by Griff Hosker
"King Oswiu, I would happily slay you but King Penda has asked me to spare your life. Surrender or die. Those are the only two choices." I saw him look behind me. I, too, turned. The warriors who had not been slain had fallen from their horses as they tried to fight like equites. My squires had spears at their throats. "He said nothing to me about sparing your men. Would you like your hearthweru slain too?"
He shook his head, "I surrender to you, Warlord." He turned his horse and led his party back to the monastery and hall. Ahead I saw that the warriors they had left had all been slain. Their deaths had been in vain.
King Penda had wasted no time in occupying the hall. Even as we dismounted and led the captured Bernician King and his family inside he had seated himself upon his throne. He smiled; it was a cruel smile. "King Oswiu, you are my captive. Thank you, Warlord. Once again, I am in your debt. You shall be rewarded for this."
I nodded but inside my head I was angry. I did not want a reward. I wanted safe frontiers. I wanted Oswiu and his family dead. King Penda was correct there would be another King but not one as powerful as Oswiu. He was descended from Edwin, who was now a saint. His brother had been martyred too. Any pretenders to the thrones of Deira and Bernicia would have to fight each other gain the thrones. While they did that we would build up our strength again. Had Myrddyn and Gwenhwyfar seen this?
"Do you want, King Oswiu, to be crucified on a cross as your brother was?"
Gawan said, quietly to me, "I thought he was dismembered and hung from the branches of a tree."
"He was but I think King Penda is making a point."
King Oswiu did not answer. "I am in a generous mood this day. I have lost few men and here is my decision. Your son, Ecgfrith, will be taken to my hall at Tomwordig. He will be surety for your compliance with the rest of my commands." There was little reaction to this punishment. Ecgfrith would be well treated. It was a common practice. "Secondly you will bow your knee to me and acknowledge me as High King of Britannia, Lord of the Saxon kingdoms!"
King Oswiu glared at King Penda. He had no choice. If he did not agree then he and all of his family would be killed. I knew, from Arturus, that a Christian did not believe that a promise made to a pagan had any meaning. King Oswiu would break his promise as soon as he could.
King Penda had not finished. He knew how this game was played. "Finally, I have thirty-one warbands. You will give me thirty-five boxes each filled with one thousand pieces of silver or its equivalent in gold."
For the first time that elicited a response from King Oswiu, "That is all of the treasure in Northumbria! I will have to strip every church to find it."
King Penda smiled, "I know. Do you agree or shall I let the Warlord have his way and slay you and your family?"
This time King Oswiu turned to me and he glowered at me. Hatred oozed from his eyes and his mouth as he said, "I agree but know this, pagan Warlord, my brother sought to have you killed and he failed. I swear that I will not fail and you will die upon my orders."
I spoke for the first time too, "And know this, King Oswiu, that once I return home I will bring an army and I will hunt you down like the dog you are."
King Penda frowned, "But not until we have the treasure and we are all back in our own lands, eh Warlord?"
I nodded and smiled, "Of course, King Penda."
King Penda took out his sword and made King Oswiu swear his allegiance on the sword. King Penda smiled and turned to Prince Peada, "Now my son, there are horses for you and Prince Ecgfrith. There is a warband of two hundred men. They will escort you back to Mercia."
Even Peada was surprised, "Now, father?"
"The sooner the better."
Ecgfrith had a brief moment to say goodbye to his parents and then he was whisked off. King Penda was clever. They would be in Mercia before the army which was in Eoforwic knew of the disaster.
"And you, King Oswiu, had best give orders for the treasure to be collected. You have half a moon!" He turned to me and said quietly. For your part in this there will be two chests. You have earned it more than the others."
"Thank you, King Penda."
After they had gone I saw that one of the leaders of the warbands was a Deiran. OEthelwald of Deira was a claimant to Bernicia. Now I saw King Penda's plan. He was threatening King Oswiu. If he failed to live up to his side of the agreement then King Penda would replace him.
