by Griff Hosker
The Danes did not arrive for three days. They came in two drekar. We watched them negotiate the tricky passage to the quay and tie up. I recognised Hvitserk Ragnarsson. There were two other warriors dressed as finely as he. They would be the other jarls. He waved as they tied up. A young warrior left the drekar and came down to speak to us, “The jarl would speak with you. Will you come aboard?”
Mindful of the threat from those wishing to take the bounty, I shook my head, “Tell him we will meet him in the ‘Saddle’. Our business can be conducted over food and ale.”
The young warrior did not seem offended, “Of course, Jarl Dragonheart.”
The three of us headed down to the alehouse. I wanted the majority of my crew on board my drekar. We were three Ulfheonar. We could handle whatever danger came our way. As we entered I said, “Sven, we have some Danes coming to speak with us.”
He nodded, “We will watch your back, jarl. Freya is fond of you.”
I took off my cape and shook the water into the street. It had been a short journey from the ships but if we had not had our capes then we would have been soaked. Cloaked and caped men walking towards us had been a threat on our walk and I was glad to be in the cosy warmth of the alehouse. Freya brought over the beer. She was about to say something when Hvitserk Ragnarsson entered. The two Danes with him had tattooed faces and pieces of bone in their hair. They looked like savages.
Hvitserk Ragnarsson smiled, “You came! That is good, Jarl Dragonheart. These are two of my brothers, Sigurd Snake in the Eyes and Halfdan Ragnarsson.” The two men grunted and sat down. I could see that Hvitserk Ragnarsson was the one who was closest to normal. Freya brought ale. She held out her hand for coins. Hvitserk counted it out and Freya shook her head. He paid more. I hid my smile. She was charging him for our ale.
Sigurd Snake in the Eyes snapped, “Get on with it little brother. The more time we spend here in Bruggas the less time we have for raiding,”
Hvitserk Ragnarsson nodded, “I have good news jarl, I have the promise of over three hundred and ten dragon ships. I told you that your name would draw men.”
“So you did.”
Halfdan asked, as I drank some of my beer, “Well? Will you lead us?”
“I told you that I would think on it. Your plan to raid Lundenwic does not need three hundred ships. You could take the burgh with ten ships and good men.”
Olaf Leather Neck wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, “Or forty ships filled with Danes.”
Haaken laughed and Halfdan and Sigurd’s hands went to their knives. I kept my voice steady, “Peace. If you cannot take banter then we will bid you farewell. If you have three hundred ships then you do not need me.” The brothers looked at one another. “So there is something else apart from the raid on the Temese. Speak. Like your brother I am anxious to be gone. We have waited here three days for you. The port fees are an expense I like not.”
“You are right, Jarl Dragonheart. Lundewic is the start. We leave our ships in the river and we take our men to Wintan-Caestre. If Lundenwic is rich then how much richer will King Egbert’s old capital be?”
“And why do you need me?”
“You have fought the Saxons in battle before. We have raided but you have defeated King Egbert himself. No other warrior has managed that. And we thought to have a kingdom here.”
“With me as king?” The three of them nodded. “Then you have the wrong man. I seek no throne.” I thought back to my dream. I thought of Sámr’s dream. The Danes were doomed and I would be the one who would lead them to that doom. If I did not do so then my land and my clan would be cursed. I could live with a curse on me but not those I loved. “However, I bear no love for Æthelwulf. I have no doubt you heard he put a price on my head.”
Sigurd Snake in the Eyes smiled, it was not a pleasant smile. “It is a small fortune.”
Olaf leaned forward, “Do not think to claim it Dane.” Sigurd looked down and saw that Olaf’s seax was touching his groin.
I smiled, “There will be no treachery, Olaf Leather Neck. It is in our new friends’ interest to keep me alive. I will lead you. So long as you obey my orders then I will ride at your head. If there is dissent or disobedience then I will leave. Is that fair?”
Only Hvitserk Ragnarsson assented. That worried me. “We will gather the fleet at the Isle of the Sheep at Harpa. This is a great day!”
