by Griff Hosker
"Be careful! He might fall!"
"And he will learn not to do so a second time. He is a Viking, my wife, he must learn to take knocks and blows. It will make him harder."
"But he is a child."
"There is no such thing as a Viking child; there are only Vikings who have yet to spill blood."
She shook her head. "Why did I marry a Viking and live among such people?"
I laughed, "Because you wanted a real man and not someone who would allow you to be mistreated."
She hugged me as we walked, "You are right. I forget those dark times but some of your ways are still a mystery to me."
"And that means you will never have a dull life will you?" I was in a good mood. I enjoyed the banter.
The gate was thronged with my people. They too called out their greetings. I waved a hand behind me, "Your men folk return. We have had a good raid. We have gold, Holy Books and meat which we must eat for it was not salted. Tonight we feast!"
They all cheered. Had we not had success I would have told them. They knew that I was never foresworn. They had the truth from me; no matter how unpalatable. I turned to Brigid. "Where are Kara and Aiden?"
"In the house of women. She is close to her time. Macha and Deidra are with them. Kara was convinced that your granddaughter awaited your return to enter this world."
I heard the scepticism in her voice, "And you do not?"
"I am still a Christian. How can I believe that?"
I nodded. "There will come a time." I handed her the reins of the pony. "I will see my daughter and then I must use the steam hut. I need cleansing."
"I sent Uhtric to light it when Grim brought the news of your return. I will come with you." She gave me a wry smile, "I would like to cleanse you too."
I kissed her, "I believe that is how Gruffyd came into the world."
"And perhaps he needs a sister eh?"
Scanlan, the headman, greeted me as I headed towards my daughter's hall. "We have much iron which needs trading, Jarl Dragonheart."
"Good but make sure that Bjorn has the first choice of the iron. Many warriors will be buying new weapons from him!"
"It was a good raid then?"
"It was."
"That is why more people are coming to our land to settle. We have had many visits from merchants too. Our home is growing."
"Then we must make a sacrifice to the gods, Scanlan. It does not do to take them for granted."
"Aye Jarl."
I strode into the house of women. My daughter provided a refuge for those women whose husbands had died or chose to live with other women or wished to be a volva. Deidra and Macha who had been servants of the White Christ lived there and ran it. Aiden was the only man, apart from me, who was allowed in.
Aiden came to greet me. "Jarl Dragonheart, Kara said you would come this day and she was right."
"Is the child born yet?"
"No but it is coming soon. The women know such things."
Even though they had been captured many years ago and we had treated them well, Deidra and Macha were always a little apprehensive around me. The fact that I was here and the birthing was so close also made them uncomfortable. The Norse women saw it as natural. The followers of the White Christ did not. Kara was lying on a pile of skins. They were sheepskins topped by the skin of a wolf. I was a wolf warrior and the skin would give my grandchild the protection of the wolf.
"You will have a granddaughter soon, father."
"Good." I kissed her on the forehead. She looked radiant. I saw in her face my dead wife, Erika.
"Mother is here with us too. She is happy."
That was the trouble with having a volva for a daughter; she read your thoughts. "I will go and be cleansed then I shall return."
She nodded, "And when you do I will be cleaned and ready with our child suckling in my arms."
I turned to leave. I saw that Aiden was torn between his wife and the desire to speak with me. "Stay with Kara. My news will wait. A few hours will not change it."
When I returned to Kara and Aiden I felt like a new man. I had been cleansed and Brigid had combed and oiled my beard and hair. I had learned to enjoy such pleasures in Miklagård. I had left the warrior in the steam hut and now I was Jarl Dragonheart ruler of the land of the waters, Cyninges-tūn. We left Gruffyd with Uhtric and went to see Kara. My daughter had been right and my granddaughter suckled at her breast. Brigid shook her head, "How did you know?"
Kara frowned, "I am a volva. I know my own body. I knew."
I saw that Aiden looked proud. I clasped his hand. "The babe is well?"
