by Griff Hosker
“Thank you, lord…I...”
I waved an arm to silence his protests, “I am just disappointed that you felt you had to hide it.”
“It was not that lord. I was attracted to her but spending as much time together as we did, looking after William, well it sort of accelerated things and then you were back and… I am sorry.”
I grinned and clasped his arm, “And Padraig is right! I am a little frightening to be around.” A sudden thought struck me. “Do you think William is afraid of me?”
“Afraid? No. In awe? Certainly!”
When we rejoined the others Popæg looked a little worried. When Harold Strong Arm went to her and almost picked her off the ground then she knew that all was well. Although Æbbi Bonecrusher and Haaken the Bold were pleased for their friend and the impending wedding their priority was oathsworn and over the next months while the wedding was being arranged they were bringing men to me. They insisted that I have the final choice over those who would defend me. I initially chose eight to join Æbbi Bonecrusher. We would not be going to war for a year or so. Committing to me was a lifetime’s work. I still had time and who knew what the Norns might throw my way.
Their first choice both surprised and pleased me. It was Egil Flame Bearer. “He is young, lord, but we watched him when he held your banner. He is as resolute as Ragnar and he has skills. He handled himself well when he followed the priest. That is the sort of thing those who followed the Dragonheart could do so well. His friendship with Godwin bodes well for your son and it is time that one of the hearth weru carried your banner.”
Egil joined me. Arne and Audun Petrsson were brothers. Their father had died fighting alongside Ubba. They travelled all the way from Valognes to join me. Haaken knew of their skills. Their two older brothers had families and Arne and Audun were happy to commit to my cause. Haraldr Blue Eyes was known to me. He was the only warrior whose size came close to mine. He had lived and farmed to the north of Rouen. The gods had sent a disease and, when he was away fighting with me, his family had all been taken. He took it as a sign that he was not meant to have a family. He buried them and joined me. Olaf of Djupr was the second son of Olaf Two Toes. When his father died he sought to emulate the old warrior who had fought for so long at my side. He was an easy choice. Stig of the Haugr was, like Egil, young. Like the Petrsson brothers he had lost much. He had been sailing on his uncle’s knarr when the Haugr was taken. His family were either slaughtered or enslaved and he blamed himself for being away at sea. He wanted vengeance and serving with me guaranteed him the opportunity to do so. The last two who were chosen were from Montfort. Erik Gillesson sent them. They were half Norse and half Frank. Both were excellent riders and Erik told us that they were the best warriors he had. One was chosen by the Norns for he was called Hrólfr the Horseman. That had been my grandfather’s name and was an obvious choice. The other was the grandson of Bagsecg, my grandfather’s black smith. When his father had been killed in battle and his mother died, Erik had brought him up. Sven Mighty Fist had inherited his grandfather’s physique and was the strongest warrior I had ever met.
They all swore an oath and moved into the new warrior hall we had had built attached to my hall. All were given a blue cloak with a silver sword and a helmet with a nasal. They were Vikings and chose their own swords. The ones who had no mail were given some. Finally, each was given a horse. Gilles had been used by Erik to breed horses and we had enough large ones for those like Haraldr Blue Eyes and Sven Mighty Fist who were too big for ordinary horses.
They swore their oath to me after Popæg and Harold were married. She was a Christian and Padraig performed the ceremony. It was more formal than the simple one used by my Vikings but Harold did not mind. He understood his new wife and her need for the cross around her neck. As he said to me, while we waited in the chapel, “I will die a Viking. And as for children? I had given up any thought of having them and if the price to become a father is for them to be brought up Christian then it is wyrd.”
A day after the wedding, as I headed east with my hearth weru I thought on Harold’s words. Few of my men had married pure Norse or Danish women. Most had the blood of the Franks in their veins and almost all of them were Christians. There was no conflict in their homes. Audun and Arne had had a Christian mother and had attended a church for their mother had had them baptised. They seemed able to reconcile that with a desire to kill enemies. They would not turn the other cheek. My people and my warriors were changing. Should I?
