by Griff Hosker
Agramaine was fighting three men. Two Saxons were between me and them even as I sliced into the Saxon's side Pol had slain one of the three. It proved to be his undoing for another Saxon axe swung and entered his spine. I threw myself at his killer. My sword drove all the way through his side. As I fell I kicked the legs from beneath one of the two men fighting Agramaine. As Agramaine slew the other I dragged my sword from the dead Saxon and plunged it up between the legs of the prone Saxon and into his guts. He died twitching and screaming. His screams seemed to act as a signal for the survivors, all fifteen of them to run to the river and swim across. They had had enough.
I crawled to Pol and cradled his head in my arms. He smiled, "I feel no pain, Warlord, but I am dead. I will see you in the Otherworld. I am sorry that I will not be with you when you rescue Gawan. Tell him..." His eyes glazed over and he was dead.
I stood. He had been a brave squire and a noble equite. Agramaine had tears in his eyes for they had been like brothers. "He gave his life for me."
I nodded. I saw that Egbert had but ten men left. The rest had died. "Egbert, your men fought like heroes. In these wagons is treasure. It is yours to use as you see fit."
"Do you not want it Warlord?"
"I need no treasure. We will bury our friend and pursue the enemy. In the unlikely event that we survive we will pick up Pol's horse. Until then care for it."
"Of course, Warlord, but there are but two of you. We slew many of them but, even so."
"We are the Wolf Brethren and we do not give up. My brother is being tortured. We will not stop until we find him."
Chapter 15
We buried Pol in the Roman cemetery of the fort. If was fitting. He was a Roman in all but name. He was buried with his mail, sword and shield. Agramaine tended to my knee and wrapped a bandage around my broken ribs. I now had three wounds and I knew that I would be slower. Agramaine had managed to avoid any wound and I would be more reliant on him. It was late in the afternoon when we crossed the bridge. We had sharpened our swords and taken spears from the armoury. I had seen more than fifty summers and I felt every one of those years. Our horses had benefitted from the whole day of rest and grain. We made good time on the Roman Road. We passed the bodies of two of the Snakes who had been wounded in the battle. They had been abandoned. We made almost twenty-five miles before we had to stop. It was dark and I did not want to risk an ambush. We found an abandoned hut and used it. We brought the horses inside. We could not risk going afoot.
After we had eaten, we had bread, cheese and ham which we had been given, Agramaine said, "Warlord it we do not catch them until they are in their stronghold then I fear our quest will be in vain."
"Then we catch them before they reach it. They have one horse. We can travel three times as quickly as they. I am guessing they are camped at the Roman Road. It is less than ten miles ahead of us."
Agramaine nodded, "We have whittled down their numbers but many more than twenty remain."
I smiled, "When we began they had more than a hundred and twenty. We take each step as it comes."
That night I woke. I had a pain in my heart. I thought I had been wounded. I could not understand it. When I felt my body, I was whole. What had the pain been? Was there some wound inside me? Had the axe done more damage than just my ribs?
We rose before dawn and left as the sun peered over the eastern horizon. I would have left in the dark but I feared tricks from the Saxons. When we reached the cross roads where the road forked I saw the reason for the pain in the night. On a spear, ahead of me was a human heart. I knew that it was Gawan. My brother was dead. It was a message from Lang Seax.
As we buried the heart Agravaine said, "They will ambush us."
"I know but not yet." I pointed ahead, "This is a Roman Road. It is straight for many more miles and the hills are to the south and east of us. They will ambush us when we get into the rough country." I pointed to the soil. "This cruelty will come back to haunt Lang Seax. He thinks we follow him blindly. We do not. Thanks to Gawan and Myrddyn we know where his lair is. It is by the river of the blue stones. When we get to the rough country we leave the road and we will spring our own surprise." I knelt next to the grave. "This may be the only part of you that we bury brother but it is not out of disrespect. We will avenge you. That I swear."
We mounted and rode down the road. We did not wear our helmets for we wanted to see as far ahead as we could. They would have men watching for us. Lang Seax wanted my sword. More than that he wanted my head. They would be the weapons I used to destroy him.
