by Griff Hosker
It was the sound of skittering stones which alerted us. They were coming up the path. When Ulf knocked his arrow we followed suit. The cry, when it came, made me start. They had found the first of the traps. There were no more cries but there were grunts and noises which suggested that they had fallen foul of our tricks. We were thirty paces from the hut. Only our heads were above the midden and we could see the hut clearly. I saw figures approaching and then they stopped.
I heard Erik Karlsson's voice. "They were killed! Who is in the hut?"
"Shut up you fool!" Hermund the Bent's voice brought back many unpleasant memories for me.
"Arne the Unlucky's cry as he died told them we are here. Why do they not come out?"
Harald Black Teeth's voice hissed, "I am not afraid of the dead. I did not murder them. Einar and Erik go inside and see who is there."
There was a pause and then a scream. It was not a scream of pain but of shock, "A ghost! There is a spirit within the hut!"
Hermund the Bent shouted, "Get in there! It is a trick!"
We could only see the warriors who were gathering outside the hut. They were shadows. The whiteness of their faces was just a lighter shadow. They gathered and they watched. The next screams were of pain as the men who ran in set off the traps. There were a few moments of confusion and more shouts before Hermund the Bent restored order. "See, it is a trick! I told you. Get these wounded men down to the drekar!"
"What of the dead?"
"We can do nothing for them. Leave them here."
Ulf's timing was masterful. He stood and we followed him. He released his arrow high. I knew the power of my bow and I aimed at a warrior forty paces away. We did as he said and released four more arrows in swift succession. As they struck then confusion reigned. Warriors fell to the unseen shower of death. I was almost mesmerized by the effect until Ulf smacked my back and I turned and ran along the narrow path which led west.
"It is an ambush! Shield wall!"
The first part of the plan had worked. I led us along the path until we passed the small stand of trees and then up into the jumble of rocks a hundred and twenty paces from the trees. I halted. Ulf gave me the sign that he approved. He waved his arm and we spread out. He pointed down the trail and held up five fingers. We nodded. We would do the same when they came. I saw the glow in the east which told me that dawn was not far away. We had feared a night attack and that would not happen now.
The jingle of mail warned us of the approach of the warband. They moved slowly through the woods. That would have seemed like a perfect place for an ambush. I saw warriors spread out on both sides as they headed west. Ulf nodded and pulled back on his bow. This time we could aim. The enemy was silhouetted against the faint light of early morning sun. My arrow smacked into the chest of a warrior whose shield came up too late. My powerful bow punched him backwards. My second arrow caught a man to the right of me. He must have thought he was too far away. My arrow pierced his shoulder and he fell. Shields came up and the warband hunkered down. Ulf gave a low whistle and nodded when I turned. I rose and ran down the other side of the rocks. The warband would struggle to find an easy way across and the ground was boggy on both sides of the rocks.
I led the others further west. There was a cave close to the cliffs. I had seen it months earlier. It was a difficult approach to get to it and we could shelter there. I opened my legs as we dropped down to the wider path on the other side. There were bumps and hollows and it twisted and turned. I had ridden it every day with Dream Strider and I knew it as well as my own hand. So long as the others followed my every step we were safe. The lightening sky was alarming but I saw the path drop to the left and knew that the cave was close by. We hurtled inside.
Ulf nodded and made the sign for us to wait. He disappeared. We sat and got back our breath. We each had a water skins and some dried venison. We drank first and then chewed the tough deer meat. It took some time and we had finished it long before Ulf returned.
"They have gone back to the drekar. I think they are licking their wounds. I counted five dead warriors by the woods. Gunnstein Thorfinnson, you take the first watch. When your eyes are heavy wake Hrolf. Hrolf wake Alf."
I nodded. I curled up in the shallow cave. I was certain that sleep would not come. I was too full of the joy of battle. When I was shaken by Gunnstein Thorfinnson I was surprised. He smiled, "You snore Hrolf, like an old man!"
I did not think I would sleep. "Have you heard anything?"
