by Griff Hosker
The jarl had an axe and he swung it horizontally at my shield. It made my arm shiver and I felt a trickle of blood as the wound in my hand began to bleed again. I could not swing easily for Haaken was next to me. I stabbed forwards in the hope that I might catch him. My sword slid along the links of his mail. He took advantage and swung at me with a back hand blow. I twisted my body and took the blow on my shield. The movement caused a gap to appear between Haaken and me. I brought Ragnar’s Spirit over and caught him on his right shoulder. This time the mail did split and the edge ripped into his mail byrnie. He said nothing but I saw him wince. I had hurt him.
“Jarl Dragon Heart, the ship is sinking come back!”
I realised that my back was touching the sheerstrake and my ship was above us. There were just five of us left on board the sinking drekar. If I tried to turn I would die. I saw what he intended as he raised his shield slightly. He was going to punch me in the face with it. There was but one counter, I dropped to my knees as the shield came towards me. The water was around my middle. I held Ragnar’s Spirit in both hands and I thrust upwards underneath his mail byrnie. I felt it sink into the soft under flesh of his unprotected groin and he screamed. I pushed harder and felt it grind off bone. When my hands touched his torso I twisted and pulled. His shield dropped and his lifeless body fell backwards. As I pulled out my sword I saw that it was coated in his entrails.
I stood and hands pushed me upwards. As I tumbled to the deck of my ship my last four warriors joined me. I stood and watched the ship I had sailed as a young warrior, slip silently beneath the sea, its deck covered in the dead and the dying.
The drekar which survived was drifting away. Their attack was spent and their Jarl dead. We had won!
The boys were still loosing arrows at the departing drekar to encourage them to leave but I knew they were beaten. Jarl Erik had lost many fine warriors. As I looked around my ship I could see that there would be empty chests on the way home. My longest serving brothers lived still. I saw Aiden binding their wounds but they would fight again. Arturus and Snorri were busy reliving their moments of glory.
I walked to the steer board side and shouted down to the knarr. “Trygg, have you any damage?”
He shook his head. “You came in time. We lost but one of my crew and one of Sven’s men. Any longer and…” he shrugged.
“Wyrd! Head on back to Úlfarrston. We will watch your stern.” His small square sail was lowered and he began to pull, slowly away. “Magnus, lower the sail. Tell your boys they did well.”
The knarr was forty paces from us when the sail was tautened and we moved slowly north. I looked over the stern and saw the bodies and the debris from the battle. I hoped that I had curbed Erika’s brother. I did not want to have to escort every ship sailing south from Úlfarrston. I looked at the sky. We would not reach Úlfarrston before dark. Indeed, we would be lucky to reach it before morning. The reunion with my wife would have to wait another day. It would be all the sweeter for the wait.
As we neared the coast I shouted to Trygg. “We will anchor in the estuary. If the tide is on the turn we may be grounded. Better to wait until the morning.”
“Aye, Jarl Dragon Heart.”
I had another troubled sleep. Perhaps it was the warriors who had died in the battle who haunted me. Was I changing? I used to sleep the sleep of a child but lately…
As dawn broke we headed inshore. The tide was on its way in. As we approached the bank closest to Úlfarrston we saw another knarr drawn up on the beach. It looked forlorn and lonely.
“Take her up to the trail and unload our trade goods.”
Haaken nodded, “Right boys just another short row and then we march!”
Trygg hailed me. “That is my cousin’s knarr. What is it doing here?”
“I know not. Follow Haaken and unload her. I will discover all.”
I was as intrigued as any. I strode over to the gate. The sentry recognised me and it was opened. Pasgen had barely risen. He bowed. “Did you have a good voyage Jarl Dragon Heart?”
“It was successful but I have to tell you that the men of Man are pirates. We were attacked leaving and returning.”
His face fell, “My ship is overdue. She left before you did. I thought there must have been storms.”
