by Griff Hosker
It was Garth who found the first signs of the Saxons. It was in the area north west of Aelfere. Now that Elmet was besieged the horsemen of Gwalliog could not control their borders and as the Bernicians had abandoned the land south of the Dunum it was a perfect place for the Saxons to infiltrate.
I told Tuanthal to head for the Roman Bridge and explore the Dunum estuary while I took my men to Aelfere. It was a long ride and the men would be tired when we returned but, if Garth had seen signs to the north then it seemed logical that they had reinvested the village we had secured. The tops of the moors were cold but the majority of my men had wolf cloaks. I felt sorry for Aedh and Pol who shivered. Aedh was obviously thinking that he had a wolf cloak of his own but he could not yet wear it. It was a clear day and when we reached the eastern side of the divide we could see tendrils of smoke which spoke of inhabited settlements. I hoped that they were our people but I feared that they were not.
My brothers and I had visited Aelfere when we had fled Stanwyck and I could remember that it was on a low ridge. We would have to be circumspect when we approached. Aedh had proved himself to be a clever scout and, when we saw the stockade which surrounded the town he slipped from his pony and scampered off through the brush and thin woods which surrounded it. I ordered the men to feed themselves and their horses whilst Pol and I kept watch. I had learned that you ate when you could. Aedh was away some time and Pol and I had managed to eat some dried meat and feed some grain to our mounts.
He was breathless and his clothes were torn. I wondered had he been seen but his enthusiastic grin told me that he had not. “Well Aedh?” I gestured at his clothes.
“It was a bramble bush my lord but it enabled me to hide close to their gate. They are Saxons.” I did not need to know how he knew that for we all could recognise the guttural sounds which made up the Saxon language. “There were a few armed men but not an army.”
“Well done Aedh. Get some food.” They were settling. This would not worry me yet but it meant that they had returned. Tuanthal’s report would tell me if we had a problem or not.
We reached Castle Perilous before Tuanthal and after dark. The men were exhausted. Garth would have to take the longer patrol the next day for my men and Tuanthal’s need recovery time. When my Captain of horse returned it was with more bad news. There were Saxon ships in the Dunum. Not an army but enough to make me worry. “But my lord the worse news is that they have begun rebuilding the old fort at the mouth of the Dunum. They control the river.”
The fact that we had no ships was immaterial but if they were making a stronghold then they had learned their lesson. This time they would have a refuge in case they had to retreat and I knew the site he had mentioned. It was almost as good as Din Guardi and Stanwyck. To take it would bleed an army dry. “You have done well. At least we now know the problem, even if we can do nothing about it.”
That evening Myrddyn and Oswald joined me in the solar. “I could infiltrate their camp again my lord. Aella is dead.”
“No Myrddyn. It is a brave offer but there may be someone left who would recognise you and we would gain nothing from it. We know where they are. This time we will not oppose them if they choose to cross the Dunum, that is up to King Morcant Bulc. We will stop them if they come west.” I pointed at the defences. “Thanks to the cleverness of the priest and the magician we have a castle which will halt them.”
They both nodded at my praise and then Brother Oswald coughed and said, “My lord, if I might suggest?” I waved my hand for him to continue. “If we had beacons on the high places then, when the Saxons come we could light them and the people could take refuge here.”
“It would be a little cramped I feel.”
“The land to the west will be safe. We could build huts there and then the ones not fighting would be safe.”
I suddenly realised that what he said made perfect sense. I did not want Aideen and the other women subject to accidental death because they were close to the fighting. “Good idea. Begin building tomorrow.” The huts were wattle and daub. My men could erect twenty in a week.
“We could also build a wooden wall between the huts and our eastern wall. If we fell it would give them time to escape.”
Myrddyn’s words brought a chill to my heart. Even the optimistic young man thought we might lose. “You think they will win Myrddyn?”
“They may but I have learned that it is as well to make plans for all eventualities.”
I was intrigued. “What plan then if they do defeat us?”
