“Try to take the gate while it is open.”
“They would be fools to do so.”
“There are still two Franks there with them. If the gates are closed then they will be killed.”
“I do not understand.”
I had only just worked it out. “Coutances is now Breton. There are Franks fighting with them. Lord Salomon has come to an arrangement. Breton and Frank are now joined against us.” It was the old adage, ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend ’. They would be bedfellows until our threat was gone.
The enemy horsemen were tiring now. Gilles’ sons had obeyed my orders. They were not engaging the enemy. We were now catching them. The Bretons, led by the Franks had almost exhausted their horses. Timing would be all. We just needed the gates open. Folki, Rollo One Ear and the rest had not fought. When they arrived, they would be eager for battle. Their legs would be tired but they would be ready for war. I hoped that the returning horsemen would sow confusion amongst the enemy ranks.
Suddenly I saw one of the Franks turn his horse and head east along the small track which joined the Roman Road. He was heading for Saint-Lô. Did I let him go or follow him? Coutances was the key. We had to take it and then face whatever Lord Salomon threw at us. I saw that the gates of Coutances were open. Men lined the walls. They had a couple of crossbows. I saw one of my men tumble from his horse as it was hit in the head by a bolt. Luckily, they did not have many of those hated weapons and they took a long time to load. A horseman is a harder target to hit than a slower moving warrior on foot.
Erik disobeyed my orders and I was glad. He did engage the Bretons but he waited until they were in the gate. He and his brother urged their horses on and they used their swords to slay one of the Bretons. He and his horse fell in the gateway. The defenders would have to shift his body before they could close them. Erik and Rollo were stuck in the middle of the Bretons and their men galloped to their aid. I dug my heels in Dawn’s Light’s flanks and my horse leapt forward. I barged into the rear of the Bretons who were trying to get into the blocked gate. Soren and Leif were with me as well as Karl. Our four horses knocked three riders into the ditch. I swung my sword and it split the spine of a Breton before me. Soren and I reached Erik and Rollo when they were about to be overwhelmed.
I leapt from my horse and handed my reins to Erik. “Take my horse and your men back. You have done enough.”
Soren and four other men had dismounted and they ran, with me, up to the blocked gate. Erik and Rollo forced their way back to our advancing men and I ran at the Breton who was trying to close the gates. I swung and took the fingers from his right hand. Karl rammed the standard into the face of the man who was trying to pull the body clear. I put my head behind my shield and launched myself at the mass of men who were trying to bar our way and close the gates. I could leave Lord Bertrand to deal with the remaining horsemen.
“Clan of the Horse! With me!” I knew without looking that, unless they lay dead, Snorri Snorrison, Harold Strong Arm, Haaken the Bold and Leif Sorenson would be behind me. I had seen Soren and Karl dismount. Eight of us would have to hold the gate. “Shield wall!”
We could not form a true shield wall for we had oval shields but we could lock shields and make them try to shift us. I saw Leif Sorenson on one side and Haaken on the other. I held my sword over my shield. The Bretons charged. Half had stayed on the walls to send arrows and bolts at the men milling outside. The rest took any weapon they could find and they tried to butcher us. They hit us hard. One warrior was so keen to get at us that he ran straight into Soren’s sword. The press of men had not helped. My sword clanked off a helmet while two spears shattered on my shield. I was forced back a pace. Suddenly I felt a shield in my back. A voice said, “Lord Bertrand sent us, jarl. Help is on its way.”
I knew then that we would hold them. I lunged with my sword It was a blind stroke but there were so many faces before me that I hoped I would strike something. An axe hit my shield as I felt my sword strike the soft flesh of a cheek and then grind against a jawbone. I twisted and pulled it out sideways. Harold punched with the pommel of his sword into the face of the man nearest him. He kept punching until the man’s eyes glazed over and he started to slip. He was held in place by the press of men.
