by Griff Hosker
"I would tell you to ride home, Gawan, but you will not." I put my arms around him and held him tightly. I pulled his head forward and kissed his forehead, "Take care, little brother." I forced myself to turn away and to hold my emotions in check. My men needed a leader. I mounted Star and donned my helmet. The rain had made the red plume hang down. It looked bedraggled.
I found myself next to Garth and Gruffyd. They had only been squires for a year. I did not know them well. I could see that they were nervous. I smiled at them. "Remember that our spears can find the gaps between their shields and their armour. If they raise their shields then they cannot see you. It matters not where you strike them save that you draw blood. You do not have to kill with every blow. Your horse is a weapon, use it. Its teeth can bite and its hooves can kill. If we can break through their shield wall then all will be well."
They nodded. They needed to be confident when we fought. Bedivere's squire carried the dragon standard. Both were honoured for normally it was Llenlleog's squire who did so.
The rain, which bad briefly become a shower, now came down harder. Daffydd rode up to me. "I am sorry, Warlord, but our arrows can fly less than eighty paces in this murk."
"Then cross the river on your horses behind us. We will protect you and you can come closer to the foe to send your arrows over our heads."
He turned his horse and rode back to his archers.
The Mercians began banging their swords against their shields and chanting. I knew that it was to build up their own courage and to help them cross the river, reform and then charge the waiting Angles. Even so it did help to steel all of our men. The Welsh had deserted. Better they did so before the battle had started than when we were engaged. King Penda was no coward. He would lead his Mercians. They would attack first and when he reached the far bank then the two wings would follow. It was a good plan. The first horn sounded and the Mercians marched to the river. It was hard to see them because of the rain which pelted down.
I raised my spear, "Prepare to move!"
Daffydd and his archers appeared behind us. Their bow strings were still inside their seal skin pouches. It would keep them dry until the last moment. The King and his oathsworn were in the centre of the river. I did not see who commanded the Angles. It was not Oswiu for he was still in the north. They waited in three ranks. The mercenaries were all on their left flank leaving us with the Deiran warbands. The bank was slippery and I saw the Mercians struggle to reach the solid ground. That should have been the moment for the Northumbrians to attack but they did not. They seemed content to allow King Penda and his men to form up. The Mercians were disordered as they struggled up the bank. Why let them form a shield wall? It made no sense to me. I began to hope and believe that we would win.
The Mercians formed three lines and then the second horn sounded. We moved forward. I glanced down the river and saw the men of the East Angles in the water. OEthelwald of Deira had not moved forward. In fact, he had withdrawn his men to a small hill which lay further north. He was not attacking. He was waiting to see which side would be likely to win. We were nearing the south bank when a Northumbrian horn sounded. Lang Seax led his clan and the mercenaries. Some had crossed the river. They must have been the splashes I heard in the night and they fell upon the flank and rear of the single warband of East Angles. They fell upon the Angles in the river. The one warband faced three. I forced myself to concentrate on what we needed to do. Our right flank would fall! We had to defeat those on our side.
We were in one line. Daffydd shouted, "Ready, Warlord."
Normally we would have taken our time but the longer we waited the less effective would be the bow strings. "Charge!" The damp ground would mean a charge at a trot rather than a gallop but we had to support King Penda. Already he was engaged with the Bernicians. Their blades and spears clashed in a deadly cacophony. I had my own battle. The arrows might not have been as effective in the rain but the first ones still flew two hundred paces and fell amongst those at the rear who did not have their shields up. Angles died! Even before we reached the shields another four flights had been sent into the enemy ranks. I saw the fall of arrows and knew that the range was decreasing incredibly quickly. Soon they would be useless.
