by Griff Hosker
I sat next to him and offered him my sword.
"No, I want you to look at it. How can you kill with this?"
I stabbed forward and then swung it sideways. "A thrust or a slash."
He nodded. "Choose wisely. If your enemy wears armour then it is hard to cut them. You must weaken the armour first or weaken the man. If you strike with the flat of the sword it will still hurt and not take off your edge." He pointed to his knuckles. "If you hit here then my hand becomes numb. I might even drop my weapon. Now it you have quick hands, and I think you do for you have a quick mind, then you use your tip." He took my helmet and placed it on the stump of a tree. "Stab the tree in the eye."
My hand darted forward and my sword went next to the nasal and under the bronze metal band.
"Good. Now if he moves then you will hit metal but it will make him move his head. When he does that you use your shield or your seax for he will be distracted. Never make the same blow twice unless you wish to make him think he knows what you do. Vary your strokes and your blows and remember that no matter how good your sword is each time you hit with it the blade and the tip become less sharp. The sooner you end the combat the better. Now come. I am hungry and I smell bread! Someone must have managed to light the bread oven!"
Even though the first batch of bread was slightly burned it did not matter it was worth it. The Jarl opened another barrel of ale. "Before we run out of ale and as we have the hall and oven finished we will raid!"
We all cheered.
He turned to Erik One Hand. "You have proved yourself to be one of the crew I would have you stay here and watch the hall. Will you do that?"
I saw the disappointment on his face but he nodded, "It would be an honour, Jarl." He smiled. "I will see if I can manage some one-handed bread!" We laughed and he added, "And I can tend the nets. There will be dried fish too when you return laden with treasure!"
Arne Four Toes shouted, "Where do we sail, Jarl? Frankia?"
"Not this time. I had thought that Sussex is ripe for plucking. The Danes have made the land of the East Angles theirs. Perhaps King Egbert still looks to the north and his enemy, Jarl Dragonheart. It is a rich land. I fear the eye of the Empire will be seeking us out."
Alf the Silent said, "There is a place called Haesta or something like that. The tribe are the Haestingas. They have iron workings there and a bay where we can land."
Arne laughed, "You do not say much but when you do it is worth hearing Alf the Silent!"
He smiled. He had said enough and he was a wise man who knew when to stop.
Einar Einarsson nodded, "I have heard of the place but I did not know about the iron. That would be good, Jarl. We could do as Hrolf has done. Melt iron and add studs to our leather. Until we get mail it will be better than nothing."
"I have seen armour which is like the scales on a fish. P:ieces of metal are sewn on to leather. They over lap." I remembered the men I had seen on the galley.
Einar nodded enthusiastically, "Even better. The we steal iron and make ourselves stronger."
We spent some time questioning the two of them about the best approach and when he had done so the Jarl said, "Now that you all have a helmet I have a mind to put on a Herkumbl on your helmets. We are one clan and our foes should know it." Sven brought out a carved wooden stamp. On it was a raven's wing. For our first raid it will just be painted with squid blood but when we return with iron we will make a metal one." A Herkumbl was a clan marking. It helped when you fought other Vikings. Hermund the Bent was an enemy and one day we would have to fight him.
The idea appealed to all of them. Even as we discussed it I was deciding that I would have a horse for my sign when I led a warband. Then I laughed. I had a piece of mail hanging from my helmet, a sword, a second hand shield and already I was leading warriors. How the Norns must have laughed at my youthful arrogance.
Sven estimated that it would take us almost two days to reach the Sussex coast. It had taken that long to reach Frisia. We left in the afternoon so that we could arrive in the middle of the night. Erik One Hand waved us off. He looked a forlorn figure on the cliff top. I did not envy him being alone on an island with just the spirits of the dead there. The winds were with us until we rounded the Breton coast. They still helped but we were not as swift through the water. By then it was nightfall. During the day we used the wooden compass which Sven kept. It meant we could sail confidently. At night it was not as easy to keep a straight course. As luck would have it we only had the stars briefly but it helped Sven and Harald Fast Sailing to correct our course. When dawn broke they checked their compass and found that we were still on course.
