by Griff Hosker
The warriors behind us stepped back and the two men hefted their axes over their heads. They struck not the men in the rank we were facing but two warriors in the third rank. A Danish war axe takes no prisoners and their skulls were split in twain. As blood and brains spattered the men around them I pushed my shield forward as I stabbed into the thigh of the next warrior. Striking bone I twisted and pulled the sword out. He was a tough warrior. He jabbed his spear at me but I contemptuously flicked it up and over my head with my shield. I lunged at his throat and my sword went through.
We were through to the third rank. Thanks to Olaf and Rolf two were already dead. They had shields and helmets but no mail. As Haaken swung his sword sideways to slice through the neck of one Saxon I punched the next one in the face with my shield. The ones in the fourth rank were already fleeing for their best warriors lay dead. The Saxon I fought fell to the ground and I gave him a swift death by plunging my sword into his throat.
I looked around and saw that our last attack had broken them. They were fleeing north. My men started to bang their shields. They chanted, “Ragnar and Dragonheart! “Ragnar and Dragonheart! “Ragnar and Dragonheart!”
I was pleased that they used his name first. He was besmirched with blood but he was unwounded. Some of the younger warriors began to run after the fleeing Saxons. Ragnar shouted, “Hold!” This is not over! Strip the dead of the weapons and mail. Take their bodies to the sea and feed them to Ran! Find the horses and secure them. Rhaghi, post guards. I want none to escape and none to sneak up on us!”
“Aye jarl.”
He took off his helmet and turned to me, “Thank you, grandfather. As soon as you slew the Eorledman all the fight went from them.”
“Then let us hope the rest of the plan works. If they do not bring warriors from Lundenburh then we have failed.”
“Have faith. The plan has worked so far, has it not?”
I shook my head, “Gruffyd is not here and I fear the worst. This seems like a trick of the Norns!”
It was as though my grandson had forgotten him. He looked to the north and east. “He may yet come. He is with Gerlak the Cunning. They will be here. There is no rush for us to move. We have food aplenty and the men could do with the rest. If the Saxons do not come then we raid the churches to the north of us.”
I knew he was trying to make me feel better but it was not working. Gerlak the Cunning was well named. He and his drekar had arrived at our port having outwitted the Scots who had thought they had blocked his drekar in a river. He and his men had carried it over a low ridge to another river and sailed away. He was older than the rest of the new jarls and that was why we had sent him with Gruffyd. Now it seemed that it had gone wrong. I realised that, had I questioned one of the wounded Saxons I might have discovered their fate for Eorledman Ethelbert had to have come across the river they were raiding. I looked up as the last of the Saxon wounded was given a warrior’s death. Once again, I had thought too slowly. I was getting older. When I had been younger I would have thought quicker. I was too involved having a son and grandson in the men I led.
The Ulfheonar had claimed one of the huts for us and they had found some skins to use as beds. I took off my mail, with the help of Rollo. I felt dirty and I felt bloody. Taking my sword with me I walked back to the river. It was not my Water but I found that water cleansed me. I took off my kyrtle and left my sword on the top of it. The sentry was Carl Swenson from my stad. He nodded, “I will guard the sword and you, jarl. It was an honour to fight behind you today. I will have tales to tell my grandchildren when I return home.”
“Thank you, Carl.”
I saw that the river had already taken the bodies to the sea. I knew not if the Christians believed in the power of water. My wife said that they poured water on the heads of those who followed their White Christ. Perhaps they would approve of the dead being returned to the sea. It did not matter to me.
I stepped into the water which felt cold. I knew it was not. I was hot. It made the water seem colder. Sweat clung to my body which felt much lighter without my mail and my helmet. The tide was on its way out and I felt the current pulling me towards the sea. I sank to the bottom to immerse myself. The water had a slightly salty taste. I opened my eyes but I could see little in the murky waters. When I stood I saw that the tide had moved me slightly further east. I walked upstream. I would not be able to lie in the river as I did in the Water. I began to swim upstream. I would not move far for the current was against me. Surprisingly it made me feel less rather than more tired. Suddenly, in the murk of the water, I saw something lighter in the mud. I dived down. The movement of my hand towards the object made mud fly and I lost sight of it. I groped in the mud and sediment and felt something metal. I grabbed it. The object was sharp and it nicked my palm. I rose to the surface and kicked towards the beach. Standing I walked back towards my sword and kyrtle.
