by Griff Hosker
The Dál Riata was not the kingdom it had been. At one time they had threatened even Northumbria but they were still the closest people who might buy the slaves. We would not sell them the book, we could get a higher price in Frankia or even Wessex but the slaves were an encumbrance and the sooner we were rid of them the better.
The Norns did not wish us to sail to the land of Dál Riata. We sighted a sail to the east. The sea was usually empty. Another sail could mean a wolf such as us or a sheep. The wind or the Norns determined our course. It was blowing from the north west. Our voyage north would have meant rowing and so I put the steer board over to turn us in that direction.
“Ketil, up the mast and see what vessel it is. Are they alone?”
Haaken and the Ulfheonar retrieved their bows from their chests. It was as well to be prepared.
“It is a knarr, my lord and looks to be alone.”
I relaxed a little. A knarr meant it might well be our people. The captain saw us and tried to turn to the west to take advantage of the wind. Ragnar had built well and we flew across the water. The knarr was a tubby little thing and broad in the beam. ‘The Heart of the Dragon’ was a long ship and meant to cut through the water. The captain wisely lowered his sail in surrender.
“Take in the sail, Magnus.”
We slowed as we approached the wallowing ship. I saw that there were warriors on board but also women and children as well as animals. My men had lined the side and we must have looked frightening. The women cowered behind their men.
“I am Jarl Dragon Heart. Who are you and where are you bound?” Their answer would determine their fate.
To my surprise the warrior at the steer board began to smile. “Then thank the Allfather we have found you. I am Trygg Olafson from Orkneyjar and we have been seeking you.”
“You have found me. Give me your tale.” Our ships bobbed up and down next to each other and he had to shout.
“Our people had lived on Orkneyjar for some years but we had a dispute with the Jarl. Had we stayed there would have been a blood feud and so we left. We had two ships. This one and a small drekar called the ‘Serpent’. We remembered Prince Butar and Jarl Dragon Heart. We had heard that you had a home on Man where you welcomed homeless such as us.”
“Prince Butar died.”
“We heard. When we reached Man the jarl there attacked us. My father and brother were on ‘Serpent’. It was captured and they were killed. At least I think that they were killed.” He looked sadly to the south, “We cursed you for we thought the jarl was you. Now we know that it was not I take back the curse.”
I gave a wry smile to Aiden who shook his head, “That is good of you. We no longer live on Man. We live to the east.”
“Do you welcome settlers still?”
“We do.”
“Then we will swear allegiance to you.”
I turned to Haaken and Cnut. “What do we do?”
“We are not destined to sail north, my lord. We sail home and sell the slaves and the book in Frankia. It is wyrd.”
I nodded. “You are right.” I cupped my hands. “Follow us!”
The precious winds meant that we laboured to reach Pasgen’s port. When we did so it was after dark. The gates of his town were barred. We spent a cold night on our ships. The only joy we had was that we were able to unload the animals and we penned them close to the ship. It made for a less pungent night.
When dawn broke Pasgen came to speak with us. He was full of apologies. “I am sorry my lord. The sentries just said there were two strange ships on the river. I shall punish them for their foolishness.”
“No, my friend. I applaud their caution. There are others out there who look like us.”
We left Magnus with ten warriors and the priests of the White Christ. They would clean the ship while we went to Cyninges-tūn. Trygg and his people followed us as we headed north. The construction of the second drekar was well under way and I could see that Bolli had learned well from his father. I was not surprised that there was less urgency. His father had been racing death. Bolli would make the best vessel that he could to honour his father. Driving the animals took time and I sent Snorri and Arturus ahead to warn my wife.
I walked with Trygg. I wanted to know this man. We were flanked by Cnut and Haaken. “Did you see the jarl who attacked your father?”
Trygg shook his head. “All that we saw were his warriors as they swarmed over my father’s ship. He had no shields up and went in peace.”
Haaken said, “This sounds familiar.”
