Viking Jarl

by Griff Hosker

  They stood behind me and we moved forward. Although we had used the wedge before we had not practised it over much and we went slowly. We had locked shields and I hoped that they would target me. That was the main reason I led. I would draw their arrows and spears. I had confidence in Beorn’s skills. My armour would protect me. I drew my sword when we were within bow range and shouted, “Ragnar’s Spirit!”

  The warriors with Cnut began banging their shields and chanting, “Dragon Heart!” It was hypnotic and helped us to march in step. I saw, over the rim of my shield, their archers draw back their bows. One by one they were plucked from the wall by my archers behind me. One or two arrows came in my direction but I took them on my shield. I would need to rid myself of the shafts before I fought. Then they began to hurl rocks at us. They were badly aimed but when they struck you felt the force. I heard Harald grunt as one hit his shield. When we passed the ditch I saw that it had water within and there were stakes sticking up. It had been a wise choice to attack the gate.

  I heard a cry from behind as one of my archers was struck but by then we were at the ancient wooden gate. The warriors behind me held up their shields angled so that the rocks they threw upon us slid down them. This gate had two bars and was better constructed than the first one we had destroyed. However it was also old so that the wood had shrunk slightly and there was a gap between the two gates. I sheathed my sword and took out the throwing axe. I began to hack at the wooden bar. It was a sharp axe and soon great chips were flying from the bar which held the gate in place. I heard Aelle ordering men to the gate and, as I looked up I saw a bowman, on the other side of the gate, aiming an arrow through the gap. He must have thought he could not miss. I continued to hack but I watched his face. As soon as let out a breath I shouted, “Arrow!” and moved my head to one side. The arrow caught on my helmet and then my mail neck protector before flying off over my men’s heads.

  I saw that the bar was almost through. Even as the archer notched another arrow I put the axe in my left hand and drew Ragnar’s Spirit. I brought it down with all the force I had through the gap. Once again Ragnar watched over me for as the arrow was released it stuck the edge of the blade and bounced back to strike one of the men who was waiting to attack us. The sword went through the first bar and struck into the second. “Back a step!” I left the sword embedded in the second bar as we stepped back. “Charge!”

  My choice of big men paid off. As I grabbed the hilt of my sword the combined weight of fifteen huge men hit the weakened bar and it shattered in two. My sword had acted as a wedge and it leapt into the air as though freed.

  The Saxons were standing too close to the gate and the wooden gates smacked into the three who were on the end of the line. My sword and our bodies hit the men who awaited us. Ragnar’s Spirit pierced the skull of the first warrior while Olaf and Harald slew those adjacent to him. Then we were through and it was every man for himself.

  Aelle was still on the wall and I heard him shout, “Get him. A gold piece for the man who brings me his head.”

  Aelle was no leader. A man does not want to fight for someone unwilling to face an enemy. I turned and raced to the stairs leading to the fighting platform. My shadows were with me fending off the attacks from the side. Two of Aelle’s oathsworn descended the stairs. They must have thought they had the advantage of height. They reckoned without the length of my sword. I swung it sideways and it hit the first warrior below his mail shirt. The edge took off one leg and hacked into his other. He screamed as he fell. His blood looked like a red fountain; it spurted high into the air as he fell. The second warrior thrust at me with his spear, I deflected it with my shield. He held the spear in both hands and I was able to stab upwards under his mail shirt. I split him from the crotch to the stomach and his body tumbled towards us. I ducked and Olaf and Harald threw the corpse to the ground and then I was facing Aelle.

  He was not a tall warrior but he was broad. He held a Danish axe in one hand and a large shield in the other. I had the disadvantage that I had the wooden wall on my sword side while he could swing his axe freely. He obviously thought that gave him the advantage for he grinned as he swung his axe in his hand. “So you are the Viking my cousin sent packing last year. Back for more punishment? Do you wish to leave your bones whitening on my land?”

