by Griff Hosker
He nodded, “Thank you.”
“I am sorry for your son.”
“Osric is dead?”
“He is.”
“He should not have died at that man’s hands.”
There was little I could say to that. “Remember, Osric, that you now have friends to the south of the Grassy Mere. If you wish to trade then you will be safe there. If the winters are too harsh then you can go to the fort in the north or to my home.” He looked dubious. “The offer remains whether your trust us or not. I think that time might show you my good intentions but I would not have you and your family suffer because you are suspicious.”
“My people have suffered at the hands of warriors for generations. It will take time.”
The thought came to me that Osric and his family might be descended from the same people as Pasgen. “If you do come to Cyninges-tūn you can view the sword of your people.” He frowned, “The sword that was called Saxon Slayer in times past.”
His eyes widened. “It exists? It is not just a story?” He suddenly seemed to see my cloak and those of my two companions. “You are the wolf warriors told of in the tales of Lann the Saxon killer?”
“We are wolf warriors but we are not those men reborn.”
“It was foretold that one day someone would return and take up the sword to free this land. Are you that warrior?”
“I do not know Osric of Thirl. The Norns have brought me here and led me to find the sword that was lost but my journey is not yet complete. We all play our parts. Mine, I think, is to make this land safe.”
He looked happier. “We will come to your home Jarl Dragon Heart and we will trade. I would see the sword that was lost for we tell those tales in the long winter nights and it warms us.”
We left Osric and I took Snorri and Arturus towards Ulf’s Water. If Windar had done as I asked then our eastern border might also be secure.
We took the shortest route, although not the easiest route. We headed up the mountain which dominated this land. We wound our way up the steep slope. By noon we had reached the top and we looked down upon the small mere just below the summit. We watered the horses while I viewed Ulf’s Water. It twisted away to the north east. From this high vantage point I could see how narrow the valley was. I just hoped that Ulf and his brother Ulla had obeyed Windar’s commands.
The sheep trail twisted eastwards. I saw, as at Cyninges-tūn, the plentiful rocks. I wondered if there was any iron to be found below the ground. That would, truly, be a boon for us. As we descended I saw that Ulf and his family had done as I had asked. There was a stone wall which defended the cluster of halls and huts. The warriors stopped their work and came over to us as we headed towards the wall and the gate.
Ulf and his older brother Ulla were good warriors but both preferred farming and fishing. Ulla was the fisherman and I saw his boat drawn up on the beach. He had been repairing his nets. Ulf and his sons laid down their axes and wiped their hands as they approached.
“Jarl Dragon Heart it is good to see you.” Ulf bowed his head a little, “We were sorry to hear about your wife.” Windar had obviously sent a message to tell Ulf the news.
“Wyrd.” He nodded. “You have done well here Ulf and you too Ulla. Thorkell the Tall is now jarl of the land to the north. He is building a home on the Itouna.”
“Good. Then this is truly our land now.”
“It is but you have a great responsibility here Ulf. If the Saxons come then your home will be in their path. Can you defend it?”
He spread his arms. Ulla and I have six sons and we have other kin working to gather stone. This will be well defended.”
“And weapons? Do you all have blades?”
“We have enough.”
“Good. To recompense you for your efforts we will send you some new swords when Bjorn has made them.” I looked at the buildings. “Do you have a horse or a pony?”
“We have one pony which we use for hauling stone.”
“Then I will send you two more. Have one of your sons learn to ride then you can let Windar know if the Saxons come.”
“Aye, my lord we will.”
As we began the last part of our journey towards Windar’s Mere, I was happy about the new defences. They would not stop an enemy but they would slow him down and allow us to react.
Two days later I reached my home. Kara had been busy and she had reorganised the hall. Macha and Deidra had been two of the priests of the White Christ. They had been amongst the first slaves we had captured. Thanks to Erika they had become less like slaves and more like servants. They never relinquished their beliefs but they had begun to see that we were not the savages we were portrayed. Along with Seara and Maewe the women ran the settlement. All four of them were devoted to Kara, as they had been to her mother. They now obeyed her commands and seemed happy in the new arrangements.
