by Griff Hosker
“King Charles himself is coming with an army. There are East and West Franks. There are Lombards and Swabians. He has hired Burgundians too. Lord, it is a mighty army. It is to be counted in the thousands.” He sounded worried.
I nodded, “And they are coming along the southern side of the river?”
“Aye lord although I saw horsemen to the north.”
“And when will they be here?”
“Late tomorrow then they will be just five miles to the east of us.”
“Good. You are our eyes!”
I took my drekar and Erik sailed me to the north bank. Haraldr and Siggi had made themselves comfortable and they had a well-defended camp. “Haraldr, tonight, I want you and your men to burn this bridge. Then using just one ship ferry three quarters of your men across the river. Do it in the dark and land them well to the west of the church. The King of the Franks comes and I would have him kept in the dark about our numbers. You will remain hidden behind the church until I summon you.” My men trusted me implicitly. I had yet to fail. No matter how ridiculous my ideas they seemed to work.
As I sailed back across the river with the first of Siggi’s men I put the finishing touches to my plan. I had first come up with this plan after the first siege. It was so many years ago now that William had grown from a youth to a young man. Bergil Fast Blade had grey hairs and Harold Strong Arm had lost all of his!
Æbbi Bonecrusher had gathered my lords at the bridge. Before us lay the burned houses. They were charred stumps. The desolation spread for three quarters of a mile south. “Petr you know what you must do?”
“Aye lord, I fill ‘Fafnir’ with all of my archers.” Petr’s archers were the best. We had another hundred who would fight with me but Petr and his fifty would be my secret weapon. He smiled and clasped my arm, “Fear not lord I will not let you down. When you need me, I will be there.”
“Gandálfr, you have all of the captured weapons?”
“Aye lord. There are wagon loads of them.”
“Then when it is dark you make a wall of the javelins and spears to the south of us. I want to make it impossible for men to charge through them. Leif and Lars. Your men will guard that flank. Your warbands must hold off what might be an army!”
“Do not worry lord, we will.”
“The rest of us will wait in three lines. We will endure whatever the Franks throw at us. Gandálfr will distribute the darts and throwing spears. Our archers will thin out the enemy but I want to make a wall of dead before us. We do not need to defeat the Franks. We just avoid defeat. Godwin, you and my son, along with Harold Strong Arm’s boys have one task. You guard the bridge. If the men of Paris try to sally forth then fire it. If our left flank is in danger then fire it. We have so few men to spare that tomorrow boys must do that which should be left for men.”
Godwin nodded. Of all men he understood fire. “Aye lord but this fire will harden iron and make it steel! We will not let you down!”
As we went back to the church I saw the fire begun by Haraldr. The north bridge was on fire. The only way off the island now was by the bridge close to us.
That night I sat with Padraig. He was giving me advice. He was not a warrior but he was a man of science and knowledge. When I had learned all that I could he said, “Lord, I would stand by you. I would hold the cross of Christ.”
“You ask much.”
“Yet I have asked for so very little. It will not hurt you for it looks like the emblem on your cloak.” He had a cloak about his shoulders. He had said he had the chills.
“I will agree if you wear a helmet and carry a sword.”
“I will not use a sword.”
“I know. You have a reason to carry a cross and I will use it for my purpose.”
“Very well.”
We had warriors who were Christians. There were more than there had been but not enough to make me fear for my army. Padraig heard their confessions. He told me it would do no harm and might make them fight harder. I would reserve judgement on that. When he had gone I went to William and Godwin. “Godwin, do not risk my son tomorrow.”
“Fear not lord. He will be there to greet you at the end of the battle.”
I looked at William. Since his mother had gone he had become my son. He was dearer to me than any and yet I would put a huge burden on his shoulders. “You have grown over these past years. Do you think you can lead these people called…”? I shrugged, “I no longer know what to call us save, the people?”
“I will be ready one day, father, but I still have much growing in me. Do not lose your life tomorrow.”
“I will try not to.”
