by Griff Hosker
“Aiden, why have you not taken a wife?”
“I do not know.”
“You enjoy women do you not?” I knew there were some men who did not care for the company of women.
“I like women but none has touched me yet the way the Lady Erika and Brigid have touched you. Perhaps I am meant to be alone as your daughter Kara is.”
“Then that is sad for our world would be better for more children like Kara and Aiden.”
It was not often that I could make Aiden keep silent and think but, that day I did. I was just making conversation but oft times such idle words are like a pebble being knocked from the top of a mountain. By the time it reached the bottom it has caused an avalanche.
As I passed the shipyard Bolli was just completing the work on Sigtrygg’s drekar. Bolli looked pleased. “Has he named it yet, Bolli?”
“No Jarl and I hope that he will do so soon. A ship does not like to be nameless. She needs love and she needs attention. A good drekar is like a wife, she performs best when she knows she is needed.”
“Fear not Bolli I know he is eager to sail and I would expect him any time soon. The other drekar are at Úlfarrston?”
“Aye Jarl. Erik led them there when the last of the snow went. He prefers the sea to the river. He says it is better for his ship.”
We left to ride the short way to the coast. There the three drekar bobbed up and down on the sea with four knarr close by. It seemed the ships were all keen to be away. Siggi and the other knarr captains had all been trading during the winter. They took advantage of the times when the weather was clement and made short journeys only. They went to Dyflin and to Ljoðhús as well as some of the other islands close to Ljoðhús, for our good standing with Thorfinn helped make new trading partners. They all had news for me.
We gathered in Coen’s hall for the news was of interest to us all. It was Siggi who spoke for them. “The Scots and the Picts are pushing west. The men of Ljoðhús and the Norse on the other islands have ever sent them back but they seem keen to retake the islands. Thorfinn Blue Scar want as many swords and helmets that we can take.”
“I will speak with Bjorn but I am interested why there is this pressure.”
“It seems that the King of Northumbria, Eanred is pushing west too.”
Haaken asked, “I thought they were a spent force.”
“They were Haaken. When Eardwulf and Aelfwald fought for the throne they bled the warriors of Northumbria dry and the land appeared weak. Since Eanred has succeeded to the crown he has been building up his forces and hiring warriors. He cannot defeat Wessex and so he expands to the north and west.”
“Then I must send a warning to both Ketil and to Arne. Their land borders both the land of the Scots and Northumbria.” I shook my head, “I had thought we were safe from any Northumbrian incursion. It has been many years since they attempted to take from us. How does he pay for his hired men? It was not a rich kingdom.”
Coen’s captain, Raibeart, smiled, “The same way we make gold, Jarl. He has many monasteries and they sell the Holy Books that the monks make and sells them in Lundenwic and in Frankia. The warriors come from both Frankia and Lundenwic to serve this Saxon king in the north. He pays well. It is said he even has some warriors who fought against the Eastern Emperor.”
As I headed back with Aiden and Haaken I pondered this development. Perhaps we might risk a long and hazardous voyage around the north of Britannia and raid the monasteries. If the monks were producing such numbers then we might profit from them. I sent riders to all of my jarls when I reached home and I had my Ulfheonar begin to recruit the warriors we would take on our raid.
Kara shook her head as she saw the young men all practising. “It is well that our womenfolk are so hardy and handy. They have to raise children and farm for the young men do not wish to soil their hands with earth. They wish to bathe in blood.”
“It is the way of our people, Kara. You know that.”
“Aye, and it is well that so many children survive here to replace the dead.”
It was fourteen days later and we had just gathered the men to begin the journey to Úlfarrston when a rider galloped in. “Jarl Dragonheart I come from Jarl Ketil. He is under attack. There are Saxons assailing his eastern farms.” I nodded, “And there is more. Amongst them are Vikings. Magnus the Foresworn has returned. The Jarl managed to gather his people in the stronghold and I left before he was surrounded. I barely made it with my life. There are enemies all around. They are ravaging the land.”
