by Griff Hosker
After we had had our bodies scraped cleaned with flattened pieces of animal bone and our beards and hair plaited, our clothes were returned to us. I saw that they had been shaken and beaten clean. Even so they still felt dirty next to my skin. We dined well. Our host gave us a small chest filled with spices. Jarl Gunnar's eyes widened for it was worth a small fortune. At the end of the meal we were given the unwelcome news that, before we would be allowed to trade we were to be examined by the Governor. As I lay down on the incredibly soft bed I wondered if this was a trick of the Norns to put us tantalisingly close to a fortune and then snatch it away.
The crew of the drekar were gathered outside the hall when we emerged the next morning. Sven shouted, "What goes on Jarl?" He pointed to the six guards who awaited us. They were encased in mail and had the olive complexion of someone from the Middle Sea.
"We are to be questioned. Fear not." He strode over and handed the spices to Sven. "This is our reward." He lowered his voice. "Keep the men calm. We will return."
Lord Hunald was dressed in his finest clothes and he came with us. We were flanked by the six guards. I had the chance to examine the mail. It was finely made and consisted of overlapping scales. It went down as far as the knee where it split. I guessed that these were horsemen. The helmets had a plume and a mail aventail at the back. Their swords were the same as I had had hanging from my belt. I had left it aboard the drekar. I was glad that I had done so. I did not want to answer awkward questions about how I came by it.
The Governor's Palace was in the castle which dominated the port. It was made of stone and was heavily guarded. The gate was narrow and well protected. The walls were high. We could not take this place easily. We were taken to an antechamber where we waited. It seemed like we were there for days. I suddenly realised that Odo was not with us. Who would translate?
Eventually the door opened and we were ushered in. The Governor was a huge man and obviously aware of his own importance. He sat on a raised dais. Next to him stood two half naked black guards. Each held a two handed curved sword. Their muscled bodies showed that they were not there for show. These were bodyguards. Lord Hunald bowed. The Jarl nodded and we bowed too. Lord Hunald then spoke at length. The Governor questioned him and then clapped his hands.
An emaciated man was brought out. He had a slave's collar about his neck and he only had a left hand. The right was a stump. The Governor looked at him with some distaste and then spoke. The slave nodded and then spoke to us in Norse.
"The Governor asks who are you and why are you sailing in the waters or the Emir?"
Jarl Gunnar said, "You are Viking!"
The man's eyes showed panic. "Just answer the question I beg of you! I will be whipped if we displease the Governor."
The Jarl nodded and told him.
He translated and the Governor spoke. "The Governor says you are a warship. You sail a dragon ship. Are you a pirate?"
"Tell him we do not have a large crew. We are no pirates. We wish to trade only. We only came here because we fished Lord Hunald from the sea. We knew nothing of this place until the Lord Hunald told us. We were heading to Miklagård."
Surprisingly that seemed to satisfy the Governor. "He says you can stay here until the morning tide. You are to do your trades today and then go. If you are here when the sun rises tomorrow your ship will be impounded and you will be enslaved."
Even the Jarl was taken aback but he smiled and nodded.
"I am to accompany you to translate." He nodded to the guards who had brought us in. "They will watch us."
As we left I saw Lord Hunald breathe a sigh of relief. He smiled at me. "I take you to the other merchants and introduce you."
Before I translated I said, "We need to get our gold from the ship."
He shook his head, "You are strangers and not allowed to trade. I will have to buy what you need and then you will pay me."
I translated for the Jarl who nodded, "That is acceptable." He nodded to Lord Hunald and then said to the slave. "What is your story?"
"I am Erik of Orkneyjar. I was in the crew of Trygg of Orkneyjar. We served the one they call Dragonheart."
The Jarl and I stopped in surprise and looked at each other. We were rudely pushed in the back by the guards. The Jarl flashed an angry look at the Arabs. I said quietly, "Patience, Jarl."
He nodded, "We both served Jarl Dragonheart. We were told that all of Trygg's crew were killed."
