Viking War

by Griff Hosker

  I drew my sword as I stepped into the cave. I heard a movement. I could not smell wolf. That did not mean there were none within. Then I heard Cnut’s voice, “It is us, jarl.”

  We did not risk lights but lay down to rest. I discovered that our eyes became accustomed to the dark and we watched as, in twos and threes the rest arrived. Harald Magnusson did not return. We found his body some days later. He had been wounded in the attack but silently held the pain until it overcame him on the path to the cave of the wolf.

  We rested until dawn. We should have left whilst it was still dark but we had waited for Harald. We owed him that. The ground around Windar’s Stead was drying out but it was still difficult terrain to travel over and we kept to the high ground. I decided to take us by Elter’s Water. That way we could approach the bridge from the same side as Haaken. I was also unsure of the condition of the road leading to Windar’s Mere.

  Elter’s stead was deserted but it looked to have been left in some sort of order and I was hopeful that he and his people had escaped to Cyninges-tūn. The road from Cyninges-tūn was higher than the other roads and firmer. We made good time. I hoped that Haaken had been successful but I took no chances and I spread out my remaining warriors to filter through the trees while Cnut, Sigtrygg and I came down the road.

  Warriors stepped out from the trees. They were mailed. “I wondered when you would reach us Jarl Dragon Heart but I assumed you would come from the east.”

  I clasped Haaken’s hand. “I was not certain of the road. The ground around Windar’s Stead is still muddy. How many men do we have?”

  He gave a low whistle and more warriors emerged. “We have the twelve Ulfheonar and forty more warriors beside. Kara and Aiden concurred with Rolf that they could hold Cyninges-tūn now that the threat was from this direction.”

  He was looking at the Ulfheonar who remained. “Is Beorn scouting?”

  Snorri answered him. Snorri had grown older in the last few days and his normal smile was gone. It had been replaced by a scowl. “He is in Valhalla.” He paused. “Rorik gave him the blood eagle.”

  Haaken nodded, “When this is over you must tell me the story and we will honour him in the warrior hall.”

  I began to formulate a plan in my head. Although we were still out numbered more than fifty warriors had died in the last two nights. Rorik and his allies would be searching for us. If they followed us to the wolf cave they would soon lose our trail for we had walked on stones for eight hundred paces. Even Snorri could not track over such ground.

  “Have you sent word to Thorkell?”

  “Your sister did. The messenger should have reached there by the night before last. He should have sent men by now. What do you intend?”

  “I am hoping that Rorik assumes this bridge is still held and that his allies have, at least, pinned us in Cyninges-tūn. The few numbers we have used in the last few nights should have confirmed this. It will be safe for us to approach Windar’s Stead.”

  “You intend to join them inside and fight from there?”

  “No, Cnut, that would be a waste. I want Snorri to go within the walls and tell Windar that we are close at hand. We will return by Elter’s Stead and the wolf cave. If we head for the Grassy Mere then we should find Thorkell. I intend to attack the warriors in the Rye Dale. They will be the most nervous. If Thorkell is there then we can attack this night. They will think we are the small raiding party of the last few nights and we will surprise them.” I looked at Snorri. “Can you do this?”

  He nodded and looked at Haaken. “Did you send ‘Hawk’ back to the stead?”

  “I did. It patrols the western side of Windar’s Mere.”

  “Good, then I will use that to gain entry.”

  I knew that Snorri would be able to do what I asked. “Snorri, we will avenge Beorn. It is Rorik who must pay!”

  “I know and do not worry, Jarl Dragon Heart, I am no berserker; I am Ulfheonar and the wolf is not reckless. It is cunning.”

  He turned and melted into the woods. “Did you bring food and arrows?”

  Haaken waved forward four boys who brought ponies. Two distributed food while those with bows replenished their quivers. Although we only had eight archers left amongst the Ulfheonar they could be used with deadly effect. As we ate we told Haaken of our experiences over the last two nights.

  He nodded, “We reached here in the afternoon of yesterday. I sent the Ulfheonar across the river and we attacked from two sides. We killed them all. None escaped.”

