by Griff Hosker
He looked determined, “Then I shall find out.” I gave him a quizzical look, “If I am to put the stones in Ragnar’s Spirit then I need to understand them. We did not risk your life and Snorri’s for me to destroy them by accident. We were led here by magic and there is a power in these stones, my lord. We should be cautious.”
“You are right Aiden and you do well to chastise me.”
He looked shocked, “No, my lord, I did not chastise you I was….”
I laughed, “I was just teasing. Come, our warriors by the river will think that the mountain has swallowed us. Let us take our treasure and return.”
We had collected much stone but, spread out amongst us all, it was not a heavy load. We would all be richer as a result but each of us would only have a few handfuls of the blue stones to show for the effort.
I was about to start down the valley when a sudden thought came into my head. “Before we go I would like to find the top of the hole which leads to the cave. Gather the stone.”
“I will come with you.”
“And I.”
I would not refuse Haaken and Cnut. We found a sheep or deer trail which led up through the forest. We just had to keep climbing. Whenever we came to a turning we took the one which climbed. We saw the hole in the distance. The rock stood up from the land around us. All around the trees had been cleared or perhaps there was not enough soil to enable them to grow. We almost ran to get to it. Close by ferns and heathers had grown up. Before we reached it we saw, in the rocks and under bushes, bones and pieces of metal. They were the bodies of warriors. We hurried towards the chimney so fast that we almost stumbled across the bones. It had been a warrior for I could see that he had had fine armour. It was not mail but interlinked pieces of metal. His body lay curled around the rock.
“I am guessing that he is the one who threw the sword down and then he died.”
“Perhaps he was dying. He must have been desperate to climb up here just to throw away the sword.” I looked back at the other piles of bones. “He was fleeing those men. He killed them but, perhaps, he was mortally wounded.”
We climbed to the top and peered down. We could see the water far below. Now I had the whole picture and I understood. I had been meant to come here and discover the blade that was lost.
I carried the sword of the warlord. I cradled it like a baby wrapped in my wolf cloak. It seemed an appropriate container for a weapon used by the man they had called the Wolf Warrior. I wondered what Raibeart would make of it. I decided then to call in on the way home. I would like to know how they fared and I was interested in any more information about the sword and the stone. I cannot remember the journey back to my ship. My mind was in the past and wrapped up in the sword.
The warriors who waited with ‘Wolf’ were worried. As we descended the valley we could see their upward turned faces as they anxiously awaited our return.
“Where there any problems?”
“No, my lord. We have fresh fish now and some salted fish. This is a very good river. We have seen no one and we were the only fishermen.”
I did not wonder that they had seen no one. Any of the farmers or fishermen would have avoided the dragon ship which prowled their waters.
“We also ventured up the river.” He took out a leather pouch and poured out some golden nuggets. There looked to be enough to make another two wolf arm rings.
“Where did you find this?”
“A mile or so up the river; there are rocks and shallows. We were looking for fish when we saw these glinting in the sunlight. We would have searched for more but we were worried that you might return and find us missing,”
“You have done well Ralf. Remember where this place is and tell Aiden. He will mark it on the map. We will return here but for now I would return home. My mind is filled with premonitions of evil.”
The next day, as soon as the stone and fish were loaded, we headed back to sea. The current of the river took us easily through the narrow entrance and we headed north west to our fort beneath the mountain. The monks in the monastery on the island must have seen us coming for we saw them scurrying back to the safety of their walls. Had we wanted to then we could have easily captured the wooden walled haven but I was anxious to return home. We took our armour from store when we loaded the stone and the food. We would row our ship armed and armoured. Who knew what we might meet. If Harald One-Eye was on this coast then we would be in danger.
