by Griff Hosker
We had to pass Aelletun on the way and it was sad to see the place where my cousin had fallen. The dead had been buried and the survivors discovered. There had been more than we had thought. The survivors were hardy folk and they still lived by the river but there were fewer of them. We stayed the night and then headed up through the steep sided valley to the rock of Shap. We made a camp in the lee of the craggy rock. We would not light a fire. We did not wish to be seen by enemy scouts. These quests were not pleasurable. We slept on the ground and ate cold rations. After we had emptied our ale skins we would drink brown, iron filled, mountain water. The horses were happy for it was lush new grass which they ate. The spare horse carried our shields and spears. Once we made the camp I took off my mail hauberk.
We watched the sun set in the west. It held the promise of a dry night. At this time of year and this altitude it would be cold but we would endure that. We had furs in which to wrap ourselves. Mine was that of a wolf I had killed. Arturus was surprised that he would have to stand a watch. I shook my head, "I will stand one too. Is it right that Judicael and Dai should have to share the whole night watch? This will do you good. When you watch you learn how to hunt in the night. Often that is a skill we need. We do not always fight our foes in daylight."
I had the second watch and I gave the last watch to Arturus. It was too much to expect him to be able to wake and then get back to sleep. For Judicael and myself this would not be a problem. When Dai woke me, I was alert in an instant. It was something I had taught myself. I made water and checked on the horses. They were fine. After a mouthful of ale, we had to husband it, I went to the rock which overlooked the valley and the camp. I wrapped my cloak about me and hunkered down. The secret was to move as little as possible. I quite enjoyed these solitary watches. It was when I felt the closest to my father. I had been at his side when he had been killed and that meant my last memory of him was as he looked up at me, dying. It was that memory which had steeled me to continue. He had made a sacrifice for his people. I had managed to lose most of what we had had and if I lost this last little island how could I face him in the Otherworld?
As I watched, looking for shadows which moved I sought a solution to the problem of Oswald. I did not have enough men to fight him. I could hurt him so that another might defeat him but King Penda was the only one with an army big enough and he was safely behind the borders of Mercia. King Cadwallon's death had ended our dream of defeating Oswald and his brother Oswiu. We could stop him invading my land. We had to hope that our land would help us to stop him before he could ravage it. There were many passes where we could hold him. There were places where he could be ambushed. I knew he would not come, at least not until he had built up his armies again. He had sent mercenaries to punish us but he feared the wrath of the Warlord. My fear was another mercenary raid. Lang Seax had lost too many men to be an immediate threat but he would have had gold from the Bernicians and gold is a great lure for those with no honour.
I saw false dawn and knew that it was time to wake Arturus. I shook him awake. He rose with a start. "Peace, it is your watch. You will not have the dark for long. Check the horses and then sit on the rock and look down the valley. Keep still for you are looking for shadows which move. When the sun has risen then wake me."
Arturus' first watch passed successfully in that nothing happened. We ate and then saddled our horses. We would leave the pack horse with our shields and spare weapons at the camp site. We headed north. Llewellyn, who had borne the standard once, was now an equite and he would be north of us. We had not planned a meeting but if one happened then we could share information.
We dropped down into the valley and followed the twisting trail which rose up to the high ground to the east. It had been the trail I had watched. It was wide enough for two men on horses, no more. It zig zagged up the side. We were looking north and when we turned, it was south. We were heading to the deserted village of Chonoc-salchild. None had lived here in my lifetime. When the Angles had first come and fought King Urien the villagers had been wiped out. It was a difficult enough place in which to live at the best of times but the Angles ended the life of the village. My father and I had hoped that, if we were successful, then people might return. They had not. I had failed my father. Now four of us rode through the once thriving village.
This would be our halfway point. It was noon and so we rested, watered our horses and ate dried venison. Judicael was on watch and he whistled. Dai and I had our weapons out and we had stood before Arturus even realised what was happening. When Judicael stood and waved we knew that there was no danger.
Llewellyn and his men rode in. "You have made better time than us, Warlord."
"Did you see any sign?"
He nodded and pointed north, "Radgh discovered where the mercenaries must have crossed when they attacked. We found an old fire."
"Aye, Llenlleog and his men found it two moons since. There are no fresher signs?"
"Apart from the fire there is no evidence that the Saxons were ever here."
"I would not expect them over the long nights. Now we can expect them. Keep a good watch."
The next day was equally uneventful. We rode south and met Pol. He, too, had seen nothing. He turned south and we headed back north. Arturus seemed almost disappointed. I explained to him that this was the equites life. There was more boredom than fighting. We had reached our camp early. The next day we would head due east for our deepest penetration into the land of the enemy. After I had taken off my hauberk and while Judicael and Dai saw to the horses we sat with our backs to the rock of Shap. The sun was getting lower in the sky behind us making the shadows sharper.
"This is hardly glorious, Warlord."
"No but it is necessary. Was hunting the mercenaries glorious? Was there pleasure to be derived from seeing our people slaughtered?"
"No but I thought an equite would do battle with our foes."