The slave's eyes opened in wonder, "You know the Dragonheart! Wyrd. When the crew were taken I managed to escape. They caught me after the Dragonheart came and punished those who killed my shipmates. They decided to keep me and find out about Vikings. They took my hand as punishment and to stop me escaping. They asked about Vikings and I told them. Until you came they had not used me again. I think that they were tiring of me and resented wasting food on me. Had you not come then I would have been sent to the galleys. They may still send me there."
"A one armed rower?"
He shrugged, "Their rowers do not live long."
I felt sympathy for Erik. I had been a slave. I understood the brief flash of hope in his eyes when I said. "Where do they keep you?"
We were passing between the river and the castle. He pointed to a door in the rock. "That is where they keep the slaves at night. We are herded in and the gate locked."
"Why do you not escape is there no guard?"
"There is but one guard." He shrugged, "If I escaped where would I go? The only Frank who is allowed to trade is your Lord Hunald. All the other ships are Arab." He pointed to a galley which was tied up next to the wall. There were many guards around it. "That ship and others like it do not trade north. They trade south. Lord Hunald is charged with trading with the Empire of Charlemagne. Your host would do nothing to jeopardise his position here. No, my friend, I shall end my days here."
We were approaching the market. The Jarl said, "What is the cargo of the ship we saw? Why was it so heavily guarded?"
"It is the tax ship. It takes the taxes back to Damascus. It sails on the morning tide."
I looked at the Jarl who grinned. I could see in his eyes that he wanted the ship. For my part I wanted to help the Viking from Orkneyjar. The Weird Sisters had sent the sunken ship our way not to make us rich but to rescue Erik from Orkneyjar.
Chapter 3
The Jarl was clever with his trades. We chose light items such as silks and spices. Lord Hunald nodded his approval. The Jarl could have spent far more had we had the coin to pay it but he only had the coins we had taken from Aquitaine. Erik from Orkneyjar was taken away and the guards escorted us back to the ship. When we returned to the drekar Lord Hunald only stayed long enough to receive his payment. I think the Governor's words must have made him wish to distance himself from us.
Once on board we were assailed by questions.
"We sail before dawn but I have a fancy to take that tax ship."
"It looks formidable, Jarl!"
"I know Sven but it does not look as lithe as our ship. We are warriors. We can do this. One victory and we need not trade again this year. We can go to Frankia and be rich men."
They were all eager. Siggi White Hair said, "If it takes the taxes it will have to sail south. We could wait for it!" Excitement bubbled around the ship like waves on a rocky beach.
I said, "Jarl, I would like to rescue Erik."
He shook his head, "Like you I feel sorry for the old man but it is too risky."
"Jarl, I have been a slave and abandoned. You cannot know what that is like. He served the Dragonheart as we both did. I believe we were sent here to rescue him." I saw him wavering. "I can examine the tax ship while I rescue him. I will be able to tell you how many crew there are."
"But if you were caught?"
"Then the Norns would have meant it to be. If I am then leave me. I have served my purpose. I will go as soon as it is dark and be back here before you know it."
The Jarl pointed to the candle we used when in port. He took out h
is seax and put a mark on it. "We light this when you leave. If you are not back by the time it burns down to here then we leave you."
I nodded, "And if I do not return then Siggi White Hair and Arne Four Toes can share my chest."
I went to the whetstone and sharpened my seax and my sword. Siggi and Arne came over to me. "What is this about, Hrolf?"
I told them of Erik. "We will come with you. We owe you a life."
I shook my head, "The Jarl has few enough crew he can trust. I am but one youth. If I am lost...wyrd. But you two are there to protect the Jarl from the likes of Hermund the Bent."
Arne Four Toes grinned and shook his head, "You are like a shape shifter, Hrolf the Horseman. There is iron in you and depths that I cannot fathom. Your task seems impossible but I believe you will succeed."