Suddenly it felt as though we were being pushed from our feet. More men were behind us and, as I regained my balance, the Bretons before me started to slip and slide on the blood and the gore. When two slipped and fell we burst through the gate and into the town. I had quick reactions and I swept my sword backhand across the middle of the Breton warrior before me. My men poured through the gap.
I heard a shout, “Folki and Rollo One Ear are coming!” My men cheered and, in that instant, the resistance of the defenders ended. Their horsemen all lay dead. The Frankish warriors who had come to their aid were dead or fled and we were inside their walls. They poured south towards the other gate. There was no chance of us running after them. We had fought two battles and we wore mail. We turned and began to kill those who remained. I saw the warrior whose horse had been killed by a bolt race up the ladder to the fighting platform. The crossbowman tried to defend himself but horsemen love their horses and he hacked the crossbowman to pieces.
“Clear the gates for Folki and his men. Fetch in the horses.”
I looked up and saw Lord Bertrand and his men. They were still mounted. I pointed at the Bretons fleeing for the south gate, “Keep your swords in their backs. Ride through the burgh and make sure they have fled. Kill any warriors that you can find. Close the other gate and make it secure. The Franks will be coming.”
We had not escaped unscathed. Karl had a long cut along his cheek. Soren’s arm was badly gashed and would need stitching. I saw damaged mail that would need repairing and spoke of wounds beneath. However, we had gained two Breton burghs in one day. That was unheard of. I sheathed my sword and hung my shield from the saddle of Dawn’s Light which had just been brought inside the gate. I sling my helmet on the saddle.
“Harold, keep four men here and when the last of our men are inside then bar the gates.”
“Aye jarl! A fine victory!”
“Do not tempt the Norns. When we are back in my hall then we will speak of victories and success. Snorri clear the enemy bodies, put them beyond the ditch. We will burn them when time allows.”
“Aye jarl.”
“Leif, search the houses. Make sure that no one is hiding and seek any treasure that you can.”
“Aye jarl.”
“Haaken get men to sort out some food. Our warriors have earned it.” I waved Karl over, “Fetch the standard.”
I hurried down through the town to the west gate. Lord Bertrand had taken it upon himself to secure that gate too. His men were just barring it as I arrived. I climbed up the ladder to the fighting platform. “Two of you stay here on guard until Folki and Rollo One Ear arrive. Karl. I want my standard to fly from this wall. When Lord Salomon comes I would have him know who owns this burgh now. Then find a healer and have your face seen to. It is a mark of honour but it needs cleaning up.”
“Yes jarl.”
“And then see to our horses. Have them stabled.”
I looked east. There were one or two refugees fleeing towards Saint- Lô. The Franks there would know that we had thwarted their plans and Lord Salomon would come. I turned and looked across the town. I saw that they had a stone church. Their hall would be close by. The Franks and the Bretons liked halls with windows and they made them places that they could defend. Any documents or treasure would be within.
I made my way to the tower. Men cheered me and called my name as I passed them. I waved my arm in acknowledgment. I had raided without my father but this was the first time I had fought two battles on the same day without him. The first he would know of my success would be when I spoke with him.
I found Leif and his men in the hall. He looked pleased with himself. “The lord must have just collected taxes. We have found a chest of coins. And he mus
t have left without his mail for we found a fine suit of mail in one of the chambers.”
“We will use this tonight for the jarls and their hearth weru. Is there a warrior hall?”
“There is, jarl, Eystein Tall Standing is there searching it.” He lowered his voice. “Will there be more fighting? The horses suffered today.”
“There will be but that is why we brought the spare horses. One reason I wish the jarls to stay here this night is to discuss my plan.”
He laughed, “Then the Franks are in trouble. You and your father both have minds which I cannot fathom. I am just a warrior with a sword and shield but the two of you are something different.”
I heard the sound of Folki and Rollo One Ear as they led their men over the bridge and through the gate. I left Leif to his work and headed towards the north gate.
Folki shook his head, “I see there is nothing left for us to do! Perhaps we can butcher the dead horses!”
