Blood on the Blade

by Griff Hosker

  Their eyes lit up. “Yes master, but we come from the land of Hibernia. How would we get home?”

  I had not thought of that but I did so then. “Come with us to our home and when the new grass comes and we trade with Dyflin, we will take you there.”

  “Then we will come. You will need our help anyway. Peter does not take to strangers. He does not even like the master.”

  I went to their thrall yokes and freed the two of them. I made more noise than I wished and Arne put his head in the door. He hissed, “What are you doing? We do not want to wake the house.”

  “We have the animals and two thralls I had freed. We need them for the bull.”

  He looked relieved, “Good!”

  I said, “Olaf, Leif, put blankets and saddles on the horses and lead them out.” I turned to the two men. “What are your names?”

  The one who had spoken to me the most said, “Padraig.”

  The other said, “Aed!”

  “Then fetch the bull.” While they went, I looked around the barn and saw two large sacks. I opened them and smelled them. One was barley and one was oats. They were heavy but I tied a piece of halter rope to join them and slung them over my shoulders. I saw a coil of rope on the ground and I picked it up. The two former slaves had the bull. They had a rope through its nose. It was not the largest bull I had ever seen but it was big enough. I did not risk putting the sacks over the bull. I would use the horses.

  Once we were outside, I saw that Olaf and Leif had led their horses to the greenway. Arne saw me with the sacks and he picked up my shield, helmet and yew stave. With Sigismund and Asbjorn watching the hall we followed the lumbering bull towards the greenway. The bull crunched on the frozen ruts but it could not be helped. I hoped that those in the hall were sound sleepers. When we reached the horses, the anvil and our men, I slung the sacks over one horse and gave the rope to Gandálfr and Faramir. We had a problem. If they tied the anvil and tree trunk to one horse then it would unbalance it.

  Faramir said, “If we sling the anvil between the two horses then we can tie the sacks on the other side of each horse to balance it.”

  Arne nodded, “Then do it. This bull will slow us down.”

  “Then while you load the horses, I will take the bull and Leif. We will head down the greenways and you can catch us up.”

  “Aye.”

  “Padraig, let us go.” As they started down the greenway, I saw that the two slaves had wooden clogs upon their feet and just a shift. They shivered. I took my spare cloak and gave it to Padraig. Leif saw what I did and gave his to Aed as we walked. Time was of the essence. By the time they were cloaked we had moved four hundred paces from the others. The bull was now moving a little faster than I had expected.

  Padraig shook his head, “Are you Vikings?”

  “We are.”

  “Then why do you care if we freeze or not?”

  I pointed the yew stave at the bull. “We want the bull and the bull needs you. Besides I have two cloaks and I can wear but one.”

  I realised why the bull was moving more quickly. We were travelling down a slope. In my head I began to work out the problems we would encounter on our way north. We would need to rest and I remembered that there was a wood some ten miles north of us. I looked at the moon. We would be lucky to reach the wood by dawn. Folk might not be out at night but they would be up to make the most of the short days. We would have to stay on the greenway as long as possible. I had not heard the horses and that was a good thing. I glanced behind us and saw, four hundred paces or so behind us, the tell-tale breath of the animals and the rest of our men.

  I said, “What is your tale?”

  Padraig shrugged, “The tale of many of our people. We lived in the west where the seas stretch as far as the eye can see and we fished. The chief from the next village raided our home. They killed our fathers and took us and our families.”

  I asked, “When was this?”

  He looked up at the sky as though calculating. “I had seen six summers. That was twelve years ago. We were sold to the Vikings at the place you call Veisafjǫrðr. They took us to the slave market at Dyflin and we were bought by a Mercian. He was the reeve who worked for the eorledman, Ethelred.”

  “You can speak Norse?”

  He shook his head, “I understood some of the words you said but it has been twelve years since we spoke it.”

  “Aed does not say much.”

  Padraig smiled sadly, “Our master used to beat him. What little joy he had from his life has gone.”

  “You were not beaten?”

