by Griff Hosker
"No, Jarl. The monks fled with them. They have gone to the fort just down river."
"Then we carry what we have. Let those without mail carry the boxes."
"Do you not wish to see their contents?"
"No, Haaken, that can wait. They would not have hidden them if they contained nothing of value. It will be better if Aiden is there when we examine them."
"Aye Jarl Dragonheart."
"Any sign of our drekar?"
"No Jarl but the fort is on a piece of high ground and blocks the view of the river. They would struggle to come this far."
Had I brought the small drekar, 'Red Snake' then we would have managed it. Perhaps I had made an error of judgement.
I led my warriors down the river towards the distant fort. Asbjorn took his men to the right and crossed the river. I went along the northern bank while Sigtrygg stayed on the south bank. We found discarded objects as we went. There were fine garments and tapestries. They had managed to get them thus far and then fear of capture made them hurry. We gathered all that had been dropped.
Then I saw the mast of a drekar. I knew that it would be my son's. I hoped that the Saxons had no machines of war or they could damage the drekar. We needed all four of them. We began to climb up towards the wooden wall which encircled the hill fort. "Have the treasure taken to my son's drekar." I had no idea how many men were within the walls of this burgh but I doubted that they would be able to defend it for long. I had enough men with me to do as we had at Nantwich and attack all four sides at once. We also had time on our side. If the garrison at Caerlleon had been summoned they would have gone to Nantwich first. We had a whole day before any help would reach this valley. We would make them sweat and then attack at night.
As I crested the rise arrows headed in my direction. I brought my shield around but not before one had struck my helmet. I heard a cheer from behind the walls. I raised my sword and my men yelled, "Dragonheart!" It was an answer to the defenders. It would take more than an arrow to kill me.
We formed a shield wall. My Ulfheonar were the front rank with the others behind us. I peered over my shield to view the gate and the walls. There was a ditch running around the outside of the wall and a bridge across it. They would have archers in the two gate towers. It would have to be my Ulfheonar who attacked. We had mail. I turned, "Archers, clear the towers and the walls. Snorri, organise them."
Sigtrygg brought his men from across the river to join us. "A sturdy burgh."
"Aye, have your archers join Snorri. When Asbjorn and his men reach us we will see if we can clear the walls."
Soon we had the archers from our three bands releasing shower after shower of arrows. The Saxons were poor archers and they did no damage to us. Our shields were as solid a defence as the walls behind which they sheltered. In contrast they were not armoured and the archers decimated the walls. I saw men pitch to their deaths before us and others who fell into the burgh.
Suddenly the gates opened and ten horsemen galloped towards us followed by a host of spearmen. They would outnumber us until Wolf Killer brought his men from the drekar. With our archers sheltering behind us we had but forty warriors to face them. "Lock shields!" We had fought horsemen before. They were not as fearsome as many believed. Lacking the stirrups they used in the east they could be easily pulled from their saddles. The danger lay in the hooves of the horses. They were the killers.
As I expected the horsemen did not charge our wall of shields but tried to get around the rear of our lines. The spearmen ran at us with their weapons held before them like a hedgehog. The secret was to watch the spear and use a sword to break the shaft. It was then a useless piece of wood. The ones who made the mistake of attacking the Ulfheonar paid a heavy price. I watched Haaken contemptuously smash the ash shaft of the spear before bringing his sword around to take the warrior's head. I knocked a spear head up with my shield and then eviscerated the warrior with my sword. Inevitably the combat broke into small groups. I led my Ulfheonar forward. The gates were open and the Saxons before us fled.
"Come we can take this burgh!"
We began to run up the hill. Suddenly I heard, "Jarl Dragonheart! Beware!"
