Saxon Bane

by Griff Hosker

  “My father thought highly of both of you. He knew that he could rely upon you.” I shook my head. “I was too full of the lure of the east and the armoured horsemen. I neglected what was best about Rheged.”

  “We could not have won without your equites, Warlord.”

  “I know but I will now be as my father was. I will command the armies. Pol and Lann Aelle can command my heavy warriors. I need to see the bigger picture.”

  “Then you are becoming your father. When we left Castle Perilous in the north he had to change. When he had commanded that lonely outpost with Garth, Aedh and me, he had been happy. When he was given command of the army of Rheged he had to change. Change can be hard, Warlord, but through change comes growth.”

  I laughed, “Why, Tuanthal, you have become quite the philosopher. You would fit in well in Constantinopolis. There they sit and talk just as you just did.”

  “I am a warrior and that is all.” He looked at the darkening sky. “It will soon be winter and then another year will have passed. How many more will I see, I wonder.”

  I knew why he reflected upon death. He was going to the funeral of the last two of those he had grown up with. There was just my uncle Aelle left from the old days. It was the end of an era.

  When we reached home we were greeted by Myrddyn and Myfanwy. Their eyes were drawn to the sword which still lay, without a scabbard, in my belt. My step mother hugged me. “My heart was in my mouth when you stepped from your ship for you looked so much like your father. I thought he had returned from beyond the grave.”

  I could say nothing to that. It was, perhaps, one of the kindest things she could say but I knew that she had meant it. Myrddyn smiled. “That is why the Warlord will never truly die for he is there in Hogan Lann and in Gawan.”

  “Where is my little brother?”

  “He and Brother Oswald are preparing the funeral. We only waited for you.”

  I turned as Aedh’s body was removed from the ship. “And we have another captain to bury. Aedh fell.”

  Myfanwy’s hand went to her mouth. “Not Aedh too?” It was as though naming him made her remember Morcar. “And your father’s murderer?”

  “Morcar is dead.” She nodded and, as we walked up to the fort I told her of his death.

  Myrddyn seemed satisfied. “Wyrd. That sword has powers far more ancient than even the Romans. We discovered much about it in Constantinopolis but I can see that there is more to it and it lives still. The sword killed the hand which stole it; how appropriate.”

  The next day would be the funerals. Everyone who wished to was allowed to attend. I had not been to the cave for many years and when I saw what Myrddyn had done I was astounded. “It is like one of the mausoleums in Constantinopolis save it is natural.”

  “This will endure long enough to pass a message to the future.”

  I looked at Gawan who shrugged. “You know how enigmatic he likes to be.”

  My father’s body had been brought on a cart from the fort. The four of us, Tuanthal, Gawan, Myrddyn and I, lifted the body and carried it into the cave. Brother Oswald led the procession holding Caledfwlch. My mother walked before with a torch and my tearful younger sister Delbchaem followed. The warriors and the people followed.

  I was amazed as we walked across the stone floor. Myrddyn’s workers had polished it smooth. There was a niche in one side beneath a Latin inscription. We reverently placed my father’s body in the niche and Brother Oswald handed me the sword. I placed it on the body and stepped back.

  “Warlord, we are here to say goodbye and for you and your mighty sword to be reunited.” Everything went silent. The mourners were united in silence and grief. From the dark recesses of the cavern came a steady drip of water. When the drip stopped it was as though the heart of the mountain had stopped. Beyond the cave there was a distant rumble of thunder and then the drip began again.

  Myrddyn seemed delighted, “The spirits have spoken. This place is now a special place a holy place.” He nodded at me.

  I walked back to the body and took the sword from my father. I paused as I took it. I leaned close in to his face and whispered, “I swear that I will protect your land for you. Watch over me, father, for I need your help still.”

  I turned and faced a sea of torch lit faces. “I take this sword, Caledfwlch, which was Saxon Slayer and swear to continue to fight Rheged’s foes.”

  The silence continued and Gawan walked up to the body. I could see tears in his eyes. In his hands he held the old wolf cloak. I could see that others had repaired it and there was now a clasp with two beautiful blue stones holding it. He placed it on the body and then he too leaned in and whispered something.