“You can have your men stand a watch this night. I want the jarls and the hearth weru in the lord’s hall this night. We need to plan for the morning.”
“We shall do that. Did you lose many men? We saw their dead.”
“No, we lost few because we took them by surprise. If they had not tried to come to the aid of Périers then it might have been different. They thought us a raid by a small band of Vikings. The next battle will be harder.”
I sought Karl and our horses. I examined Dawn’s Light. She had suffered no wounds but I would ride Allfather’s Gift on the morrow. It was not the youngest horse and I rarely rode it but my father had given it to me when we had defeated the Count of Carentan. We would not have to ride far.
I noticed that Karl’s face had been stitched. “It will itch when it heals.”
“I know jarl. It is a small price to pay. I am still alive and I killed your enemies. Life is good.”
“We sleep in the hall this night.”
“Jarl I would sleep here, with the horses.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes jarl. I am weary and I know that my horse saved me twice today. He turned when I was too slow and the blade which would have taken my head just gave me a scar. I would watch over our mounts.”
Our men used the bread from the town and whatever food they could find to make a stew. For many years after men called it Coutances stew. They found chickens and hams as well as freshly collected mushrooms. Added to the spring greens and cider they discovered it made a pleasant meal.
The hall was full. I sat with my jarls and leaders at one table. “We were lucky today. The Allfather was watching over us.”
“He was that. We lost barely twenty men and yet we slew more than a hundred. There were also five Franks we slew.”
I nodded, “Find five warriors who excelled themselves this day. If they have no mail then give them the byrnies. They are well made.”
“You could sell them, jarl. This was your victory. You made the right decision at the perfect time.”
“No, Folki, we are in this together. I need not the coin.”
Rollo One Ear poured himself more cider. “I would have said that we were done, jarl but I can tell from your words that we have not.”
“The Franks cannot let us stay here. They must have made some sort of pact with the Bretons. That is the only explanation for the presence of the six Franks. We have no prisoners else we would know for certain. Lord Salomon will come. However, it is my intention to make him come to us and to come here angry. I want every rider who has a fresh mount to ride with me tomorrow. We will raid to the south of Saint-Lô.”
Folki threw a chicken bone to one of the dogs which had remained when the Bretons had fled. “You intend to draw them here.”
“I do. I want caltrops making tomorrow and we will seed the ground by the east gate with them. We will burn the bodies. At this time of the year the wind is from the west. The smell will spread to Saint-Lô. We will clear the ditches and embed stakes. We did not have to breach this wall and it is sound. It is not the Haugr but it will do. I want Lord Salomon to chase us back here. We will ride a path through the caltrops and into the town. His men and horses will fall foul of caltrops, arrows and ditches. We will hurt him. When we are rested we will sortie from another gate and attack him.”
“Perhaps he will not come.”
I looked at Erik Gillesson, “If he does not then that means he fears us and if he does then we shall take Saint-Lô. For now, I am happy that have cleared the enemies from our path at Tvímánuður. I am confident now that we can take hundred horsemen through this Breton land and attack Cancale from the land and the sea. We have never done that yet. This might be the way we raid in the future.”
I was tired and I slept well. Even so I was awake before dawn and I walked the fighting platform and visited the sentries. “Any sign of the Franks?”
“None jarl. It has been quiet save for the carrion feasting on flesh.”
I nodded and walked all around the fighting platform. I saw that they had built the wall hurriedly. The wood was not tightly bound. There were gaps and it was green wood. It would split. They had built in a hurry. I stopped at the east gate. The warriors on watch gave me space to stare towards a Saint-Lô I could not see. I had thought to raid to Cancale but perhaps the Norns had different plans for me. Taking Périers and Coutances had been far easier than we could have hoped. The vaunted Breton and Frankish horsemen were little better than we were and their foot warriors could not compete with mine. What would my father do? Then I realised that I was beyond my father. I was jarl and I made the decisions. My plan was still a good one. We would tempt the Franks from their walls.