“What have you found, jarl?”
As I reached him I opened my palm. It was a beautifully made knife. It was as long as my hand. It was a fruit knife. I had seen them. The Romans were fond of them but this one was not Roman. I took my kyrtle and rubbed it. I did not think it had been in the water for long. It was a little corroded but it would clean up.
“It is a fruit knife, Carl. I wonder what made it come to me?” I turned it over and saw writing on it. It was in Latin. There was a dragon handle. It looked like the dragons the Welsh used on their standards. Here was an enigma. I had spied the blade and then lost it. It had managed to find its way to me. This was meant to be.
I dressed and headed back to the hut. The Ulfheonar had cooked food and found some wine from one of the churches that had been raided. Haaken looked up as I entered. “Did you enjoy the water, jarl?”
I opened my hand. I had forgotten the cut. The knife lay across the bloody scar. “I found this on the river bed.”
Haaken examined it as Rolf took a cloth and, using some vinegar, cleaned out the wound. “It is a pretty thing and this is a dragon. I cannot read the words what do they say?”
“I know not. Fetch a brand.” Rollo brought a lighted brand and held it close. I suddenly took a deep breath. I recognised one word, ‘Gruffydd ’. “Fetch me a priest!”
Olaf Leather Neck laughed, “Are you becoming Christian, jarl?”
I shook my head. “I have found this blade and on it is my son’s name. This may be a message from the other world. My son is not here. I need a priest to translate.”
My men understood the significance. They all touched their wolf amulets. Olaf and Rolf ran out of the hut.
“This is wyrd , jarl.”
“It is, Haaken, for my son was in my mind when I went to swim.”
The priest they brought was an old man and he was terrified. Olaf was never the gentlest of men. He terrified those who knew him. The priest was quaking. “Nothing bad will happen to you priest. In fact, if you answer my questions we may release you rather than selling you.”
He frowned. The fact that I had not slain him yet and offered him freedom made him less afraid, “The ‘may’ does not sound honest. Are you trying to trick an old man? Do you barbarians torment me just for the pleasure of it?”
I opened my palm. “I found this in the river. There are words upon it. Read this and translate it for me.”
He held it to the firelight, “It says ‘I was made for Gruffydd ap Cyngen by the command of King Coenwulf. May this bring peace’ .”
I had known and fought Coenwulf but this Gruffydd ap Cyngen was unknown to me. “I will let you go priest if you can tell me all you know about this Gruffydd ap Cyngen.”
I took back the knife and held it. The priest said, “The name is familiar but I am thirsty. Perhaps some of that wine may lubricate my voice.”
Olaf growled, “Let me slit the wizard’s throat for you, jarl.”
I held up my hand, “Fetch him wine and then be silent. This is important.”
The priest drank the small horn of wine in one. He beamed, “Good w
ine.” He saw my glare and realised that he had pushed as far as he dared. “I know the name for I served the Mercian court for a time. Gruffydd ap Cyngen was the son of the King of Powys. The king now lives in Rome. He is a religious man. I knew him. His son was the heir to the throne. King Coenwulf sought an alliance with Powys against the men of Gwynedd. He gave this knife to the son and a sword to the King. Gruffydd was murdered, or so they say, by his brother, Elisedd. Their father was distraught and sought to punish Elisedd. Elisedd took the dagger and fled. He served the King of Essex until not long ago. He begged the king to help him gain the throne of Powys. When King Sigered lost his crown Elisedd stole some treasure and fled. It is said that he and his companions came to grief close to Earhyth. You found this in the river, you say?”
“Aye.”
“Then it would seem the river has brought them here. I know not for what purpose.”