I managed but a few hours sleep. I woke before dark. The air was filled with the smell of charred wood. Æbbi Bonecrusher greeted me with a horn of ale. “Egil will plant our standard on the top of the church, lord. That way he can fight at your side. Your hearth weru will be with you tomorrow.”
“I know. I have put you in harm’s way…”
“That is because you will be in harm’s way.”
“It is the only way I know to draw their best warriors towards me. That way we win!”
“Perhaps. Sven Blue Cheek once told me that following you was like trying to ride a wild pony. He was right. What he did not say is that following you makes you a better man.”
“A better man?”
“Look at Harold Strong Arm. He is now happy and has children. I have known him for many years. When he was younger he was a dangerous man to know. After your father was murdered he became even more violent. Since serving you? Look at him now. When this battle is over I will find two more hearth weru for you. Haaken the Bold and I will emulate Harold. We will see if we can become fathers too.”
As we went to the river I knew that this battle would change all of our lives!
We had cleared some of the charred buildings to make it harder for the Franks to get at us and to give us a killing space. I turned and saw Godwin and my son, along with their two helpers laying kindling under the charred bridge. I turned back to look from the island to the east. The men on the walls were watching us and wondering what we were doing. They would know of the imminent arrival of the King of France. As yet there was no sign of them. I expected their scouts in the early afternoon. If Bagsecg was correct they would camp at sunset. The burned buildings meant that the only place they could camp would be a mile to the east of us, almost level with the end of the island. I turned back and saw William carrying the pot of hot coals. It was a thoughtful act for Godwin had been badly burned once already. The two helpers would feed the fire until it was needed. There was a chance it might not be required.
Æbbi Bonecrusher said, “Come lord, you had little sleep, have food. Egil has brought some lamb.”
Our raids continued each day and although my men had to travel further afield each time they still managed to bring back treasure and food. The lamb smelled delicious and I tucked in. As I ate I viewed our lines. They looked to be perilously thin, there were barely two hundred and eighty men to repel the first attack but Haraldr had another three hundred hidden in the church and to the south of us. Bagsecg could bring his eighty horsemen to join us when the enemy closed. There were also another two hundred north of the river. I was satisfied.
I had been to the river to make water when Bagsecg’s scout rode in. “They are close, lord. You will see their scouts shortly.”
Without making a fuss my men formed up. It was unlikely we would fight at night but we had to look prepared. It was a huge army and they rolled in for what seemed like hours. I saw the royal standard and knew that Charles the Simple had stirred himself to lead his army. My oathsworn and I were well known for our distinctive cloaks and helmets. He came forward to see us. As the King himself rode a few paces ahead of his men I led my oathsworn with Padraig in tow to view them. I rode Gilles for I wanted the King to see me. The cross would confuse the Franks as it had confused my men until I had explained it to them. “We do not care about a cross but they do.
If they think we are Christians then it might weaken their attack. It cannot harm us.”
“We do not have to become Christian?”
“No Æbbi Bonecrusher.”
“Then it is good.”
I saw the King point a finger in my direction. I was about to turn when Æbbi Bonecrusher pulled up his cloak, turned around and dropped his breeks. Turning back, he made water in the direction of the King. My men laughed for they thought it to be funny. If Æbbi had done that to a Viking then one of the enemy would have raced over to challenge him for such an insult. The Franks seemed bemused.
We returned to our lines and some men began to sharpen weapons which were already sharp. The sound would carry and the enemy would know we were ready. We kept a good watch but I slept. I slept better than I had done for some time for I knew that the next day would be momentous… one way or another.