He laughed, "How would it be otherwise. She has healthy lungs and eats well."
"Have you named her yet?"
"We will dream it tonight. The spirits will tell us."
The baby had finished suckling and Kara held her out to me. "Meet your grandfather, child."
I picked up the baby whose eyes had closed. She had that smell which all babies have. I closed my eyes and sniffed. I could smell Wolf Killer, Gruffyd and Kara when they had been born. I held her close. Her tiny fingers wriggled into my beard. I put my mouth close to her ear and said softly, so that only she would hear, "I swear that I will guard you and your parents with my life. I am Jarl Dragonheart and you are descended from the ancient ones of this land. One day you will grow into the most powerful woman in this land. I am no wizard but I can see that. You are part of me and part of this land." I kissed her and handed her back to Kara. Kara nodded and I saw tears in her eyes.
Brigid took my arm. "Come husband, let us go. They need to be alone with their child and the people have a feast prepared for you."
The old warrior hall in Cyninges-tūn was now used by my people for feasting. Most warriors had their own farms and homes. As I entered they all cheered. None of my Ulfheonar were there. They would be with their families but all those, like Rolf Eriksson who had been on the raid, were. Karl One Hand who had been an Ulfheonar was now the warrior who watched my home when I was absent. He stood aside from his seat at the end of the table and greeted me, "Hail Jarl Dragonheart! Until we have the songs sung by Haaken, tell us of the great deeds that you performed in Frankia."
I waved them to their seats and then said, "Instead of my words hear the stories from a new Viking; a warrior who will fight alongside us. Come, Hrolf son of Gerloc, warrior of Neustria and tell your new family your story and how the Norns wove it into my story and Hermund One Eye will fill in any gaps. I would eat and drink for I have missed Thorbjorg the ale wife's beer!"
Thorbjorg swelled with pride at my praise. Hrolf began to tell his story, haltingly at first but growing in confidence when my people hung on his every word. Hermund helped him out a couple of times. I smiled for it was obvious that Hrolf had never had such attention before. I could see him growing and becoming a Viking once more. He and Hermund had been close on the voyage home for they had much in common. Hermund had taken the young slave under his wing. Even as I listened to them I was planning for their future. I leaned closer to Brigid. "I would have these two live in my hall."
She laughed and kissed my cheek, "For a Viking you have the softest of hearts. Dragonheart indeed! They should have named you lamb's heart! But I love you for it. You did the same for me and I will be eternally grateful. Of course they shall live in our hall. It is wyrd."
It was my turn to laugh, "We are changing you then. You now believe in wyrd!"
"Let us just say I see events occurring which my beliefs cannot explain!"
The evening degenerated into a beer fuelled celebration of our life by the Water, beneath our mountain. I waved over Hermund and Hrolf. The young Viking was still glowing from the attention. "Until you are ready for your own home my wife and I would like you to live with us and my son in my hall. What say you?"
I thought that Hrolf would burst into tears of joy. He seemed incapable of speech. Hermund smiled and spoke for them both, "We have both spent many years with a yoke around our necks and slept with swine
. We do not deserve this honour but we would not show you disrespect by refusing. We will sleep in your hall and serve you as best we can although what you need in a one eyed slave and an unproven youth I know not."
"You have both proved yourself and look around. I do not discard those who serve me because they are not whole. Haaken lost an eye and is the mightiest of the Ulfheonar. Karl One Hand was Karl Word Master until he lost a limb fighting for me. If you are one of my people then I protect you unto death."
Unprompted, they both knelt. "We swear to be your men, Jarl."
"You are happy to be oathsworn?"
"We are."
I took out Ragnar's Spirit. "Then swear on the sword which was touched by the gods."
I saw the awe in their eyes as they laid their hands on the blade and intoned their oath. Their words were so quiet as to be almost inaudible but it mattered not; the Allfather heard them and they were binding. They were my men until they died.
