by Griff Hosker
“We would lose. They would come on either side.” I waved a hand at the twenty untried crew. “You said they should whet their blades on Saxons before they tried Harald’s Vikings.”
Olaf nodded, “You are right jarl. I should listen more and speak less.”
I turned to Erik, “And your suggestion?”
“The wind is east by north. If we turn around the island then we can take advantage of the wind. Our ship will be faster.”
“That will take us to Dyflin.”
“You wanted to see it, Jarl Dragonheart.”
“But that would risk trapping us between those who chase us and the ones in port.”
“It will give the men time to rest. We can then swing and row north. The seas are wide and empty north of Hibernia.”
I nodded. There was no other obvious solution. “Well men, how do you feel about a race?”
“Let us show them what we can do.” Olaf’s voice roared out. “Haaken, a good song and Ragnar, this will make you a man… if it does not kill you!”
Haaken began the song of our sea battle with the Saxons. It seemed right.
Through the stormy Saxon Seas
The Ulfheonar they sailed
Fresh from killing faithless Danes
Their glory was assured
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
Then Saxons came out of the night
An ambush by their Isle of Wight
Vikings fight they do not run
The Jarl turned away from the rising sun
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
The galdramenn burned Dragon Fire
And the seas they burned bright red
Aboard 'The Gift' Asbjorn the Strong
And the rock Eystein
Rallied their men to board their foes
And face them beard to beard
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
Against great odds and back to back
The heroes fought as one
Their swords were red with Saxon blood
And the decks with bodies slain
Surrounded on all sides was he
But Eystein faltered not
He slew first one and then another
But the last one did for him
Even though he fought as a walking dead
He killed right to the end
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
The surge of power increased our lead over the two drekar. This would now be a test of Erik’s skill and the strength of the crew. Olaf was right. Twenty two were relatively inexperienced and young warriors. Haaken and the others had been rowing for up to thirty years. They knew the pain that would come. I looked at the two drekar behind us. The leading one was keeping pace but the second one, despite the fact that they had only just begun rowing were falling back. That suggested a number of things to me. It could be that they had not rowed together very much. If so then that might be exploited when it came to a battle. Another possibility was that they did not have the heart for the endeavour and that too was a hopeful sign. The last was that the drekar might not be in the best condition. There might be weed on her hull or even worse, worm.
I turned my attention to the first drekar. It was Harald’s and it showed his arrogance. The prow might not be well carved but his sail had the sign for his name upon it. It was picked out in red. Like the other drekar we had seen it had eighteen oars on each side. Were they double or treble crewed? They kept a good rhythm. That also did not surprise me. He would have the best crew for his drekar.
I turned to Erik Short Toe, “Tell me, is the wind shifting?”
I could look at the pennant and judge for myself but Erik knew better than any how the wind would move. He glanced up at the pennant and then at the scudding clouds.
“It is moving, jarl. I would take a guess that it is shifting more east north east.”
“Then we will take a chance. We will keep on this course for a little while longer, Haaken you can slow the beat. Do not exhaust yourselves.”
“He will start to catch us!”
“I know.” I pointed to the north coast of the island. Hrams-a was just around the headland. “Do you remember there is a reef a thousand paces from the shore?”
“Aye, Josephus warned me to keep clear of it for it is hidden even at low tide.”
“Then when we near Hrams-a I want you to head towards the coast and take the channel between the land and the reef. If we slow down then it will encourage our foe and he will rush after us. I hope to make him make a mistake. We will turn about, sail down the coast and head for the mainland. Let us use our knowledge of these waters to our advantage.”
“You put much faith in me and my crew, Jarl Dragonheart.”
“Of course I do and you have never let me down.”
“Aye well let us cast the bones eh?”
He began to edge the steering board over. The reef began level with Hrams-a, by heading for the shore there we would tempt our foe. Already he was gaining for my men had slowed down. As we passed the headland Erik shouted, “Oars in! Let fly the sails! Hang on!” The last instruction was for his ships’ boys.
