by Griff Hosker
I saw the white line which was growing on the horizon. Dawn! Glancing down I saw that the tide was well on its way in.
I ran down the stairs to find my men waiting on the battlements. I did not say a word but ran towards the door leading down. My three men looked relieved to see me. I pointed to the stairs leading to the kitchen and they headed down. We had done it. I was just about to follow them when the door of the King’s chamber opened and a warrior stood there. He gave a sudden shout and although he was slain by Haaken the damage was done and the alarm had been sounded.
I followed my three warriors down the stairs and along the corridor. As I reached the kitchen I saw the door to the guard room begin to open and two warriors stepped out. They were quickly slain but I could hear the commotion behind.
“Snorri, Beorn, throw the tables on to the fire, Ulf and Finni get down the cave to the horses.”
I joined my four warriors who were standing at the doorway stopping numbers coming through. Haaken was the last one down from the upper floors.
“Hurry, Jarl they are following.”
“Fire the door.”
The three of them began to use the burning wood from the kitchen fire to set the door alight. Snorri must have found some pig fat for he threw a liquid on the door and it flared up. The room was well alight and there was thick black smoke. I yelled, “All of you leave!” I stepped through the door into the guard room. There were three dead warriors and the rest were hurriedly arming. I smashed my shield into the mouth of one warrior while I hacked across the thigh of a second. A third tried to spear me but I moved my head out of the way and brought my shield up into his mouth. He fell too and I stepped back. The door was partially blocked and it would take time for them to clear it.
I made my way through the smoke to the cave and felt the cool air hit me as soon as I clambered through. The water was already up to my knees. Ulf and Finni had enlarged the entrance which made it easier for me to get through. Olaf and Aiden were on the horses. Olaf suddenly shouted, “Down Jarl!”
I threw myself on to the slippery, weed covered rocks into the sea as Olaf hurled a spear. I turned and saw the warrior who had been about to skewer me with the spear in his chest. Smoke was now billowing from the tunnel. I clambered to my feet and made my way to the horses. They were up to their withers in the sea but they were clear of the rocks. I ran as arrows began to fall from the battlements.
Aiden held my reins for me, “It seems we have outstayed our welcome, Jarl. Is the traitor dead?”
I pointed to the rocks just behind me. The light was now enough to see his crumpled body. “He fell from the battlements. He is dead.”
I turned to Finni. “Magnus stabbed you. Are your hurt?”
He spat. “It broke the mail but not the leather. It will repair.”
Snorri and Beorn were already putting their heels to their horses and we galloped south along the beach. We would rejoin the track way south once we had passed the woods in which we had sheltered. I turned and saw that Asbjorn and Eystein were behind me. Looking ahead I saw that all of my men had survived. The gods approved of what we had done. Behind us I saw smoke coming from the castle. Pursuit would be delayed. They had a fire to extinguish. I doubted that the hidden entrance would remain. It had served its purpose. The past had come to our aid once more.
The sun rose but it was hard to tell for the sky was filled with dark, threatening skies. Snorri led us towards the track way. We had already decided to head south until we found a road or track west. I hoped that the fire would mean we would escape before the King could send horsemen for us. He would be loath to do so for he had only twenty men to guard him and some had died. There would, however, be riders sent to warn his people of the wolves from the north loose in his fold. It would take at least two days to escape his land and three to reach safety. The foreboding looking clouds suggested wet weather and that would slow us down.
It was a wet and soggy journey. We had to travel away from the roads using tracks and greenways. We even used animal trails to avoid being seen. We did not stop and yet we had covered but a short distance. It was lucky that our horses had had three days of grass and rest. They were refreshed and kept going. The rain was relentless and we were soaked. We reached the large walled town by the small river in the late afternoon. We had passed it during the night the last time. We could not risk that this time. If the King sent riders then we might be trapped between two sets of warriors.
“Snorri, find a route around this place.”
“Aye Jarl, but it will not be easy. The sun, if we could see it, will soon be setting and we will be seen against the light. When the forest ends we will be in open country.”
“We have to risk it.”
We rode as low in the saddle as we could. There was no way of avoiding the skyline for the slopes were dangerously steep in places. Unfortunately there was no way of us remaining hidden the whole way. Each time I saw the town walls appear to our left then I knew that we, too, could be seen. We pushed as hard as we could but eventually Snorri reined in. “Jarl, we must rest these beasts or we shall be walking home and not riding.”
“You are right. Let us find somewhere secluded.”
We had to settle for the river banks as we had emptied our water skins. It was like the whole venture, a huge risk for it was hard to find somewhere which could not be observed. The valley sides peered down on the small bubbling river and movement would be easily seen. We settled for dried food and we did not move beyond the trees which surrounded us. If we were seen then so be it but my men were right. We had to stop.
Olaf Leather Neck held up a piece of his mail. It was beginning to rust.”This will take much work from Bjorn. And we did not profit from our journey.”
Haaken shook his head, “Not gained? Our names will become known far and wide. A handful of us entered the mightiest castle in Northumbria unseen; we killed a traitor and escaped unscathed! We have gained more than any warriors before us. We have lived beneath the sea and survived! The last two moons have given me more stories, sagas and songs than I can ever recall. We have riches which cannot be measured.”