I turned to look at my new men as we left Rouen. The red standard fluttering above the blue cloaked horsemen made for a striking sight. When we fought people would know where to find me and that was good. I still wondered about making the horse into a lion. I resolved to do nothing until I had a sign from the Allfather.
I left my hall to speak with Lars and Leif. I had walked my walls and seen their home grow. Now I wished to inspect it closer. They had done a good job. The wooden palisade was well protected by a ditch which was filled with river water and had to be crossed by a removable bridge. There were two small towers above the gate and each held a couple of archers. Inside was well organised and neat. The hull of their drekar was now a mound of turf with a spiral of smoke rising from it. There were other buildings too. The bread oven lay far from any building save the smithy where a smith’s hammer rang out. There was a second hall made of wood and turf. A granary stood on stilts and I saw that there were women working at a brew house.
Leif greeted me as I dismounted. “It is good to see you, lord.” He waved an arm around the interior of his home. “What think you of our hall?”
“I think you have done well and there are women too.”
He nodded, “The women of Rouen are friendly and there were many unattached women who sought a husband. Some had lost men in the wars and there were also orphans. Half of our crew are married and many of the women bear Vikings within them.”
While we walked around and he showed me the features he had built, we talked. “Lord, my men and I would raid.”
“The Franks?”
He shook his head, “I know that you are not ready for war and we are not foolish enough to begin a war which might put our new families in harm’s way. We have heard that Alfred of Wessex grows old. His son Edward and his nephew, Æthelwold, both vie for the crown.” He smiled, “One advantage of spending so many years as wanderers is that we know how to gather information. The ships which trade with you tell us these things.”
“Alfred has always suffered with ill health what makes you so sure that he is close to death?”
“His family are gathered at Wintan-Caestre. They look within and not without. We would strike soon and take advantage of the situation.”
“Then you have my permission but I ask one thing. If you find any maps, parchments or papers then do not destroy them. Bring them to me. I have a priest who can interpret them and the information they contain is valuable.”
“I will do so.”
After we left him we rode as far as the last farm to the east. Bárekr was as much a Frank as a Viking. He had a farm which he could defend but he preferred farming to sailing the seas. Like Bjorn the Brave he seemed untroubled by his Frankish neighbours and I returned home happier.
Four days later a one-armed man rode into my town. It was William, Erik’s spy. He had been a warrior but he had chosen to follow Erik and the fact that he was a Frank helped him to blend in with the people of Paris.
As we sat with Padraig and Æbbi Bonecrusher he gave us his news. “Odo, Count of Paris is dead and Charles the Simple has been crowned.”
I asked the obvious question, “How did Odo die?”
William shrugged, “His death is shrouded in mystery and the people of Paris are not happy. Odo was the one who saved them from the Danes.”
I smiled, “And me.”
He shook his head, “Had they followed your advice then Paris would have fallen. The new King has not gone to Paris. He is busy securing support in the
rest of West Frankia. My lord told me what you wished to know. There will be no war this year. If there was then you would win for they are ill prepared. If you chose then you could claim vast areas of Frankia.”
“But I am not yet ready. The attacks by the Bretons took from us the warriors who would have won the war for us. We are thinly stretched. The gods, it seems, are not yet ready for a war. We will wait.”
I handed him some coins and Padraig asked him, “And the Church? Who do they support?”
“Like the people they are divided. Those in Paris favour any but one of the family of Louis the Stammerer. The rest back the King for he has the support of the Emperor and the Pope.”
“Why is the Church important?” I was curious.
“Because they are wealthy and they will support the king who will ensure that they can survive.” He sighed, “It is no surprise that the men who met with Æðelwald of Remisgat were priests and from the Roman Church. It is in their interest to weaken you.”
I smiled, “And your church does not engage in such practices.”
He shook his head, “We are simple priests who deliver God’s word to people.”
I knew he was speaking the truth. “William, I would have you keep me informed about any change in the political situation. We need advance warning of any attack by the Franks.”
“Do not worry, lord, you shall have it.”