I nodded. “I fear foul play. When we have recovered I will take my men and we will pay the island of Man a visit.”
He smiled, “We thank you Jarl Dragon Heart. I would hate to see the prosperity you brought taken away by thieves.”
I pointed to the river. “Who does the knarr belong to?”
“It arrived seven days ago, in the morning. At first we thought it was the one you had taken away. They said they had followed the other from Orkneyjar.” He shook his head. “It was pitiful, four of the women were ill. One died on the first afternoon. I sent a message to your lady. Rolf and your daughter came the next day to escort them to Cyninges-tūn. We have not heard from them since.”
“Has my wife given birth yet?”
He shrugged, “She had not when your daughter came but who knows.”
I suddenly remembered the land of Navarre and the towers. “I would suggest you build a tall stone tower at the point closest to the sea. If you man that you can see further out to sea and spy any dangers which approach.”
He nodded, “That is a good idea but where would we get the stone?”
I pointed to the mountains and hills rising to the north. “The earth has many rocks and stones. I will get my men to mine some and we will bring them down to you.”
When I reached my men the goods had been unloaded and they were ready to carry them. Although I was anxious to see both the progress on the new drekar and the weapons from Navarre, I was more anxious to see my family and our new refugees. All of us were laden down as we headed north. We even had to leave some seed with Pasgen and the ships’ boys for we could not carry it all. I helped Haaken, Cnut and Sigtrygg to carry our newly acquired weapons. For some reason my burden seemed to get heavier the further north we went. Haaken put it down to the black heavy clouds we could see ahead. They were the thunder clouds which showed that the Allfather was angry about something. The omens were not good.
The watchers in the villages would see us as soon as we began to walk up the Water. We were a mile or so along when I saw a rider in the distance and he was galloping hard. I frowned. I feared it was ill news. Had the wolves returned? Then I remembered those men from the north we had slain; had others come for revenge? I knew that I had too much imagination; it was my curse but I could not help the pictures of raiders in the valley slaughtering my people.
When I saw it was Rolf I felt relieved. My people would be safe. Rolf would have died rather than let anything happen to them.
He reined up and threw himself from his saddle and dropped at my feet. I knew his wounds still troubled him and I went to raise him up.
“Jarl Dragon Heart, I have failed you.”
My Ulfheonar had laid down their burdens and were looking, in concern at Rolf. “You could never fail me. Rise and tell me your news. The anticipation of bad news is often worse than the bad news itself.”
He rose slowly and when I looked on his face I had never seen him so distressed. “The Lady Erika and your new born son, Jarl Dragon Heart, they are dead.”
Chapter 11
Arturus ran up to Rolf and began to shake him. “You lie! You lie! It cannot be true!”
Rolf shook his head. “I would give my life for it to be a lie but I speak the truth.”
I nodded at Aiden and he put his arm around Arturus and led him away. “Let us sit on the stones while you tell your tale. I am anxious to get home but I wish to know all before I do so.”
“It began seven days or so ago. Pasgen sent news that a knarr full of Trygg’s sick relatives had arrived on the river. Your wife sent me and Kara to bring them to Cyninges-tūn. She was ever kind that way and she said it was our duty. She housed the sick women, for it was the women who were ill,
in your hall. Two of them recovered thanks to your daughter and your wife. Then three days ago the birth pains came and your son was delivered by Kara. We were all overjoyed. But your wife began to cough as did Kara and your son. Over the next day no matter what the women of the village could do she worsened. The Lady Erica sent all from the hall save the sick women and child.”
He suddenly began to cry. Men never cried. Rolf had been a fine warrior and the most dependable of jarls and yet now tears coursed down his beard.
“I should have disobeyed her, my lord and stayed with them.”
I smiled, remembering my strong willed wife. “It would have taken the Allfather himself to cross my wife. If she told you that then it would be for a good reason.”