To the east of us lay Frankia and we avoided that. Our run in with the Count's men in Dorestad meant that there might be Imperial ships watching for us. We could out run any of them but it was better to be hidden if possible. The sea is a vast place and we saw no sign of sails as we used the gentle winds from the south to head steadily and, we hoped, stealthily towards the coast of the land of the Angles. We slept watch on watch. It was never a deep sleep. The anticipation of action was too great for that but we rested and we ate. We were all happier when darkness fell. We felt that luck was with us when the clouds disappeared and the stars helped us to steer a more accurate course.
Alf and Einar were at the bows. They had both been here before. They were looking for landmarks. They knew that to the east of the small port were high cliffs. If we could find them then they were both certain that they knew of a small beach some mile and a half from the settlement where we could land. We knew that we were approaching land when the swells lessened and we could hear, in the distance, the sound of waves breaking on a shore. Sven shortened sail. It slowed us down and made us harder to see.
A whistle from the bows took the Jarl racing down the centre of the drekar. He came back and pointed west. We were a couple of points too far to the east. We sailed a parallel course to the coast and we all saw the cliffs. When the ship's boy on the mast head spied the beach he whistled and pointed. The sail was quickly furled and we took to the oars so that we could land as gently as possible.
Ulf Big Nose leapt into the surf before we had even grounded and he raced up the path which was clearly visible to the west. We would not be beaching the drekar. Sven and the ship's boys would let her drift out to sea away from the rocks and use a sea anchor. During the voyage I had found time to attach a longer strap to enable me to carry the shield upon my back and I put it on over my wolf cloak. As we were at the stern Siggi, Arne and I were amongst the last ones off. We helped to push the drekar back into the deeper water and the ship's boys used oars to scull away from the beach.
Ulf Big Nose appeared and he pointed west. He had found the settlement. I was in the middle of the warband as we headed up the path which twisted and turned its way to the headland. We were partially in the dark as we had no idea if there was a wall or armed men waiting for us. Neither Alf nor Einar remembered one but it had been some years since they had visited. Who knew what might have been built since then? Confidence was high but even I knew the risk the Jarl was taking.
We reached the headland and Ulf pointed across the shallow valley. There was a burgh. It was small but they had fortified the top of the other headland which stood above the small port. There were four or five fishing boats bobbing around but the place was silent. Between the burgh and the water were scattered houses. Alf pointed to the north east. He had said that was where the mine workings were. Arne nodded and led off the twelve warriors who would accompany him. It was to be hoped that there would just be the miners there and Arne and his men could overpower them. If they could secure the iron then it would be as valuable an asset as gold.
The rest of us followed Ulf as he led us down the valley. I wondered what strategy the Jarl would employ. The burgh looked to be small. I wondered if it was a refuge in case of attack. If I had been the Jarl I would have searched the houses first. If they were empty then it would mean the people were in the burgh. We
halted fifty paces below the houses. I glanced behind me and saw the faintest of glows. Dawn would be an hour or so away. The Jarl waved to Ulf Big Nose who slipped up the hill side towards the nearest hut. Our scout was like a ghost. Jarl Gunnar then turned and waved Siggi White Hair to the left and Beorn Beornsson to the right. I drew my sword and followed Siggi. I saw him swing his shield around and I followed suit. I was no longer the new warrior. I had to earn my oar.
We were approaching the huts which were closest to the port. Perhaps the fishermen were early risers or perhaps we were unlucky but a man stepped from his hut as Siggi approached. I understood enough Saxon to know what he shouted, "Vikings!"
That was as far as he got for Siggi hacked across his chest and the man fell writhing to the ground. Pandemonium ensued. The huts emptied as men and women alike raced out. The men held weapons and some of the women had armed themselves with knives. A man launched himself at me with a wood cutting axe. I barely had time to hold up my shield. He was no warrior. As the axe caught on one of my new studs it stuck. I darted forward and my sword slid between his ribs. As he fell Siggi shouted, "Quickly! Kill the men! Forget about the women!" I saw some of the newer men trying to restrain the women. Ketil Eriksson had his face raked for his troubles. The women fled away from us.