The Franks wasted no time and as soon as the sun had risen their horns sounded and their mounted men rode toward us. This was not like Beauvais where we had a log barricade. We had charred buildings which would allow their horsemen to close with us but not to keep a straight line. When I say they came for us it was really for me. Their finest nobles and horsemen rode towards me. I was not on Gilles but I was head and shoulders taller than almost everyone else. The archers behind me had measured the range. They had strategically placed charred wreckage so that they knew when to release. They sent a shower of arrows. The mailed men did not suffer much but their horses did and when a horse fell it often killed its rider or brought down other horses. The already ragged line became even more ragged. As they neared us we hurled first darts and then throwing spears. This time many of them found flesh or threw horsemen from their saddles. I drew Long Sword when they were ten paces from us. I stepped from the line to allow myself a good swing and I timed it to perfection. The spear from the noble with the blue plume struck the mail on my left arm but my sword struck and severed his leg and drove so deeply into his horse’s side that it veered off to the side and crashed into a second horse. I stepped back, I heard a horn behind me. That was Haraldr summoning his men. Our two lines would become four. Our archers continued to rain death. Æbbi Bonecrusher was on one side of me and Haaken on the other. Egil still watched my back. When I had stepped forward I had felt his shield supporting me.
My hearth weru hacked, sliced and stabbed at horses and men. We became an island as the Franks further south pushed my men back. They would not push us back. I brought my sword from on high as a spear came towards me. It seemed it was destined to strike me but Egil’s spear came from under my arm to flick up the spear and to stab the horse in the throat. My sword came down and split the Frank’s head.
I heard a shout from the left. The Franks had sallied from the island. I watched as Godwin and my son began to fire the bridge. It was a mistake to turn. I had my own battle to fight. Even as I turned a Frankish spear came for me. My sword was down. Æbbi Bonecrusher stepped forward and flicked up the spear with his shield. The warrior’s horse reared and smashed down on Æbbi’s head. Enraged at both the Frank and myself, I swung my sword and half cut the Frank in two. Haaken the Bold had been Æbbi Bonecrusher’s shield brother for what seemed like all time. He went berserk. I had not seen it for some time and it was terrifying. He hurled his shield at the nearest Frank and it almost knocked him from his saddle. He chopped at the man and then ran at the rest of the milling horses and riders. He took them by surprise. They were not expecting it and he managed to kill or wound five before they saw what they had to do. Five of them speared him at once. My archers took advantage and they launched arrow after arrow at them. My oathsworn died but his death resulted in twenty dead Franks.
I heard a horn from the Franks and saw that they had another one hundred horsemen ready to come at me. I turned and saw that my son and Godwin had set fire to the bridge. Men caught in the middle of the bridge by the racing flames screamed as they were burned. I saw the Bishop of Paris hurl himself into the Seine to douse the flames. He was mailed and he did not surface.
“Shield wall!”
Bjorn the Brave and his men joined my remaining oathsworn. Egil took Æbbi Bonecrusher’s place. The horsemen thundered on and then my secret weapon was used. Erik brought my drekar west from behind the Franks. They had sailed upstream and turned around the island to approach unseen by the Franks. Now with the current taking them they sailed down the Frankish line. They were less than eighty paces from the Franks and they sent arrow after arrow into them. Mail could not stop them and the Franks had so many men that every arrow found flesh. My archers were attacking the right-hand side of the warriors. Their shields were on their left! I saw the King himself take cover as some of his closest lords and advisers died. We prepared to face the horsemen but the full weight of the attack did not materialise. Petr and his archers simply slaughtered the horses and their riders. Bodies of animals and men piled up.
“Charge!” We raced into the mass of dying horseflesh to avenge Haaken the Bold. I took the head from a lord who was trying to pull himself from under a horse. As I swung Long Sword I was aware that Godwin and William had joined us. Harold Strong Arm’s sons were slinging stones. I looked up. I had hoped for a stalemate, a draw. I saw the standard of the Franks and it was retreating. We had won!
The rest of our men flooded forward but I was spent. With Egil and the last of my oathsworn I walked over to the body of Harold the Bold. He was smiling. He and Æbbi Bonecrusher would never have a family but they would be in Valhalla and they had died happy. We laid the two of them together. We would bury them when time allowed.
It was dark when the last of my men returned. The battle was over and the battle was won but had I won the war?
The first thing I had done when I knew that we had won was to seek my son. His mail had soot upon it and Padraig was tending to one of Harold’s sons. I wagged a finger at him. “You should have run. The Franks almost caught you.”