We rounded the headland and my men had to row even harder as the wind was against us. We had to tack slowly towards the mountain and the island which lay tantalisingly close. Despite an early start it was late afternoon when we reached the straits. There were no other ships at the dock. This was not surprising; ‘Serpent’ would either be at Hrams-a or on her way back. She was lightly crewed and had to rely on the wind. We unloaded the cargo, including the mystical blade, and secured the boat to the dock. We would leave her unguarded, protected as she was by the fort now commanded by Thorkell.
We headed towards the gate. It was closed, which was not unexpected, but there were no sentries which was. Had they left the fort? We shouted but there was no answer.
“Perhaps they are hunting.”
“Perhaps but they would have left guards. I like this not. You two; scale the walls and let us know what is amiss.”
The walls were high but Erik and Cnut Sweynson were agile climbers and with the aid of a shield held by Harald and Olaf they soon clambered over the top. A few moments later the gate was opened.
“There is no one that we can see my lord.”
“You three and Snorri, guard the stone and the sword. The rest of you let us see what is going on.”
We drew our blades and hurried past the monastery to the other gate. That was open and we entered the fort proper. On the far wall I could see Thorkell and his men. They appeared to be loosing arrows at an unseen enemy. The fort was under attack. Was this Harald One-Eye?
“Come our friend is in danger.”
We ran to the battlements. The noise of our approach made Thorkell turn and look at us. He shouted something to the others but we were making so much noise that I heard it not. We ran up the steps to the fighting platform.
“It is Eardgarth. He arrived this morning by land.” He pointed to the three slain warriors of the garrison. “They died shouting a warning. The ditches have held them but they are building a ram.” He pointed to the headland half a mile away where I could see them making a rough ram from a tree trunk.
“How many warriors are there?” Even as I looked I was formulating a plan.
“Hard to estimate but at least a hundred.”
In my mind, as I was working out what we could do, I could see the Eorl going to the Dee and gathering more men. He could not afford to tell the king he had lost the island and he would have to take it from the landward side. He had to be desperate to risk taking such a formidable fortress.
“Are there spare bows?”
“In the armoury.”
“Beorn, go and fetch the boys put them in the warrior hall. They will be safe there.” He scurried off, “Sven and Erik, go and fetch all the spare bows and arrows.”
I glanced over and saw the half a dozen bodies lying in the ditch. Thorkell saw my look and said, “I do not think they expected us to be here or that we would have improved the ditches. Had we not done so then I think you would have just found our bodies after a glorious death.”
“Has Carl Erikson called in yet?”
He shook his head. “He is probably still raiding.”
“Then he will have to have sailed a long way for there are poor pickings close by here.”
He suddenly seemed to remember my quest, “Did you find the stone?”
Haaken chuckled and answered for me, “Aye and much more besides.”
“We will talk later. We have a Saxon to defeat. Is there any seal oil?”
“Aye one barrel. We hoped to use it next winter.”
“We will use it now. Haaken,
take charge; keep the Saxons from the ditch. Thorkell, come with me and take me to the seal oil.”
By the time Thorkell and I had finished our task the boys were safely in the hall and Beorn was returned with the weapons. All of my warriors knew how to use a bow; some better than others. With my warriors and those of Thorkell we had almost forty warriors. Snorri had insisted on joining us. I could not blame him. Better to die fighting with your friends than cowering in a hall with a bandage around your head.
“We need to discourage this Saxon. I want him to go back for more men and then hope that we can find allies or friends to bolster our numbers before he returns.” I looked at Cnut, “I also think I will challenge him to a combat.”
“Will he accept the challenge?”
“From what I have seen so far I doubt it but when he does refuse then it will dishearten his men. It will be a small victory but it might mean we can survive.”
It was late afternoon when the ram was ready. They had prepared it well. It was carried by twenty warriors; ten on each side. By their side walked another ten close by the other ten with their shields protecting them both. The other sixty or so were in a wedge just behind. I noticed that Eorl Eardgarth was well to the back. He stood out because of his fine armour. The armour I now knew had probably belonged to an ancestor of mine.