"The sea birds and that is all."
I went to the cave entrance and peered around. It seemed quiet. Climbing to the top of the cliff I kept myself low. I was too far to see the settlement and the drekar but if the wind was in the right direction then I might hear. It was silent. I made water and I watched. Seeing nothing I headed back to the cave. I caught sight of movement in the trees. I dropped to one knee. I spied a branch moving. A leaf could be explained away but not a branch. I crawled back to the cave. Shaking Ulf awake I said, "I see warriors approaching. "
"How many?"
"I know not; I just saw movements in the trees. "
He smiled, "You did the right thing. Better a disturbed night's sleep than a slit throat." The other two had awoken. " Arm yourselves and follow me! "
I strung my bow. We would need it. Ulf waved me to his right and indicated that I should swing towards the higher ground. I would be alone. I took it to be a compliment that he trusted me but wished to have the other two close by him. Moving as stealthily as I could I moved through the thin bushes and stunted windblown trees. A bird, twenty paces from me, took flight. I knocked an arrow and waited. I was rewarded by a warrior carrying a shield and an axe who slipped towards the others. He was thirty paces from where I hid. I waited until I could see the flesh below his ear and sent an arrow towards him. My new bow was so powerful that the speed of the flight compensated for my lack of accuracy. It tore through his neck and he fell to the ground noisily. The crash of the body and his shield brought a call.
"Ragnar?
The voice came from directly ahead of me. Without moving my position I knocked another arrow. This time I saw two warriors. One I could slay with an arrow but not the second. The lack of noise to my left led me to believe that the others had not been discovered. Ulf had given me a task and I had to do it alone.
When they were thirty paces from me I released the arrow. It sped through the leaves which masked my face and struck the warrior on the right in his chest. He wore leather armour studded with metal but the Allfather guided my hand and my black fletched arrow found his chest. Dropping my bow I drew my sword and my seax. The second warrior knew roughly where I was and moved towards my hiding place. The fact that he had not called out gave me hope. If they were a large number then he would have shouted for help. They were a scouting party searching for us.
Staying crouched I waited for him to come to me. By remaining still I made it hard to see me. I knew he would and I had to time my movement perfectly or I would die. He was five paces from me when I made my move. I lunged from the bushes. He reacted quickly but I was attacking from his right. He brought up his sword but he was not able to totally deflect the strike. My blade tore deeply across the back of his hand and into his upper arm. He shouted, not in pain, but anger. Behind me I heard more shouts as Ulf and the others began to fight.
The warrior facing me had a shield and he had a leather shirt. He was a broad warrior and would take some stopping. As he twisted to attack me I stepped across his shield and brought my sword around across his back. He had no mail and my blade bit into his ribs. He swung around to try to use his own sword. My left hand darted forward and my seax plunged into his throat.
I ran back towards Ulf and the others. When I reached them I saw the three dead bodies of our enemies. Ulf looked up as I approached. "Do any remain?"
I shook my head, "There were three; they are dead."
"Good. You did well. Search the bodies and take anything of value then we will send their bodies
to Ran. "
The first thing I did was retrieve my bow and the two arrows I had used. Whilst not perfect they could be used again in an emergency. Then I took the weapons, helmets and mail from the dead men. I met the others who had disposed of their own bodies. They carried the ones I had slain. We threw them from the cliff.
Ulf said, "You have grown, Hrolf the Horsemen. The younger man, who first came to us, would now be lying dead."
The four of us armed ourselves and then headed for the settlement. We moved cautiously; we moved slowly. The fact that we had been hunted by the enemy showed that Hermund the Bent had not left, he had not gone home. He would be attacking the settlement. We saw our wooden wall before we saw the pirates and bandits Hermund Harald Black Teeth had gathered. I saw the Eriksson brothers on the wall. They were shouting down to someone we couldn't see.
