by Griff Hosker
He shrugged. “I think not, Lord Lann. I suspect this is one of those situations where brute force and Miach’s archers will do as well as magic.”
When my captains joined me I outlined my plan. “Tuanthal, take half the men with Aedh and get to the other side of their camp. We will use the archers and the rest of the equites to drive them towards you.” I turned to Pol and Myrddyn. “I want you two to release those prisoners. They may prove useful.”
My men were experienced and confident. They left without another word. Miach’s men approached on foot as did half of my equites. We needed accuracy this night and horses made a poor platform for archers. The equites might pass for a shield wall in the dark.
The Saxons only had four men on guard and they had their throats slit quickly and quietly. We had silent killers in our ranks. I led the equites who were on foot. We were fully armoured and all wore the full face mask helmet favoured by the Saxons. I knew that it gave us extra protection and it frightened the enemy who could not see the face beneath. When they saw us in the dark we would have an instant impact. As we strode into the camp I knew that this was not a glorious venture. This was akin to murder. The enemy had no warning as we raced amongst them, killing them where they lay. The archers behind watched for any movements. Inevitably one of the Saxons awoke; he probably had to pee and his shout woke the camp. It made no difference. A man awoken from a deep, and probably drunken sleep, is no match for a wide awake and fully armed warrior. They fled. Our line was wide and it was like hunters driving animals into a net. Tuanthal and his men slaughtered all who escaped us.
“Take anything of value from the bodies and be swift.”
“Lord Lann?” Myrddyn and Pol stood with the four released prisoners. The youth was about Hogan’s age. They looked both surprised and relieved to have been rescued. “This is Cadfan ap Iago, the son of the King of Gwynedd.”
The young man nodded, “Thank you, Lord Lann. My grandfather often spoke of you and your brave horsemen. I am glad that you happened along this way.” There was an unspoken question in his words.
I did not like to lie and so I gave him a half truth. “We did not happen along this way. We were heading east. I spoke with Bishop Asaph and he said that your grandfather had been killed. I wanted to make sure that there were no roving bands of Saxons to threaten the monastery.” I spread my arms. “If these were some of the men who did that then they have been brought to account.”
The youth seemed relieved by my answer. “Then I thank you, Lord Lann.”
Tuanthal rode in with his men. “We found half a dozen horses my lord.”
“Good. Give four of them to the prince here. “Will you and your companions be able to get home without assistance?” I pointed at the dead, “We have some work to do here.”
“No we can manage that.” He turned to his men and spoke with some authority. “Get our weapons and armour and we will leave the filth here for Lord Lann.” They hurried to do his bidding. “I am in your debt, Lord Lann. Should you ever need it repaying then speak the word and it will be done.”
“And you Cadfan ap Iago, if you ever need a friend then I am close by.”
Cadfan was an honest prince and he later made a good ruler. After they had left and we had piled the bodies on a pyre we ate the food left by the Saxons. Our horses now had extra weight from the arms and armour of the dead. Our journey north would be even slower from now on although we had gained two horses.
We were travelling through land new to all of us, Myrddyn included. It was flat, undulating land and made us, ironically, safer. You can see long distances from the back of a horse and any danger is seen when it is far away. We moved as swiftly north as our horses would allow us. The rivers we crossed were shallow and easily fordable. By the second night we were camped to the north of Mamucium. The land appeared to be without settlements. We knew that there was a Saxon presence at the bridge of Witherspool but, when we had travelled south to settle Mona, we had seen few signs of the Saxons.
The next day I sent out some of the younger equites, the former scouts, to aid Aedh in his exploration of the land ahead of us. We were just building our camp when Aedh himself rode in. “My lord there is a Saxon settlement on the Ribble.” He pointed to the north. “It is but three miles in that direction.” When we had come south the Ribble had posed us few problems in crossing. We had not seen any Saxons nearby. If there was a Saxon settlement there then it could be disastrous.
“Are there many people there?”
“It looks well defended my lord.”
This was our first real set back. We could travel to the north east and approach Aelle’s lands from that direction but it would add to the time the journey would take. The quickest way was north and west. “Let me go my lord.”
I turned to my wizard. “You Myrddyn? You would make it disappear?”
Tuanthal laughed. “No, my lord, I would visit the town as a healer and ask questions. I can go now and be back at dawn.”
Miach nodded as did Tuanthal. Myrddyn had spied for us before and could easily pass for a Saxon. He was a born dissembler and actor. “Very well. Take Pol with you. He can wait outside the settlement in case we have to come and get you.”
Myrddyn snorted, “The day I cannot outwit a few Saxons will be the day I become a farmer but Pol can come with me. He is pleasant company and wittier than most others.” Pol grinned at the compliment and, I think, at the pleasure of an adventure.
Pol returned in the middle of the night and I was awoken.
“Myrddyn has stayed in the settlement, it is called Prestune.” He saw the worried look on my face. “He is safe enough. He will join us on the road tomorrow. There is a ford to the east and he has drawn me a map. I can lead us there. He said that it will not look strange if he travels tomorrow northwards but leaving in the night might have aroused suspicion.”
