by Griff Hosker
Once again it was Wolf who saved us from disaster. We had been making our way along a trail which led through woods and scrubby bushes. Wolf suddenly dropped on all fours and gave a low growl, his ears back. The three of us dropped like stones and lay beneath the elder bushes and rowan trees. I began to wonder what he had smelled and then I caught a glimpse of them. They were hunters; there were six of them. Two looked to be younger than Raibeart while the other four were older than me. They halted and sniffed the air. I was not worried for the wind was coming from the east and helped neither party. Satisfied that there was nothing amiss they headed west. I waited until they were out of sight. “We know that they must return by this trail for the woods and undergrowth is too thick further south. We will make a trap for them.”
I left Wolf up the trail as a sentry and the three of us made some deadfalls using the springy young trees and lengths of leather binding. “We take out the four men first. They have swords as well as spears. From what I saw the boys only had bows.” I sent Aelle up a tree, partly to act as a lookout and partly to give us the advantage of height. When the attack started the men would not look up and that might just make the difference. I took the point with Raibeart ten paces behind me. I found this much harder than either previous encounter for we had to wait and that filled my head with doubts. What if I had made a mistake and they did not return this way? What if other Angles came up the trail? I found myself breathing hard and reddening and I forced myself to stop. If they did not come back then at some time the traps would work and we would hurt them.
Suddenly Wolf was next to me and I knew that they were coming. I waved him next to me and notched an arrow. I signalled my brothers who acknowledge the sign. Then I paced two more arrows between my teeth. It would be short range but quick work once it started. I could see down the trail and by remaining motionless I was invisible. I saw that they had been successful and they had a wild boar which two of the men carried. I also saw that the lead warrior had blood from a wounded arm; the boar had not died easily. He stumbled into the deadfall and was plucked into the air. I heard a sickening crunch as his skull smashed into the bole of a tree. The others dropped their kill and began to spread out. At thirty paces I could not miss and my arrow struck the first warrior in his chest, I could hear the sound of his chest cracking. As Raibaert’s arrow took out a second warrior one of the boys found a deadfall. They could now work out the direction of the danger and they hurtled towards us. I notched and loosed an arrow but it just stuck the warrior on the left arm. Aelle hit the last boy with a stone and he fell backwards as though pole axed. The wounded warrior was upon me roaring a curse. I dropped by bow and drew my sword. I saw that it was shorter than his; I feared I would lose. He pulled his arm back to slice at my head but the tip of it caught on a branch. I had no such problems with my shorter sword and I stabbed upwards into his chest. He was advancing so fast that he drove himself onto the blade and he looked at me in surprise as the point emerged from his neck.
I quickly looked around for the last warrior and saw him clutching the arrow in his chest. Before I could run over to finish him Raibeart had drawn his sword and sliced it across the Angles’ neck. Aelle climbed down from the tree and stood grinning at the two of us with our bloodstained swords.
Suddenly we heard a groan. The boy who had been trapped by the deadfall still lay dazed. Aelle drew his sword and said, “I too will be blooded today.” The boy, who was of the same age as Raibeart, cried out for mercy. Aelle stood over him, “My mother begged for mercy as did my father and they received none.” He sliced the blade so hard across the neck that the head was almost severed.
“That was well done now let us leave.”
Raibeart grabbed one end of the spear which held the boar. “Let us at least save ourselves the task of hunting. We will eat well for a while.”
Laughing I took up the other end. “Aelle, collect the arrows, theirs and ours and their daggers. They will make fine arrow heads.”
We did eat well but I knew that they would come looking for us at some point. Our first visit and the death of one sentry could have been overlooked but the death of a complete hunting party was something else. They would seek us out. We had returned by another circuitous route to our hidden home but, if they were determined, then they would find us. We never discussed our first close killings but I know that it affected all of us in different ways. We were quieter for a while and then, when we did speak again we were gentler with each other as though we were afraid to upset minds already in turmoil. I admired Aelle more than anyone for what he had done took real courage and it had been necessary. Had the boy survived then they would already be at the door and hammering to get at us.
It was when we had just finished the boar that Raibeart voiced the fears of us all. We had deliberately gorged on the meat as we could not preserve it. “We need supplies for the winter Lann.” The summer days were waning and when autumn and winter came then food would be scarce. Two sheep would not keep us going all winter and we would need salt as well as storage jars. There was a bounty to be had in the autumn with wild fruits and berries, nuts as well as animals but they needed keeping over the winter and we were ill prepared despite the security our new home provided.
“You are right. Today we will travel west. There are small settlements there and we may be able to trade.”
“Suppose the Angles have already moved there and captured them?”
I shook my head, “Unlikely Aelle. Remember how long it took them to reach us and we have bloodied their nose. They will need to regroup but we will travel armed as for war. We will take no chances.”
“And the sheep?”
