by Jason Born
And so Aberffraw and the Welshmen it held had not fallen without a fight.
Twelve of our men lay dead. Two more would be dead in hours so gaping were their wounds.
. . .
We wore a new, smooth path into the carved, stone steps that led down to the docks and Godfrey’s newly commandeered ships. The gloaming was long past and all but one of the sentries at the town’s palisade quietly withdrew, leaving our backs nearly totally unguarded. It could not be helped as we had much work to do. Out of the dozen boats docked in the river’s mouth, Maredubb had three suitable warships. I say suitable because though the shipwright who built them had clearly been inspired by the boats of my people, he had failed at truly approaching their low, sleek greatness. These would be lumbering in the seas compared to ours, even the substandard Charging Boar. They would also prove to have a deeper draft, preventing them from entering smaller, shallower channels, or effectively sliding into beaches. But Godfrey wanted them, or at least to deprive Maredubb from having them.
Who was going to effectively row the beasts should the winds prove unfavorable had not yet been uncovered. Even if the forty-something of us were equally divided between the crafts and our backs proved strong, six or seven men rowing on a side for those particular ships would propel them like slugs in the garden.
Up and down the steps we ran while Magnus and the others finished preparing the boats. We carried a few chests of treasure. Most of the Welsh king’s riches were cumbersome sundries that defied efficient packing. We stuffed them in fiber sacks or grabbed handfuls of crosses or gold-plated staffs or jewel encrusted brooches. Time was not on our side. Godfrey reminded us of this with each pass.
King Godfrey and Killian had made a survey of the twin, though different, keeps. Godfrey found Maredubb’s wife, four children, and servants cowering in their chambers. He let them tremble, heaping coals on them by walking around their rooms and rummaging through their belongings as if he owned the castle. In the end he decided to stick with the terms of Leif’s bargain with Maredubb and take nothing more than half the treasury. Well, he took one more thing. He couldn’t resist. The monstrous hide of a brown bear covered Maredubb’s bed. “Take it,” Godfrey ordered when I came in to tell him we were nearly ready to flee.
I obeyed, of course. As I rolled the pelt up in my arms, Maredubb’s woman ceased her shrinking, grew courage, and latched onto the other side. She leaned back and pulled. I let the prize go. The woman fell backward onto her servants and children, letting go of the hide in the process. I quickly reached out and gathered it all up in my arms. Godfrey chuckled at the scene.
“Godfrey,” said Killian as he reentered the room with Leif. Leif had something to say, that much I could tell.
“What is it? Where were you?”
“Young Leif and I found a document hoard in a set of shelves,” began Killian.
“Yes, I saw it. We are not here to find out what this so-called king says to that so-called king in his personal letters. We are here to get treasure! We’ve got it and must skim out of here before Maredubb probes our lack of defenses or before Horse Ketil tells him!” Godfrey glanced in my direction. “Damn, but you should have killed the traitor.”
“Everyone says he holds sway over parts of Man,” countered Leif. “We didn’t want to complicate things for you.”
Godfrey waved it off. “You did well, I suppose. Couldn’t be helped.” He put a hand to his mouth as he thought. “But if you had killed him, I could have blamed it on you and then executed you for the deed. His fellow Manx would have seen how just I am and come to my side.”
Leif and I looked warily at our king before Godfrey burst out laughing. “I’m kidding. Truly, you’ve done well.”
“The documents, Godfrey,” insisted Killian.
“Listen, priest you serve your purpose and nothing more! Don’t pretend to command this strandhogg or anything else beyond the four walls of your church for which I pay! We are here for treasure!” I hadn’t seen the normally good-natured Godfrey this agitated, this volatile. He felt the threat of Maredubb closing in.
But the small, dark priest wouldn’t be cowed. “And that is why I am telling you about the documents. They appear authentic. They bear the king’s seal, King Aethelred, that is. Maredubb must have had a spy intercept them or maybe he is in league with someone in England. I read the documents and they speak of a mint, nearly unguarded.”
“Like the unguarded barrow mound we spent all night excavating,” countered Godfrey.
