by Griff Hosker
“Ylva gave it to you, did she not?” I nodded, “Then it is yours.”
“No Sámr, it was given to me to create an illusion and it worked. I am no warrior, and this is yours by right.”
“Fótr, I saw you despatch two Skull Takers as though they were novices. You are a warrior, but I shall keep the sword.”
Just then Galmr, who was watching the head of the Water, shouted, “I see warriors approaching. They are on the road at the northern end of the Water.”
Both Æimundr Loud Voice and I looked at Sámr. This was his stronghold and his land. He would command us. He rubbed his beard, “I have been a prisoner so long that I do not know how Clan of the Wolf fare.”
I pointed north, “In the woods is Egge of Skelwith and if he is typical of the clan then there is fight in them. Ylva said that while the Danish witch lived and held you as prisoner then she could do nothing. I believe that she will be taking action, but I know not what.”
“I do, she will rouse the volvas of the clan and they will tell their husbands and sons that now is the time to rise.”
“Ylva said that many of the clan died. The last warriors to hold out were Ketil’s sons.”
“We have been hurt, of that I am in no doubt, but we are a resilient clan.”
Now that day had dawned, and the smoke had drifted away we could see the interior of the stronghold. Sámr pointed to two piles of bones which had been close to the cage. I had missed them in the dark. “Those are the bones of my father Ragnar, and my uncle, Gruffyd. I have had to watch the flesh being devoured by carrion each day and that seemed to me to be what was happening to our land but Ylva’s voice has spoken to me. There is flesh yet on the Clan of the Wolf and your wearing the wolf cloak, Fótr the Wolf, is a symbol of our people. Have your men come to this wall. When we built this, we made the gateway the only place that men could attack in numbers. I should have dug a ditch and had a bridge made but we all have perfect vision when we look back.”
Æimundr Loud Voice cupped his hands and shouted, “Clan of the Fox! To this wall!”
We were a handful of men and I did not think we would survive. All that I could foresee was a glorious death, but our hopes would be ended. Just then Ylva’s voice came into my head, ‘Be strong and have faith! I will not abandon my heroes!’
I drew my sword as the last of our men arrived. As I had expected, Ebbe and Bear Tooth stood next to me. Sámr looked at Bear Tooth and asked, “And where is he from? Miklagård?”
I shook my head, “He is from the lands beyond the Great Sea, he is from the west.”
“You have crossed the Great Sea?” The great Sámr Ship Killer was amazed.
“Our whole clan did and my brother lives there yet.”
Ebbe said, “What?” It was the turn of Ebbe to be amazed. I realised I had not told him about my dream.
“It is true, Ebbe, and I have not had time to tell you. He is not dead, and he lives there with his maiden and her sister. I saw him hunting. Ylva showed me.”
“My mother always said he lived. I am glad.”
Sámr laughed and said, “This gets better and better although before we can enjoy these strange tales, we have much bloody work to do. We will have to defeat these Norse for I am desperate to sit in my great grandfather’s hall and hear the tale!”
Æimundr Loud Voice growled, “Aye, Lord Sámr, let us beat them first, eh, and then we can sit and drink mead and tell tales?”
Sámr nodded, “My great grandfather had a warrior like you. Olaf Leather Neck also understood the need to fight first and talk later.” He raised his voice, “Unless they have ladders, they will have to use shields to lift their warriors to reach us. Keep them from the walls and use the piles of stones you see around the fighting platform!”
I had not noticed them before but Sámr and his people must have been prepared for a siege. The Danes had obligingly left them there.
Æimundr Loud Voice asked, “Do we know who will lead these warriors?”
“When I was in my cage, they took great delight in mocking and humiliating me. They dared not harm me for fear that I might die and then the clan would rise. The warrior who rules across the Water is Jarl Harald Haraldsson. He is Norse and was one of Finehair’s hearth weru. From what the Danes said to each other he is not as good as he thinks he is and since he has been here in my land, he has done nothing.”
“Ylva said the same. She thought that the Danes we fought were not battle-ready. Perhaps that was why I was able to win.”
