by Griff Hosker
I saw, illuminated by the fire from the burning village, riders. This would be close. The warriors with us wore no mail. "Run and tell Jarl Asbjorn and Olaf to form a shield wall!"
There was little point in turning around. We would hear the hooves of those following. The worst thing to do in such a situation was to panic. If they reached us quickly then it meant they were not wearing mail and they would struggle to defeat us. They might waste time at the village and the monastery. There were too many imponderables. I just worried about what I had to do.
The flames were licking around the top of the pyre when we reached them and Olaf was already organising the shield wall. Asbjorn stared at the bodies of his friend and his comrades. Olaf had ten warriors with mail and the rest had none. I gave the chest to Audun Larsson and said, "Take those without mail back to the ship. Aiden and Snorri should return to the drekar with the wounded." I took the horn from around my neck. "Have them sound this three times when it is done."
He took the chest and handed the horn to Leif the Slow. "Aye Jarl."
As he ran I shouted, "Asbjorn the Strong! Do you wish to join your friend on the pyre or are you a warrior still? There are enemies coming."
He unsheathed his sword, "I come Jarl! I have not yet bathed in enough blood!"
He stood next to Olaf and Haaken. Leif the Banner and Rolf stood next to me. I saw the last of our men disappear over the cliff and head down the narrow path to the sea. We needed to make these Saxons fear us. There were twenty of them. The leader had a fine helmet and all wore leather armour which had metal scales upon it. Each had a spear and a shield. They looked to be identical. They charged straight at us. Many would have fled at such a charge. We had faced men like this before. Their horses would turn rather than run at a shield wall and the spears they held posed no threat to us. They were brave and I think that they were used to making enemies flee before them.
Rolf Horse Killer lived up to his name as he and Olaf swung the axes into the chests of two of the small horses. There was a sickening crunch and a wild scream as the first of the horses suffered the axe blow which ended its life. The two riders flew from the backs of the horses and, as they lay at our feet were butchered. A spear was thrust at my head and, rather than block it with my shield I hacked at the head with my sword. It sheared it in two. Haaken pulled at the spear which was thrust at him and pulled. The rider did not let go and he was pulled on to the sword of Rollo Thin Skin.
Asbjorn was fighting like a man possessed. He waited not for the horsemen to close with him, he charged at them. Olaf and Haaken hurried behind him to protect his flanks. The smoke from the pyre now drifted across the field making it hard to see. When I heard the horn sound three times I shouted, "Back to the ships!" I turned to those near me who just stood, "Back!"
A single rider rode at me and he tried to use his spear like a lance. I braced myself and as he thrust I put my weight behind my shield. He was pushed backwards from his horse. He fell and landed at my feet. I ran up to him and, before he could rise, took his head. I saw Olaf and Haaken dragging Asbjorn towards me. "He went berserk, Jarl!"
"Get him down the cliff. I will watch the rear." As I backed towards the cliff path I saw that the survivors had lost their appetite for a wild charge. Too many men and horses lay dead. They had thought to make us turn and run. We had not and they had lost.
I stood at the top of the cliff and, raising my sword, shouted, "I am Jarl Dragonheart! Beware my sword for it is Saxon Bane!"
I descended the cliff. I was the last one to leave the beach and I waded out to my drekar. We had come to bury our dead and to heal our wounded but we had taken treasure and gained a great victory. Wyrd.
Chapter 13
"How is Beorn?"
"The wound had begun to mortify, Jarl. I had to cut open the stitches I had used. It was filled with pus and mortification. I let the blood wash away most of the evil and then sealed it with fire. I have packed it now with maggots and seaweed. If he is still as ill by the time we reach the Sabrina then he will lose the leg." He saw the look of horror on Snorri's face. He shrugged. "Better that he lose a leg than lose his life." Aiden was not a warrior. He did not understand our minds. Beorn would choose death over the loss of a leg.