Randulfr ran in. The experienced man was worried, which set me on edge. “The runner came from the palisade. Maredubb’s army is slinking toward it. Whether or not he knows anything of our ruse doesn’t matter. In moments some of them will be over and let the rest in right through the main gate.”
“We’re off,” said Godfrey, physically pushing us out of the room. Maredubb’s family still cowered at the back of the room.
Killian pushed back on the king.
“Are you mad? Has the insanity of Leif touched your mind?” boomed Godfrey. Maredubb’s children screamed at the outburst. They buried their heads into their mother’s bosom.
“The unguarded mint,” said Killian waving a rolled up parchment in the king’s face.
Randulfr snatched the vellum. “We’ve raided Chester before. As a result it’s hardly unguarded now.”
Leif stepped into the fray. “There’s another mint that has gone into a town that is too small to support even the tiniest of garrisons.”
“That is fine,” said Godfrey, shoving again. “Can we talk about this when we are back on Man?”
“No,” said Leif. “King Aethelred of the English will have a full regiment there by the end of this week, with more set to arrive during the summer. For a few more days, there is a working mint in Watchet that is essentially waiting for the taking. We must decide now.”
Godfrey stopped his shoving. I knew that his mind, the mind of a king reaching for more, had clasped on the idea of a naked mint, hammering out coins just for him. I clutched the bear hide and found myself wishing for the safety of the open seas outside. Otherwise, inside would quickly be our prison should Maredubb rush in.
“Where’s Watchet?” asked Godfrey.
“Odin’s eye!” cursed Randulfr. “We must go now!”
“Be still,” said Godfrey, calmly now. “Answer me, priest.”
“It’s in Devon.”
“That’s at the south end of my usual range.” King Godfrey sighed and then gently stepped around the priest and others who had barred his way. “I’ve heard of the earl there. Strenwald is his name. He’s strong, but not insurmountable. I’m afraid the biggest challenge we’d face is that we don’t have enough men left. I don’t think we should chance taking another town with so few men, do you? What? Are there forty-five of us still on our feet?”
“More or less,” agreed Killian. “We can loop around the island and gather up your two ships. We can send the three we steal and the Charging Boar limping back north to Man with just a handful of men. Raven’s Cross and its king will then attack Watchet in Devon.”
“Attack with twenty-five men?” frowned Godfrey. I could tell he wanted to do it. It’s the type of raid a true sea king would make. Bold. But he hadn’t become ruler by being reckless, all the time. “I’m afraid we just can’t. Now let’s go.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Why not recruit some of the Welshmen from the town to come with us?” asked Leif. “Offer them a share. You tell me the Welsh hate the English as much as you. Well then, offer them a chance at retribution while working with a proper warrior king. You!”
Godfrey halted in his path. I sighed again. This time it was not relief. The king tugged his beard, asking, “Can you arrange all this in the last few moments that we have?”
It was Killian’s turn to push the king out the door. He wore a mischievous grin as he grabbed the parchment from Randulfr. “Come, sire. We have to go. You’ll see that Leif and I have already assembl
ed another fifty men for your crews. They have strong backs and are armed. We’ve split them among the three ships and keep their weapons locked up for now – until we are away from here and can trust them.”
“Why didn’t you just say so?” asked Godfrey, feigning anger. Behind his scowl he was laughing again. The king was enjoying all the events of his future raid on Watchet in his mind’s eye.
“I tried to tell you. But then I saw that you’d have to come to the decision on your own.”
Godfrey shrugged as we went down the narrow set of stairs to the main floor of the keep. Our footsteps echoed against the bare stone walls. “I suppose you’re right. And so, if you’ve got this Welsh army built for me, we won’t have to go limping around with just one boat and twenty-five men?”
“No, King Godfrey,” said Leif. “You’ll attack the mint at Watchet with over ninety men and five ships.”
Godfrey was pleased. He grinned in the dim light provided by the sputtering torches along the stairwell. “Twenty men per ship is not many, but it will be enough.” We didn’t have an army. We had a start, though.