  He joined me and we watched as Geraint and Aedh’s scouts marched in with his body. There was no niche made for the Captain of Scouts but they reverently laid his body on the ground beneath my father’s.

  They stood around with heads bowed as Myrddyn intoned, “Spirits of Wyddfa here is a brave warrior, Aedh of Castle Perilous. Let him watch over his lord until the end of time.”

  I know not how long we stood there but when I looked around there was just my family, Brother Oswald, Myrddyn and Tuanthal.

  Myfanwy put her arm around Delbchaem. “Come let us go and feast. It is what your father would have wished.”

  As we walked into the storm filled afternoon I heard my sister say. “What did those words mean above my father?”

  Brother Oswald walked next to her. “That is Latin. It said, ‘Here lies Lord Lann, Warlord of Rheged: the greatest warrior in the west.”

  She nodded, “It is true and he would like that.”

  Myfanwy shook her head. “He would not like that for your father was the most modest man I ever knew. But I am glad that those words are there so that the whole world will know what they have lost.”

  Our plans to mourn Lord Lann were destroyed five days after he was placed into his tomb. The first of the scouts arrived back to tell us of the disaster of Eboracum. They had been sent by King Cadwallon to warn us of our imminent danger.

  “Warlord we had the fortress surrounded but we found ourselves surrounded. The brothers Oswald and Oswiu came with their elder brother Eanfrith.” I was about to ask a question when Myrddyn held up his hand. I heeded his advice. “At the same time a fleet of ships appeared in the river carrying King Raedwald and his men.” He hesitated. I could see criticism in his eyes but he had been trained well by Aedh and he continued with his message. “King Cadwallon tried to break out south. King Fiachnae mac Báetáin led his men north west. We had to fight our way to the high divide. The Saxons pursued us relentlessly. Captains Pol and Lann Aelle led attack after attack to drive back the Saxons but they were like the sands of the sea. No matter how many they slew more sprang up to take their place. We found an old Roman fort on the high ground. We took shelter there and they beat themselves against it for half a day before drifting back east. We brought the survivors over the divide. King Cadwallon and Penda have gone to Wrecsam and Lord Lann Aelle is bringing the survivors here.”

  I patted him on the shoulder, “You have done well, now rest.”

  He half turned and then he said, “Someone said that Captain Aedh had died.”

  “He did.”

  The man looked despondent. “Then the last alliance has failed and we will drown in a sea of Saxons.”

  “No it has not. This is a setback only. We will return stronger from this. The sacrifices made by Lord Lann and Aedh will bear fruit in the future.”

  I looked around at my little brother who seemed to have grown in stature since we had buried our father. “Send for my uncle, Lord Aelle. We need to make plans.”

  I saw Tuanthal nod and leave the hall. Myfanwy smiled, “It is good that we laid in so much food for the funeral feast. We will now need it to feed your army, Warlord.”

  I kissed her on the head as she left. My father had chosen well. “Brother Oswald, we had best prepare maps again. We have a campaign to plan.”

  Wh
en they had gone there was just Myrddyn and Gawan left. “Who is this Eanfrith?”

  “I had heard the name, Hogan Lann, but I thought he was insignificant for he was not with his father at Wrecsam. We have much to discover.”

  The remnants of our mighty army drifted in the next day. It was a sorry sight. I could see, from their numbers that they had lost heavily. There were but four scouts who remained. Daffydd ap Miach was at the head of a mere forty archers. Of Bors and Kay there was no sign. Pol and Lann Aelle led in sixty equites and barely ninety squires. They were all that remained.

  I embraced Lann Aelle and then Pol. “Bors and Kay?”

  “They live. Bors took his forty men to Deva whilst Kay headed north. He had only thirty men with him.”

  “Come let us go to my hall.” It was a sparse looking hall as the eight of us sat around the table. “Tell me all.”

  Pol and Lann Aelle looked at each other. Myrddyn banged the table. “Come! This is the Warlord! Speak the truth and do not hide anything. If you do so then we shall surely lose!”

