Viking Jarl

by Griff Hosker

  “Welcome, Jarl Dragon Heart.”

  “Good to see you both looking well.” I pointed to the island. “Did you have any trouble with the Saxons?”

  “A little. A warband came from St. Asaph a week or so after you had left. They made a half hearted attempt to scale the walls. They left eight dead and they have not returned since.”

  Jarl Erik nodded, “We cleaned and deepened the ditches and reinforced the walls.” He pointed to the mountain side. “There is plenty of timber.” He suddenly seemed to see Arturus and the new warriors. “I was not expecting you back before the spring.”

  I began to walk towards the fortress. “No, we have much to talk about but let us do it in the warmth of the hall.”

  Aiden saw to Arturus while Haaken and Cnut showed the warriors where they would be sleeping. There was ample space both in the monastery and the fort.

  “These are all new warriors and they are here to hunt the wolves.”

  Rolf leaned forward eagerly, “Good! They have been raiding the monastery sheep.” He looked outraged, “That is our job!”

  We all laughed. “Good. And there is another reason I am here. Prince Butar wishes me to lead some of his warriors in the spring. ‘Ran’ and a full crew will join us. We will have four ships, five if you count ‘Serpent’, and almost a hundred men. I think we should be able to deal with the warriors in their fort; even if they do have horsemen.”

  Both men looked happy at the prospect. “And are you both still happy to spend the winter here?” I gestured at my ship, “We brought more supplies.”

  “It is good. There is good hunting and when the weather is clement we take it in turns to visit Anglesey and do a little raiding. We have added to our stores and we have some slaves now to work in the kitchens.” Jarl Erik held his hand up, “We treat them as kindly as you would and they have not tried to escape… yet.”

  “Then if you are happy…” I leaned back and yawned. “I think we will be here for a few days. It depends upon the hunters I suppose.”

  “What will you do while they are hunting, Dragon Heart?”

  “I think I will explore the mountain with my son and Aiden.”

  “I will send guards with you for there are wild animals and, last week, we caught some Welsh scouts.” He pointed to the west gate. “Their heads serve as a warning to others.”

  “Very well although I do not think I will need bodyguards.”

  Jarl Erik shook his head and smiled. “And what would my little sister say if anything happened to Arturus? No, we will err on the side of caution, you shall have an escort.”

  I knew he was right of course but I wanted the freedom to travel with just the two boys. Harald and Olaf were powerful warriors and I could see they took their task seriously. They were both taller than I was. They seemed like giants next to Aiden and Arturus. I noticed that they had scars which were testament to the battles in which they had fought. However the warrior rings showed that they had been successful. These were the best that Jarl Erik had. I was honoured. They walked just behind us but when we came to places where there might be an ambush one of them raced ahead to ensure that it was safe. It was brave of them for it meant that they would set off any trap intended for me.

  I was not worried. No-one knew I was here so why would anyone set a trap for me?

  I headed up the mountain. I was not sure if Arturus could manage to climb to the top but we would see how far we could get. I assumed that I would be able to see all the way to Anglesey and beyond… if the clouds cleared.

  The lower slopes were covered with forests and the trail wound between thick trees with scrubby growth struggling to reach the light. As we climbed higher, the trees thinned and the journey became much lighter and the air fresher. The mountain had strange rock formations which Arturus began to name.

  “Look, a sheep. There is an owl shaped rock.”

  Some of them I could see but others bespoke a wild imagination. I did not mind. I was enjoying the walk and happy to hear my son so animated. Then he said, “There’s a wolf!”

  We all looked quickly for we feared it might be a real wolf but we relaxed when we saw the rock formation. Even I was taken aback. It did look like a wolf. We approached it. It was largely natural but I could see that its mouth had been widened by man. This had been partly constructed. It was a cave.

  Arturus went to run directly inside but Aiden clutched his arm. “Not yet. Wait until your father says it is safe.”

