by Griff Hosker
Torin nodded and smiled when he saw my reaction. “The twisted gold was my contribution.” He smiled. “And it is fine work but young Aiden here made the moulds for the wolves and cast them himself.”
I looked at Aiden who stood grinning. “You cast this? Well done.”
“My lord, he made each wolf so that it was different. Each wolf had a different mould. The work involved made my head spin. He will be a master goldsmith.”
I went to the chest and looked inside. Each wolf was unique. Some looked to the left, some to the right. Some were head on. Some had a paw raised others had two paws raised. “I cannot believe this, Aiden. It is more than magnificent, it is a wonder.” I looked at Bjorn. “Did I pay enough for such workmanship?”
Bjorn shrugged, “I do not think so but Aiden was reluctant to take any.”
“I thought so.” I reached into my leather pouch and took out a Frankish gold piece. I gave it to Torin. ”Here master, this is for you and your apprentice.”
Torin smiled, “I am glad that I came to this island with my family. Here I am treated as a craftsman. Thank you my lord.”
“Aiden, carry the chest to my hall with me. I may have another task for you.”
When we reached my hall Scanlan took the box and the mail and took them away. I took out Ragnar’s Spirit. “Bjorn is going to mount a stone for me here in the pommel.” I showed him where it would go. “Having seen your work, for the mount I would like a wolf head with the stone in its mouth.” I saw the question rising and I held up my hand. “I do not know the size of the stone yet but you would need to make the head fit the pommel. It must be sturdy and not come off. Could you do such a carving?”
He ran his fingers over the hilt and the pommel. He nodded, “I think so. I will make one as a model. When will you need it?”
“Not for many months. I have yet to discover where these stones originate. Probably not until next year.”
He looked relieved, “Then I have time my lord.”
“Tell me Aiden do you know how old you are?”
“I know that I have seen thirteen summers.”
I looked at him in surprise. That would make him fourteen or even fifteen but he looked much younger. “I am sorry, Aiden I thought you were younger. I have been treating you as a child almost a man and yet, clearly you are man.”
He shrugged, “It was one of the reasons my father did not like me. He called me a ‘scraggy wee shit.’”
I thought that was an awful thing to say to a child. “Well, once people realise how good you are with gold you will have them beating your door down.”
He looked at me in all seriousness and said, “So long as I can come with you and Snorri on the raids then I do not mind.”
After he had gone I wondered again at the effect the Norns were having on my life and that of my people. As the sails disappeared west I wondered if I had seen the last of this Ragnar.
Chapter 3
On Saturday the fleet lord throws off the long tarpaulin, where splendid widows gaze on the planking of the dragon from the town. The young ruler steered the brand-new warship west out of the Nio and the oars of the warriors fall into the sea.
Þjóðólfr Arnórsson (11th century)
I knew that I was being a little dramatic but I needed to make the beginning of our raid auspicious. My warriors all knew that we would be raiding the lands around Anglesey but I had kept the details from them. This time we would not just raid and run, we would spend some time in Cymru. It was a calculated risk; I did not think that there would be much opposition there and we were close enough to home to be able to return quickly.
I had Scanlan assemble the warriors in the fort. This, in itself was unusual, and I knew their curiosity would be aroused. I was already there, in the hall the guards used. Aiden and Dargh had finished dressing me in my new helmet and strengthened cloak. Dargh had applied the beetle juice.
Although the hall was only lit by the fire the effect was spectacular. At least judging by the reaction of my two helpers it was.
“My lord, that looks truly terrifying.” Dargh’s words reassured me. It was the effect I had hoped to achieve. I did not want to look foolish.
Aiden nodded, “Now I can see why Bjorn made the helmet the way he did.”
“Tell me when the warriors are assembled; Dargh and Aiden prepare the chest.”
Almost as soon as he peered out of the door he said, “They are here.”
I drew my sword and, as Dargh flung the door fully open, I stepped out. I did not say a word I just raised the sword which flashed in the afternoon sun. The assembly of warriors all began screaming and banging their shields. It was the effect I had wanted.
When they quietened down I spoke. “My warriors we are going to the mainland to seek treasure and glory. We will not raid and run. We will be there for the winter. When we return we will be the richest warriors this side of Valhalla!”
That was what they wished to hear and they began chanting again. I gestured for Aiden and he stood next to me. I sheathed Ragnar’s Spirit which silenced the warriors. He opened the chest.
“Some of you,” I pointed to the Ulfheonar all marked by the wolf cloak, “have been my brothers since the time I first became a warrior. I have a gift for each of you. It is something which will mark you as a wolf.” I took one out and walked towards them. Aiden followed. I gave one to Haaken and then the rest of the warriors. I could see that they were touched by the gesture. As I gave each one his arm ring they dropped to their knees and placed it on their right arm.
Haaken spoke, “I speak for the Ulfheonar. We are oathsworn until death.”
I knew already of their loyalty but the simple oath was oddly reassuring. “Then let us go and become rich!”
