by Griff Hosker
She translated. Once again they spoke amongst themselves. They seem oblivious to the fact that Seara was translating all of their words. “They say that Murchad should go to Tara and show the High King that he is now the chief.”
Finally Murchad came up to me and spoke directly to me. “He says he and two of his warriors will come with you.” I nodded and then Aiden began to talk. His father shouted at him but he stood defiantly. Seara smiled, “Aiden wishes to come.”
“Tell Murchad that his son is welcome. Haaken, take the sword back on board the ship and tell Olaf we will be sailing soon.”
Murchad nodded his agreement and the warriors returned to the village. “Where are they going?”
“They wish to make a good impression on the High King. They are going to change.”
I noticed that Aiden had not left Seara’s side and we went back on board ‘Wolf’ with Aiden gripping her hand. When Murchad and his men returned we set sail. Murchad pointed to the south. Olaf put the rudder over and we headed back towards the destroyed village. It was still a smouldering ruin and Murchad and his two companions cast black looks in our direction. They had obviously been kin to those we had killed. As we sailed I could not help but notice that Murchad seemed indifferent to his son. How different was my reunion with Arturus. No wonder the boy had wanted to stay with us. He had, at least, had some affection from Seara and Maewe.
We continued to head south. There were few inhabited places which were close to the coast. The land seemed empty. Perhaps they all lived inland. We passed one estuary where we saw the masts of ships. “Olaf, sail a little closer to them.” Murchad became agitated. I turned to Seara, “Tell him we are not landing but I am curious.”
He jabbered back at Seara. “He says that the people here are warlike and may try to take your ship.”
I wondered at that. I could not see Murchad being that concerned for our welfare and perhaps it was his own life he feared losing. And then Murchad was put from my thoughts as I saw Tadgh’s drekar. “Ask him if we are close to Tara.”
He spoke at length and Seara nodded. “He says it is many miles inland and we can land further south. It will make the journey shorter than from here but you will have to leave your ship on the beach. There is no port.”
“Ask him if there is a landing site closer to the north.”
I could see that Murchad and his companions were concerned about that. I drew my sword and put the point to Murchad’s throat. “The truth or he dies along with his companions.”
The threat in my words and face were enough and Murchad nodded. He spoke to Seara. “There is a place we passed some miles back.”
“Olaf, turn her around we are going north.”
“Make up your mind!”
I laughed, “Why have you something better to do?”
He grumbled, “I might have.”
The small bay was totally deserted when we reached it. Before we landed I questioned our captives. “How far is it to Tara?”
Murchad looked shifty eyed again but he could see the determination on my face. “Half a day.”
“And from the place we just left?”
“A little longer.”
I knew then that Murchad had had something planned. There must have been somewhere along the route which would have been suitable for an ambush. He could still do that. “Seara, get a description of Tara and the route we take to get there.”
She did so. It seemed to me that we would be unlikely to run into trouble before we reached this Tara. From what I could gather it was a place with religious significance. It was a place where violence was forbidden. For the first time I felt a little hopeful.
I turned to Olaf. “I am only going to take half the men. I think this may be a trap. You can take Seara with you and return to Man. Try to persuade Prince Butar to raid the port we just passed. I would like Tadgh’s ship destroying.”
Seara protested, “I will come with you.”
“No, I need you to look after Aiden. As he is with us I will retain him as a hostage.”
“How will you understand their words?”
“I will get by. You have done more than enough.”
The hard part was choosing the warriors who would accompany me. All of them wanted to go; they were oathsworn. In the end I took Haaken, Cnut, Egill, Harald, Bjorn, Oleg, Sigismund and Stig. Olaf looked at me with a sceptical eye. “And will that be enough?”
“I am not here to fight the whole Hibernian tribe. I am here to kill Tadgh and rescue my wife. If it is not enough then we will have a glorious death.”
He nodded his understanding. He pointed at Murchad. “I would not trust that rat. He will slit your throat as soon as look at you.”
“And I know that already.”
Murchad frowned when he saw that his son and Seara were not joining us. He jabbered at me. I pointed west and just said, “You, Tara!” He tried to push past me to get to the ship and his son. I hit him with my mailed fist and he fell in an unconscious heap.
My Ulfheonar laughed and Olaf shouted, “I see you have learned the art of negotiation. We will be here tomorrow.”
Then my ship’s sails filled and she turned to sail to my home. I was resolved that I would be able to accomplish what I needed to without risking losing all of the finest warriors my people had. I nodded to Haaken, “Keep that sword safe. It is our insurance.”
“I will.”
Murchad came to. His nose was a bloody mess. I pointed west and snapped, “Tara!”
Casting me murderous looks he turned and began to walk west with his two comrades behind him. “Egill, keep way behind us in case we are being followed.”
As we trudged west I wondered about this new High King. From what I had gathered he had ruled for only a few years. As such he would be wary of both friend and foes. He would not be secure in his position. Perhaps that was why Tadgh had sought him out. It would be a way to ingratiate himself into the king’s favour by offering him such renowned warriors.