“No, Fótr the Wolf, you won because you were better than they were.” Just then we heard the sound of men approaching down the road. “They come! Fight hard!”
Æimundr Loud Voice began banging his shield and he started to chant.
Clan of the Fox
March to war
Clan of the Fox
Hear us roar
Clan of the Fox
We fight this day
Clan of the Fox
The Viking way!
We had few voices, but we sang vigorously and, I think, we confused them for they had not heard of our clan. Even Sámr joined in. The column of men halted a hundred paces from us and formed a shield wall.
I shouted, “Bear Tooth do you think you can hit a face for me?”
“Aye! Which one?”
I laughed, “Any!”
Bear Tooth’s tribe had learned the art of nocking, drawing and releasing in one motion. He had been able to do it with his own Skraeling bow and the one we had given him was much better for it was longer and made of yew. The arrow flew true and the distracted warrior was too busy locking his shield to notice the missile which smacked into his head and knocked him to the ground. The front rank was disrupted, and the effect was exacerbated by Bear Tooth’s maniacal scream. His scream did not stop him from sending a second arrow into the shoulder of a second warrior. Their leader ordered them to fall back and they ran back down the road out of Bear Tooth’s range. We jeered as they ran.
“Are you women or warriors?”
“You will never get to Valhalla!”
“We are the Clan of the Fox!”
“Have you filled your breeks?”
We laughed and Sámr turned to me, “You are a brave clan, what could we not achieve with all of your warriors.”
I shook my head, sadly, “There is just a handful left with our women! The Skraeling and seas took a heavy toll. We are the last of the foxes!”
“Then when this is over, and we have won back our land, you shall choose your own part of the Land of the Wolf. The Norns spin long threads.”
“They come!”
The warriors had rearranged themselves and they had formed a block six men by eight. We had killed two, but we would each have to slay five if we were to win. Sámr shouted, “You have seen what the wild warrior from the west can do let us show him what Vikings can do as well.”
Bear Tooth loved a challenge, “Aye, let us see who can claim the most victories.”
Although the warriors were protected by shields and they were more than one hundred and fifty paces from us Bear Tooth sent an arrow towards them. They raised their shields, but he had cleverly aimed it below the shields, and it slammed into the knee of the warrior on the extreme left of the column. He did not fall out of formation, but he would be of little use in a fight. I could use a bow and I thought I could use it well, but I was not as good as Bear Tooth. I nocked an arrow as the rest of the men sent arrows at the wood and metal protected column. Bear Tooth had shown me their weakness, and I recalled the advice of the Dragonheart. The Norns’ threads were long indeed. Bear Tooth’s arrow had made them nervous. Few had facemasks and so when I saw a warrior drop his shield to stop Bear Tooth’s next arrow hitting his leg, I sent an arrow into his cheek. He screamed like a castrated pig. We were not killing them, but we were hurting them. One of Galmr’s arrows hit a helmet so hard that it was knocked from the warrior’s head. He was forced to duck behind his shield, and I knew that when they were closer
his head would be vulnerable to stones. The closer they came then the more chance we had of hitting them for we were above them. Added to the fact that their wounds made keeping in step harder meant that they were disorganised before they reached us.
It was then that Ylva’s voice came to me, ‘Shout to them and say you are the spirit of the Dragonheart!’
I was not sure that it would work in daylight but Ylva was my mistress and I would obey her. “I am the spirit of the Dragonheart! Flee now while you can!” The effect was extraordinary. Faces looked up and saw the blackened mail, the helmet with the facemask covered by the wolf skin and the red eyes peering from behind. They recoiled and their distraction allowed four arrows to find flesh and hurt warriors.
A warrior with a dragon crest on his helmet and a serpent on his shield shouted, “Dragonheart is dead and Sámr Ship Killer is a shadow of his former self. Let us break down the walls and slay them!”