Snorri shook his head, "With but one leg then Beorn would be as well dead. I will stay with my friend."
Aiden nodded, "That is good for your spirit can help to heal him. I will stay here too. Erik knows the waters."
I went, with Haaken and Olaf, to the stern where the treasures had been gathered. Erik nodded to them. "If we have storms when we round the tip of this land we may lose them. Better they are stowed, Jarl."
It was as close to criticism as Erik would come. I nodded, "Have the mail and the swords put beneath the decks. I will examine this chest. The Saxon seemed reluctant to let it go. I wonder why."
As soon as I opened it I saw the reason. It was the royal jewels. I recognised the small coronet which was given to the queen of Wessex for Elfrida had worn it when we had first met her in Lundenwic. The crown of King Egbert was not there but there were other royal rings, crowns and jewels inside the chest. Haaken's eyes widened, "Who would have thought that such a small village would hold such a great treasure."
Olaf said, "The monastery was richly endowed. They had fine ornaments as well as good linen and some holy books. It has been a profitable raid. The treasure from there is on 'The King's Gift'."
"And we know that Wintan-ceastre is not far away. Those riders came quickly. I wonder if the King was close by and the riders were with his army. I have rarely seen warriors thus armed. They were not fyrd. To me they were more like mounted hearthweru. They all wore the same armour."
Haaken nodded, "I think you are right, Jarl. In which case we were more than lucky. Had King Egbert and his army reached us then who knows what the outcome might have been."
"We will need to speak with Elfrida when we reach home. She may know the thegn and his wife and shed some light on this treasure. For now we will do as our captain suggests and store the chest somewhere safe."
As the chest was taken to safety I went to the stern. I had thought it an accident that we had landed at that cove. Now I saw the Norns at work. They were weaving once more. The webs continued to confound us. And they had not yet finished with us. Storms erupted when we were close to Syllingar. I saw Aiden clutching his amulet. We had been driven into the clutches of the witch who lived there. We had been stopped too often to ignore the gods. Perhaps she did not want us that day for we passed the jagged teeth which were a threat to every sailor and turned to sail north towards home. The closer we came to the Sabrina the more concerned we all were with Beorn's health. None of us wanted him to have to lose a leg but part of me wondered if this might be the end of the days in the Ulfheonar of Beorn the Scout. Would he end up crippled like Karl One Leg? Although Snorri said nothing I knew that was his fear too. He had lost Bjorn, one close friend and I knew that he would find it hard to bear to lose another.
I had lost Cnut, another old friend, when we had saved my daughter and Elfrida. Now I watched Haaken each time we fought together. If he went then I would be the last of the old ones. Haaken and I were like Olaf and Old Ragnar had been. When Ragnar had died in Norway Olaf the Toothless had begun to shrink both in size and to withdraw from the world. It had been as though he had been preparing for death. I felt like Aiden, a galdramenn, for I was reading Snorri's thoughts.
I went over to the three of them. I could detect no change in Beorn. It had been two days since the maggots had begun to do their work. I could tell that Snorri was keen to know if the treatment had worked.
"How is our comrade?"
Aiden said, "I am hopeful. He sleeps better and his breathing is regular."
"Is there heat still from the wound?"
"There is but that might not be a bad thing. Sometimes heat means it is healing."
"Can you not look, galdramenn?" Snorri could not keep the anxiety form his voice.
"But you said by the Sabrina..."
"And that is because I thought it would take us three days to reach here. It is not yet three days. The gods have given us a good wind. Would you rather we were still at Syllingar?"
"No Aiden, I am sorry but...."
"But you are worried about your friend as are we all. You need to have faith in the Allfather and in your friend. He is a fighter."
Snorri had also been wounded in the fight at Fulford but his had just resulted in a long scar running down his face and the back of his hand. It would be a visual reminder of his brush with death and, if Beorn died, of the day his friend went to the Otherworld.