  “Did you lose any?”

  “Five warriors we had brought with us and one boy who got too close the enemy.” He pointed to the ridge above the bridge. “We buried them there with their weapons.”

  I chewed and reflected on our losses. They may have been small but the ones we had lost were irreplaceable. This war was expensive. It had been begun by the greed of others who wished to take what we had worked for.

  “And what of Arturus and his men?”

  “What about them?”

  “They would swell our numbers.”

  “I know Cnut but there are too many warriors between us and him. Besides I am not certain that the waters around his fort will have subsided. When this is over we will have to build causeways. I fear Cherchebi will always be prone to such inundation.”

  Once we had eaten we set off. I was more confident on the way back for I knew where the enemy were. We did not go to the cave but headed up the ridge which bordered the Water of Rye Dale. We dropped down at the neck of land which separated it from the Grassy Mere and headed for the old Roman Road which led through the dale. Haaken used his scouts and they found the road unguarded. The land to the left rose steeply to the scar from which we had watched Rorik. I thought it unlikely that he would have moved north. If anything he would have strengthened his watch on the east and the west. I knew that he would now be beginning his assault on Windar’s Mere. I hoped that Snorri had reached him to give him hope but we could do little until Thorkell and his men arrived.

  Siggi Thorson was watching from the tree line above the road. He slithered down to us. “There are warriors coming down from the slopes above.”

  “Thorkell and his men?”

  “I did not recognise their leader.”

  I quickly organised the men and we hid in the trees. There were thirty odd warriors. Five had mail and all wore helmets. The faces of the men were obscured by their helmets and, with their shields on their left arms I could not identify them that way. I could see what Siggi meant. Their leader was not a tall man. Thorkell the Tall stood out. It was not my former Ulfheonar.

  Suddenly the voice of one of the men from Cyninges-tūn broke the silence, “Sven Ullason!” The warriors turned as one and began to descend.

  Haaken strode over to the man who had shouted, “Why did you break silence?”

  “They are men from Ulla’s Water. I know them!”

  It was then that I recognised Sven. I had fought with him against the Northumbrians the year before last. I walked over to him and took off my helmet and mask. “It is good to see you.”

  “We tried to come to Windar’s aid but the raiders have blocked the road. We were heading around to Skelwith’s bridge. We hoped to find you.”

  Just then I heard a noise from behind me. All of us whipped around and drew our weapons. Thorkell stepped out leading his warriors. He laughed, “We saw the strange warriors coming from the fells and thought they were the enemy.”

  Sven looked offended, “We are warriors who fight for Dragon Heart just as you do!”

  I put my arms around them both. “I am just grateful that you are here. Thorkell, how many men did you bring?”

  “Thirty six warriors and six slingers. I brought the eight men too who rowed the ‘Heart’ north. I left the archers to watch my stead.”

  “Erik reached you then?”

  “Aye. He was unhappy about being left in the river but I am more settled for we have a fleet there now and any of the men of Dál Riata wil
l think twice before attacking.”

  “We now have enough men to attack them.”

  Thorkell asked, “Who are they? Erik told us of the attack by Sihtric.”

  “Jarl Erik tried to attack over the Old Man but Olaf the Toothless destroyed him. The men we face are Rorik from Frisia, Magnus Barelegs and Ragnar Hairy-Breeches.”

  “It is time that treacherous Ragnar Hairy-Breeches was destroyed! I have never trusted him.”

  “And we will destroy him. Beorn is dead. He suffered the Blood Eagle.”

  “He was the best of scouts. I remember him well hiding close to Hrams-a so that no-one could find him. I will see him in Valhalla.”

  I nodded and pointed to the south. “We have spent the last two nights as wolves slipping into his camp and killing their men. We have whittled down their numbers. Rorik has the largest number. They are attacking the walls of Windar’s stead. I had intended to attack tonight but the timely arrival of your men means we can go to the aid of Windar now.” I pointed to the south. “His main camp is in the Rye Dale. His men should be attacking Windar and, I hope that they will be tiring. It will be dark in less than two hours. If we attack now we may dishearten them.” I looked at the faces of Sven and Thorkell. “Are your men fit enough to fight?”