I drained my ale and nodded, “Until Harpa.” I waved over to Freya. She came to my side. I gave her one of the coins we had from Isaac. “Thank you for your hospitality. It will be some time before I return.”
“Take care. A man only has so much luck. Do not waste yours on feckless Danes.”
She was right. I had had more than my fair share of good luck. Was I about to risk all? It was the Norns.
Part Two
The Great Viking Raid
Chapter 10
I spent the voyage north closeted with Atticus and my Ulfheonar. Atticus had not been idle. When we had been in Bruggas he had uncovered information. He had used his wax tablet to help him to remember. We knew that there were another three brothers who were back in Denmark. They had ravaged the land of the East Angles. There was little left there to take. Atticus also learned that King Æthelwulf had sent his thegns to pay Isaac. They had not hurried back to Wessex. They had asked many questions about me and the Land of the Wolf. King Egbert’s son was as cunning as his father.
The four of us worked out what we ought to do. “I will not risk my family on this venture. It seems I am doomed to die. I will take ‘Red Snake’ .”
“‘ Red Snake’ ! She has not sailed for four years. She is rotten!” Haaken was disappointed.
“And she is just a threttanessa!” Olaf Leather Neck was outraged.
“The Danes did not say I had to bring a large ship or a large crew! I will not risk a ship I care about. Bolli and Erik can make her seaworthy. She has served us well. If this is her end then let us make it a glorious one.” They nodded. Atticus looked confused. He did not understand our love of ships. “And I take only volunteers who know that we are not coming back.”
Atticus said, “You do not know that, lord. The Danes may succeed besides the rhyme Sámr told was that you would live.”
“The Norns are devious. They play with words. If I was leading three hundred ships with jarls I had chosen then we might succeed. I am leading Danes. I am no fool, Atticus. When we have conquered Wessex then they will kill me, take my sword and fight amongst themselves until just one remains alive. He will be king!” I shook my head. “They will fail. My dream told me that. I will do nothing to make that happen. I will not be foresworn, even to Danes. I said I would lead them to victory until they disobeyed me and I will do so. That is why, Atticus, I will take only volunteers. I will take no married men.”
“Save Ulfheonar.”
I looked at Haaken One Eye, “You wish to die?”
“I have stood back to back with you since the fighting platform in Norway. Our threads are twisted together so much that we cannot separate them. This married man will be with you and there is naught you can do about it, Jarl Dragonheart.”
We passed Man and approached Whale Island. I was not looking forward to telling my grandson and his wife of the disaster which almost befell their family. I was a man and that was what men did. They faced up to those things they did not want to do but knew they had to. As we approached my land I gathered the three boys around me. “What happened at Syllingar was a most frightening and, in many ways, wondrous thing. You, Sámr, thought not of yourself but your brother and risked your life to save him. It was also terrifying. I will the one to tell your parents. Do you understand?”
They nodded.
“Sámr I will send for Kara, Aiden and Ylva. You need their help.”
“I am well.”
Haaken was behind me, “No you are not. I remember that I was haunted by the nightmares of the witch for many months. Sometimes I wake up, even now, and I am sweating and shaking. You
r father, Mordaf, also met the witch and he took some time to recover. You will do as the Dragonheart says for you owe him a life, Sámr. He risked his own life to bring you back. He was willing to exchange his for you. No man can ask more.”
“Then I will do as you say for I am always your warrior. Before I am your great grandson I am a member of the Clan of the Wolf.”
The three of them were kept busy as we tacked into the narrow harbour. “Haaken and Olaf, bring the chest ashore as soon as you can. I must speak to Ragnar and Gruffyd as soon as we land. I know that the crew will be eager to tell their tale. I would prefer the truth came out before the legends begin.”
It was not wet but it was cold. The wind was from the east. It penetrated cloaks and kyrtles. My family, waiting to greet us, were well wrapped up. I stepped off the drekar first. The three boys waved at them and then carried on with their duties. I put my arms around Astrid and Ebrel. “Come, take this old man inside where there is a fire. I am chilled to the bone.”
