by Griff Hosker
He nodded, "Perhaps."
"We will follow them tomorrow. I will send Beorn and Snorri ahead on horses. They will catch them. The animals they have taken will slow them down. We will catch them."
When all else had retired, exhausted, I sat with Wolf Killer and Haaken. Haaken had watched Wolf Killer growing up and knew him as well as I did. "You are troubled, my son."
"Aye. It is the timing of the raid. Did they know I had left my people unattended? Did they know I raided?"
Haaken shook his head, "They are Danes. They have travelled from the other side of this land. You would have had word of a large war band in our land. They came after we had left for Wales."
He had not thought of that and he looked up at me with knowledge in his eyes. "Then they thought to find me!"
"Aye, my son. I see the hand of Egbert in all of this. He has not forgotten what you did. Wessex is grown powerful but it is still a march too far for him to punish you personally. Danes are mercenaries without honour. They fight for gold."
"Then we must end this. We must fight Egbert!"
"Did you not hear my words, my son? King Egbert is too powerful at the moment. When we knew him he was growing in power. There is now a fight between him and Coenwulf to see who rules this land. Egbert will win. We will have revenge but unless you wish your son growing up without a father we take revenge on those who did this first and then plan Egbert's punishment. The hand that paid them is beyond our grasp, at the moment. We will pay back Wessex and we will hurt King Egbert for his part in this raid but I fear he will not let us get within a sword's length of him. He knows our skill. Sleep now, Wolf Killer. Tomorrow we hunt these Danes and show them how our people, the people of the wolf, wreak revenge. We will take on Wessex when the time is right and not before."
I stayed awake a little while longer with Haaken. We were older and could survive with less sleep. "I believe you are right about Egbert but do you fully comprehend the implications of taking him on?"
"It is not as though he has forgotten us. If we take the war to him it will not change the way he feels. The alternative is to sit here and wait for his mercenaries to raid and to kill. We will hurt him so badly that he will shy away from any further action for fear of us. Aiden read, when we were in Miklagård, of an insect called the locust. It spreads across a land and devours all in its path. It comes in plagues. When it has passed over the land is dead. We will do that to Egbert. We will tear the heart from his land."
We were a large band but, despite that, we moved quickly and with purpose. We retained the horses but we walked beside them. I did not want the other warriors to have to watch the Ulfheonar ahead of them having an easy time. We found the first body just ten Roman miles from Elfridaby. It was a girl of thirteen summers. The blood show what had occurred and how she had died. She was not one of Wolf Killer's people and Ketil buried her for he knew her family. They had been his father's folk. We found two more in the next few miles. The Danes seemed to be flaunting us; daring us to stop them. It made us more determined than ever and the band moved as fast as though they all rode horses.
A weary pair of scouts rode in before dusk, "We have found them Jarl. They are in a small village in the valley of the Aire. From their fires there are a hundred Danes. They have killed the men who lived there too."
Wolf Killer snapped, "They are Saxons! I care not!"
"Use your head, my son. It shows that they have not come with the permission of Eanred or they would have left his people alone. It tells us that they are more likely to have come from Egbert." I turned back to Beorn. "Is it close enough to reach this night?"
He shook his head. "It is not an easy way. We could reach it in two hours during daylight."
"But could my Ulfheonar reach there by dawn, if we rode horses?"
Beorn smiled, "Aye Jarl but we would need to change our horses."
"We will find you new horses but Snorri, you stay with Wolf Killer and Ketil; show how to find this place and we will ride now."
"What will you do, father?"
"We will attract the attention of these Danes and stop them from leaving. Get there as soon as you can and approach in battle formation. We will attack them immediately that we see them. If the Allfather has forsaken us then we will have a glorious death but I believe we will defeat them!"
It was a pathetically small number of men I led to tackle this war band but sometimes incredible odds meant nothing. It was what was in your heart which counted. I had been told, when I was young, that I had the heart of a dragon. It was now time to put that to the test. Beorn was right about the road, it was a twisting route we took. The horses were relatively fresh and we made good time. We smelled the smoke and saw the glow of their fires long before we reached them. Beorn the Scout took us in a long loop to get to the other side of the settlement in the Aire valley. We found the old Roman Road. Dismounting I looked around for a place to defend. There was a small knoll. It rose just three paces above the surrounding land and was topped by a solitary, windblown tree. That would do.
