by Griff Hosker
“Take charge, Cnut. I must find my stepfather.”
I left my warriors finishing off the remnants of Gorm’s band, and ran to the water. I saw the warriors I had sent in a protective ring. Prince Butar had been dragged from the sea and Aiden was tending to him. I dropped to my knees.
His rheumy eyes flickered open, “I knew you would come.” A look of pain flashed across his face, “Did you save my people?”
Before I answered I glanced at Aiden. He shook his head. You do not lie to a dying man for he takes the memory with him to the Otherworld. He would have the truth. “Some, but not all. The ones who did this are dead.”
He shook his head. His voice could be barely heard and I knew what the effort must be costing him. “You must get to your home. One Eye has gone to your town to take revenge upon your wife.”
“I have not found Eurwen yet.”
He smiled, “Thank the Allfather I sent her to Erika after the feast. I am glad I did so. She will be safe with your wife.” He grasped my hand and his fingers were icy cold and white. They looked like the hands of the dead already. “Care for your sister and watch over her when I am gone.”
“We will see to your wounds and then go to Hrams-a.”
He shook his head, “I will not be leaving my beach. I leave my land and people in good hands; your hands. You are ruler here now. I go to Valhalla.” He gave a grimace as pain coursed through his dying body. “Give me a sword.”
Without hesitation I gave him Ragnar’s Spirit. He smiled, “I can feel the power now. Thank you my son.”
“Do not go. It is too soon.”
He sighed, “It is my time. Let me go my son for you are the son I never had. I could not be more proud of you. When I see your mother we will both watch down upon you. I will tell my father that the boy he trained is now a warrior, a man. He will be proud.”
I found myself weeping. I leaned in to him, “I found the sword of the Warlord of Rheged. I know my destiny.”
Prince Butar coughed up some blood and smiled, “I know your destiny. You will be a great leader who will join our people and your mother’s. They will forge a union which will last until the end of time. Farewell.” It was almost as if he had waited to make that speech for he closed his eyes and life left him.
I held him in my arms with tears coursing down my cheeks. Aiden put his young hand upon my shoulder. “I know not how he lasted so long, my lord. He had many wounds and had lost much blood. I think he waited to say goodbye to you.” For one so young he was both insightful and fey. “He has passed his spirit to you.” He handed me my sword. “I think his life force is now within this blade. I am privileged to have witnessed this.”
I heard a noise behind me and turned to see the Ulfheonar. I gently laid Prince Butar’s head to the ground and I stood. The prince is dead. I rule now.”
Every warrior dropped to his knees. The only noise which could be heard was the cry of the seagulls and the lapping of the waves upon the beach. This was the end of an era and the start of a new one.
I sheathed my sword. I was now the leader of this land and I could no longer indulge in self pity. I had to get to my home and family. “Erik, go to Alf and have him bring the boats here.” As Erik Short Toe ran off I turned to the Ulfheonar. I saw that not only Carl the Scar had fallen but Sweyn too. My warriors were becoming fewer.
I looked at Olaf. Harald was bandaging his leg. “I need you to stay here and watch over Aiden.” He looked like he would object. “You have an injured leg and you will slow me down. I cannot wait for the wounded.”
He nodded, “I will do as you command my lord.” He smiled, “That was a fine fight with Gorm the Grim. I was privileged to see it.”
I looked at the Ulfheonar gathered around me. “One Eye has gone to Hrams-a. Aiden you and Cnut Sweynson must stay here until Alf returns. See to the wounded.” I leaned in to him. “The women have been hurt. Be kind; you are the one for this task. If I do not return…”
He smiled, “You will return my lord. Of that I have no doubt and I will care for them as best I can.”
Gorm’s warriors had been well trained warriors. They had abused our women but they had died well. Only Cnut was unwounded. The wounds would not stop my men but the odds were now in favour of One Eye.
“Let us see the wounded man from my first attack.”
I led them to the man who had crawled to one of the huts. He had left a blood trail. He would die from blood loss, but not for some time. I took out my sword and turned his face to look at me.
He spat. As an act of defiance it was like shaking your fist at a storm; it was futile. “All of your brothers are dead. They died well with swords in their hands. They will be in Valhalla now.” I nodded to Cnut who picked up the man’s sword and dangled it before him.
“If you answer my questions then I will give you your sword and a warrior’s death.” I saw a truculent look appear on his face. “Your jarl told me that One Eye is heading for Hrams-a, all I need is for you to answer my questions. I give my word that I will give you a warrior’s death. You know me? You know I will keep my word?” He nodded. “Then tell me all that you know. How many men does One Eye have?”
He closed his eyes and held his hand out for his sword. “Information first.”
“He has gone to your town but we have a third ship, ‘Crow’. She sailed to block off any warriors coming to the aid of your people.”
“How many men does she carry?”
He looked as though he might refuse to divulge that information and Cnut moved the sword away from him.
“She has fifty warriors on board.”
“And with One Eye?”
“He has seventy.”
I nodded to Cnut who gave him his sword. “Go to the Allfather!” I stabbed down on his neck and he died instantly.
