by Griff Hosker
"Equites the bridge is contested."
The three equites were not as experienced as Llenlleog, Kay or Bors and it was a little unfair of me to ask. Arturus rose to the challenge. "If we did not have archers then I would have said the prudent course of action would have been to ford the river further west. We have archers and we can use them without risking ourselves too much."
I saw the nods from the other two. That had been my logic too. "Then that is what we shall do. We will ride with the equites to the fore. Archers, stay well back and listen for my command."
"Aye Warlord."
We donned our helmets and took our spears from our squires. I waved my spear and we began to trot towards the bridge. We emerged from the trees and I saw that the ground sloped down towards the town. The bridge was almost thirty paces beneath us. The town began fifty paces from the bridge. Our archers had been seen and the Bernicians were hurriedly making a barrier to bar our progress. I saw a thegn giving orders. There were thirty or so men. Only ten or twelve would be true warriors. The rest would be the fyrd. They would be armed with good swords and have metal tipped spears. We halted a hundred paces from them. They had bows and they loosed arrows at us. They were hunting arrows and we held up our shields. The tips could not penetrate the leather covering and they fell to the ground. Behind me I heard my archers as they laughed. The thegn shouted something and the archers stopped. One of them ran back to the town.
Agramaine said, "I am betting he has gone to fetch slingers."
"And you may be right." Slingers could hurt us more than the archers. "Archers!"
My archers galloped forward and threw themselves from their horses. They had trained their mounts to stand still when their reins were dropped. That way we did not need horse holders. The Saxons were slow to react. They were standing in a loose formation. Their shields were not held up and they were not expecting arrows. Our archers could nock and release so quickly that it was like a blur. I did not know how they did it. There were just eight archers but they each sent three arrows so quickly into the air that the first had struck before the Bernicians even realised that they were under attack. One struck the thegn on his helmet. It did not penetrate but it knocked him to the ground. Four arrows found flesh. Even as they hurriedly and belatedly formed a shield wall I shouted, "Charge!" I trusted my archers not to hit us. They would continue to loose until the last moment.
As we rode, boot to boot, I saw more of the Angles fall to the arrows my archers sent. The thegn rose and pulled his shield tightly to him. He was shouting orders but it was too little and too late. The warrior next to him was killed when a plunging arrow found bare flesh near to his shoulder. I watched the blood arc and spray over the thegn. We were closing rapidly now. Five of the thegn's oathsworn remained with him. Three had metal helmets and two leather ones. Their shields all bore his sign, a blue diagonal cross. Six of the fyrd bravely stood but others had fled. As I pulled back my arm two more of the fyrd took to their heels. I rammed my spear at the throat of the thegn. He had a collar of mail but it did not cover his neck. It was a difficult strike but Copper gave me a smooth ride and I took the chance. He lifted his shield but he must still have been stunned from the arrow for the shield rose slowly. All it succeeded in doing was driving the spear head into his left eye. He was dead before I could withdraw my spear. Arturus' spear hit a shield and then the right shoulder of an oathsworn while Agramaine and Llewellyn managed to spear their enemies in the gut. Pelas ap Tuanthal showed his heritage for his spear took the last of the oathsworn and the fyrd ran.
I saw that they had fetched the slingers from the village but when they saw that their lord was dead they thought better of attacking us and left. The villagers were fleeing east. There were other thegns there and they would seek shelter with them. We did not wait for my archers but galloped through the small town. There was a monastery there and I saw men fleeing for sanctuary. We reined in before the church. A priest stood defiantly there. He held a cross before him as though it would ward us off. I dismounted and threw my helmet to Pelas ap Tuanthal. It was too hot to wear! Even though harvest had passed the weather was unseasonably warm. I had sheathed my sword when the men had fled and I took off my leather gauntlets. The priest began chanting a prayer in Latin.
"Save your breath priest you will not frighten me. Who was the thegn I slew?"