"Hobble the horses and let them graze. We will use this as our last defence. Beorn, come with me and Haaken. We will explore the camp."
We left our shields on the knoll and Olaf and the others began to make it easier to defend. They cut down scrubby branches and twisted bramble vines to make a natural looking barrier before us. Ulf and Finni began to dig ankle breakers in the ground which the Danes would have to cross if they found us. We knew how to defend. I drew my seax as we headed towards the settlement. Even though it was late in the night there were still Danes drinking while others pleasured themselves with the captives. We crawled along to the edge of their camp; we constantly looked for sentries. There were none. They were either confident or reckless but, whatever the reason, there were no sentries. We crawled closer; I needed to hear their voices for who knew what knowledge we might gain.
There were three men at the edge of the camp. One slept while the other two spoke. "Harald Iron Shirt should have gone further into the land of the Dragonheart. We slew all that we met. It was easy. I like not this running with our tails between our legs."
"Sven you are a fool. Firstly the Dragonheart wields the sword which was touched by the gods. Would you face him in battle?" I saw and heard nothing but I guessed that Sven shook his head. "Nor would I. Besides we have been well paid. Had the man who stole Egbert's wife been there then we would have succeeded. Our Jarl can recruit more men. We took gold from the two settlements. We are richer and we lost few men. Harald Iron Shirt is a good leader. Besides the information we had was good. We knew that the Dragonheart would not be there. It made our task easier. This is a good raid. We will be rich."
"I do not like running!"
"And the running has made me tired so I will join Einar here and sleep."
I had heard enough and we could have left then but I wanted our enemies to fear us. I motioned to the other two and they followed me as we crept towards the three Danes. As one we jumped on the three warriors. I held my hand over the mouth of one while I slit his throat with my seax. I heard only the death sighs of the others. Taking a sword from one of the dead men I took his head and, finding his spear I jammed it on the top. The others copied me and we crawled backwards with our grisly trophies until we were beyond sight of the camp. We placed the spears in the ground next to the road and returned to the knoll. We went around the side to avoid the traps which were there.
"They are led by Harald Iron Shirt and Egbert paid them to kill my son. Have any of you heard of him?"
They shook their heads.
Haaken said, "They have more men to call upon and this Harald seems a careful jarl. From what they said, Jarl, he is trying to avoid you."
"Then he is in for a shock on the morrow."
Dawn was not far away. We could see the camp when the sun came up behind us. We were seated behind our wall of thorns and traps. We would not be seen until I chose to make us appear, as though by magic. Wolf Killer would be up before dawn; well befo
re dawn. I had no doubt that he would have had the men on the road before the first rays had burned away the dew. The Danes appeared in no hurry to move. I saw men going to the river to collect water and to relieve themselves. I heard screams as some of the captives were hurt; I knew not why but the Danes were a cruel people. They would keep their captives in a state of perpetual terror. We were different. We took away the prospect of escape but did not treat them badly. Slaves were valuable to us. We would either sell them or use them to work. Why damage our own goods?
It was when they spied the three heads that uproar spread throughout the camp. The dead Danes were visible to us while we were hunkered down and invisible. I saw warriors run to the dead men. The crowd parted and I saw Harald Iron Shirt for the first time. He did not wear mail but had the lamellar armour I had seen in Miklagård. He stared around. He seemed to look directly at us but we kept still for I knew that it was an illusion. With darkened mail, cloaks and faces he would see shadows that was all. Snorri had his bow strung and ready. Harald Iron shirt shouted orders. The Danes were sent left and right to search the sides of the road. Then Harald Iron Shirt shouted another order and his men began to herd the captives and animals. They were ready to move.
When three Danes began to walk along the road I nodded to Snorri. He sent an arrow into one of them and even as they were looking around for the bowman he had sent another into a second Dane. The third turned and ran, shouting the alarm. An arrow felled him.
