by Griff Hosker
“That is risky. What if you are seen?”
I cocked my head to one side. “We are Ulfheonar we are seen when we choose to be seen. Besides this can be used to our advantage. If they think we have scouts out they will think that we plan to march towards their burh. This is all well and we will have horses. We can escape.”
“It makes sense but be careful!”
“I have the map Aiden made and I have added details. This way I discover more for I will head west.” I took out the map I had modified.
“When do you leave?”
“I will let my men have a little sleep and I will select the horses.”
I went to the pen where the horses were kept. I needed strong horses which could travel long distances. We would not be wearing mail. There was no need. We would take our bows with us. As much as I would have like Aðils Shape Shifter with us I knew that he was tired and tired men make mistakes. Six of us would be enough. The Saxons had saddles but they did not use the stirap. I saddled them and, tying them together, led them back to the hut. I let them graze on the grass around the hut. It was longer than in the pasture. I asked one of the sentries to fetch water for them.
Beorn was awake. “Beorn, wake Olaf, Haaken, Rolf and Rollo. We will scout. Let Aðils sleep.”
He nodded, “I have never seen him as weary. It must have been a difficult time.”
I took one of the cloaks we had taken from the dead thegns and Eorledman. It had a blue hue and was unlike ours. With luck, we would be mistaken for Saxons. I chose twenty arrows and hung the quiver from my saddle. I strung my Saami bow and made sure I had a spare bow string. With Wolf’s Blood and Ragnar’s Spirit I was ready. My Ulfheonar appeared. They were all eating as they appeared.
Beorn the Scout handed us skins. “It is just water. I have left the last of the beer for your son and Aðils. They deserve it.”
Nodding I waved them over. I showed them the map I had modified. “Beorn take Olaf and Rollo. I want you to head north to Burnham and then push on to Aledhorn and Maeldun. I want you to seek the enemy. Avoid being seen but do not worry if you are. Aðils thinks that there may be warriors there. We need numbers and quality of men. Our plan is working but a poor decision, such as Gerlak made, could result in disaster. Let us avoid that eh and go home rich men?”
“Aye jarl and what will you do?”
“The three of us will head west. If we have to we will ride to Lundenburh but I am sure that we will spy the enemy before then. Return before dark.”
We headed west. I had an idea that there was a settlement further west than Beamfleote. Aiden had suggested that there was a Roman road which travelled to Lundenwic from Colneceastre. Colneceastre had been an important place in Roman times. It had a wall and a fort. It would be garrisoned. If the Saxons were gathering men that might be somewhere that they would choose. Certainly, the road we followed appeared to head in that direction. If it was a crossroads then it would be perfect.
We rode in single file. Rolf had the best eyes for he was the youngest and he rode at the front. Haaken brought up the rear. We rode cautiously up to Beamfleote but it was empty. The blackened remains of the burned palisade looked like the teeth of a huge dead animal. As we rode through the rats and carrion scurried. The burned bodies in the wrecked huts were a feast for them. The road stretched east and passed through a huge forest. There were few farms. As we passed through the gate we began to see discarded items which the people fleeing had taken with them and then dropped as my men chased them.
We held our bows in our hands as we passed through the forest. I did not think that the Saxons would be there to ambush us but we took no chances. We did not speak. After so many years of fighting alongside each other we needed no words. It was instinctive. I noted the places in the forest where we might ambush an enemy. I had no plans to do so yet but I would store that information for the future. As the trees began to thin we passed tracks and trails which led into the woods. There was the smell of burning. The woods were used by charcoal burners.
Suddenly Rolf stopped. The road was not cobbled. It was an old greenway and we moved silently. He pointed to the right. I saw there, a hundred paces in the woods a young woman. She might have been an older girl. It was hard to tell. She had her back to us and was selecting broken branches. I nodded and waved my companions to the left and right. We galloped into the forest. As soon as our horses crashed through the grass and shrubs the young woman looked up. She froze and in that moment we were upon her. She was so terrified that she did not make a sound. She cowered like a frightened doe. I dismounted and smiled. Without my helmet and with my white hair and beard I hoped that I looked less threatening.
I spoke in Saxon and I spoke quietly, “We mean you no harm. We are travellers and we are lost. Is there a village up this road?”
She nodded and I could see that she was less afraid. Our cloaks marked us as Saxons and my voice confirmed that. My sword marked me as a lord. “It is called Burntwood, lord. It is six Roman miles from here,” she smiled, “or so they tell me. I have never visited it. There are many people there. Some came from Beamfleote where they say barbarians came. They are men from the east and they devour babies!”
I nodded, “We will try to avoid them. Hopefully there will be a wall around the village and we will be safe.”
She shook her head, “No, lord but you need not fear. They have called out the fyrd. My father and brothers have heeded the call and have joined Eorledman Aethelbald and his warriors. He has brought the warriors from Lundenburh. They are great warriors with shining helms and powerful swords. They will drive the baby eaters hence.”
“Will you and your family be safe here? We could take you to Burntwood.”
“Thank you lord but our home is hidden in the forest. We know it well.” I mounted my horse, “God be with you and keep you safe, lord.”
