by Griff Hosker
“No, Trygg, an Emperor; for it was an Emperor who gave it to me.” I was not certain when I would wear it for I was used to my blackened wolf armour. This was not made of mail but square pieces of overlapping metal. The lower part was still mail but the lamellar armour extended down the arms. It was lighter than mail and yet it covered more. There was also something the Greeks had called greaves, which protected my lower legs.
The three of them examined the armour. Siggi nodded, appreciatively. “You should have it blackened like your mail armour, Jarl. It is lighter and you would be an even greater warrior wearing this.”
I wondered if he was right. Certainly it would be much easier to repair. I would have Bjorn Bagsecgson examine it. If we could make armour like this it would make us even stronger.
“Pasgen, I would have you make the crew of this ship welcome tonight. Throw them a feast; I will pay for it. We need to make the links which bind our peoples like links of iron. I will leave my son and Aiden here to translate. I know that you will watch over them.”
“Aye Jarl Dragon Heart.”
“And I will leave the animals here tonight so that they can recover some of their strength for the journey tomorrow. They will need penning.”
“We will do that for you. Will you not stay with us?”
I shook my head, “I am anxious to see my home and my daughter.”
“I understand.” A look of sadness passed over Pasgen’s face for he remembered when I had come home to a house of the dead and discovered most of my family dead in my hall.
I took one of the ponies we kept at the port and, wrapping my wolf cloak about me I set off to make the journey home.
Chapter 3
Although night was falling we had made the track to Cyninges-tūn both wide and easy to follow. It meandered between the oaks and the beeches. The pony trotted along happily. Even when night fell he seemed quite happy to head through the tall trees and, once I reached the water my land opened up. The moon had risen. The old man that was Olaf looked down and I saw his reflection gleaming across the shining water of Cyninges-tūn. I felt at peace. I knew from my daughter, Kara, that the spirit of my dead wife, Erika, lived between the mountains. I felt her presence whenever I returned home from a voyage. I heard a voice telling me to stop. I reined in the pony, which seemed surprised and I dismounted. I put the reins under a large rock. I was totally alone. I could see the lights from the two villages many miles ahead; they were glowing like tiny candles in the dark. I walked to the water and took off my boots, my sword and my clothes. I just walked into the water.
The pony happily nibbled the grass at the side of the water and I walked slowly into the Water of Cyninges-tūn. I felt the icy cold creep up on me until I was chest high. I lay on my back and allowed the water to wash over me. Putting my arms and legs out I floated. With my eyes closed I felt as though I was cocooned somewhere safe and as the sounds of the night disappeared, I went deep within myself into a dark black hole which suddenly filled with light as I heard Erika’s voice.
‘You have come back to me, my warrior. You have done well. Ragnar and your mother are both pleased with you. You made the right decisions even when others doubted you. You are fulfilling your destiny. You are the Wolf Warrior reborn.’
I tried to speak in my head but nothing came. It was as though I had been struck dumb. There were so many questions I wanted to ask and I could not.
‘I am always close to you, my love, but I can enter your head when you are in water or in the cave of the dreamers; the place of the dead. Kara can ask the questions which fill your heart. Now you must go. You have much to do. Danger comes to this land and it comes unseen. Trust your heart and not your eyes. We have only one friend now and the enemies of our people are gathering to take what we have built.’
And then the sounds of the water returned. The gentle neighing of the pony reminded me of where I was. I stood and walked from the water. The air felt warmer, somehow. I rubbed myself dry with my tunic and then dressed. The pony seemed eager to get home and we make quick time.
The gates were closed and I stood patiently waiting for the sentry to see me. It was Magnus Tostigson and he was embarrassed that he had not seen me quicker. That was not because I was jarl but because had I been an enemy then all would have been in danger.
“I am sorry jarl. I was…”
I shook my head as I walked through the gate. “Do not make something up. Be more vigilant in the future. Just because the Ulfheonar are back does not mean that there is no danger.” The words of Erika rang in my ears. “There is danger all around.”
Kara and her healers had their own hall but she must have known I was coming for she almost ghosted next to me as I walked towards the fire in my home. “I am glad that you are safe.” She put her arm through mine and, for a moment, she was the tiny girl clinging on to her father returning from the wars. She leaned up and kissed my cheek. “You smell different. Is this perfume?”
“In the east they oil beards and put sweet smelling herbs in the waters in which they bathe.”
She laughed and it sounded good. “I like it. Do not apologise. The men here all smell like goats. You must keep it up.” As we entered the hall she said, “Mother has spoken with you.”
At one time I would have been surprised, but no longer. “Aye, I went into the water and she came to me.”
“I have seen the danger too. It comes from all around us. The north, south, east and west.”
“Not just Northumbria and Eanred then?”
“No, although that snake is not yet scotched. Our land is attractive and we have made it so. Others covet what we have.” She sat me down on my chair and poured me some beer. “I have had the men improving the defences here but I fear that Windar’s Mere and Ulla’s Water will require more work for they lie to the east and enemies would strike them first.”
“You have done well my daughter. We have brought many riches back for you. Aiden bought not only spices but herbs and potions from the eastern doctors.”