He looked at me as though he did not expect me to speak his language. He stammered, "Egbert of Hagustaldes-ham."
I nodded, "Had they not barred the road then the men who stood against us might have lived."
He frowned, "You are pagans. It is every Christian's duty to stand firm against you! King Oswiu and his men will hunt you down when they return to this land."
I smiled. He had given me information he did not intend. I exploited it. "I thought that we had not seen many warriors in the land. Why I could come here with less than a hundred men and capture it all."
He rose to the bait, "You could not for Eoforwic, Stanwick and Din Guardi are well garrisoned. When the Mercians are defeated then our King will turn his attention to the abomination which is Rheged."
I tried another ploy, "So long as your King still hires mercenaries like the Clan of the Snake then I know that he does not have enough Northumbrians to fight me."
"They are swords for hire but they serve a purpose. They die in place of our warriors. You will be defeated!"
I took a silver coin from my purse, "Here priest, say a prayer for your thegn. He was brave. Foolish and misguided, but brave!"
I turned to join my equites. "We will stay in the thegn's hall this night. There should be food and it will be more comfortable." The nights were longer and colder now. Winter would be upon us soon enough. The archers had brought the swords, helmets and mail. We now needed all that we could scavenge. The more we had the less was available to the Northumbrians.
We walked our horses. Warrior's head darted from side to side as he looked for a threat. I took some dried venison from my belt and threw it to him. Arturus asked, "Why did you ask questions of the priest and tell him so much?"
"I told him nothing yet he told me much. We have to send a message to King Penda. The enemy are hiring mercenaries. It may come back to haunt King Oswiu but for the moment it is a real threat to King Penda. They have a huge army waiting for the Mercians. With their strongholds fully manned they do not expect Northumbria to be invaded."
"But the King of Mercia has Welsh allies."
"In which case we will still win for mercenaries only fight for gold and with the hope that they will be rewarded again after the battle is won. The Clan of the Snake show that some mercenaries who come here seek a better opportunity to gain riches and power. These mercenaries hired by Oswiu will either threaten his kingdom or seek their own. They are the danger for us."
Arturus looked west. He was thinking of his wife. When we had discovered the shepherd and his family the shock on his face had shown that he had changed. He was a married man. He was about to become a father. He had seen men butchered in battle but he has seen little of the devastation caused to families.
I said, gently, "You are thinking of a life in the east are you not? It would be safer than here."
He nodded, not surprised that I had done what his father had and read his thoughts, "Aye but the sea voyage would be as dangerous as staying here. Perhaps more perilous, for a wooden hull is not as good as a stronghold." He had a sudden thought. "Where is the lair of the Clan of the Snake? It cannot be in Mercia nor Wessex. We should have questioned them before they died."
"They would not have told us. I will ask Daffydd to ask other captains. Six Saxon ships would be difficult to hide."
The next morning we headed south. The day was grey and a chill wind came from the east. My wolf fur kept me warm. The Dunum had just one Roman fort and that had been at Morbium where it had guarded the bridge. We called Morbium, Roman Bridge. I had not heard of it being occupied but we would ride there for it lay close to Stanwyck and to the p
lace whence my father had discovered Saxon Slayer. There would be Angles living closer to the sea but they would be small isolated communities. We would head to Morbium and then see the defences at Stanwyck. If we could capture one of the Bernicians who defended it we might learn more.
The land between the Tinea and the Dunum was full of small hills and steep valleys. I was reassured to have with me Daffydd's archers. The land, however, was free from warriors. It was getting closer to winter, we needed our cloaks at nights, but normally thegns would be hunting. This was the time of year to cull the animals in the forests and lay in a store of food for the winter. Their absence was worrying. We reached the land north of Roman Bridge close to dusk for the days were now shorter. The archers reported that none guarded the bridge and so we picked our way south to the old abandoned fort.