All five women were busy in the hall. I could see that they now had a curtain which separated off part of the main hall. Kara peered from behind it when she heard my steps.
She hugged me and said, as she opened the curtain, “This is where I shall heal the people!”
I could see that she had had someone, probably Scanlan and Aiden, build her a table and chairs. There were also shelves with the small pots we had recently traded.
“Here I can keep all that I need.” She stared intently at my face. “You do not mind the changes I have made?”
I shook my head, “I only need a space to sleep and store my weapons. I told you that you could make changes here.”
She looked beyond me to Arturus. “And you brother?”
He grinned, “No sister, for it now gives me the excuse to sleep in the warrior hall with the other warriors. We can be less tidy there!”
Aiden and Bjorn had finished building the iron kiln. They were keen to show me how it worked.
“Here are four holes around the base and I have been making bellows from pigskin. Bjorn here can have four boys working them. The hotter we can make it then the better the metal. We had plenty of rocks from Old Olaf and it is well made. We estimated that we can make enough iron for two swords each day.”
I was pleased. That was a good target. “And axes?”
“The same.”
Aiden looked pleased but Bjorn added a word of caution. “We can do all of that, my lord, only if we have iron.”
Therein lay the problem. We had taken some from the Dunum but that was across the country and it was too risky to take it by land. By sea would take too long.
“We need another source then?”
“Aye my lord. We have enough from our stores and the newly captured weapons to make a start but within a month we will have run out.”
“And Bjorn has many orders for ploughs. Now that we have cleared so many trees then our farmers wish to plough. The rocks in the soil break our old ploughs. Bjorn needs to make them with the newer, stronger iron.”
Being Jarl of Cyninges-tūn and the other stad was never an easy task. No sooner had one problem been solved than another reared its head.
“I will be visiting with Bolli soon. When our other ship is ready we will give thought to how to get more iron.”
Aiden and Arturus accompanied me down to Úlfarrston. I hoped that my new drekar would be ready. Aiden spoke of his reading while we travelled. The newly acquired horses made the journey far quicker and we could talk as we rode.
“I have found that there were many iron mines in the southern half of Britannia.”
“That means Saxons.”
“Not necessarily. There are many deposits in the land of the southern Cymri on the northern banks of the Sabrina. We could trade.”
“Would they trade with us?”
“We have two knarr now Jarl Dragon Heart. It is worth trying. We have treasure and gold aplenty. They may need the gold for the Mercians have been expanding west. We might not be the threat that the Saxons are.”
It gave me much to ponder as we headed for the busy river.
&
nbsp; As soon as I saw the mast above the trees I knew that she was finished. She was not launched yet but Bolli was making sure that all working parts of the ship functioned. I kicked my horse on as I was eager to see the finished drekar.
When we emerged from the trees the ship was upright and the men watched Bolli as he walked around it. It was magnificent. I had anticipated much and my expectations had been met. My eye was drawn to the dragon prow. He carved in a different manner to his father. The head was carved so that it appeared to have a bend in it. He had carved scales into it and it was painted green and blue. As I approached I counted the holes for the oars. There were fifteen of them; that made it slightly smaller than mine.
Bolli saw me and ran up to me, his face showing his excitement too. “This is the work of the Gods, Jarl Dragon Heart. We just finished fitting the mast and you arrive. She is ready to launch!”
“She is a beauty. Have you a name for her?”
“She is yours, Jarl Dragon Heart. It is for you to choose.”
I shook my head, “Your father created not only my first ship but the manner in which things will go. You built her and you know what is in her heart. It is for you to name her.” I smiled. “You have a name in your head do you not?”
“I do and I forget that you have the second sight Jarl Dragon Heart. I would name her ‘Great Serpent’.”