My wife’s brother had indeed changed. “Why were you not on board your father’s ship? You look like a seasoned warrior to me.” I had noticed his warrior bands, fine sword and helmet. He looked as though he could handle himself.
“I was the eldest. I was given the task of sailing the families.” He gestured behind us. “There are but four warriors left from our clan. I will have to pay back this jarl.”
I nodded, “He is my wife’s brother.”
He stopped and he stared at me. “Is this a trap? Do you deceive us?”
“I have never been foresworn. He is my wife’s brother but we are no longer family. We went our own ways when I came here. Many of his oathsworn followed me.”
“I am sorry, Jarl Dragon Heart. Forgive my words.”
“They are forgiven but do not make the mistake of questioning me again.”
He looked contrite. Cnut patted him on the back, “You will learn that Dragon Heart cannot lie. He is an honest jarl in a dishonest world.”
“Tell me, what skills do your people have?”
“We are sailors and our other skill is in the tending of animals.” He pointed at the sheep he had brought with him.
“Good then you will be a valuable addition to our home.”
As we stepped from beneath the canopy of the trees the expanse of the water and the Old Man appeared before us. I spread my arm, expansively, “Here is Cyninges-tūn.”
“This is Valhalla on earth. This is beautiful.”
Chapter 7
We sailed south three days later. My wife had made the women welcome and their skills as herders were soon put to good use. “I can see that the Allfather sent you to us for now we can sail to Frankia and use your knarr to transport the cargo.”
Trygg was more than happy to be of service. We left the choicest slaves at Cyninges-tūn and the rest were placed on board Trygg’s knarr. The holy book of the White Christ I retained on my ship. We sailed south and the same wind which had prevented us from reaching Dál Riata took us, instead, south.
We had to sail a little more slowly than we would have liked but it enabled Magnus and me to learn how to sail the ‘Heart’. Every drekar is different. The way she heels and hoggs varies and the effect of the steer board. Magnus and I discovered that she was very responsive to the slightest touch of the steer board. She could turn as quickly as a fine horse. That first morning as we headed south we learned much. It was just as well.
Ketil was the lookout on the mast; he had the youngest and the sharpest eyes. He suddenly shouted, “Longships astern!”
The Island of Man was to the northwest of us; we knew who they would be. “Arm yourselves!”
Had we not had the knarr as our consort we could have outrun them despite the fact that they had the weather gauge. I had spare rowers. However, I could not leave Trygg to the ships I knew were Jarl Erik’s. “Take over, Magnus, while I speak with Trygg.” Going to the side closest to the knarr I cupped my hands, “Longships astern of us!”
“We saw them. They are the ones from Man!”
“We will drop behind you. Keep on this course.”
“We will.”
I walked to the mast. I pointed to the sail. “Reef the sail until they have overtaken us. It is Jarl Erik who is behind us.” Ketil and Erik Short Toe raced to obey me.
Haaken was prepared for war and had on his mail already. “Will we fight him?”
I nodded. “Aiden, my mail. We will dis
courage him. I would not kill my sister’s brother.”
Cnut snorted, “If I know Erik he will not be on board. He will have others doing his work.”
Gradually the knarr passed us. I saw that Trygg had armed his crew. I recognised one of the ships, it was ‘Man’ the other one I did not recognise and she was smaller. ‘Man’ had thirty oars but did not have the freeboard which we had. It meant we could heel more than they could and sail closer to the wind. Jarl Erik’s captain was in for a shock. He would not know that we had extra crew.
“Man the oars. I want those not on the oars ready with their bows. We will see if we can stop them with arrows first.”
Sea battles between drekar followed a pattern. They would close with each other and engage in a battle with arrows then warriors would board the weaker vessel. We would disrupt that pattern. I could row and loose arrows.
They were now half a mile or so behind us. “Magnus get the sail down.” We used the terms Cnut and Haaken for left and right. As the sails came down I shouted, “Cnut rowers, backwater!”