  “I found I had a way with animals. I was too valuable. Ethelred is a cruel man. He will come after us. If he does, we will fight him with our bare hands. We will not be enslaved again.”

  I nodded, “If they come then we will give you weapons. How many men does he have? Men who can fight?”

  “There are six house warriors. He also has six men who work the farm. They are not slaves and they have weapons. Ethelred is lord of the place you found us, St. Oswald. That is the church built by the saint. The lord can command the fyrd. There would be a hundred of them but they would take time to catch us. The six men he commands ensure that the taxes are paid and the land free from raiders such as you.”

  I laughed, “They have not done a very good job then have they?”

  “You have fooled them by coming in winter. That is clever.”

  Leif asked, as we heard Arne bringing the horses and the others behind, “What did he say?”

  I told him. He nodded, “Then we may have a fight on our hands.”

  When Arne joined us, we dropped to the rear and I told him what I had learned. He said, “You are the navigator. You have a course charted?”

  I nodded, “Do you remember the wood with the spring?” He nodded. “It is off the greenway. We stop there to rest. If we can we disguise where we leave the greenway so that we are hard to follow. But if they do come after us then the wood will be a better place to fight them. There could be thirteen men but only seven will be warriors. Aed and Padraig will fight.”

  “You trust slaves?”

  “It is in their interests to fight hard for if they are taken then they may well lose limbs. The Norns sent them. They are fishermen and they know the bull!”

  “You are right.”

  In many ways it was good that we were walking for the night became colder and the walking kept us warm. I hurried ahead of the column. I was navigator and I would find the wood. It was our prints that told me where we had joined the greenway. There was an open area. When we had joined the greenway, it had been daylight and the ground had not been frozen. I waited for the others and then pointed across the grass to the wood which could be seen in the distance. It was in the east and already I could see the sky becoming lighter. Leif headed across the field along with the bull. They were followed by the horses. I saw, as they passed me, that they were sweating.

  “Arne, Olaf and I will try to mask our trail.”

  “Aye brother. We will be at the spring. You navigate well, even on land.”

  When they had gone, I saw that the horses had dropped two piles of steaming dung just thirty paces from the gap. “Come and pick up the dung.”

  Olaf nodded. We picked it up and I led him two hundred paces beyond the gap. We laid them there. We walked back along the greenway for four hundred paces. The animals had left no other sign. There was no frost on the ground. Our feet had warmed it slightly. “Olaf, walk back and forth across our tracks and then we will walk back to where we laid the dung. We need to make them believe that we carried on. Once they doubt themselves then they may panic. The further north we can take them before they find us the better.”

  We spent some time walking from the gap to the dung and well beyond. I saw the sky becoming lighter. “Come, we head back to the others.” I had left my yew stave, helmet and shield at the gap. I recovered them and we headed across the field. It had been frosty and the prints of the animals and our men co
uld be clearly seen. I had to hope that the thin winter sun would quickly melt the prints. If the Saxons were close behind us then they would easily find us and we would have a fight on our hands. The Norns had spun and we had no choice over the outcome. It was wyrd.

  Chapter 14

  The two slaves were asleep beneath their borrowed cloaks. Arne and Asbjorn were on watch with Leif. Arne nodded and said, “Sleep, brother, you have done well.”

  I shook my head. “I have a yew bow to trim and besides I am not tired. If we have to fight then it will be you who needs your strength. You are the warrior of the family.”

  He shook his head and handed me the ale skin, “You underestimate yourself, brother, but I will sleep.”

  After drinking some ale, I took out my Walhaz dagger and began to trim the small twigs and foliage from the yew stave. I had much work to do when I reached home but the stave would be easier to carry without the foliage and twigs. It also helped me to listen. The sun, thin though it was, rose. It would melt our prints. Asbjorn watched me as I worked, “Why do you need a bow?”

  “I watched Olaf and Leif when we fought the pirates of Mann. They slew more with their bows than we did with stones. If I can slay my enemies when they are further away then I will live longer.”