They came forward steadily. The ditch had a bridge over it. It looked as though it had been a drawbridge at one time but the mechanism had been allowed to deteriorate. It negated the effect of the ditch. Had Thorkell not had archers as sentries then they might already have gained entry. They began to run just before the bridge. That was when the gaps appeared in the shields.
“Arrows!”
My men rained aimed arrows upon them. It made the warriors hold their shields up higher. They were not watching the bridge. They did not see the seal oil with which it was coated. They lost their footing and enough men fell so that the ram stalled and its front hit the wood of the bridge. We could not miss. They were less than thirty paces from some of us and we were able to aim well. I hit two men in the legs with my arrows. As they stumbled off they were both hit again. Soon just the ram remained. The few survivors made their way back to the safety of the wedge.
There was a pause and I shouted, in Saxon, “Eardgarth! I challenge you to combat to settle this. Enough of your men have died for you already. Fight me and if you win my men will withdraw. If I win then your men will withdraw.”
He walked to the front of the wedge, protected by two warriors with shields. “How do I know I can trust you?”
“Because I am Dragon Heart and I wield the sword touched by Thor himself. I do not break my word!”
I saw his men look at him. He shook his head. “I am a Christian and I do not fight witchcraft and sorcery. My men will drive you from the walls and then burn your bodies!”
Haaken laughed, “You are right. He has taken the bait. Look at his men.” His men were looking at each other and talking. They were not affirming their leader’s decision.
I saw him speak with them and then another forty detached themselves and marched forward slowly towards the ram. They all bore shields and it was a tight formation. “Hold!”
I let them reach the ram and take up the ropes which held it. I waited until the shields were raised and then I shouted, “Fire arrows!”
The ten warriors who had been waiting for the order released their flaming arrows at the ram and the oil soaked bridge. As they did so another ten warriors hurled amphorae containing more oil to soak the warriors and the shields. It was a wall of flame. Some men ran screaming from the bridge covered in fire. They ran for the sea. One even made it but the others died long before they reached it. The ones who were not on fire ran the gauntlet of my arrows and made the safety of the small wedge which remained. As night fell and the flames still burned we saw the Saxon war band turn and head back to St.Asaph. We had won. The Saxons had been let down by a poor leader but I cared not. We had survived.
Chapter 20
We kept watch all night and listened to the pitiful cries of the dying. Aiden and Erik cooked us some food and we slept in shifts. We told Thorkell of all that had befallen us. “The dream of home and the fires, what do you make of that my lord?”
I shook my head. He had hit the nail on the head. What did the dream mean? Was this the raid which Tadgh had made or was it a raid in the future? Part of me was relieved that Eardgarth had attacked here for it meant Prince Butar was safe.
“I do not know, Thorkell, but I would be lying if I said I was not worried. If it was not for Eardgarth I would have sailed for home even now but…”
“We can survive now, my lord. Even if he returns then we can defeat him again.”
“Unless he comes with a larger army. No, we will wait another day and then I will sail for St.Cybi. I will leave a message for Carl Erikson. He can bring his ship here.”
“He may not like that.”
I turned sharply. “So long as I command then Carl Erikson will obey my orders.”
When dawn broke we ventured forth to retrieve any weapons which might be of some use and to assess the damage. The injuries suffered by the Saxons were horrific. Many had been burned alive. Their faces were contorted in the pain of their death. Those bodies which lay in the ditch we moved. The rest we left. The bridge was ruined and we totally destroyed it.
“You need no bridge to reach St. Asaph. You will soon have a drekar. This way they cannot use a ram.”
With the weapons retrieved we returned to the fort and Thorkell set to repairing and improving his gate. We were dividing up the weapons and armour when Aiden ran towards us excitedly. “My lord! You must come and see what we have found!”
I went, followed by my bodyguards and Haaken and Cnut. When we reached the hall I could see nothing. The table was as it was, the fire burned and the large curtain providing colour to one wall still remained.
“What is it?”
