by Griff Hosker
Even as the last warrior recovered and drew his own sword Raibeart plunged his blade into his neck. I looked for Bladud but he was too far away to catch. His reckoning would come another day. Raibeart was with Aelle as Wolf limped up. The blood on his jowls told me that Bladud had been injured. Aelle had a wound to his left arm but it was not deep and we bound it. He had been knocked about but he still smiled. He looked at us apologetically. “I did not hear them. Sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologise for. I would say those three were hoping to catch me unawares.” I looked at the two men. “Do you recognise them?”
Raibeart shook his head. He knew more of the army than I did. “They are not our men.”
“And yet they look familiar.” Then it struck me. They were Morcant’s men. “They are from the castle.”
“Why should Morcant Bulc wish harm to come to you?”I told them of his offer and how my refusal had offended him. “What do we do with the bodies?”
The water was already lapping around our ankles. “Leave them here and the tide will take them. They will be washed up on the Saxon beach.”
“What will you tell the kings?”
“Nothing. I cannot believe that Bladud will say anything, neither will the king and I would not sow discord between the kings until this is over. We will watch Bladud even more carefully than before. At least it is out in the open now, between us anyway.”
Aelle struggled to his feet. “I hope you are right brother.”
“So do I.” In light of subsequent events I think I was wrong but wyrd interferes in many ways; hitherto it had been to our benefit but now it was to cost us dear.
The tide was not low enough until the early afternoon which gave us the time we needed to prepare our fire arrows. Rhydderch made a joke of our request but acceded gladly. “A terrible waste of fine liquor. We will have to brew more when we return home. But if it pays back those bastards then it is a good use for it.”
Gildas and his men spent the morning honing their formation. They had had the advantage of watching us fight and knew what the dangers were. I thought that we had done well but I too had learned much. When this was all over I would have a spear made for every man. A wall of spears would aid us and we would still be able to draw our swords. My shield had now been modified with two scabbards and the next time we fought I would have a surprise for my opponent.
King Urien and his bodyguards rode over and I felt a great satisfaction when I saw his heavily bandaged hand. Wolf had been given some treats the previous night and I noticed that he growled as the standard bearer rode by. The hatred was even more visible but I smiled a greeting. The king dismounted and led me away from the men. “I see the Saxons are ready for us today.” The Saxons had two boats filled with warriors on either side of the causeway. If we attempted the same tactic then the archers would be attacked.
I grinned. “A good job we are not repeating the same attack today then.”
The king nodded and looked to the empty headland behind us.”King Morcant is a little tardy. It seems strange when we are here to regain him his kingdom and yet he is the last one to present himself.”
“Perhaps we should let him lead this attack.”
The king stroked his beard. “I had thought of that but Gildas would take offence at that and I would not dampen his enthusiasm.”
Just then the army of King Morcant Bulc arrived. “Hail King Urien. Today we defeat them eh?”
“Aye King Morcant. We were just discussing if you and your men would like to assault in the second wave.”
Everyone knew that I was to lead the second assault and the Bryneician king said, “Why, is the Wolf Warrior afraid?”
My hand went to my sword but the king restrained me and his voice was cold. “There is no need for an insult such as that. Lord Lann has shown to all, especially you that he is the bravest of warriors. I was just wondering if your warriors need blooding.”
The insult was thrown back and Morcant Bulc reddened. “My men will lead the assault if you wish!”
King Urien had regained his composure. “There is no need for that, Lord Gildas is in position and the tide is right.”
Gildas turned to us and Ywain ordered his brother to lower the standard. They set off with the same chant we had used. Their feet splashed in the water as the tide receded but Gildas kept up the same pace. The archers under Raibeart were behind them, as close as it was possible to walk. Aelle’s slingers would have to wait until Gildas had taken the other side of the causeway. It would be a hard fight. This time the Saxons were not attacking the wedge, they were waiting for it in a shield wall. King Morcant’s men also formed a wedge but I could see that they had not perfected it for it was neither tight nor uniform and, as they followed the archers across the causeway it became even more disjointed. Riderch gave me a wan smile as they trudged forwards. It was obvious that he was not happy about the ragged formation and I hoped that his brave life would not be wasted.
I turned to my men. Ywain was next to me, his mail gleaming. “Stand eight men wide behind us.” With the proud Rhun between us, holding our new standard, we stepped on to the causeway the men chanting “Wolf” and “Slayer.” It was most effective as it made the whole column sound like a fell beast tramping towards the Saxon lines.
I could not see the front of the battle but I saw Raibeart’s arrows showering the Saxons and I saw spears thrown back and then I heard a clash of metal on metal and metal on wood. It was a terrible noise punctuated by shouts and screams. I slowed up our advance for I could see that Morcant’s men had also slowed. I looked at the sea next to me and I could see Rheged and Saxon bodies floating on the ebbing tide. I was grateful that the Saxons had no archers for if they had then the boats could have decimated us as we marched ever closer.
