Brothers in Blood (Norman Genesis Book 7)

by Hosker, Griff

  He laughed, “From what you told my men your grandfather was Norse. We do not abandon our own besides, were you not listening? Our threads are bound. You will come to Møre and join our clan. What would you have happen?”

  I shrugged. I had thought I was bound to die and yet I lived. I had been to the bottom of the sea and survived. “I would return home and kill my brother. I know that I cannot do that yet; I have nothing save this coarse kyrtle and my seax. What use am I to you?”

  “My son is lost. He has spare clothes and weapons. You will fight with our clan. Let us not look too far ahead. Njoror saved you and the Allfather was watching over you. Let us see what happens. Now come. There is hot food. I am certain that you need that.”

  My story had touched all of the crew. The fact that they had lost so many of their own men made my salvation even more precious. I seemed to represent the dead warriors. Wyrd .

  I was not asked to stand a watch. When I awoke I felt refreshed. The jarl took me to the chest which had belonged to his son. He took out the clothes his son had left behind. They were a tight fit but they would do. The Norse wear loose fitting clothes. There was also a short sword. One of the other crew found me a scabbard and a belt in the chest of another of their dead crewmates. I no longer felt naked. I had a sword.

  The wind was with us and I watched the coast of Denmark fly by our steerboard side. I had never been this far north. The land of the East Angles was as far north as I had travelled. I was heading for the land which gave birth to my grandfather. He had not remembered much about it. He had been taken as a slave when he had been young. I spoke with the other crew. I discovered that Bergil was but a little older than I was and his dead cousin had been his age too. They had been the youngest on the drekar and they had been close.

  “How did the Franks ambush you?”

  “Horses! My uncle had captured a small village. Eystein went with half the crew to take another settlement we had spied when we had travelled down the coast. The Frankish horsemen caught them in the open. It is hard to stand against charging horses.”

  I shook my head, “You are wrong Bergil. My people often fight the Franks. Sometimes we fight on horses too and so I know these things. If you lock your shields and present a sea of spears then a horse will not try to breach it.”

  “They can jump!”

  It was my turn to laugh, “Not over a shield wall! Your cousin should have made a circle and walked back to his father. They might have lost one or two men but that is all.”

  Bergil nodded, “You are young but you know much about fighting.”

  “Yet I have only just been in my first raid. But my grandfather has passed on his knowledge. He is wise.” I suddenly turned my head to look south. What of my grandfather? He was now in danger. Ragnvald did not like him. Perhaps another would become jarl. As soon as the idea blossomed in my head it began to wither and die. The rest of the clan had been seduced by the one brave act; the slaying of the Breton warrior. By the time I would be able to travel south then he would have power and I feared that my grandfather would pay with his life.

  I was lying on the deck looking at the clouds above us when the ship’s boy shouted, “A Danish drekar and she is armed for war!”

  Jarl Rognvald Eysteinsson shouted, “Arm yourselves.”

  For me that meant little. I had a seax and a short sword. There were six of the crew who had mail byrnies. The rest did not. Bergil had a leather vest. I thought of mine which now lay at the bottom of the Tamese Estuary.

  “Where away?”

  “The steerboard side; she is off our bow.”

  I looked and saw the sleek lines as the Danish drekar raced to cut us off. We could not outrun her. We would have to fight. I felt us heel to larboard as the jarl put the steering board over. He was making it as hard for the Dane as he could. There were open waters to the north and west. Much could happen.

  Sven Blue Arm shouted, “Bergil, Göngu-Hrólfr, protect the jarl. May the Allfather be with you.” He handed me a shield. “It is the one which saved your life.” He shouted to the others. Take two spears with you!”

  I had fought on the one raid but I had practised my whole life. If I was to die then I would take as many Danes with me as I could. My head felt naked without a helmet but one advantage was that there was nothing to block my vision.

  The jarl pointed to the stern, “Help me tie off the steering board. This old man will need to wield his blade if we are to win through and see our home once more.” The three of us managed to fix the steering board in position. He shouted up to the masthead, “Beorn, I rely on you and your brother to keep the sails trimmed.”