We marched down to the boat with Haaken leading the singing. Outside the gate Rolf and my other warriors waited and then they marched down behind us. We were all in our war gear with brightly burnished weapons. They were the warriors of Man and they were going a-Viking! The people, my people, knew that we were leaving and they lined the track from the hill fort to the ships which bobbed up and down in the setting sun. Erik Short Toe and Cnut Sweynson would have the oars all ready. Rolf’s ship’s boys would be waiting at his boat. I felt happier leaving my settlement with Dargh and his twenty warriors guarding it. Those and the other fifteen men of Hrams-a would defend my family and my land with their lives.
Erika and Arturus stood by ‘Wolf’. I knew that Arturus would be unhappy. Aiden would be with us as well as Snorri and my son would be left with the women. Soon I would have to take him along but, for the present, he could stay with his mother. The sea was a dangerous place and when I captained my ship I had only one thought on my mind; the safety of the ship. When Arturus came he would take his chances like the other ship’s boys. There would be no favourites; not even for the son of Dragon Heart.
Erika put her arms around me. It was the first time she had seen me in the helmet with the red eyes. She managed, with difficulty, to kiss my lips. “You look fierce my husband. You will terrify the Cymri.”
“I hope so. We will be away for the winter but I will send a ship back from time to time. You will have news.”
“I fear not; your mother and Ragnar will watch over you.”
The rest of the warriors were aboard with oars raised. I stepped from the harbour wall to the waiting ship and the people cheered. I stood by the steering board. This was so well practised that no words were needed. The boat was pushed away from the land and the tide began to take her. I worked the steering board to make our departure easier. It would be inauspicious for us to have to be pushed from the land. I nodded to Erik and the sail was lowered. This was a new sail and had upon it a black wolf with red eyes. As it cascaded down it brought a collective ooh from the people who were watching. I knew that the gods favoured us when the breeze caught the sail and filled it. We began to move away into the darkness of the east.
Once the land behind us disappeared I turned to Aide
n. “The helmet.”
He unhooked the cloak and I was able to take off the helmet. Although it was a comfortable fit it was pleasant to have the cool night air refresh my face. Aiden folded the cloak and placed it in the chest at the stern, along with my helmet.
The wind was with us and the men did not need to row. There was no rush. So long as we reached our destination by morning then all would be well. Haaken and Cnut came aft to stand with me. They were both fingering their arm rings. “Do you think the other warriors will resent my present to the Ulfheonar?”
“You jest, my lord, it will make them all eager to become Ulfheonar and receive your generosity. You had no need to do this.”
“I know Haaken. I chose to do it. I know, better than anyone, what I owe to the warriors who have fought alongside me for so long.” Erik and Cnut Sweynson had tied off the sail and stood by the stern. “So Erik, are you ready to steer?”
His face lit up. “I am my lord.”
I pointed to the north star and then to the south east. “There is the North Star, use that as your guide and keep her in that direction.” He touched the steering board as though it was red hot. “It will not bite and I will be watching.” I leaned in and said, “Small movements eh?” He grinned and nodded.
The three of us moved to one side to allow the young warrior to steer for the first time. Olaf the Toothless had done the same with me. Although I spoke with Cnut and Haaken, my eyes never left the dragon prow. I watched for any slight deviation from course.
Cnut looked at me and stared at my eyes. “Even in the dark the red looks frightening. I shall have to try it. What is it?”
“Crushed beetles; it is what the women wear on their lips and cheeks. I wanted to create the effect of a wolf. We are small in numbers and so we need to make them fear our coming.”
“Where do we head then? I know it is Cymru and Anglesey but where precisely?”
“Ragnar Hairy-Breeches told me that there are two monasteries which have many riches. The first is by the river they call Clwyd. I have a mind to take that one first. It will give us a base and then we can sail south to the second one.”
“I have heard of this monastery. It is said there is a fort on the hill nearby.” Haaken spoke with everyone who visited our land. He had an insatiable appetite for knowledge about new places.
I nodded; it was not new information. “After I had spoken with Ragnar I travelled to Duboglassio and saw Olaf and Prince Butar. They confirmed it. However the fort was not built by the Saxons but an older people. It will be new to our enemies. This will be the first assault on their land and we will have the element of surprise.” I glanced astern to see if Rolf was keeping station. The small light at his prow showed that he was. We had a candle protected by a thin clay jar at ours. Aiden would watch it and ensure it stayed lit.
“We have two ships and that means that we can cover a larger area. I want them to think there are more of us than there actually are. That way it will prevent them from concentrating their forces against us. Once we have captured the monasteries and stripped them of their riches then we will move on to the golden isle and that is where the real treasure will be.”
“The real treasure?”
“Aye Cnut; food for our people. We will put bread in their mouths.”
It was still dark when I took hold of the steering board again for we were approaching the coast. My warriors took up their oars and Aiden signalled Rolf to do the same. We began to row steadily along the coast towards the estuary of the Maeresea and the Dee. I wondered if we would see Ragnar and his boats. I knew that I had chosen this route and this raid because the Saxons would be watching Ragnar and his men. I hoped that we could just arrive in an empty land stripped of warriors.