  Thorkell smiled. “We may not all be Ulfheonar but we have the hearts and the courage to fight alongside them. The journey south has just made us eager to get to grips with this enemy who dares to threaten our land. We are ready.”

  “Then let us go to war!”

  Chapter 21

  I led the Ulfheonar and the others followed. It was a narrow pass into the Rye Dale but we were familiar with it. As we dropped over the top I saw the wounded warriors lying in the field. I pointed to the wounded warriors with my sword and shouted, “Sven, have your men despatch the wounded, take their armour and follow us.” I sheathed my sword and picked up a spear which was stacked with others. “Grab a spear!”

  Their camp was mainly on the higher ground to the east of the river. We avoided the area to the west. It was swampy and wet. It meant that we had to travel on the narrow strip of land which bordered the steep slope which rose to the scar. It suited my formation for we had thirty odd Ulfheonar leading. Dressed in mail and with my banner above us they told the enemy that Dragon Heart was coming for them.

  As we neared the mere we heard the clash of arms and we smelled the smoke. Rorik and his men were trying to burn the walls of Windar’s Stead. We had arrived just in time. We waded across the narrow Stock Ghyll and clambered up the slope on the other side. There, before us, we saw the warriors who were battering the walls of Windar’s Stead. Rorik and his men had built stout causeways and they were protecting his battering rams with shields. It was pointless to estimate numbers and an even bigger waste of time to pause. The enemy had been fighting all day having had little or no sleep. I raised my spear yelling, “Ulfheonar!” and led my screaming band down the gentle slope towards the enemy.

  They heard our war cries and they turned. It was then that I could begin to estimate numbers. The three warbands were attacking the three sides of the ramparts. Rorik was to the south and the east. Ragnar was before us and Magnus to the west of us. I saw their banners. There looked to be over eighty in each warband. The two rivers and the Mere had narrowed the attack but I could see that they were close to breaching one of the walls.

  My men had formed a wedge behind me. We had a wall of spears before us and we had the slope in our favour. I took in that the ground ahead was churned up and boggy. Cnut had begun a chant to keep the rhythm. “Dragon Heart! Dragon Heart! Dragon Heart!”

  The enemy did what I expected them to. They fought as all Vikings did; wildly and on their own. We had learned from the Northumbrians and the Saxons. The wedge worked if you had discipline. I jabbed forward at the first warrior who came directly for me. I was the flower they all wanted to pick! He impaled himself upon my spear and I twisted as I pulled it from his dead body. A spear clattered into my shield before Haaken speared the warrior. I felt something crack beneath my feet as I stepped heavily on the first body. I slowed down. It was getting muddier and we needed to keep our formation. I saw Snorri wave from the gate. He had got through.

  The walls of the stead were less than a hundred paces from us but every part was covered by a warrior. The water was replaced by a sea of warriors. They now turned to face us. A wave of warriors rushed at us with an assortment of weapons. We still had momentum and there was an enormous crack as the two bands met. My spear shattered as I thrust it through the mailed body of the leading warrior. It must have penetrated through to his back and lodged in the shield of the man behind. The press of warriors meant I could not draw Ragnar’s Spirit and I drew the seax instead. I had not had time to clean the blood from the previous night and its stained tip ripped up into the guts of the warrior who was close enough for me to smell his breath. He cursed at me as I disembowelled him.

  We were all so close that it was not combat; it was a fight to the death. What saved us was our mail. I saw a seax come directly at my face. I tried to turn away and raise my shield at the same time but the warrior was strong. I managed to put my helmet and my mail mask in the way. The tip tangled in the mail mask. I lifted my seax and ripped across the bare arm which was before me. I severed it and the dagger fell as the man tried to staunch the bleeding with his other hand. Haaken despatched him and, as he fell back a small space was cleared. I put the seax in my left hand and drew Ragnar’s Spirit. I used the space to whirl the long blade in front of me. One foolish warrior stepped forwards at the wrong time and the edge smashed into the side of his head. It was like being struck by an iron bar and he fell stunned at my feet. As I stepped over him I stamped hard on his neck and heard it break.

