by Griff Hosker
I nodded. I had had enough of this, “Then we put a bounty on them. We would do so if we were plagued by wolves. It is no difference with dogs such as this. When we reach Cyninges-tūn I will announce that we pay five silver coins for the head of any bandit they find and bring to me.”
Beorn came back an hour later. He was shaking his head, “There was a village yonder. They have been using it. None who lived there are alive but I found their bodies. They had used infants for sport and inflicted cruel wounds on all.”
“Then tomorrow we bury them and we mark the place with the heads of these… these nithings!”
We kept a pair of us on watch all night in case any of the vermin had survived. We took the heads and their spears with us when Beorn led us to the village by the river. It was as he said. Some of the dead had been dead for a week. We made a communal barrow for them and adorned it with the heads of the bandits. We headed west with a sour taste in our mouths. All of our good feelings had evaporated with the discovery of the village of the dead.
Olaf’s wound was stitched. It would heal well and it would not affect his ability to fight. Having lost Karl as a warrior I could ill afford to lose a second Ulfheonar.
Ketil was still improving his defences when we rode in. He was surprised to see us. When we told him of Magnus’ escape he shook his head angrily, “Why do the gods allow such men without honour to live and yet good warriors die.”
“The gods always have a purpose but he will not escape justice for long. I know where he hides and he is running out of bolt holes.”
Ketil was surprised, “You would risk Din Guardi?”
“If that is what it takes then aye.”
“You are a determined man, Jarl.”
“I am.” I told him of the slain villagers.
Shaking his head he said, “I wondered why they did not come to the safety of the fort when I sent out my messengers. I will keep a closer watch now.”
“And there is a bounty on every head. We will rid the land of these vermin.”
“We need no bounty.”
Ketil had pride. I needed results. “Your young men need to be richer and this will encourage them.”
The delay meant that we did not reach home for another day. Brigid and Kara had been worried when the young men had passed through on their way to Úlfarrston. I could not contain my excitement and I waved away their concern. “See what I have found!”
I put the small bejewelled crown on the table. Aiden picked it up. “Where did you find this?”
I told them of the hill fort and the storm. I told of my dream and then of how we had found the tomb. Kara nodded approvingly, “I believe you are right, father. The torc, the crown and the sword should be together. The three of them have a magical unity for none is superior to the other. This is most marvellous for our people. The spirits of the dead have moved from the tomb and reside here. I can feel them can you not too, Aiden?”
His eyes were wide with excitement, “Aye, I can. The power makes my fingers and flesh tingle.” He looked at me, Jarl Dragonheart, “I pray you fetch the sword.”
I went to the wall and brought down the rusted sword which was too badly corroded and decayed to be used as a weapon. I had wondered why I had been sent to find it. Now I knew. It was not as a sword that we needed it but as a link to the torc and the crown. I placed it carefully on the table. Aiden laid down the crown at the pommel end. Kara had fetched the torc and she laid it at the tip of the sword. I was no galdramenn but even I could feel the glow from the room.
Kara’s eyes were bright. I thought she might burst into tears. She and Aiden held hands and closed their eyes. They both began to chant. I neither heard clearly nor understood the words they used. I put my arm around Brigid and my nursing son. We were both mesmerised as the two of them spoke to the spirit world. In my heart I knew that this was a good thing but I could not help worrying a little. Should I have taken it from the tomb? Perhaps the attack in the woods had been a punishment. Even as I thought it I dismissed the idea. Had it been a punishment then we would have suffered and we had not.
They opened their eyes and turned to me. Kara spoke, “We have spoken with Mother and with your mother. This is a good omen. The spirit of the Queen was restless and all of nature was out of balance. The sword which was lost had been found and it cried out to be with the Queen once more. This will bring harmony to our land and that which the Queen formerly ruled.”
“The Queen?”
“The Queen of this land which was once the home of the Brigante, Jarl.”
Kara pointed at the sword which now looked different to me. “Aye, father and the sword was hers but it came from a land far away. The sword had a journey to reach this land. It is ancient. The blade is over a thousand years old.”