That treacherous snake had never been far from my mind and I had hoped to find him and end his life. Now, it seemed, he had come to me. “We march north to Ketil’s stad.” I turned to the rider. “Rest for a while and then follow us. I may have need of you. Kara send a rider to Wolf Killer and ask him for some of his warriors. I will meet him at Ketil’s fort.”
It was thirty miles to the Roman fort Ketil used as his stronghold. He had repaired the stone walls and deepened the ditches. It was as strong as my fort. We would pass Windar’s Mere and Ulf’s Water. We could pick up more warriors. I hoped that we might reach Ketil with a hundred men but it would take a whole day and Gói was not long passed. The day would be a short one and the weather cold. I berated myself in my head. I was wasting time arguing with myself.
“We leave now!”
Cnut Cnutson ran up to me. “Jarl, you said I would fight this year.”
“Aye I did. Have you your father’s sword and shield?”
“I have.”
“Then join the other young men who go to war this day.”
I saw that he had them nearby. He had not forgotten my promise and I would not be foresworn. He would go to war with his father’s shield; I just hoped he would not come home on it.
Snorri and Beorn the Scout led the way and set the pace. They had us running the downhill sections and we marched up the hills. We only stopped when we reached streams where we drank. We ate on the move. Ketil’s rider had passed Windar’s Mere and there were a dozen warriors there awaiting us. We hurried on. Another ten warriors waited beneath the shadow of Úlfarrberg and swelled our ranks. Although we had only gained a few warriors all were well armed and half had mail byrnies of some description. More importantly all had experience.
The sky was darkening as we began to ascend the Roman Road which led to Ketil’s stronghold. Ketil’s rider had joined us shortly before we had reached the Úlfarrberg. I waved him forward. Snorri and Beorn had stopped short of the deserted village of Penrhudd. “Is this a good place to camp?”
Ketil’s rider, Leif nodded, “I would not risk going closer. The Saxons have surrounded the fort. In fact I am surprised that they have not advanced this far already.”
Snorri said, “Ketil may well be drawing them upon him. The Saxons do not have much skill in tackling forts but Magnus the Forsworn served with you Jarl. He knows how to do so.”
“Then we will camp here. Haaken, gather the Ulfheonar we will find where the enemy lines are.” I turned to Ulla who led the men from Ulf’s Water. “You command here until I return. Be watchful.” We dropped our shields. They would get in the way and we drew our seaxes. This would be close in killing.
We slipped along the road like wraiths. Asbjorn and Eystein rejoined us for we would need their skills. The wolves would hunt once more. The sky ahead of us was dark. There was no moon. Snorri led us to the north so that we could approach the Northumbrians from the north east. I did not want Magnus and the Saxons to know that we were close. I need not have worried for they had ringed the stronghold with fires. I saw arrows and spears sticking out of the wooden walls showing that they had attacked but they had not breached its defences yet. Ketil had been attacked before and he had cleaned out the deep Roman ditches. He had made them ankle breakers once more. The attackers would need to build a ram if they were to break in.
We needed to estimate numbers. I waved my men to the side of me and we moved slowly in a long thin line. When we were a hundred paces fro
m what looked like the camp I came upon the first sentry. I saw his shadow against the firelight and I dropped to my knee. He was ten paces from me. I remained still as he turned for I knew he would not see me. I was encased in black. No flesh showed. I knew he had turned when I could no longer see his white face. I rose and walked towards him. In two steps I was upon him. I wrapped my left arm around his mouth as I drew the seax across his throat.
I lowered him to the ground and stood in his place. To anyone watching from the camp all that they would see would be a dark shape and they would assume it was the sentry. I looked along the line of the camp. It was a large force which had come to attack Ketil. They were mainly Saxons I could see but there were one or two warriors wearing exotic armour and helmets. They would be like Magnus, mercenaries. Before we had seen them I had wondered if this was just a raid. Their presence around the walls showed that they wanted this as their own stronghold. If they held it then they would have a toehold in my land. This was King Eanred spreading west. Perhaps he had made peace with the Scots.