  Pol nodded at Lann Aelle who sighed and began to speak. “We were looking at the fort and not to the west. King Cadwallon was sure that Edwin would surrender soon. It was almost a party atmosphere. A few days after you left the scouts to the south reported a fleet arriving in the river. King Cadwallon sent Pol and I to investigate with Daffydd’s archers. While we journeyed south a new army arrived, Saxons under this Eanfrith. He is a good warrior and a clever general. They drove a wedge between King Cadwallon’s men and those under Bors and Kay. The Hibernians were also with King Cadwallon.” He shook his head. “Bors told me that the king tried to attack the wedge with all of his army. At the same time King Edwin broke out of the fortress and attacked his rear. That was when Dai died. He was defending the standard. The Hibernians fled north.” He shook his head, seemingly unable to go on.

  Pol put a sympathetic arm around his shoulder. “Bors sent a scout after us and he and Kay began to retreat west.” He gave me an earnest look. “It was the right thing to do, Hogan Lann, I mean Warlord.”

  “I know and there is no criticism intended.”

  “We turned and headed north as soon as we could. We found King Cadwallon and Penda surrounded by the enemy. We charged into their rear and there was great slaughter,” he paused, “on both sides. With the armies of Mercia and Gwynedd rescued we headed west.”

  “I think we might have escaped unscathed had we not been ambushed by Oswald and Oswiu. We were at low ebb and had crossed the divide when they fell upon us. We were lucky for most of those who fell upon us were mercenaries but even so their numbers meant that we could not defeat them. We fought them all the way to the Maeresea. They retreated when we reached the river. Kay went home as did King Cadwallon and Penda.” He slumped back into his seat. “I am sorry we let you down, Warlord.”

  “You did not let me down. Tell me why did King Cadwallon send his best warriors to investigate the fleet? Surely scouts would have been just as effective?” They both shrugged.

  Myrddyn spoke. “Now we know why the ships were waiting in the Lune. But what I cannot understand is this new alliance. It is disturbing.”

  “We shall have to begin again. The wolf warrior may be dead but his legacy lives on. We have suffered a setback, true but the heart of Rheged beats still in this room. I made a misjudgement when I pursued Morcar. I took myself away from the place where I was needed the most.”

  Gawan said, “No, you are wrong, brother. You had to recover the sword. Had you not done so then Morcar would now rule in Rheged and we would never come back from the loss of the sword. This was wyrd.” He smiled. “There are fewer of us who are left but it is like a wine which is distilled, we become stronger and more powerful.”

  I saw Myrddyn nodding his approval. “Before we begin to plan let us all visit the tomb of the Warlord. It will be good to go there and feel his spirit enter us.”

  We set off immediately, despite the weariness of our warriors. It was just the captains who accompanied us. As we ascended Lann Aelle asked, “Who built this tomb? I have no idea where it is.”

  Myrddyn chuckled, “You do; it is the cave where the Warlord and I would dream. I have just enlarged it somewhat.” He looked at me expectantly. “I have kept the torches burning.”

  The day was a dark and dirty one with thick black ominous clouds. It felt almost like night time. The trees through which we climbed made it even gloomier. When we emerged from the forest we turned north and there we saw the tomb. As we turned we saw that the lights we had left burning around the bodies now made the wolf entrance seem to come alive. The eyes glowed, the mouth seemed to open and I smiled. The Wolf Warrior lived still. This was the sign. Rheged would rise once more.

  Epilogue

  The full import of the disaster was brought home to us in the time between Yule and the first lambs. The Saxons had divided the land up. Eanfrith ruled Bernicia with his brothers and King Edwin, now a devoted Christian had conquered Rheged and Man. He now threatened Anglesey. If it were not for King Fiachnae mac Báetáin whose men constantly harried his northern borders we might already have been fighting. As it was he had bought us time. We could begin to build our armies up once more and the sword would go to war again.

  We had much to do before we began to start again. We needed ships and we needed arms. Much had been lost in the disastrous battle and retreat. We used all of our money to send to the east for weapons. However we could not buy men. We would have to rely on our new allies. And that was a surprise. They had not deserted us. In fact the opposite had happened. They were as committed as we were and Penda persuaded King Cearl to ally Mercia with us. My father’s dream and his vision had been good.