Chapter 5
The land, we passed through, was green and dotted with isolated farms. There appeared to be no danger for we saw no-one. I was not worried about ambush for the country was too open and we were too well armed. When we closed with the hill fort that was Tara, then that would change. I had learned that this hill had religious significance and was the main reason I had chosen so few warriors to accompany me. The High King would not risk any bloodshed on such a religious site. We were too few for our deaths to bring any honour and I counted on the fact that he would want to talk first. He might still wish us dead later on but I just needed time to speak with him.
Surprisingly our three guides did not appear to want to leave us. From what I knew of this land it was full of clans with blood feuds and memories as old as the mountains. We were their protection. Seara had told me that Murchad needed the High King to confirm him as chief. The warrior I had killed must have been the last holder of that office. Perhaps they had been related in some way. The bones from the nearby village were testament to the brutal nature of life in Hibernia.
We saw the hill fort some time before we reached it. It dominated the land around it. The hill was the highest point for miles around and the wooden walls looked formidable. We had the advantage that we were travelling from the east which would keep us hidden for longer. The sun was low in the western sky now and I judged that we would just reach it before sunset. The Ulfheonar were calm as we marched west. We had yet to taste defeat. From what we had seen of the Irish they were not as skilled in arms as we were. It remained to be seen if the High King had gathered better warriors around him. I hoped we would not have to fight but if we had to then my warriors could match any that we might meet.
We were spotted some half a mile from the gate. Four warriors on small ponies galloped out to meet us. We waited as they rode up. In the time it took for them to reach us Egill arrived. He shook his head, “No one followed.”
The four warriors who reached us were lightly armed. Th
ey looked at us as though we were a strange new phenomenon. They spoke to us. I smiled and pointed to Murchad. I hoped he would say what we wanted him to. Haaken still had his sword and I had seen the greed and the desire in his eyes. Until he got his hands on that weapon he would be more compliant. Murchad spoke with the riders who looked at each other and then pointed us in the direction of the main gate. The sun was now setting. Had we arrived an hour later then it might have been seen as a threat. As it was the four men on ponies rode behind us to ensure that we had no tricks.
Cnut laughed, “As if those four little boys could stop us if we chose to go back from whence we came.” I was just glad that they could not understand our language. It would not do to upset them. We needed to see how the land lay. We were the strangers in this land.
There were many warriors on the ramparts as we rode up. It was an old hill fort with concentric circles of ditches and mounds. I could see why it had been chosen; it was the only high spot for miles around. The wooden walls were sturdy too and the gateway was a real obstacle. It would take a mighty army to assault it. Half naked warriors with tattoos and limed hair lined the entrance. Their wild rolling eyes showed that they were trying to intimidate us. It would take more than spiky hair to do that. Once inside I saw that there were hundreds of warriors gathered. I was desperately looking for a sign of Tadgh and my wife but I could not see either of them. Nor could I see any warriors such as us. Had I been misled?
The lines of warriors led to a raised dais and a throne. On it sat a man, younger than I had expected. He had red hair and blue eyes. They were both striking and handsome features. He was dressed in a mail byrnie and from his side hung a long sword. Behind him and to the right was a white haired man dressed in white robes. He had the longest hair and beard I had ever seen. He stared at me and my men as though he knew us.
Murchad approached him and dropped to his knee. The king, for I assumed it was he, spoke to Murchad. The man spoke quickly with many gestures towards us. When he had finished the king looked at us and then beckoned us forward. We all kept our hands before us, palms up. We wanted them to know that we came in peace.
The king spoke to the white haired man who nodded. He walked forwards and began to speak with us in our own language. “I am the high priest here, Myrddyn is my name. King Áed Oirdnide wishes to know why men from the north have brought this man here to this most holy of places.” He smiled, “The punishment for coming uninvited is normally death.”
“Our village was raided by some Hibernians and renegades. They took my wife. We destroyed the village of the Hibernians who raided us and we were told that Tadgh and his renegades were here.”
He translated for the king whose face remained impassive. “So you killed Colm the Mighty and I believe you promised his sword to this man?”
“Haaken.”
Haaken took out the sword and laid it at the king’s feet. The king picked up the sword and balanced it in his hands. He spoke to the priest who smiled. “You are lucky young warrior for the king did not like Colm. It seems he had desires on the throne. For that you shall live. He wishes to know your name.”
“I am Garth also known as Dragon Heart.”
The priest’s eyes widened. “Are you the one with the sword touched by the gods?”
I nodded and tapped the pommel, “Aye, Ragnar’s Spirit.”
He translated. This time even the king’s impassive features cracked and he spoke to Myrddyn. “The king would like to see the sword.”
I nodded and, very carefully, took the sword out. I held it by the blade and offered the hilt to the king. He took it and balanced it as he had done with the other one. He smiled and he gave it back to me with the hilt towards me. It was a sign that he trusted me; a little anyway.
“You are brave men to come here into this stronghold. King Áed Oirdnide appreciates bravery and you may stay the night.” He gave an apologetic shrug. “You will, of course, be guarded.”
“Of course.”
“Now this man you are seeking. Why did you think he was coming here?”