Godwin said, “No lord, Father Padraig here ran and blocked the sword of the Frank which would have slain him. I slew the Frank and then William was able to fire the bridge. We had made it too well for the flames leapt up and scorched his mail.”
I turned to Padraig, “Thank you.”
He shrugged, “I did not kill anyone and my blow saved a life.” He smiled. “It was the Christian thing to do.” He coughed and looked unsteady on his feet.
“Sit you have earned a rest.”
As I returned to my men I reflected that two Christians, Godwin and Padraig had saved my son’s life when a Christian Bishop had lost his. Wyrd.
By the time dawn had come our drekar was moored where the bridge had been and we had cleared and buried our dead close to the church. Æbbi Bonecrusher and Haaken the Bold were laid together. Their bodies were in the centre of the rest of our dead for they were the most honourable of all those that had died. Padraig had the idea of marking their grave with the cross he had carried. “It may stop the Franks from digging up their bodies.” We planted the cross with the body of the White Christ upon it and the Franks did not disturb our dead.
We stripped the enemy dead and sought the treasure they carried. We headed back to our lines and we ate. I had half of the army stand to all night. I feared a second attack. It did not come. Instead when dawn broke a bare headed rider rode towards us. “King Charles would speak peace with you.” He pointed to a place which was being cleared of the Frankish dead. It was two hundred paces from our lines and four hundred from the Franks. More importantly it could be seen from the island. “The King will have six men with him. He will sound a horn when he is ready.” He looked at me expectantly.
“I will come.”
I chose Padraig, Haraldr, Gandálfr, Bagsecg, Bjorn, Leif and William to come with me. A horn sounded and we walked. I saw that King Charles liked his comfort. He was no warrior. I had not seen him at the battle. He had tables and chairs laid out. My men waited until I sat and then they sat.
The King looked old despite the fact t
hat he was far younger than I. His leaders looked old. The Bishop who was with him was also old. Had we defeated an army of old men?
“Lord Göngu-Hrólfr Rognvaldson you have won and I am here to ensure that you no longer raid my people. I need peace. My land needs peace. There are more of your kind than we can deal with. I would have you fight our enemies for us both domestic and foreign.”
“You want a sword for hire?”
“No, I wish you to be lord of the land of the Northmen, Normandy. I give to you the land on both sides of the Seine from the Epte to the Risle. That land will be called Normandy for your people have now made it their own. You will have the title of Duke. You will swear to protect all the people of that land, Frank and Norse.”
He looked at me expectantly. “And the land from the Cotentin to the Seine.”
He hesitated and the lord next to him whispered in his ear. He nodded. “And the land from the Cotentin to the Seine.”
I had all that I wanted. We had made so much money from the Franks that I doubted that they could fulfil a request for more. But where was the price we would have to pay? I looked at my men. They thought it a good offer. Padraig nodded. I said, “Then I will be Duke of Normandy.” I looked at William. “As will my heirs.”
The King nodded and looked relieved, “Of course as Duke of Normandy, part of the Empire and a vassal of West Frankia you will have to be baptised a Christian.” I heard the gasp from my men. “And to tie us together you will be betrothed to my daughter.”
To give me time to think I said, “Daughter?”
He smiled, “She is but five years old but when she is old enough a marriage to you will ensure that the western side of my realm is safe.”
The marriage would not be a problem. She was younger than my son! It was at least seven years away and much could happen in seven years. Could I become a Christian? Then I thought of the King’s words. He wanted me baptised a Christian. I had seen the ceremony. A priest put water on your head and gave you a name. That appeared to be it. I already allowed churches in my land and Christians. In my heart I would still be Göngu-Hrólfr. In my heart I would still be a Viking. I could hear the Norns spinning and hear my grandfather’s telling of the tale of the cave. If I was to fulfil the prophecy then I had to do this or continue to fight. I looked at Padraig. Two Christians had saved my son. This was wyrd.