I took my wolf skin from my chest. It made me harder to see at night and I believed it brought me luck. I gave Heart of Ice to Siggi for safe keeping. "Just in case I do not return."
He nodded, "I will keep it safe for you."
As I went to the gangplank Jarl Gunnar stopped me. "I will leave when the candles has burned, Hrolf. I want to be at sea before our sheep comes to us. I would hate to leave you behind but I have a crew and a ship to think of."
"I know and if I do not make it back then I do not blame you. I have thrown the bones. Let us see how they fall."
We were but four hundred paces from the treasure ship, the castle and the slave pens. I kept to the shadows of the warehouses and halls which lined the front of the busy port. It was after dark and no one was abroad. During the day this was a bustling and busy part of the port. At night it was deserted. I spied a lantern at the stern of the tax ship and I pressed myself in the doorway of a large wooden warehouse. From the smell I guessed it stored sandalwood. I saw that there were at least four men with mail and helmets on board the tax ship. Two others stood at the gangplank. There looked to be two banks of oars. I could smell the slaves who were chained to the oars. Luckily for mw it was closer to the sea than the slave pen and the guards would not see me if I kept close to the walls. . I peered around the corner and saw the guard on the gate. The gate was cut into the rock above which stood the castle walls. The single sentry was thirty paces from me. He had a helmet, a spear and a curved sword. I drew my own curved sword. It had a vicious edge to it and the point was sharp. It was unlike any sword I had seen or used before.
I left the doorway and moved along the side of the building. The sentry at the gate to the slave pen had his back to me. As he turned I turned also and pressed my face against the wall. The Allfather smiled on me. The sentry just saw a shadow. After I had counted to ten I turned my face and saw that he was looking towards the tax ship. I saw men approach the gangplank. There was an altercation and raised voices. This was my chance I ran, silently towards the sentry. He continued to stare at the ship. Blows were being exchanged. The sentry obligingly stepped out to afford a better view of the fight and I seized my chance. I put my left arm around his neck as I stabbed the curved blade up through his side. His body became limp and I laid it silently on the ground.
There were now more men at the tax ship and the altercation was growing. The Weird Sisters had spun their threads and were giving me the chance to rescue Erik. I did not spurn the opportunity. There was a large lock on the chain which held the gate. Faces appeared. I said, "Shss!" The sentry had no key on him but he did have a dagger. I put the dagger between two of the links of the chain. They were the weakest I could see. Rowing for two years had made my muscles stronger. I twisted as hard as I could. It seemed impossible that I could break it but the Allfather watched me yet or perhaps I had strengths I knew not of. Suddenly the chain sheared. I opened the door and hissed, "Erik!"
I held the dagger before me to keep the slaves at bay. Years of servitude had made them obedient and they did not come forward. Erik stepped from the crowd.
"Tell them to slip out one by one. If they do not make a noise they might escape."
He spoke to them. As he did I picked up the guard's sword. I handed the dagger to Erik and said, "Come. We must get to the drekar."
We hurried towards the drekar keeping close to the wall. Some of the escaping slaves followed us. That could not be helped. We were just thirty paces from 'Raven's Wing' when the alarm was given. Some of the slaves must have made a noise. The men who had been sorting out the altercation now shouted and pointed to the slaves.
"Run! To the ship!"
Siggi and Arne must have been watching for they rushed to help us get aboard. Some of the slaves tried to board. Siggi White Hair pushed them away with the tip of his sword. They got the message.
Sven hissed, "Cast off!"
As we tumbled aboard I felt the current from the river take us. The Jarl did not raise the sail and he had only a dozen oars out. We would slide silently from the port. I peered over the sheerstrake. I could see horsemen pouring from the castle as they hunted the escaping slaves. That and the altercation close to the tax ship meant we drifted out of the river unseen. Our absence would be noticed but, by then, it would be too late. It was the Norns once more. I knew that they had sent us here to rescue Erik. It was wyrd.
