Beorn nodded, “Aye, that would work.”
“The men have been asking when we can raid again. This is a good decision… if you make it.”
“Is that meat ready?”
“Aye.”
We had wooden platters and Olaf carved off some choice pieces for us. It was good. As I ate I thought. By the time we had cleared our platters and used the old bread we had brought with us to mop up the juices I had made my decision.
“I am not yet ready to cease raiding. We will bloody Egbert’s nose again and I will watch Ragnar and Gruffyd. We will trade at Dorestad when we have raided. If this is to be our last raid then let us make it a good one.”
They all seemed happy with that decision.
“Aye Jarl!”
Part One
Chapter 1
We left in the middle of Einmánuður. We had four ships: ‘Heart of the Dragon’ , ‘Crow’ , ‘Odin’s Breath’ and ‘King’s Gift’ . We were not fully crewed but I still had a hundred and eighty men to lead. My daughter’s new husband, Thorghest, led the men aboard ‘King’s Gift’ . My daughter was happy with him and he seemed a sound warrior. Raibeart ap Pasgen captained ‘Crow’ and I had given ‘Odin’s Gift’ to my grandson, Ragnar. Gruffyd had asked to sail with him but I had made him sail with me. Ragnar had to lead. Besides it was the men of Cyninges-tūn who manned my ship and Gruffyd knew them better.
My drekar was the one which was not fully manned but the ones aboard were the most experienced warriors we had. Erik Ironshirt and his Angry Cubs rowed behind Asbjorn the Strong and his men. At the fore were the remnants of my Ulfheonar. Gone were the days when my ship would have half of her oars manned by the greatest of warriors. Now they just manned the first four oars. They rowed in pairs. Cnut Cnutson, the son of one of my greatest warriors, shared an oar with Einar Hammer Arm. That was the way of the warrior. Your oar brother was also your shield brother. You rowed together. You fought together and, all too often, you died together.
I stood at the steering board with Erik Short Toe. He had been a ship’s boy when I had first raided and now flecks of grey showed in his wild hair. His sons had been ship’s boys and now they steered my other ships. We had the usual ship’s boys but this voyage we had two new ones. Leif the Lucky and Erik Finnison had come to us with Astrid Mother. This would be their first raid and Erik Short Toe and I smiled as the two of them desperately tried to emulate the other ship’s boys. They would learn but it would take time.
I saw Erik look astern. I knew what he was doing. He was watching his sons. “Do not worry old friend, Knut and Arne Three Fingers are good sailors. They learned from the best.”
He laughed, “Aye Jarl. I hope that Arne and Ragnar, son of Wolf Killer, work as well together as we do.”
It was not conceit which made Erik speak thus. A jarl and a steersman had to work well together. Many ships had foundered because there was disharmony at the steering board. Arne and Ragnar knew each other well and they would be a good team.
Erik pointed to Gruffyd who was talking with Gunnar Longsword. He was one of Erik Ironshirt’s men. “And one day Gruffyd will have his own drekar and his own captain too.”
“To listen to him talk he should have one now.” I shook my head. He had argued that he was as ready as Ragnar to lead men. I knew that he was not but I understood why he felt the way he did. Until this voyage, he and Ragnar had been treated equally. In my eyes, they still were but Gruffyd did not see it that way. It was not only my decision to have him on my ship which had caused a problem, Ragnar’s marriage had changed him. Ragnar had become a man. Gruffyd was still a boy in a man’s body. I hoped that this voyage and raid would make him a man.
Erik looked up at the pennant fluttering at the masthead, “We had to sail to steerboard until we have cleared Mona. Haaken, oars.”
Haaken shouted, cheerfully, “You have all rested long enough. To your oars and let me hear you sing lustily. I want the other drekar to hear my fine words.”
The Dragonheart sailed with warriors brave
To find the child he was meant to save
With Haaken and Ragnar’s Spirit
They dared to delve with true warrior’s grit
With Aðils Shape Shifter with scout skills honed
They found the island close by the rocky stones
The Jarl and Haaken do bravely roar
The Jarl and Haaken and the Ulfheonar
Beneath the earth the two they went
With the sword by Odin sent
In the dark the witch grew strong
Even though her deeds were wrong
A dragon’s form she took to kill
Dragonheart faced her still
He drew the sword touched by the god
Made by Odin and staunched in blood
The Jarl and Haaken will bravely roar
The Jarl and Haaken and the Ulfheonar
With a mighty blow, he struck the beast
On Dragonheart’s flesh he would not feast
The blade struck true and the witch she fled
Ylva lay as though she were dead
The witch’s power could not match the blade
The Ulfheonar are not afraid
The Jarl and Haaken will bravely roar
The Jarl and Haaken and the Ulfheonar
And now the sword will strike once more
Using all the Allfather’s power
Fear the wrath you Danish lost
You fight the wolf and pay the cost
The Jarl and Haaken will bravely roar
The Jarl and Haaken and the Ulfheonar
It was good for the crew to sing together and to bend their backs as one. I saw Gruffyd grinning. He shared an oar with Einar Fair Face. He was the youngest warrior aboard. His mother had brought him up alone after his father had died on a raid. I was pleased that Gruffyd had taken him under his wing. Ragnar had done the same for him. Learning your way around an oar, a drekar and warriors who are all used to each other, is never easy. Having a friend helped.