The two estuaries appeared empty but, as it was still dark I knew that that could be an illusion. You could smell the land now and that meant there were villages close by. I saw the island as it loomed up out of the sea to the south and west of us; the first hint of dawn highlighted the huge mountain. We would be close now. I said quietly, “Get the sail down.”
Once the sail was lowered we slowed perceptibly. I was now dependent upon the eyes of Erik and Cnut who would clamber up the mast and the dragon prow to watch for the estuary. Dawn was coming and I could see more shapes materialise from the darkness of the land. Suddenly I heard the tolling of a bell and I knew what that meant, a monastery. We were close.
I heard a low whistle and looked up to see Erik waving his left arm. “Slow down!” I turned the steering board and Aiden signalled Rolf astern of us although the light was now good enough for him to discern our movements.
And then I saw the river. It was not as big as the Dee but it was big enough for our small drekar. “Up oars!” I almost whispered the command and it was passed forward like a hiss. I continued to work the steering board to edge us towards the north bank of the river. It was clear when we were in the river from the motion of the boat. It was smoother. I could hear the bell tolling clearly now. It appeared to be from the northern bank of the river. We were getting close. I saw some rocks and, above them, trees. It would shelter us from view. I nudged us in. We were barely making way and I said to Cnut, “Row Cnut, just four or five strokes.” Cnut’s men were on the right and the effect was to move us sideways.
Erik leapt over the side into the foaming waters with the rope and waded to the shore. Once there he scrambled up the bank and tied the rope to the nearest large tree. Haaken’s men hauled us until we felt the boat strike the sand. We had arrived.
We scrambled ashore taking our shields and weapons with us. I waved Haaken and Cnut forward and they ran towards the sound of the distant bell. We knew it would soon stop but it would not take them long to locate the source of the sound. As Aiden fitted my cloak I watched as Rolf and his warriors waded ashore. Unlike my Ulfheonar, only a few of Rolf’s warriors wore full mail. Mail was expensive but, once we returned from this raid, they would be able to afford to buy a byrnie each.
“Leave four of your men with the boys to watch the boats.”
They would be four disappointed warriors but they knew that their time would come. Young Sweyn Olegson was waiting for us four hundred paces down the trail. “Haaken has found the monastery.” He pointed down the valley. “It is close to the river on a small knoll.”
Things were going smoothly. We loped easily along the trail. Dawn was breaking now and we could see, for ourselves, the fort on the hill side overlooking the bend in the river and, closer to us, the buildings which made up the monastery.
Rolf ran alongside me. “No wall.”
“No wall indeed. You take your men and capture the monastery. I will take my Ulfheonar to watch for warriors coming from the fort.” I wondered if Rolf would question my orders. He and his men were always keen to be the first into action.
He gave a wry smile, “Very well my lord.”
I found Haaken and the rest of my men in a small dell hidden from the fort by hedges and spindly trees. Our cloaks and black armour hid us. Four of the Ulfheonar had arrows notched in their bows. There were just twenty of us but I knew it would be more than enough for whatever they sent from the fort.
We used hand signals and I spread my men out on both sides of me. Haaken had stopped at a trail made by feet going from the fort to the monastery. It seemed likely that it would be the route they would take if the monastery was under attack.
Haaken was next to me. He rubbed his dead eye. I know that it sometimes irritated him even though it contained nothing but a scar. “Will they come, and, will they fight?”
“Since the Saxons embraced the White Christ it seems they have become more passionate about religion. They will come.”
Below us, at the monastery all was silent. Rolf would be ensuring that all the doors and entrances were covered before he began his attack. Many of his men bore cudgels. The priests sometimes fought back, but rarely with weapons. As some of them wore fine clothes a cudgel caused less blood and yet still incapacitat
ed the priest. We had learned how to deal with these troublesome Christians.
Then I heard one strangled scream. It pierced the night and seemed to echo around the hills. It was almost as though it was the signal for mayhem. We could hear the shouts, cries and death screams from below. My warriors did not need telling that the Saxons from the fort would investigate. I unsheathed Ragnar’s Spirit. I still had the relatively plain scabbard. Scanlan was still working on my new one. However the blade was still as magical as ever and I felt its power course through me like blood.
I heard a horn call the garrison to arms. I could picture them now; those warriors who had just been breaking fast or waking would be racing to don their armour and collect the weapons. Those on duty would be cursing the delay in their own meal. But none would know what awaited them in the dell on the Clwyd; they knew not that there were Ulfheonar eager to end their lives. Each of my warriors would be desperate to add to his collection of warrior bands on their swords. They all had the added incentive of the golden wolf arm ring which adorned their right arm. An arm ring like that told an enemy of the status of the warrior he faced. He would know he was fighting the best and that would, inevitably, make him more cautious.
Cnut was furthest up the hill and he gave a low whistle. They were coming. I saw the four archers pull back their bows. The first the Saxons would know would be when they were plucking the barbs from their dead comrade’s bodies. The light was a little better now and I saw, for myself, the column of men who trotted up the trail. I saw that they were led by three warriors in mail but the rest just appeared to have helmets, shields and spears. The warriors disappeared from view along the trail as it twisted around the hill and it was difficult to count them but I estimated thirty at least.