The one which followed her was smaller but newer.
I went down to the gate to greet my old friend. Only Harold Strong Arm of my hearth weru would remember him and I summoned him too. The man who stepped from the ship was not Harold Haroldsson. He was too young for that.
“I am Lord Göngu-Hrólfr Rognvaldson. I recognise the ship. I often sailed in her.”
“I am Leif Haroldsson. My father served you. I have brought the ship home to die. She leaks and her wood is rotten. The next storm will see her die and my father would not have wished her to take men with her.”
I nodded, “I can see that there is a tale here. We have room in the warrior hall for your crew although it may be a little crowded.”
He shook his head, “For tonight my men will stay aboard and I will speak with you.” He sounded serious and so I nodded and led him into my stronghold.
“I knew that your father had sired a son but I knew not where your family lived.”
“We lived west of Ċiriċeburh. My mother was a Frank who had been born there and she wished to die there. My father came for us when he was given the drekar. It was too late for my mother. She had died. There were few Norse left by then and my father took all of the men and we went A-Viking.”
We had reached my hall and I waved over a slave to fetch ale.
After quenching his thirst Leif continued. “We raided first the Bretons and then the Saxons of Wessex. We were successful. The other drekar you see in the river joined us. Lars Bjornson is a young warrior. Then we heard of treasure in the Blue Sea off Africa. We were told that the savages there were half-naked and did not have metal weapons.”
I nodded, “The stories were exaggerated?”
“Aye lord. The treasure was poor and they fought hard to keep it. We lost many men and my father decided to sail for home. He dreamed that he had died. He said he saw Hrolf the Horseman in his dreams and that the jarl was in Valhalla.”
I refilled his horn for I could tell that the memory was a painful one. “My grandfather died in Wessex but he had a good death.”
He shook his head, “Would that my father had had such a death. Our drekar sprang a leak and we landed on the coast where the Moors reign. He remembered that Erik One Arm had been a slave there and he did not want to land but we had little choice. We had to find a beach and coat the hull with pine tar. The Moors came in the night when we waited for the tar to dry. My father suffered a wound to the leg. We lost warriors but we escaped. We set sail but the wound in his leg worsened. By the time we reached the Liger he was close to death. We landed on the southern bank, away from the Bretons, so that we could light a fire to burn out the poison. We were too late. His last thoughts were of this land. We had heard that you were Lord of Rouen and he said that I had to bring the drekar back to die with dignity here in Rouen.”
I rose for I thought the tale had come to an end. “No, lord, the story does not end there. While we were burying my father, a ship came downstream and some Franks landed close by us. We thought that they came to fig
ht and although we were outnumbered we were prepared to sell our lives dearly. They did not wish to fight us. They wished to talk. The leader was a strong warrior. He said he was on his way to Rouen to speak with you. Wyrd eh? I told him our tale and that we were headed there. He asked me to give you a message.”
“Who was this Frank?” I was suspicious. Was this another Frankish plot to deceive me?
“He said his name was Fulk le Roux and that you had saved his life.” My face showed my relief for Leif smiled. “You know him then?”
“Aye and I am relieved. Go on.”
“He said he had heard of your raid on Nantes. He said that he would make war on King Alan from his lands and asked if you would do the same from the north. He said that if you did you both had a better chance of victory.”
I filled my horn and drank deeply, “You bring both good and bad news. I am sorry about your father, Harold, but the news from Fulk is the best that I could hear.” I looked at the young warrior. “So what is it that you wish?”
“We would follow you. Both Lars and myself have had enough of sailing the seas. We have little treasure to show for ten years of raiding. I am almost thirty summers old. I would take a wife and have a family. My father never saw grandchildren.”
“Then you are welcome.” The Norns were spinning their thread. I looked out to the east. “I have an idea, come with me.”
We went to the eastern wall of my town. Beyond it lay open fields and the river. There were no farms there yet for it had been disputed until the raid on Paris. My men had spread south of the river. I waved my arm. “We can give ‘Dellingr’ a home and it can be your home too. It would be fitting for your father was a shipwright. The land to the east is for you and your men. We turn the drekar upside down and make her your hall. With turf walls and a roof, it would be a fine hall.”
I saw his face light up, “Lord that would seem to me to be the perfect solution. My father’s spirit is in the drekar. He would be with us. We could make a wharf next to the hall for the drekar.”