When we saw the island off the larboard oars Erik shouted, “In oars, the winds will take us now.”
The crew had had to row for a couple of hours and it worked the knots from muscles. The men would be able to drink some beer and stretch. When we raided, the journey was all part of the preparation. Haaken and Olaf joined me at the steering board, “Some of the men are a little rusty and the new ones look like frightened deer but that went well.”
Erik Short Toe nodded, “Aye it did. I hope my sons have crew that row as well.”
“Do not worry. It is Olaf Grimsson who watches the rear. He will keep an eye on them.” Olaf was my second most experienced captain. He sailed knarr when we were not raiding. He knew the seas and the coasts as well as Erik Short Toe.
I watched to the east as we passed the island where we raided for grain. We had a pattern to our raids. It would be Tvímánuður before we raided here. The time of the new grass was to get treasure, slaves and, if we could, young animals.
“It has been many years since we raided Om Walum.”
“I know, Olaf Leather Neck, and that is why I chose it. The last time we raided the north coast. Erik Ironshirt talks of a long fjord, the Fal, it is called locally. He says there is a monastery there. It was recently taken by the men of Wessex.”
“You think that it will be easier to take?” Olaf Leather Neck did not mind hard targets but, like me, he knew that this raid was to an unknown part of the land.
“It is what Aiden said. The men of Om Walum build defences on rocks but they are for their kings and lords. The Saxons like their burghs. They protect their towns. I am hoping that they destroyed the defences of the men of Om Walum and it takes time to build a burgh.”
“And then Dorestad?”
“Aye Haaken. Dyflin is not a place I would care to use for trade. We know not who rules there now. They may be friends but I know not. Dorestad is wild but we know what to expect and our goods fetch a higher price there now th
at King Louis has lost his grip on the port.”
The benevolent wind took us to the island of the puffins and we pulled in to slaughter some of the beasts and eat fresh fowl while we could. There were monks on the island. However, it was a poor monastery. They had neither gold not silver. They were more like hermits than priests and we left them alone. Some Vikings killed for pleasure. We killed for profit or for glory.
As we sat around the fire on the beach, Haaken said, “We will be sailing close to Syllingar.” It was a statement but, to all of us, it was significant. Snorri had died because of the Norn who lived there. Haaken’s white hair had come not as a result of age but of fear. I had endured that cave more times than I cared to remember. The last time had been to retrieve my granddaughter Ylva from the clutches of the witch! I had won but I knew that, one day, the three weird sisters would have their revenge. Aiden and Kara had told me that the gods were on my side. I hoped so.
“We need not risk the isles. We can hug the coast around the rocky headland they call the lizard.”
The coast was treacherous but all of us would rather trust to the seamanship of our captains and the strength of our drekar rather than face the fury of the Norns. As we sailed across the mouth of the Sabrina I wondered about raiding there. It was a land whose warriors were brave but who had neither the equipment nor the skill to face a Viking warrior. Perhaps Erik Short Toe was becoming like Aiden for he seemed to read my mind. “Jarl there will be more treasure along the Fal. The men of Om Walum have tin and gold. Their animals give birth before ours in the north. This raid will be a good one.”
I nodded, “I know, Erik. It seems that the older I get the more I see the dangers. When I was young, I would have thought nothing of this and yet now, going into the unknown is worrying.”
He lowered his voice, “Jarl it is Ragnar and Gruffyd who bother you. Are they good enough to take over? I know what you think for I had it too with Knut and Arne. I am getting a stiff neck from looking over my shoulder to see how they fare. You have to let your children go. You need to let them see if they can fly without you to support them. You have a fine son and grandson. Trust that you have done all that you can. This raid will be a good test for us all.”
We had to row and sail carefully around the rocky coast of Om Walum. We passed the rocky fortress of Tintaieol where we had defeated their king. He had learned of the skill of Vikings that day. The castle was formidable. It stood on a high rock with a narrow bridge of stone connecting it the land. I had been glad that we did not need to attack it. I saw men on the ramparts. It was still occupied but by whom?
When we turned to sail east we fairly flew. ‘Heart of the Dragon’ had been well made and her hull had been cleaned of weed. She barely touched the water. The other three drekar were hard pushed to keep up with us. It was getting on to dark and so we did not sail too far east. This was a new coast to us.
The sun was setting behind us as we passed the island sacred to the followers of the White Christ. There was a church on the top of a rock jutting out of the sea. It is said that pilgrims would wade across to it at low tide. If the raid on the Fal did not succeed then we would sail there and take our chances with the tiny church which nestled in the sky.
Leif the Lucky shouted, “I see a beach! It is to the north east.”
As we had seen perilously few such landing sites Erik took us a little closer. Our new ship’s boy was correct. There was a beach and I saw no sign of either houses or boats. It was perfect.