As we began to walk towards Hrams-a I started to work out what we would do and what might be happening ahead of us. I was grateful that One Eye had come to Duboglassio first; Dargh and his men would have seen the ships and the smoke. With the Allfather’s help it would mean that our people would be in the hill fort. There was food and water aplenty. There were enough weapons and it would not fall easily. Dargh knew his business and Erika had a calm and sensible head upon her shoulders. The men of my town were all like Bjorn, they were doughty warriors. My worry was the numbers of men with One Eye. The two drekar he had brought had both been large ships. Now I knew he had three ships and a hundred and twenty men. I had less than eighteen warriors who would be able to fight. I had to hope that Jarl Erik had his wits about him.
Even as we headed up the valley I heard Ragnar’s voice in my head. ‘Use your brain then, boy, and not your brawn!’
I knew what he meant. I had to use the skills of my warriors. We were Ulfheonar. We could blend into the land and strike unseen.
I led the small column of warriors up the mountain. It would keep us out of sight and enable us to look down on the enemy. I waved Snorri over. “Get to Jarl Erik, he may not know what is happening. Be careful.”
He grinned, “I will be invisible!”
“Beorn go with Ragnar Siggison and find where the enemy are.” The two warriors crested the summit like shadows and disappeared from view.
We were in the lee of the mountain and we were hidden from view. I gathered the remaining warriors around me. Lasse had proved a reliable leader. “Your warriors must protect our backs. We will be outnumbered and Harald One Eye is a cunning leader. When we begin to attack he will try to use his numbers to overwhelm us. You six must hide and attack his men when they come for us.” Lasse nodded. “We will rely on you to be there.”
I looked at my Ulfheonar. There were just nine of them and Harald. It was hardly an army. If this was night time then we would stand a better chance of approaching them unseen. As it was it would be difficult. I spoke to them as brothers. “There is little point in charging blindly into this warband. You are all fine warriors but we would be outnumbered by at least seven to one. We
cannot fight that sort of numbers. My plan is simple. I want to whittle their numbers down and put fear into their hearts. I want you to kill them and remain unseen.” I pointed beyond the summit. Dargh and his warriors will be protecting our people. I have no doubt that they can hold them for a while. They are going to buy us the time we need.”
“We will do this but I pray that I am the one to end Harald One Eye’s treacherous life.”
“It will be one of us Haaken, of that I am certain.”
Beorn and Ragnar appeared. Their faces were grim. “The town is afire and the fort is surrounded. We saw warriors on the walls and the men and boys of the town.” Beorn smiled at me, “We even saw your lady. She had a bow in her hand.”
That would be Erika. She was not one to lie down and let others fight for her. She had been captured once and she would not let that happen a second time.
“Do they have men looking this way?”
“No, my lord.”
“Did you see One Eye?”
“He looked to be on the far side of the fort and he was attacking the main gate. The defenders looked to be in control.”
They would be. We had plenty of arrows and every man and boy could use a bow. The problem would come when Harald One Eye closed to the walls.
“We go now. Haaken and Cnut, you take most of the men and make your way up the Garlic River. I will take Beorn, Ragnar and Harald and we will use the dry valley to the north. Lasse, hide your men close to the river. There is plenty of vegetation there. Remember, kill but try not to be seen. If things go awry we will retreat up Snaefell and use the mountain as our friend.”
There was no need for a rousing speech. We were Ulfheonar.
My small band had the longer journey and we used the folds and dips in the land to make our way unseen. I could see the warriors using their bows against my fort. The walls protected them but that would not last. Each time we went down a dip we lost sight of the enemy. Each time we emerged they were closer. I saw ten warriors who were detached from the rest. They were in a small copse some mile or more from the fort. They had chopped down a tree to use as a ram. The trees on the island were not very big and their choice would have made a poor ram. I circled my hand above my head and we moved closer. Ragnar and Beorn disappeared and Olaf was on my right. We crawled on our bellies towards them. So intent were they on their task that we were just ten paces from them and they saw us not.
I left Ragnar’s Spirit sheathed. This would be a task for my seax. I hoped that the noise from the fort would drown out the deaths of these warriors. I knew that the trees hid us from view. I saw that four of them had their backs to Harald and me. Three more stood on the tree and the other three were on the far side. Harald and I would have to kill four of them and quickly. None of them had their weapons in their hands but they were using tree axes to trim the branches. I saw Beorn on the other side of the men. I raised my hand then leapt up. I reached the first warrior, pulled back his head and slit his throat. I threw the next man to the ground, fell upon him and slashed his throat too. It was bloody and it was messy but it was silent. I knew that Harald would deal with the other two. I stabbed upwards with my seax at the man on the tree trunk. He was busy watching Beorn and Ragnar. Even as he swung his tree axe towards my head my blade entered his groin. I saw the agony on his face as I pushed it hard into his body. I felt the warmth of his blood and entrails before I pulled out the blade. He fell backwards, knocking over another warrior. Ragnar leapt upon him and he too was dead.