I nodded, “You have done well. Now get some sleep.” Myrddyn was the consummate spy. The Saxons would have taken him for one of their own; their king, Aella, had done so and we had reaped the rewards. I slept easier, knowing that, the last obstacle before Rheged was out of the way.
The land we were now travelling through was more like the land of Rheged. There were hills rising on both sides of us and we had to have scouts spread in a wide area to avoid being ambushed. The ford identified by Pol was wide and shallow. We all breathed a sigh of relief once we had crossed it. The Ribble was the last barrier before we reached Rheged. I sent Aedh to find a camp area south of the borders with Rheged. We would need to ascertain where the enemy was. I knew that my brothers had fortified the Wide Water fort but there were many places for the Saxons to besiege that tiny enclave of freedom.
Unencumbered by pack animals Myrddyn joined us at mid morning. He had not had to ford the river and he was remarkably cheerful.
“The good news, Lord Lann, is that your brothers hold out still.” He saw the relief on my face. “However the bad news is that every Saxon, from miles around, has joined the siege. There are rumours of much gold in the treasure of the Wolf Warrior.”
“But that is not true!”
He spread his arms. “We know that but the rumours are there. It does not help that King Ywain, before he died, told of the treasure of Rheged. He made it sound greater than it was and, when Aethelric and Aethelfrith took over the treasury they were disappointed and assumed that your brothers had purloined the rest.”
“And Prince Pasgen? What of him?”
“He and his remaining equites harry the Saxons from the hills to the west of Wide Water but,” he added ominously, “they have been silent since their settlement was destroyed.”
“You have done well and we will talk more this evening when we hold our council of war.”
We camped in the lee of a hill overlooking the sea. From Aedh we learned that the nearest Saxon settlement was on the coast, some way from Prestune. With scouts ahead of us and far away from the camp we should remain invisible and undetected.
“A
s from tomorrow I want us all fully armed and armoured. I do not want to come upon some Saxons without protection. I know it will tire the horses but that is better than losing warriors. Aedh, you need to find us a safe way in to the fort.” He looked appalled. I smiled, “I know that it is a tall order but we do have some advantages. We know the area. There is a thick forest on the western side of the lake. If you can get there then you might be able to get a man into the stronghold.”
Myrddyn shook his head. “That is risky. The scouts have grown since Raibeart and Aelle knew them. The messenger might be killed by a frightened sentry.”
“Very well then but Aedh can still use that forest to scout out the lake. From there a scout can see directly up the water towards the stronghold.”
Miach ate constantly during these discussions. Myrddyn was certain that he had a tapeworm! “What about the eastern side of the lake?”
I shook my head. “Too open for us to approach unseen and that, I suspect, will be where they have their main force.”
“I could go.”
I turned to look at Pol. “You?”
“They know me and I can swim. They are less likely to kill a swimmer out of hand; it is less threatening.”
“He is right Lord Lann. I would go but I cannot swim.”
I laughed, “Something that Myrddyn cannot do. That is a first. Very well then. The only thing we need to do is to work out where we will hide the army.”
Tuanthal laughed, “This handful of men an army?”
“It is the only army we have.”
“If Aedh is scouting to the east of the lake then we should be approach from the north east. We can then use that flat area north of the fort to make the most use of the equites’ horses and skills.”
Miach’s plan was accepted and, early next morning we all set off. Pol and Aedh, along with the scouts left first. We took the longer route west, north and then east. I used Miach’s archers as scouts for there were many places we could be ambushed. Suddenly two of them rode in waving their arms.
“Saxons! Up ahead. We think it is a camp of those besieging the fort.”
We had passed a small lake, the locals called them tarns, a hundred paces or so back. It was hidden from the track by a stand of trees and was not overlooked. “Miach, take charge of the men. Tuanthal and Myrddyn, you two come with me. Show me these Saxons.”
We rode through the thick forests to evade detection. I vaguely recognised where we were. There was a range of hills to the north with two small lakes and, as I recalled, a huge cave up there. That could prove useful. I also had an idea where the Saxons would be; there was a young but vigorous river which emptied into the lake and there was a stone bridge across it. The site made a perfect barrier to stop any escaping from the stronghold.
The two men held up their hands for silence and dismounted. The three of us did the same. While one of the archers held our horses we followed the other one to a rock above the bridge. We could see without being seen. It was indeed a Saxon warband. There were not many of them, probably fifty or so in total, although we could not see the whole of their camp. They had a barrier across the bridge and it was, as I suspected, to keep men in rather than preventing reinforcements. They were not worried by the thought of a relief force. Prince Pasgen must not be considered a threat. We retreated to the horses where we could talk.
“You two archers stay here and keep watch. We need to know if they are reinforced.”
As we rode back Myrddyn spoke what was in all of our minds. “We have to get rid of them before we do anything else.”
“True but if any escape then we will have every Saxon for miles around attacking us and this is not an easy place for horsemen to defend.”
“You are right Tuanthal. I want you to take our men to the two small lakes just north of here. If you remember there is a cave there where they can hide.”
Myrddyn could see my mind working. “You have a plan, Lord Lann?”