This time they knew where the danger lay; to the east. They could not see us but the six dead Danes were testament to our position. The Danish Jarl had to use a third of his men to guard his captives. They were too valuable to leave. He formed up the other fifty or so warriors and made a wedge. He stood behind the three warriors who were the tip of the arrow. I saw that few wore mail. The majority had a helmet.
I said quietly, "When they are a hundred paces from us we stand. Snorri use your bow to kill any who is foolish enough to show you flesh."
We had learned that timing and a fierce disposition could win a battle or give you an advantage at the very least. They were advancing and looking for enemies they could not see. That made them wary and a little afraid. When a warrior could see an enemy he was less of a threat. When he was hidden then he was an unknown quantity.
I stood and, raising my sword shouted, "I am Jarl Dragonheart of Cyninges-tūn and I am here to punish you!"
Even as my words hung in the air the Ulfheonar stood behind me and, banging their shields, chanted, "Ulfheonar!" over and over.
The wedge stopped. The warrior to the right of the man at the front turned to speak with Harald Iron Shirt. Snorri's arrow plunged into his exposed neck and he fell to the ground. A second arrow hit the next warrior and the shields all rose as one.
I knew that Wolf Killer and my men were hurrying towards us and I needed to buy some time. I yelled, "Harald Iron Shirt, come and face me as a man. Stand before your Danes and fight me!"
I knew I had stunned them. I knew his name. There was magic in that and I had challenged him. Would he face me?
"Why should I fear a handful of men dressed in the skins of dead animals! Charge!"
It was a mistake. Although his men ran at us there would be no heart in them. Their leader had refused the offer of battle and the chance to show his courage. Even if he survived one of his men would challenge him. Harald Iron Shirt was as good as dead. Snorri's bow snapped three times and three men fell in the one hundred paces that they ran towards us. They reached the tangle of branches, bramble vines and traps. They ploughed on, those at the front propelled by those behind. The front three all found the ankle breakers. The holes were as deep as a man's arm. I heard the sound of two legs breaking. The force of warriors behind trampled over the wounded men and more fell. The wedge was in disarray. I saw Harald Iron Shirt fall and then struggle to his feet. Snorri had but a dozen arrows left but he used them all well.
Three men leapt on the backs of the fallen, thereby avoiding the traps and threw themselves at us. I held Ragnar's Spirit before me and impaled one. My warriors all wore mail, it gave us an advantage. When eight men were slain Harald Iron Shirt yelled, "Fall back and form a line!"
He knew he would lose more men so long as he kept up a frontal attack. He had to use superior numbers, he had to surround us. Even as they moved back Snorri used the last of his arrows and then, laying his precious bow down he took up his shield.
"They will try to surround us. Be ready to fight back to back."
Haaken laughed, "Better to attack them Jarl Dragonheart. This Harald has lost much honour already."
He was correct. The Dane had spread his men out in a long line to completely encircle us. We could attack him. "Haaken is right! On my command we charge them."
Finni laughed, "This will make a glorious tale, Haaken!"
"Aye if we live!"
Olaf snorted, "Then we tell the tale in Valhalla and even Odin will listen!"
The Danes came steadily. I waited until they were just twenty paces from us and spread out. The ones at the extreme ends of the line were hurrying to close with us and attack our unguarded backs. It made the ring thinner.
"Now!"
Using the dead Danes we launched ourselves towards the advancing line of warriors. I brought my sword hard across the neck of one warrior while punching at Harald Iron Shirt with my shield. It was understood that it would be me who fought their jarl. Both sets of warriors realised that but as the Dane reeled back I could see fear in his eyes. He swung his sword at me. He liked to fight in the traditional Danish manner. He would batter my shield arm and hope to break my arm or bend my sword. He would do neither. I did not swing at his shield I half lifted my arm and, as his shield came up thrust the blade upwards towards the metal plates. They were secured to each other by wire. My sword ripped through one of them and scored a cut on his side. I stepped forward as he recoiled and put my weight into my shield. His blow was weak, for he was falling back and my body absorbed it. I half lifted my sword again and he brought his shield across his body to block the blow to his weakened armour. I swing Ragnar's Spirit across his shoulder and bent a metal plate while cutting through a wire.