He put a smile on the faces of my warriors. He was right. Our names would live forever. This would not just be the story of Jarl Dragonheart but all of the others: Haaken One Eye, Snorri the Silent, Beorn the Scout, Finni the Dreamer, Erik Ulfsson, Asbjorn the Strong, Eystein the Rock, Olaf Leather Neck, Ulf Olafson and Vermund Thorirson.
We slept but took it in turn to keep watch. I do not think any warrior other than my Ulfheonar could have endured what they had done and survived so well. It felt as though they thrived on hardship. It was as well that we did use sentries. Just before dawn Erik came to wake me. He said nothing but pointed to the road and made the sign for danger. I rose and we quickly woke the others. Snorri and Beorn slipped silently away. We still had the saddles on our horses and we donned our helmets and strapped our shields on to our backs. If someone was seeking us they would not smell smoke and they would not find where we had left the road. Then I heard the bark of a dog. That was how they had found us. They were hunting us with hounds.
Snorri appeared first. He held up his two hands twice. He made the sign for horsemen. Beorn came from the other direction and held up his two hands once and made the sign for men on foot. I pointed to the river and they nodded their agreement. We led our horses to the water to avoid being seen. The water was icy but after the sea it was not as bad as it might have been. The bubbling, shallow river was not wide and we had the choice of using either bank or continuing along our wet road. The noise of the water hid the sounds of our horses’ hooves. Then I heard the dogs and they were much closer.
Beorn was at the rear. We had travelled another thirty paces when he gave a low whistle. I turned and saw that he was mounted. We all climbed into our saddles. Beorn had seen that they were close enough now that walking did not help. I dug my heels into the flanks of my horse and he trotted. I felt a blow in my back and, when I turned I saw
archers standing in the river. I had been hit by an arrow but my shield and wolf skin had saved me. The river would aid us no longer. “Make for the road!”
The banks were not high but they were slippery. I imagined that in winter this area would flood easily. Once our horse’s hooves reached the grass beyond the bank we went a little faster but it was muddy. That was why I had chosen the road. We could make much better time. As we mounted the road I saw shadows appearing from the first light of dawn. I kicked on and saw, ahead, that the road rose. I had an idea. I overtook my men and shouted instructions to each of them as I passed. When I reached the brow of the hill I reined in and turned. I wanted my horse to get his breath back. The others joined me.
“When I give the word then we charge in two lines.”
“But Jarl, we do not fight on horses.”
“I know Finni and that will surprise them. Remember those Welsh warriors we fought. Do not try to thrust but use a sweeping blow and grip your horse with your knees. It would be embarrassing if we fell on our arses like the Welshmen did. I want to frighten them by doing the unexpected.” Vikings never fought on the back of a horse. I did not intend to fight as such but a charge down the hill would scatter them.
“Aye.”
“Aiden string your bow and wait here. Aim at any who gets close to us. We charge. Disperse them and then return hither.”
It was a risk. With no stirrups and no cantle on our saddles there was nothing to keep us on our horses’ backs. I gambled that the horsemen who followed us would have spears and they would suffer the same fate as the men of Gwynedd.
When they were just fifty paces from us I shouted, “Charge!”
Even as we charged I could see the archers, men with dogs and warriors on foot struggling to move up the slippery river banks and across the muddy grass our horses’ hooves had churned up. We needed a decisive strike or we would be surrounded and outnumbered. In the last moments before we met I saw that they wore no mail and carried no shields. They had spears only. I also gambled that our armour would hold.
The first horsemen I met was on my right and his spear came for my middle. I was holding my reins in my left hand but I punched the wood of the spear as it touched my mail. At the same time I swung my sword horizontally towards his face. He was terrified. I could see it in his eyes and he leaned back. He tumbled from his horse and his fall made the next two horsemen swerve. I wheeled to my right and coming up behind the two men who had swerved I rode between them. I hacked into the side of the one to my right and then pulled my horse to the left. My mount was a bigger horse than that of the Saxon and the rider lost his balance and crashed into a tree where he lay still.
“Fall back!”
I turned and pulled my horse up. All of my men had disengaged save Erik who was fighting two men. He was using his hand to hold one spear whilst fending off the second with his sword. The men on foot were less than forty paces from him. I galloped towards them. I did not pull my horse up but barged into the side of the man whose spear was held by Erik. I brought my sword over and it bit into his arm. He jerked his reins around and fled as Erik leaned over and punched the other rider in the side of the head with the pommel of his sword. We both headed up the hill. I heard and felt the arrows as they thudded into our backs. Once again our shields protected us. My men had waited for me. “Do not wait! Ride!”
I counted them all again and they were still together but Finni and Ulf looked to be nursing wounds. When time allowed Aiden would have to tend to them. I glanced over my shoulder. We could see further now for dawn had broken and there was a thin grey light. We had broken their will to fight. We rode until I could see that the horses were lathered. We stopped at a stream and let them drink.
“Aiden see to Finni and Ulf. Any other wounds?”