As we began to turn the full force of the wind caught us. We were a well-balanced boat but even so we heeled over alarmingly. As I turned I saw the slightest of flurries from the water to the east of us. Harald had seen our manoeuvre and he tried to turn as quickly as we had. With his oars out it was a slower turn. His crew was slow and the sail took an age to drop. We leapt away from them. It was though they had clutched at us and come away with a piece of air.
Arne shouted, “Captain! The second ship is turning.”
They were so far behind their consort that they were able to react and their captain was heading to cut us off. With Harald’s ship racing to turn and catch us it seemed we had fallen into a trap. They would flank us. Erik kept as close inshore as he dared. I saw the enemy drekar as it headed towards us. The oars were still raggedly rowed but they would cut us off. My warriors watched. I saw Ragnar, Gruffyd and their men draw their swords.
Olaf laughed, “You will not need those! The Dragonheart and Erik have outwitted them.”
At that moment the drekar seemed to stagger and stop. Then it rose. The mast fell and it quickly began to fill with water. It had struck the reef. They proved to have been a poor crew and they would pay the ultimate price. They would die. I wondered if Harald would stop. We were far ahead and leaving him behind. My guess was that he would stop. It would make his men think he cared for them and he would not have the embarrassment of failing to catch us.
We kept to my plan until we saw that they had not followed us and then turned to sail north and west. There was enough of a wind from the east to fill the sails. We did not move quickly but we were in no hurry. We had seen almost all that we had intended to. We had not seen Dyflin. That could wait. I already had the plan in my head. We would use the Ulfheonar to spread fear amongst those on Man. The perfect place to launch a terror attack was at Hrams-a. When we had lived there we had been aware of the isolation. We could attack and hurt them. No help would be forthcoming and we could be back in the Land of the Wolf before they realised.
It took some time to reach Úlfarrston for the winds were not in our favour. I summoned Gruffyd and Ragnar from their oars to stand with me at the stern. We watched our land grow larger. “You have both learned much on this voyage?”
“Jarl Dragonheart I have learned that no matter how much I try to protect my hands the oars still rub them raw.”
“They will harden, Gruffyd. You have both done well.”
“We just rowed!”
“And did not whine.
You and your men did not complain and you kept the rhythm. That is not easy. The ship which sank had poor oarsmen. Next time we sail you will be in ‘Crow’ . I have yet to appoint a captain to her but she is a lithe ship and smaller than this. You two will crew her. We will find the others from Cyninges-tūn who will make up the numbers. The two of you must learn to lead together.”
“We do not sail with you?”
“No Ragnar. When we were almost trapped today I saw it as a warning. If you are with me then the family all dies if we are attacked and sunk. This war will mean we have to travel over water. Eventually one of you will have ‘King’s Gift’ for your drekar but for now you can learn together.”
“Thank you, Jarl Dragonheart. I know you do us honour but I shall miss being in the same drekar as you and I will miss the changes and songs we sing,”
“You will make your own songs up. One of your men will be as Haaken is. He will have the words and the voice. It is another challenge for you. Now back to the oars. Perhaps it will be your efforts which take us home. And when you get home, Ragnar, you have a wedding to plan.”
Chapter 9
It was strange to come back to Úlfarrston knowing that Coen would not be there to greet us. There was a sad feel to the empty quay as we tied up. We heard the sound of banging as Raibeart and his people rebuilt their homes. That was their priority. It was not to welcome home the Dragonheart.
I spoke to the crew before we disembarked, “The ‘Heart ’ will sail again tomorrow. Ragnar and Gruffyd’s men will return to Cyninges-tūn.”
Haaken said, “I will spend the time here with my daughter. Perhaps I can help her and my son in law.” It was the first sign Haaken One Eye had shown of the worry that I knew he felt. Olaf and some of the others chose to stay too.