As we headed south, the sail unfurled, Siggi clapped me on the back as he handed me my sword, "You are cunning, Hrolf. Letting those slaves escape distracted the Arabs. Well done!"
The crew all banged the deck in approval. All, that is, save Hermund and his cronies. They glowered at me. I went to Erik. He sat sobbing on the deck. He had been there since we had boarded. He looked at me with gratitude, "I owe you a life. If I die now I die among my own." He held the dagger I had given him. "I die with a blade in my hand and no one will make me a slave again!"
I think I was the only one who truly understood his feelings. Sometimes we do things and know not why we do them. Sometimes we do things that make us feel better about ourselves. I was more proud of myself that morning than I had ever been. And then I realised that I was now responsible for Erik. He had but one arm and could not row. The Dragonheart had done the same for me. I would have to protect him and feed him from my share. The clan could not afford passengers.
We did not have to sail far down the coast. Sven and his boys spied an inland patch of water some thirty odd miles south of Portucale. They had sharp eyes to spot it at night. The moonlight glistening on it was the only sign of its existence. We turned the drekar around and lowered the sail. The tax ship would have to pass us to head south. We ate as we prepared for war. Some of the men did as the Ulfheonar did and donned red paint on their faces to make them look fierce. I knew that was why Harald Black Teeth had filed his teeth. He wanted to look fearsome. I just strapped on my sword. I had no shield. I would need to make a new one. Instead I relied on my sword and a seax.
As dawn broke we saw that the water was a lagoon and quite a wide one at that. There were houses and fishing boats but they were far enough from us not to trouble us. If they tried to sail past us then we would stop them but so long as they do not interfere then we would not harm them.
It was Karl who spotted the galley when it did appear. "I see her! The galley! She is to the north west!"
"Oars!"
We went to our chests and seated ourselves. Sven shouted, "Row!"
Siggi White Hair began the chant,
'Through the waves the oathsworn come
Riding through white tipped foam
Feared by all raven's wing
Like a lark it does sing
A song of death to all its foes
The power of the raven grows and grows.
Through the waves the oathsworn come
Riding through white tipped foam
Feared by all raven's wing
Like a lark it does sing
A song of death to all its foes
The power of the raven grows and grows.'
It was not a saga in the style of Haaken One Eye but it was about our drekar and our clan. Soon we would have better songs for we had finally
achieved something but that would take time and thought. We would need to speak and to talk of those who had fallen. Until then we used the chant to power through the sea. I put my back into the oar. I was part of the saga. I had played my part. No matter what Hermund the Bent said he could not take away my part in this raid. Even if we failed then people would remember that Hrolf the Horseman had served Jarl Gunnar Thorfinnson.
Siggi said, quietly, "We are a crew! Do not try to do it by yourself!"
"Sorry but I..." Realising I had been rowing too hard I took up the chant again.
'Through the waves the oathsworn come
Riding through white tipped foam
Feared by all raven's wing
Like a lark it does sing
A song of death to all its foes
The power of the raven grows and grows.
Through the waves the oathsworn come
Riding through white tipped foam
Feared by all raven's wing
Like a lark it does sing
A song of death to all its foes
The power of the raven grows and grows.'
I was desperate to turn around and see how far we had to go but I knew that it would diminish our power. I had to rely upon the judgement of Sven and the Jarl. I felt my shoulders begin to burn. That would pass. I stared at the back of Arne Four Toes' helmet. I saw the tiny flaws in the metal. Bjorn had no such flaws in his helmets. I saw his hair was lank and greasy. The Jarl and I had clean hair plaited in neat pigtails. When you rowed you did anything to take your mind off the oar in your hand and the pain in your back. It would pass soon enough. When it did then we would begin to fight. We had no idea how many men we faced save that we knew there were warriors in mail to guard the treasure. Had they been just sailors then we would have been more confident. On the other hand warriors meant more arms and armour to claim. I thought about slaying a warrior with an aventail. I liked my helmet but an aventail would be good.