  One of Ragnar’s warriors stepped forward. He had a shield which was more kite shaped than round and he had a long handled axe. Although it had a small head it looked to be well made.

  “Now face a real warrior, Dragon Heart and prepare to die! I am Olaf the Skull Splitter and your head will belong to me!”

  The problem with some warrior’s names is that they tell you how they fight. I already had my shield rising as he swung his axe. He would go for my head. Instead of stabbing at him or going for his shield I brought my sword backhand from under my shield. I could not have done it had he not swung at my head and allowed me to raise my shield. The sharpened edge ripped upwards towards his armpit. His axe clattered and crashed upon my shield making me step back a little and then his motion took his right arm off at the shoulder. Olaf the Skull Splitter had a surprised look upon his face as he began to bleed to death. I used my shield to push his dying body away.

  He must have been expected to win for the men behind him stood, briefly and stared at his corpse and my bloody sword. Although I was tiring this was not the time to stop. “Ulfheonar!” I lunged at the next man with my sword but the action took me in the middle of the waiting warriors. I felt a rain of blows on my shield and helmet. If I had not had such good mail and padding I might have perished there and then. I still held my seax and, as I swung shield out to push away one warrior the seax ripped through the stomach of the warrior who stepped forward to finish me off. I twisted Ragnar’s Spirit to block the sword which came down to strike my unguarded side. I smiled as the poorly made blade shattered on Ragnar’s Spirit. Cnut lunged and gutted the warrior.

  The Ulfheonar formed a protective wall around me. Haaken laughed, “Slow down, Dragon Heart. There are more than enough for all of us.”

  We needed the break to gather our breath. I looked up and saw that Ragnar Hairy-Breeches was edging his standard towards that of Rorik. He had borne the brunt of our attack. Suddenly the gates opened and I saw Snorri lead the garrison to attack the rear of Ragnar’s war band. It proved to be too much and they ran towards Rorik, following their banner.

  I turned to my men. “Let us finish Magnus now and eliminate one of our enemies.”

  I saw, as I looked at them,
that there were warriors missing. Thorkell and his men protected our left and Sven and his men had joined the warriors from Cyninges-tūn. We had over eighty warriors and ahead of us Magnus had barely sixty. The wedge was reformed with the extra men at the rear and we hurled ourselves at Magnus’ banner.

  Magnus Bare-Legs was not a tall man but he was a big man and he and his oathsworn were a solid wall of mail around his banner. Their backs were to the rivers and the ditches. They had nowhere to go. The archers behind the walls of Windar’s Stead rained arrows upon them and they decided to meet us head on. We clashed with the lightly armed mercenaries between us. It cushioned the blow but all of them died as the Ulfheonar’s blades cut into unprotected bodies.

  I aimed myself at Magnus. He had a double handed war axe which he swung over his head. It was meant to intimidate. To reach him there were four warriors we would have to kill first. They had spears which had yet to taste blood. I angled my body to take as much protection as I could get from my shield. Cnut’s shield overlapped my own and I felt the edge of Haaken’s on the other side. The spear head jabbed through my guard but the edge of the seax held it. The metal jammed between the seax and my shield. I slid my sword along the spear haft. The men behind me pushed and the ones between the oathsworn held firm. Ragnar’s Spirit tore through the mail links of his byrnie and into the padded tunic. I saw him brace himself for the blow he knew was coming. He bravely tried to work his spear into me but it was jammed tightly and I thanked Ragnar once more for teaching how to make a metal rim for my shield. I felt the sword sink into flesh and I saw him grimace. When the blood began to drip from his mouth and the spear fell to the ground I withdrew my sword and punched with my shield. Like his jarl he was not a big man but a wide one and he collapsed back, creating a hole large enough for Haaken, Cnut and me to step into. The warrior behind was not quick enough with his shield and Ragnar’s Spirit tore into his throat.