I returned to Cyninges-tūn. We had plenty of ponies and horses. It was the one thing the raiders had not affected. As I rode I was silent for I was working out who to appoint as captain for ‘Crow’ . Raibeart and Kolbjorn would command the other two drekar. I needed a good sailor and I needed a wise sailor. I had the choice of two knarr captains. Siggi was the oldest and most experienced although he had never commanded a drekar. His knarr plied the route to Miklagård, Dorestad and Orkneyjar. He knew the seas but he did not know war. The other was Olaf Grimsson. He had commanded a drekar but when I had sought Vibeke and Wighlek he had tired of Úlfarrston and bought a knarr. He now sailed with Siggi. If he would return to a drekar then their captain would be Olaf.
I went directly to Aiden and Kara. I needed to tell them what I had seen and plan what we would do. I had passed the two new halls on my way to speak with my volva and galdramenn. The Hall of Hope contained the women and children we had rescued. There were many of them but I knew that it would empty as they married. That was as it should be. Even when all the families left we would let it remain. New families would use it.
After I had told them of our voyage Aiden nodded. “A pity you did not manage to see what lay in Dyflin but I would not worry overmuch about Dyflin.”
“Why not?”
“It is lost to us. When we defeat Harald we do not have enough men to hold that and the Land of the Wolf. The Irish will reclaim their land. They may even do the job for you.”
Kara nodded, “Aiden is right. I believe that we will defeat this enemy but it will be the hardest of fights for they share the same blood as we do. These are not Danes. They come from the land where old Olaf, Ragnar and Buthar were born. Even if their hearts are black their blood is still Norse.”
“You are right. I knew that when we heard they had destroyed Jarl Gunnstein. He was a clever warrior and a good jarl.”
“Yet he did not see the danger. You must be vigilant and look for treachery. You have a plan?”
“I do. They are on Man. If you are right and the Hibernians cause him trouble then he will have to split his forces. I will take the Angry Cubs and the Ulfheonar. I will raid Hrams-a. I will destroy their settlement there. When they look for me I will hide and try to pick off one of their drekar. I would make Harald bleed away his men. I will have his men looking over their shoulders and watching for the knife in the night and listening for the howl of the wolf.”
Aiden nodded, “A good plan.”
“You remember that when we lived on Man the winters were not as harsh as here?” They both nodded. “We will use that. When the days are at their shortest I will take my drekar and we will take their ports. We will do it one by one. I will let the land protect my people. When winter freezes its icy ring around the Land of the Wolf then it will be the time to go to war. It will be the time of darkness and that suits the Ulfheonar.”
“And you would have me with you?”
“I would, Aiden. You read my mind once more.”
“This Harald does not appear to use witches. My magic and our tricks may well help us.”
“I will raid the Welsh soon and gather their grain.”
Kara shook her head, “We have enough. You brought grain from Wessex. We had a good crop this year. One advantage of the lack of a raid was that the farmers worked on their fields and, since you were revitalised, the Allfather was kind. The Rye Dale was bountiful.”
“My wife is right, Jarl Dragonheart. Next year will be the time to raid the Welsh. You have good instincts. Harald and his men are the danger. They lie on our doorstep. They have stifled our trade routes. If you do not destroy him then he will strangle us.”
“I will heed your advice. It will give my men more time to prepare for war.”
Kara asked, “Ragnar and Gruffyd? They will go to war?”
“When Olaf Grimsson returns I would have him captain ‘Crow ’. He has a wise head. Ragnar and Gruffyd can learn together and fight together. They will be as Haaken and I were. I must make plans for after I am gone.”
“We have not dreamed your death.”
“I know but Coen’s and Berserk Killer’s deaths have brought home to me that my time is limited. Snorri was younger than I and he is in Valhalla. I know of no jarl now who is a greybeard like me.”
“You have grey hairs; that is all.”