Although there were but two left they represented food for the winter. “If we bar the gate when we have gone then they can forage around the farm. There is a stone trough filled with water,” I looked up at the cloud filled sky, “the one thing we do know is that it will rain and keep it filled. But we should only be away for ten days at the most.” I know I sounded confident but I was not. The furthest I had travelled before was north to the Roman Bridge and I had no idea what settlements and towns lay west. My father had told me that the king lived in an old Roman fort which had a Latin name still, Civitas Carvetiorum. I only knew that it was to the west and close to the Roman Wall which marked the end of the old Roman Empire. I was guessing at the length of time it would take to reach it.
As we trotted through the gate we looked like warriors. As Raibeart climbed back over the wall, having closed and barred our gate again I could see how far we had come in a short space of time. Aelle now had a saddle which we had repaired and modified to make it look like ours. Our shields hung from the left pommel and our bow and quiver from the right. The two rear ones contained our sleeping blankets. I wore my wolf cloak over my helmet as did Raibeart. My long sword hung from my baldric and my brothers had fashioned their own scabbards which they had decorated with beads taken from the dead Angles. We looked martial enough and, having fought the Angles three times we felt that we could face any who came upon us.
I was still aware of security and, when we reached the stream, I headed east along it. It would be difficult to backtrack. Once we emerged from the woods I led us up the slope for I was sure there was an old road which headed west. Wolf ranged ahead of us, turning to ensure we were still following every few hundred paces. Suddenly he growled and lay down. Danger! “There are enemies.”
We all scanned the horizon and then Aelle said, “Angles behind us!”
I turned and saw a line of twenty warriors in a line heading for us. They had obviously been searching for us and my carelessness at riding on the skyline might prove to be a disaster. I was about to tell my brothers to ride west when I realised that Wolf was not looking east but west. Then I saw them. There were another thirty warriors spread out in a circle ahead of us. We were surrounded! I contemplated riding back and taking on the ten behind us but we would be going uphill and our mounts would struggle. The others were ahead o
f us and downhill. There was a chance we might break through. “Take out your swords and follow me closely. Raibeart, take the rear we will break through them.”
I was not confident to use my shield and ride, besides which it protected my left leg anyway so I left it attached to my saddle pommel. With the reins in my left hand and my sword in the right I kicked hard and drove directly at a knot of four warriors in the middle of their line. They were taken by surprise, expecting us to head towards the ten men behind us and that allowed us to close with them before they began to head in from the sides. The warrior ahead of me had a spear held pointing upwards at me. I swung my sword back as he stabbed at my chest. The tip of the spear caught on one of the plates and jarred him. I continued the swing with my blade and it sliced him from the crotch to the neck. At the same time the warrior on my left hacked at me with his sword but the blade bounced off the nail encrusted leather of my shield. I heard his scream as Raibeart took his head. A third warrior ran next to me with an axe; with a backswing I hacked at the haft and felt the blade bite deep. It must have jarred him for he stumbled. As he recovered Aelle smashed his sword into the back of his neck.
Suddenly the ground before me was devoid of enemies. I glanced around just in time to see an Angle hurl his spear at Aelle. It missed my brother but struck his pony in the haunches. The brave little beast did not fall but it slowed to a halt and the Angles some of whom were less than forty paces away lurched towards us. “Raibeart!”
We both wheeled our horses around as Aelle dismounted and grabbed his shield. “Run to us! Wolf! Kill!” Wolf turned and raced at the Angles who were now less than thirty paces from Aelle who was running quickly towards us. Although there were only five warriors who were close the rest were not far behind. I wondered how far my horse would get with a double load. That is, if we managed to kill the nearest warriors.
Wolf took a mighty leap and plunged his teeth into the throat of the nearest warrior. Before his comrades could aid him I had charged my labouring horse into one warrior while stabbing down at a second. Raibeart despatched a third and Aelle returned to stab the fourth in the back. With our five nearest pursuers disabled, I shouted, “Aelle, get on the back of mine. Raibeart, Bow!” Aelle hesitated. “Get on this fucking horse now!” I put my arm down and pulled him up. I heard my horse groan. It would not carry us far. I heard Raibeart’s arrows as they left his bow and I glanced down the valley. Far ahead there were trees where we might lose them.
I kicked on and heard Raibeart join me. “I hit one and my second slowed them up but they are following.” He began to pull ahead as my brave horse struggled to carry two armoured men and then I heard a strange noise; I heard the sound of howling, as though a ghost was flying over the land. I saw that Wolf’s ears were pricked and he was looking north and then I saw them. At the top of the ridge was the dragon standard of King Urien and he was leading forty warriors! The whole line plunged down to the Angles who were spread out on the valley side, helpless targets for the King and his warriors. As I watched the Angles fled back towards the south but the spears and swords of the King and his men slew them with disdain.
I reined in my weary horse and Aelle and I dismounted. We led our two mounts back up the slope to the pony which stood forlornly with the spear in its flank. Aelle had always been the one who knew animals well and he stroked his pony’s nuzzle. “Do you want me to put him out of his pain?”