“He and Arturus are still at Úlfarrston?”
I nodded. “They have another short voyage to make. It will be a month or more that they will be away.”
“Then rest and I will go and have a word with Magnus Tostigson. He was not paying enough attention to his duties.”
I shook my head. She knew things which others would not even notice. “No Kara, he knows his mistake. He will not make a second.”
Laughing she left saying, “You are far too soft for a fierce warrior whom Saxon mothers use to terrify their children.”
I was relieved when the animals came. With winter approaching I did not wish to risk the animals and we built some pens on the fell side close to the water. I had my men construct some byres for them. We would cosset these fine animals for they would ensure our survival. In the spring they would begin to give us the new herds and flocks. I would work out, with Aiden and Scanlan, the best place for them. The bull and the ram, however, would live within my walls; they were like gold and they would be protected as fiercely.
Over the next few days Kara tried to get me to rest after the gruelling voyage and the battles which had given me new scars but I shook my head. “I am more aware now, than ever, that I was brought here for a purpose. I will stop when I go to the Otherworld. Do not fret over me, daughter. I am happy in my work.”
I left my new armour with Bjorn and took the Ulfheonar north to visit with Thorkell the Tall at the outpost to the north of our land. He was the guardian of the northern passes. Raiders could still come from the coast but the greatest danger came from the Picts and the men of Dál Riata to the north. As I led my Ulfheonar north I told Haaken and Cnut of my wife’s words and my daughter’s warnings.
“Then why are we going north? We should do as Kara suggested and build up Windar’s Stead!”
Haaken laughed at his friend, “They are hidden. Did you not hear the jarl? We know not when they will come or who they are. They could come from any direction. They
might even come from the north.”
“And securing our northern borders will allow us to look to the east. Hopefully we will find a world at peace and a Thorkell who is bored.”
Even though we were in our land I had Snorri and Beorn Three Fingers scouting ahead. It did not do to be surprised. We had appeared unseen in Saxon lands before now. We would be vigilant.
I was surprised when we reached the hill fort. Thorkell had had his men and slaves working to improve it. I saw his ship, ‘Great Serpent’, in the river beyond. It was reassuring. We paused on the slope which overlooked the fort to examine the new defences. He had added another ditch and I could see a channel leading from the river. Cnut nodded his approval. “He has made a dam so that he can flood his ditch. That is clever, Jarl.”
“Aye, Cnut. I think our old comrade will not be caught by surprise as he was by Wyddfa.” As we made our way down I saw that he had towers too and we had been seen from their tops. Our wolf cloaks told them who we were but I was pleased when more warriors joined the six sentries on the walls.
We had to twist and turn to cross Thorkell’s ditches. It was ingenious. Any attacker would be subject to arrows and stones whilst he was approaching the gates and walls. Thorkell strode towards us to greet us. “Jarl, it is good to see you. Where is Arturus Wolf Killer?”
“He and Aiden are on a trading mission. He is growing. He is now a warrior and a man.”
He led me into his fort. “Aye he is and I now have a baby son. Soon I will train him as you trained Arturus.”
“Good.” I spread my arm around his defences. Inside the fort looked to be as well managed as the outside. “I see you have made the fort stronger. That is good.”
His face darkened. “We need to. Come to my hall and I will tell all.”
Thorkell had been Ulfheonar and was a blood brother of my men. We all sat and enjoyed his ale. After we had thanked him for his hospitality he told us of their trials and tribulations. “The drekar stops the Hibernians from coming too close to our river and our land. We keep a crew aboard and it patrols our shores. Not long after you left they sent a couple of ships to raid for slaves. We hurt them badly and they have not returned but we have found that the men of Dál Riata cross the river upstream and raid the farms there. They have taken many slaves. We cannot reach them quickly enough to deter them. The land to the south is safe for the high passes protect too but the east is where we now have few people. They have moved closer to the fort.”
“Your numbers have not increased then?”
“No, Jarl.”
I had come at an opportune moment. “They have taken people and animals?”
“Aye. The land to the east is not suitable for grain. We have our grain farms to the south and the west. They occupy the little land before the mountains rise.” He looked at me curiously, “You have some plans in mind?”
“Aye, it was something Cnut said when we were trading for a bull and a ram. He wondered why we did not steal from our neighbours. It seems the men of Dál Riata were listening to him and they are stealing from us. We will go north of the river and teach them a lesson.”
“You will bring your army north?”
I shook my head. “I have one boat crew at sea with my son and Aiden and the other protects our valley. My daughter has seen war in the future and danger from the east.” He frowned. “It is not here yet but you and your men will have to guard this frontier alone. We will try to make it secure for you now.”
“But you only have the Ulfheonar!”
Haaken shook his head indignantly, “Have you forgotten so soon what we can do? Fear not Thorkell, if the jarl can save the Emperor of Byzantium with just his son and a slave to help him then he can deal with cattle thieves.”
Thorkell laughed, “You are right to chastise me, old friend. There may be just thirty of you but I would not be the men north of the river. Do you need any of my men as guides?”