“And I like that name. We will launch her when I get a crew.“ He beamed and I approached closer. “Would you wish gold in payment for her or a share in the profits from the voyages?”
He gave me a look of surprise for the new owner normally just paid as little as possible for it. I had decided that if I was to have good workmen who would stay with me then I ought to pay them appropriately. “A share my lord! I know that she will make me a rich man!”
“Good. And I have another commission for you. However I will pay gold for the new drekar. It will not be a raider. I wish a threttanessa for Thorkell the Tall. It need not be large. It will just patrol the Itouna.”
He rubbed his hands. “Good for I have just the oak in mind. This will be my last ship of the summer. Then my men and I will scour the forests for wood for new boats. I prefer using seasoned wood when I can.” He hesitated, “Headman Pasgen wishes me to build a ship for him and his people. His ship failed to return. Could I build him one?”
“Of course, my friend. You are not in thrall to me. I will see him now and then I will return to Cyninges-tūn.”
The only disturbing thoughts in my mind were the last words of Pasgen. He had told me that his ships had not returned. They had had a few trade goods aboard but it was the loss of crew which disturbed him the most. Aiden and I discussed it as we rode along the side of the Water. “I believe it was Jarl Erik, my lord. The seas further south are not as dangerous and we were attacked twice close to his land.”
“I believe you are right. We will crew both ships and pay him a visit and then we shall escort the knarr to the Sabrina and do as you suggest. We will trade. If that fails then there is always the sword!”
Haaken and the Ulfheonar arrived two days later. They had had a long journey but a productive one. “The people of the west are keen to be under your protection. Your name is known to them. They believe that it strikes fear into the Hibernians. They are eager to trade for they had little contact with traders.”
“Good. Aiden, Scanlan and Rolf can work out the best times for us to trade.”
Midsummer had gone and time was of the essence. I sent word to Windar’s Mere that I sought a crew for my new ship. It was Haaken who suggested a captain for her. He and I were walking by the Water having had a quiet moment at Erika’s grave as the sun went down over the Old Man. “There are many men you could choose Jarl Dragon Heart but I believe that Sigtrygg, although a young warrior he has an old head upon his shoulders. The men like him and he is Ulfheonar.”
“I agree but our numbers diminish. We cannot crew even one drekar with the ones who remain.”
“That is true but we have fought alongside the other warriors and they are good men. It is your decision Jarl Dragon Heart.”
“And I would be a fool to ignore the advice of my oldest friend.”
We had more than enough men who volunteered for my two drekar. They knew that their share of the profits would make them rich men. We took Trygg and Siggi with us for we would soon need their knarr and I wanted them to prepare their ships for a long voyage.
The omens were good when we launched ‘Great Serpent’. She barely made a ripple as she slid into the river. The cheers which resounded were greater than when ‘Heart’ had been launched. There was less sadness. Bolli’s beaming face told the whole world of his pride in his work.
It took two days to fit her out and then we were ready. We would sail to Jarl Erik’s stronghold and discover if he had captured Pasgen’s ships. Sigtrygg nursed his new drekar as carefully as possible when we left the safety of the shore and headed south. We left on the afternoon tide so that we would arrive after dark. We knew the island as well as any place in the world. We were returning home.
Chapter 14
Knowing the island as well as we did we landed between Hrams-a and Duboglassio. In the old days we had kept a tower manned to watch for raiders such as us. We had taken our time when making the short crossing for Sigtrygg needed time to get to know his ship and its peculiarities. The land and the dark hid us from prying eyes. Just to be safe I sent Snorri and Beorn to the tower we had once used to make sure that we had arrived unnoticed. Once we had landed, the six men we had left on each boat rowed them out a hundred paces or so. They were both too valuable to risk.
When my two scouts returned the disgust on their faces was apparent. “The tower is falling apart. No one has been there since we left.”