Then we struck. I pulled back my arm and jabbed down with my spear. I was lucky. Even though Star did not have a firm footing the enemy had the same problem and as the Bernician who faced me stepped on to this left leg he slipped. My spear darted down and struck his neck I twisted and pulled. The blood arced spraying those around him. I urged Star on and his head reared above the Angle in the second rank. His jaws were open and his teeth looked terrifying. The Angle flinched and my spear found his stomach. The arrows had all been sent towards the centre, just ahead of me and I now reaped the reward. I was through their shield wall and I turned Star to head towards King Penda. I was attacking the side unprotected by a shield. Men tried to fend off my spear with their own but a spear is unwieldy at close quarters and I was striking down.
All was not going our way. I saw both Garth and Gruffyd pulled from their horses. They fought bravely but they were overwhelmed. I hurled my spear into the back of the warrior who was trying to take Garth's head. I drew my second spear. I saw that King Penda was beleaguered, "Head for the King!"
My equites and squires all followed me. Those at the rear were attacked by the warriors who had been on the far right. I heard Daffydd's voice above the mayhem all around us, "Archers, draw swords! Let us show them that we can fight as well as the equites too!"
A horse is the best vantage point to see the whole battlefield. With no enemies around me I looked west and saw that the East Angles had been slaughtered. That allowed Lang Seax to lead his men up behind King Penda. The Mercian King was being attacked in the rear. To my right Gawan and eight equites had manged to get within thirty paces of the King.
I speared another Northumbrian who was too slow to pull his shield up and I shouted, "Gawan! Go to the aid of the King!"
I know not if he heard me above the clamour of battle or if he read my thoughts but whatever the reason he raised his spear and he and the equites began to hack their way through the Angles. We were now well behind the front line of the Bernicians. I saw their leader. If I could get him then we might still win this battle. Agramaine, Pol and Dai were the nearest equites to me. I saw that there were too many empty saddles. There were less than twenty equites left and perilous few archers.
"Let us take the Eorledman who leads them. If we take the standard then the rest might flee!"
"Aye, Warlord."
The four of us and their two squires kicked our horses in their flanks and rode towards the standards of Deira and Bernicia. Their attention was on the battle for it raged around King Penda and his standard. I saw Gawan and his five remaining equites as they fought their way to his side.
I forced myself to look at the twenty men we would attack. We were less than forty paces from them when they spied us. The thegn shouted an order and ten of his men ran at us with shields and spears. I still had one spare spear and so I hurled the one in my hand. It caught the Angle in the centre by surprise. My spear drove into his leather armour and pierced his chest. He fell and tripped the warrior next to him. I drew my last spear and as Star trampled to death the fallen man I stabbed down at a third Angle. I was through them and I left the others to be dealt with by my equites. The Eorledman had his standard bearer by his side. Two priests and three oathsworn were also with him. I was alone save for Warrior who still ran gamely next to me. This would be my death. I would die with Saxon Slayer in my hand but I would die. The odds were five to one. I hefted the spear and hurled it as I approached. The standard bearer had no mail. He had no armour. The standard showed a martyred St. Edwin. Perhaps he thought that would protect him. It did not and he fell, along with the standard. Behind me I heard a cheer as the Mercians took heart.
Drawing Saxon Slayer, I rode at the oathsworn. The priests fled; their faith was not strong enough. The Eorle
dman had his sword drawn but his shield was around his back. As I neared them I pulled back on Star's reins and he reared. I slashed with my sword as his hooves hit one warrior. My sword struck the side of the helmet of a second. A spear was rammed up into my side. Warrior leapt and fastened his teeth around the oathsworn's neck They fell to the ground. Even as I pulled Star around the Eorledman had brought his sword down to take brave Warrior's head. He had died saving me. As the Angle with the bleeding neck rose I sliced across his neck with my sword. The Eorledman realised that he was alone and needed his shield. Even as he brought it around I hacked with Saxon Slayer. I struck his left arm, almost severing it. He looked up. His face was a mixture of shock and resignation. I brought Saxon Slayer from on high and cleaved his helmet and skull in two.