He nodded and gathered himself, “When we went to the hall the next day, all were dead, save Kara. She came to the door of the hall and she seemed almost happy. She was certainly at peace and she was healed. The coughing had gone.”
His words seemed to echo across the Water. I looked up and saw birds circling above. It seemed almost dream like. Perhaps I was dreaming and this would end when I awoke. I closed my eyes and opened them again. This was no dream.
“Have the dead been buried?”
Rolf shook his head, “No, Jarl Dragon Heart, that is the most remarkable thing. Your daughter told us that you would return today and we should wait for you. She knew that you would return!”
I saw my Ulfheonar clutch their amulets. This bordered on witchcraft. Only Aiden seemed unconcerned. Trygg looked as though he was trying to find somewhere to hide. They were his family; what had they brought into our life?
“Let us go and pay our respects to my wife and see my daughter.”
We marched the last few miles in a stunned silence. When we reached my hall I saw that the people were looking fearfully at us. They seemed afraid of my reaction. I kept a straight face and I held in the emotion I was feeling. I needed to speak with Kara. She was the only one who could tell me what had happened. She stood at the door of the hall and she was smiling. That was not what amazed me; she looked older. It was as though I had left a child and found a woman. She put her arms around me and said, “Welcome home, father.”
She embraced Arturus. “Come, brother and say farewell to our mother.”
We went into the hall and I saw Aiden close it and stand outside. Along with Haaken and Cnut he would ensure our privacy in this moment of grief.
Erika was laid out on the bed and dressed in a simple white shift. In her arms she held our dead son. That was the moment when my resolve nearly failed me. I felt my eyes begin to fill as my heart sank. It was Kara who got me through the moment.
“Mother is happy. You should know that.”
I nodded. Had I spoken then the grief might have been too much. Behind me I heard Arturus’ sobs and that too made me determined to be strong. I leaned over the two bodies and kissed them both. They were cold, like marble. I murmured, “Farewell.” When I stood I felt that I could speak.
“Tell me all, my daughter.”
She led me to the table and poured Arturus and me a horn of ale each. She waited until we had drunk before she began. “When the women came we knew how serious it was. I have been studying with the other volva and we decided that my mother and I would look after them. She sent away Seara, Scanlan and Maewe. She did not wish them to be ill too. Deidra and Macha felt it was their duty to help but Mother was insistent. She wanted but the two of us in the hall. It seemed to me that she knew what was to come. The two of us looked after the sick,” She smiled, ”I learned much and mother was a tower of strength but no matter what we did nothing seemed to work. After the first death we knew that we were just waiting for them to die.” She hung her head a little. “I confess that I wanted to flee but mother was strong. She told me this was how women fought. She said you would not give up in battle because of difficulties and neither should we. We did all that we could. When Butar, for that was the name mother gave him, began to come I had to help. He was a healthy and a happy child. He came out not crying but he seemed to be almost laughing and we took that to be a good sign.”
She sat on the bed next to Arturus and stroked his hair much as Erika had done when he had been a child. He had left the table and was holding his dead mother’s hand. “She saw her death coming, brother. When we knew that we had the same condition mother told me that she would die but I would live. She would ensure that I lived. The other women died and there were just the three of us left alive in the hall. She made me light candles while I still could for she was weak from the child birth. The hall glowed with a beautiful golden light and then, as I returned, my new brother Butar, died. He coughed and a single tear rolled from one eye and then he died. The only sound he had made had been the laugh when he had been born.”
“That was the moment when I thought that I would break down but mother told me that he had gone to the Otherworld and she would join him. She told me to get into bed and be ready to welcome you back. She told me to enter the dream world of the volva.”
So this was witchcraft. I looked at my child whom I had lost. I had gained a volva but the child was gone forever. That hurt.
