by Griff Hosker
I laughed, “You read my mind once more.”
“Of course. Just because I do not always sail with you does not mean I do not see into your heart.”
I noticed that Ragnar and Gruffyd were not present. As Uhtric poured my beer I said, quietly, “Where are my son and grandson?”
He smiled, “As soon as they returned they went to help Kara with the building of the new hall.” I questioned him with my eyes. “The young captive you rescued; the one called Astrid Mother, she appears to have stolen your grandson’s heart.”
I smiled. For some reason that made me feel happier. This Harald and his band had made my melancholy return yet the thought of my grandson taking a wife lifted my spirits. So it was that when I spoke I did so hopefully. On the road I had been depressed as I had sought a solution to the problem. I knocked back a little of the beer. I was about to put it down when I saw that I had finished almost half. I smiled; it was half full and not half empty. I was about to speak more when Coen and Raibeart arrived. I saw their horses being led away. We now had all present for the counsel of war and we could begin.
I gestured to Haaken, “I will ask Haaken to use his talents and tell you of the problem we face. We know each other well enough to make this hall a place where we hold a thing. I know my mind. I would know yours.”
Haaken nodded gratefully and stood. He told, in a somewhat more dramatic way, what had happened and how we had affected the rescue. After he had finished I saw nods from my three jarls. I noticed the sun dipping behind Olaf through the open door of my hall. Suddenly it became even darker as Ragnar and Gruffyd returned. All eyes turned to look at them. It seemed to be a sign. They realised that they had missed something and quickly took their places behind me.
Asbjorn spoke first. “I did not come with you for the raids, jarl. Perhaps that was a good thing. My men are now eager for war. With the land to the east quiet we can bring you sixty spears.”
“And still leave men to watch your walls?”
“We have those who used to fight and can still wield a sword.”
Ketil spoke. “I am less confident about my border, Jarl Dragonheart. When the prince was alive I felt secure. Now that Eanred has become a servant of Egbert I feel there is danger. Egbert could use Northumbria as a way into my lands.” I nodded. “But I will bring my hearth weru and other warriors. We can give you thirty spears.”
We all looked at Ulf. He frowned. One of the last warriors who had fought with us on Man he too had grey hairs. They bespoke wisdom. “We have spoken of going to war as though we simply sail off and fight this Harald.” He gave a derisory laugh. “It remains to be seen if he is great or not. But we all seem to assume that he will do as we expect and, after he has taken Man, come to Úlfarrston.”
I saw Aiden frown and then nod, “You are right, Ulf Olafsson. Just because we use that way does not mean that an enemy would.” He pointed to the west. The last glow of light from the sunset spilled through the door. “There is a path from the sea, through Lang’s Dale. It is a hard road but he could use it.”
Beorn said, “But not after Gormánuður. Then the snows will come and make that way impassable.”
Ulf said, quietly, “And what of the way through my stad? The pass north of the Grassy Mere is difficult in winter. It is not impassable. If I bring all of my men then the back door is swung wide.”
The wisdom of his words sank in and a silence descended. Their faces told me they were waiting for me to speak. I looked at Aiden. He nodded. It was time for the jarl to speak his thoughts. I slid Ragnar’s Spirit out of its sheath and held it so that the point touched the table.
“I have heard your words and they are wise ones; all of them. I believe you have all told me how your lands lie. You are good leaders and are wise. Now I will speak. I am the jarl of the Land of the Wolf.”
Before I could continue I was interrupted. Haaken said, “Aye and you do deserve the name great. You should be king!”
My men banged their knife handles on the table. I held up my hands, “I was given the name Dragonheart, Haaken, when you were named One Eye. We do not call you White Hair. I am content to be the Dragonheart. This Harald shows his weakness in the name he has given himself. He sees himself as the most important of his clan. We are different; we see the clan as the most important. We put the Land of the Wolf before personal considerations. Snorri was the last of our warriors to die for our land but there have been many others.”
There were murmurings of ‘aye’ and my Ulfheonar all touched their golden wolves. It was a way of remembering the dead.
