by Hosker,Griff
Gilles and Mary wandered over when they saw me standing there.
"What is wrong, lord?"
"Nothing. We are going to build a wall and dig a ditch. I would have all of us and those by the beach protected. The will come on Laugardagr to help us. We will take the ponies down to fetch stone."
Gilles nodded but Mary looked fearful, "Is there danger?"
"There is always danger, Mary, but nothing that we know about yet. This is just a precaution. With the Jarl away in Dyflin we are more vulnerable. I am just being cautious. Come Gilles, we will mark out the ditch and begin to dig that."
We used old axes and our one mattock to break up the soil once we had removed the turf. Then our wooden shovels were able to pile up the spoil to make our bank. I was pleased that there were many small stones in the soil. They would make the bank stronger. We worked all day and by nightfall had a ditch forty paces long. Mary complained, of course, about the wooden bridge she had to use and the fact that we tramped soil into the hall. It was when she did so that I remembered Ulf's words. Perhaps I did have a wife and did not know it.
In the four days before Laugardagr we managed to make a circle around the hall. The ditch was not deep enough yet but I could see the shape and proportions of my new defences. I paced it out and found that it was two hundred paces. It stopped at the bank just behind my hall. There was no need to build it up there. Then we used my ponies to fetch the stones which lay to the south of the hall and we began to build the wall. It was slow going for we had to use the biggest and flattest stones on the bottom. Each night I felt my back ache with the exertion but I knew that it was making us both stronger.
When Laugardagr arrived we were up early and led our ponies down to the beach. We had made sleds to carry the stones. Skutal and Sigurd's boys had already begun, with their fathers, to collect the stones which littered the beach. It would help them for they would have less stones to damage their fishing boats. We had six ponies and, after a little coaching, four of the children were able to lead the ponies up the hill. We spent the morning hauling. I then allowed the boys to take the ponies to the sea. Both had worked hard enough and my ponies enjoyed the sea. We ate fresh bread and newly made goat's cheese while we looked at the task ahead of us.
The two brothers looked at our efforts, "How high will the wall have to be, lord?"
"Do not worry Skutal we will not be hauling stones for long. I wish the stones to be as high as a man's chest and then we will use wood to make a palisade." I pointed to the timber we had collected when we had rescued Gilles. Sven the Helmsman had taken all the longer pieces of timber for repairs on the drekar and to make masts. They had left the branches which were the height of a man. They had been seasoning for two years. Gilles and I had already split some of them. We would have enough.
Skutal nodded and wandered over to the ditch. He stood in the bottom and the bank we had made was higher than him with his arms raised. "This will deter an enemy."
"It is a start. A hersir must care for his people."
By the end of that first Laugardagr we had laid one course of stones around the perimeter. Gilles and I found that with two men and their children helping us we could work much faster and so we just left that work for Laugardagr. One day in seven was all that I asked from my bondi. It meant I could continue to work with Copper, my new colt. Gilles worked with the foal, Dawn's Light. She would be a fine filly in time. She and Copper were half brother and sister. I would not wish to breed them and so I knew I would need another stallion and a mare. I wondered how Dream Strider would take to that.
By the time Ein-mánuðr came we had the stone wall finished and a gateway made. I was confident that by the end we would have a wooden wall around us. With just one way in and out we would be as secure as it was possible to be. We had prepared the timber we would use for the palisade. With one end already sharpened we just had to hammer them in and then sharpen the top.
The appearance of the Frankish ship one late afternoon, sailing across the bay, gave us added impetus to our work. Skutal raced up to warn us. "See lord, a Frank."
"Are there warriors on board?"
"We saw shields, lord, and they wore helmets."