  “Aye jarl!”

  “Do you not have bows?”

  Bergil shook his head, “Our archers were slain in the ambush.”

  I saw that the drekar was larger than that of Jarl Rognvald Eysteinsson. She would have a larger crew. It was hard to see how we could win. My grandfather had told me that a real warrior never gave up. There was always hope. The dream I had had was of the future. It was not written yet. I would live and change the future. My descent to the ocean bottom had proved that the Norns had not yet done with me. I pulled the shield a little tighter to me. It was a Danish one. There was neither boss nor metal studs. The soaking in the sea had done it no good either but it would protect my left side a little. Although it was a short sword my reach would mean I could still fight an opponent with a longer sword. As the Dane drew closer I noticed many Danish axes. That gave me hope. Harold Strong Arm had told me that a Danish axe needed room to swing. There was precious little of that on a drekar. He had also advised me to keep a wider stance than normal. That was especially true for me. I was so tall that it would be easy to overbalance.

  As I adjusted my feet Bergil said, “What are you doing?”

  The jarl smiled as he said, “Showing me that he has been taught well. The deck of a drekar is never the easiest of fighting platforms. Do not overswing nephew. I would hate to have to tell my sister that I lost her only son at sea!”

  The Dane was now two lengths astern of us. His bow would catch us amidships. That was where Sven Blue Arm and the bulk of the warriors were waiting with shields already locked. If they could stop their warriors boarding then we had a chance. The ones who would attack first would be the bravest and the most reckless. If they died then the others might not be as confident.

  “Your two flank me. Göngu-Hrólfr, on my right. Bergil my left.” The jarl was encased in mail. His helmet was an open one but he had a mail hood beneath it. Bergil had a similar helmet but without the hood.

  I could now see the eager Danes. They lined the side. Four stood on the gunwale and were holding onto the forestays. Had we had bows then they would be dead. All four wore a mail byrnie. Suddenly Sven Blue Arm hurled a spear. It struck one of the Danes in the chest and he tumbled into the water. A second had been holding the same stay and as the first was struck, he lost his grip and he also tumbled beneath the waves. Here the bottom would not be obligingly close. The Dane was as good as dead already. Two more men took the places of the fallen warriors. These had leather vests and Danish axes. Sven shouted, “Spears!” fifteen spears flew. One of the men who was about to board was struck and the others clattered and fell into the well of the drekar. Some found flesh for there were cries. Then the Danish drekar stuck.

  Our ship shook. Wood splintered on our gunwale and the dragon prow fouled our forestay. With a roar the three jumpers leapt towards our shields. It was brave but foolish. Sven and his men had spears ready and the three were plucked from the air. Their bodies dropped between the two hulls which were beginning to grind together as the wind pushed the Dane closer to us. The bulk of their warriors would try to board in the middle where they could use the height of the bow to drop onto our lowest point. Their stern was swinging around but their greater length meant that we would have the height advantage.

  The jarl saw this and he pointed to the spears which lay close to us. “Use those. Kill the he
lmsman and the crew around the steering board.”

  I sheathed my short sword and picked up a spear. Pulling my arm back I hurled it the ten paces to the stern just behind ours. My spear struck the helmsman in the thigh. The jarl might have been old but he had a good eye. His spear struck a warrior in the face. Bergil’s managed to strike the shoulder of another. I glanced down our ship. Sven and the crew were holding off the Danes. There were four left by the steering board and the rest were trying to support the men attempting to climb across from the prow. I saw a chance. I climbed up on to the gunwale. The Dane was swinging closer to us. When it was just three paces from us I leapt. I do not think another could have made the leap for you needed long legs and none had longer than me. They were not expecting such a rash and reckless act from someone without mail.