“No Jarl, but I will have more respect for horsemen from now on. I know not how they fight. I was afraid to make a full swing in case I fell.”
“Aye Haaken, and I will have mail mittens next time.” Erik held up his hand. His palm was scored bloody by the spear head he had grasped.
“There is another wounded man here, Aiden.”
I took off my helmet and my cloak. When I removed my shield I saw that there were four arrows lodged in it. I like to think my mail would have stopped them but with arrows you could never be too sure. Snorri came over. “We were lucky there, Jarl.”
“I know. We will give thanks to the Allfather when we reach our home.”
He pointed to the left. “There is a Roman Bridge yonder, as I recall and a deserted Roman Fort. It is the Tinea. The Roman Wall runs past it.”
“When our horses are rested we will walk them and cross the bridge by the river. As soon as you and Beorn are able scout it out for us. We could fight our way over but I would prefer not to.”
He nodded, “The threads of the Norns were as thin as gossamer this time, Jarl. Our close encounter with death has made me think about the future and my sons.”
I laughed, “You have no sons. You need a woman first.”
He smiled, “That is what I was thinking too.”
Ulf and Finni both had wounds to their legs. They had been unlucky. The spears which had caught them had struck below their byrnies. The men who had struck the blows had been thrown from their horses. Had we not been on horses then Ulf and Finni would have struggled.
There were just four huts at the bridge but the people ran into them when we appeared. We left them in peace and crossed to the south of the river. The road rose a little and we camped on the ridge which ran east to west. I did not want to risk the men in the hut becoming brave.
As I lay down beneath the canopy of trees I realised that we had not managed a night of sleep since we had left our home. Although I fell asleep quickly I was thinking that I was too old for nights spent sleeping on hard ground and riding all day. Perhaps the discomfort made me dream of the place where we camped; we were close to a Roman Horse fort and the dead warrior was ever in my thoughts.
I was in a high tower. As I looked out to sea I saw that it was the same tower from which Magnus had fallen. I leaned out to look for his body and I fell. I tumbled down but I did not reach the ground. I found myself astride a jet black steed. He turned his head away from the sea and began galloping through the air. I spied the hill fort close to the dead Queen’s tomb and I saw a ring of Roman soldiers standing around. The horse was gone and I was with them. I heard drumming and thundering. I looked and saw wild barbarians riding towards us. They had chariots and fierce horses. I tried to run but it felt as though I was caught in the sand in the cave. I could not move. I heard Kara’s urgent voice, ‘Run!’
I woke.
Something had startled me. I stood and listened. I could hear, across the valley, horses.
“Wake! There are horsemen!”
I wondered why Finni had not heard them. I would discover that later. I donned my shield and helmet and sprang on the back of my mount. Although it was dark I could see lights in the huts by the river and horsemen were galloping across the bridge. I now knew why I had chosen the ridge. The spirits had guided us to a safer place. Snorri led us west. We had a lead and our enemies would tire their horses climbing the ridge but they had numbers on their side and our horses had been pushed to the limit. Aiden began dropping back.
“Do you have a problem, Aiden?”
“No Jarl, but I had Bjorn make me some of these.” He held out his hand. There were iron nails twisted together. I had seen them before. Aiden had read of them in Miklagård. Whichever way they landed a prong stuck up. Horses hated them. They were not as effective when used on soft ground but we were on the Roman Road. In addition it was night which would make them hard to see.
I nodded and we slowed down, allowing the others to overtake us. Asbjorn opened his mouth to speak. “There is no problem. Keep riding.”
With no one behind us I allowed Aiden to drop back. He began to sow the metal spikes on the Roman Road as though they were seeds. He emptied his bag and t
hen caught up with me. We could not see the effect but we heard it a short while later. Horses whinnied and screamed. We heard riders shouting. It would slow them up and, more importantly, it would make them wary. Once dawn came it would be a different story for they would be able to see that the road was clear..
As we hurried to catch the others I asked. “How far do we have to ride?”
He pointed to the Roman mile markers, “Almost forty Roman miles.”
“That is too far.”
He nodded, “We will have to stop. The question is, will they?”
I did not know the numbers who followed us but I assumed that they knew ours and knew whom they chased. They were not fools. If they thought they could not defeat us then they would not pursue us. There was little point in speculating. Dawn would bring the answer.
Daylight brought us close to the small deserted settlement of Alston high on the east moors. It had been Saxon but the people there had long fled. It was the point at which we would begin to descend towards our own land. I called, “Hold. We must rest the horses. They need water.” I turned to Aiden. “You are the lightest, ride back a ways and count them.”
I dismounted and, taking off my helmet poured water in it for my horse to drink. Asbjorn asked, “What magic did Aiden employ?”
“No magic. Just twisted nails that spiked the horses who followed.”
He shook his head, “It is magic that he knows such things.”
Aiden rode up. “They are a mile and half away.”
Erik went to mount his horse. “Hold Erik. They have the hill to climb. I want them to hurry thinking that we are done. They will hurt their horses. The longer we rest the further we can go. If they fail to water their horses then they will be creating problems for them later.” I turned to Aiden. “Are they together or strung out?”