  He nodded, “If you are happy to watch then I will sleep.”

  As he curled up, I took my stave and walked to the edge of the woods. I peered towards the greenway. To my relief the prints had melted. I knew where we had stepped but I doubted that the Saxons, unless they were supreme trackers, would. I knew that they would follow. We had taken their only horses and their bull. All that we had left them was the pony belonging to the priest. The Mercian, Ethelred, would be angry and want to catch us and hurt us.

  I went back to the camp. Leif stretched, “I am tired.”

  I nodded, “Then wake Olaf, he can watch.”

  Olaf started as soon as his arm was touched. He nodded, “I will watch with you, Erik.”

  I gestured behind me. “I would have you watch by the edge of the woods. Let us know if they come.”

  I ate some salted meat and made water. I walked to the bull. He snorted as I approached. I spoke in Saxon, “Peace Peter. We wish you no harm and take you to a better life.” I knew not if he understood me but he no longer snorted.

  I had just returned to my stave when Olaf appeared. “I heard them. They are heading down the greenway.”

  We woke the others. I gave my Walhaz dagger to Padraig, “You and Aed watch the animals.”

  He nodded, “Aye master.”

  I smiled, “I am not your master. Call me Erik.” Donning my helmet, hefting my shield and drawing my sword, I hurried after the others. They were hiding at the base of the trees and peering through the undergrowth. The sun was behind us and would not reflect from our helmets. We were close enough to hear them. The arching trees which marked the greenway hid them but we heard their voices and their horse. Three figures appeared in the gap we had taken. I saw them studying the prints which lay there. There was no sign of our footprints but, as the sun rose higher, then they would become visible. The lord appeared. He was riding a very small horse. His feet almost touched the ground. He wore a short mail byrnie and had a helmet with a face mask covering his eyes. The three men with him had spears and shields. Saxon shields were smaller than ours. I wondered if our luck had run out and they would head to the woods. From ahead came a call. I saw the lord turn his horse and urge his horse down the greenway. They had taken the bait. We heard their voices for a while and then they faded. We rose and hurried back to the camp. We all looked at Arne. This was his decision. We would all offer him advice but only once he had given us his plan.

  He looked at me, “Navigator, how far are we from the Ribble?”

  I took out my hare skin map. “It took us half a day to reach here. With the bull it will take a little longer.”

  He nodded, “Then we head north. The greenway leads north and west. They may think we have a ship on the coast or they may soon discover that we are not ahead of them. Either way we have time. We are rested,” he smiled at me, “almost all of us are rested. We go north. Erik, lead the way!”

  As I passed Padraig, he held out the dagger. I shook my head, “Keep it until we reach our home.”

  “You trust me?”

  I pointed to the west, “Ethelred is there. I trust you.”

  We headed north through land which had been farmed but the wars between Viking and Saxon had left it without those to farm it. We saw wattle and daub huts which were falling down. The paths we followed had been used a generation ago but were now covered in wild weeds and grass. This was a land ready for the taking. The gods had sent us here for a purpose. As the clan grew, we could expand south. Perhaps others would come from Orkneyjar rather than risking a long and dangerous journey to the land of ice and fire. The lack of human touch had allowed trees and bushes to grow unchecked. We were able to use the folds in the land to remain hidden. The three animals had been able to graze and to drink when we had stopped and Padraig did have a way with animals. We made better time than we might have expected.

  When we dropped to ford the small stream. I knew that we had just four miles to travel to the Ribble and the ford which would take us almost within touching distance of the Loyne and safety. I was tired. The animals drank and I submerged my face in the icy water to wake me up.

  Arne came next to me, “Are you able to continue brother.? You and Leif have had no sleep.”

  I smiled, “A navigator has to learn to do without sleep. This will be good practice for when we have a long voyage. If you let Olaf come with me then we will scout ahead. The river is just over an hour ahead.” I pointed to the sun. It was past its zenith. By holding up our hands we were able to roughly estimate time.

  He nodded, “Go, and be careful. I would not lose my lucky little brother!”