“Ulf, you are right and I should have seen it too. How many spears could you bring and yet watch the pass and your stad?”
“If I was honest, Jarl Dragonheart, just me and my hearth weru; ten spears.”
“Then that would be enough. So there would be,” I glanced down and saw the marks which Aiden had made in his wax tablet. He had made ten strokes. “ One hundred warriors. We now have new men fresh from Dyflin.”
Olaf Leather Neck snorted, “I would hardly call them fresh, Jarl Dragonheart. Some have wounds and all have been defeated.”
“True but vengeance sits in their hearts. Those we deem unfit can guard our home. When we go to war we can take more men for with Ulf’s men watching the pass we can still leave enough men watching our walls. How many, Olaf, do you think that we could muster?”
He looked around the table and I saw him close his eyes as he called to mind the ones we had taken before. He was adding them to the men we had rescued. “With the Ulfheonar I would say we could muster a hundred and twenty spears.”
“That should be enough, Jarl Dragonheart. Raibeart and Coen have at least a boat crew; that would be another fifty. With almost three hundred men we could defeat this Harald.”
“Perhaps Haaken but this is the Norn’s work, remember? You of all people should know that they never weave their webs in a predictable way but I am content.” I glanced out of the door. The light had gone. “It is late. If you three leave in the morning and return in three days’ time I have a plan.”
They leaned forward eagerly. As I had been speaking my mind had been coming up with a solution to the problem. Aiden smiled as I spoke. “Dyflin is too difficult a prospect to attack. If we landed men and tried to take its walls many would die. There would be little point. We know that they plan to take Man. That is their weakness for many of us know that island like the back of our hand. I plan to land there and either stop him from taking it if he has yet to land or to wrest it from him if he has already captured it.”
“Aye that is good.” Cnut Cnutson leaned forward. “It is right that Ragnar’s Spirit should return to the place of its birth and the spirit of my father will be there to watch over us. This is wyrd .”
“We have enough men for the four drekar. Bolli said that they will be ready in a few days.” I turned to Raibeart and Coen. “Raibeart you will need to choose the men who will sail with us. Have them go to the shipyard and help Bolli.”
“Aye, Jarl Dragonheart and I will look over my drekar too.”
“You must leave enough men for your brother to defend Úlfarrston.” He nodded. “Coen, the attack may still come and you may be the target. Prepare for war and make sure your defences are sound. Keep your people close.”
“We have four knarr at sea. When they return we will add their crews to our defence. We will be ready.”
“Then all is well.” I raised my horn, “Here is to the Land of the Wolf!”
They all cheered, “Land of the Wolf!”
My leaders left before dawn. The Ulfheonar returned to their homes to prepare for the raid and I went around my settlement asking warriors if they wished to sail with us. I knew that all would say aye but I made none fight who did not wish to. If they stayed then they would defend our home. I spoke with Erik Ironshirt. He had become the leader of those who had been rescued. Now armed and ready for war they gathered, eagerly to hear my words.
“Some of you have
been wounded. I would have you stay here to defend your new home. As for the rest you will crew ‘King’s Gift’ . It is a fine drekar and Kolbjorn is a good captain.”
Erik Ironshirt stood, “We have spoken jarl. We are all happy to be of the clan of the wolf. We feel that we have not yet earned the right to be wolves such as you. We would be called the Angry Cubs until we have earned your approval.”
“You do not need to prove yourselves to me.”
“No, Jarl Dragonheart, we must prove ourselves to us! We let down Jarl Gunnstein Berserk Killer. Had you and your clan not come along we would be as dead men. We are reborn and we need to grow into this clan. The men have chosen me to be leader.”
“Then you are Hersir. When the time is right we will see if you are right to be jarl.”
Erik shook his head, “It is an honour of which I can but dream. I do not deserve hersir but I will accept it.” He pointed, “Mundi Mundisson will also help me to lead.”
“We leave in two days’ time. Prepare yourselves.”