  I focussed on his eyes. His helmet was an open one, well made, but open. All he could see of me was my red painted eyes. My mouth was hidden. Despite his words he must have been worried. “I gave you your chance and you spurned it. Where is your cousin now?” I kept my voice low; I had learned it sounded more threatening that way.

  “He will come, believe me, he will come but by then you will be dead.”

  I laughed, “Not by you though!”

  I had seen his eyes as they flicked to my shield. I flexed my knees and prepared to take the blow. At the same time I readied Ragnar’s Spirit. I could not swing but I could stab. The axe was a good one with a heavy head and it crashed into my arm. I had had my arm broken by an axe before and now there was padding along the strap. We had also thickened the leather so that most of the blow was taken by the shield. The blade bit into the leather and then came up against the metal studs. As soon as I felt the blow I stabbed upwards and into Aelle’s thigh. I heard him shout and step backwards on to the fighting platform. My blade came away red.

  “Your cousin had better hurry if he is to say goodbye to you.”

  The confidence was now gone and I saw fear in his eyes. As soon as he stepped backwards I was able to swing my own sword. It crashed into his shield and he struggled to retain his footing. He stepped back again. I looked and saw the blood puddling on the wooden walkway. He was moving back now as quickly as his damaged leg would allow him and he had forgotten to use his own weapon. I struck at him over and over. He kept retreating to avoid the blows. I was aware that the rest of his men had stopped fighting to watch this battle. Their faces all stared up at this dance of death on the ramparts of their village. I too stopped, sheathed my sword and took out the axe he had earlier thrown at me. He had been weakened by the barrage of hits and his movements were slower.

  “I told you I would return your weapon and I am a man of my word. I will give your cousin the news of your death.” In one movement I hurled the throwing axe. It was just six paces and I could not miss. It struck him between the eyes and he fell to the ground.

  My men all banged their shields and chanted, “Dragon Heart!” as his men laid down their weapons. It was over and we had won.

  Chapter 15

  I took off my helmet. The cool air felt good. As I passed Olaf and Harald I saw that they were grinning. “That was a fine throw, my lord. I can see now that your reputation is well deserved.”

  “Thank you Olaf. Strip him of everything valuable and then throw the body in the ditch. It will serve as a warning to others.”

  As I descended the stairs I reflected that my two bodyguards had never seen me fight close up. All that they had heard had been the reports and the sagas. I think that they thought they had been exaggerated.

  When I reached the prisoners I saw that Cnut Whitebeard had disarmed all of the Saxon warriors and tethered them. There were just fifteen warriors and many of them were wounded. “Send four men with them. Have them begin their walk back to the mountain fortress. They can begin their life as slaves.”

  “Aye, my lord.”

  One of my men, Einar Blackbeard waved at me. “My lord, see what we have found.”

  He led me to a hall. Outside were the corpses of two warriors. Inside were many men, women and children. They were all cowering in the corner. “They were guarded in here by the two we slew.”

  “I am Jarl Garth the Dragon Heart from the island of Man, who are you?”

  One of the men stood. He had a greybeard. When he spoke he had a very strong accent. He was of the Cymri. “I am Raibeart son of Garth the Tall and we were the people who lived in this land before the Saxons came. When we heard your offer we wanted to sur
render but Aelle imprisoned us in here.”

  “You are Cymri?”

  He shook his head, “No, we are of Rheged!”

  He said it so proudly that it made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. “Look after them Einar. They are our friends.”

  This was wyrd. I would give it thought later but my worry now was the imminent arrival of the Saxons from St. Cybi. “Olaf, bar the gate and put men on the walls. Harold, bind the Saxon women and children I do not want them getting up to mischief and put some of the younger warriors to watch them. Cnut, strip the bodies of weapons and throw the bodies over the walls.”

  He frowned. “Something amiss, my lord.”

  “Aye there is. The headman here seemed convinced that help would be coming. Although how he knew is beyond me for none left before we attacked.”

  “I think I know, my lord, come with me and I will show you.”

