by Griff Hosker
My archers released their flights when the first Saxons were just forty paces from the ambush. They aimed, not at the mailed warriors, but at the ones behind. Three fell; at least two of them looked to be dead. It took a few moments for them to realise they were under attack and four more arrows hurtled towards them. Even though shields went up two still found their mark. I heard their leader order them into a wedge. Normally this would be a good formation but not when descending a hill through undergrowth.
“Ulfheonar!”
We began to move towards them. I knew that the gods were with us when the shaft of sunlight suddenly picked out my sword. Cnut later told me that it also sparkled on my wolf mask. What I did see was the look of horror on the faces of the Saxons as they beheld what must have seemed like daemons from the underworld.
“God help us! Vikings!”
We had already gained the upper hand by just being us. I ran at the warrior who was leading the wedge. He had mail armour and a full face helmet. His sword was shorter than mine but broader. I saw his eyes flick to my shield and the wolf’s head. Even as I swung my sword overhand I wondered if he had heard of me.
His shield came up to counter the blow. I saw his arm forced down. On my right Haaken stabbed into the side of the warrior in the second rank. The undulating land had meant they were not a tight formation and Haaken, even with one eye, was too good not to take advantage. Their leader edged around to face the new threat on his left. I punched with my shield and made him step back. Already the cohesion of the wedge was gone. They were trying to fight as one but they were facing individuals. I feinted a downward strike and then stabbed at his middle. He did not get his shield around in time and I felt the links as they ripped. His leather protection prevented a killing blow but he now looked worried. He swung his sword and I parried with my own. I smiled as slivers of metal were peeled from his inferior blade and it began to bend. I leaned into him with my shield and put my whole weight behind it. He should have had the advantage but he forgot he was on a hill and he tripped. I sliced my sword across his unprotected throat and almost severed his head. Tostig, behind me completed the job and, taking the helmet off held the head by its hair. The blood dripped down on to the corpse.
The Saxons saw the bloody head of their leader and turning, tried to flee up the hill. My four archers sent arrow after arrow into their unprotected backs. My Ulfheonar were the fittest warriors I knew and we soon caught them and slew them as they fled. I could see, ahead, that the garrison was trying to close the gates of their wooden fort but the survivors were desperately trying to get in. Cnut reached their first and I watched as he furiously fought those attempting to make it a fort once more. I could not leave my friend alone and I rushed forward. I saw the axe as it sliced down towards Cnut and I hurled myself forward like a giant spear. Keeping my head down I crashed into the door, then the axe and finally the warrior. We fell in a heap. I saw his terrified face as he looked up into my wolf mask and he screamed. I leapt to my feet and skewered him to the ground.
My Ulfheonar had all followed me and they poured through the open door. We were truly wolves. I saw only terrified faces and they began to surrender. There were just fifteen warriors left and they knelt before us.
“Haaken secure the prisoners. Cnut, guard the gate. Tostig and Sweyn, see to the wounded.” I needed my helmet off and I lifted it up and off my shoulder. I undid the hooks from the cloak. It was too hot now for such things.
Tostig came to me. “A few wounded. There is just Erik Carlson who is in Valhalla. He died well. There were two mailed warriors and four others dead around him.”
I nodded, “When we return to the ship we will take his body with us. See if you can find some shackles for these slaves. They may decide to make a break for freedom and I am not done with them yet.”
When he returned he had done well. He had found a cart as well as a few shackles. “Shackle the big fellows. They can pull the cart. Put Erik in the cart.” Even as he was lifted on the cart I remembered that he had been one who had just been married by me. His wife would now be a widow. We put the armour and weapons on the cart. There was a haul of coins from the bodies which we collected too. Once we were ready we headed back to the monastery and the boats. My archers watched the Saxon prisoners like hawks. It was not the big ones who tried to run but one of the smaller, younger warriors. Two arrows pierced his back as he tried to escape.