I heard the sound of labour as men prepared for war and I left the settlement. I saw Ragnar and some of the men from the village helping Aiden to build the roof on the new hall. I saw no sign of Gruffyd. That was strange for Ragnar and he were almost inseparable. Kara followed me, “The hall is large, Kara, but why is it outside the walls?”
“Because it is large father. You brought many people with you. Some were families. Some of the men in the warrior hall have families here. The hall will have warriors. When time allows we can build a ditch.”
“It is still vulnerable to attack.”
“And if we are attacked then they can come within the walls. We will call this the hall of hope. All who dwell within it now have hope.”
“A good name.”
“It was Astrid Mother who devised it. She is clever. You know that she and my nephew will be wed.”
“Ragnar? You are sure?”
“Elfrida knows, Aiden knows but, more importantly Ragnar and Astrid know. It is why they are so close. Look.”
I saw where she pointed. Ragnar straddled the beam which crossed the doorway and Astrid was standing on a rock, handing him the nails he needed. They were laughing. I remembered when Erika had been alive and we had been young. We had built our first home at Hrams-a in just the same way. My daughter was right.
“Wyrd .”
“I am afraid that Gruffyd feels that his nose has been pushed out of joint.” She pointed and I saw a forlorn figure by the Water. He was skimming stones across the surface.
“I will speak with him.”
“He seeks a place, father. I have one. Your words and deeds show that Ragnar has one. What of your son? What will happen to him?”
“You are wise.”
She laughed, “Then that is your blood allied to my mother’s spirit.”
I walked over to him. I could do without the distraction but I made such mistakes with Wolf Killer and I would not repeat them. I sat on the bole of a tree and waited until he noticed me. He turned, “Do you have a problem, son?”
“Ragnar speaks of nothing but Astrid!”
“And you feel alone?”
He nodded, “We did everything together. He has not practised swords with me since she came and all he talks about is her hair and her skin!”
I fought back the smile. “When I was your age I lived alone on a mountain with an old crippled man.”
“I know! You have told me before. That was Ragnar!”
I resisted the temptation to berate him and instead, I nodded, “Sometimes we repeat old stories not because we are old and have forgotten that we have told them but because they have another lesson to be learned. I was alone then too. Use you loneliness to make yourself stronger.”
“How?” He had sat down and I could see that he was now intrigued.
“I grew to enjoy my own company. I did not need another to tell me if I had done something well. I was my own critic. I did not do something to please others and have them praise me. I did it to please myself.”
“You never take credit for brave deeds.”
I smiled. He had made my point for me. “When you fight in a battle you fight with others but you must set yourself a standard which you alone can match. You do not worry about others. Ragnar is growing. He is a man with a man’s urges. It will happen to you. Do not be jealous. He will always be Ragnar and you will always be Gruffyd. Ragnar, however, will never be the same Ragnar who went on a wolf hunt with you for another has taken a piece of his heart. You must now look to yourself. You will find that, one day, you will like the smell of a girl’s hair and the touch of her hand. Then you will understand. Until that day become the best warrior that you can be. We go to war in two days’ time. If Ragnar will not practise find others who will. Erik Ironshirt and his men are busy preparing for war. Join them.”
The two days flew by. It was a whirlwind of preparation. We had our own defences to improve and we had both supplies and weapons to prepare. Ketil, Ulf and Asbjorn returned with their warriors and the settlement became as crowded as Eoforwic on market day. The night before we left was a cloudless clear night. Stars sparkled in the night sky and a crescent moon rose. The breeze was from the south and that made the evening warmer than usual. I walked with Aiden along the Water. I draped my wolf cloak around my shoulders. I was not cold but the smell of my old cloak was comforting. It was good to be in the clean night air. Aiden would not be coming to war and I was going through what he would do while we were away. Scanlan, my headman, already had his instructions. Karl One Leg knew whom he had to defend the stad and it only remained for me to speak with Aiden. I would not give him orders for he knew my mind.
“The hall of hope is finished but I would have the ditch around it dug. I know Kara said that those within could take refuge within my walls but if we dig a ditch then it will not take much to build a palisade.”