As I wheeled Star around I saw my two remaining equites riding towards me. Their squires were slain. I continued my turn and saw King Penda slain by Lang Seax. He raised King Penda's head to show what he had done. One of his men held up Pybba's head. It was the signal for flight. The Mercians ran. There was no logic to the direction they took. Some ran back towards the river while others tried to flee through the Northumbrians. Some of the Clan of the Snake had taken horses and were crossing the river to pursue them. The ones who stood the best chance were those who fled west. I turned to look for Daffydd ap Miach and his archers. I saw their huddle of bodies where they had made their last stand. Gawan! I looked back to King Penda's last stand. There was no sign of Gawan nor their horses. The Clan of the Snake must have taken them.
I dismounted and picked up Warrior's body. I laid it across Star's neck.
Agramaine's voice was urgent, "Warlord, we are lost! If we stay here then we will die too. We are the last three warriors of Rheged on the battle field. There may be others who have escaped. We should head south and then cut back north west."
Agramaine was right. I felt numb. In one battle more than half of the best warriors in Rheged had perished. Had Gawan fallen? Even as I turned Star to head south I closed my eyes and pleaded with Gawan to speak to me. Although he did not answer, strangely, I felt that he was alive and that gave me hope. I opened my eyes and we galloped through the Northumbrian camp ignoring the treasures which lay there. The most important treasure now was our lives. We had to get back to Rheged as soon as we could.
Part 4
The Clan of the Snake
Chapter 14
There was much confusion on the rain-soaked battlefield. We had horses. We were able to move faster across the boggy battlefield and the three of us slew Northumbrians to clear a path as much as anything. Small pockets of warriors fought on. All the leaders of the warbands lay dead, all, that is, save me and I had just two men left with me. I could not believe that all of my equites would have perished. I had seen few horses around the Mercians and none of them have been the horse of an equite. We rode south until we had overtaken the last of those fleeing the battle. Some of the Mercians held up their hands and shouted to us, "Warlord! Take us on the backs of your horses!"
Agramaine answered for us, "You fled the field first! Let your legs take you home." It sounded heartless but if we tried to take them with us then we would all perish.
The trickle of survivors from the disaster that was Winwaed would take some time to reach home. Already King Oswiu would be hurrying south to join his men and to save his son from Peada. That was not our concern. We had to find as many of my equites as we could and get back to Rheged. We came to another river. I had no idea what it was called but we did not relish fording another river and so we rode along its northern bank which headed west. We had to ride slowly for our horses were tired. We had outrun the others who had been in the battle.
At what passed for noon on this rain-soaked day we found a dell by the riverside. The ground rose to the north and I spied, in the distance, some sheep. The willows by the river provided some protection from the rain. It was the right resting place for a brave dog. "I will bury Warrior here. It is a peaceful place and his spirit can watch over the sheep. He was a brave beast and he saved my life. When he followed me from the shepherd and his family I did not know why. Now I see that it is part of the Allfather's plan. He saved my life and that has earned him a place in the Otherworld."
The ground was soft and we scraped a hole deep enough to bury the dog. Pol took some stones from the river bed and we laid them over the dead animal. We covered it with soil and I said, "Be free, Warrior. I owe you a life."
We took out some venison. I was not hungry but I knew we had to eat. Agramaine refilled our waterskins. As we ate he asked, "Does the Allfather's plan include your brother, Gawan, Warlord?"
I nodded, "Gawan knew that he would not return to Rheged just as I know." They looked at me in surprise. They were young equites. They had much to learn. "I know not where my path leads but I fear it is not to Rheged. We will head home but that may not be my destination."
Pol smiled, "Now you sound like Myrddyn and Gawan, lord! You are speaking in riddles."
I rested my head against the willow. "I do not think that my brother is dead. If he was then his spirit would be in my head and he would tell me so. When we went to Din Guardi he spoke to me there. I know not why he has not spoken to me but he is alive and I must find him."
"You would go back to the battlefield?"