  I beckoned Olaf and we forded the brook. My shield was at my back and I used the yew stave as a staff. The ground rose a little. The path we trod was better used. It was bare in places. That would make it easier for Arne to follow us and also ensured that we would reach the ford. The path twisted and turned using the folds in the land. It climbed small slopes and dropped into dells. My nose was attuned to the land and I smelled the water. That is, I knew that there was water ahead. I held up my hand to stop Olaf. Taking off my helmet I crawled along the path to the edge of the ridge. Below me I saw the river. I waved for Olaf to join me. He too crawled.

  I spied the ford. The path led to it and over years animals and humans drinking from it had crushed all vegetation at the river’s edge. We not only had Saxons to fear there were also Danes. I looked upstream and saw no one. I looked downstream and there was just a pair of deer drinking. I was going to move when something startled the deer and they fled. I watched and saw two of the Saxons we had seen hours earlier. They were heading for the ford.

  As I backed down and stood up, I wondered how they could have travelled so quickly. We ran back to Arne. He knew that we would not have run if we had found nothing. “Saxons at the river. There are two of them.”

  Arne was quick thinking but he did not know Saxons. He looked at Asbjorn. He had fought the Saxons before. Asbjorn was here as a foster father to give us guidance. Asbjorn said, “They may have realised that they had lost the trail and, finding no sign of it taken the chance of heading for the ford. They may believe we are Danes.”

  Arne nodded, “That makes sense. And Erik has given us an advantage. We know they are there but they are unaware of us.”

  Asbjorn said, “You would attack them?”

  “Better than waiting to be attacked. We are Vikings. Do you fear the Saxons Asbjorn?” The older warrior shook his head. “And we have the two slaves to watch the animals. If we hit them hard enough then they might flee. I have decided!”

  We donned helmets and prepared shields before we started to move the animals up the trail. The dell just before the ridge was protected by trees and we
left the two Irish boys there with the single dagger, my yew stave and the animals. We crawled to peer over the top. The two Saxons we had seen were leaning over the water and lapping like dogs. Downstream we could hear the others as they approached. The river was just a hundred or so paces from us. We could hear the Saxons as they lapped. Arne used his quick mind, “Leif and Olaf string your bows. We will attack these two and when the others come then your arrows from ambush will distract them.”

  We nodded. Arne rose, raised his sword, and we ran down the trail. The two Saxons had helmets, spears and shields but they had laid them down to drink. The Saxon lord and his remaining men saw us before the two kneeling by the water. The lord dug his heels in and his horse charged towards us. The two men looked downstream and, as they rose, Arne and Asbjorn charged into them and hacked their swords across their middles. As they sawed them back the two men fell into the river which became red with their life blood.

  Arne was a fighter, a warrior. He had a mind for battle and tactics. He grabbed the two spears and, handing one to me, said, “Shield wall!”

  Asbjorn, Sigismund, Faramir and Gandálfr flanked us. The Saxon lord had allowed his anger to get the better of him. It was the wrong thing to do. He still had his men with him. They outnumbered us. The little priest’s pony was no war horse and I could see that it was lathered and sweaty. As Arne and I lunged with our spears it whirled to escape the steel tipped ash. The lord was thrown from its back. Arne lunged with his spear at the prostrate Saxon thegn and the head tore into his thigh. The Saxon rolled away as his men ran to defend him. Six were warriors. Their helmets, good weapons and stance all told us that. It was when they were just ten paces from us and as the lord rose that Olaf and Leif timed their attack to perfection. They launched their arrows. The Saxon shields were on the wrong side to defend from arrows. One arrow struck the lord in the shoulder and one of his oathsworn was hit in the neck with an arrow.

  “Now!” There were just six of us and we faced eight men who were unwounded but we had surprise and the Saxons were looking over their right shoulders to the ridge. One paid the price when an arrow hit him in the eye and he fell. A second was hit in the arm. Then the arrows had to stop for we hit their line. My spear entered the middle of an oathsworn.