I shouted, in Saxon, “I can kill you all. It would not worry me. If you try to run, you will die, that I promise you.”
I could see the terror in their faces at my voice. When we reached the monastery Rolf was already herding the surviving monks together. I nodded to the pile of plates, candlesticks and books. “A good haul then?”
“Aye my lord. They did put up a fight but it was nothing to hurt us.”
I nodded to Erik. “We lost one of my Ulfheonar.”
“He died well?”
“He died well. His widow will be rich.”
He nodded. A dead warrior received the same share as a living one and Erik had slain two mailed warriors. She would be a fine catch for another warrior.
“Get the treasure on ‘Wolf’ as well as Erik.”
Haaken looked at me, “We are going home?”
I smiled, “Still eager for more?” I did not wait for an answer. “No, but I shall send the slaves and the treasure home. They can row. We will wait here until it returns. This is a safe place now that we have eliminated the fort. We can scout out the next one while we await the return of our ship.”
He seemed relieved, “I will detail a crew.”
I put my hand on his arm, “We will just need eight. Make it a balance of Ulfheonar and Rolf’s crew. We play no favourites.”
“Aye my lord.”
I waved Tostig over, “You did well today. You will return to Hrams-a with ‘Wolf’, hand the prisoners and treasure over to Scanlan. He will know what to do with both until we return. Tell my wife how Erik died and she will know what to do. The next time I send a ship back we will need more warriors. You had better tell Dargh.”
He nodded and then a puzzled look came upon his face. “I can use the slaves to row home but how do I get back with just eight men to row?”
I shook my head, “The same way we sailed over here. The winds are from the west at this time of year. You only need the rowers for one way.”
After they had left we put a guard of the boys on the boats and headed to the monastery to enjoy the fruits of our victory. The boys would enjoy the river. They would fish and pretend to be warriors such as us. I had done the same. It was part of the training to become a warrior.
Chapter 4
A wash he needs when he sits to eat,
A towel and a hearty welcome.
Good humour, if he can manage it,
Converse and time to respond.
Hávamál
“Rolf, take your ship and sail as far as the island. I would know what to expect.” I put my hand on his arm. “Do not be seen.”
He laughed, “Do I look like a Saxon? Fear not they will not even know we are close.”
The monks of St.Asaph lived and ate well. The beds had goose down and the wine and food were of the highest quality. Cnut set the guards and we enjoyed a feast. I made sure that they took it easy on the heady wine that the priests enjoyed but it was good to relax out of our armour and eat well. Haaken told tales of Erik’s bravery. He began to compose a saga about his death too. Each dead Ulfheonar would be remembered. It was what we did when we had fought. We did not forget the dead. Rolf arrived back before dark. The days were still long.
“I have seen the fort and the monastery. They are much better constructed than here. They are made partly of stone. The fort and the monastery share a wall. He used his knife to carve a map into the oak table. The wall runs from the sea to the mountain. There is a wall which surrounds the buildings too. They nestle into the rock.” He shook his head. “It would be expensive to attack.”
“We will wait for the morning.” I pointed out to the south. “Our men watch the only road from the south. They will know nothing of our presence. We still have time. If we sleep on this then we may find an answer.” I looked out of the window at the huge mountain which towered over the island, the valley and the sea. “That is an ancient and holy place. Perhaps it does not like the White Christ either.”
That night, as I lay, slightly inebriated I must confess, I found myself dreaming. Unlike many I always dreamed but they seemed particularly vivid that night. When I awoke I remembered every detail and I was excited. The mountain had given me a way in! The gods wanted us to win.
We ate well as we waited for our ship to return. I ate with Rolf, Cnut and Haaken. I explained my idea as I pointed at the carved map on the table. “From what you say, Rolf, they have effectively placed a barrier from the mountain to the sea. Walls protect from east and west while the mountain guards the south and the sea the north.” He nodded. “I dreamed last night of the mountains of home. I saw Ragnar and his mountain eyrie. I grew there.”