Ulf raised his hand and pointed left and right and then back down. I moved to the right. I made my way towards the settlement's walls. If Knut and Ketil could see and talk to our enemies then I knew where they would be. I crept over the top of the rise. Before me was the camp of the enemy. It was haphazardly organised. The blackened fires showed that. This was not a clan. This was a collection of warriors who joined together for this one raid. If they succeeded they would dissipate like morning fog. I lay on top of the small bank. My wolf cloak covered my helmet. If they glanced in my direction they would see just a shadow.
Knut and Ketil were shouting to five mailed warriors whose backs were to me. I had to smile when Ketil turned around, dropped his breeks and bared his backside. One of the mailed warriors hurled a spear. It was not well thrown and it thudded into the wooden wall. Knut reached down, grabbed it and threw it back. It smashed into a shield. The warriors turned and ran back from the wall.
As they turned I recognised Harald Black Teeth. His blood red shield with white skull painted upon it marked him as my enemy. I was sorely tempted to knock an arrow and end his life there and then. The Heart of Ice filled my mind and calmed me. I might kill my enemy but I would die and worse it would warn the enemy that we were still a threat.
I watched him as he hurried back to his warriors moving beyond bow range. They were less than forty paces from me and I dared not risk moving. They began to prepare for an attack. I saw men donning armour and sharpening blades. Less well armoured men began to gather in small groups holding ladders.
It was at that moment I realised that the main gate was further around the wall from where we waited. I was at the north wall. I heard a clamour from ahead. The enemy were attacking the gate. My heart began to sink down to my sealskin boots. They were doing just what Siggi feared, attacking two places at once! I laid down my bow and drew my sword and seax. I saw that the enemy had moved closer to the walls. Shields protected them from the defenders. It looked to me as though Ketil and Knut had been left in charge of this wall. I was alone. There was no one to give me advice or instructions. Did the Weird Sisters plan for my dream to end here? I had to put that dream to one side. The clan was in danger. There were fifty or more warriors before me. I knew that Ketil and Knut could have no more than twenty men to man the walls.
Harald Black Teeth began shouting to his men, "Today we scale these puny walls! We slaughter these pink arsed boys and give them the blood eagle. The treasure will be ours!" They all cheered. "Remember that they have riches beyond measure! We take their heads to Frankia and their King will give us a thousand gold pieces!"
There was greater cheering. They began to bang their shields. In that moment I knew that Harald Black Teeth lied. We had a great treasure but not worth a thousand gold pieces. I had no doubt we had a price on our heads but it was not a thousand gold pieces. With a roar they ran at the wall. Stones clattered off helmets, shields and mail then arrows followed. Only two men fell and neither looked badly wounded. I saw that Harald Black Teeth and his oathsworn hung back while there were four warriors left guarding the camp. As I watched Roald Iverson pitched from the walls I took action. I moved swiftly and silently towards the nearest warrior. He was watching the walls. I dragged my seax across his throat and lowered his body to the ground. The other three continued to watch the walls. There were two standing together. Neither wore mail and their hands rested on their spears. I took three fast steps and stabbed one in the side. Heart of Ice crunched through his ribs. As the other turned I lunged with my seax and plunged it into his throat. The last warrior saw me.
"Jarl! We have enemies! "
He raced at me holding his shield up before him. Although I desperately wished to run, for Harald Black Teeth's oathsworn were running towards me, I had to finish this warrior first. He had a spear so I ran at him. I punched away the spear head with my seax and, lowering my shoulders, ran at him. My helmet crashed into his head, jerking it back. He spread his arms wide to regain his balance and I stabbed him in the stomach with Heart of Ice. I did not wait to see the results. I turned and ran. Sheathing my weapon as I did so I headed for my bow. I had hung it from a branch and I grabbed it as I ran. I could hear Black Teeth's oathsworn behind me but I resisted the urge to turn.