Ebrel said, “But Mordaf…”
“Mordaf is a ship’s boy. He has duties to attend to. He will come when Erik releases him.”
Ragnar said, “Let us go inside so that Dragonheart can tell us what happened.”
“You are galdramenn now?”
He laughed, “No but you have never in your life worried about being cold. You wish us to go inside and then you will tell us.”
Ebrel said, “The boys are well?”
“The boys are well. Come inside and let me tell all.”
When they were seated and my cloak removed we sat. Atticus came in and stood behind me. I told them of the fog, the rocks. I told them of the cave and the dreams. I told them of my promise to the Danes.
“But you said the boys were well.”
“And so they are.”
Atticus said, “Mistress, I have spoken with them. If that had happened to me I would still be shivering and shaking but Sámr and Ulla War Cry are Vikings. My lord has not lied. The boys are healthy.” He looked at me and I nodded.
“But I will send for Kara, Aiden and Ylva. If there is a spell on him then they can remove it.” I looked at my son. “Remember?”
He smiled and put his arm around Ebrel. “I met the witch. I survived. Sámr is strong.” He looked at me. “But I do not like this raid on Wessex. From what you say it is doomed to failure.”
“Perhaps although it is hard to tell where the Norns are concerned.” I saw Ragnar look at Gruffyd. “And before you say anything else you will not be raiding with me. I take only volunteers and only single men. If it is doomed to failure then the fewer I lose from the clan the better.”
The door opened. A chill wind came with it and Sámr, Ulla War Cry and Mordaf stood there. It was as though a dam had burst. Astrid ran to her sons and hugged them. Ebrel picked up Mordaf and began to examine him as though he was possessed. When Sámr broke away from his mother he said, “I am not married, Jarl Dragonheart. I will come raiding with you.”
I shook my head, “No, you will not. There is no argument. I sail with just twenty-eight warriors and no ship’s boys. I will be my own helmsman. That is my decision.”
I knew there would be arguments but I had made up my mind. I divided the coins from the crown and the books and left the next morning with Atticus and Olaf Leather Neck. The snows had melted leaving behind a muddy morass. The journey was less than pleasant. As we headed north Atticus questioned me closely. “Why are you so certain that you have to do as this Norn creature wishes?”
Olaf Leather Neck answered for me, “I am a warrior and I fear no man. These Norns are not men and they are not human. You cannot kill them.”
“They are not real.”
I turned to him. “Then where did Sámr go? You saw me disappear beneath the earth and return after a night had passed. Where did I go? What happened to the island?” I pointed to the leather tube he carried. In it were maps. “You marked the position of the island on your charts?” he nodded. “Then you could find it again easily.”
“Of course, lord.”
“No, you could not… We have tried. Aiden and Erik know exactly where the island lies and yet we have never found it unless the Norns wished us to. It appears when the Norns command. That is why I must do as the Norns have instructed me. The fate of my family, my clan and my land depend upon it.”
“You are a strange people, jarl.”
When we reached my home, I did not go to my hall I went to speak with Aiden and Kara. I could see that they were disturbed as soon as I began to speak. I finished telling them and Kara nodded, “We sensed that there was danger. The spirits came to us but the Norns hid themselves from us. You have to lead them.”
“And we will lose.” I said it as a statement and not a question. They both nodded. “How can you be so sure?”
“The Norns are punishing the Danes. I know not why. Perhaps they did not show them enough respect or they have offended the gods. There may be some other purpose. It does not do to delve too deeply into the minds of the Weird Sisters.”
“And you will help Sámr.”
“We will leave tomorrow. Ulla War Cry will have been affected too. He was sent into the sea by the Norns. He is part of their plans.”
Before I went to my hall I walked around the Water to the place where I had had my first hall and the grave of my first wife, Erika. “Soon I may be with you wife. Thank you for interceding and saving Sámr. I need you to watch over all of them for I fear that I may not be here for much longer. If I do not die with a sword in my hand then remember me.” Perhaps it was my imagination but the Water suddenly flecked white and a breeze came from nowhere. In the skies above some migrating geese called. It was Erika. She had answered me.