I could not help gripping the hilt of Saxon Slayer as we approached. Once we crossed the river then we would be near to the farm which one of our ancestors had farmed and where he had buried the sword. The old fort had been the place where his curiosity had rewarded him. I can remember him telling me as we had camped close by here when I was but a squire.
'I saw that they had destroyed anything in the fort which had been useful but I also saw places where the soil was in mounds, as though something had been buried. I found a charred piece of wood which had a pointed end and I began to dig away at the nearest pile. Once I got through the grass and weeds it became quite easy and I felt a thrill as my wood struck something solid. I was encouraged to dig harder. The wood was no longer helping me and so I took to using my hands to clear away the dirt. I found a wooden box. The top had started to rot but it was still quite solid. I made a hole down the side of the box and reached down. I found a leather handle and I pulled. I strained as hard as I could and I was about to give up when, suddenly, it sprang up and out at one end. I dragged it clear. There was no lock and I pulled at the top to open it. I have to admit that I was excited. What treasure would I find within? When the lid finally popped open I was disappointed. After I removed the sacks covering the contents I saw that it was filled with nails and shoes the Romans had used. My father had said they were called caligae and the Roman soldiers had used them.'
I smiled at the memory. Hearing his words in my head made it seem as though he was alive. He had shown me the places he had excavated the metal treasure. We always looked for such mounds when we discovered a new fort. It had been many years since we had done so.
The old fort was familiar to me and I led my men to the half-wrecked building which had housed the officers. There was a wrecked stable block but as it still had a roof we used it anyway. The horses would have some protection from the cold. The Angles had built their village further upstream. The first ones who had come had feared the ghosts of the Roman soldiers. We lit a fire. We would keep it going all night for it was cold. The wind had picked up during the day and we were grateful for the walls which offered shelter. We would keep a watch on the bridge during the night to ensure that no word of our presence was sent to Stanwyck and then we prepared our food.
I took out the sword and held it on my lap. Arturus and the others had never been here and I told them the stories my father had told me. They were like children rapt in the wonder of them. I retold them the story of my father's discovery of Saxon Slayer. I never tired of telling it for it was a sign that a warrior and his weapon could live long after his death.
"He and his brothers had buried their family and they were at the ancestor's farm, not far from here when they dug for what they hoped would be weapons. His brothers, your uncles Raibeart and Aelle, were disappointed but not your grandfather, Arturus. He told me the story, many times. ' I lifted the sacks carefully already knowing what would be beneath. I saw more sacks but this time they were wrapped around objects. The first one was long and I almost held my breath as I peeled back the oiled rags. The pommel told me that it was a sword and the fine jewels told me that it was not the sword of a common man. It was the sword of a mighty warrior, a lord or a king. As I unwrapped the blade I heard the gasps from my brothers. They had not been expecting such a treasure but I had. The scabbard was leather with strange runes and markings upon it. Holding the scabbard in my left hand I withdrew the blade with my right. The light from the setting sun in the west caught the silvery blade and it seemed to shine.' His voice was always the same when he told the tale. He had made a sacrifice to Icaunus and been rewarded. The sword had been sent from the past to fight the enemies of the present."
"And what of the future, Warlord? What happens then?"
I looked at my nephew. "The sword must never fall into the hands of our enemies. If I fall in battle then you must take it, Arturus."
He nodded and we sat in silence. Their eyes were on the mystical blade. Agramaine said, "And if you are alone when..." He did not finish the sentence. It was bad luck to speak of a warrior's death.
"Before I die, Agramaine, I will hide it. Our ancestor did so. One day one of those who come after us will find it."
Arturus asked, "How can you know, Warlord?"
I smiled, "In the same way that the Christians believe in their White Christ, I believe it will be so." I waved a hand above me. "Myrddyn watches us. His voice speaks to me in my head. It is all wyrd."
We left before dawn had broken for I wanted to be close to Stanwyck while it was still dark. We had to pass the long deserted farm of my ancestor but I would not disturb it again. My father had taken all that he needed and it would not do to continue to disturb our ancestors.