I did. I smiled. It was a thin cruel smile. I used it for effect, “Beorn escort the priest to our lines. He is free to go.” I smiled, “Run far, little man. Find a cell far away from the sea for the Vikings are coming!”
He paled and nodded, “I will, jarl and I thank you for my life!” He ran out so quickly that my men all burst out laughing. “Why did you let him go, jarl?”
“Because, Rollo, I said that I would and besides think of the tales he will tell. He will exaggerate our numbers. He will make up tales of the horrors we inflicted. His words alone will ensure that the Saxons come to drive us from their lands.”
I sat outside the hut and fingered the fruit knife. What had brought this to me? Was it a message that my son was still alive or did it have a different purpose? Ragnar wandered over. “Beorn the Scout told me that you let a priest go.”
It was not a reprimand. He just wanted to know my reasons. I held up the knife for him to see and told him how it had come into my possession. He closed his eyes as he held it. “I feel a connection here but the name is a common one amongst the Welsh is it not?”
I nodded, “His mother said it means strong prince. Obviously, this prince was not strong.”
“But Gruffyd is strong. Ebrel has helped to make him so. And it was a wise decision to let the priest go. He will spread the word of our presence.”
“They will come. This time from the west. If I was leading this warband I would prepare defences on the Beamfleote side.”
“I have men finding stakes. The trees are a little stunted but so long as we have enough to channel them towards us then it will be well.”
Voices from the river made us both turn. I heard Carl Swenson’s voice, “Jarl, there is a ship coming upriver!”
Grabbing our swords, we hurried down to the beach. The Ulfheonar followed. By the time we reached it we could see a dark shadow moving along the river. Was it a Saxon ship? There were oars moving it along the river but there did not seem to be many of them. I stepped into the shallows. The tide had begun to turn. Just then I heard a whistle. Turning I saw a grinning Beorn. He returned the whistle. “It is Aðils. It is one of our drekar.”
I nodded, “Aye but which one?”
Chapter 9
Gruffyd stepped from the drekar after the rest of the crew had disembarked. Aðils Shape Shifter stood with me as the rest of his crew stepped wearily ashore. He said quietly, “He did well jarl. It was the Norns…I will let him tell you. This crew will need rest. They have not slept for a day and a half.”
As the last ship’s boy walked across the longphort and passed us Gruffyd and Einar Fair Face stepped down. Einar had a bandage around his head and his left arm was in a sling. “I am sorry, Ragnar. You gave me a task and I failed.”
I put my arm around his shoulder. Ragnar said, “Gruffyd you are part of a clan. We are still within sight of what we came to achieve. How can you have failed?”
“But Gerlak the Cunning and most of his crew lie dead. Their heads adorn spears at Maeldun. His drekar lies on the bank, its skeleton charred and burned!”
I said nothing. He was hungry and he was tired. He needed rest but first Ragnar and I needed to know the events which had taken place north of us. We had reached the huts occupied by Ragnar and myself. The Ulfheonar were ready with food and ale. Already Aðils was eating and drinking. My scout gestured with his horn, “Gruffyd sit. You need food!”
Gruffyd nodded and said, “Had it not been for Aðils Shape Shifter then we would lie with Gerlak the Cunning.”
He and Einar sat down. My Ulfheonar acted as servants. Of all the men who fought under our banners they were the ones who understood war and what it could do to a warrior.
Gruffyd drank and then took a bite from a piece of cold mutton. He drank some more and then said, “You ought to know what happened. Perhaps you might let me watch the longphort while you fight.” We said nothing for we knew he was just feeling sorry for himself. Failure is a hard thing with which to live. He sighed and began. “We eventually found the river and Gerlak led us up the channel. We had taken so long that it was later than we had expected. I had thought we would have entered the river earlier. A couple of hours before dawn we passed a village.”
Aðils said, “I think it was called Maeldun.”
“That was the place Eorledman Ethelbert called home. This now becomes clearer.”
“We sailed upriver and…”
“And your son was going to stop as we had been ordered, Jarl Dragonheart, but Gerlak the Cunning wished to carry on.”
Ragnar asked, “He spoke?”
Gruffyd nodded, “He shouted to us that we could get further upstream.”