Aelle’s eyes flashed angrily. “He will not die. I will save him.” He tore a piece of cloth from one of the dead Angles. “Raibeart, hold his head.” When the pony’s head was secured Aelle took the cloth and held it to the wound. With his other hand he gently pulled the spear from its side. Even I could see that the spear had only penetrated three fingers deep. Perhaps Aelle was right and we would save the beast. “Lann light a fire.”
I obeyed because of the certainty and authority in his voice. I owed my little brother that much at least. By the time the King and his men appeared over the skyline again the fire was going. “Raibeart hold this cloth over the wound and Lann take his head.”
I watched the column of men approaching us as Aelle blew on the flames to make them hotter. The dagger in the fire began to glow. Aelle spoke quietly to his pony as he took the knife and, nodding to the two of us he put the hot blade onto the wound. He had made sure that he was to the side and when the pony kicked back, he kicked fresh air. Aelle looked gratefully at the two of us. “Thank you. I could not bear to kill such a brave beast.”
“Well you did well.” I looked up to see the King of Rheged and Bladud his standard bearer looking down at us curiously. I realised that I still had my helmet on and I removed it. He recognised me. “You are the son of the man at the fort.” He saw my shield on my horse. “I see you took my advice but I am curious as to where you got the Roman armour and the magnificent sword.”
“They were from my father’s grandfather.”
He looked around. “And where are your father and the other men?”
I shook my head. “They are dead; they are all dead we are the only survivors from the hill fort of Stanwyck.”
King Urien looked first at Bladud and then back at us. “We came east because we heard there were warriors killing Angles and we came to enlist their aid.”
“We are those warriors.”
Bladud snorted, “You three! Do not make me laugh. The Angles would kill you in a moment and piss in your empty skulls.”
I felt Raibeart go for his sword. “Peace brother. I have yet to see this blowhard do anything but wave a standard and laugh at those who fight the Angles. Perhaps he was kicked in the head by a horse and his wits are addled.”
“Why you little piece of shit!” He began to dismount and I drew my sword.
“Any time you wish I am ready for you!”
“Put your weapons up I command it!” Bladud sheathed his sword but I kept mine in my hand. “Did you not hear me? Sheathe your sword.”
I turned to look the king in the eye.”And why should I obey you? My family is dead and it is no thanks to you. We have killed twenty Angles with no help from you. As far as I can see you are king of nothing.”
“Let me kill him majesty.”
King Urien had a curious look on his face. “No Bladud. The boy may be correct and,” he waved his arm at the corpses of the men we had slain, “they appear to be warriors. What is your name?”
“Lann son of Hogan. And these are my brothers Raibeart and Aelle.”
The king seemed to see Aelle for the first time. “Aelle is an Angle name is it not?”
“My father took my mother and he was an Angle.”
Bladud’s hand went to his sword again. “Touch my brother and I will gut you like a fish.” My voice was filled with anger at this man who insulted us.
“And I will kill any who touches Lann.”
The three of us stood in a half circle surrounded by the forty warriors of the king. He laughed, “I think I would like these warriors with me, Bladud, rather than against me. If they are willing to fight forty of my warriors then perhaps we can give them a little respect.” He suddenly became serious. “Will you three join us and become warriors of my household?” He saw our hesitation. “With three such as you who knows, we may be able to throw these Angles back from whence they came.”
I looked at my brothers who both nodded. “Then we will serve you and swear loyalty to you.” We all dropped to our knees and we became the King’s oathsworn.
Chapter 5
One of Urien’s warriors had died when he had been pitched from his horse and broken his neck with a hard landing. The king offered the rider’s mount to Aelle, much to Bladud’s disgust but Aelle, instead, gave it to his brother Raibeart. “You are the larger warrior and one day I will ride Heart again.” He was the most affectionate of the three of us and I suppose it was because he had had no affection from his father but beatings and hardship. It was his way of making up for that lack of paternal affection and he transferred that love to all that
were dear to him and that included animals.
Raibeart took me to one side as we prepared to leave the scene of battle. We had stripped the bodies of anything valuable and the King had given to the three of us some of the amulets and swords taken from those we had killed. “You know you will have to fight Baldud some time?”
I nodded. “He took exception to father and that has passed on to me.”
“He looks to be a dangerous man.”
“Do not worry brother, we are all dangerous in our own ways and I will not face him before I am ready. I do not think the king would countenance it.”
The King waved to us all. “Now we ride west.”
Aelle looked at me. “What of the sheep?”
The King looked perplexed and so I added. “We left some sheep penned, ready for our return.”
The other warriors laughed but the king said to Aelle, “And what would you do?”
“If they are to die then it should not be because we neglect them. I will collect them and then we can slaughter them and eat them. They deserve it.”
The king nodded. “I can see that you have honour. We cannot wait for you.”
“If you head west then I will find you.”
“Head for the Roman Wall north west of us. We will camp there. You will find us if you take the road west.”
He looked at me. “Can I have Wolf?”
“Of course. Should one of us stay with you?”
“No brother. I must do this.” He looked at me apologetically. “I do not understand it but it is here.” He tapped his chest.