I always enjoyed my first day home from a raid. I got to walk and talk among my people. As usual, my first visit was to Bjorn Bagsecgson my blacksmith. He was like Thor himself beating out metal in his smithy by the Water. He stopped as I approached. Grinning he pointed to the pile of metal in the corner. "It was a good raid Jarl."
"Aye it was and the Allfather protected us, we lost but a handful of men."
"These candlesticks from the churches of the White Christ; do you wish to use them or melt them down?"
"We need no plates nor candlesticks. I doubt that we will get the value we should from selling them. Use them. I would have a golden wolf made for my son and each of my grandchildren." He nodded. "I know that Aiden normally makes such things but it is his child and I would like to surprise him."
"My grandson, Bjorn Bjornson, has worked with Aiden. If you would give him the opportunity I am certain that he would do a fine job."
"Good. Make it so and I would have two short swords made for Hrolf and Hermund, the two captives we rescued."
"That is generous, Jarl, they were thralls."
"But for them, Bjorn, we would not have had the success we did. Remember that I too was a slave once."
He laughed, "Aye I remember. You and Old Ragnar up in the mountains fighting snow and wolves. You were so scrawny in those days we were convinced that a strong wind would blow you over. You have grown."
"Aye I learned much from old Ragnar. It was he gave me my first bow and my first sword. I continue as he would have done. " I pointed to the pile of metal. "You will have many orders for swords."
He smiled, "And I have smiths who will make those. I chose whom I smith for. Your swords will be done first. Do you have any ideas about the design?"
"A wolf's head pommel springs to mind."
"And length?"
"Hrolf is small and Hermund is to live in my home. They need them only for protection. When Hrolf grows we will see about a warrior's blade."
"Aye, I could do that."
As I left my smith I looked at the Old Man of Cyninges-tūn. In the morning he always seemed to smile. Perhaps it was the sun's rays from the east which did that. It was another reason I walked the eastern shore in the morning.
My Ulfheonar arrived at noon so that we could divide the treasure. The last of it arrived from Úlfarrston in the mid morning. The other warriors who had fought with us were there to receive their share. I saw Hrolf and Hermund hanging back. When I had divided it up I called them over. There were two gold pieces in the chest. "Here is your treasure." I also handed them a shield, a sword belt and a helmet. The shields were not as good as ours, they were Frankish, but they would do for a while.
"Thank you lord," Hrolf proffered his short seax. "And I have a sword already!"
"That is not a sword for a Viking. Bjorn the Smith will have your swords ready before too long. A warrior who fights for me has only the best."
Bjorn's grandson worked hard and he worked quickly. It took him but two days to make them. His father already had the mould we had used to make the ones for my Ulfheonar. It was just a case of melting down the gold and casting them. I think he was keen to impress me. When he showed me the first one I was impressed. He had even found a fragment of the blue stone for each of the wolves' eyes. "They will be ready on the morrow, Jarl when I have polished and fitted the thong."
I handed him one of the gold pieces I had been paid by the Franks.
He shook his head, "It is too much I cannot accept such a fortune."
"I have underpaid you for this wolf will protect my son and my grandchildren. Take it or I will be insulted."
My son arrived four days after the feast. He came with his son and his wife, Elfrida with her new child. I had not seen them since the birth of Elfrida's daughter, Erika. I hugged him when he dismounted, "Thank you for watching over my land while we raided. There is treasure for you in my hall."
He nodded. "We did little to earn it. There were no raids and no incomers. We had peace."
I embraced Elfrida, "And how does my granddaughter fare?"
"She is healthy, Jarl."
"And she has a cousin now with whom to play. Kara gave birth to a daughter too."
Elfrida and Kara got on well. They were like sisters and she was pleased. "What is the child's name?"
I shrugged, "They have not dreamed it. When a volva and galdramenn get together it is a world of the spirits they inhabit. They will tell us in due course. All I know is she has the right number of everything and she looks healthy."
Brigid shook her head, "Ask him if the babe smiled at him!"