The words were intended to make the men advance and the enemy obeyed but as they broke formation and ran towards the walls the rest of my men on the fighting platform hurled rocks at them and Bear Tooth loosed his arrows. Some of the enemy fell. Spears were flung at us as well as throwing axes. A spear hit my helmet. If this had been my helmet, then I would have been knocked out or even killed but the Dragonheart had a good helmet and the spear spun off into the stronghold. I shouted, “Is that the best that you can do?”
Before I had been to the cave with Ylva I would never have dreamed of uttering such a challenge but I now felt like I was a warrior. I heard axes striking the wood of the gate and wondered how long it would last. I picked up a stone and threw it down. The warrior who had lost his helmet was trying to use his shield for protection, but I threw it from the side. His head cracked and crunched like an egg and he fell to the floor. I am not certain if they might have broken the gates for we were not hurting them enough but, suddenly there was a cheer and angry warriors fell upon the rear of the column.
Sámr cheered and shouted, “It is the men of Cyninges-tūn! The tide it turns!”
Æimundr Loud Voice shouted, “My blade demands blood! Let us get amongst them!”
Our blood was up, and we descended the ladder, opened the gates and threw ourselves at the Norse warriors who were suddenly assailed on all sides. Æimundr Loud Voice showed me that day why he had such a good reputation in the Clan of the Fox, and he fought Harald Haraldsson one to one. I only saw it briefly for I had my own battle. I still had no shield, but I remembered the lessons from the Dragonheart. As the warrior I fought brought his sword over, I swayed to the side and ripped my seax across his face and, as he reeled, I lunged with my sword and tore it up through his skull. A second warrior who had the same design on his shield as the first screamed and raced at me. Swaying was of little use and so I spun so that he passed me, and I brought my sword around in a sweep. He had mail but my blade broke the links and then cracked into his spine. He seemed to shiver before he fell. And then it was over. There was no quarter given. These were invaders who had made thralls of the women of the Clan of the Wolf and they were not only slaughtered, they were beheaded and emasculated.
As we were walking amongst the bodies, I heard a dog bark and I saw Egge with a bloody sword take the manhood of a young Dane. He looked up as I approached and grinned, “You did not obey us then?”
He laughed, “When I saw the fire, I ran to the farms close by and roused the warriors. I knew you had succeeded. Riders are already racing to fetch men to fight alongside Sámr, our jarl. We were tricked and beaten once but we have learned that lesson! The Clan of the Wolf is roused!”
The warriors of the Clan of the Wolf just wanted to speak to Sámr and that was understandable. We were forgotten but there was mail and there were weapons. We had young men who would need to become warriors. Danr, Petr, Leif and the others would reap the reward of the deaths of Eidel and Sven. We were not greedy, but we did take the better mail, weapons and helmets. None of us wanted the dragon-topped helmet. Firstly, because it would attract attention in battle and secondly because it was easier to knock from a warrior’s head. We collected what we needed and Æimundr Loud Voice sent Galmr to find a cart or a wagon. We had just loaded it when Sámr strode up.
“You are the heroes and you are being ignored. I apologise for my warriors. They did not mean to be ungrateful, but they now have hope and have risen up.”
I shook my head, “Do not worry, Sámr Ship Killer. We were glad to help. We came to this land for we wanted a home and we owed you for the time you saved us.” I looked around at the burned-out stronghold. “Will you stay here this night?”
He shook his head, “We will return to Cyninges-tūn. The women will prepare food.” He glanced at the cart and laughed, “I can see that you are wise warriors. Come, by the time we walk around the Water, it will be dark. You can tell me your tale as we walk!”
My warriors took it in turns to pull the cart and Sámr’s warriors surrounded us to protect the leader they had thought lost. The tale was a long time in the telling and darkness was about to fall when we stepped through the mighty gates of Cyninges-tūn. He waved an apologetic arm around the interior, “I know that it has been fouled by Finehair’s men, but I would ask you to stay with me in my great grandfather’s hall this night.”
“We would be honoured, Sámr Ship Killer.”
Bjorn Asbjornson was the leader of the warriors. He had many battle bracelets and he said, “The women began to cleanse it, lord, when the Norse left. We slew those that they left behind.”