We had travelled five more miles when we found one of Gawan's legs. It was hanging high in the branches of a tree which overhung the road. As we passed it I gripped the wolf clasp on my cloak and apologised to my brother.
We rode further down the road until we were a few miles short of where the high ground began. We went off the road and into the woods to the east. There would be shelter from any rain and we could make it more secure than being in the open by the road. We lit a fire and put water on to heat. Agravaine made a stew and busied himself around the camp fire. I went into the woods and used some thin rope we had brought from the fort. Using my dagger, I cut some of the wild brambles and spread them around the outside of the camp. None of my traps would kill or even hurt the Saxons but if they came we would have warning. That was all we needed. We ate the food and, having made certain that the horses were secure, we laid down to sleep. We wore our mail. In my case it was too painful to remove. I had no intention of sleeping but I would, as Myrddyn had often said, rest my eyes yet remain alert. Agravaine and I had said all that we needed to say. Any further conversation would be just a means of filling the silence. We did not need to do that. We had our thoughts to occupy us.
I heard the Saxon trip not long after the fire had become a soft red glow in the dark. Saxon Slayer was close to hand and I gripped the hilt. A second rustle told me that there were at least two killers. My eyes were open and I was looking into the woods when I caught the movement. Despite my wounds I was up on my feet at the same time as Agravaine. There were eight Saxons. We had made our camp so that we were on either side of the fire. It was at our backs. We would be looking towards the dark and the light would reflect off their faces. I slipped my dagger into my left hand. The four who came at me were confident. I was a greybeard. I had been wounded and they outnumbered me.
One was more eager than the others and he lunged at me with his sword. I flicked it away with my dagger and swept Saxon Slayer around to eviscerate him. A second saw his chance and lunged. I pulled back and the blade scraped along my mail. More of the links were damaged. My left hand slashed him across the throat. The other two were warier. They moved to my left and right thinking that if they both attacked I would be helpless. I had no intention of allowing them to dictate the combat. I feinted with my sword at the warrior to my right and even as he lurched back and his companion seized his opportunity to strike at my back, I was spinning around. The fire made him lose any night vision he had. I brought my sword around as I spun and although he tried to turn he was too slow and my sword slashed through his flesh and into his organs. I pushed his dying body towards his companion and I followed through. The dying Saxon stopped the last one from swinging his sword. I dropped to my good knee and drove my dagger up into his guts and thence his heart. He fell dead.
I turned and saw that Agravaine had killed the four on his side. He gave me a sad look, "Warlord, I am wounded." He had his hand pressed to his side and when he lifted it I saw that it was bloody.
"Sit they are all dead."
"There may be others."
"There will not." I grabbed a bandage from the leather satchel which lay by the fire. Perhaps I was gaining my dead brother's powers for I knew that we had killed all the enemies who were around us. I lifted off his mail. He had been stabbed in the left side. The blade had gone through and he was bleeding profusely. "Lie down and hold this bandage to the wound. I will build up the fire. I will have to sea
r it."
I threw fresh kindling and wood onto the fire and blew. The flames began to lick around the wood. As the fire grew I took the vinegar and honey. It was the last of the vinegar. I returned to Agravaine who looked pale. I wondered if he might pass out. I took the bandage from him and mopped vinegar along the wound. It would be painful. The blood was pouring. I hoped that there was no internal damage or else my healing would be temporary at best. I was not a wizard, I was not a healer I was a wolf warrior. I took the burning band, "Agravaine roll on to your side and put the handle of your dagger in your mouth."
"Aye Warlord." He sounded sleepy.
I had no time to waste and I sealed the wound. Mercifully he passed out and I was able to hold the brand there until the bleeding ceased. I waited until it had cooled and then applied honey. While he was asleep I fastened a bandage around him. I made it as tight as I could. He was still unconscious, or asleep when I had finished and so I put his mail back on. Then, as dawn was breaking, I went to the Saxons. They each had, around their neck, a snake amulet. They each had a gold coin as well. They had been paid by Lang Seax. My brother was right. He feared me.