I turned in time to see two of the horsemen who had survived galloping towards me. I braced myself. Rolf Eriksson, who had shouted the warning raced over to attack the horsemen. He had the long Danish axe given to him by Olaf. He swung it at the leading horse and it bit deep into the beast's chest. The rider was flung over the dying animal's head and landed at my feet. As the second horsemen tried to swerve out of the way Rolf raised his axe high over his head and brought it down on the horseman. It chopped through his thigh and into the horse. The rider fell screaming to the ground and took the horse with him. As I slew the Mercian at my feet Rolf took the head of the other rider and then ended the horse's suffering by taking its head.
He stood panting, the lust of battle in his eyes. Olaf laughed, "I can see you were made for that weapon. You are Rolf Eriksson no more from this day forth you are Rolf Horse Killer!"
It was just the spur my men needed, "On!"
We raced to the gates which the last men inside were trying to close. We hurled ourselves at the gates and they sprang open. Haaken and Ulf slew the two men who had tried to close them. We were inside their fort and they had no chance. We were killers and we had the roar of battle coursing through our veins. We fell upon the sheep within the fold and every warrior was slaughtered.
The captives were subdued and kept in the church which lay within the fort. We stripped it of all its riches. The monks were cowed. There were no women at all. I guessed that the garrison were the warriors who had captured the fort from the men of Gwynedd. We had a fine collection of mail and swords. There were Holy Books, linens and tapestries. We ate well. Rollo's kill had provided the meat. We ate horse. With our ships sheltered beneath the walls we brought Wolf Killer's crew into the fort. I doubted that there were any Saxon warriors close by but it did not do to take chances.
Aiden explored the church and found some Roman writings and other parchments from the time of the Warlord. He sat poring over them while Haaken began composing his song about Rolf Horse Killer. The young warrior now had the mail shirt from the warrior he had killed as well as his sword. He was a rich man. More than that, however, he now had a reputation and he would be immortalised in a saga.. I saw Hrolf looking enviously at him. He was a hero and Hrolf was a friend of the hero. Such things are important.
"Tomorrow, my son, I want you to take a war band and scour the valley. See what else we can find. Sigtrygg you will go with Snorri and Beorn to the coast I would know where the nearest Saxons are. I cannot believe these are the only warriors left."
"Do we not return home?"
"Not yet, Asbjorn. There is still much to be harvested. We will leave this land a wasteland before we return to Cyninges-tūn. This will be our last raid of the year. We might as well make it a fruitful one. There are many farms and they will have both animals and grain."
Aiden came to speak with me when the others began to drink and celebrate our victory. "Jarl, your ancestor built this as a hill fort. I found carvings on the floor of one of the rooms. It was being used to store food but I think it was like the Roman Praetorium we found close to the Wall."
"Wyrd."
"You are right Jarl. The Norns threads spread through time, do they not?"
"Did you find any treasure?"
"A few coins but nothing much. I think the chests you sent to the drekar will be more interesting. I had them stored in the hold. They have locks and as we found no keys it will take time to unlock them."
"I could smash them open you know."
"It will not hurt to wait."
My war bands spent the next day exploring the two ends of the valleys. We garnered much grain and animals. The people fled at my men's approach and so we had no slaves. Sigtrygg found a watch tower. They slew the Saxons there but found no others. If the Welsh chose they would be able to reconquer their h
ome. We divided the mail, weapons and coins amongst the four crews. Sigtrygg would sail directly home but the rest of us would sail to Hibernia and sell the slaves to Hakon the Bald in Dyflin. Whilst not a friend or even someone I would care to share secrets with he was an ally and was keen to trade. He was useful in his own way. He would never raid. His men did not raid. He just controlled Dyflin and taxed the whores and the merchants. He was not a real Viking but he was Norse. He might, however, be able to broker the sale of the Holy Books. He would take a share of the profits but it would save us the job. We headed for Dyflin.
We had not been there since we had sought Magnus the Foresworn. Hakon had been helpful. We had paid him for his help but he had been useful, nonetheless.
He had grown fatter since our last visit. But he was pleased to see us. "I have missed not only your trades, my friend but also the tales of your adventures. You are the last true Norseman. You fear no man. Tell me what you have been up to and where you acquired these monks."