Haaken was busy composing another of his sagas to chant while we sailed. He was honouring Eystein the Rock. It was not yet complete but I sat and listened as he played with the words. Once he had the chorus he was happy for that gave him the beat he needed for the rest.
Through the stormy Saxon Seas
The Ulfheonar they sailed
Fresh from killing faithless Danes
Their glory was assured
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
Then Saxons came out of the night
An ambush by their Isle of Wight
Vikings fight they do not run
The Jarl turned away from the rising sun
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
The galdramenn burned Dragon Fire
And the seas they burned bright red
Aboard 'The Gift' Asbjorn the Strong
And the rock Eystein
Rallied their men to board their foes
And face them beard to beard
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
Against great odds and back to back
The heroes fought as one
Their swords were red with Saxon blood
And the decks with bodies slain
Surrounded on all sides was he
But Eystein faltered not
He slew first one and then another
But the last one did for him
Even though he fought as a walking dead
He killed right to the end
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
He looked to me for approval. "Very dramatic, Haaken but Asbjorn was at one end of the Saxon ship and Eystein the other. They were not back to back."
He waved an airy hand. "Dramatic effect. You are no poet, Jarl Dragonheart! This honours Asbjorn!" He wagged a finger at me, "Are you annoyed that I did not mention your part in the battle!"
"You know me better than that. It is a fine saga. There are you satisfied?"
"It still needs work but I will make changes after we have reached home. I will sing it to Unn and the children. They appreciate my work and their voices help me to sharpen the rhythm."
We passed the Sabrina and continued north. When dawn broke we were just south of Ynys Enlli. Snorri had not slept. Aiden shook his head as he approached the Ulfheonar. "You need faith, Snorri. Let us see if the maggots have done their job."
I stood and watched as Aiden untied the bandages. There was a disgusting smell but Aiden seemed happy enough. I asked, "Should it smell that way?"
"That is the rotting seaweed." He picked the decaying weed and laid it on one side. He leaned over and began to pick out the maggots. When he had a handful he said, "It is going well. These are dead." He sniffed the wound. "He is healing. He will not lose the leg."
I felt a great sense of relief but Snorri asked, "Then why does he not wake?"
"The Allfather is wise. He makes the body sleep so that galdramenn such as me can heal the wounds. He will wake when he wakes." Haaken had wandered over. "Remember Haaken when I put the plate in his skull?"
Snorri asked, "Where were you when the Allfather made you sleep?"
"I was wandering the earth and seeing places I have never seen. Believe me Beorn is not unhappy, Snorri. The only one who is worried is you."
Aiden added, "And that is because you feel guilty that it was he who was wounded and not you."
Snorri's hand went to his golden wolf, "You are reading my mind?"
"I know you, Snorri. And you have naught to feel guilty about. You were unlucky that is all. If the warrior had not gone to make water then Beorn would not have a wound. Wyrd. Perhaps this is good for you, Snorri. It will teach you about wounds, eh?"
"Perhaps but if you say that Beorn will live then I will sleep."
Aiden, Haaken and I watched the coast of Cymru as we sailed north. Always the mountains there seemed to draw me as though part of my life lay there. Aiden too was preoccupied. "That is where Myrddyn lived. His spirit is there still. I can feel it."
Haaken snorted, "It is typical that I miss one trip with you and you meet a ghost from the past. I would have made a great saga from that!"
"Some stories are best untold. What I heard heralds my doom."
"Your doom?"
"I know now that I will dream my own death. Each night sleep is become a torture. When I close my eyes the blackness enfolds me." I held the dragon out. "This is a double edged weapon. It brings great power but it also warns me of my end. I have no peace and no sanctuary to which I can retire." It was getting on to dark when we edged into the estuary we called home. Beorn awoke as the ropes were thrown to tie us to the jetty. "Where are we?"
"You are home, Beorn."