As Haaken’s side continued to row I put the steer board hard over. We heeled so hard that I thought even our high freeboard would not save us but Ragnar had built well and we spun around. I could see that we had taken them by surprise. “I will sail between them. Archers clear their sterns.”
I saw the men with bows, including Snorri and Arturus split into two groups. The two drekar were trying to reef their sails. I had the initiative and I would not relinquish it. I recognised the two captains. One was Thrand Red Beard and the other was Tostig Tostigson. Both were fair captains. The fact that they had stayed with Jarl Erik spoke much of their character. If they had had a plan they might have done better but they were both just trying to fight by themselves. The smaller threttanessa was to our right. I nudged the steer board towards it. There was a double whoosh as the arrows were launched. There was chaos at the stern of the threttanessa. The steersman fell to his death with two arrows in him. The drekar veered away from us and my archers sent another wave of arrows towards them. I put our steer board over to take us towards the stern of ‘Man’.
The archers had had less success for they had men with shields protecting those near to the steer board but, as I turned us across their stern the archers were able to rain death on the rowers. She slowed as rowers died and the rhythm was ruined. All of my archers were now loosing as fast as they could notch their arrows. Had we wanted I could have captured her easily but that was not my intention.
“We will go after the threttanessa. “
‘Man’ was, effectively dead in the water. Tostig Tostigson was ordering his men to arm themselves. We crossed her bows and my archers had one last shower of arrows to deliver. The smaller drekar was now trying to go after the knarr.
“Cnut, up the rate.”
‘The Heart of the Dragon’ began to move like a greyhound. No matter how hard the other drekar rowed she could not escape us. I would teach Jarl Erik a lesson. We approached from their rear. I sent my archers to the dragon prow and, as we closed, they loosed their arrows at the stern. There were sixteen warriors loosing their arrows and the rowers had to stop rowing and protect themselves with their shields. “Up oars!”
As I put our ship next to theirs our hull shattered the steer board side oars. “Make them fast!”
Magnus threw the grapnel hook and it bit into the smaller ship. It was the length of a man’s leg below us. “Board!”
As my warriors leapt aboard I said to Aiden, “Watch for the other ship.”
I crossed to the stern. Thrand Red Beard hefted his axe as I leapt down on to his deck. He swung his axe at me and I took the blow on my shield. I had fought alongside this warrior and knew that he was impetuous. He was not like my Ulfheonar. He did not try to outthink his opponent. He just rushed at him. He tried that with me. He was a big man and he used his weight and his strength. I used the speed of my feet. As he swung I evaded and slashed at him with Ragnar’s Spirit. He was so keen to get to grips with me that he came forward too quickly and my sword ripped a deep gash in his cheek. It infuriated him and he swung his axe from behind his head. It thudded and stuck in to the gunwale. He tugged to free it. I brought my sword down and his head rolled into the dark grey waters.
Seeing their captain dead those men who still lived threw themselves into the sea. Those with armour drowned but some of the others began to swim away.
“Back to the ‘Heart’. Haaken, burn her!”
As we stepped back onboard my ship Haaken used his flint to begin a fire on the deck close to the mast. Their sail was still down and, as he leapt aboard our ship the flames caught the sail and took hold.
“Magnus, lower the sail.” We were already drifting away from the stricken drekar and the sail soon moved us away from danger. As I steered towards the knarr I saw ‘Man’ as it tried to close with its stricken consort. It would fail.
When we reached Trygg he shouted. “The drekar you sank was ‘Serpent’. You have avenged my family. I thank you.”
I nodded to him and then took off my helmet. It had been a savage but a brief encounter. As we continued our journey I was satisfied with the outcome. Tostig Tostigson would return to Duboglassio and lick his wounds. I had not known that the small ship had been Trygg’s father but perhaps the Norns had. We were the weird sisters’ tools.
Dusk found us off the coast of Cymru. We had given Anglesey a wide berth for it was a Saxon stronghold. We sailed south beyond the mountain where I had found the tomb. We did not like to sail in the dark and I headed for the estuary where we had found the sword which now rested in my hall. We sailed a little way up the river and anchored close to the shore.