Sámr nodded, “And then tomorrow I will go to pray for my dead wife and children at my great grandmother’s grave.”
“But they are not dead! Finehair took them back to Norway with your mother and many of the other women. Did you not know?”
Sámr looked angry for the first time since I had met him. “How would I know that, Bjorn Asbjornson, I have been in a cage since I was taken.”
Bjorn recoiled in the face of Sámr’s words, “I am sorry, lord.”
“Then when we have driven the last of Finehair’s men and mercenaries hence we will gather ships and bring back the family I have lost!”
“But Whale Island is filled with the best of the Norwegian King’s warriors!”
Sámr’s eyes narrowed and he pointed at me, “This tiny clan sailed across the Great Sea, they returned here, and it was they rescued me! If they can do that what cannot the mighty Clan of the Wolf do?”
As we sat around the table Sámr shook his head, “I know not why I was angry with Bjorn Asbjornson. I had thought my family lost and he brought me news of them.”
I smiled. I was half Sámr’s age and yet I felt both older and wiser, “Sámr, I left my brother in the land of the Skraeling. There is little point in becoming angry at such things for it is the Norns. We are their playthings and all a man can do is the best that he can and hope that the Allfather approves. You know where your family lies, and you can fetch them back, but you are right; we have a battle here if we are to have a home. We are a small clan and cannot sway the scales, but we will fight alongside you.”
He nodded. “Since my rescue, Ylva’s voice has grown stronger and she speaks to me. Warriors are heading here in their hundreds. All was lost but your clan has brought hope. The King of Norway had three strongholds. This one was easily taken but the other two, Whale Island and Olaf’s Stad on the Eden are stronger. When my men are here, we will try to take Whale Island. There are drekar there and we can use those to take Olaf’s Stad. You and your band have done enough. You need not come with us. I know, from your words, that you all have families. Believe me, I understand that better than any.”
I nodded, “When we set sail from Bear Island, we had a goal. We wished a home in the Land of the Wolf. That dream is still to be fulfilled. We will fight alongside you, but we are being selfish for it is for the clan that we do so!”
That night as we went to sleep, I reflected that I had become the leader of the clan without wishing to do so. I k
new I could not relinquish the power, but I would learn the lessons of Arne. I would listen for I knew that Erik would have listened. That he would have made a better Jarl than either Arne or I was now clear to me but the Norns had spun. Erik was lost to me and I would not sail west to find him. Others might make that journey but not I.
Warriors began to arrive the next day. Not all wore mail but they each had a determined expression upon their faces. When they arrived, they were greeted by Sámr. They wanted to know that he was alive. I could see that Sámr needed to rest and recover his strength for he had been mistreated badly in the cage and deprived of sustenance, yet he clasped the arm of every warrior who came to swear to drive the Norse from the land. We kept apart from them not because we were excluded but because we knew the importance of the bond that was being reformed. We, too, had been a fractured clan; ours was the fault of Arne but we had had to speak with each other to heal the hurts. I thought it ironical that the one who had wished to return to the east the most, Eidel, had died along with his son and he had been the one willing to bow the knee. Wyrd. The rest, myself apart, had mixed views on the return. I had had time to think of my motives and I now saw that the need to return had been planted in my head. The Norns had spun and Ylva had summoned me. Once Gytha had died then we had been pushed into the race to come home by events beyond our control. In many ways that gave me peace for since I had seen Erik alive, I had felt guilt at abandoning my brother. I now saw that it was wyrd.
Although we kept to ourselves, practising and, in Bear Tooth’s case, learning how to fight with a sword and a shield, we were not isolated as the tale of our journey was spread. Added to that was the fact that Bear Tooth was a cause of great curiosity. He took the stares in good part. Now that he wore a kyrtle again and wearing a helmet he looked a little less like a Skraeling when we practised. It was when we sat by the Water taking in the majesty and beauty of the land that he was seen as different and the folk of Cyninges-tūn would wander to the shingle beach to see us. The men asked us about the voyage while the women appeared fascinated by Bear Tooth. The maidens, in particular, seemed quite taken by him.