With the women gone we soon disposed of the men who remained. They were brave but facing a Viking was a daunting task. Siggi pointed to the Eriksson brothers. "Go around the huts and collect anything that is valuable. If there is loose soil in the centre then dig it up. There may be treasure. Take all that you can back to the ship."
"What if there is too much?"
"Then, Knut Eriksson, you use a cart like that one there!" The scorn in his voice as he pointed to the four wheeled crudely made cart caused Ketil to laugh at his brother's embarrassment. "The rest of you follow me to the burgh. The Jarl may need help."
We turned right and headed towards the burgh. The Jarl was closer to the fort. If the Saxons stayed within we were safe enough but if they sallied forth then the Jarl only had eight warriors with him. The sun had begun to spread its thin light from the east. It shone on mail. There were warriors within the burgh. I ran as fast as I could. I was younger than the rest and I only had leather armour. I began to out strip the rest of the clan. The huts hid my view of the Jarl but I heard the clash of metal on metal. He was being attacked.
As I burst through a gap in the huts I saw that Eystein Svensson was dead and even as I watched a mailed thegn hacked through the arm and chest of Finni Sorenson. The Jarl had five warriors with him and there were ten men with the thegn. As the thegn swung his axe at the Jarl I ran at the two men behind him. Neither wore mail but they both had helmets and swords. I was running at them from their right and that gave me the slightest of advantages. I could use my shield but the first warrior could not. I punched with my shield at the Saxon's head. He reacted by bringing up his sword. I ripped my blade across his middle and pulled back. He looked like a gutted fish as he tried to hold in his insides.
The warrior next to him was able to turn so that he faced me with his shield. He lifted his sword to smash it down and make a killing blow. I blocked with my own sword and then used the Siggi punch into his face with the boss of my new shield. He tumbled backwards, throwing his arms up to regain his balance. As I plunged my sword into his throat I heard a roar from behind as Siggi led the rest of our men to attack the Saxons. The odds were now in our favour. I glanced to my right. The Jarl was still fighting with the thegn. My job was not to interfere but to protect him. I saw a mailed Saxon at the rear turn and run back up to the burgh. I raced after him. The gates were still open. I saw that the Saxon had a short mail shirt on. Even as I ran I wondered why a man who could afford such armour would leave his thegn.
I was gaining on him. The sun was now shining in the eastern sky. As my sealskin boot sent a stone skittering down the hill he turned and saw me. I was alone and he must have felt brave enough to take me on. He had a full face helmet such as the one worn by the Jarl Dragonheart. His shield, however, had no leather covering. Mine was better. I did not pause as I ran up to him. I swung my sword from on high as I hurried towards him. He brought up his shield to block the blow. I did not aim at his body but his leg. He had no mail there and my sword bit deeply into his leg. He flailed at me with his sword but it was a weak blow and my shield barely moved. I swung my sword again and this time the flat of it smacked into the side of his head. He tried to scramble backwards but his left leg would not support him. As he dropped his right knee I ended his misery. I plunged my sword into his neck and gave him a warrior's death.
I saw fingers as they began to close the gates. I ran up and smashed them with my shield. There was a scream and the gates sprang open. Two priests lay there floundering like fish. They clutched at their crosses and began to chant to the White Christ. I shouted, in Saxon, "Go!" and pointed towards the open gate. The Jarl had determined that we had no market for slaves. Our orders had been clear. Kill the men and scatter the rest. Priests did not count as men! They did not fight. The two men fled out of the gate. I stepped inside ready to fight any who remained within.
There appeared to be no one and then I heard whimpering from behind the door of the hall. I strode swiftly and silently towards it. I stepped inside and there, cowering under a table were two women and three young children. I opened the door wide and said, "Go!"
The two women looked at each other nodded and, grabbing their children and, bizarrely, a large pot; they ran. It was not a large hall just as the burgh was not a large one. It was, however, new. I searched, not for treasure, but for enemies. There were none. I went back to the gate and shouted, "The burgh is taken!"
I saw that there were one or two Saxons who still fought but most were slain. Siggi shouted, "Hold it, Hrolf, until we reach you."