Now that a battle was unlikely I sent a quarter of my equites and squires, led by Llewellyn, back to Civitas Carvetiorum. Arturus would need them. We settled into the monastery. We ousted the monks.
That night Llenlleog was in good spirits. "We will have treasure to spend and King Oswiu will not have the services of mercenaries."
Gawan shook his head, "This is worse. Those mercenaries will seek pay from somewhere. Perhaps they might choose to take it from us."
Llenlleog laughed, "There are easier targets than us, Gawan. Do not be such a pessimist. This has gone well."
He was right. It had gone well. Too well.
Chapter 13
The chests arrived within ten days. King Oswald was keen to have the Mercians gone from his land. I did not think the Northumbrian king was finished with King Penda. I sent my share back to Rheged with Griflet, accompanied by ten equites and archers. I also sent back the servants. They would not be needed and it was unfair to risk men who were not warriors. I would have gone home but King Penda asked for my horsemen and archers until he had reached his borders. He wanted a mounted escort back to his lands but he did not need all of my men. Rheged did. The Clan of the Snake was still slithering around my borders. I now had half the force I had brought.
He gave his reasons for the request, "King Oswiu will do nothing but there is still an army of sorts at Eoforwic. There are eorledmen who seek power. One of those may raise an army and try to stop us. We have more than thirty chests of treasure. We are a tempting target." He saw the lack of enthusiasm on my face. As payment for your time you can have one more chest of treasure when we reach Tomwordig."
Having sent our share back home I agreed. The main reason was Gawan. I intended to go home with my men until he spoke with me, "Brother the spirits have set our feet on this path. Our fate is bound up with that of King Penda. We have no choice."
He knew something. The spirits had spoken. I agreed for my land was safe now with Arturus and Gwenhwyfar and I had sent half of my men back.
The ten days we had waited had seen a change in the weather. The thaw had come. The ice and snow melted. The warm winds came from the west and that meant that they were wet winds. The roads became a muddy morass as soil was washed onto the cobbles. It was not an easy journey south. My equites and squires had the saving grace that we were the vanguard. I still had one scout with me, Geraint. Along with Daffydd and his archers they were the best eyes and ears we had and they ranged ahead of us. Warrior of course, was my personal eyes and ears. He growled at everyone who approached, save my men. That included a bemused King Penda.
I sent Geraint to scout Eoforwic as we approached it. The army had gone, they had dispersed. That did not reassure me as we had not seen men marching north. Where had they gone? King Penda was also concerned. He had expected them to try to stop us before we reached Eoforwic. The fact that they had not worried him. He kept the army together. At least he tried to do so. There were desertions. It was not a flood, it was a trickle but it unnerved the army. We had no desertions from the men of Rheged. I would not have expected that. We travelled for more than six days before we found them. They were gathered at the River Went. One of the northern tributaries of the Don, it was not an easy river to cross. They intended to dispute our crossing. This was the first river that they could do so. Although fordable it was a wide river and the banks would be slippery for men to ascend. The alternative was a detour west towards the High Divide. We had to fight them. That night we had a counsel of war where King Penda explained our course of action.
"The Warlord and his men will be on our left flank. The
river is deeper there. They will find it easier to ford the river. The men of Powys and Gwynedd will be on the left with the men of the East Angles and OEthelwald of Deira. The Mercians will be in the centre."
As plans went it was a sound one. Our scouts had reported the enemy numbers and we outnumbered them. However, as we rode along the river bank to see for ourselves I saw that one of the warbands facing the Welsh, Angles and Deirans, was the Clan of the Snake. Lang Seax was here and he would take some stopping for his warband now numbered three hundred.
As we made our camp and prepared our weapons Pelas ap Tuanthal asked, "Warlord, we are the smallest of warbands and yet we face almost a quarter of their army?"