I did not bother with a saddle; I threw myself on to Dream Strider's back and galloped hard to the headland by the haunted farmhouse. There I would have a better view. It was not a large ship. The Franks built tubbier boats than we did. They were slower but they could carry a large crew. I saw that this one had hove to just outside the bay. The skeletons of their ships in the bay were a hazard to them. They were marked by the masts which still stood out of the water at low tide. Eventually they would rot and disappear but, for now, they marked their grave. Skutal and Sigurd were familiar with them and used them for the fish seemed to congregate around them. I watched the ship. The sunlight glinted off metal. There were warriors on board. I wondered if our new wall and palisade attracted their attention. Then I realised that this was a scouting expedition. They were looking at our defences. The last time they had charged in recklessly. They had learned their lesson. They would be coming back. After a short time they raised their sail and set off north. I watched them leave and then returned to my hall and Skutal.
"They have gone but they may return. If another Frank enters the bay then bring your families up here. I have weapons within and we can defend our home."
"Do you think they will return, lord?"
"I know not but I will go to visit with the Jarl on the morrow and seek his advice."
That night I knew that Mary was unhappy. She snapped at Gilles for little things he did wrong and her brow was both knitted and furrowed. I stood, "Gilles, go and see to the horses. Tomorrow you shall come with me." When he had gone I said, "Do not take your anger out on Gilles. He does not deserve it. If you are unhappy about something then tell me. Do not brood. This is how you were when you lived in the village. I thought we had gone beyond that. Do not keep your dark thoughts to yourself. Therein lies madness. Tell me what bothers you."
She nodded, "You are right. I should speak more. I was happy here. I had begun to feel safe and then you build a wall and ships appear. You freed me and I am grateful but if aught happened to you and I was taken again then...."
I smiled, "I will not let anything happen to you and you are a Christian. You will not take your own life and for that I am grateful. I would not be happy if you were not here. We have a pleasant life and I would not change it."
For some reason that made her smile, "But how do you know we will be safe here?"
"That is why I go tomorrow. If you are afraid to be left alone then come with me but I thought you did not like the stad of the clan."
"I do not but I would not be here alone. I will come with you." She reached over to touch my hand. Her hand was soft and her touch gentle. I liked the feeling. "Thank you for what you said."
"What did I say?"
"That you would not be happy if I was not here."
Just then Gilles re-entered and she let go of my hand. The moment was gone. Mary was a good rider and she and Gilles rode my two mares. I noticed that she had dressed in her best and she had made sure that Gilles did too. It made me smile and so I put on a better kyrtle and combed my hair and beard.
As we approached the walls of the stad of the clan I could hear a great noise. It sounded like wailing. They had no one on the gate and that was unusual. As I rode through I saw that the warriors were all in the middle, where we normally held our Thing, and there was a heated debate going on. Our appearance briefly silenced them.
I dismounted and walked towards them. Siggi White Hair looked distraught. I had never seen him upset. No matter what disasters had befallen us he had always been calm. "What is it Siggi?"
"We have had news today to chill the blood of even the bravest of warriors. The Jarl and his wife, along with his hearth weru, were attacked by the men of Wessex as they sailed home from Dyflin. The new drekar was sunk and they all perished. The Jarl is dead. The last of
the sons of Thorfinn Blue Scar has gone to the Otherworld. The whole family has been taken." He shook his head, "I was not there to protect him! I have let down the Jarl."
Before I could take that in Arne Four Toes said, "Aye and Windar's Mere is no more. Eggle Skulltaker destroyed it. Jarl Dragonheart has gone to war. The world changes, Hrolf the Horseman. We are a backwater here and know nothing of the outside world. While we enjoyed life the Norns were spinning and their webs have spread far indeed."
I nodded, "Aye. The Weird Sisters have not finished with us, it seems."
Siggi White Hair suddenly seemed to notice that I had brought Mary and Gilles, "And this is strange too. What brings you here?"
"I also bring dire news. Yesterday a Frank came into my bay. I think he was a scout. I fear there may be danger from the north. I came to seek the advice of the Jarl. It seems my journey is wasted."
