by Griff Hosker
This time he managed a full step but it cost him as he twisted to the side and wrenched his knee. What had been a weakness was now a liability. As he pulled away from the sword I saw that the very tip of my weapon had blood on the end. It was only a scratch but he would feel the warm blood inside his byrnie. He now knew what I could do. He swung his sword at my head. I lifted my shield to take the blow. This was a weaker one than the first one which had made my head ring. I saw him watching my sword as he wondered where it would strike. Each of my blows had been different. He had used the same blow twice. I was unpredictable. As I pulled my sword back I jabbed my shield upwards towards his chin. It was like an uppercut in a fist fight. He reeled back. I swung my sword overhand. He had been stunned by the blow and failed to block my sword effectively. I hit him between the head and the shoulder. This time two rows of rings were ripped apart and I saw his leather byrnie below. There was a long cut from my sword.
"Yield now and you can sail away and live!"
He laughed, "If I sail away now my men would have me in the water before we reached the sea."
He swung again at my head. He must have won all of his combats this way; using his longer reach and height to take men's heads. His blows were weakening. As he hit my shield I pivoted on my right leg so that he began to overbalance and fall forward. His exaggerated swing took him into empty space. He could not stop himself. As he passed me I brought the sword edge around and struck him in the middle of his lower back with all the force I could muster. The swing had added to the power and I heard a double crack. The first was the sound of his mail links tearing and the second was a bone in his lower back breaking. This was not time for mercy. I let go of my shield, it hung across my side, and swung two handed at the back of his neck. The mail was already in tatters and I struck below the edge of his helmet. Ragnar's Spirit bit into his neck and half severed his head. He fell dead at my feet. There was an almighty cheer from behind me.
I raised my arms in triumph. There was a blur before me and a spear was hurled towards me. It struck me in my left shoulder and I was pitched to the ground. I heard Haaken yell, "Treachery!" And my Ulfheonar raced towards the oathsworn of Kolbjorn the Slighter. Behind me the gates opened and the rest of my men along with the Duke and his Vasconians raced out. I pulled my shield around to protect myself and began to climb to my feet. My men had raced forward to punish these nithings and there was a gap. I saw Alf Red Hair racing towards me with a sword. I knew what he intended. He would kill me and claim the sword. I could feel the blood pouring from my shoulder but I forced myself to concentrate on my right hand. As he pulled the sword back for the strike I lunged forward with Ragnar's Spirit held in two hands and plunged my blade deep into his stomach. I stepped to the side and pulled. My blade was ripped clear bringing with it his guts and entrails. Then Eystein and Aiden were with me. Eystein stood before me with his shield while Aiden tended my wound.
"You must lie down, Jarl! You are bleeding to death!"
I tried to smile, "I am fine. I won!" Then the sky went black and I saw nothing more.
Chapter 5
I opened my eyes and saw Aiden smiling at me. "I am alive then?"
"You were lucky, Jarl. The bone in your shoulder stopped it going all the way through but you will not hold a shield for a while."
"And the raiders?"
"They were driven back to their ships. They left many dead."
"Our losses?"
He shook his head. "They killed eight of the Duke's men and we had wounds but all walk and talk! We gained much treasure from the dead. Your treasure from Kolbjorn the Slighter was placed aboard 'Heart'."
"They are returned then?"
"They are tied up to the wharf."
"What of Magnus and the other two?"
"They escaped. Neither drekar had a full crew. They left thirty dead and wounded behind. All are now in Valhalla." I tried to rise. "Lay there, Jarl. I am under orders from the Duke to make you rest until the morrow."
I lay down again. It was too difficult to move anyway. Aiden had used honey to seal the wound and help the healing process and then bound it with a tightly wound bandage. I could feel the ends of the bones grinding together. This would be a wound I would remember all of my life. It was the kind of wound which, even when healed, ached in cold weather. Olaf, Butar and Ragnar had had them and they had told me of the aches one had to endure. It was a sign that I was getting older.
"See if they have an armourer here and get my mail repaired."
"You will not need it for some while yet."
"Even so, Aiden, I would be happier knowing that I could wear it if I needed to."
"Aye, Jarl."
After he left I had a succession of visitors. First was the Duke. He looked to be genuinely concerned. "Jarl you fought well today but you took too many risks."
"You cannot do anything about someone who has no honour. He will not be in Valhalla."
"Ah your warrior heaven. Is that like our heaven?"
"I doubt it. You do not have to be good to get in there just brave."
"I have told your men that they are my guests until you are well."
"I will sail home within the next two or three days, Duke."