I laughed, "Being a warrior means being watchful for the longest time and then fighting for your life for the shortest. The hardest lesson to learn is patience."
Just then something caught my eye. The slowly setting sun helped. I shaded my eyes and stared at the opposite side of the valley. There were four men and they were descending the track on the eastern side of the valley.
"Be still." I gave the low whistle of alarm. The other side of the valley was more than six miles away. They would not hear us. It was movement which would give us away. Judicael and Dai would make their way around to join us. "You have younger eyes. Tell me what you see."
"I see nothing... wait. There is movement. It is four men. They have leather caps on their heads and they carry swords. On their backs are their shields. They are Angles. They are not the Clan of the Snake."
The two archers slid next to us. "Angles on the other side of the valley. They are heading south."
Judicael said, "They will camp soon. Further south there is a small river with a stand of trees. It will give them shelter." My archers knew the land well.
"We wait here until the sun has set and then we hunt them. They are warriors." I had a dilemma. To ensure that we captured them it would have been better to warn Pol and Llewellyn. To do that I would have to send my two archers and that would leave me with Arturus. He did not have the skills I needed. We would have to risk taking them with the four of us together.
The four of us watched them as they twisted and turned. Occasionally we saw the flash of white as they peered up at the western skyline where we sat. I know that Arturus was convinced we had been seen but the bright sun would have blinded them. We would be invisible. If they were good then they might detect movement. They reached the bottom and then briefly disappeared behind some scrubby elder, hawthorn and blackthorn bushes. They reappeared and their backs were to us.
"We move." The sun had dropped behind the skyline. It would still be shining at Civitas Carvetiorum but here Halvelyn and the other mountains hid its rays. We saddled our horses. Arturus went to fetch his helmet and
shield. "No, we do not need them. I will not wear mail. It might make a noise. Now we shall see if the night watches have given you the skills we need." As we mounted I said, "We need one prisoner!" My archers nodded.
By the time we were saddled night had fallen completely. We headed down the track to the valley bottom. It took some time. If the Angles were not camping then we would lose them. They must have travelled a long way for they camped and they lit a fire. We saw it three miles or so down the valley. It was a pin prick of light which appeared and disappeared as men stood before it. Then it vanished altogether. I knew that Arturus was desperate to speak to me but I had impressed upon him that we needed silence. He would be alarmed that we had lost the Bernicians. It was not so. They had been moving around and now they had settled down for the night. Their recumbent forms hid the fire from us. Like Judicael and Dai I had the position of the fire fixed in my mind. It was above the track and the water. These men had experience. They would not risk a rain storm and a flooded camp.
It was a clear night and the track was relatively flat. The Angles had hurried down the valley sides to avoid travelling over it in the dark. Then it would have been dangerous. That they were scouts was obvious but scouts normally returned to an army when they camped. These did not and I wondered why.
When we could smell the wood from their fire we stopped. Slipping silently from our horses we tethered them. Our horses were all trained to be silent. I knew not how the horse master managed it but he did. They would eat the grass and graze on leaves but they would neither whinny nor neigh. I drew Saxon Slayer. Arturus had the sword he had brought from Constantinopolis. I would have preferred he had wither a Saxon sword or one made by our smiths. I knew their mettle! Judicael and Dai had their bows. At their waists hung short swords and seaxes but they would feel more comfortable with a bow in their hand. I led. Judicael and Dai might be better scouts but I was the leader and it was my responsibility to face danger first. The wind was coming up the valley and as well as the smell of wood fire it brought the smell of greasy unwashed bodies. The Bernicians might worship the White Christ but they did not bathe. It was the smell which identified their sentry. He was to the west of their camp on the other side of the stream. He was watching the west. He was seeking the men of Rheged,
I tapped Judicael on the shoulder and pointed. I wanted him to take the westernmost sentry. He nodded. He slipped his bow over his back and drew his seax. If he used a bow to slay the sentry then there was a risk that the falling body might alert the others. Now that we knew where the sentry was I waved for Dai to go to my right and Arturus to my left. I slipped my seax into my left hand. If this was to become knife work I would simply drop my sword. We moved more slowly the closer we got to the Angles. My eyes were completely adjusted to the dark and I saw the twig on the path. It had been placed there deliberately. The Angles had laid traps around to alert them of danger. I hoped that Arturus was using his youthful eyes well.
I stopped when I saw their fire. They had built it within a ring of bushes. There had to be a way in but it was not immediately obvious. Dai did not need telling. He would find the way in. I moved to my left and hand brushed Arturus. His eyes widened as he saw me. I nodded with my head and he moved to his left. We had to climb up. There was a small shelf. Once there I gestured for Arturus to get behind me. It was as he did so that he made his mistake. It was a small one but it was expensive. His foot sent stones skittering down the slope. The Angles were up and ready in an instant.
I heard a cry as Dai killed one. A second ran at me with a sword in his hand. I acted instinctively. I deflected the sword and then stabbed into his guts. He fell at my feet. The last man swung his sword. It was a lucky blow for it struck Arturus on the side of the head but as it was the flat of the blade it just rendered him unconscious. Then the Angle was off. he disappeared into the darkness. Dai and Judicael appeared. "Get after him!"