“I have seen more than fifty summers. Prince Buthar was dead before he had seen fifty summers. Olaf and Ragnar were crippled by that age. I am not a fool. I will keep fighting so long as I can wield Ragnar’s Spirit but I must plan for the future.” They nodded. “I will not be here when Ragnar weds. I trust that you and Elfrida will see that all is well.”
Kara nodded, “We will.”
I visited Bagsecg. “The helmet you made was a fine one. I came to thank you and to ask you to make a wedding present for Ragnar. I would have a sword made for him.” I took out my leather pouch and removed a ring with a red stone. I had taken it from one of the priests of Wessex.
“That is more than a sword is worth.”
“Not one of your swords. They are beyond price.”
He nodded and he turned and took out a sheepskin. “I had thought to give this as a present to Ragnar for I liked his father but if I am to make a sword then I would give it to you.”
I thought, at first, that it was a short sword but when he took it from its scabbard I saw that it was a dagger. Its blade was a hand and a half long. It tapered to a point. A seax did not. The hilt was that of a short sword with a guard. It meant it would stop a blade entering too deeply. I held it in my hand and it had a fine balance.
“A fine weapon.”
He nodded. “I melted down your old helmet. I thought to give your grandson some of your spirit. Now I see that I was meant to give it to you. I quenched it in wolf blood.”
I looked at him in surprise, “Wolf blood?”
He took it from me and held it in the light. “After the last wolf hunt I had Beorn the Scout give me the heart and the blood from the wolf which he had killed. I knew that Aðils would keep the heart of the one he slew to eat but Beorn had already done that. I tempered the blade in the blood and also soaked the wooden handle in it. When the weapon was finished I laid it for
the summer in the heart of the wolf until the heart was rotted and gone. The heart went into the dagger. You brought back silver.” He pointed along the blade. I saw the light catching the runes which were there. “I made runes upon the blade and filled them with silver. It is the name of the blade. Kara and Aiden put a spell on the blade. Now I see that it was meant for you. I named it Wolf’s Blood.”
“It is a gift worthy of a king.”
“The blade will keep an edge as long as Ragnar’s Spirit. It may not be touched by the gods but it still has more power than any other weapon I have ever made.”
“But you will make Ragnar’s sword for me?”
“I still have some blood. When I make Ragnar’s sword I will do the same save I cannot keep it in a wolf’s heart for the blade will be too long but it will be a good sword.”
I took the dagger and scabbard from him. “Thank you old friend. When we next sail it will be to Hrams-a.”
“Wyrd .”
“Aye, the first time I use Wolf’s Blood will be close to the grave of your father and my mother. Your father’s spirit will be proud.”
“Then I know that this gift is right. May the Allfather be with you.”
My last visit, before I left, was to Erik Ironshirt. He and his band were practising outside the Hall of Hope. They now had swords, helmets and shields. Erik had told me that they would not wear mail until they had earned it. I had already told him that was foolish but he would not be dissuaded from his decision. He and his men wished to regain their honour and if that meant their death then that was a penance worth paying.
“Have your men go to Úlfarrston. We go to war.”
His eyes lit up. “We fight Harald the Great?”
“We hurt his warriors first but I have no doubt that before the new grass has grown we will battle with that nemesis of our peoples.”
“All I ask, jarl, is to be within a sword’s length of him. I would tear out his black heart.”
We slipped out of Úlfarrston in the late afternoon. I had spoken with Raibeart. He would make sure that if my knarr captains returned while I was away they would wait in Úlfarrston for me. He had made the defence of his town a priority. The weapons we had taken from our dead enemies were put to good use. Unlike his dead brother, Raibeart understood war. He knew how to fight and how to defend. I now saw that his time with me had been a preparation for this. The Allfather planned ahead. That would have been reassuring had I not also known that the Norns planned and spun even further ahead. We had angered them. I did not think that Coen and Snorri’s deaths were the end of their punishment.