Chapter 2
It was though a storm erupted as everyone tried to speak at once. Mary had dismounted and gripped my arm. I understood her fear. The Jarl's wife had been someone who liked Mary and offered her some protection. Now she had no one. I saw the looks she received from the women who had made her life a misery. They were venomous.
Siggi suddenly grabbed the horn we used in battle and sounded it. All went silent. Still gripping the horn he glared at all the men around him. I realised that we now had less than a boat's crew. The Jarl had taken his hearth-weru and all the young men. We had less than thirty warriors now.
"Are we women that we must rend our clothes and cry out? We are men. We are Raven Wing Clan! The Norns have done this. It is wyrd! We do not bemoan it, we do something about it!"
Ketil Eriksson said, "But what can we do?"
"We hold a Thing! We offer our opinions and then the men of the clan will make a decision."
I handed the reins of my horse to Gilles, "You watch Mary. I am part of this."
I stepped forward to join the circle. The last time we had done this we had been three deep. Now we were almost a single circle. Siggi said, "Hrolf, tell us what you think the presence of the Frank portends."
"We had begun to build a wall. I did not want a repeat of their last attack. I wanted somewhere we could defend. Perhaps they just spied it out. I do not know. I am no galdramenn and I cannot see into the future. It was but one ship little bigger than a knarr. I believe they are just watching. If we wish to know more, then Ulf Big Nose and I must go to the mainland." I waved a hand around the circle. "However, I do not think we have enough men to risk sending two abroad."
Arne Four Toes said, "Aye we need Ulf. He too is wise."
I nodded and turned, "Gilles and Mary, take Dream Strider and ride to Ulf. Ask him to return here."
Mary, in particular, appeared pleased to be able to do something. They mounted and galloped off.
Siggi nodded his thanks. "Then if there is no immediate threat from the Franks we look at the other two problems. The destruction of Windar's Mere is tragic for we knew their warriors but we chose to leave the Dragonheart. Had we men enough then we could have gone to his aid and fought this Skulltaker. That is not to be which leaves us with the problem of the Jarl. We need a leader. Clan without a leader is like a drekar without a steering board."
Silence fell and I felt you could have cut it with a knife. All of us had been oathsworn. We had followed Jarl Gunnar Thorfinnson. Now he was gone there was a void. Our oaths ended with his death. None had contemplated another leader and now it had been forced upon us.
Erik Long Hair said, "The Jarl made Hrolf the Horseman and Ulf Big Nose Hersir. Perhaps he wished one of them to be Jarl after he went to the Otherworld. They are both mighty warriors and have brought honour to the clan."
It was a ridiculous idea and I spoke immediately, "I know not about Ulf Big Nose but speaking for myself I do not think Jarl Gunnar wished me to replace him. He wished me to watch the north of the island and his decision was wise for I have brought news of danger. I am young and there are other, older, wiser heads head who could lead the clan successfully. I am flattered that I should even be considered but I am not yet ready to be the Jarl."
Bagsecg Beornsson said, shrewdly, "But one day you will eh, Hrolf?"
I smiled, "Perhaps but I will need a better beard and a few grey hairs first."
Erik Long Hair was like a dog with a bone, "Then what about Ulf Big Nose? He has age and he is wise."
Arne Four Toes shook his head, "And he is not here."
Harold Fast Sailing said, "Perhaps Sven the Helmsman might be Jarl. If we are to raid again then we need someone who knows the sea."
Sven shook his head, "Like Hrolf I am flattered but that is all I know, the sea. Like you, Harold Fast Sailing, I am happier with a drekar beneath my feet and a Jarl must lead the shield wall. He needs to be a renowned warrior. I believe that Ulf Big Nose would be the wisest choice."
Siggi said, "And he is not yet here. We will eat while we wait for him. It is fortunate that we have Hrolf the Horseman, his horses and his people. If we had not then Ulf would not be until the morrow."
Brigid, the ale wife brought out a barrel of ale and most of the men headed there for beer. Siggi and Rurik came to me, "You could be Jarl, Hrolf. I would follow you and I know that Rurik and others would."