Glancing to my left I saw Haaken and to my right, Snorri. I waved my arm forward. It was time to create terror. I half crouched as I moved towards the camp. I did not need to signal my men; we moved as one. Each one of my warriors would kill two or three sleeping Saxons and be gone before they even knew that they were dead.
Haaken and Snorri closed with me. We saw three warriors around a small fire. They were cooking something. They were facing the stronghold and their backs were to us. I chose the middle warrior and I pulled his head back and plunged my seax through his open mouth. The other two lay dead by the time I lowered the body to the ground. Snorri snatched the roasting meat and we slipped back. We waited at the road and, gradually, in ones and twos, the rest of my men rejoined me. We did not speak and Snorri led us back to our camp; his ate his stolen meat as we walked.
My men had not lit a fire. We would eat cold rations and drink but water. I gathered the Ulfheonar around me and the two leaders of the men from Windar’s mere and Ulf’s Water. “How many men do you think they have?”
Each warrior told the number they had seen and I counted them up. “Then there are seventy warriors and that is just on this side. We must assume they have the place surrounded so let us say two hundred.”
Karl Word-Master laughed, “Less the fifteen or so that we slew this night.”
They all smiled at that thought. “I hope that they think we came from the north but Magnus knows us. He will suspect that it is us. I want to draw him hence. He hates me more than anyone else. Tomorrow night we go in again and this time we use the sound of the wolf. It will tell him who attacks and it will tell Ketil that we are close.”
“They might breach the walls tomorrow.”
“True, Haaken but to do so they will need a ram. We will watch. If they have a ram then we change our plans. And now we move.”
“Move!”
“Yes Vermund, there was another Roman fort just across the river. It is ruined and it is small but it will afford us better protection should we be attacked and it cannot be seen by our enemies. We remain hidden until I choose to reveal myself.”
We did not have far to go and, with sentries set, we all fell into an exhausted sleep. My men let me sleep until noon. Haaken brought me some water from the stream and some dried venison. “Snorri and Beorn have gone to scout. He pointed to the south. “Wolf Killer and his men are two miles away. One of our sentries saw them.”
“Good for we will need his steel alongside us.”
Wolf Killer reached us within a short time. He had brought twenty of his best warriors. I had not expected him to leave his stad undefended. After we had apprised him of the situation he nodded and said. “I told Sigtrygg what we were about and asked him to watch our lands.”
“I fear that I will not be raiding this summer. That will have to be you and Sigtrygg.”
“What will you do?”
“I will end this and teach King Eanred a lesson.”
Wolf Killer smiled, “And yet here we are outnumbered by our enemies. It is no wonder your name is feared. I would not have you as my enemy. You are relentless.”
“As you will be, my son, when you lead our people.”
Snorri and Beorn reached us during the afternoon. “Your plan worked. The Saxons have parties to the north searching for our trail.”
“Good then we will rest and as soon as it is dark we will put my plan into operation.” I spent an hour going over the details of it with my jarls and leaders. There were risks but if it succeeded then the pressure on Ketil might be lessened.
After a frugal meal my Ulfheonar prepared their night faces. We would not need our shields for we would use our swords and seaxes. It would not be as easy this night for they would be prepared for a night attack. It would be a real test of my men’s skill. We moved in a tighter line this night. I wanted a deeper penetration so that when we howled it would come from the heart of their camp. It would be in the place they felt the most secure.
This time the white faces of the sentries were looking out. It seemed there was one every twenty paces. We had alarmed them. As we were close together that meant that each sentry would have two of us attacking him. We moved slowly as only the Ulfheonar or a wolf can. It is almost imperceptible. The closer we came to the sentries the harder we were to spot for their eyes were fixed in the distance. My men rose as one. I put my hands across the mouth of the sentry and Haaken thrust his sword up between his legs and into his body. He slumped dead. I glanced to left and right. We had not been seen.