“Tuanthal is right we need somewhere to fight where we can use our horsemen. North of the fort there is a large flat area, just after the small lake. If we could make the Saxons form up there then Tuanthal could attack from their rear.”
He grinned, “We use the buccina!”
“Exactly! When you hear that call then you attack. We will get rid of the men at the bridge. If there is a problem then we too will head for the cave. It is an easy place to defend but, hopefully, it will not come to that.”
As we walked I asked a question which had been on my mind for some time. The Saxons did not appear worried by Prince Pasgen. “I wonder if Prince Pasgen lives? It would help me to know that he did. I feel I owe his father still.”
“Oh he lives but you owe his father nothing. You have repaid that debt many times over.” With that the enigmatic wizard shut up! He could be most annoying.
We returned to Miach and explained the plan. We designated ten of his archers to remain with the horses while the rest would follow us to the bridge. We had the dozen boy slingers who could care for the mounts but we needed guards who could fight if we were surprised. Tuanthal left and suddenly it felt lonely with just the handful of archers remaining. We had decided to use the river. It was a bubbling and lively stream, cascading over rocks and small falls. Its noise would disguise our approach. Four of Miach’s most skilful cut throats would descend the torrent and emerge on the other side to deal with any Saxon who fled. The rest of Miach’s men would be in the trees and they would use their arrows from concealment.
Despite Miach’s concerns Myrddyn and I intended to walk down the road towards the Saxons. We would be attacking after dark and we could both speak Saxon. They would hear our voices and, I hoped, it would allay any fears they might have. We would distract them by approaching from what they would consider their safe side. With my helmet down and carrying my shield I would, indeed, look Saxon. If the plan went awry then Miach and his men would kill as many Saxons as they could and we would have to fight our way out. I was not worried. No Saxon yet had bested me and Myrddyn the wizard was as slippery as an eel.
Miach and his men left to take their positions. Myrddyn and I walked down the road; horses would have aroused suspicion. Myrddyn carried no shield but he had his sword and a dagger. I held a dagger in my shield hand and Saxon Slayer was in its greased scabbard.
We began talking in Saxon as we descended towards the bridge. Myrddyn did most of the talking; he was a born actor and story teller.
“So I said, what are you talking about, Ida? The bitch was already dead so what was the point of being kind to her.”
I laughed, “That is Ida all over.”
“He is the biggest fool I have ever known this side of the water.”
There was a brazier by the bridge and I could see the Saxons there. That was good for it would spoil their ability to see into the dark. They had their weapons levelled at us but they appeared relaxed.
“Who are you two?”
“We are from the camp at Prestune we have been sent with a message.”
“Who for?”
“Why Aethelric of course.”
One of them laughed. “Then you have wasted your time for King Aethelfrith has sent him to watch Elmet. He was fed up of waiting for him to take this piss pot little place.”
Myrddyn shrugged. “Then the message is for King Aethelfrith.”
“Who is it from?”
I stepped forwards with Saxon Slayer half out.”I have had enough of your questions. Let us through and we will talk to some real warriors.”
I am a big man and others have told me how intimidating I look. The guard on the bridge must have been worried by my tone for he backed off. “Don’t get so high and mighty. We are just asking questions. You could be anyone.”
“What do we look like? Rheged scum?”
One of the others gave a little laugh, “No but you are big enough to be the Wolf Warrior.”
The first guard who had spoken must have recognised my shield for he suddenly shouted,
“Shit! It…”
He got no further as Saxon Slayer pierced his throat. Myrddyn slew the warrior next to him and I killed the third. The fourth man turned to run and warn the camp and an arrow thudded into his back and pitched him into the river. There was an eerie silence. The rest of the guards had to have been asleep. I strode across the bridge and into their camp. Then Miach and his men began loosing into the sleeping forms on the ground. This time the screams of the dying woke up the camp. I stood at the bridge. “Myrddyn, get behind me and protect my back.”
Although the bridge was wide enough for eight men, by standing in the middle Saxon Slayer could keep all from me. The Saxons could not see the archers who were slowly whittling down the opposition but they could see me, framed in the light of the brazier and they rushed at me. Most had not bothered with armour and charged towards me with whatever weapon they could grab. The most dangerous weapons were the spears for they could out range me but they came at me piecemeal. I deflected the first spear and gutted the man holding it. My backhand slash took the right arm from a second and then my shield punched the axe man who was trying to swing at my head. Myrddyn’s blade darted out to stab any flesh which came within range and others suddenly sprouted flights as the arrows from the trees struck them.
Soon there were just the sounds of the groans from the dying. Miach’s four cutthroats walked from the other side despatching those who still lived. Miach came from behind me. “My lord, you have the luck of the Hibernians! I thought for certain they had you.”
“If they had had their wits about them then I would be dead but they were not vigilant and they were not ready. I was!”
We had no chance to burn the corpses and so we collected them and piled them in a dell behind the stream. Some of the younger archers were in high spirits and boasting of how we would defeat the whole of the Saxon army single handed. Miach turned on them, he was, after all, their leader. “We were lucky! The Saxons are tough warriors. The moment you get over confident is the moment that you die! Remember that!” They immediately became subdued and hurried about finding tasks to do.