I twisted and turned down the trail. I was young and I was quick. I heard the warriors following behind me. My consolation was that were four dead men and eight warriors chasing me. Those twelve could not fight on the walls. Each man we killed prolonged the lives of those within. It was up to Ketil and Knut to fend off our foes. The Weird Sisters have a subtle way of teasing men. The steps behind me seemed further away. I began to relax then I stepped into an animal hole. I pitched forward. My bow was thrown clear as I hit the ground.
"Got the bastard!"
I turned in time to see a sword sweep down to sever my head from my body. Unencumbered by weapons I rolled to the side. The sword hit the ground where my head had been a moment earlier. I struck a thin tree and I used it to pull myself up. The sword swept towards me again. Still holding onto the tree I stepped out of the way releasing the sapling. It struck the warrior squarely in the face and as I stepped back I drew my weapon. The tree had given the warrior a bloody nose; he wiped the blood away with the back of his hand.
"You worthless little whey faced runt! I will gut you and let the animals of the forest feast on your flesh!"
Over his shoulder I saw his companions labouring down the trail. I did not have long. I feinted with my seax. His eyes were still streaming. He brought his sword up involuntarily. His eyes were on my seax and when my sword darted in he did not react in time. My blade pierced his cheek, grinding on bone. He stepped back and spat out a tooth. Two of his companions were closer so I turned and ran. I could not see my bow. I would return for it later.
The enraged warrior shouted, "After him!"
The Norns had taught me the dangers of complacency and I watched my footing as I ran. I headed back towards the cave. Suddenly something flashed through the leaves and I heard a cry. I turned and saw a warrior with an arrow in his chest. The one behind looked around for the danger and he was rewarded with an arrow which struck him in his neck. The other two turned and ran.
Ulf appeared, his bow in hand. We walked back to the two he had hit with his arrows. The two were dying; their eyes were glazing over. Both had their hands on their swords. Ulf would see them in Valhalla.
Gunnstein Thorfinnson and Alf appeared with bloodied swords. The Jarl's brother looked happy. "That is ten more who will not bother my brother."
Ulf spat, "Aye and they will hunt us again. Strip these bodies. I have plans for them. Wait here. "
The two oathsworn of Harald Black Teeth had warrior rings as well as mail; we took them from their bodies. This was a rich haul. The one who had died first had a fine sword. I jammed it in my belt. Ulf appeared with swords from the ones killed by Gunnstein and Alf.
Ulf pointed to the saplings." Tie their bodies between them. I wish to send a message to Harald Black Teeth."
While Gunnstein and Alf took one of the bodies Ulf and I took the other.
Gunnstein pointed to the settlement
s. We could still hear fighting, "We should go back and help!"
Ulf shook his head, "We go back we die. They will be ready for us. Your brother has let you come with us so that you may learn. Hrolf learns. How many men has he killed? And yet he has just duck down on his face." I reddened in embarrassment. I was desperate for a beard; a real beard." We will go to their drekar. There we can help our comrades."
Chapter 15
He led us along the coast so that we avoided any possibility of encountering the enemy. I knew, I know not how, that Harald Black Teeth would have men searching for us. We had killed many of his men. That would take warriors from the walls. I smiled for I knew Hermund the Bent and he would not be happy about that. He would want to concentrate on destroying the walls. If the two disagreed and fought that could only help the Jarl.
It was early afternoon when we reached the farmhouse and the bay. The three dragon ships were moored in the bay. They looked to have forty or fifty oars each. They had the prows still attached. One had a serpent's head while the other two had dragons. They were formidable looking ships. Between the farmhouse and the settlement lay the sprawl of their camp. We saw the blackened remains of fire and the piles of clothes and spare weapons they had left. They had used the dell which was protected from the winds. The smell of dung told us that it was a poor and ill maintained camp. They had not designated a latrine. Siggi would not have allowed that to happen. It showed that there was little order to our foes. The camp was spread out over a thousand paces. It looked just like the one we had seen on the north side of the walls. It seemed to be little camps. It was a sign that there was little harmony in our foes. Having spied out their camp we moved towards the farmhouse some three hundred paces away. We hid in the bushes which topped the higher ground overlooking the water.