I knew that my Ulfheonar were close by me and they had slain their opponents. They protected my back and sides. Ahead of me I heard a roar as Wolf Killer brought the rest of my men to attack the Danes guarding the captives. I saw Harald Iron Shirt's eyes as they flickered in fear at the sound. I grinned, "You are the one who is now outnumbered. Be ready to die."
He brought his sword around again in a wide sweep intended to take my head but the weakened armour got in his way. His armour looked good but it was not. The hit barely registered with me. I stabbed forward and this time the weakened plates gave way and my sword entered his side. He sank to his knees. His sword fell to the ground. He had no strength left to hold it. He glared up at me. "Finish it. Give me the warrior's death."
I shook my head, "It was my son's people and Ketil's father that you killed. They can make that decision." After slicing through his hamstrings I kicked away his sword and joined my men as we hacked our way through the Dane's oathsworn. They did not fight hard. There were few of us but they quickly ran towards the east. My men advanced and butchered from the west. Wolf Killer and his men had vengeance in their hearts. In the daylight we could see that some of Wolf Killer's men had been taken as captives. Some of his warriors had seen their daughters dead on the journey to this valley. They were in no mood for mercy. I swung my sword across the back of the fleeing Dane I had caught and cut through to his spine. He fell twitching to the ground.
Those of our warriors who had no armour ran after the Danes. I waved over some of them. "Take our hobbled ponies. They are in a dell yonder."
The young warriors eagerly took up our offer. The galloping hooves promised death to the Danes.
Ketil and Wolf Killer were both covered in spattered blood when they reached me. I took off my helmet. Both men dropped to their knees. "Tha
nk you for the courage of you and your Ulfheonar, we are indebted to you."
"These men were not warriors. They were carrion! Their leader lives still. I leave his fate to you two."
I followed them to Harald Iron Shirt. The wound still bled. He would not be moving anywhere soon. Ketil was angry and he smashed the Dane across the face with his fist. "Kill me and send me to Odin!"
"The Allfather would not welcome you even with a sword!" Wolf Killer could be ruthless. "Give him the blood eagle!"
"No!"
"I will do it! It is vengeance for my dead father! He should have died in peace not slaughtered by those such as you."
With his armour stripped and discarded Ketil tore his clothes baring the Dane's back. He took his seax and ripped open the flesh down to his spine. He peeled back the flesh revealing the ribs. Harald screamed the whole time. He did not take his punishment with stoicism. It seemed to make Ketil more determined than ever to carry out the ceremony. He broke each rib in turn and pulled them out to form the wings. Harald passed out with the pain but Ketil did not falter. Finally he tore out the lungs leaving them flapping like the wings of an eagle. It was then that Harald died. None of his Danes lived to see his death but we left his body as a reminder to all of the price for hurting my people.
As I headed down to the others I saw Hrolf watching with his mouth wide open. In his hand he held a bloody seax. He had killed. He walked with me. "That is a terrible death, Jarl Dragonheart. How could anyone bear such pain?"
"He did not bear pain, Hrolf. I have seen this done before and the warrior never uttered a sound. Those who suffer in silence go to Valhalla. Harald Iron Shirt will not. He is a nithing. He had the chance to fight me. Had he done so he might have died with a sword in his hand. He chose to let his men fight for him."
"He knew that he would die."
"We all die Hrolf; it is the manner which is important but today was not my day to die and I am born again,"
Chapter 7
The captives were still in shock. They were relieved to be rescued but they had suffered at the hands of the Danes. Many of the women and girls wept uncontrollably. We remained in the small, now deserted settlement. Our men returned from the hunt bringing with them the weapons, arm rings and treasure they had taken from the dead Danes. Much of the treasure had been taken from Windar's Mere in the first place. We had been lucky to recover it. My jarls joined the Ulfheonar and we sat around the fire to talk and to plan.