Aiden nodded excitedly, “We saw the ones who held it and they stretched back in time.”
I went to the three objects and place my hands upon them. They felt almost hot. “What do we do with them now?”
“They have come here for this is a holy place. The Water and the mountain protect us. They will also protect these three. We will have a chest made and it will be guarded, here in this hall. They will protect us for as long as we protect them.” She looked at me seriously, “If our line fails then the last of our people should throw the chest into the deepest part of the Water and there Old Olaf and the spirit of our mother will guard it for eternity.”
The import of her words was not lost on me. I had a responsibility now which was greater than that of a jarl to his people and his family. I had a responsibility for all those who had wielded the sword and ruled this land. I wondered if I was up to the challenge.
“When Wolf Killer returns then we must tell him of this momentous event.”
“Aye father and the Ulfheonar, when they are all returned, must swear to protect them. They are the guardians of the sword and the treasures. The spirits spoke to us. Now we know why the numbers have diminished. The ones who follow you now are the only ones there will ever be. These are the last of the Ulfheonar and it is their destiny and yours to guard these treasures with your lives.”
I saw Brigid’s face it was a mixture of pride and horror. I had a greater responsibility now. She hugged our son tighter. I nodded, “Aye Brigid, our son is part of this too. Our world has changed this day and there is no going back.”
Chapter 10
It did not take long for my Ulfheonar to hear of my daughter’s words. Poor Karl was distraught. The loss of his hand meant that he would not be a guardian of the treasures. He would no longer be an Ulfheonar. He might still be able to fight but he could never be that most special of warriors. If must have seemed like a death sentence to him. For the rest of the Ulfheonar, after the storm and the wrath of the gods, it was a further sign that they were special. I noticed that each of them went to Bjorn and had him make them each a smaller copy of the sword. Haaken told me that they had decided that amongst themselves. They would wear the miniature sword around their necks with the wolf pendant. I had given them the golden wolf but the gods had chosen them this time and they would be the guardians of the box as well as my oathsworn.
Bolli, the shipwright, carved the chest which would hold the magical objects from oak. He carved the bottom and the sides from a single piece. It came from the bole of a tree. He had used the tree to make the masts for our drekar. It had been very straight. He had retained the bottom part to carve a figure head. This was as important a task as figure head. It took him and his apprentices many hours but they, like the rest of my people, felt honoured that we had been chosen by the gods for such a task. While his apprentices hollowed out the middle he carved the lid. In honour of me he carved a wolf on its top and then he added details which told the story of our people. The lightning touching the sword, the sword itself were all incorporated. In the centre was a heart which also represented me. When his apprentices had hollowed out the middle he carved a dragon which wound itself around the outside to add its protection. I
t was the dragon protecting the heart.
The completion of the chest coincided with the return of the drekar. It had been a successful raid and the Mercians who live south of Sigtrygg had filled our granaries and our treasure chests. The slaves were put to work in the mines. Bolli told my son and the others of the treasure as they returned up the greenway to Cyninges-tūn. They almost ran the last half mile to see the treasure. My son did not disappoint me. He too felt the weight of our ancestors on his shoulders and he faced up to the responsibility. He heard what my Ulfheonar had done and he swore to be as one with them.
The chest was handed over to Bjorn Bagsecgson. He used gold to make the lock and he forged strong iron plates for the corners. We held a feast on the day it was completed. Wolf Killer brought his men over too and we gathered in the centre of Cyninges-tūn. I had had a table placed in the centre. Bjorn reverentially placed the magnificent chest on it. It had been made to accommodate the three objects and no more.
Kara placed the torc within and then Aiden the crown and finally I took the sword and laid it upon them. There was total silence until the lid was closed. Bjorn locked it and handed one key to me and a second to Kara. They were both on leather thongs and everyone waited while we hung them around our necks. As soon as that was done everyone cheered and we began to celebrate. I cannot ever remember a more joyful feast. It was but a wooden box but it was a symbol that the gods and the spirits of the past had chosen our people for this honour.