  We ascended to the tower in the corner of the fort. When we climbed up the wooden stairs to the top he pointed to the north. In the distance I could see a single tower. “I think they used this to signal.” He nodded appreciatively. “A clever way to signal over large distances.”

  “Indeed. Well spotted. Put a couple of men in here they will be able to give us fair warning of an attack.”

  After I had descended I wondered if I had spread my men too thinly. Although our casualties had been light I had used men to send the slaves away and I would need to watch the other slaves. I needed the Ulfheonar and I needed Jarl Erik’s men. I returned to the hall with the people of Rheged.

  “Raibeart, would you and your people swear allegiance to me?”

  He grinned and pointed to my shield. “My people will follow any who bear the wolf emblem.”

  I said quietly, “I went to the tomb beneath the mountain and found the body of Myrddyn and the Warlord.”

  He actually gasped. “You have seen the tomb of Lord Lann?”

  I now had a name. I knew who my ancestor was. I nodded and took the wolf amulet from around my neck. “I was given this by my mother. She told me I was descended from the people of Rheged.”

  He turned and spoke in his own language. The effect was instantaneous. His people all roared so loudly that two warriors burst in. I held up my hands. “I am not in danger.”

  “Then the old gods have not abandoned us. You have returned from beneath the mountain as was foretold.”

  I shook my head, “No, I merely visited the mountain.”

  “And you came out. Others who had no right to be in there went in and never came out.” He suddenly stared at me. “There was a storm and there was a crack like the world ending.”

  He had heard the avalanche. “Aye, before Yule. The tomb was buried.”

  “Then we are your men. For Lord Lann was known as the Wolf Warrior. We can see that you, too, follow the way of the wolf. It is meant to be.”

  “Good. We will talk later but for now I fear that Eorl Eardgarth and his men will be coming. I need your men and boys arming.”

  “We will do that.”

  “And if your women could guard the prisoners it will release my warriors.”

  His eyes glinted with anger, “We will do that, with pleasure.”

  I counted the men and boys. There were just twelve of them but that might be the difference between defeating this Saxon and losing.

  We had grabbed some food and drunk some ale when I heard the cry from the tower. I ran to the gate and looked up. “What is it?”

  “The Ulfheonar, my lord. They are retreating this way and there are horsemen following them.”

  “Cnut, take command here. Archers, come with me.”

  I picked up a discarded spear and headed for the gate. Olaf and Harald were behind me. I hoped that my eight archers had picked up some more arrows. We ran up the Roman Road. Ahead of me I could hear the neighs and whinnies of the horses and the clash of weapons. There was a slight rise hiding the road ahead and I hurried on. When we reached the top of the rise I saw that the Ulfheonar were retreating and using their spears to keep the horsemen at bay. These horsemen were riding smaller horses than the ones we had seen the last time although I saw three of the heavily armoured warriors on large horses. Those three were well behind their smaller horsemen. The Saxon warband was half a mile away from us. I glanced around for cover and I saw a small stand of trees. It might protect my archers.

  “Get behind those trees and await my command. Do not try to hit the armoured horsemen. Go for the others. When you have spent your last arrows get back to the village.”

  “Aye my lord!”

  The Ulfheonar were closer now. I turned to Olaf and Harald. “Stand on either side of me. We will make ourselves a target. I will draw them on to me.”

  “Aye, my lord.”

  I then shouted, “Ulfheonar!” and began to bang my shield with my spear.

  One of my men heard me and they began to tighten their formation and hurry along the road towards me. My shield was prominently displayed and must have caught the eye of the leader. I assumed it was Eardgarth. I saw him shout something and wave his spear at me. Ten of the horsemen detached themselves and charged towards us.

  As they closed I saw that each horseman had a helmet, small shield and javelins. I also saw that they did not wear mail. My bow men could hit them. They had not seen my archers and we waited patiently. When they were just forty paces from us I shouted. “Release!”