I nodded, "King Penda has planned well. They will not willingly fight us. We have archers and mounted men. The Northumbria's will relish fighting the Mercians more than us." I lowered my voice, "We fight tomorrow because it bars King Penda's route home. I want you to live after the battle tomorrow. There is nothing here for Rheged. I have said we will fight and so we stay but I would rather head west and ride to Rheged."
Gawan had heard me and he shook his head, "Brother, it matters not. Our path is set and there is naught we can do about it. What will be will be."
With that depressing thought I prepared Star. Pelas had already seen to my horse but I had some old apples in my bag and I gave him one. I checked his hooves and his legs. He needed to be in perfect condition. We would be fording a river against men in prepared positions. It would not be easy and my horse might be my only salvation.
I sat with Llenlleog and Gawan by the fire and watched the flickering fires of our enemies. "At least the Clan of the Snake is not facing us."
Gawan said, "Not yet, Llenlleog, but the battle may be a long one. They have a blood feud with us. We have bested them twice. They will seek vengeance." He turned to me, "You and Lang Seax will have to settle this one day and only one will survive."
"My brother is right, Llenlleog. Whatever the outcome tomorrow, save as many of the equites, squires and archers as you can. Rheged will need them. I fear this alliance is ended."
Llenlleog nodded, "That suits me. I would rather fight on Rheged soil anyway. There we know who our enemies are. I do not trust half of them men we fight with!" His words were uncannily prophetic.
I went to bed but I did not sleep. When I had been in Constantinopolis I had heard men talk of hubris. They had explained it but until that moment I had not understood it. Now I did. King Penda had brought us to the brink of disaster. We were fighting a battle on ground our enemies had chosen and that was never wise. As I could not sleep I heard the noise from further west. Fearing a night attack, I rose. When I reached the Mercian camp Eorledman Ethelbert was there. He was at the King's tent reporting to the King.
"King Penda, the Welsh have fled. They have headed west in the night. The other warriors there were asleep for the Welsh said they would set the sentries."
King Penda's face became red and it was not just the firelight. He was angry. His careful plan was unravelling before his eyes. "I knew they were weak! When we have dealt with Oswiu's men they will feel my wrath and I will boil Ecgfrith alive!"
I knew it was all sound and fury. It was for the benefit of his own thegns. More than a third of our army had deserted. Our right flank had been our strong one and now it was weaker than mine. There were just two warbands there and one was Deiran. Worse, they were facing the Clan of the Snake. I had fought them and knew that they would be tough men to beat in battle.
The King saw me, "Warlord you and your men are now vital. You must stop my attack in the centre being outflanked."
"It is your right which is in danger, King Penda."
He sighed, "Aye, that is why I have my best warrior there. Eorledman Ethelbert will be as a rock." He waved a servant forward. "Here is your chest, Warlord, have it now in case..."
I hefted it. It was not as heavy as the others we had sent home. This was another sign that the army was breaking up. Someone had stolen from it. Tomorrow would end badly
When I reached the camp, I took a decision. "Pelas ap Tuanthal, go and fetch Llenlleog."
Gawan had not been able to sleep. He smiled at me, "I read your thoughts brother. What you do is both wise and thoughtful."
"Let us see if Llenlleog and Pelas see it that way."
When Llenlleog arrived, he was still half asleep. My first equite had the ability to sleep standing up! "The Welsh have fled. I fear tomorrow will be a hard day. I wish you and your squire to go with Pelas here back to Rheged." I pointed to the chest. "We have more coins from the King."
Pelas looked at Llenlleog who said, "You send away your best equite when you think it will go badly? That does not make sense."
"It does for if I fall then you will be there as Arturus' guide. You are younger than I am and you can teach him that which I cannot. He needs to become a better equite and you are the best." He did not look convinced.
Gawan said, "There is nothing that you can do here tomorrow Llenlleog that a lesser equite can do. In Rheged you can watch over my son and his wife. You can ensure that Myfanwy grows and fulfils her destiny."