  At the winter solstice Gawan and I journeyed to the tomb. Myrddyn did not come. He told us that this was something for the sons of the Wolf Warrior. There were no torches burning when we arrived. We lit faggots and carried them within. Once the flames burned they threw their light on to the walls and I saw that Myrddyn had had the walls decorated with paintings. They showed the scenes of the battles in which we had fought and won.

  We wandered over to the niche. Aedh had not been mummified, merely wrapped in bandages but my father’s face looked alive.

  I looked at Gawan. He nodded at our father and said, “We have much to do brother. I know why Myrddyn wanted us to come here alone. We are with the spirit of the Warlord. We should swear an oath now. He will hear it.”

  “You are right. Warlord, we swear that we will not stop fighting until Rheged is free.”

  Gawan stepped forward, “And we will be as one mind we two will become one.”

  We looked at each other and nodded. We said, “We are the Wolf Brethren!”

  The End

  Glossary

  Name-Explanation

  Acidus-acid

  Aidan- one of Lann’s captains

  Aedh-Despatch rider and scout

  Aelfere-Northallerton

  Aelle-Monca’s son and Lann’s step brother

  Aethelfrith-King of Bernicia and Aethelric’s overlord

  Alavna-Maryport

  Artorius-King Arthur

  Banna-Birdoswald

  Belatu-Cadros -God of war

  Belerion-Land’s End (Cornwall)

  Bors- son of Mungo

  Byrnie – mail shirt

  Cadwallon ap Cadfan- King of Gwynedd

  Caedwalestate-Cadishead near Salford

  Caergybi-Holyhead

  Caestre- Chester (Deva)

  Caledfwlch – Excalibur (in Welsh the name comes from caled "hard" and bwlch "breach, cleft”). Literally the sword from the stone

  Civitas Carvetiorum-Carlisle

  Constantinopolis-Constantinople (modern Istanbul)

  Cymru-Wales

  Cynfarch Oer-Descendant of Coel Hen (King Cole)

  Daffydd ap Gwynfor-Lann’s chief sea captain

  Daffydd ap Miach-Miach’s son

  Dai ap Gruffyd-King Cadfan’s squire

&
nbsp; Dál nAraidi- Northern Ireland

  Delbchaem Lann-Lann’s daughter

  Din Guardi-Bamburgh Castle

  Dunum-River Tees

  Dux Britannica-The Roman British leader after the Romans left (King Arthur)

  Erecura-Goddess of the earth

  Einar- A Dane serving the Warlord

  Fanum Cocidii-Bewcastle

  Felan-Irish pirate

  Fiachnae mac Báetáin- king of the Dál nAraidi

  Fiachra-brother of Fiachnae mac Báetáin

  Freja-Saxon captive and Aelle’s wife

  Gareth-Harbour master Caergybi

  Garth-Lann’s lieutenant

  Gawan Lann-Lann’s son

  Glanibanta- Ambleside

  Gwynfor-Headman at Caergybi

  Gwyr-The land close to Swansea

  Hagustald- Hexham

  Halvelyn- Helvellyn

  Haordine-Hawarden Cheshire

  Hen Ogledd-Northern England and Southern Scotland

  Hogan Lann-Lann’s son

  Icaunus-River god

  Kay- Captain of the north

  King Ywain Rheged-Eldest son of King Urien

  Lord Lann-Warlord of Rheged and Dux Britannica

  Loch nEachach-Lough Neagh (Northern Ireland)

  Loge-God of trickery

  Loidis-Leeds

  Mael Odhar Macha-King of Airgialla

  Maeresea-River Mersey

  Mag Mell- Welsh for heaven. This is reserved for those who have attained glory. Annwn was also a place of joy when one died.

  Mare Nostrum-Mediterranean Sea

  Metcauld- Lindisfarne

  Morgause- witch

  Mungo-Leader of the men of Strathclyde

  Myfanwy-Lann’s wife

  Myrddyn-Welsh wizard fighting for Rheged

  Nanna Lann-Lann’s daughter and wife of Cadwallon

  Nithing-A man without honour

  Nodens-God of hunting

  Oswald-Priest

  Penrhyd- Penrith,Cumbria

  Penrhyn Llŷn- Llŷn Peninsula

  Pharos- lighthouse

  Pol-Captain and Hogan Lann’s standard bearer

  Prestune-Preston Lancashire