“Colm’s wife told us that Tadgh and his Norse renegades had set off for here.”
This time the priest and the king frowned as this information was digested. “It seems, Garth of the Dragon Heart, that your coming here was not an accident. The king would hear more but you must be tired. Come, I will take you to the warrior hall where you can rest before we feast.”
As he led us I asked, “And what of Murchad?”
The priest gave me a baleful stare. “Murchad is tainted too much with his cousin’s greed. The king will make a judgement tomorrow.”
When we were in the hall the Hibernian warriors who were there afforded us some privacy and we found a corner, close to the fire, where we could talk. I was not certain how many others could speak our language and we kept our voices low.
“So where do you think Tadgh is?”
“He could be on his way here. We saw his ship in that port. He may have been delayed there. We had a shorter route and we did not tarry.”
I nodded, Haaken was right. “The question is what is he doing here? Things have changed since we arrived. I assumed that this Colm, whom I slew, was an ally of the king. That is obviously not true. I had thought that Tadgh’s journey was to be to consolidate that friendship.”
“Why did Murchad come here then?”
“You are right Egill; it does not look good for him. Hibernian politics look complicated, and deadly. There is treachery on all sides and we know that Tadgh is the most treacherous and untrustworthy of all. I think we should not drink too much tonight and keep one of us awake at all times. I am not certain we are safe here.”
All of us were in agreement and we kept a close watch on each other when we were summoned to the feast. The king had given us one long table and the priest sat at the end so that he could translate for us if we needed it. Haaken nudged me and pointed, surreptitiously to the wall above the king’s head. There hung the two-handed word we had brought. He shrugged, “And no sign of Murchad or his companions.”
“It seems our Hibernian friend miscalculated.” I did not think that Murchad had much of a future as a chief.
The room was filled with warriors. Most of them had the same arms and clothes as Murchad had had but the bodyguards of the king looked as though they knew their business. They had the warrior bands and the scars which bespoke of combat. Yet there were only twenty of them. If Prince Butar had brought all of our warriors then we could have easily overcome them. This was a backward country in terms of weapons. The king was the only one who was well armed.
The priest saw me appraising the warriors. “Tell me, Norseman, what you think of our warriors.” He saw me hesitate. “I am the only one who speaks your language. You can speak the truth.” He smiled, “There are those who say I can read minds anyway.”
I laughed, “If that were the case then you would not have needed to ask me the question.”
“You are wise beyond your years. But come, indulge an old man.”
“Your warriors look brave but apart from the twenty bodyguards they are ill armed.”
“And if the rest of your warriors came then we would be defeated.” I let the words hang in the air and he nodded his understanding. “This is why the alliance of Tadgh and Colm was a worry to the king.” He waved a hand at our table. “Had you come with more men then we might have thought that you, too, have desires on the High King’s throne.”
“I told you priest, I came here for my wife. I have no desire to conquer Hibernia.”
“And yet you have taken Manau from the Saxons.”
“I believe the Saxons took it from the Cymri first.”
“True. And that little rock is enough for you and your people?”
“Probably but if not then the lands to the east are a more attractive prospect. No offence but I have not seen many riches here.”
“You are shrewd and you are correct. We have little; the Allfather just gives us a home which
is bound to the land.”
“You still follow the old ways then?”
“The followers of the White Christ are growing, especially in the north and the west but this is the heart of the old ways.” He looked wistfully towards the south east, “Much as Wyddfa is the heart of the old ways on the mainland.”
The food and the drink we consumed was simple enough fare but tasty. My companions heeded my words and we were sparing in our drinking. The Hibernians were not and fights broke out. Some of them were bloody with daggers and swords being used. Myrddyn shook his head, “I had heard that your people were fierce drinkers too.”
I smiled, “We can be but I deemed it imprudent to be so here, so far from home.”
“You show great self control. I can see that your coming here was not an accident.”
“I came for my wife.”
“Yet had you followed the ship which took her you might have met this Tadgh on the road and not reached us here. Murchad would not be talking and the sword would not hang upon the wall.”
“Murchad is talking?”
“Let us say he knew of Colm’s plans.” He shook his head, “He is a simple man who has ambitions. Had he been less ambitious and a cleverer man then things might be different.”
When the feast was over we returned to the side of the hall where our sleeping robes lay. We had decided who would stay awake and the men rolled themselves in their furs and fell asleep. Cnut nudged me awake when it was my turn to watch. “It is quiet and no one stirs. The only sounds you will hear will be the snores and the farts of the drunk.”
I sat with my back to the wall listening to the noises but inside my head I was seeking my wife and wondering what Tadgh’s plans were. I could see him offering his sword to the High King but why bring Erica? He could have left her with Colm. I knew that he hated me and his need to defeat me was driving him but there was something else which I could not, as yet, see. Why was he coming to Tara? Was he still coming to Tara? Perhaps he had deliberately misled Colm’s wife and was going elsewhere. When I judged that enough time had passed I woke Egill and tried to sleep. I might as well have stayed awake for sleep eluded me. I tossed and I turned, worrying about my wife and her fate.