  My archers aimed their arrows well and three struck horses while four men fell to the ground. The speed of their charge carried them closer to us. I hurled my spear and saw it plunge into the chest of the leading rider. In one swift motion I drew Ragnar’s Spirit. I swung it with the whole force of my body behind it and ripped across the forehead of the first pony. It reared and tried to pull away from the pain. It crashed into the pony next to it. Riders and mounts fell into a tangled heap on the ground before us. Harald leapt forward to slay the two riders who writhed on the ground trying to get out from under their fallen mounts.

  Olaf smashed his sword into the neck of another pony and the rider flew from the dying beast. The crack as he hit the ground told us that his neck was broken. Beyond the horsemen I could see Saxons hurrying to catch their mounted companions. We had thinned them out but they were still a danger.

  Haaken and Cnut were just forty paces away. “Keep coming. We will fight our way back to the village.”

  I could now see that there were just twenty horsemen and the three armoured men remaining. I held up my hand; my archers understood. As we joined the Ulfheonar I dropped my hand and the archers loosed their arrows at the horsemen. Again both ponies and riders fell. The others halted.

  “Get back to the village.”

  “My lord…”

  “Obey me. I will follow! You two, stand to one side.” Olaf and Harald spread out so that we filled the road. I picked up a spear which had fallen from one of the riders. I hefted my shield tightly into my body and switched the spear to my right hand. The three mailed horsemen hurled themselves at us. I could see that they thought I would use the spear to hold them off but I had another plan. As the first rider neared me I spun to the left and jammed the spear into the cobbles just in front of the horse. The horse tripped over the immoveable object and its head came down. The rider flew over the horse’s head to crash into the ground. The other two had to wheel their mounts away to avoid a similar fate.

  As I turned I saw Harald slice down with his sword and decapitate the fallen warrior. He picked up the head by the crest of the crown and threw it at the other horsemen who backed off as the grisly trophy rolled along the cobbled Roman Road.

  “Back to the village!”

  My archers had reserved an arrow each and they joined the three of us as we ran towards the village. Their presence prevented any further attack. They had had their noses bloodied. We had certainly upset the horsemen. I do not think they liked seeing their mounts treated so badly. Olaf said as we hurried back. “A shame, I like a bit of roasted hors
emeat. You reckon they will still be there in the morning?”

  “Probably!”

  Haaken and Cnut stormed up to me when I entered the village. “We are the Ulfheonar we protect you and not the other way around.”

  I turned on Cnut, “I am jarl still and I give the orders. The Ulfheonar do as I order.” I let the silence hang until they both nodded. “Who did we lose?”

  “Grimbal and Erik.”

  Grimbal had been a new recruit but Erik had one of the wolf arm bands. I nodded. “When we have dealt with this Eardgarth we will recover their bodies and do them honour.”

  Cnut seemed to notice the strangers who were armed on our walls. “Have you been recruiting?”

  “These people lived here before the Saxons. They have sworn loyalty to me.”

  “What of Jarl Erik?”

  “I know not. The men I sent back with the prisoners may well run into him but we are alone until then.”

  “How did the Saxons know we were here?”

  I pointed beyond the horizon. “They have signal towers. That is something else we will destroy. I will find out later from the headman if there are any other surprises. First get the men seen to. Cnut Whitebeard, get the prisoners to prepare food. Archers, well done. Now you must find more arrows.”

  Raibeart came over to me. Now that he was no longer cowering in the hall I could see that he was a tall stately looking warrior. His face and arms bore the scars of battle. He would be an interesting man to speak with. “My lord, we have a store of arrows and bows.” He smiled. We hid them when the Saxons came and they did not think to ask us about them.”

  “Thank you and later we must talk. I have many questions.”

  He led the archers away and Haaken nodded. “I think we may have a chance of holding this island if we can win over more of the people who lived here first.”

  “The long spears worked then?”

  “They did but those ponies and small horses are fast. The Saxon horsemen are very accurate with the short throwing spears. They also threw darts. He pulled one from his mail. If you wear mail then they do not harm you but Grimbal died when one hit his eye and he lifted his hand to remove it. They fell upon him and cut him to pieces.”