"No, Pol, if he is on the battle field then he will be dead. As we fled I saw the bodies being stripped and I saw no equite to the west of us, at least none on a horse. He wore mail. All the wolf brethren will lie naked and despoiled on the battlefield. The victors will not leave them with mail on them." I touched the golden wolf clasp on my cloak. "We are richly adorned. This is the first time we have lost a battle and left our dead for the enemy. It sits heavy on my heart."
"Warlord it was not your fault that we lost."
"Yet we did and the cream of Rheged lie dead. All the equites, archers and squires were slaughtered. I now know that sending back the warriors I did was necessary. They could not have changed the battle and their presence in Rheged might save our home. They have Llenlleog to lead them."
"You think that the Clan of the Snake will head there?" There was fear in Agramaine's voice. We had seen what the Clan of the Snake could do.
"I know not. Gawan and Myrddyn were always here to give me advice. Now they are not and I feel that I am in a fog. We keep on heading home until I get a sign. Then you two will return to Rheged and I will end this quest."
"We do not leave you. If you are to die then there will be two equites who fall with you."
"And if I order you?"
Pol laughed, "That will be an interesting experience, Agramaine, refusing to obey the Warlord!"
We walked our horses for the rest of the afternoon. We had a long way to go and they needed our help. We kept heading north and west although with no sun our direction was ordered by the land. We guessed we were heading north west. We walked up the young river valley. It became a stream. By night time we were on the eastern slopes of the High Divide. We had seen few houses for we had followed the river which had become narrower as we had climbed north and west. We were not on the roads. That made it harder for me to estimate where we were. We found a piece of ground which offered some protection. Rocks made a natural shelter from the wind. There was turf for the horses and so we stopped. The rain had stopped and so we risked a fire. Our clothes and cloaks needed to be dried. Using our cloaks to give us shelter we lit a fire. We waited until it was blazing and our soaked cloaks began to steam before we moved away.
It was when I was taking off my mail that Pol said, "Warlord, you are wounded!"
I remembered the last of the Eorledman's oathsworn stabbing me. I saw that the links on my mail had been pierced. Agramaine went for the vinegar and honey. Pol cut away the shift I wore beneath my padded vest. The white shift was soaked with blood. The blood had matted and when Agramaine wiped it clean with vinegar it began to flow again. He said, "Warlord, you are losing too much blood. I cannot stitch this. Pol fetch
a brand from the fire."
I nodded. He was right. Pol gave the brand to Agramaine and then we held each other's shoulders.
"Ready, Warlord?" I nodded. There was a hiss and then the smell of burning hair and flesh as he sealed the wound. The pain was excruciating and had Pol not been holding on to me then I would have fallen. The brand was placed back in the fire and my wound covered in honey and a bandage.
We sat and watched our clothes and cloaks steam before the fire. "We will keep watch this night, Warlord."
I shook my head, "We are all tired. Our lives are in the Allfather's hands. We need our sleep and I think we have outrun any who might be pursuing us."
That night I dreamed. I saw Gawan's face but it looked to be in pain. He tried to speak with me but could not. All around him were the warriors of the Clan of the Snake. Each time I opened my mouth no words came out and then all faded to black.
Perhaps we were being watched by the spirits for we woke and all was well. I was stiff and my side ached when I moved but we were alive. The rain had gone to be replaced by grey brooding skies. Ahead of us the High Divide rose like a rocky wall. I spied a trail which wound up the sides. It was not a road but looked like a local trail. It had to lead somewhere and it was heading in the right direction. We walked our horses up the steep part to reach the trail. In the distance we saw smoke coming from isolated farms. They knew nothing of the battle and went about their lives as though nothing had happened. The undulating land meant we could not see them. When we reached the trail, we mounted. I saw that it was a cattle trail. Drovers used them to move cattle to market. I doubted that many had used them recently. The three of us scanned the horizon constantly. There would be warbands either seeking us or heading back to their own lands. Even the warriors of Mercia might prove to be an enemy. These were warriors without a leader. They might choose banditry now that their King and their chiefs were dead. The wind picked up as we climbed and I knew that we had to find a col or risk being silhouetted on the sky line.