"You will buy them?"
"Of course. There is a lucrative market for such men of learning. Why I might even sell them back to the Mercians." He sent for his moneyer and we were given a small chest of silver. "Who know, King Egbert of Wessex might pay good gold for such as these."
"We also have some fine Holy Books but those we took from Frankia."
"I heard that you had upset Louis the Pious. His cousin Charles of Rheims has sworn to hunt you down and kill you."
"The seas between us are too wide for me to worry about that and he has poor skills with weapons. I fear him not."
"Whom do you fear?"
"No man save myself. If I were my enemy I would be afraid."
He laughed, "As would I. You are like a terrier. You care not the size of the beast. Once you sink your teeth in you do not let go. I am glad that you are my friend."
"It is the only way to keep your lands and people safe."
"Will you stay?"
"No, for I have two new granddaughters I am keen to see and their fathers are desperate to see their wives. I will send the Holy Books and you can sell them."
"For a commission."
"Of course. A quarter of their value?"
"A half."
"Because you helped me in the business with the Foresworn I will say a third but no more."
He shook my hand, "Then it is done."
As we left my son said, "How do you know he will not cheat you, father?"
"Because he knows I am Dragonheart and he fears me. Besides we help him more than he helps us. He will be keen to remain friends with us. He will not cheat me."
Chapter 6
Although it was a short voyage home the winds were against us. We discovered that was the work of the Norns and we did not reach Coen ap Pasgen's port until the middle of the night. The tide was wrong for a landing and we waited in the estuary until the tide turned at dawn. It soured, somewhat, the successful raid. We had hoped to be home earlier. Each warrior was keen to tell his family of our successful raid. We unloaded the ships and used the newly made carts to transport them home. As we docked I saw knarr leaving to trade. The channel was a busy one these days. Each time we left or arrived there would be some knarr or other leaving.
"Siggi, we shall send you the Holy Books. Hakon the Bald has promised to sell them for us."
"Aye Jarl and we have much iron to sell too. Should I take a cargo of that as well?"
I nodded, "We have few others who will pay a fair price."
We set off up the road to our home. It was early and I did not expect a reception. We were half way along the road by the Water when Karl One Hand galloped up to greet us. "Jarl, there has been a raid. Danes came through Wolf Killer's valley and slew many of his. They destroyed Windar's mere. Windar is dead along with most of his warriors."
The Norns had been busy. I saw that the tides had been the work of the weird sisters. They delayed our return. "When was this?"
"The news arrived late last night. Two shepherd boys witnessed it from the fells. They brought the news directly to us. I suppose it might have been two days since, perhaps less."
"Does Ketil now about his father?"
He shook his head. "I was going to ride there this morning with that news and then Grim spied your return."
I turned to Wolf Killer. "At least your wife and children were safe here in my hall."
His face was grim, "Aye, father but my men's families were not here. They will have been taken."
I had decisions to make. "Snorri, get back to Úlfarrston. I need Sigtrygg and his men. Have them meet us at Elfridaby."
"Aye Jarl."
"Wolf Killer, take your men to Elfridaby and find out the extent of the hurt we have suffered. I will follow with my men." He turned. I put my hand on his arm, "Wait for me. That is my command!"
"Aye Jarl."
"Karl One Arm, ride to Ketil and tell him the news. Have the men from Ulf's Water meet us at Windar's Mere. We go to war."
By the time we reached Cyninges-tūn Aiden and I had formulated our strategy. We could not take all of our men. We needed to defend my home. Perhaps this was more than a raid or perhaps a lure to drag us away from our home. We had used such strategies ourselves before now. We would leave Arne at Thorkell's Stad and ten warriors to help Karl One Arm. The rest would come with us. "I want you to stay and help Karl."
"But..."
"I will need warriors and not wizards, Aiden. I will rest easier if you are at home."