I smelled bread. Someone had fired the bread oven and, even better, had made fresh bread. A man could fight all day with hot fresh bread and butter in his belly. I followed my nose to the smell. It was Rollo One Ear. “I did not know you could bake!”
“My mother taught me while my ear was healing. I find it helps me to knead the dough and I like the magic that happens.”
“Is it ready?”
“It will not be long. I will fetch beer. That is the secret of good bread. Add beer to it.” He poured me a horn.
“Where is Jarl Thorbolt these days? I did not see him when I visited the Haugr.”
“He left last year. He and his men fell out with my father. I was not there and I know not the reason. The rumour is that he went to raid the men of Cent.”
“He was a good warrior.”
“Aye he was.”
He brought out the fresh loaves. There were ten of them. They were too hot to eat and would make me ill but I enjoyed smelling the bread. The anticipation of fresh bread made it taste even better. Others followed their noses and, when the bread was cool enough, I cut a large piece and smeared it with butter which melted almost immediately. I added cheese and ate a blissful breakfast.
Niels Eriksson came over. He was the son of Erik One Arm. Rollo One Ear had told me he was with the warband but I had not had the chance to speak with him yet. He was young and he looked more like his mother than his father. “I was sorry to hear that your father died, Niels.”
He nodded, “Thank you, jarl. He was ill for some time. It was a mercy when he went. We put his sword in his good hand. I think he waited until I was a warrior. He gave me his sword and made me swear to follow Jarl Hrolf and his son.”
“And I am glad that you do. Today or tomorrow there may be bloodwork. This will test you. You know that?”
“Aye, jarl. I will be ready.”
I left the hall knowing that with men like this behind me I could do anything. Karl had saddled my horse and men were now preparing themselves for whatever the day brought. There was a happy feeling in the town. We had won two battles. We were well fed and we had walls behind which to fight. The weight of expectation was on my shoulders. I had to bring them to battle or this would be wasted. I led my men east and south. There were many farms around Quibou and Canisy. This was rich farmland. My plan was simple. We wou
ld slay every warrior and steal every animal until the Franks tired of it and came to send us home.
My scouts and lightly armoured men formed a screen before us. They spread out in a line half a mile wide. Soon, some of them returned driving animals before them. Their swords were bloody. I replaced the ones who headed back to Coutances with fresh men. I saw smoke appearing on the sky line as my men burned the farms they had taken. As the number of animals and bloody swords increased so we moved closer to our scouts. We had taken no strongholds but, as we passed Quibou, I saw the bodies of half a dozen warriors who had defended their farms. My men had had orders to drive women and children east. Lord Salomon would hear of us and he would do something!
The burning of the farms alerted those in Canisy and it was empty by the time we reached it. They had taken all of value and so we burned the town and turned to raid further south. Saint-Lô was just five miles away. This was as far as I wished us to travel. I had thirty warriors left with me. The rest were driving animals and taking sacks of supplies back to Coutances. I wished to scout out the land which we had not seen before. This was land which was deep into Frankish held territory. We had never raided this far south. My father had once travelled this way but that was many years earlier.
We saw just isolated farms and no towns over the next mile or so. I wheeled my grey around and headed back to Coutances. We had been travelling along the small rural road for a short time when Karl said, “Jarl, there are horsemen to the south of us.”
I turned and saw that he was correct. The ground rose and fell in small hills and hollows. They were at the top of one of the hills. They must have seen us at the same time as we saw them. It was not in our nature to run away and so I turned my men and we headed to meet them. We did not gallop. We were almost fourteen miles from safety. The last thing we needed was to be unhorsed in this land. Lord Salomon would punish us for such a mistake. The men who rode towards us numbered less than twenty. It was only after that I realised they thought that we were Lord Salomon’s men. On horseback we did not look like Vikings. They were less than two hundred paces from us when they realised their mistake. They had galloped hard to reach us and I saw that their horses were lathered. They turned and tried to run.
Brothers in Blood (Norman Genesis Book 7) Page 8