Brother Oswald leaned forward, equally interested as Myrddyn took the jug of wine and the three goblets we had used. “The jug is Rheged.” He placed one to the west, one to the north, quite close to the jug, and one a little further away to the south west. “If Rheged fell then we could go north to King Rhydderch Hael’s kingdom.” He pointed to the goblet to the north. Or we could flee to Hibernia.” He held up Brother Oswald’s goblet which was to the west. “Or,” and here he held his own goblet which was the one furthest from the jug, “we could go to my home in the mountains of Wales.”
“You may drink your wine brother Oswald I think that the Hibernians would be as the Saxons are.”
“Thank you my lord and I agree.”
“North is attractive but if Morcant Bulc’s land also fell then it would be surrounded.” I picked up my goblet and drank it off. “Which leaves your goblet. Explain how that would help us.”
“Your brother holds the gateway to the south. He could join us or delay the enemy.” I felt a cold sensation rundown my spine. I could not fault Myrddyn’s logic but it seemed callous to allow my young brother to sacrifice himself for us. “The land between Wide Water and Wales is flat and we could make good time using horses. The land has few people and, if we avoided the coast then we would be safe from the slavers. The mountains are easily defended and we would be safe once we reached there.”
I pondered his ideas and there was silence. “We would need to build wagons and make sure we had enough horses capable of pulling the wagons.” I looked up as Oswald spoke. He was already making plans.
“And we would need to send a small party to scout out a site which was suitable.”
Both of them seemed set on the idea. “I have not decided yet and we have not lost. Why make the plans?”
“Because, my lord, as I found when the Hibernians came and you found at Stanwyck, when disaster strikes you have no time to rescue those who are not warriors. Would you have the women and children enslaved or killed?”
He was right and that was the day we began to plan for defeat.
Chapter 17
As spring grew towards summer we increased our patrols and I urged the others to be more aggressive. We no longer hid and we rode up to their settlements martially dressed and with aggression. I wanted the Saxons to know that they would not catch us unawares. As they had few, if any horsemen, we were safe enough and my men were wary and careful enough to avoid ambushes. The ploy worked and the Saxons did not come any further west. On the other hand it allowed them to focus their attention on Elmet and Bernicia. Raibeart’s new defences threw them back and his well trained archers discouraged their attentions. So it was that their king, Aethelric, launched an attack north of the Dunum and the forces sent by King Morcant Bulc were soundly beaten. We heard this second hand from some of the survivors who escaped towards and beyond Roman Bridge.
Garth brought two of the badly injured warriors to Castle Perilous where Myrddyn healed them. After they had recovered enough they told us of the battle. It seems that King Morcant Bulc had sent Riderch with a thousand men to oppose the Saxons. The numbers were insufficient as the Saxons fielded twice that number and he had sent neither archers nor horsemen to support them. Despite Riderch’s leadership and the bravery of the Bernician warriors they had been routed although the wounded men assured us that my friend still led them as they left the field.
“So Myrddyn, it seems the Bernician king has not learned his lesson yet. He st
ill tries to hide behind his walls.”
“I think, my lord, that he thought that Rheged would come to his aid again and turn the tide. From what I have seen of the man he wants the glory without the risk. The Saxons do not fear him and they have his measure. Even if he did lead the men on the battlefield it would not deter the Saxons.”
“And what do you know of this Aethelric?”
“He was the leader of a warband and he was close to Aella. He seemed to be very sure of himself and he did survive the slaughter on the Dunum so we can assume he has cunning.”
I turned to Oswald. “I think we will be going to war sooner rather than later. Make sure we have a healthy supply of arrows and javelins and all of the men have armour.”
“What of the farmers? Do you wish them called to arms?”
“No Oswald, just my oath sworn. I do not want my people to die for the Bernicians.”
We were surprised a month later, a month in which little had been seen or heard of the Saxons, when King Urien, Prince Ywain and their bodyguards arrived at Castle Perilous. The king did not enter but beckoned me over. “King Morcant Bulc has asked to meet with us close to Dunelm.”
“What for? Does he wish our help?”
“He did not say. He just asked that I bring my son and you.”