Aiden laughed, “Of course. For a Viking you are sometimes more careful than an old woman picking out husks from her porridge.”
I laughed, “Blame my mother for that.”
Just then I caught sight of a sudden flare of light to the south. Then the night was black again. Aiden said, “What is it Jarl Dragonheart?”
I pointed to the south, “I saw a light to the south.”
He looked and then we saw another flaring and this time there was the faintest of glows on the horizon. It died down. “I like that not.”
“Nor do I Jarl.” Aiden closed his eyes. “I feel that the spirits are restless.”
Sometimes we act and we know not why. I had a bad feeling for if the spirits were unhappy then that normally resulted in pain. I turned and ran back, “Ragnar, Gruffyd, saddle horses!”
As I entered the gate the four Ulfheonar who lived within my walls emerged. “What is it Jarl Dragonheart?”
“I know not, Olaf Leather Neck! We saw lights in the sky to the south and Aiden sensed danger.”
“Úlfarrston!”
I nodded, “Come, Aðils Shape Shifter; we may need your skill this night. Mount your horses and let us investigate.”
Gruffyd brought out my sword and Ragnar led the horses. The seven of us mounted and headed down the greenway by the Water. My mind was filled with what might have happened. I could do without this ride the night before we went to war but if I did nothing then I would regret it for the rest of my life. We were approaching the end of the Water when I saw figures emerging from the forest. I drew my sword and then reined in. It was Raibeart his family and others behind him.
“What has happened, Raibeart?” I could see that he was distraught.
“Harald the black hearted has launched a sneak attack on Úlfarrston. He has killed my brother and burned the town!”
It was a disaster. He had not done as I had expected. He had outwitted me and my galdramenn and Coen and his people had paid with their lives.
Chapter 7
“Raibeart, take your people to my home and then get a horse. Gruffyd, ride back
and rouse the others. I want every warrior on the road. We must save what we can and stop this enemy from hurting us even more.”
Raibeart said, “Even more?”
I nodded. “The drekar, Raibeart, the drekar!”
We met more refugees as we headed south. There were wounded men being carried by women. There was a temptation to stop and help them but my ships were too important. When we reached the path which led to the shipyard I stopped. “Ragnar, stay here with the horses. When my men come they will not all arrive at once. Send them to the shipyard as they arrive. We will try to hold them off. Tell any refugees you see to head north and go to my hall.”
“You have neither mail nor shield.”
I laughed, “I have my wolf cloak and we are Ulfheonar.”
The five of us slipped from our horses. After drawing the wolf cloak over my head I drew my sword and seax. We ran through the forest. Aðils Shape Shifter led followed by Rollo Thin Skin and Rolf Horse Killer. Olaf and I followed. We could now hear the sound of fighting to the south. We were more than two miles away from Úlfarrston but it was a clear night and sound travelled. We heard the crack and crash as buildings fell and flames flared in the air. It was sad but Coen’s home was gone and we could do nothing about that. Ahead I heard the sound of metal on metal. Men were fighting. It was the shipyard and they were under attack.
The three younger Ulfheonar suddenly opened their legs and ran. They ran far quicker than we could. I could smell the river and the shipyard. It smelled of caulk and pine. I only saw trees at first and then, as we neared, I saw warriors fighting. My shipbuilders and drekar crews had retreated to the drekar and were using them as fighting platforms. Their arrows were making the attackers wary. I did not know where the other three Ulfheonar had got to but Olaf and I ran at the fifteen Vikings who had their backs to us and were trying to get aboard the ‘Heart of the Dragon’ .
Olaf’s two handed axe was longer than my sword and he swung it in a wide arc as we raced, silently, towards them. It ripped and tore through the byrnie of the first warrior who barely had time to open his mouth before he died. I thrust my sword into the back of a second and as a third turned I ripped my seax across his throat. Two Vikings fell to arrows and Olaf roared a war cry as he hurled himself at the rest who turned to face the two of us.