"She did!"
Brigid and Elfrida laughed, "It was wind but my husband always thinks that all babies smile at him."
We all went to my hall where Kara and Aiden waited with their new child. After Elfrida had said how beautiful she was and Kara had said the same about Erika I asked. "Do we have a name yet or do we still say her and she?"
Kara looked at Aiden; he said, "We dreamed and we had the same dream. A she wolf came down from Olaf's mountain and the bairn suckled. We both saw her grow strong and powerful. She became a dragon."
I nodded, "She has a heart like her grandfather and the spirit of the wolf. What is her name then?"
"Ylva, female wolf."
I took out the four golden wolves and placed them around the necks of my son and grandchildren. Tears filled Kara's eyes, "Wyrd!"
All of the family nodded and said, as one, "Wyrd."
Chapter 5
The early summer was a time for hunting. It made us all into better warriors and produced better animals for inevitably we killed the weaker beasts. But warriors can only hunt for so long and then they yearn for the chance to hunt men. My young men wished to go raiding again. Success breeds confidence. I was loath to spend a long time away from my family. I urged my men to raid without me but all wished to be led by me. I was seen as the good luck charm. Wolf Killer was the one who persuaded me. "My warriors wish to join with you. My drekar, 'The Wild Boar' is restless too. She needs to feel the ocean beneath her keel."
I spoke with Brigid. She laughed, "A Viking asking a woman if he ought to raid? It is true the old ways run strong in you. Your people need the raids. It keeps them strong and we will be safe enough if you do not take all your warriors."
It was true; we were protected by the mountains. Úlfarrston guarded the south, Thorkell's Stad the north and Cyninges-tūn sat like a jewel in the centre of a crown of mountains. When Aiden managed to tear himself away from his daughter he visited with me and we discussed what we might do and where we might raid. Aiden frequently visited with Siggi and the other knarr captains who plied the seas trading for us. They were his spies. They returned with goods we could not get elsewhere and information. It was snippets. There would be a piece here and a piece there. The result was that Aiden's mind was filled with pictures of the world and, in particular, Britannia. When you added his skills and his mind he was a formidable weapon.
"It seems to me that Mercia is ripe for a raid."
/> "Is not King Coenwulf in the process of conquering Dyfed?"
"He is Jarl and that is a good reason to attack him. He has recently captured Rhufuniog from the men of Gwynedd. They will be vulnerable to a raid from the north and King Coenwulf is busy in the far south of the land."
The area was well known to us. We had frequently raided there. The Welsh churches in that area were richly endowed and there was a monastery at St. Asaph. What Aiden said made sense. Although there would be Mercian warriors there their attention would be on the west and not their own lands to the east. We knew the rivers well. The Maeresea and the Dee were easy rivers for us to navigate. We had taken Caerlleon before now. It was also less than half a day's voyage from Úlfarrston. Perhaps Sigtrygg would join us. He had been Ulfheonar and his warriors would also be restless. Once more my galdramenn had provided a solution.
"And would you sail with us or does my granddaughter demand your presence here?"
I spoke the words in jest and he had the good grace to nod, "You are right. I should come with you. Who knows what treasures you and your warriors might overlook."
"The Holy Books we found in Frankia were not overlooked were they?"
"No Jarl and we should sell them as soon as we can. The priests of the White Christ look after them better than we do."
I was decided and I sent messages to my jarls that any warriors who wished to come raiding should gather at Úlfarrston by the end of the next moon. I would choose those who would come then. I gave the same choice to my Ulfheonar. They were all happy to come with us. When I was talking with them I noticed that Hermund did not look happy. "What is the problem Hermund?"
"I feel, Jarl Dragonheart, that I should raid with you but I fear I cannot."
"You think you should come because I rescued you?"
"Aye Jarl."
"Then stay here. My family needs protection and you now have a sword. I will have more than enough warriors who wish to raid. I will not think any less of you for staying behind. My wife needs protection. That is your task.