“I like this not, your majesty. The Saxons are north of the Dunum now. If they found you without your army it could go ill for you.”
He smiled, “My Wolf Warrior, you truly do have a warrior’s mind. I know what you fear which is why I only bring my bodyguards and Ywain’s for they are mounted. “
“Then I will join you.” I turned to my captains, Brother Oswald and Myrddyn.” “Tuanthal, Garth mount the horsemen we follow the king. Miach, mount twenty archers. Myrddyn you are coming. Ridwyn and Brother Oswald take charge. Pol bring my sword, bow and armour.” One or two looked as though they might argue but one look at my face sent them scurrying to obey.
My wife, of course, had no such dilemma. “My husband do you go to war again?” Her voice was harsh and her eyes flickered annoyance between me and the king.
King Urien answered for me. “No, my Lady Aideen; he goes with me to meet with the King of Bernicia. There will be neither war nor deaths; we go for a meeting only.”
The king’s noted honesty made her sigh with relief. “I am sorry your majesty, my husband, but I do not want war again.”
“And neither do I.” The king’s voice was filled not only with sincerity but a power which had been missing for some time. The old king was back.
As we tagged along as a rearguard I noticed that Myrddyn was also armed. It was not like him. “Do you know something I do not?”
“No my lord, but like you I am suspicious. Especially as the four men behind the king are Bladud, Llofan and their two evil faced companions. As we are meeting the man we believe is behind the deceit last year I thought it best to be prepared.” I smiled. I had felt foolish voicing my fears before the king but now I felt justified.
We reach Dunelm just before dusk and we could see that the people there had already repaired the damage suffered the previous year but of Morcant Bulc there was no sign. The king did not seem to have noticed the slight. “Make camp here. Perhaps we are early.”
It was after dark when we heard the sound of a horse galloping along the Roman Road. We stood to until we recognised that it was a Bernician rider. “Your majesty. King Morcant Bulc requests that you meet him, further north at the old Roman fort of Vinovia.”
The rider was a young warrior I remembered from our last campaign. He was an affable young man and a brave warrior. “Now?” The king’s voice displayed his disbelief and I saw the embarrassment on the warrior’s face. “We would be travelling through dangerous lands after dark.”
“I will tell my king that you will meet him tomorrow.” The young man kicked his horse and they galloped off towards the distant fort.
“I do not like that your majesty; it was at best discourteous and at worst dangerous. We could be riding into a trap.”
“I think you are right Lord Lann. We will keep our wits about us tomorrow and we will make sure we are prepared for all eventualities.”
We rode north the following morning; I do not know about the others but I wondered at this strange turn of events. We were now in Bernicia; it struck me that we could have stayed at Dunelm and awaited their king there and I worried that we might be heading into an ambush of some type but, for the life of me, I could not work out the reason. “Myrddyn, do not take your eyes off Bladud and the others.”
“That will be easy to do if not very pleasant.” Garth and I smiled for Bladud was large and distinctive but as he rarely smiled his ugly features did not warrant close scrutiny. We saw the old fort loom up in the distance and we could all see that the Bernicians had repaired it and re-hung the gate. King Morcant Bulc and his twenty bodyguards awaited us at a table erected beneath a canopy in front of the fort. I relaxed a little. It would not be a trap after all. We could see all around the fort and there was no sign of Saxons.
King Urien and Ywain reined in close to a wood which would afford shade for the horses and the equites. I saw the two men walk towards King Morcant Bulc followed by six of the king’s bodyguards. “Tuanthal, Garth, come with me and Myrddyn. Tell the men to be alert.” I looked at Pol. “You come too and bring my bow.” I did not know why I wanted my bow but something smelled wrong and I needed to be prepared. “Stay close to me. Understand?”
“Yes, my lord.” He looked determined and I was happy to be followed by four such loyal warriors.
King Morcant Bulc had a self satisfied and smug expression on his face as we approached. There was a chair opposite him, presumably for King Urien but the Bernician made no effort to show respect to the man who had been elected the High King and he remained seated. Ywain threw me a look which showed that he was as confused as I was. The Bernician bodyguards formed a half circle behind their king and I saw that there was no Riderch; obviously he was still out of favour.