Haaken and Snorri led patrol of Ulfheonar to scout the land and they returned to give us the news that we were alone. Soon we had a fire going and we had the slaves make us some hot food. Aiden supervised. We did not want to be poisoned. Trygg kept looking nervously at the hills which rose precipitously above us.
“We ride a sea anchor at night rather than risk places we do not know.”
“We know this place for we found some gold and precious stones in the mines up river but we keep a good guard at night. Four men watch for an hour and then we change.”
He finished the horn of ale he was drinking. “I thought you were doomed when you turned to take on two drekar.”
“My ship is not as other ships. We carry more men and she is new. They gave us the advantage and I knew the captains of the two ships. I had fought alongside both of them. I knew their weaknesses and my men’s strengths.”
“Is it true that your sword was touched by the gods?”
“It was. And it has the spirit of the old warrior who trained me within it. It is a special blade.”
“We heard of it on Orkneyjar. The tales of you and your wolf men are told in the long nights of winter. Many young men wish to serve with you.” He looked wistfully into the flames. “My two younger brothers were two such warriors.”
“They will be in Valhalla now.”
“Aye, and they are avenged. I can rest easy.” He lay back against a tree stump.
“Tomorrow may be more difficult. We have to sail around the savage rocks at the end of the land of the Cymri. If we become separated keep sailing east towards Frankia. Stay close to the coast. We will find you.” He did not look happy. I smiled. “We have sailed this coast often. I know Frankia well. Once you have done this once you will find it easier.”
I could see that he was far from convinced. He would learn as we had all learned.
When we eventually reached the savage coast filled with rocks, hidden islands and wild winds from the edge of the world I tasked Aiden with watching the knarr behind us. Magnus and the boys were each attending a stay or a sheet ready to adjust should the wind change. The salt had stuck to my beard and my eyes were red raw from constantly looking up at the pennant from the mast head. As we had to sail at the same speed as the knarr the rowers did not have to row. If we lost them the
y would.
“Reef it!” Magnus and his boys would shorten the sail by the length of Magnus’ arm when ordered to reef. I gave the order as we made the turn east. The wind had, remarkably, stayed from the north west on our run south. I dreaded to think of the journey home if the winds were the same. As soon as we turned the troughs became deeper. “Another reef!”
I watched as the sail strained and billowed against the wind. The Allfather was urging us on our way. Night was falling and I was looking for an anchorage when Trygg’s knarr disappeared from view.
“It was there one moment, my lord and then gone the next.”
“Take in two reefs!”
With the smallest sail possible we slowed dramatically. I dared not turn around for we could easily broach. If Trygg continued at the same speed he would overtake us and if not then I would see his wreckage. It all depended upon Ran. Haaken and Cnut joined me at the stern as we stared west. The light was already fading but we were looking to the west where there was the last vestige of the sun.
. I began to fear that we had lost him when Aiden called, “There she is.” He pointed to the north west.
The knarr was inshore of us. He had taken a reef out of his sail too. I saw some of his crew waving at us. I put the steer board over to edge us closer. When we were within hailing distance he shouted, “We lost two of the priests. They panicked when the winds came…”
“It doesn’t matter. It is wyrd! Follow me and stay close.”
I steered towards the land which was hidden in the darkening eastern sky. Aiden had studied the Roman maps. “Well,” I asked, “are there any safe anchorages nearby?”
It was a cruel question for I had no idea where we were so how could I expect him to know? “I think, my lord, that there should be two or three not far away. The map shows bays.” He shrugged, “I cannot guarantee that they will be uninhabited.”
“Just so long as they are somewhere to anchor, I care not.” I gambled that we would find somewhere without ships. The sight of a drekar normally made people hide rather than seek contact. We could not sail any further. Those on the knarr would be in a state. Poor Trygg would be out of his depth, quite literally.