Jarl Erik would play the price for his indolence. I wondered if he still lived on the western side of the isle or if he had moved over to Prince Butar’s former hall. We would soon find out.
Snorri, Beorn and Arturus ran ahead of us and the rest followed. Our aim was to find those sailors from Pasgen’s ships and rescue them. I was also anxious to discover the fate of Trygg’s relatives who had been captured aboard the drekar. I was not as hopeful about them. They might well have been sold. We would teach Jarl Erik a lesson and make him find easier victims than us.
Duboglassio had been built by Prince Butar and me. It had well made defences and would be difficult to take. It all depended upon Jarl Erik. Had he maintained the defences? At Cyninges-tūn, despite the fact there were few enemies close by, we still maintained a nightly watch and had the gates closed before dusk each day. Had Erika’s brother done the same?
We approached the north eastern side of the town carefully. Although a moonless night with clouds we did not want to be silhouetted against the skyline. As we dropped down the gentle slope we crawled. The smell of smoke and the dark shape of the wooden walls told us when we were less than a mile away. We hunkered down to await our scouts. That was the time when warriors checked the strapping on their shields to ensure it was tight. We adjusted our helmets by removing and replacing them. We slid our blades from our scabbards and we touched our amulets to ask the Allfather for his help. I closed my eyes and asked Ragnar, my wife and my mother to watch over me. When I went to war I knew that I had the spirits behind me as well as within me.
Beorn Three Fingers ghosted next to us. “I left Snorri and Arturus Wolf Killer watching the town. There are no guards.” I heard the snort of disgust from Haaken and Cnut. Although our task would be easier it appalled them to think that the standards of our old comrades had fallen so far.
“Good. Have you found the ships?”
“There is one of Pasgen’s ships there. We have not found the thrall pens yet. There is one drekar moored in the bay.”
“Sigtrygg, take your men and recapture Pasgen’s ship. If you can take the drekar then do so.”
I heard him in the dark. “It will be a pleasure.”
“The rest of you, we will
enter and find the slaves first. We will all be Ulfheonar this night.” I knew I had said the right thing. All warriors wished to be part of my oathsworn. They would follow my orders. We spread towards the sleeping stad like a dark shadow over the land. We were the wolves that night. Like the pack which we had destroyed we moved as one. Each one of us would give his life for the others. That was why we were dangerous.
Beorn and Arturus rose from the ferns. They used no words. We were close enough now to be heard. I led my twenty five warriors towards the gate. As they had said there were no sentries but the gate was barred. My two scouts slipped over and we heard the slight creak as the heavy wooden bar was lifted. It was their lack of maintenance which came to their aid. The two gates groaned mournfully as they were opened. Time was now of the essence. I signalled for four warriors to watch the gate and I led the rest through the familiar narrow ways between the houses. The thrall pens were towards the rear of the stad.
I thought we had made it without being noticed when a warrior, obviously disturbed by the noise, emerged from the warrior hall. Although Erik Dog Bite led two warriors to silence him it was too late.
“To arms!”
“Snorri, Arturus and Beorn rescue the thralls.” The three scouts ran off. “The rest of you, follow me into the warrior hall before they can arm!”
I knew that there would be warriors in Erik’s hall but there would be more in the warrior hall and they would have to arm themselves. As I stepped through the door I had to cross the bodies of one of my warriors, Oleg and the warrior who had raised the alarm. Six warriors could be seen, in the glow from the fire, surrounding Erik Dog Bite and the wounded Harald the Clumsy who had followed him.
I recognised Thorfinn Olafson and I swung my sword at his shield. He halted the blow which would have skewered Erik Dog Bite and turned to face me. He roared his challenge at me and hacked at my head with his axe. I fended it with my shield and stabbed with Ragnar’s Spirit. He had not donned mail and his turn had opened his stance. The sword went through him and out of his back. He was a big man and he did not die at once. He weakly tried to bring his axe down but it slid from his dying grasp. I twisted it and turned to see where the danger lay.