I turned Arturus over. He was breathing. I heard a moan from behind me. The man I had gutted lived. I saw by the light from the fire that his guts were spilling out. I knelt next to him. "You are dying." He nodded. "Would you like me to end your pain? Let you hold the cross of the White Christ?" He nodded eagerly. "Where is your King and where were you headed?"
Like the Saxon prisoner he thought to answer me with an insult but a sudden spasm of pain made him arc his back. "He is at Iedeu. We were sent to find a safe way south. I swear."
I believed him, "Go to your God." I slit his throat and he died with a soft sigh.
The Bernicians had put water to boil. When I went to the sentry Judicael had killed I saw that he had a couple of doves he had trapped. He had been plucking them when my archer had slit his throat. They would have been meant for the pot. I took some of the boiling water and after letting it cool slightly used it to bathe Arturus head wound. The skin was broken and he would have a bad bruise but as first wounds went it was nothing to worry about. His mother would, that I knew. We had another five days before she would see it. By then it would be just a bluish brown. As the archers returned Arturus came to.
His first reaction was one of guilt, "I am sorry that I made a noise." He looked at Dai and Judicael who were grinning at him. They were finishing plucking the birds. "None of us were hurt?"
"Just you, nephew and it is not a bad wound."
Judicael said, "Sorry, lord, we lost the last one. He could have gone anywhere. Come daylight we can track him if you like."
I nodded, "We will all track him. We will cook the birds and get some rest. In the morning we will pick up his trail. I am guessing that he will head home."
Dai asked, as he jointed the bird, "Is their army not close by?"
"The one I questioned said they were finding a safe way south. The King is at Iedeu. We will discover the truth of that tomorrow."
It was a wet morning. The rain started during my watch. It made tracking the Angle difficult. We rode back up the trail they had descended. We went beyond Chonoc-salchild until we could see the other Roman road which crossed over the highest part of the High Divide. I did not expect to see the escaped scout but when we did not see an army or even a warband we turned and went back to our encampment at Shap.
The horse we had left had drunk all its water but the rain must have given it enough to slake its thirst. "Tomorrow we ride a short patrol south. Pol might be wondering where we were. The horses have ridden harder in the last two days than I intended." I gestured for Arturus to join me as the two archers saw to the horses. The rain had stopped hours earlier but the grey skies promised more. We would have to make a shelter. I waved Arturus to sit by me in the lee of the rock, "Come let me see your wound."
We had cloth to bind it at the camp and applied honey and some of Gawan's salve. Gawan swore that it would stop a wound becoming poisoned. I applied it. After wrapping a bandage around the wound, I gave him the small axe we had with the horses, "Go and cut down some of those elder branches. We will make a shelter for the night." We did not need to light a fire, we had eaten one hot meal but I decided that we would. Shap and the shelter would hide up from prying eyes and the night promised to be misty. It would be low cloud which would make everything damp and dank. It did not take long to make a shelter. The fire meant we could cook a second hot meal and as we ate the wild greens, herbs and dried venison we spoke of what the presence of the scouts meant.
"If there is no army close by then this is a scouting expedition for later in the year."
Arturus nodded, "And it also means that we are not the intended target." We all looked at him. He shrugged, "They were looking for a safe way south. Their home is north. What lies to the south?"
"Mercia."
He nodded, "They have books on strategy in the Emperor's palace. I read some and had slaves read to me the ones I could not. I think I understand King Oswald. The Mercians and the Welsh almost defeated him. When he destroyed King Cadwallon that left just one major enemy, King Penda."
I gave a wry smile, "We are not a major enemy?"
Judicael said, "Perhaps I should have Dai hit me with the flat of the sword. Your squire makes sense Warlord. He sent the mercenaries to kill you."
Dai shook his head, "No, Judicael for he killed Lann Aelle. He did not come for the Warlord."
"I think he did." Arturus had finished eating. He wiped his hands on the wet turf. "This Lang Seax is clever. He brought the Warlord to him. He thought to ambush us and it nearly worked. I think that if the ambush had succeeded then the garrison would have joined in and we would all be dead."
Arturus' words made sense. It would affect what we did from now on. We would keep watch for the Bernicians heading south. We would follow them and we would warn the Mercians. I now saw a chance to defeat the Bernicians.
When we returned to Civitas Carvetiorum the other equites had also found and caught two other groups of scouts. Ours had been the only one where a scout had escaped. King Oswald would have to find another route. There was, in my mind, a safer one south of Eoforwic. The west posed too much of a threat.
Arturus had almost healed when we returned and I just received scowls for my pains from Gawan's wife. We had a table which was large enough for thirty equites. As six were on patrol it worked out well and we shared our news around the table. Gawan was there too. He had been an equite. He sat in the chair which Myrddyn had once occupied. The old wizard had had it carved from the lighting struck oak. He thought it had magical powers and none of us were willing to argue.