Rolf’s face showed his mystification. Haaken smiled, “Dragon Heart here was a slave to a half blind and crippled old man, Prince Butar’s father and he served him high in the mountains. It was there he saved the old man from wolves and became a free man.”
Rolf nodded his understanding, “And in my dream I remembered how even an old crippled warrior could make his way through the narrow and high places of the mountains. We are younger and we are more agile. We will climb the mountain and descend into the monastery from the mountain side.”
I could see my Ulfheonar smiling at the prospect but Rolf did not look convinced. “But, my lord, you would be travelling through an unknown and difficult terrain.”
“I know and had Ragnar not appeared to me last night in the form of a dragon then I would not attempt it.”
That had not only the three of them intrigued but the others who were nearby. They all turned to listen. “I dreamed that smoke came from the mountain. I wandered up to investigate and found myself in a cave. There I heard Ragnar’s voice but when I looked it was a mighty dragon which spoke. He told me to climb upon his back and when I did so he flew from the cave and swooped down to the monastery and the walls. There I saw the Saxons and they watched out to sea. There were our two ships and no one watched the mountain. Ragnar’s voice told me to use the mountain and he would watch over us.”
I could see that the Ulfheonar were convinced. They all knew of Ragnar. They had all been there when my sword had been touched by the gods. To them Ragnar was as real as my sword. Rolf and the others saw it only as a mystical dream.
“When ‘Wolf’ returns you will divide your men, Rolf, between the two ships. I want you to sail around the island and then through the narrow straits to the monastery. Intrigue the Saxons and make them think there are more of you than there are. I want their attention on the sea and not the mountain. That should give us time to get into position. Do not put the ships in danger. You are the threat. You are the bait. I need you to hold their attention so that the Ulfheonar can enter the monastery unseen.”
Rolf saw the merits of the plan even if he did not agree with it. “When will you leave, my lord?”
I smiled, “Why now of course. It will take us some time to get into position. I estimate it will take us all day to reach the mountain and find a way down. Our other boat will not be here until noon which means you will be close to the monastery by dawn. It is when they will expect an attack and we can use the darkness to close with the monastery. If we manage to get in early then we will send a signal.”
“What signal?”
“We will use a flame arrow. No matter what the time of day when we are safely within their walls then we will send the signal. Land the men safely and approach their main gate to the east. We will be there.”
There was a pause as the information was digested. “And if there is no signal?”
I looked at each of them in turn. “Then Ragnar will have abandoned us. We will be dead and you will return to my wife with the news of my death.”
There was no more to be said. We gathered as much food and as many skins for water as we could. There were two hill ponies in the grounds and we packed those with as much as they could carry. There were just thirteen of us who would be attempting the climb. Tostig was still with ‘Wolf’. The priests of the White Christ believed that thirteen was an unlucky number; they were wrong. There were thirteen of my Ulfheonar left and for us that was good fortune. When we returned in the spring then there would be others who had proved themselves worthy of joining us but I was happy to be going with such an elite band of brothers.
We made no goodbyes for we would see Rolf and the other warriors the next day. And if we did not return then we would see them in Valhalla when we would tell them of our glorious deaths.
Beorn led for he was a good tracker and could almost smell out a hidden trail. We would not have to climb the mountain; just find a way around the walls using the forests as cover. There were farms and isolated houses. We avoided those. Our dark cloaks and masked faces aided our disguise. We were able to move quickly and quietly through the land. Just before noon we crossed a small river. It was shallow enough to wade and fresh enough to drink. We rested in the shade of some nearby trees.
As we ate more of the monastery’s fine food Thorkell the Tall waved an expansive hand. “This is good country. This is land ripe for settlement.” He pointed to the sea glistening blue and grey in the distance. “We are close enough to the sea and yet there is good farmland too. I have seen few people and I like that.”
Ulf asked, “You prefer it to Man?”
Thorkell gave a worried glance in my direction. I smiled, “You will not offend me by speaking the truth.”