While everyone else celebrated outside I retired to my hall with my family and my Ulfheonar. My men had drunk great quantities of ale but were not yet drunk. They were replete and out of deference to Brigid, Elfrida and Kara behaved impeccably. Ragnar was allowed to sit with us and he remained silent in the presence of so many great warriors.
I listened more than I spoke. I heard how my young warriors who were led perfectly by Asbjorn and Eystein had withstood a charge of Mercian horse. They had used the same tactic we had done and stood their ground. Wolf Killer was impressed and determined to employ his own young warriors in the same way. I had to listen, again, while Haaken told the tale of the storm and the tomb. I could hear him developing the story to make it into a saga. It was at the end when Vermund let slip my decision to go to Din Guardi. As soon as the words were out I saw his face as it fell. It had been the ale. I smiled. I could not blame him. I had intended to tell them of my decision when the time was right.
“You would go into the heart of the enemy’s lands and try to enter the impregnable castle of Din Guardi? Father, have you taken leave of your senses? Magnus is nothing! He is less than nothing. Let him rot far from here. Some other will end his worthless life.”
I ignored his tone for he too had drunk a great deal and I smiled. I stood and went to the precious chest which stood on the table. I spoke quietly. “I have to go and it is because of this. Magnus knows our land. He was one of us. It will not take long for news of this to spread beyond our world. Even now I expect that it will be creeping ever east and south and north. It is in the nature of such things. And the tale will grow. It will not just be an old sword, a torc and a crown which reside within this oaken chest. It will be a chest filled with treasure. It will become two chests, three chests. It will be a treasure so big that it takes the crew of a drekar to carry it.” I shook my head, “I am honoured that the gods have put this in my charge but I know the dangers it brings. Remember my sword? Remember how warriors came from all over the island to take it. They will come for this too. Wolf Killer you will need to make sure you borders are well protected. Ketil has the northern border secure but the centre of our land is empty. By going into Din Guardi and killing Magnus I send a message that my reach is long and that no one escapes my justice. Hakon the bald and Thorfinn Blue Scar respect us enough to steer clear of our land and they are our friends. They have told me that they would not want me as an enemy. Can you not see that I have to be ruthless and single minded. The day I am not is the day that our enemies flood into this land.”
There was silence and Brigid squeezed my arm. Aiden said very quietly, “This is wyrd. I was reading some of the old parchments and one of your ancestors did as you did. He went to Din Guardi. He went with Myrddyn and they managed to kill a king, Morcant Bulc. It was said that Myrddyn flew into the castle. They escaped without being discovered.”
Everyone in the hall was amazed save Kara who merely smiled as though she knew it all along. I said, quietly, “But of course he did not fly in did he, Aiden? You have already told me that his magic lay in healing and speaking with the spirits.”
Aiden nodded, “He found a secret way in.”
My warriors leaned forward. They were all totally mesmerized by this revelation. “And does that way still exist?”
There was a pause. Aiden was as good a storyteller as Haaken. “No one knows precisely. I know where the entrance was but I know not if it still exists. It lay at the foot of the walls and was a cave which led to a tunnel. The tunnel ended at a door in the castle.”
“Then we have a way in.”
Beorn the Scout said, “Of course there is another way. Magnus cannot stay inside the walls of Din Guardi forever. When he comes out we can kill him.”
“That might take time.”
“It would be worth it to take him without risk.”
“We shall see but in my experience taking risks pleases the gods and brings results. Sitting on your backside invites danger.”
I emptied my horn of beer. Brigid asked, quietly, “When do you go?”
“Before the land freezes over. I will be gone within ten days.”
Haaken said firmly, “And the Ulfheonar will be with you.”
In the end it was longer than ten days for I wanted to be certain that Snorri and my warriors had managed to sail the ‘Red Snake’ safely around the treacherous northern coasts. When they reached Cyninges-tūn I saw pride in their stride and on their faces. Most were young and were unused to a drekar and yet they had returned. I clasped Snorri’s arm, “You have done well, my friend.”
He waved his arm proudly around the young men. “They are good warriors, Jarl. A man could not ask for better.”
“And the journey?”