Suddenly we were on dry land! We had crossed the causeway. Ywain said to his brother. “Signal the withdrawal. Lord Gildas has done all that he can. Now it is Bryneich’s turn.” It seemed to take an age but the survivors of the attack made their way around the edge of the Bryneician wedge. I was relieved to see Gildas, although bloodied had survived and was grinning. “Form up behind us.”
“I will cousin.”
“Aelle. Take your slingers forward and order the men to bring the urns with the fire.” At the rear eight men carried four urns filled with burning coals. They would provide the fire for the arrows.”Shield wall!” My men spread out in two lines on either side of Ywain and me. Rhun proudly held the dragon standard high.
I drew my sword and held it aloft. All of my men roared, “Saxon Slayer.” Aelle and his slingers cheered as they ran to take their place on the flanks where they would keep up a constant storm of stones and sling shot. The number of arrows had diminished as Raibeart conserved his stock. He knew that he needed many for the attack on the wooden walls. The wedge ahead of us was struggling and they began to push back against us. Their lack of cohesion meant that the Saxons outnumbered them and they were losing heavily. When some of the terrified warriors turned to try to force their way past us I shouted, “Make a passage in the middle.” I stepped to the left and Rhun and Ywain to the right and suddenly the Bryneicians fled accompanied by the jeers from the Saxons.
“Lock shields.”
Ywain turned to his brother. “Signal the advance and then take your place behind the rear rank.” He looked as though he was going to argue but the fierce look from his elder brother made him obey. We stepped over the bodies of the dead and I could see a knot of warriors still gathered around their standard. Riderch was still alive. I dropped my sword and the whole line raced forwards in perfect time. The Saxons who had surrounded the survivors were so busy trying to despatch them that they did not see us coming until it was too late. They thought that they had won and the whole of our line had retreated. It was understandable, two wedges had failed to break them. My sword smashed down the back of a warrior; the blade sliced through the mail and opened his back bone as though by a butcher. Ywain and the rest of us clo
se to the Saxons did the same and we saw the grateful faces of our allies. “Let them pass through!”
We turned sideways, still presenting our shields to the enemy but leaving space for the men to squeeze through. The last one to pass was Riderch; his cheek sliced open to the bone by a sword. “Thank you my friend. I thought I was going to meet my father.”
“Not yet but thank you and we will now finish what you have started.” The Saxons were dismayed. They thought that they had won and now their tormentors from the previous day, the warriors with the dragon standard and the men of the wolf had returned and were fresh. We had seen our comrades and allies hurt and killed and we were ready for revenge. We had watched the men burn in their ditches and now we burned with the desire to end this. “Halt!” The men stopped and I steadied the line. The Saxons waited. Stones still flew from the flanks and I saw that all of the enemy had their shields held tightly to protect them. “Ready! Charge!” We had but ten paces to go but we threw ourselves at the enemy. I saw a spear hurled and I flicked up my shield and it pinged off and flew behind me. The warrior who had thrown it did not have time to draw his sword and Saxon Slayer took him in the throat. I twisted as it went in and it slid out with his life blood. The warriors behind us were all armed with spears which stabbed over our shoulders so that each Saxon faced two enemies and they fell like wheat to a scythe.
“Push them!” I could see the ditch some twenty paces behind them and we pushed, punched and stabbed them relentlessly so that they had to gradually move backwards. I smashed my sword down so hard on one shield that it cracked and I saw the terror on the man’s face. I punched him with the boss of my own shield and, as he fell at my feet stamped down with my nail encrusted caligae to crush his face and brains into a bloody mush. The ones at the back fell into the ditch and that was the signal for them to flee towards the safety of their stronghold.
They hurtled towards the gates and I saw men on the ramparts with spears ready to slaughter any of us who tried to follow. That was not our plan. I nodded to a grinning Ywain who shouted, “Rhun! Halt!”
The whole line stopped and I could see the Saxons wondering what we intended. I heard the sound of hooves and I turned to see the three kings with their bodyguards and the survivors of the attacks forming up behind us. They would be the final assault once Raibeart had performed his magic. Ywain shouted, “Raibeart!”
Raibeart and his archers ran around to stand before us. The eight men placed the urns at regular intervals and after the tops had been removed they began to blow on the coals. I could see the glow. I nodded at Raibeart and he and the men nearest him went to the urn and dipped the end of their arrows into it. It came out flaming. I was worried for my brother; we have never done this before and it could end up a disaster. They all brought them up and Raibeart shouted, “Loose!” The flaming arrows arced into the sky and plunged on to the walls. Raibeart’s second flight also struck the walls and they even managed a third. The walls were soon ablaze and the Saxons had no water ready to douse the flames. They had been unprepared. Aelle’s boys kept hurling stones at any face which appeared over the ramparts and Raibeart and his men were quickly gathering spent arrows from their earlier attack and were loosing them at the enemy. Now was the time for patience but, as I glanced over my shoulder I saw that we had made a momentous cast of the dice for the tide had covered the causeway. We had nowhere left to run. We would either defeat them now or we would all perish on this little island which was now covered in blood, the dead and the dying.
“Raibeart, see if you can set the two Saxon ships alight.”