  I landed heavily on the Dane’s deck and began to lose my balance. I used my long legs and I strode towards the four men who were unwounded. My speed saved me. The Danish shield I held smashed into the hand and the face of a Dane. I slashed to the side and my newly acquired sword bit into the thigh of a warrior. Blood pumped from his leg. The pitching deck became even more treacherous as the blood poured across it making it slippery and slick. A spear flew past me and struck the shield of the Dane who was advancing towards me. The weight of it made his shield drop and I lunged and struck him in the chest. My height helped me again. I whirled as I sensed someone coming at my back. There were two of them. Instead of backing off I ran at them holding the shield before me. As the deck pitched they slipped in the blood and both tumbled over the side.

  There were three men left but they were all wounded. I picked up a Danish axe and brought it back behind my head. I swung it over to smash through the steering board, the withy and the rope. The swing was so hard that the axe remained embedded in the deck. The drekar was rudderless.

  “Göngu-Hrólfr back!” Bergil was pointing. The Danes had seen what I was about and some were rushing towards me.

  I spied a fine helmet and I grabbed it. After I put it on I took the long sword that one of the warriors had had. The Danes were getting close. I took the shield from my arm and I threw it like a skimming stone towards them. Even as they slowed and held their shields to protect themselves from the missile I clambered up onto the gunwale and slashed the back stay, Gripping the rope and my new sword I swung out over the grey sea towards our ship. I would not reach it. I let go and flew through the air. As I neared the sheerstrakes I struck at them with my sword. It bit in and I held on for grim death. Bergil raced down and threw me a rope. Using the rope and the sword I climbed up the side.

  “Look out Bergil!”

  Two men had managed to get aboard our ship and were racing to Bergil. He picked up his shield and bravely faced them. I clambered over the side, wrenching the sword from the side of the ship. The two Danes were so concerned with Bergil that, when I suddenly ran at them with two swords in my hand, they were taken aback. I used the short sword to fend off the Dane’s sword as I rammed my long sword through his side. My sword came through and hit the other Dane whom Bergil slew.

  Beorn the ship’s boy had slid down to our forestay and was hacking, with his short sword, at the entangled ropes. The Dane’s sail fluttered for I had cut the back stay when I had swung over. As the forestay was cut and without a rudder it began to drift away. We still had the wind. There was a creak and a groan and we burst free from the Dane’s clutches. The three men who were still aboard us were hacked and butchered by Sven and our crew.

  The Danes waved impotent swords at us. I saw two of our crew drop their breeks and bare their backsides. The rest of the crew laughed and cheered. Sven Blue Arm shouted, “Strip the bodies of everything and then throw them for the fishes. Get some water and clear this blood. Well done Beorn! That was smartly done!”

  Bergil nodded to me, “I owe you a life.”

  “You pulled me aboard!”

  “It is not the same. You could have easily pulled yourself up. I thank you.” He shook his head and pointed to the drifting Danish drekar. “That was a prodigious leap. You are fearless. What were you thinking?”

  “That the Danes had cost me my mail, my sword and my helmet. I wanted vengeance.”

  He laughed, “Come let us help my uncle to untie the steering board. I am sure he will wish to thank you too.”

  The jarl had taken off his helmet and was untying our knots. As we helped him he said, “You will be an asset to our clan, Göngu-Hrólfr. You had no need to do what you did.”

  We had freed the steering board and he pushed it over to resume our course. “I did for they had already managed to get men on board. The two whom Bergil and I slew would have aided the ones at their stern. It was a gamble.” I smiled, “And I flew!”

  The jarl laughed, “Aye you did!”

  Chapter 10

  Møre was a long way up the Norwegian coast. It was surrounded by islands and lay nestled in a fjord. I did not envy any raider trying to sail into it. It was as secure a home as I had seen. It needed no walls for nature was its defence. There was a wooden jetty. I saw another drekar already tied up there. Bergil said, “That belongs to my uncle, Bjorn Eysteinsson. He will be sad that my cousin died. He was my uncle’s favourite. Everyone liked him. This will be a sad homecoming.” He pointed to the women who were gathered on the side watching us arrive. They would be able to see that we were few in number. Mothers, wives and daughters would be looking for their men. Many would be disappointed.

  Jarl Rognvald Eysteinsson wandered over to me. “We will take my son’s belongings ashore and then his chest will be yours.”