“And you my child.” We headed back to the greenway. I could have turned around there and then for I had enough information but you could never have enough intelligence about an enemy’s intentions. We rode on. We were even more wary now. The distance to Burntwood could be inaccurate. The young woman had never visited. When we came upon more farms we hid our heads with our hoods and our bows beneath them. The farms were set back from the greenway. Those people we did see took us for Saxons or I assumed that they did for none spoke, waved, nor, more importantly, ran. Rolf slowed up. He did not turn but I could see why he slowed. There was smoke spiralling into the air. It was Burntwood. I pulled my horse to the right and led us into the forest eaves. We would work our way around and hope to gauge their numbers better.
The young woman had been right. There was neither wall nor ditch. It was not as big as Beamfleote but, as we made our way around, I saw cobbled roads coming from the north and east. We had found the main road to Lundenwic. From what I could remember Colneceastre was a large place. It had Roman walls. There would be a garrison there. It would make sense for the Eorledman to have summoned help. I heard the sound of men approaching from that direction and we headed into the forest. I knew that, if we remained still we would not be seen. Men approaching the settlement would feel safe and secure.
As we waited for them to pass I looked to the huts. I saw banners there and warriors moving around. Their numbers were hard to estimate. For one thing, we did not have a clear view and secondly, they were milling and hurrying around the camp. The occasional glint of light on metal told us of helmets or mail. The sound of voices from the road grew louder. They were Saxon. Our hoods were still over our faces. If we had turned we risked flashing a paler face and so we kept looking ahead. I saw four lords on horses with banners behind. The first thirty or so men wore helmets. They carried shields and they carried spears. Some had mail. I recognised some ancient Roman armour amongst the mail byrnies. The next sixty men were the fyrd. Some had leather caps. None had helmets. A couple had ancient swords; one or two of them were Roman. Colneceastre had been an important Roman fort. Swords would have been handed down fro
m father to son. Most had improvised hand weapons or axes which would normally hew trees. All carried a seax.
When they had passed and the road was empty I decided that we had seen enough. We turned and headed back through the trees toward the greenway we had taken. The scouting expedition had gone well. The gods had sent us there just as the last of the warriors had reached the assembly point. I had seen enough banners in the settlement to suggest that the men of Lundenburh had all arrived.
It is fortunate that we were alert for, as we emerged from the forest eight riders rode down the road from Burntwood. They looked to be heading to Beamfleote. They were less than forty paces from us and the greenway had dampened the sound of their hooves. Throwing back our cloaks we grabbed our bows and sent three arrows at them. In a heartbeat, another three followed and then, hanging my bow from my saddle I drew my sword and rode at the three Saxons who remained. They were turning their horses to race back to the settlement. One was tardier than the others. I swept my sword across his back. With no mail, my blade cut through to his spine. His back arced and he tumbled from the saddle. Rolf had emulated me and a second fell from his horse. The third was hit by an arrow from Rolf but he did not fall. I saw men looking towards us. The cries of the wounded and dying, mixed with the whinny of the horses had drawn their attention. We were seen.
“We ride. Grab the reins of spare horses!”
I managed to grab one and I dug my heels in to the flanks of my horse. We had three horses. If they chased us we could switch horses. More importantly they would have fewer horses to pursue us. We rode three abreast. It was easier that way. As we entered the thicker part of the forest it was though night had come for it became dark. That suited us for we would be harder to see. I glanced over my shoulder when the greenway straightened out. I saw, six hundred paces behind us, horsemen. There were not many of them and we could have turned and tried to take them on. That might have gained us glory but our information might die with us. I now knew that the attack would come in the next two days. It seemed to me that there were more men than had been brought by Eorledman Ethelbert.
We burst out into the light. After the darkness of the forest it seemed blinding. It also meant that we would be easier to see. Help still lay some miles down the road. The road rose slowly towards the burned-out walls of Beamfleote. Glancing behind I saw that they were closing with us. Our horses had ridden further. We would have to change. In changing we would allow them to close even more.
“When we reach Beamfleote we send an arrow each towards them and switch horses.”
“Aye jarl. We could take them. There are but twelve of them.”
“And if the Norns are in mischievous mood or they get lucky and we die, then what then?”
As we entered what had been the west gate of the Saxon town I grabbed my bow and climbing from my horse, sent an arrow high into the air. Rolf and Haaken did the same. Without even looking to see where the arrows had fallen we mounted the spare horses. I slapped my other horse on the rump and it headed east. The odds on our horses hitting either men or beast were slim but falling arrows would make them slow up and to try to avoid them. Even so they were just two hundred paces from us as we left Beamfleote.
Ragnar had placed our outer ring of sentries eight hundred paces from our camp. It meant that an enemy might see our camp but our sentries would stop them having too close a look. I knew where our sentries were. The Saxons did not. By the time we were approaching them the Saxons were just a hundred paces from us.
“Be ready to stop and bloody their noses.”
“Aye, Jarl Dragonheart. It is not good to run from enemies!”