Poor Elfrida was distraught when we arrived. Kara and Brigid were offering comfort. "They were my people and they have been taken!"
"Fear not Elfrida. We will follow them. They will not escape my vengeance."
"But they could go anywhere."
"No matter where they go we will follow." I meant what I said. I was angry. Danes were Vikings too. They would learn just how terrible my vengeance would be.
We saddled all the horses that we had. If it came down to it I would use the horses to enable the Ulfheonar alone to follow them. We were better warriors than any axe wielding Dane. We were the wolf warriors! Kara and Brigid came over to me, Brigid stroked my face. "Take care my husband."
Kara said, "Aye, father, for if these Danes are clever enough and strong enough to sweep up a valley and destroy all who live there then they will be formidable foes."
"Fear not; I am angry but I will use my head and my mind."
I sent my men who were on foot down the Water under the command of Erik Wolf Claw. I saw tearful goodbyes as men and their families were torn apart again. I led my Ulfheonar and six other mounted warriors towards Windar's Mere.
When we reached it Ulla and the men from Ulf's Water awaited me. They had had a shorter journey and they had begun to bring order to the devastation left by the Danes. I saw that the Danes had taken the heads of every one of the men. Their heads were now on the tops of spears. Windar looked bloated on his spear. "We knew nothing of this Jarl. We smelled smoke but we thought they were feasting. There has not been a raid in this valley for many years. We did not think this was happening. We should have kept closer contact."
I shook my head. "This is the work of the Norns. It was wyrd. Take down the heads and see if you can find the bodies. It would not do to have Ketil see his father thus."
I wandered around the burned and wrecked homes. All of the old, both men and women, lay dead. I saw men who had lived with Prince Butar on Man; men who had come with us from Norway and now lay butchered. Only the younger women had been taken. I knew why they had taken them. The dogs lay dead but the other animals had been taken. That gave me hope. It would slow them down. We had a chance to catch them. Even as I viewed the carnage my mind was looking across the land. They had to have come from the south and east. Any other route would have made them pass close by one of my Stad. That suggested the land around the Ouse, Jorvik, as the Danes now called it. Eanred's weakness had made them bold.
Ketil rode in alone with a lathered horse which was close to falling. He
threw himself from its back and ran to me. "Where is my father?"
Ulf and his men had not found the bodies. I presumed they lay in the Mere. It was another insult and a way of hurting us. I pointed to the row of heads. Ketil dropped to his knees and bowed his head. "He was a good father but he was no warrior." He remained silent and then rose with a face like black steel. "Where are they Jarl Dragonheart?"
I pointed to the south east. "They have gone yonder. The rest of my men are meeting at Elfridaby. They suffered the same fate."
He looked at me, his own pain forgotten, "Wolf Killer and Elfrida?"
"They are safe. Elfrida is in my home and Wolf Killer waits for us."
"Then let us ride."
"Your horse is too tired and we need your men. Ulf can watch your stronghold but we need to wait for your warriors." I pointed to the heads. "And these need to be buried. We owe them that."
He nodded. We made a barrow where the warrior hall had been. The bodies of the old were laid within as were the heads of those who had fought. We covered them with earth. After we had invoked the gods to ease their passage into the Otherworld I said. "When we have punished these Danes we will rebuild Windar's mere but we will not desecrate where they lie. We will build a new Stad and this one will be stronger and better."
Ketil's band had hurried. They saw the barrow and their faces became as grim as their jarl's. We marched south. Even though they had travelled far Ketil and his men were determined not to slow us down and we reached the camp which Wolf Killer had made soon after dark. Sigtrygg and Asbjorn were there with the rest of my warriors. This was not the joyous camp we had had at St. Asaph, this was a brooding camp filled with the dark thoughts of those who seek revenge.
I sat with my jarls. Wolf Killer spoke. "My scouts found their trail. They are heading south and east back to the land of Northumbria. They took only girls, boys and young women. All else were slaughtered."
"Perhaps some of those who live in the remote parts live still."