That night as food was cooked I sat with Olaf, Haaken, Ragnar, Thorghest and Erik Ironshirt. I had the crude map with Aiden had drawn. He had better maps of the land further north but he had to rely on the maps left by Romans and the ones Josephus had bequeathed us. Aiden always asked us to bring back any maps or writings. He had a thirst for knowledge as great as Olaf Leather Neck’s thirst for ale. We were able to use the rocky island as a guide to where we were. As near as we could estimate we were less than thirty miles, by sea, from the fjord.
“What is the plan, Jarl?”
“I know this map which Josephus left us is old but the fjord seems wide. The ones at home in Norway all had a deep bottom. I would have us sail in the middle of the fjord at night so that we land at dawn.”
They nodded and Thorghest said, “All well and good but land where? Do we know where there will a church? A burgh?”
I smiled at Thorghest. This was the first such raid he had been on with me. I understood his worries, “Fear not. We listen for bells. We smell the smoke and we look for the lights. As for being a burgh? I am not worried. We have breached the walls of burghs before. All you need to do is to follow me and the Ulfheonar when we attack. I will trust that you are behind me and you must trust that we will get you inside whatever defences the enemy have.”
“But how?”
Erik Ironshirt pointed to me, “These men are Ulfheonar. I have seen them do impossible things. Listen to their sagas. They do not fight as we fight. They can move in the night and be unseen. The wolf cloaks are not just for show. These warriors are wolves. Fear not my friend. If Jarl Dragonheart says he will get us inside their walls then we are there already!”
I sent Beorn and Aðils Shape Shifter to scout out the headland above us in case there were any homes or burghs nearby. They returned and told us that there were none. It meant we were safe and we had no need to flee. We could take our time and prepare for war. After the sun had risen and we had eaten I took Ragnar and Gruffyd to one side. The others were loading the drekar and putting on their war faces. We would be leaving after the sun had reached its zenith but my men liked as much time as possible to prepare.
“When we attack the men of Om Walum all my warriors will be watching you. You are the son and grandson of Jarl Dragonheart. I am sorry, I can do nothing about that. It is your fate. You will be burdened with that until the day you die.”
“I am not afraid, father!” Gruffyd was still young. He had growing to do and not just in his body.
I exchanged a look with Ragnar. The three years’ difference in age seemed much greater at that moment. “This is not about fear, it is about being you. It is about how you conduct yourself as a warrior. You will be fighting along with other warriors but they will look to you. Do you shirk the blades which come at you? Are you reckless? You have both fought with me but my time as a warrior is coming to an end. You are the future of the clan and you have a great weight on your shoulders.”
Ragnar smiled, “What are you saying, grandfather?”
“I am saying that you must be true to yourselves. Tomorrow we may all die. If that is true what will men say of us? Will they say it is sad that they are no longer with us and Valhalla is a better place for their presence? Or will they say they deserved to die and we will be better off without them?”
Gruffyd said, “No one could say that of you! Everyone says you are the greatest warrior! You have the sword which is touched by the gods!”
Ragnar looked at him. “He was not talking of himself, Gruffyd. It was us.” He turned back to me. “I know of what you speak, Jarl Dragonheart. I have a son and I want Sámr to be proud of me. We will not let ourselves down.”
I put my arms around the two of them. “Those are the words I wished to hear.”
We did not raise the sail. My men rowed.
Through the stormy Saxon Seas
The Ulfheonar they sailed
Fresh from killing faithless Danes
Their glory was assured
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
Then Saxons came out of the night
An ambush by their Isle of Wight
Vikings fight they do not run
The Jarl turned away from the rising sun
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
The galdramenn burned Dragon Fire
And
the seas they burned bright red
Aboard 'The Gift' Asbjorn the Strong
And the rock Eystein
Rallied their men to board their foes
And face them beard to beard
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
Against great odds and back to back
The heroes fought as one
Their swords were red with Saxon blood
And the decks with bodies slain
Surrounded on all sides was he
But Eystein faltered not
He slew first one and then another
But the last one did for him
Even though he fought as a walking dead
He killed right to the end
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
The old saga seemed to bind the crew even more and I had never felt such a smooth motion beneath our keel. Perhaps the gods were with us. As the sun set behind us I spied, on the headland ahead, a tower. It was a watch tower.
“Haaken, slow down the beat. I would have us pass the tower after dark.”
“Aye Jarl.”
As soon as they stopped singing then the oars at the stern began to dictate our paces. Haaken, Olaf and the other experienced rowers slowed us down. Later I realised that this was wyrd . My men were not as tired when we reached the shore.
We passed the tower. It was made of wood and stone. It appeared to be built on the rock of the cliff itself. I heard a sharp-eyed sentry shout a warning. Aðils Shape Shifter’s arrow arced up and there was a cry. The sentry tumbled over the side and crashed on to the rocks. We had bought ourselves a little time. We had done this so often that, even in the dark, I knew what to look for. I spied boats on the landward side. They were less than five hundred paces from us. I took out Ragnar’s Spirit and pointed. Erik Short Toe pushed the steering board over. Even as we closed with the boats I saw the flaring of flames from the tower. They had given the warning but it was too late. The wolf was in the sheepfold!
Viking Weregeld (Dragonheart Book 17) Page 2