  I went forward with Olaf while Harald kept watch. We had to stoop to enter the cave but, once inside the roof rose so that we could stand upright, easily. Olaf went to the end. I heard a grunt and he came back rubbing his head. “It is empty but watch out for the roof at the end, my lord!”

  “Thank you Olaf. You two keep watch and rest. We will explore this.” I turned and cupped my hands, “Aiden, you can both enter if you wish.” My words echoed from the ceiling and seemed to run around the dark empty space. We had no flint with us. I should have brought one.

  The two boys came in and both looked in awe at the high ceiling. Arturus whispered, “Are there bears in here?”

  “Olaf says it is safe to explore but do not run. I would not have you fall and hurt yourself.”

  “I will keep hold of his hand, my lord.”

  I knew that he would be safe with Aiden and I began to explore the strange cave. There was something familiar about it even though I knew I had never seen it before that morning. I found myself drawn to my left. I had no idea why but I went with the feeling. The floor had been smoothed, again it showed the mark of man.

  As I approached the far wall I realised that my eyes had adjusted to the dark and I could see a recess in the cave wall. It was as long as a man and half way up the wall. I seemed to be drawn towards it. As I drew closer my body threw a shadow across the already darkened hole and I could see nothing.

  I ran my hands around the edge of the opening. It felt smooth, almost man made. It eased my mind somewhat for I had dreaded finding something slimy and alive within it. I put my right hand inside, tentatively. Suddenly I stopped for there was something there. It was cloth. I felt it between my finger and thumb. I gave an involuntary tug and the material came away. It had rotted away! I put my left hand within and ran both hands along the object I had found. It ran the length of the opening. As I moved my hands I must have pressed too hard for some dust flew out and made me sneeze. As I did so my hand came down and I felt a hand. The flesh felt strange, as though it had been under the water for some time. This was a body. Someone had been buried here!

  I stepped back. Who buried their dead in caves? It was unheard of. Then the thought came into my mind, the people of Rheged. I had heard a legend of the last king, Urien, who was not dead, it was said, but sleeping in a cave. Could this be the body of the dead king and was I meant to find it?

  I returned to the opening and put my hand in again. The dead could not hurt me for I meant no offence to the spirit which had once inhabited this body. I used my other hand to touch my wolf amulet for protection and instantly felt better. I reasoned that the clothes around the body were too plain for a king and there would have been weapons. Suddenly I felt something which was not a weapon and not a bone. I gently tugged and it came away. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck begin to prickle. There was something familiar about this strange object. I dared not look at it yet. I turned and walked towards the light. I kept my eyes averted from the object in case my attention made it disappear and I wanted to get out of the cave safely.

  I saw that Arturus and Aiden were both outside and were looking worried as were the two guards. “My lord we were worried when you vanished. Where did you go?”

  I looked back at the cave. “Why I was just in the cave and I was only gone minutes.”

  Olaf pointed to the sky, “My lord it is long after noon. We had better get back before dark.”

  I felt dizzy. What was happening to me? I looked down fearfully at my left hand which contained the ob
ject I had found. I now knew what it was. As I opened my fingers both Arturus and Aiden gasped. It was an identical copy of my wolf amulet, down to the blue stone in the eye.

  Arturus said, “Father…”

  “We will talk later. Olaf is quite right we have tarried too long here in this place of the dead.”

  As we hurried down the trail Aiden said, “My lord, you look as though you have seen a ghost.”

  “Aye Aiden, I believe I have. It is a ghost from my past but let us not talk of such things here. This is the world of the spirits and it is coming on to night and their time. It does not do to upset the goddess Hel.”

  Even the two guards were fearful. Olaf went ahead, his head swivelling rapidly from side to side whilst Harald kept looking over his shoulder as though expecting a spirit or a ghost to grab him. I was relieved when I saw the lights of the fort ahead. It was not quite night but it was too close for comfort. I saw Jarl Erik and Rolf hurrying towards us with torches. I could see, behind them, others with torches. They were beginning a search for us.