Moving towards the fires we pounced silently on the small groups of resting and sleeping men. It was not honourable work for they died without resistance. As we went we picked up their short axes and seaxes. I saw a group of what looked like leaders standing around the fire arguing. I recognised Magnus. He had grown somewhat but he still had the wild mane of hair I remembered. I knew we could not remain where we were for long. I took one of the small throwing axes we had taken and held it up. The others nodded and each one held either an axe or a seax in his hand. I held up three fingers and then two and finally one. I hurled my axe at the group of leaders. The others did so. Even while they were in the air we all began to howl like wolves. The faces at the fire turned at the noise. Warriors stood and stared.
The screams and shouts of the five men hit by our weapons seemed to be the signal for them to get their arms. By then we had turned and with weapons drawn were running from the slaughterhouse we had created. There were few warriors between us and safety. Those who tried to stop us were slain were they stood.
Behind me I heard the roar as we were pursued. We slowed down so that they could see where we fled. That was part of the plan. We needed them to follow us. Wolf Killer and the rest of my men were waiting by the river to ambush them. It was easier going for we were running downhill towards the stream. When I heard Snorri splashing in the water I knew we had reached it. We waded fifty paces down and then turned, each with two weapons to face our enemies.
I saw that they had run hard and the first warriors were less than thirty paces behind us. Two of them foolishly ran at us and Haaken and Karl slew them easily. The rest waited. They were all Saxons. I had hoped that Magnus would be close so that I could kill him. Perhaps he was already dead. We had hit some of their leaders by their fire. I saw a mailed leader organise his men into a wedge and they came at us purposefully.
I shouted at them to focus their attention on me, “I am Jarl Dragonheart and you have strayed into my land. Leave now and you shall live. If you remain then all of you will die!” I spoke in Saxon so that they would all know my words.
Their leader, who had continued to lead his men towards us laughed, “I am not afraid of a dozen men who wear the cloaks of dead animals and howl like women.”
As he raised his sword to signal the charge the trap was sprung. Those on either side of the wedge hurled spears and loosed arrows. The leader stared around him in shock. Then he roared a challeng
e and hurled himself at me. I deflected his spear and ripped my seax across his throat. He gurgled his life away. “I warned you!”
Then my men fell upon the survivors of the wedge and slaughtered them. The Saxons at the back, who were a little slower, saw the slaughter and fled back to their camp. “Wolf Killer, set guards. The rest of you take whatever you can from the dead.”
Some of those we had killed had mail and we would need as many mailed warriors as we could get when Magnus attacked us the next day. We made our way back to our new camp and prepared for what I knew would be a hard day. We cleared as many of the stones from the old ditch as we could and we piled them up on the wall. There was no gate; as a fort it was not particularly good but it gave us somewhere we could retreat. It gave us walls behind which some could fight. And it was at the top of a hill which would sap energy from legs. It would also afford protection to those young warriors who had no mail.
I had the men use the poor quality spears the Saxons had carried to make traps in the ditch. The haft was rammed into the soil with the spear head pointing up so that it formed a rough hedgehog. I intended to put a half circle of warriors, three lines, deep before the gateway. I wanted to draw our enemies upon us and break themselves on my Ulfheonar and Wolf Killer’s warriors. We would fight as a single body.
Snorri had organised scouts and they came running towards us at noon. “Jarl, they come!” They pointed behind them.
I had my wolf standard sticking from the remains of the tower. It fluttered bravely in the breeze from the east. The black wolf on the blue background stood out. Kara had sewn a yellow eye on the wolf and given it a long red dragon tongue. It inspired my men. This day I wanted it to draw Magnus on. He would recognise both it and me.