They had all died. I had not been aware of any noise but I had been concentrating on killing. We picked up their weapons and ran on. I knew someone would investigate and I wanted them to find the ten bodies. I wanted them to wonder who was out there.
It was now late afternoon and I knew that I was tiring but I realised that this was our only chance to stop Harald One Eye from capturing my family. We found another dell. We were on the opposite side of the fort from the Garlic River. This would be where the third ship had unloaded its warriors. We were in the heart of the enemy lines. Four warriors are easy to conceal and when Beorn gave the signal for danger we threw ourselves into the ground and covered ourselves with our wolf cloaks. Harald wore Carl the Scar’s and it saved us that day.
The warriors who walked above us were not looking down. They were heading for the ram and we heard them speak. “I hope Erik has finished that ram or the jarl will make him a new mouth.”
“Huh, it is typical that we are doing the fighting and he cuts down trees.”
A third man chuckled, “Well at least that mad bitch with the bow can’t hit us here. She killed at least two of the lads. And they had helmets on.”
There were no other voices and I knew that there were just three men. I peered from under my cloak and saw the three of them striding just ten paces from us. I was on my feet in an instant and Ragnar’s Spirit was out. Beorn and Ragnar were right behind me. Harald was a little slow in rising; he was not Ulfheonar. I swung the blade at the last man’s back. It sliced through to the backbone. His dying grunt made the other two turn. I deflected the blade of the second and then stabbed him in the stomach. Beorn finished off the third. We rolled their bodies into a tumble of rocks. They would be missed and I hoped that they would search.
“Come. It is time we left here now. We will use our mountain to protect us.” The time of concealment was over. I wanted to leave a clear trail and draw Harald One Eye on to our blades.
Chapter 22
Of course the sisters could not allow us to do that. Once again they wove their webs and created another course for us to follow. We clambered up to the path and risked a look towards the fort on the hill. The warriors of Harold One Eye were struggling up the steep slope. I smiled as I saw the warriors struggling to mount the steep slope while my people hurled rocks at them. They did not kill but I knew they would hurt. Beorn waved to me and I slid next to him. “Look, my lord, there are some warriors just there; they are preparing to attack up the hill.”
I saw that he had spotted a small wedge which was attempting to climb the western side of the hill. The defenders were concentrating on the north and south walls. There was a chance this could succeed.
“Come let us move south. We may meet Haaken and the others. If not then we will have to thwart this attack.”
Harald looked at me. “Then we will die.”
I nodded, “And it will be a glorious death. But I must try to save my family.”
I could see why the warriors were attacking now. It was coming on to dusk and the defenders would find it hard to see their enemy. We moved swiftly, using the cover of the rocks and bushes in the valley bottom. Whoever was leading the attack was being careful in his preparations. He was organising his wedge with a great deal of thought. This was a well thought out attack and it might just succeed. We could no longer wait for Haaken. I drew my sword and led my three companions to the rear of the wedge.
Their backs were to us and we hacked at the middle four before they knew we were there. They were busy looking up at the walls and preparing to attack. They did not expect to be attacked from the rear. Pandemonium spread amongst them and the shield wall broke up. We had delayed their attack. Even as they turned to fight this new attacker we were slashing and hacking at the warriors at the rear. We would not last long and I shouted, “Back to the mountain!”
We turned and fled. There was a slight pause while the warriors of Harald One Eye looked around for a new enemy. They saw none and charged after us. I had stopped the attack and now I would lead them up the mountain. We knew it better than they did.
We ran thirty paces. I saw a huddle of rocks and I shouted, “Turn and face them!” We stood on the moss covered stones and the first warriors poked their spears at us. I grabbed the end of one as it was thrust at me and chopped the head from it. I threw the blade at the ones following. The warrior whose spear I had taken began to draw his sword. I hacked down and Ragnar’s Spirit found the gap between helmet and armour. He fell with b
lood gushing.
Their leader halted the warriors to form a line. “Back up the hill.” I was buying time. Just then I heard a shout and saw Lasse and his warriors charge into the enemy line. They took them by surprise and killed five or six. When Lasse reached us he had but two of his men left.
“Well done Lasse.”
“They were brave warriors and they are in Valhalla now.”
We ran along the contour of the mountain and then darted back up the sheep trail. Some of them tried to follow up the steep slope. It was hard going and I saw them struggling. I kicked some of the loose stones down and the others joined in. A small tumble of rocks swept three of our pursuers down the mountain and the rest were forced to follow our route.
Once again the leader, a warrior with a five pointed red star on his shield formed a wedge. They had just launched themselves at us when Haaken and his men attacked them from the side. “Ulfheonar!”
The four of us fell upon the warriors before us and we had surprise on our side. Six fell to our weapons and the rest were pushed down the sides of the mountain. I watched as red star organised a defensive line some fifty paces below us. It was only when I turned to look at Haaken that I saw there were just five left.
He shook his head, “Ulf and Carl went berserker. They charged into the enemy. It was a glorious death.”
It might have been glorious but it did not help us. I pointed to the men below us. Already more warriors were joining them. “We had better get up the mountain. If they are attacking us then they cannot attack my people.”