He tried to move and winced with the pain. Snorri laughed, "You almost lost that leg. We will have a litter made and you can be carried home. It will be some time until you walk again."
Aiden added, "Let us see if the wound heals before we speak of walking."
Beorn looked horrified, "I will walk, will I not?"
"It depends upon how much rest you get and if you listen to me! Snorri is right, we will make a litter for you."
Coen Ap Pasgen came to the jetty. He looked concerned, "You managed to defeat the Danes?"
"Aye we did. I hope that we have deterred them for some time."
As the wounded were brought off he said, "You must stay with us this night."
"We will."
Coen Ap Pasgen was a good host and we discovered much while we ate with him. "The Irish have decided that Anglesey, as the Saxons call it, is ripe for raiding. They have sent their pirates there rather than here or Ljoðhús. The Northumbrian's are not as strong as they once were. It pleases us for they do not raid here now." He smiled, "Your reach is long Jarl. They would rather sail further than risk your wrath."
I found myself touching, unconsciously, the dragon around my neck. When we had passed Wyddfa I had felt its pull and I felt it now. "Perhaps. And is my land safe?"
"Your son and Karl One Leg each send a messenger every three days. Your land is unharmed and your people prosper."
I felt relieved beyond words. I had worried that things had gone so well that it must have meant ill at home. I had been wrong.
We left at dawn for the ride north. The weather changed even as we headed through the forest. The wind was in our faces and it was a vicious north easterly. It was what we called a lazy wind: it did not go around you, it went straight through you. I was happy that I was at home. I looked forward to nights in my hall with my wife, son and daughter. The wind and the wolves could howl but so long as I was in my hall then all would be well with the world.
The younger warriors hurried home. We had more tales than treasure but all had something to show for the month away. Their early arrival meant that we had a reception as every wife, mother and daughter came to greet us. Kara and Brigid did not. They would wait in our halls. That was as it should be. I was Jarl and Aiden was our wizard. It allowed our peo
ple to greet us. Inevitably there were those waiting to greet warriors who now lay as ashes in Wessex. We had treasure for them but that was as nothing compared with the treasure they had lost. I made sure that I spoke with each of those whose son or husband had been killed on the raid. It was little enough but a word from the Jarl made the loss somewhat easier.
Haaken handed me the chest of treasure. "Here Jarl. You had best determine what we keep and what we sell."
"I will speak with Elfrida. We will visit there before seven days are passed."
When I entered my hall I was bowled over by Gryffydd who tore into me like a tornado. "Let me greet your father, Gryffydd! Then you may have him." Brigid had a smile on her face as she admonished our son.
I nodded and he backed off. Brigid threw her arms around me, "I have missed you." She kissed me hard and then pulled away from me. "Have you any new wounds that I should know about?"
"No but Eystein was killed and Beorn badly injured. My Ulfheonar suffered. It was a warning that I am mortal."
She linked my arm and led me to my table. "We have food ready. I dare say that ship's rations have made a wraith of you."
It felt good to have my family about me. Erika still did not recognise me, she was still a baby, but I could see that she had grown. I told them the tale of our journey. I spared both Brigid and my son the gory details. It was not seemly. I was forced to bring forth the treasure and Gryffydd was fascinated by the treasure within.
"I will see Elfrida first. It may be that we can have ransom from Egbert for some of these jewels and crowns."
"Beware my husband. Egbert has not forgotten Elfrida and your son. It would not do to anger him."
"I cannot worry about a Saxon king who lives many leagues hence. We destroyed three of his ships and many of his warriors. It is he who should fear us!"
Even as I said it I regretted it. The Norns heard everything. They heard my boast. The words went to the cave in the far north beyond the unending sea and they heard.
Gryffydd dragged over Uhtric, "Tell him Uhtric! Tell how I have hewn wood every day and practised with Karl One Leg! Tell him how I can pull a bow and release an arrow as well as those who are Ragnar's age!"