“It was fine weather and that was good for the drekar is not the best. I have left it with Bolli for repairs although I would not like to go to sea in it.”
“We do not need it. When I return I will discuss its future with Bolli.”
Snorri was animated. “I spoke with him and he told me of this treasure. Is it true that you and the Ulfheonar seek Magnus yet?”
“I waited only for your return. I would have you stay and guard my family.”
He shook his head, “No, Jarl. I have missed out on the visit of the gods. If you take the Ulfheonar then you will need Snorri. I will come whether you allow it or not! Kara has said the Ulfheonar are the guardians of the treasure and I am Ulfheonar.”
I smiled. I could not imagine such a journey without my best scout. “Very well Snorri.”
We made brief farewells and left before dawn for I wanted little fuss and a swift journey. As we rode Snorri told us of the news he had gathered. He had called in at the islands of Orkneyjar as well as Ljoðhús. He had heard that Alpín mac Echdach was expanding his land over the minor chiefs whose lands bordered his. He called himself a king now although his kingdom was smaller than the land I ruled. Our bloodying of his forces on Ljoðhús had stopped his seaward expansion.
“Thorfinn Blue Scar said that we ought to watch our northern borders. He has heard that this Scottish leader now wishes to punish us for aiding Thorfinn. He needs no ships to attack us. And it seems he has made peace with Eanred.”
“So we have another new enemy. And I thought it would be the chest of treasure which would draw our enemies on.”
Aiden had been listening. “Your name is so well known, Jarl as are your exploits, that it is hardly surprising that you draw enemies to us like moths to a flame.”
I pondered those words
as we headed for Ketil’s fort. My rousing speech at the feast seemed hollow now. Was this vanity and pride which made me want to do something impossible? We reached there just after noon and we stopped for food and to speak with him. He and his men were practising. More had helmets now than hitherto and some had mail. They looked more like warriors than armed farmers. Ketil had learned his lesson.
I drew him to one side. “I have heard that Alpín mac Echdach intends to come south and fight with us. I know not when but I suspect it will be next year. However send a messenger to Arne and warn him. Keep a close watch on our northern borders and use riders to fetch help from the jarls to the south. You two are the ones who watch and protect our northern borders. Be vigilant.”
“I will, Jarl Dragonheart. You go for Magnus?”
“I do but keep that news close to your chest. It will be hard enough to do what we intend without every Northumbrian keeping watch for us. Let him think that I stay at home.”
We left after resting the horses and pushed on north east. We crossed the old Roman Wall through one of the many gaps and camped, exhausted, after dark, in a valley in the huge forest which stretched for many miles across Northumbria. We had seen no one thus far and when the biting insects began to leave a mass of red welts and lumps we knew why. Aiden came to our aid. He had with him some of the herb which smells of lemons. He used it to make a balm. When he put the leaves on the fire the insects shunned us and disappeared.
Olaf Leather neck nodded, “Now that is magic, Aiden. Did you learn that from the parchments of the wizard?”
“No, it was my own accidental discovery.”
Haaken cocked his head to one side, “You of all people should know that there are no such things as accidents. You were meant to discover that.”
The look on Aiden’s face told me that he had not thought of that. He was becoming wiser each day and his skills seemed to be growing. We practised with swords and Aiden with his mind.
The next morning we left for the last part of our journey. Although we were half way to Din Guardi the next march would take two days. We had to negotiate the seemingly impenetrable forest which covered most of the land of Northumbria. Here there were no tracks and no greenways. There was no sign of a Roman Road. The only paths were those made by animals and they were of little use to us. Here we were reliant on Snorri and Beorn. Like Aiden they had learned by experience and they knew that the moss on the trees grew on the side which faced north. They kept us going steadily north eastwards. It took some time but we saw neither man nor animals. We saw signs of deer and wild pigs but the only sound we heard was the buzzing of the insects which teemed in the forests. There were so many that they were almost like a cloud hanging over each warrior and horse. It was a relief to leave the insect infested forest. Our faces needed no red cochineal to make them terrify people; we were all covered in red bites.