A month or so later, as I was preparing to ride abroad, a drekar came into my river. After Godfrid we were wary but there were no shields on the gunwales and like Leif’s ship it looked as though it had suffered damage at sea. I went to greet them. The captain was Haraldr Greybeard. I had never met him. He was Norse. He clasped my arm when I landed. “I wondered if the giant who is too big to ride horses still lived. I am Haraldr Greybeard and I was a distant cousin of Rognvald Eysteinsson.”
“My adopted father.”
“Aye he was a good man. I would have left the fjords when he did but I sought my fortune in Miklagård.” He laughed. “Many of us tried but few made much coin from it. When I returned Harold Finehair was King and I did not get on with him. We fell out and he declared me outlaw.”
“In my view that is a mark of honour.”
“My crew and I raided for a while and then we heard of a land beyond the western sea.” I found myself clutching my horse amulet. He smiled, “I know you thought we would fall off the edge of the world.” I nodded. We did not. There is something out there for we found strange birds and sea creatures but we saw no land. We saw a sea of weed but after many months we turned to come home. Some of my men began to die for the air was as hot as in Miklagård. I thought to come here for I do not like the Danes and we have heard, from others, that you need good swords and warriors to wield them.”
“We do. You are more than welcome.”
“We will need to repair our ship and, I am afraid, that for a while we will be beggars for we have no coin. We are men and we need to eat.”
“Fear not we have raided well and you will have all the food you need. I will have my steward see to it. Upstream is a settlement of others like yourself. You can build your own home there. When you have settled in then come and speak with me. I will tell you of my plans.”
This was wyrd. The Norns were truly spinning. First a thread from the Haugr was spun and now one from Norway. My grandfather’s dream of a secure land in Frankia looked like coming to fruition. Padraig sent food to the new warriors and stones so that they could build a bread oven. It would take them time to repair their drekar but we had time. I now had purpose. I would seek the weaknesses in the Frankish defences.
And so we prepared for a war but this would not be a sudden war. This would be planned and coordinated. I intended to know the land we would use to attack the Franks. I had a year to become as familiar with the ground as it was possible. Now that I had my own bodyguard I was more confident about riding close to enemy lines. We rode first to Djupr. The Franks were barely to be seen. In the twelve days we rode we saw not a single Frankish stronghold. We then headed east. We saw nowhere with fortifications until we came to Beauvais. It had an old Roman fort whose stone had been reused to make a stronghold. I knew that by threatening Beauvais I could draw the Franks from Paris. Then, a month later, we crossed the river and headed south towards Chartres. This land was even more secure for we held all up to Evreux. Bagsecg and Bjorn kept a tight hold on the land. Paris was more formidable than Chartres but if we could take that then it would send a message to the Franks that we were serious. After speaking with many merchants who passed through our town it became obvious that the Franks thought we would tire of farming and go back to wandering. That might have been true of many other Vikings but not my clan. We were here to stay.
As I rode back I realised it was almost a year since I had put Poppa in a nunnery. It was time to prepare for a war.
Chapter 17
Lars and Leif had a successful raid to the land of Wessex. There they gathered information as well as treasure, mail and female slaves. King Alfred was dead. Guthrum had died years before and so those who rule in the land the Romans had called Britannia were unknown to me. On their way back, they had called at Bruggas. They had spread the word that I was making war and needed ships. Such a call to arms would bring us many ships. This time I would select the best and not just take any drekar and its crew.
I summoned my lords four months after we had ridden to Chartres. My new men and I had had months to get to know one another and we were now a tightly bonded band. I felt sorry for Godwin for he had been left at home with William and I know that he envied Egil. One problem I did not have was Poppa. When my lords had visited she had always made them feel unwelcome. She looked down upon them. They did not have the fine manners of Frankish lords. My lords were warriors. We had eaten raw wild sea birds with our fingers when we were hungry. We had drunk water which was so full of wild life that it almost constituted a meal. None were dainty when they ate.