“No, Thorkell but we will need some of your boys to wait for us when we return with the cattle and the slaves we will free.” He nodded. “Now tell me where they will be.”
We had created our own maps and Thorkell took one out. “They have a hill fort here.” He pointed to a place north of the estuary. “But the land twixt the rivers and the hill fort are where they farm. They do not have forts. They rely on ditches and the fact that we do not cross north to fight them as their protection.”
“Then they will learn how the Norse makes war. Keep your ship in the river. It can keep watch for them. We will leave in the morning.”
Late summer was the time of the rains and the land north of the fort was wetter than it would normally have been. It would make the enemy more complacent. We crossed the river further upstream using a raft bridge we quickly constructed. We left Thorkell’s boys there with orders to keep the raft on the southern side of the river. Snorri and Beorn Three Fingers loped off towards the north west. We had no supplies and only had our bows as extra baggage. We would live off the land. My men were ready for this. They had had little opportunity to use their skills for some time. They wanted honour, treasure and, most importantly, to fight.
“We want animals on this raid.”
“No slaves then?”
“No slaves. They will slow us down and provide a distraction. I want the land between the fort and here as empty of people as the land to the east of Thorkell.”
“The men do not like to kill women nor children.”
“I know Haaken. We may not need to. If we take their animals then they will flee to their neighbours.”
We found the first farm on the first evening soon after the moon had risen. Snorri returned, “Beorn watches the farm. They have cattle, pigs and sheep. There is a wooden enclosure. It is to keep out the wolves and not men.”
“Good. Lead on.”
We ran through the night not making a sound. Animals and birds knew that we were there but the humans on whom we preyed had no idea. We arrived in the depths of the night when all would be soundly asleep; hopefully any sentries they might employ would be easily dealt with.
We found Beorn who spoke quietly, “They have a young warrior on guard in the pens. They have a hall and I think there is a hut with slaves within but I am not certain.”
“Cnut, take half of the men and go around the far side of the ditch. You will take the hall and we will capture the animals. When they are secure we will join you.”
Cnut and his half moved silently like shadows.
Snorri was an expert with a knife and he slithered along the ground towards the unsuspected warrior. I think that the warrior was actually asleep, leaning against the tree and seated on the wall, for Snorri reached him and slit his throat without even the slightest of movements. I signalled for Stig Sweet Tooth to watch the animals while we slipped over the low stone wall towards the hall. I say hall but it was more of a large roundhouse. That meant only one entrance. There were three other smaller huts and then the one I took to be the slave hut for it had a bar on the outside. I waved for Tostig Stigson to watch the hut. Cnut and the others appeared. I left them to the hall. Waving Sigtrygg Thrandson and four warriors to one of the other huts and Haaken and three to the second, I took my remaining three warriors to the last hut.
I had not reached it when there was a shout from the large round house and Cnut and his men began their work. The door of the hut closest to me burst open and a warrior rushed out with a spear. He took Ulf Green Eye by surprise and the spear head scored his mail as he was knocked to the floor. I sliced Ragnar’s Spirit horizontally; it bit into his arm and then into the side of his naked chest. He was a tough warrior and he reached out to grab me with his left hand. I plunged my blade deep into his chest and gave him a warrior’s death. I peered into the hut which was lit with a glowing fire. There was a woman and three children cowering at the back of the hut. I pointed to the north and shouted, “Go!” it was not their language but they understood. The woman grabbed a handful of belongings and fled with the children. I had
no doubt that, once we left, she would return and collect everything of value.
I wasted no more time on the hut for I could examine that at my leisure. I led my men to the large round hut. As we ran I heard the screams and cries of the women and the children as they fled to the north. It was the one direction without my warriors. I knew that they would spread stories about our numbers which would be exaggerated. They would speak of a horde of Vikings rather than the handful we were. That could only help.
When the farmstead was secure we went to the slave hut and I nodded. The bar was lifted and the door opened.
“It is Jarl Dragon Heart of Cyninges-tūn, you can come out.” A dozen slaves, the adults all yoked came fearfully out. The children clutched at their mothers. I took off my helmet to make me less fearsome. Since my beard and moustache had been trimmed in Constantinopolis and my hair tamed, I looked less like a wild troll. I had decided to keep my slightly more human look. Kara’s words had convinced me that it was acceptable. I smiled.
One of the women dropped to her knee and took my hand. She kissed it. “We knew that you would come for us, jarl.”
I recognised her. “You are the wife of Arne No Thumb.”
She nodded. “He was killed when they took us.”
I looked at his three young boys. “Will you go back to your farmstead?”
She shook her head and I could see her fighting back the tears, “They took our animals and burnt our home. With winter coming we would die.”
“Then return with me to Cyninges-tūn. My daughter can find work for willing hands and when the boys are grown we will build you a new home.”
The eldest said, “I would be an Ulfheonar, Jarl Dragon Heart.”
“And you will be. What is your name and how many summers have you seen?”
“I am Haaken Arneson and I have seen seven summers.”
“Then in five summers you can begin your training.” The boy and his mother nodded gratefully.