I waved my sword in acknowledgement. As much as I wanted to search the hall for treasures I obeyed Siggi and stood my ground. The warrior I had slain was just ten paces from the gate and I went to him. Sheathing my sword I took off his helmet and his mail shirt. I had earned both. I saw that he was a warrior but a little older than me. After taking off my cloak I slipped the shirt over my head. It only covered my front and back but it was better than just leather. I replaced my cloak and my shield. It felt tight but I would get used to it. The helmet had been dented in the fight but when it was knocked back into shape it would be better than mine. I also took his sword and seax. I had better but it was always useful to have spares. He had a pouch and in it I found some coins. Finally, around his neck he wore a cross of the White Christ. It looked to be silver. The young man had been someone who was important. I took his baldric so that I could carry both his sword and his seax. I would have to carry the helmet.
I heard a whinny from behind me. I went back inside the walls. I walked around the hall and there was a stable. Inside was a horse; it was young but it looked to be powerfully built. I guessed it belonged to either the thegn or the young warrior I had slain. I walked up to it and stroked it. I had spent many years growing up in Neustria and I loved horses. I spoke to him. He was tethered. I found a pail and went to the well. I filled it with water and returned to the horse. He drank greedily.
"They left you without water eh? While you drink what say I get you some grain?" I went into the hall and found the kitchen. There were sacks of grain, food and at least three barrels. Hopefully they would be filled with ale. This was a rich haul. I found a clay pot and filled it with grain. Other Vikings might not be happy about my wasting grain on a horse but I could not help it. That was part of my nature. I returned to the horse. The pail was empty. I put the pot before him. "You were thirsty. I shall get you some more."
"Who in the name of the Allfather are you talking to?"
I turned and saw Siggi standing there. I felt foolish but I stood my ground. "A horse. He was thirsty."
Siggi grinned, "You are a strange one." He pointed to my mail shirt and the helmet which was laid next to the po
t. "You have done well. The warrior you slew must have been rich. Perhaps he was the son of the thegn the Jarl killed."
"Is the thegn dead?"
"He is but he wounded the Jarl in the leg. Harald Fast Sailing is stitching it. I have taken command until then. We need the drekar here. Go and fetch it."
"Can I take the horse? It will be quicker."
"It is yours for you captured the burgh."
The horse had finished the grain and I untied his halter and led him from the stable. I did not bother with a saddle. I knew how to ride. Once outside the stable I pulled myself on his back and kicked him in the ribs. As I burst from the gates Ulf Big Nose stepped back in surprise. He saw it was me and he laughed, "You are truly Hrolf the Horseman now."
"I go to fetch the drekar!"
"Good for I have run far enough this day!"
I kicked the horse on. I had forgotten the joy of riding. He was not large, my feet almost touched the ground, but he was strong and he galloped happily across the valley. As I climbed the other side I passed the Eriksson brothers and Gunnar Stone Face. They were pushing a cart and carrying things taken from the village. Their journey was for nothing.
I reined in next to them. "Siggi has sent for the drekar. We sail back to the port."
They nodded. Ketil smiled, "You have landed on your feet Hrolf the Horseman!"
I laughed, "Aye I have. This is a good day!"
It did not take me long to reach the beach for the horse was eager to run. I slipped from his back and, cupping my hands shouted, "Sven! Siggi White Hair wishes us to take the drekar to the port. The Jarl has a wound." I pointed behind me, "We have some things to load first!"
He nodded, "Did it go well?"
"Aye but the Jarl took a hurt."
"We will come closer and make it easy for you."
While I waited I took off my shield, cloak and new baldric. I could leave those on the drekar. I intended to ride the horse back. By the time the cart appeared the drekar was in the shallows. They threw a rope to me and I tied the drekar to a large rock. We would only have twenty paces of surf through which to wade. It took some time to fetch all that we had collected. The empty cart was carried to the drekar. We wasted nothing and then the Eriksson brothers and Gunnar Stone Face clambered aboard. I handed my treasures to Ketil, "Here take my booty and put it near my chest. I will ride back and tell the others you are following."