I shook my head, "The Eriksson brothers would not and they would challenge me. I think I could defeat them but now is not the time to be losing warriors. We need every man regardless of how reckless he is."
"And that is why you would be a good jarl. You think of the clan."
Siggi shook his head. "Ulf and I thought that when we followed a young jarl and swore to protect him that he would be our last lord. I served his father and he is dead. Now the last of his sons is gone." He shook himself as though to clear thoughts and memories from inside his white head. "At least we have a crew who are well armed. Thanks to the Hibernians we are both well protected and provided with weapons to defend ourselves."
"How did we discover what happened to the Jarl?"
"The King of Wessex sent his head back to Dyflin along with that of Jarl Gunnstein Berserk Killer's daughter. The Jarl of Dyflin is not happy!"
"The new drekar was not lucky then?"
"No and I fear that the Jarl may have offended the Norns for he named her 'Queen of the Seas'. It does not do to risk the wrath of the Weird Sisters."
Arne Four Toes returned with horns of ale for us. "Those Eriksson brothers are blowhards! They are talking of having a younger Jarl who will take the clan on raids to make them rich."
Siggi snorted as he took the horn, "With barely a crew for the drekar where would we raid? They need to think about how we survive. If the Dragonheart can have his home threatened then we are in even more danger."
"Who is this Eggle Skulltaker?"
"A Dane. From what I heard he destroyed not just Windar's Mere but the settlement at Ulla's Water too. Jarl Dragonheart will be angry, especially after the death of his son."
I began to feel guilty about leaving the Dragonheart's crew. Had I brought bad luck? As I looked around the settlement I realised how many men had died both in our recent battles and in this latest tragedy. I should have sent for Skutal and Sigurd. This concerned them too.
We all turned when the horses galloped in. Ulf was a better rider now than when I had first met him but, even so, he was still pleased to be off my stallion. He strode over and Siggi shouted, "We hold the Thing again!"
Erik One Hand rushed over with a horn of ale. Ulf nodded and said to Siggi, "Is this true? The Jarl is dead?"
Siggi nodded, "Aye he is."
He and Ulf clasped arms. He and Ulf looked as though someone had torn their heart out before them. I had never seen Ulf upset before. They spoke quietly together for a while and then nodded. They touched their Thor's hammer. Both had served the Jarl a long time. I saw the Eriksson brothers looking impatient. It annoyed me. Ulf and Siggi had had a lifetime with Jarl Gunnar. That was not to be dismissed lightly.
Rurik waited unt
il they had both joined us and then said, "Erik Long Hair suggested that you be Jarl."
Ulf looked around at everyone and then burst out laughing, "Me? I do not like people and I enjoy being on my own. That alone would prevent me being jarl. Have you no one better in mind?"
Erik Long Hair said, "We suggested Hrolf but he said he was too young."
"Aye he is but I would follow him." They all looked at me again. "What say you horseman? Is this your dream?"
"It is my dream but this is not the time." I touched my horse token around my neck. "I have visited with the witch at the edge of the world and she told me that I would lead men but in the dream I had a full beard and I had a son. This is not meant to be."
I saw nods. They could accept that.
Knut One Eye shouted, "Then I suggest my brother Ketil! It is time we had someone young. He will lead us to glory!"
Ulf snorted, "He will lead us to doom. I would sooner follow a donkey than one of the Eriksson brothers."
Knut One Eye's hand went to his sword. Siggi White Hair shouted, "Touch your sword Knut One Eye and you die! You know the rules!"
Ulf Big Nose said, "But come to me after, Knut One Eye, and bad leg or not I will make your brother the last of his family!"
Before another row could begin I said, "We are missing the most obvious candidate. It seems to me that Siggi White Hair, who advised the Jarl, should be our new Jarl. His hearth-weru protected the Jarl but it was Siggi to whom he went for advice. I would follow him."