  “Dragon Heart we were worried!” The relief on Jarl Erik’s face was quite clear.

  As I reached them I said, “And so was I.” I held out my hands to show them the two amulets. “Look what I have found!”

  Chapter 11

  When we reached the hall I drank down a whole horn of ale. I would not judge Ragnar Hairy Breeches so harshly next time. Jarl Erik and Rolf all stood expectantly. I had laid the two amulets on the oval table. They seemed quite at home there. They were identical. I told them what had happened and how, to me, it had seemed like moments when the reality was I had been in there for some time. They both stared at the amulets.

  “How could this be?”

  “I know not but the rock surrounding the cave was shaped like a wolf. Men had changed its appearance. I fear for Haaken and the hunters.”

  “They will be safe, my lord. I am neither seer nor shaman but it seems to me that this is all to do with you.”

  “Rolf is right, brother, tomorrow we will ascend with torches and investigate this cave fully.”

  “Are you not afraid Erik?”

  “Strangely, no, for this is to do with you. If harm was to come to you it would have come already and yet you are here safe and sound. It is just beyond our wits that is all.”

  My mind was troubled that night as I struggled to sleep. Had I offended the gods by touching the dead? Yet I knew somehow that the body was connected with my past and how could that be? The body could not be that of my grandfather. He had fallen in battle and would have been despoiled by the Saxons. Who was it and where was the connection to me? The amulet I had found hung from the pommel of Ragnar’s Spirit. I wanted the protection that the sword would give to me. The amulet could be cursed. I had taken it from a body. Why had I done that? Nothing good ever came of grave robbing.

  Dawn came and I found that I had slept after all. It had not been a restful sleep. I knew that from the ease with which I woke. I quickly dressed and found that the others were still asleep. I went to the hall and drank some ale to clear my mouth and chewed on some meat and stale bread left from the night before. I smiled as I looked at the mess. You could see the lack of a woman’s touch. Everything lay where it had fallen. I knew that when we had gone Rolf and Erik would make some attempt to tidy up; if only to stop the rats and the mice becoming too numerous.

  Jarl Erik insisted upon a large escort. Warriors were keen to volunteer to come with us. The journey promised to be worthy of a saga. We were entering the underworld and confronting death. I left a very unhappy Arturus with Aiden and Rolf. I would need all my wits about me and could not afford to worry about my son. Olaf and Harald felt honour bound to come with us and they led the way. We had brought ponies with torches and kindling.

  When we reached the cave there was an audible gasp as the warriors saw the rock formation. Olaf and Harald had told them what to expect and they saw immediately the shape of the wolf and the gaping mouth. Erik had half of his men form a ring facing outwards in case of attack by the Welsh. We each lit a torch and entered the cave. In the torchlight it looked bigger and more threatening. The light from the burning torches flickered and flashed from the damp rock above and made strange and frightening shapes of the rocks. We heard a shout from without and Jarl Erik sent two men to investigate.

  “What is it Siggi?”

  Siggi shook his head as though disbelieving himself. “My lord, when the torches were lit from within there was a strange magic and the eyes of the wolf and its mouth all lit up. It was as though the wolf was alive and breathing fire.”

  I looked at Erik. I felt more relieved now. “This was made by man and it was constructed to look like a wolf. I now know that I was meant to come here.”

  I began to move towards the recess at the side while Erik’s men built a fire. I wanted to be able to examine the body with both hands free. As I headed towards the wall I saw that the face above the recess had been carved smooth. There were chisel marks which I could see were writing. I could not read them but I did recognise them. They were another link to my past. Erik was on my shoulder and the light from our torches showed the body as we approached. There were still wisps of hair on the head and face showing that it was a man and he had had a beard. He had not been a big man. I estimated that he would have come up to my shoulders. He was dressed in a homespun tunic; he was not a warrior. There were no arm bands and no rings but I saw, as we neared him that there was something in his right hand, on the far side of the body. I was tempted to reach out and grab it but I wanted to wait until we had more light.