I had my land to put in order. I left Atticus in charge of the hall. My first choice would have been Uhtric. Now he was getting too old. I spoke with Bagsecg. I gave him the coin to make three byrnies when the boys were old enough and a sword for each of them. I had more money than I would ever spend and I wanted it to be used for my offspring. I also took one of his helmets. Then I spread the word that I was looking for twenty-six warriors to go on a raid and that there was little likelihood of coming back alive. That done I left for Whale Island. I had a moon to prepare an old drekar for sea. ‘Red Snake’ had been the drekar of Magnus the Foresworn. When we had slain him and his warband we had taken his ship as weregeld. We did not change the name; that was bad luck but the ship had served us well. Her hull was still sound. A coat of pine tar and new rigging and a sail and she would fly once more.
I went directly to the dock for Erik and Bolli were already working on her. They stopped when I arrived, “I can steer her Jarl Dragonheart. I am not afraid.”
“I know Erik but I told you, single men only. Do you think I cannot steer?”
“Of course not it is just that you have yet to go to sea without me there. I sailed with you as ship’s boy and then captain. This does not feel right.”
“Is she sound?”
“She is sound. As she has been out of the water there is no weed. The pine tar is drying. She will need six days in the water for her timbers to swell. The mast is a good one. We have the sail and rigging ready to fit. All that we really need to do is to replace the steerboard withy.”
“Good.”
My reception in Ragnar’s hall was a little frosty. I could see that he was still annoyed that I would not take him. I sought help from Aiden. “Tell my grandson that I think of him. He must stay here and lead the clan.”
“Of course he must but Sámr must go with you.” I looked at Kara. She had said it so calmly that it was almost like someone asking for a horn of ale.
“I told him no!”
“And you were wrong.”
Astrid shook her head, “I cannot lose him!”
Kara said, “You will not.” She held Astrid’s hands in hers. “After we spoke with Sámr and we had put a spell on him we dreamed. We were lucky that Ylva was here visiting Bronnen for it was her po
wer which allowed us to speak with Skuld.”
I turned, “The Norn who predicts the future?”
“Yes, father. We saw, through a fog, the same fog which almost cost Sámr his life, Sámr grown a man with a wife and child. We saw not the faces of the wife and child but we saw Sámr. He will not die on this raid and he must go for his fate is tied to yours. We have not seen you in the future but in my heart, I know that if Sámr does not come with you then you will perish. If he comes with you then he will survive. As for you?” She shrugged.
Astrid said, “I do not believe in your witches!”
“And I do not believe in your god and his son who was killed and reborn but tell me this, sister, how else do you explain Sámr’s story?”
Silence filled the hall. Astrid was beaten. I, too, was defeated and Sámr had a grin as broad as a sunrise on his face.
I walked, the day before I left, with Gruffyd and Ragnar. Haaken and Olaf Leather Neck were on the drekar assigning benches. With only one man to an oar the balance was crucial. As we had Haraldr too we had to find another who was almost as big. Haraldr was also the only one without a full mail byrnie. We had had so many volunteers that we had been able to choose young warriors with mail. We might have a small warband but we would be the best. Every warrior had a bow. All were good archers. I had the Saami bow and Aðils Shape Shifter had loaned his to Haraldr.
“You have a plan, grandfather?”
“Of course.”
“I mean a plan to escape. It is obvious to all of us that the Norns intend for the Saxons to defeat you. I cannot see how they will do it for you have never been bested by a Saxon yet. So I ask again, how will you escape?”
I smiled. Ragnar knew me well. “We will take Lundenwic. With the numbers of men, they speak of we cannot do anything else. Then we march to Wintan-Caestre. I intend to have four of our men to sail ‘Red Snake’ to the Isle of the Sheep. The land around there is boggy. It is full of inlets and tidal marshes. If things go badly for us then I will head there with whoever survives. If we can reach our ship then we will sail home.”