King Urien frowned as he sat down. “I am confused, King Morcant Bulc. Why did you feel it necessary to meet with me and why here and why,” he spread his arms at the empty space, “why the formality?”
Morcant Bulc gave a silky smile which I did not trust for an instant and my hand went involuntarily to Saxon Slayer. I watched the Bernician bodyguards but they made no movement and seemed amused by the events.
“As you may have heard King Urien my army suffered a defeat at the hands of the Saxons. I had thought that, as High King, you would have come to my aid.”
The three of us looked at each other. I was about to speak but the king held up his hand. “Forgive me, King Morcant Bulc but may I ask why you did not defend your own land. It seems to me that you could have prevented the Saxons from establishing a base on the Dunum.”
He affected a shocked look, “Oh, so it is my fault then? I should have fought the Saxons alone.”
“It would have been a first at any rate.”
King Urien threw me an irritated look and held up his hand to silence me but Morcant Bulc stared coldly at me. “Ah the famous Wolf Warrior; still hunting glory are you?” If he thought to annoy me he had failed. I was cold inside. But I could not work out what his intentions were. He leaned forward and glared at King Urien. “You are not fit to be High King. The High King would protect the whole of the land and not just his own.” Again, there was no answer to this nonsense and I wondered how long the king would suffer the abuse he was being dealt. He leaned back and smiled. “I have decided that I will be High King now.”
I could not help myself and I laughed out loud. Ywain and Urien still looked confused. King Urien shook his head. “I did not ask to be High King. That position was forced upon me by the other kings but I will serve as High King until they decide otherwise.” He shook his head. “Men have told me of your weaknesses King Morcant Bulc and I did not believe them.” He looked at me and gave me an apologetic nod. I was gratified by the look
of hatred which erupted on the Bernician’s face. “However, I have my own kingdom to rule. This journey was a waste and I am saddened by your attitude. Had you given the same attention to the defence of your own land rather than this hunt for glory then perhaps your kingdom would be more secure. I will return home.”
He started to rise and I saw the look of unmitigated exultation on Morcant Bulc’s face. I heard Myrddyn yell, “Treachery!” And I saw the sword in Llofan Llaf Difo’s hand stab down into King Urien’s back.
Suddenly the Bernician bodyguards formed a shield wall around their gleeful king. Things happened really quickly. I saw Myrddyn dive to the king’s side. Bladud turned to strike his sword at a shocked Prince Ywain and the other four bodyguards rushed at me and my men.
“Pol, get the men!” My squire dropped my bow and quiver and ran shouting for aid.
I had Saxon Slayer out in an instant and the first bodyguard lost his head before he could even make a stroke. I ducked under Llofan’s blade and stabbed at Bladud, more in hope than expectation. I was lucky or perhaps it was wyrd but Saxon Slayer caught him behind his knee and his blow failed to strike the prince. He turned angrily towards me and swung his sword at my head. I had no shield and I just dropped to one knee. As I did so I stabbed forwards. His sword swung harmlessly over my head and Saxon Slayer slid along the rings of his mail ripping open the rings and coming away red.
Bladud did not seem worried and he snarled at me. “There will be no one to save you this time.”
“I never needed help against you. You were always overrated and now I find that you are a treacherous traitor. You will die slowly.” As we turned to face each other I caught sight of Garth about to despatch Llofan. “I want the killer alive Garth!”
Bladud took advantage of my inattention and swung his sword at my side. I wore my mail gauntlets and I grabbed hold of the blade. It was not as sharp as mine but I felt the blood as it sliced into my palm. I was too close for a blow and so I head butted him. I heard his nose break as blood erupted like water from a waterfall. I stepped back. He now had three wounds and I knew that I would win for the blood loss would weaken him. As we turned around each other I saw that my men had despatched the killers and Garth held his sword at Llofan’s neck. The rest of my men stood between the Bernicians and their dying king. I could now concentrate on the traitor I was about to kill.