Erik Short Toe and Aiden grinned at each other and then ran to opposite ends of the curtain. With a sharp tug they pulled it down revealing a painted wall. It showed a warrior dressed in armour from head to toe and wielding the sword I had found. It was Lord Lann. I examined the rest of the painting carefully. His shield bore the emblem of the black wolf as did those of the warriors, on foot behind him. To one side were horsemen armoured as he was wielding the club like weapons we had already seen. Their leader looked just like Lord Lann. I wondered if it could be a son or relative? The wolf on their smaller shield was a different colour but it had faded so much it just looked grey. Behind the horsemen were ranks of archers and each wore a helmet and looked to have some sort of leather armour. Finally, off to the side as though they were watching the army were two figures without weapons. One looked to be a priest of the White Christ. He had a shaven head and wore a black belted shift. I could see the crucifix hanging from his belt. The other man was dressed in a plain brown tunic. He had a beard and long hair. I knew, as soon as I saw him, that this was Myrddyn. I now knew what the two corpses looked like in life.
“Leave the curtain down. I would have all visitors gaze upon this ancestor of mine. He held the Saxons at bay. It gives me hope that we may be able to do the same.”
Thorkell and Cnut came to me. “My lord, I would have you return home. If aught happened to your lady and your family I would not be able to live with myself.”
“He is right, Dragon Heart. There is little chance that Eardgarth will return. We can be home in a day.”
They had convinced me, not that it took much convincing. “Very well, we leave now.”
We set sail as soon as the chests could be loaded. The warriors were keen to return to their homes for they feared my dream too. As we left the safety of the straits then the storm struck us. It was a driving wind from the north east. The wind felt like a winter wind. The rain was horizontal and it took every warrior rowing to keep us from the rocks. Aiden and Cnut were set to bailing while Erik Short Toe clung on to the steering boar
d with me as we fought the sea. Ran did not want us to get home or perhaps it was the weird sisters; the Norns can be vindictive. We kept Anglesey to port; we had little choice. The gale dictated that would be our course. Even under reefed sail the wind was tearing at us and I was not surprised when it ripped in two. Immediately our motion slowed and we were no longer in danger of ripping out our keel. Once we cleared the coast of Anglesey we had no choice; we had to head to St.Cybi. It was the only safe anchorage I knew. The wind would have carried us to Hibernia but the last place I would visit would be that nest of vipers.
My Ulfheonar are the fittest warriors I know but half a day of fighting the sea had exhausted them and we limped into St. Cybi. I saw my other two ships safely anchored and without damage. They had been lucky.
Alf and Carl, along with Raibeart rushed down to greet us as we tied up our battered drekar. In the screaming winds and wild rain it was difficult to make out what Raibeart was saying and so I allowed him to lead us to the comfort of the hall. I noticed that Snorri and Aiden brought the wolf cloak. Perhaps this was ordained. I had been intended to return to speak with Raibeart. I know that the gods play with us as much as children torment frogs and torture flies. That is what we were to them; amusement.
Once in the hall I almost collapsed myself. Raibeart could see our distress and he quickly organised food. Carl and Alf looked worried. “How far have you come, my lord?”
“Just from the straits. And you?”
“We were lucky we were both in harbour.”
“Carl, Eorl Eardgarth attacked Thorkell. You need to take ‘Ran’ and base yourself there until I can return home and bring more men.” I looked at him anxiously, “Is everything well on Man?”
Alf grinned, “I left there yesterday morning. Prince Butar threw a huge feast to celebrate our victory over the Saxons. Everyone is fine.” He shook his head, “Prince Butar cannot hold his ale anymore and your sister went to stay with your wife.”
I felt a wave of relief wash over me. That was the best news I had heard in a long time. My dream had been without foundations. “Good. We will all have to wait until this storm abates before we can set off. Alf if you return with me you can take some men from Man to aid Thorkell. He will need slaves too.” I smiled, “There are now women for them.”