As Popæg and Harold were now married she was the only woman at my table. My lords did not bring their wives. Popæg was also with child. This amused Haaken the Bold and delighted Harold. None said anything untoward to Harold. He was held in great affection by all of my lords. The result was a convivial feast which was not only a counsel of war it was also a celebration. As such it was the finest of feasts. William was now able to drink small beer. He had grown. Popæg thought it was because he now ate what she called proper food. He ate what my men did. There was lots of meat and plenty of bread and cheese. He would be as big as his father. Gerloc had also grown in the many months since her mother had left and she now had a personality. She was not my child but she felt like it for I saw her each day and she called for me by name, I was Gong-Gon! It was her way of saying my name.
Haraldr Greybeard, Lars and Leif attended. Since their arrival they had all become part of our clan. As Padraig pointed out we were less of a clan and more of a people. The Franks and Bretons called us Norsemen. That would do for a while but we were more than that we had Danish, Frankish, Breton, Saxon and even Hibernian blood in our veins. One day the Allfather would tell me what we were but for the present I basked in the comradeship of my hall.
We feasted and drank well. Popæg kissed her husband goodnight and took a reluctant William, who had been falling asleep for some time, to his bed. Godwin made to rise but Popæg shook her head, “Stay with the men and enjoy the feast. I will watch the bairn.” She smiled, “Besides Harold Strong Arm will be of little use to me this night!”
My lords all roared as Harold shrugged. He was the most experienced warrior save for Sven Blue Cheek and he could cope with banter. Marriage had made him a happy man. Haaken the Bold had ensured that my hearth weru guarded the doors to my hall and we could speak openly. I saw Haraldr Greybeard look askance at Padraig as I stood and began to speak. He was wary of the followers of the White Christ.
I waved a hand at the priest. “Like you Haraldr Greybeard I am sceptical of all priests but this one is
different. He does not follow Rome’s dictates and he can be trusted. You have my word on that!” I saw him nod and Padraig raised a horn of ale to him.
Saxbjorn, who had drunk more than I could remember belied his name by shouting, “Tell us how we defeat these Franks then, lord. We have punished the Bretons. Let us do the same with the Franks.”
“First, the Franks are more numerous than the Bretons. You would have to ride for a month or more to cross the lands they rule. Our aim is not to conquer more land. We have enough in the Cotentin and between Djupr and Bayeux. I want us to raid and to hurt the Franks along the border. I wish us to make the land a wasteland. Charles the Simple is not a warrior. The last warrior they had was Count Odo of Paris and he is dead. This Frankish King will not relish a war and we do what we did with the Bretons. We get them to ask for peace and to swear to allow us to keep what we have.”
“And do we trust them?” Ragnar the Resolute was still suspicious of all things Frankish.
“The Franks relied on spies. As you know I harboured two in my own hall and it cost us dear. That tells me that they fear us. Our own spies tell me that there is still division in the lands of the Frank. Here is my plan. It is simple. There are two targets, Paris and Chartres. Sven will lead the warriors from the lands between Caen and Ċiriċeburh and I will lead the warriors from Montfort to Djupr. Sven will raid the lands between our border and Chartres. And I will do the same north of the river. My first target will be Beauvais. This is not a quick war. We will grind them down. I do not expect either Sven or I to finally begin to besiege our targets for two years. Our farmers have crops to plant and harvest. They have animals to rear. Only when we are ready to besiege Paris and Chartres will we use every warrior that we have. By then the Franks will be too weak to launch a counter attack. King Alfred of Wessex is now dead. He was an ally of the Franks and the Bretons. His son, Edward, has to fight the Danes. Merchants have told us that Fulk le Roux has made great inroads into Brittany. If King Alan was foolish enough to attack us then Fulk would easily take Breton heartland. Do not expend all of your men in one attack. I will take just Bjorn and Bagsecg with me, along with Haraldr and the men of Leif and Lars. With just those four hundred men we will cause such mischief that the Franks will think that I have brought three hundred ships again.” I waved a hand at Haraldr and Leif. “The Allfather has sent us these new allies. When we begin to make our own lands secure then there will be Frankish land for those who are new to this land. More ships will flock to our banner. I promise you that there will come a day when the King of the Franks accepts that I rule this part of his land!”