Stanwyck had been built long before the Romans had come and dominated the land. It was a shadow of the stronghold it had been but, as we sheltered in the woods, a mile from the ramparts we watched dawn break and saw the light shine on the newly built wooden walls. It was defensible again.
Agramaine said, "That would be hard to take, Warlord."
"We need not take it. However, it poses a problem for King Penda. If he comes north to conquer this land then he would have to have his men bleed on its walls. Eoforwic would be as hard to take. King Oswiu has learned how to fight. Llewellyn and Agramaine, you stay here with four archers. If any messengers head north then take them. Arturus and I will do the same for the road south. If we find none then we will rejoin you on the morrow and head home."
We had a long loop to ride to reach the road which headed to Eoforwic. I did not think that the others would find a messenger. The journey to Din Guardi was a long one. This was the wrong time of year to send a message across the land. A ship could more easily sail up the coast. Stanwyck was the western defence. I hoped that there would be traffic.
We reached a spot where we could watch the road a short time after dawn had fully broken. We tied the horses and then spread out to watch. We had been there but a short time when we heard the sound of men approaching. It was a thegn with twenty men and they were marching from Stanwyck. There were too many for us to attack. We would reveal our position. They were singing as they came. The song was a marching song and showed that they were in good spirits. This was not the army we had defeated by Oswald's Tree!
We settled down to wait patiently as they headed down the road. A wind came from the east. It would herald snow. It was the wrong time of year for it to settle but it was a warning that we needed to get home as soon as we could. Just after noon a flurry of snow made the road white. When it stopped the road was invisible. It was not deep but the icy wind stopped it from melting. One of the archers, Beli, waved to me. He had seen someone approaching from the south. We drew weapons. Our four archers each nocked an arrow. The snow muffled the sound of their hooves but there were two men on horses. The snow suddenly came again from the north and the east. The air itself became white and the two figures pulled their cloaks tighter about themselves. They would soon be in the warm and safe.
We needed them alive. The snow and the wind would make our archers less accurate. As we were a mile or so from the hill fort and with the snow still falling I took a chance. Drawing
my sword, I said. "Step out before the horses. They will stop. I want these as prisoners." We were fortunate that the riders were not confident. The slippery road was treacherous and they were walking with their heads looking at the ground immediately in front of them. It allowed Arturus, Pelas and Ban to step out unseen. The horses stopped and reared. One of the riders fell from his horse and cracked his head. The other drew his sword. Two arrows struck his back. My archers had been protecting me. It was annoying but I could understand why they had done what they had done.
"Search the body and then take it and hide it in the woods."
My archers ran up. Dai said, "I am sorry, Warlord. We could take no chances. Captain Daffydd would have our skins if aught happened to you on our watch."
I nodded. "Tie the wounded man to a horse and fetch the other animal." I looked up at the snow laden sky. "The snow will cover our tracks. We will head back to the rest."
It took us longer to get back to the place we had left Agramaine and the others. Despite our furs I was chilled to the bone. I made a decision. "We will ride back to Morbium. We need a fire and we need to question this messenger."
The wind began to veer from the east as we headed up the road. When it was no longer in our faces it was a relief. The snow began to ease and I saw that there was less of a covering closer to the river. We crossed the bridge as the snow turned to sleet. We dismounted inside the fort and helped the unconscious Angle from his horse. We had found, on the dead one, a metal token. It matched the one we found on the unconscious one. They had learned from King Penda and used it to identify men who were trustworthy. Whatever they knew was important. There was nothing written down.
We lit a fire and Arturus and I sat on either side of the messenger. Head wounds are unique. If a man has a cut to his body then, by and large, it can be healed. A head wound often has no sign. The man had been wearing a helmet and so there was not even a bruise to be seen beneath his long lank hair. We ate and we waited. I had seen this before. Men had head wounds which did not kill them straight away. They slept, sometimes for days and then slipped silently into the Otherworld. I wondered if this would be such a case.