As I passed the two sentries on either side of the road I pulled on the reins and, slipping my leg over the saddle, took my bow and sent an arrow at the leading warrior. The two sentries had their spears ready. My arrow hit the warrior in the chest and he flew from the back of his horse. The horse careered down the greenway. Haaken and Rolf sent their arrows and hit two warriors. They were not killed. They turned and fled. We sent three more arrows and one more warrior fell.
“Rolf, catch his horse. I have an idea how we can use them!”
Chapter 10
My decision to send Beorn north bore fruit. They had spied men moving south. The Saxon warband only had two mailed warriors leading them but there were a hundred of them. It was the men who been aboard the ships which had pursued Gruffyd. On their own they were not a problem but, attacking our flank while Eorledman Aethelbald attacked our front might turn the tide for the men of Essex.
I sat with the jarls and Gruffyd. I had worked out a plan to defeat them while riding back. We would be outnumbered. What we had to do was to bloody them and make them sue for peace. We had beaten them so far. Another victory might make them wish to buy us off. I would not be foresworn. I would not lie but we would raid the rich city of Lundewic and the merchants who hid behind the walls of Lundenburh. Ragnar, Gruffyd and the Ulfheonar had helped me devise the plan. Timing would be all. I used the men wounded so far to be in charge of the horses and the captives. Both were vital to my plan. Einar Fair Face was pleased to be given a worthy task. He also liked the idea of hitting back at our enemies.
In anticipation of the battle to come we began loading the two knarr and drekar. We had used the last of the settlement’s salt to preserve some of the mutton and we had filled our water barrels. We had water and salted meat I the drekar and the rest of the treasure and supplies we had collected would go in the knarr. If things went as Ragnar and I had planned then we would be able to send the two laden knarr back to the Land of the Wolf. If events turned out as I had planned them then we would replenish our stores in Lundenwic but it was a poor leader who did not plan for disaster!
The captives were beginning to become restless. I believe the only reason they had behaved so far was because they feared us. The charcoal burner’s daughter’s words told me how they viewed us. Despite the fact that the captives had not been harmed in any way it would not change their view. They were waiting for us to show our true nature. Their priests prayed with them constantly. Their guards complained about the wailing and the chanting. It was not uplifting as were our chants. It seemed dirge like and depressed rather than uplifted.
The men from the north appeared first. They arrived at noon the next day. These did not approach close to us. The survivors of the first battle must have told of our arrows. They were five hundred paces from us. A small stream ran between us. They were wary. I also suspected that there had been some communication with the men we now knew were coming from the west. They were awaiting a signal. We had men there to face them. We had split the better armed warriors with those who had little mail. Our front ranks all had men with helmet shield and some form of armour. Ulf Olafsson led the men who would face the northern force. He had one third of our men. We knew that the larger force would come from the west. One third seemed excessive but as Ulf had the warriors with poorest helmets Ragnar wished to protect our flank.
I went with Ragnar to view their dispositions. “Why do they wait, Jarl Dragonheart?”
“There must have been riders who were sent from Burntwood. Perhaps they think we are fools and assume that they have moved flanks to attack us here. Or it may be that they wish to fix our attention north.”
“But we have not.”
I sighed, “It is a fact, Ragnar, that they think we are barbarians. We are regarded as little better than animals by our foes. They assume that we can be easily fooled. This does not harm us. The midges and insects close by the beck will eat them alive. They will have to wade through water and mud to reach us. We are dry and we have both food and water. If you wish to annoy them then have some men take their horses upstream. I am certain that a horse in water will make water and perhaps more.”
He laughed, “I like that. They will not enjoy drinking horse piss and watching horse turds float by. If they are thirsty then they will not fight as well.”
He sent twelve of his men on horses. T
hey rode in plain sight and the curious Saxons watched them. I saw their Eorl dress his ranks in case we intended to attack. Was this handful of men going to attack? Was it some devilish scheme of the barbarians? The horses and riders stopped five hundred paces from the Saxon line. The men Ragnar had sent not only let the horses defecate and urinate, they also dropped their breeks and did the same. The Saxons howled and waved their spears in anger. They would have to drink that water! As my men pulled up their breeks and began to mount ten riders burst from the Saxon line and rode at them. It was a better result than I might have hoped. Our men had swords while the Saxons had spears. It would appear that the Saxons had the advantage save that none of the horses on either side had stiraps. Trying to use a spear without them invited disaster.
The two lines clashed. Ragnar had sent men who not only had full bowels but who knew how to ride. Using just their knees they swung their swords whilst fending off the spear hafts with their hands. In a flurry of screaming warriors and flashing blades four Saxons fell from their mounts, struck by our men while another two found themselves tumbling to the ground following a poorly judged spear thrust. The Saxons ran and my men raised their swords and cheered. I saw that three of our men had been wounded. They gathered three spare horses and led them back to our lines where our men cheered them and banged their shields in praise of their skill. Three of the Saxons lay on the ground when the rest headed back to their lines. It was a small victory, perhaps even petty, but our morale rose and that of the Saxons fell.
Late in the afternoon the sentries on the road to Beamfleote reported the arrival of the rest of the Saxon horde. They are marching behind many banners jarl. They have a large number of men who are mounted.” That was unusual. Saxons did not like fighting on the back of a horse. Was this some trick of the Eorledman?