My brother grinned as he and his archers took their last soaked arrow and lit them. He split his men in two groups and soon the two Saxon ships which had been filled with observers were turned into funeral pyres as they erupted in flames, the crews jumping overboard to save themselves. Those who were not pulled down by the armour and struggled to the shore were slaughtered by the waiting men of King Rhydderch, eager for revenge on these Saxons.
King Morcant Bulc suddenly launched the attack of his men into the stronghold. King Urien should have ordered the charge but King Morcant wanted some glory for himself. The others all followed. We were weary and we just waited and tended to the wounds of our comrades who had been hurt. We could hear the clash of arms within and Ywain gave the order for us to follow. The fires had quickly consumed the wood and we were able to enter almost anywhere we wished. I kept together with my men as I did not wish to be surprised by the cornered rats in their hole. There were dead and burning bodies everywhere. Some men had been struck by the fire arrows and the smell of roast flesh was all around us. It was like marching through a mortuary and we headed up the sides of the mound to their keep where the kings and their bodyguards were busy destroying the last of the defenders.
“The ships, Ywain, they will try to escape.”
“You take the north of the island and I will take the south.”
“Aelle go with the Prince. Raibeart, follow me!”
We found that there were many men women and children trying to board the boats. There was no time for discrimination and we waded into them killing any we saw who still had weapons. The warriors tried to face us and help their families to escape but it was fruitless. I stabbed, hacked and punched all who stood in my way. I suspect that my accomplishments on the previous day had marked me, because of my helmet, as a fearsome warrior who had killed their champion and every man who faced me had that look in their eyes which admits defeat before he has struck a blow. I felt someone behind me and I swung my sword. I managed to stop it before it hit the young woman and the crying child. Her face implored pity and I thought of my mother and Monca. I could not kill this woman and I sheathed my sword and reached an arm out of her. She looked afraid and I said, in Saxon, “I will not harm you. I swear it.” Perhaps the words helped because she gave a wan smile and allowed me to raise her up. A wild eyed warrior lunged at her and I batted his sword away with my shield. “Enough!” I could see that they were defeated. “Take prisoners!”
I helped her from the water and found my brothers and Wolf. They were bandaging wounded warriors. They saw me with the young girl. “Watch her. There has been enough killing of women ere now.”
“Aye there has. I will watch them for you brother.”
I went around the water restraining warriors who had the blood lust and escorting the grateful women and children back to my brothers who soon had a clutch of survivors. Night had fallen and I was weary but I did not stop until all that remained were the dead. I returned to my brothers. My men had gathered there and as I approached they roared, “Lord Lann the Wolf Warrior and the Saxon Slayer.” They all began to bang their shields and roar my name. I held up my hand to silence them.
The first woman I had rescued looked up at me in amazement. “You are Lann the Wolf Warrior? We heard that you ate babies and raped women.”
My brothers shook their heads and Aelle said, “No. He is a fierce warrior but he kills only men. He is honourable.”
“I am sorry my lord. I meant no disrespect.”
I smiled and cupped the chin of the child. “You are the first women we have seen and the first we have captured. This is new to us all.” I turned to the men. “Let us get inside the stronghold for shelter and food.”
My men surrounded the prisoners and we made our weary way inside. When we reached the middle the bodyguards of the kings were hurling the bodies of the Saxon warriors into the remains of the burning keep as a giant funeral pyre. King Morcant Bulc, his face flushed and red rode up to my men. “Who sanctioned these prisoners. I said that all should be killed.” He raised his sword and the women recoiled in fear.
I stepped forwards. “I did! No-one said we were to kill women and children.”
“I did and this is my land! I will do as I wish!”
I was ready to draw my sword and end this petulant king’s life when King Urien’s quiet and calm voice said.”This land of yours was bought with the blood and lives
of my men and King Rhydderch and I did not sanction the killing of women and children.”
Morcant Bulc looked angry and he whipped his horse’s head around and galloped off. As he did so Raibeart said, “He does know this is an island? Where does he think he is going?”
I took off my helmet and shook my head, “I do care so long as it is away from me. I weary of him.” The King and Ywain approached me. “I am sorry if I did aught I should not have and put you in a difficult position your majesty.”
He smiled that gracious smile we all loved. “No Lann, you did exactly as I would have done and tomorrow when we can we will return home and give these women and children our protection until we have decided what to do with them and I can get the taste of death and King Morcant Bulc out of my nostrils.
Chapter 12
When dawn had finally arrived King Morcant began to clear the debris left from the previous day’s battle. We had persuaded him that he should fortify it himself and garrison it; if only to stop the Saxons reinvesting it and making us take it once more. It had cost too many men’s lives to take and it would be foolish to throw away the hard won gain. King Morcant was stiff and formal when taking leave of his brother kings. It still rankled that King Urien had overridden his edict. I think too, he had been unhappy about the fact that the victory had so obviously been won by the men of Rheged. While they said their goodbyes I sought out Riderch. He had a fine angry looking scar which now ran from his eye to his chin. “At least I shall frighten my enemies now Lann.”
“You did well yesterday in your first battle.”
He shook his head. “We were an ill disciplined mob. You and your warriors showed us how it should be done. The king has told me I can train our men in your style of fighting.”