He seemed relieved, “Then, yes I would. When we first came to Man it was a good land but now there are many incomers. Do not get me wrong they are good people but I feel a little crowded. Anyway, Ulf, do not tell me that you do not miss the crags and fjords of home.”
A grin broke on the big man’s face. “You are right it is good land. It has air that you can breathe and I think this mountain would have snow in winter. I miss snow.”
Haaken threw him a quizzical look and Ulf said, “Not all winter but just enough so that you know it is a different season to autumn. Yes, I could have a home here.”
“Ah but you would have to fight the Cymri and the Saxons.”
“And when were you averse to a little fighting, Einar?”
Einar laughed, “You are right. I can see the attraction of this land now., A good place to live and many Saxons to kill!”
I stood, “When we have completed our task then we can think of settling but I do agree this is fine land.” I paused, “I believe that my mother’s people ruled here in times past.”
That surprised all but Haaken and Cnut. Einar touched his wolf arm ring and said, “Wyrd. Then this was meant to be.”
Beorn soon found a mountain stream which came from the west. We followed it and the sides of the valley seemed to grow ever higher and steeper. The valley bottom was much shallower and flatter. The valley looked as though someone had used tools to make it the smooth shape it appeared. It was now some time since we had seen any farms. It was wild untamed country but a man could farm this valley and nature itself would protect him. We passed a small lake. We paused there. Harald Green Eye was a fisherman and he gave an approving nod. “Fine place to fish. Thorkell is right. We could live here.”
Beorn had ranged ahead and we saw him wave from the col. To our left we could see three mountains, each rising higher than the last. The third one was the mountain of my dream. The one they called Wyddfa in the old tongue. When we reached Beorn he seemed excited. “See, my lord. This is the back of a ridge and the streams all run down towards the sea from here. I can see one yonder and that will be our route down.”
We had to clamber and scramble to cross the lower part of the mountain and the saddle o
f land but we made good time knowing that soon we would be within spying distance of our objective. The gods were with us. We would be above the fort and the monastery before dark. We would be able to have some rest before we entered their place of safety. I knew that they would have no idea that we were present. We could see the sea but we could see no buildings. I just had the map in my mind which Rolf had carved on the table for me. I also had the voices in my head which would warn me if I deviated from my predetermined course. I was walking the way the spirits wished me to. It made decision making easy.
The path down the stream was not an easy one. The only other occupants of the hillside were the odd sheep or goat. Obviously they had escaped captivity. Had there been people around they would be penned. The trail we walked was a sheep walk. We needed great care as we trudged along it for there were steep drops and it was littered with sharp rocks.
Then Beorn held up his hand. Ahead of us was a small settlement with a crude fence around it. I suspected the fence was to keep out wolves; the animal kind rather than us. We would have to go around it. Part of me was tempted to attack it and eliminate the danger it posed but then I realised that would jeopardise our real task. There was high land to the west and we took that route. Once again we found a lake and shelter in the form of trees which ringed it. It was a tense time but, as the sun began to drop beneath the western sky we detected the first sign of the Saxon monastery. We heard the sound of the tolling bell; the monks were being called from the fields. Soon we would be able to see it.
Beorn ran ahead as we made sure we had left no trail for the villagers to follow. He returned and pointed to a ridge ahead of us. “That is the ridge which marks the edge of the fort. We are there.”
It was a hard climb up the craggy, rocky and precipitous wall of stone. However we had time and we were patient. When we reached the top we sheltered beneath the protection of the ridge to look at the settlement below. Peering down we saw that the fort had been built first and was well laid out. Whoever had built the fort and the wall had done a good job and they had cleared the forest for at least a hundred paces. Now, however, they had neglected to maintain their defences and the trees had begun sprouting. They were just man height or a little higher but they would give us cover when we descended. The monastery had been added later and was beyond the main defences. There was a substantial wooden wall which would slow down an attacker; nothing more.