I now saw that his success in evading a trap while fighting the Scots had made him think that he was invincible. We did not shout at night when in enemy land. It was a mistake and his crew had paid for it with their lives.
Gruffyd spoke but his eyes never left the horn he held in his hand. “His ship grounded. Where we lay the river was shallow but wide. While Gerlak tried to free his drekar we turned around. It took us until dawn and when the sun rose the Saxons had brought fishing boats to block the river between us and the sea. They had summoned an army. The Saxons fell upon Gerlak and his men for they still laboured in the mud.” He looked up. “Should I have gone to his aid?” It did not require an answer. My son drank from his horn.
Aðils Shape Shifter shook his head, “If he had, jarl, then all of us would lie there with Gerlak. Your son did the right thing. He armed the men and took on board the survivors from Gerlak’s crew. There were not many. Even as we hoisted the sail to use the wind they took the heads of our men and planted them on stakes.” He laughed. “Then the fools made the mistake of firing the drekar. The wind was behind us and blew the smoke, like a fog before us. Your son showed that he is a warrior. With all but the helmsman armed we sailed towards the fishing ships. The smoke helped us and our arrows slew many.”
Gruffyd said, “Aðils Shape Shifter slew many. He took out many of those who wore mail. I thought that we had escaped when we broke through the fishing ships but when we neared the narrows in the river we found that they had tied a rope across the mouth and men were gathered to attack us.”
“Your son and Einar here led the men into the river, without mail, and they fought the Saxons. That was where Einar was wounded but they succeeded in cutting the rope. They came aboard and we drifted out to sea.”
“We left three men there in the mud.” Gruffyd shook his head as though to clear the memory. We had to use oars and we began to row. We were clear of the smoke and could see the open sea. The Saxons have some brave men. Four fishing boats suddenly appeared from a side channel and rammed us. We slew them all but their attack cost us the oars on one side of the drekar. With the wind against we had to row to sea with just half the oars.”
“And the Saxons had other ships. They followed us. Gruffyd did not want to lead them here to you, Ragnar, and so he headed out to sea. It was the right decision for we were against the wind and the Saxons had few oars. It took half a day to lose them. When we had done so we laid out a s
ea anchor and saw to the hurts of our men. We buried those who had died. Then we turned and headed here.”
I looked at Ragnar. I was Gruffyd’s father but Ragnar led the fleet. He nodded. “Gruffyd, you have done nothing wrong. It was the Norns. Gerlak made the mistake and he and his crew have paid for it with their lives. You were successful.” My son looked up. “The men who chased you came here to look for us. Gerlak’s killer was slain by your father. We now await the men of Lundenburh. We have lost men, aye, but they have lost more. And you have brought news we did not expect. The ones who chased you in their ships may now come from the north and east. We had planned to defend from the west only. This is a good thing for now we can prepare to meet those foes too.”
I put my arm around his shoulder, “And now, son, you will sleep. The enemy will not come this day. The whole army watches but it rests. When you awake we will tell you of the events here.”
Haaken said, “Aye for your father has uncovered links to the past. The Weird Sisters may have let us pass Syllingar without harm but their threads are all around us! You step off the path at your peril.”
“I am tired.” He handed me his horn and laid down.
I took my wolf cloak and laid it on him. “Sleep my son and let the spirit of the wolf watch over you.” I nodded to Haaken to watch him and went outside with Ragnar.
Dawn was breaking. There were men moving about for the arrival of the drekar had disturbed the sleep of many men. Ragnar had to rearrange our defence and prepare for an attack on two fronts. “We now have forty men less than we thought with which to fight the Saxons.”
“We brought more than we needed and it could have been worse. At least Gruffyd rescued some.”
Ragnar nodded. Better to see the horn half full than half empty. “Your son did well.”
My mind was distracted. “Are there horses here?”
“We have the ones the Eorledman rode. There are six of them left. What is in your mind?”
“I will have my Ulfheonar act as scouts. I will take half and head west while Beorn the Scout takes the other half to the north east. We will find the enemy.”