Agravaine woke an hour after dawn. I made him eat. I would have ordered him to return to the Roman fort but I knew he would refuse. He smiled, as he mounted his horse. "This is my first serious wound, Warlord."
I nodded, "It was honourably earned."
As we neared the high ground I saw, in the rocks to the west, Gawan's right arm. It had been carefully placed so that I would have to climb and be exposed if I was to remove it. There would be men hiding close by waiting to ambush me. Behind it I saw Wyddfa and that gave me hope. Myrddyn's spirit and that of my father were close by and watching me. I began to recognise where we were. I had been here with King Cadwallon when he had been a prince. I seemed to remember a hunting trail off the road. I wondered if my memory was playing tricks. Then, where the road began to climb I spied the track to the left. It was the hunter's trail I remembered. I remembered my dreams. I knew where we were.
I took the trail and dug my heels in to Star once we were in the trees. I knew that it would be agony for Agravaine to ride through such rough ground for my wounds were hurting too. It could not be helped. The end was almost in sight. Soon there would be no pain. At first, I thought that the trail would take us in a circle but then it turned back on itself and began to wind up around the hill. The trees masked any noise our horses might make and we rode until noon. We emerged east of the road. I saw the road winding up to the north west. I knew where we were. This was the place I had seen in my dream. This was where the magical pool lay. This would be Saxon Slayer's last resting place. This was wyrd. We were less than ten miles from the tomb of Myrddyn and my father. Lang Seax would not know that.
I did not approach the road. The trail seemed to run parallel to it. I wondered if this had been used by the ancient people when they had attacked the Romans invading their land. Agravaine and I did not talk. Sound travelled. I knew that he was close for I could hear his horse. The afternoon was passing quickly. Would Lang Seax stop? Was he waiting to ambush me? The questions raced through my head and then, as the sun started to drop behind Wyddfa, I heard a voice in my head, it was Myrddyn. 'Hogan Lann you are close. The enemy are near. Remember the pool with the blue stone!'
It confirmed what I had thought. We had found a blue stone in an underground pool. It was here in these mountains.
Donning my helmet, I said, quietly, "Draw your sword, we are close."
I took out Saxon Slayer and peered ahead. I caught a whiff of smoke. Someone was lighting a fire. We had no idea how many enemies faced us but I hoped that half of them were still waiting to ambush us. That way we had a chance. The trail made the difference. It dropped below the road and then climbed. I heard the voices of the Saxons above us. I dug my heels into Star and began to climb through the trees. I knew that the Clan of the Snake was close enough now that they would hear us but Star would be like a warrior. As I breasted the rise a Saxon turned from making water. My swinging sword was the last thing he saw. I spied Lang Seax. He was surrounded by four of his men. Another three were close to the fire. I rode at them knowing that Agravaine would be right behind me. Two of the three ran at me One had an axe. Star reared. His mighty hooves hit the axeman's companion in the head but the axe bit into brave Star's chest. Even dying he fought for me and his body fell on the axe man. I allowed myself to be thrown from his back and I rolled next to the fire. I saw Agravaine slay the third Saxon.
We had to be fast. I knew that the noise would attract the men at the ambush. I ran towards Lang Seax. He drew his long sword and hacked down at a body on the ground. He picked up Gawan's head and threw it at me. Two of his men ran at me while the other two ran towards Agravaine and his horse. I ignored the head and swept my sword at one of the Saxons. He blocked it and stabbed at me with his dagger. Even as my own dagger tore into the thigh of the other Saxon I felt the seax pierce my right shoulder. I saw Lang Seax lumbering towards me. The arrow wound in his leg had slowed him slightly. That evened things up a little. I swung my head around and head butted the Saxon who had stabbed me. As he reeled I lashed across his throat. Even as he fell the Saxon I had wounded stabbed me in the side with his sword. I felt it scrape along bone. It caught and I stabbed him in the throat with my dagger. As he fell his sword was dragged clear. The pain was as bad as the spear wound to my knee.