Loki burst through the door. “Time to go! Maredubb is in the town.”
. . .
“We’ve lit the other boats!” called Loki.
We ran into the bailey on his tail. I still carried the bear pelt. Long ago we had taken the time to close the twin doors of the curtain wall. Nonetheless, we all glanced in that direction as if Maredubb’s men would come pouring through or over at that exact moment. They did not, but we heard shouts. We heard the footfalls of horse. They were just outside. If they didn’t attack the fortress, which they ought not, they would clamber down to the docks and attack us there.
Godfrey led us down the steep steps carved into the cliff. They were slippery from the night sea air and the king slipped onto his rump, skidding partway down. He got up swearing. We ran down after him, Killian hoisting his robes as he went.
“Push away! Push away!” Godfrey was waving his arms frantically. We could see that the boats were no longer moored, but sat just off the rickety wooden docks. The force of the sea coming in and the strength of the river going out reached a kind of détente and thereby allowed the boats to bob, nearly stationary.
Magnus acknowledged the order with a wave. He barked to the men and they drove the blades of their oars into the docks, leaning into them. The boats slowly came to life.
I looked left at the main path that led from the town down to the docks. It was packed with fast approaching riders. Maredubb! Next to the path, the boats that we left behind were turning into a conflagration. Loki had been wise to set fire to the only means Maredubb would have to pursue us.
Godfrey hit the short flat area of land at the bottom of the cliff and sprinted toward his would-be boats. He jumped, launching over the waters. He whacked his chest into the gunwale, and dug his fingers like claws in order to hang on. The strong hands of strangers, his Welsh volunteers, pulled him aboard. Leif jumped. Randulfr leapt. Both made it in similar fashion to the king. Loki careened forward and used one of the oars that jutted from an oar hole as a footfall. He jumped his way up it, and the next oar, until he sprang into the ship.
Killian had the presence of mind to throw the rolled letter describing the location of the mint onto the nearest craft. The short priest jumped with all his might as the boats eased further away, but did not make it over the chasm. He bounced off the bulwark and splashed into the river. It was deep there and his heavy robes became heavier with water. Killian struggled. His arms flailed. The water churned. His head snuck beneath the surface.
I cursed. Instead of leaping to save myself, I thundered to a halt. I again peered left. Maredubb was perhaps twenty yards away, his angry, red face illuminated by the growing blaze. I returned my eyes to the departing ship, saw Aoife, and launched the balled hide at her. She was surprised and its force slammed her down to the planking. “Throw us a rope!” I shouted and jumped into the river after Killian.
I realized then that I still wore my chainmail. I plunged down just as had the priest. But I was young. I frantically kicked my feet and pumped my arms until I rammed into Killian from beneath. I pushed us up out of the water just when a rope splashed down next to us. Each of us grabbed on and felt the welcoming tug from our comrades and the pilfered boat’s progress.
A spear splashed into the water next to my head. Then a second whirred by. I turned to see that Maredubb’s army was fanning out along the shore. An arrow, tipped with fire skipped into the air and rammed into the hull of one of Maredubb’s boats, but Brandr leaned over and batted the flames out with his bare palm.
King Maredubb walked over to the man who had launched the flaming arrow and punched him. “Those are my boats! They contain my treasure! I’ll not have them at the bottom of the Irish Sea.” The archer remained on his feet and gave his king an impudent stare. Maredubb bristled, cowing the man to more properly avert his gaze.
Godfrey leaned on the gunwale with one arm. In the other he held up Maredubb’s bear hide. “And we have a bit of your personal effects.”
“You are a liar!” shouted Maredubb.
“All men are liars,” laughed Godfrey. “You probably tell yourself you are handsome!” I heard a raucous round of laughter from the ships. Even our new Welshmen guffawed when Godfrey’s words were translated for them. I clung to the rope, choking on salt water. Killian, in turn, clutched onto my mail. We pulled further and further away. Maredubb slowly walked along the shore parallel to us. Godfrey continued, “But I kept my word. You’ll find that your family is in fine condition. Your treasury is half full. I am no liar.”