“When I slept I left my body and went with my mother high into the sky. We saw you sailing towards the edge of the world and she told me that you would be safe. You would not fall over the edge. We flew down to our Water and, as we flew over it she told me that she would die but she would live on through me. She told me I would be a volva and I would have the second sight.” She sighed, “Then I woke and she was dead. I had lost my cough and I was a woman. I know what I shall be, father. I will be the volva for Cyninges-tūn. I shall find cures for the ills that hurt our people. I will keep home for you and watch over our folk when you and Arturus are away.”
“Until you marry.”
Her eyes and her face were deadly serious as she said, “I shall never marry. If I marry then I will lose my powers.”
I was stunned. “What of your children, my grandchildren.”
She smiled, “I have seen the future and Arturus will give you many grandchildren. As for me, I shall be the mother of our people. And now we must lay my mother and Butar in the ground. I have had the men prepare her barrow.”
She stood and laid a white linen sheet over Erika. I noticed then that she and my son had been laid on a wooden bier which lay on top of the bed. She left the room and I stood with Arturus. He shook his head. “She has grown father. She has changed.”
“She is still your sister.”
He shook his head, “I am not sure. We left her as a child and she has changed overnight into a woman. How can that be?”
“Just as you went on the wolf hunt a boy and came back a warrior, my son. It is a change we all go through.”
Kara returned with Haaken, Cnut, Sigtrygg and Thorkell. “These will bear our mother to her grave.”
I almost smiled for my Ulfheonar were completely under her spell. She led them out of the hall. The whole of the village lined a route down to the water. It had been Erika’s favourite place. There was a huge mound of earth already and a flat space with a wooden bier. The bodies were carried to the shore. Kara held up her hand. The warriors stopped and there was absolute silence. She stepped aside and waved her arm. The four warriors laid the linen covered bier in the centre of the cleared ground on top of the wooden slats.
When they had stepped back Kara pointed to the body and the women of the village came and laid grave goods next to my wife. They were the objects she would need in the Otherworld. There were her combs, her needles, her cooking pot and her necklaces. Finally Kara laid the blue stones I had given them both around my wife’s neck. She looked at me and I knew what I had to do. I took the wolf amulet from around my own neck and placed it on my dead son’s body. Kara nodded her approval. Stepping back she said, “Our lady goes to the Otherworld where she will watch over us.” She bowed her head and everyone from the village trooped around the body placing handfuls of earth upon it. I jo
ined in along with Arturus. I know not what my son thought but I felt as though I was in a dream. We continued until the body was covered and no soil remained. When the mound was finished she ordered the slaves to lay turf upon it. When they had done so, she took flower seeds from a small leather bag and scattered them over the top of the turf. I knew what they were; they were the small blue flowers which my wife loved. They were hardy and, when the spring came, the mound would be covered in a sea of blue.
As we walked back to the hall I asked, “How did you know what to do?”
“My mother told me in a dream.” She smiled. “Since she died I have spoken with her each night.”
This was truly wyrd.
After the funeral I returned to the hall. I just wanted to be alone. Arturus and the Ulfheonar tried to follow me.
“Needs must I have to be alone with my thoughts now. I will see you all when I have made sense of all of this. Be patient with me. Aiden, organise the distribution of the seed and give Bjorn the new weapons to examine.”
My gladramenn stared into my face as though trying to determine what I would do. He appeared satisfied. “I will, Jarl Dragon Heart.” Leaving his precious satchel on the table he ushered the Ulfheonar out. “Let us leave Jarl Dragon Heart to grieve.”
I knew not if it was grief I was feeling or anger. How could I fight wyrd? I sat on the bed and tried to take it in. I had known something was amiss. The dreams and nightmares I had endured had not been because I had lost men it was Erika speaking with me and warning me. Could I have prevented this? I lay back on the bed and closed my eyes. Had I been here in my home would it have been any different? The voice came into my head, ‘You and Arturus would have died too. You are Dragon Heart and you are the heart of the people. This is as it was meant to be.’ I knew that the voice was right.