Lang Seax saw the blood and thought that I was mortally wounded, "Soon I will have Saxon Slayer and then I will sail to Rheged and your land will be mine. I will be King! Your brother was just a wizard. When I kill you, there will be much honour and glory!" He laughed, "And the treasure you sent home will now be mine. You thought yourself so clever sending but three men with the gold Penda paid you! My men followed and they will already be on their way home with more horses and gold!"
"Kill me first and then boast!"
Lang Seax held his long sword in two hands. The sun was setting and I was silhouetted against it. He could no longer see the blood seeping from my wounds. He suddenly ran at me, a little lopsidedly, swinging his sword above his head to split me in two. I dived to my left and dragged Saxon Slayer along his thigh. It tore through the leather and blood spurted. I tried to get to my feet but I was slow. His sword came down for my head. It was my helmet which saved me. As I pulled my head away his sword caught on the metal which held my red plume in place. It tore the helmet from my head but it allowed me to get to my feet.
As I stood I saw that Agravaine's horse was dead as well as the last two Saxons but Agravaine was not moving. There were just the two of us left but, in the distance, I could hear the sound of the other Saxons. They had heard the battle and were returning to their chief. We were both moving slowly now. My sword had ripped a deep wound in Lang Seax's leg. Both his legs had a wound. I had no speed and little agility anymore. I had to use guile. I used deception. I bent over as though I could not breathe and he did as I had expected, he swung his sword at me. He expected me to either move away from the blade or not be able to move at all.
Instead of doing either of those things I stepped in closer to him. I held Saxon Slayer above my head. He would hit my sword and the power of the long sword might well force my weakened arm down but I had little choice. The blade hit but it was too close to him and my blade held his. I brought the seax I had taken from the Saxon in Rheged up under his left arm. There was no mail there. I felt the blade enter the hairy flesh and I pushed. Warm blood began to flow around my hand. I pushed and twisted. The seax had no hilt and my fist went into the hole I had made. I was close enough to him to see the moment of his death. My hand was almost inside his body and I gave one more push. The light went from his eyes and he fell.
I was exhausted but I could hear the sounds of men rushing to the aid of their chief. I sheathed my sword and taking the long sword rammed it between two rocks and I broke it. I dropped the hilt and ran to Agravaine. He was still alive.
"Come let us get away."
It was a lie for I was dying but he had to have hope. I helped him to his feet.
"No Warlord, I am hurt. You escape and I will hold them off."
I shook my head, "No, Agravaine, this is the end. I will go and send the sword back to the spirits. Come with me."
"Go, I will hold them off as long as I can." His eyes told me that he was a dead man walking.
I clasped his hand, "I will see you in the Otherworld."
"I will be waiting."
I knew where the chimney of rock was and I headed up the trail. The sun was almost set now but there was enough light to see where I was going. The blood was pouring from my two wounds. As I recalled the pool was just above my head. I knew not where it was exactly and the question buzzed around my head, would I make it before I died or was caught? Below me I heard shouts and then the clash of steel on steel. A man cried out and there was more clashing of blades and shouts. There was a second cry and then a third and then silence. Agravaine had fallen. Each step was agony. I drew my sword and used it as a staff to help me up.
Suddenly I heard footsteps behind me. I turned. I was just int time to see one of the Saxons. My wolf cloak had hidden me and it was only when I turned that he saw my face. He was within two paces of me. I brought my sword across his neck. My blade bit deeply despite the fact that it had not been sharpened for days. I turned and hurried up the steep slope. I could barely get my breath and I felt blood flowing from my wounds. The Saxon voices told me that they had seen me. The pile of rocks ahead was a welcome sight. In my dream that was where the pool lay but footsteps behind brought another Saxon. This time, even as I turned, he rammed his spear into my middle. I had to use two hands to swing my sword. I hacked into his head. I pulled the spear from me. I saw entrails hanging down. I threw the spear into the dark and half ran and crawled to the rocks. I used my left hand to pull myself to the edge. Behind me I heard footsteps. I did not have long.