Horse Ketil limped up from the crowd of soldiers. He stopped at the end of the narrowing beach where the king had been forced to do the same. “You lie about your strength, Godfrey!” shouted Ketil. It sounded like it was painful for him to talk. With the inferno behind us at the docks, I could see that my beatings had left him with serious wounds. Black, dried blood caked his forehead. His nose was the consistency of minced flesh. “Now it is not only I who know about your weakness. A rival king, an enemy, now knows just how anemic you are. Maredubb knows just how tenuous is your grip on Man.”
“I’ll get my ships back. I’ll get my treasure back. You will repay this debt with usury, Godfrey! With usury,” called Maredubb.
Then the winds caught our sails and we danced into the sea.
PA
RT II –Watchet!
CH
APTER 6
It took us less than a day to swing north around the island and retrieve Raven’s Cross and Charging Boar. Tyrkr had seen the approach of our foreign ships from the sea and was prepared for a proper fight against our men. That is, until he saw the grinning face of Leif.
“Not a peep,” Tyrkr said in his accented Norse as we came in close. We did not slide our commandeered boats into the shore. Instead, we rowed backward to slow our progress and tossed out the anchor. There was no sense in grounding, then tipping over, our less agile prizes. Even if they weren’t fine warships, Godfrey would be able to peddle them in Dyflin, which was the most bustling of Norse centers in the Irish Sea.
“I heard horseman above. Turf Ear and I went up to investigate. The riders scoured the larger beach nearby, but missed this altogether. Do you have the treasure? Where did you get the army? Did the draugr come to life?” asked Tyrkr when he saw all the strangers who populated our ships.
“Something like that,” said Leif as we began to transfer men to Raven’s Cross and Charging Boar. King Godfrey returned to his flagship, relieving Turf Ear from his watchman’s post. Leif and I climbed to our tub. The new Welsh volunteers were dispersed evenly among the ships so none could overpower us should they try.
The entire operation took mere moments after which we were once again pulling out to sea. This time we needed the oars and felt fortunate – Killian had called it a blessing – to have our Welsh sailors with us. They sat on the rowing benches next to our men and tugged at the oaken bl
ades. There were some fits and starts as the inexperienced Welshmen began. Leif shouted at a few. I heard Godfrey do the same aboard his boat. Randulfr had taken his boot off and was swatting a man with the sole in order to teach him the rhythm.
“The treasure must have been great. Was the ancient king there?” asked Tyrkr.
“King was there,” I muttered.
Aoife finished my thought. “Treasure like a dried turd.”
“Then where do the boats come from? And the army? And why does the King Godfrey look so pleased to be heading home with no treasure?” asked Tyrkr. He cranked his oar as if it were a part of him. The novices were beginning to pull in time. The familiar grate-slap began. I loved the grate-slap. The oar would creak ever so slightly where it laced through the oar hole. The fat blades would slap the sea water as the rowers finished leaning forward and brought their hands up to their chests. It was a motion and sound that would repeat itself over the next two hundred fifty miles until we sailed around a couple major headlands, into the Mor Hafren, and into Watchet for more riches.
“While you ladies were lounging on the beach,” began Aoife, “we men were capturing an entire city.”
Tyrkr looked at me incredulously. “Sixty men capture a city?”
I merely nodded.
“You might be surprised what motivated men can accomplish,” answered Aoife. “We took two thousand captives and demanded ransom from some pock-faced Welsh king. We took his boats. We took his hungriest of men. They now serve a real sea king. Godfrey is only just beginning.” The little beast was like us all. She’d follow a winner as long as the winds were fair. Aoife no longer blamed Godfrey for the empty barrow. She had forgotten about the horrors of the brief battle in the castle bailey less than a day before. Her confidence had returned.
“And we go back to Man to build his army?” asked Tyrkr.
“Someday,” said Leif.
Magnus leaned on the steering oar, pushing it to starboard. Charging Boar veered to port so that Tyrkr tipped toward the gunwale. Aoife scoffed at him as if she were now an experienced seaman.