  “Thank you, jarl. I know this must be hard for you.”

  “We could not bring back my son’s body. The Franks displayed them on spears. We saw them as we sailed home. We need vengeance.”

  Bergil said, “You can stay with me. There is just my mother and me. There is room.”

  “Thank you but I would not wish to be a burden.”

  “A burden? There are tales and songs in you, Göngu-Hrólfr. I will milk you for them!”

  I waited until the rest of the crew had gone ashore before I took my few belongings and stepped on to the jetty. Everyone else had family to greet them. I did not wish to intrude. However, everyone was staring at me as I walked down the jetty toward the land.

  Jarl Rognvald Eysteinsson raised his hand and shouted, “Everyone, this is the new member of our clan. We fished him from the sea and he repaid us by saving us from Danish pirates. He is a mighty warrior: Göngu-Hrólfr.”

  His words were greeted by cheers from the crew who had sailed with me. I saw a woman who nestled in the jarl’s arms. She was weeping and I guessed it would be the jarl’s wife. There was nothing I could say. Back in the Haugr it would be my grandmother who would be weeping and my mother grieving in Benni’s Ville. Who would comfort my mother? I doubted that it would be Ragnvald.

  A smiling woman with grey hair hugged Bergil. It was his mother. He spoke to her and then she came to me. Her head came to just above my waist. She put her arms around it and hugged me. “You saved my son’s life. I am grateful. You are welcome to my home but I fear we have no bed that is big enough for you.”

  “I need no bed, lady. Some straw in a sack will do.”

  She stepped back and looked appalled, “Straw in a sack! We can do better than that. We have goose feathers. Come let us get you home and I will need to get out my needles. You will need clothes!”

  The houses were all perched against the rocks. I wondered where they farmed for there seemed to be just rocks with trees precariously clinging to them. I had come to a world which was totally different to my own home. It would take some getting used to. I paused and looked down at the fjord and the jetty. There were two drekar. If I could persuade the jarl then we could sail down to my home and retake what was mine. The longer I was away the more power would be in the hands of my brother.

  My first few days in Møre were spent meeting people. The jarl’s wife, Gefn, was a lovely
lady. She had lost her only son and had grieved but as soon as she was able I was sent for. “The jarl has told me all that you did for him and the crew. But for you there would be more widows in Møre. No one can replace our son but we believe that you have been sent here to fill his place.”

  I saw the jarl nod, “When we fished you out from that empty ocean I knew that there was something special about you. After the voyage home I am certain. We have another warrior in the clan.”

  The jarl’s brother was also keen to show me that he held me in high regard. He presented me with a shield. It had a boss and was studded with metal. “This belonged to my son. He did not die in battle. It was two years since that he died of the coughing sickness. We buried him with his sword but his shield is for you.”

  “I thank you and I will bear it with honour.”

  By the end of the first ten days I had a complete set of clothes including seal skin cap, fur cloak and even a pair of sealskin boots. As Bergil said, “The one animal we have in abundance is the seal. We sail to the islands each year and take many of them. Their flesh keeps us in winter.”

  “What are winters like up here?” I confess that I was worried. I could not remember us having snow which lasted for more than a day or two in the Land of the Horse.

  “They are harsh and the days in winter are so short that we have some days when the sun appears for a brief moment and is then gone.”

  “What do you do then?”

  He laughed, “We make more warriors!”

  “And the raiding season?”

  “We are in the middle of it. Our voyage to the land of the Franks was a scouting expedition. My uncle has been repairing his drekar. If we had been successful then we would have returned there now…”

  I was disappointed, “Then you will not raid there this season?”

  “No, we lost too many men. My uncle wishes us to be stronger. We will make alliances with our neighbours and take more ships. It will not be easy. We have had feuds with other clans. My cousin’s death may be a good thing. Had he been killed by a Viking then we would have continued our feuds. Now we can put those arguments behind us. The head of our tribe has spoken of making war on the men of Sogn but that will not be this year. Now that we have you we have two mighty warriors: Göngu-Hrólfr and Sven Blue Arm.”