  Jarl Erik, standing next to me, let out a long slow breath. “You can still see some pieces of skin and hair. He looks as though he died recently and yet how can that be?”

  “I do not know.” I turned to look around the cave and the first yellow and red flames from the fire flickered. As they did so I caught a glimpse, on the other side of the cave, of another recess and above it a drawing on the wall. “Look Erik.”

  When he saw the recess he said, “Is this a tomb for ancient dead?” There was fear in his voice for we risked curse from the gods if we violated the dead.

  “I know not. Let us examine this corpse and then see what is on the other side.”

  As we returned to the body I handed my torch to Erik to leave both my hands free. I could now see that what was in the hand was a document or scroll of some kind. I reached my hand out but as soon as my fingers touched it the whole thing disintegrated. There was but one tiny piece whole. It had writing upon it. I picked it up and put it carefully in my pouch. I hoped that it would survive the journey down the mountain so that I could make a copy of it. The other objects which had been placed with the body had all rotted away. There was no sign of metal. It proved he was not a warrior.

  I turned and took my torch from Erik and we walked towards the other wall. The men who had lit the fire were gathered around the recess and were staring at the wall. I could see that something had been drawn and then painted upon the wall. The colours were fading but it was still discernible. Had I come some time in the future then I might have seen nothing.

  I stopped and gasped. Erik and his men all stared at me. “What is it?”

  I pointed a shaking finger at the drawing. It was a man on a horse and he was dressed just as the horsemen we had fought. Instead of a spear he held a magnificent shining sword but in his left hand he held a shield and it had the face of a wolf upon it. “That is my ancestor.”

  Erik pointed at the wall, “Look at the wall above, it too was smooth but where the writing was part of it has broken.”

  It looked as though the carving had weakened the stone and the action of water and winter freeze had caused it to shatter. Parts of the words were still visible but not the whole message. “We must remember what the marks looked like and copy them down when we return to the fort.”

  One of Erik’s men pointed a shaking finger at the corpse which lay within the recess. It was a warrior
and he was encased in mail. There was a sword laid upon the body but not the one in the drawing. This was a much simpler blade. As we neared it I could see that this one had completely rotted. The only thing which had held it together had been the rusted mail. I knew that if any one touched it then it would crumble to dust.

  “Have your men explore the rest of the cave. If they see any marks on the wall then they must remember them.”

  “And you Dragon Heart?”

  I nodded towards the dead warrior. “I will stay here awhile and see if the dead wish to speak with me.” He inclined his head and went off to speak quietly to his men. All of us were now speaking in reverential tones. This was a tomb and we would respect it.

  I closed my eyes and all that I could see was the picture of the warrior on the horse with the shining sword. I could see the hilt and, beneath his mailed fist I saw a blue stone. I opened my eyes and started up at the picture above the body. Although faded there was a blue stone. Wyrd! I closed my eyes again and I saw the warrior charging through Saxons and slaughtering them and in my head I heard, ‘Wolf’, ‘Wolf’, ‘Wolf’, over and over again.

  I jumped when Jarl Erik put his hand upon my shoulder. His face was full of terror. “Dragon Heart! Are you bewitched?”

  I stared at him. “No, why?”

  “You have stood like a stone for some time swaying and chanting ‘wolf, wolf, wolf’ over and over.”

  I smiled. “No, not bewitched but the cave was talking to me. Did you find aught else?”

  He nodded and he looked fearful. “This is a tomb. There are bones and pieces of rusted armour all around the cave. They are all warriors.” He dropped his voice. “I will fight any warrior and enemy you ask me to brother but we need to leave this place of death now.”

  “You are right, we do need to leave but there is nothing to fear here. These people fought the same enemies that we do. We should leave them now for their spirits are all around us and they talk of battles fought and won. I am glad that we came here. Douse the fire.”