He knew how to obey commands and he nodded, "I will go but it is with a heavy heart."
Pelas said, "Let me stay Warlord!"
"You guard the chest Llenlleog will guard you." I clasped Llenlleog's hand, "Wolf brother I have been honoured to fight at your side. Look for me in the Otherworld!"
He nodded, "And I have done more than any warrior has a right to expect and that is because I followed the Wolf Warrior and Saxon Slayer." He turned to Gawan, "I will watch over your family as though they were my own. Come Pelas ap Tuanthal. We obey our lord!"
"Take the road due north and head over the High Divide close to Shap. If this goes badly tomorrow then there will be bands of men hunting us."
The three of them left. They walked their horses from our lines. It would not do to give the impression that we were fleeing.
After they had gone I woke my men and told them what I had done. "We fight today because I said we would. I wish I could take those words back but a man cannot do that. If I fall then leave. My body is unimportant. Rheged is all. I would have you fight for Rheged and keep the dream of my father and King Urien alive."
None answered but I could see in their eyes that they would not leave me. I could do nothing about that. I felt closer to them all in that moment than any man alive, save my brother. They knew that more of us would die the next day than survived and yet they still chose to follow the wolf warrior and his sword. In that moment I felt that the sword was almost a curse. It had caused my father's death and now the equites, squires and archers I led would also die.
Daffydd ap Miach who commanded the twenty-five archers who remained with me said, "Warlord, we are your oathsworn. That means we stay by your side until we can no longer pull a bow or draw a sword. If this is our last battle then let us make it one to remember. Forget these faithless warriors who flee in the night. We are the men of Rheged. We follow the last Wolf Warrior. Even if we are to die then we will not be beaten. My son is at Carvetitas. He will follow in my footsteps. He will serve Arturus as I serve you and my father served yours. That is our way. We will be ready come dawn and the Angles will bleed!"
I was content. I had not deceived my men. I had told them that I thought we would die and they would still follow my banner. This was where I missed Myrddyn. He could see as clearly into the future as most men do in the past. My father had known the manner of his death but I did not.
I saddled Star myself. I would have no squire to pass me another spear. I put three in the scabbards which were on the right side of the saddle. I could hear movements and noise on both sides of the river as men prepared for the battle. I heard the splash of feet in the water further west. Was that Saxon scouts crossing or East Angles fleeing? The priests on the other side were chanting their prayers to their White Christ. Mercian thegns made pleas to the Allfather. Metal chinked against metal. Yet all
was invisible. Darkness was all around. We were wrapped in night's cloak. And then it began to rain. A trickle at first it rapidly became a deluge. Daffydd's arrows would not be as effective. We would not have the range we needed. The spirits were not making it easy for us. The rain delayed the dawn. Grey murk replaced blackness and I saw the serried shields across the river. They were the men of Bernicia. I recognised some of their devices. They knew me and my men. There were two warbands. It was a compliment. They would outnumber us by more than two to one.
Our squires would need to charge with us. I gathered my horsemen together. I could rely on Captain Daffydd to tell his archers what to do. "We are few in number. If we spread ourselves out then they will defeat us. I will use our weight and concentrate our charge. I intend to punch a hole in the centre of their line. Agramaine will be on the far right and Pol on the far left. We will spread the rest of the equites amongst the squires. I will be in the centre. Remember our task this day is a simple one. We stop King Penda from being outflanked. If we achieve that then we have a victory."
I would not be fighting close to Gawan. I found him readying his horse. He turned and smiled, "I know, brother you come to say goodbye."
"Reading my thoughts again?"
"We both know that this will be a hard fight. It will be the last battle we fight. I could not have a better brother and remember that death is just the beginning. You and I have a journey to the Otherworld. No matter what pain we endure here all will be healed in the Otherworld. We are not Christians. We need no priest to say we are forgiven. What we have done is for Rheged and Myrddyn has promised us that there is a welcome waiting for us."