"Are you so keen to quit this place?"
"No, but I have a land to protect and a people to lead. If you were away for a long time then you would be missed, would you not?"
"I would. I am glad that you came into my river, Jarl Dragon Hart. I have learned much. I am having gifts made for you to take home. We are indebted to you."
After he had gone it was the turn of my Ulfheonar to crowd into the chamber. They were just angry. Sigtrygg shook his head. "I think the warriors who followed Kolbjorn the Slighter were embarrassed by the actions of Alf Red Hair. They fled and seemed unwilling to fight. They still out numbered us and the day could have gone their way."
"Their jarl was dead. They were oathsworn and did not die. It will be interesting what happens to them now."
We left two days later as I had predicted. We had many gifts to take home. "You and your son will be more than welcome any time but we will bar our gates to any other that we see."
"And that is wise. We are a fierce foe."
"And a fine friend. God speed, Jarl."
"May the Allfather watch over you."
We saw the bodies of Rolf and Thord, two of the Foresworn, when we passed the small island in the middle of the river. They had suffered the blood eagle. The dishonour of one had resulted in the death of the other two. I also think that their shipmates did not want to sail with those who had been foresworn. Everyone watched the two corpses as the river took us west to the sea. For the younger warriors who had never seen a blood eagle it was macabre and yet none could take their eyes from it. I wondered where Magnus had gone. He was as slippery as an eel. The three who had died were followers. They were under the sway of Magnus. Had he escaped or was he out there still?
Once we reached the sea we headed north. Aiden and I had spent some time, while I was gaining my strength, to talk with the knarr captains. We had rearranged their cargo so that Coen Ap Pasgen's knarr would put into London and he would trade. The other two of my captains were known and we did not want to risk the wrath of Wessex. The main reason was to see what the prices were like in Saxon England and also to see if we could do it.
We waited for a whole day sailing back and forth from east to west until we saw the knarr emerge. It was riding high in the water. The weather was not conducive to conversation and so we sailed west. I was eager to discover the results but I would have to be patient. We had also decided that no matter what the opportunities our losses and my wound meant we would not be raiding. There was no point. The weather west was difficult and we had no opportunities to put in and to lie up for the night. Our first chance came when we approached the Sabrina. We pulled in to the Gwent part of Dyfed. The Welsh were ever eager to trade and we had spare goods on board.
While Siggi, Trygg and Erik traded a
nd bought supplies I spoke with Coen Ap Pasgen. "We did well, Jarl. Prices are high for the Mercians press the men of Wessex and Kent is full of unrest." He smiled, "There have been many raids by both Norse and Dane. There were fewer ships in the port than I remembered. They were glad to see me."
He reached to bring out the bag of coins. I shook my head, "We will do that when we are home. We need all our captains together. Well done Coen. Perhaps you can persuade your father to buy a second ship."
"Perhaps. This coin will pay for skilled men. We need those who can build in stone. I liked the homes in Vasconia. They do not burn easily."
He was thinking along the same lines as I was. When our captains returned we discovered that the war between the men of Dyfed and Coenwulf was intensifying. It was not open warfare yet but the border raids were happening on a monthly basis. Soon it would be open war. Their new king, Arthfael Hen ap Rhys, gave us gold to pay for weapons he wanted. King Arthfael Hen ap Rhys had been King of Glywysing and Gwent and had managed to take Dyfed. It made him the most powerful ruler in the southern half of Wales. He needed a large army to protect his lands from the Mercians.
Bjorn's forges would be burning hot. I had thought to go ashore and speak with this king for I had never met him but my wound began to give me trouble. A drekar is not a comfortable place to rest at the best of times but during the rough weather we had endured it had been impossible. I was in constant pain and my shoulder seemed to burn with pain. I saw the look of concern on the faces of Aiden and Haaken. I knew I had given them a shock and they were eager for me to be under Kara's care.
Once we reached Úlfarrston, not long after dawn, we divided the treasure and the profits proportionately. It was a complicated process for there was money owed to those in our settlement as well as the families of those who had died. The knarr captains also needed their share. Others, like Bolli, would not profit directly but he would be richer for Pasgen decided to order a new knarr. He was enjoying the profits that we had made.
I felt like an old man as they insisted that I be taken by pony back to Cyninges-tūn. After the heat of Vasconia the dark woods of summer felt chilly as we made our way north. We had carts too, which enabled us to carry our cargo comfortably. This was our busy time of year and Cyninges-tūn had an empty air about it. Men were busy toiling in the fields, the Water, the quarries and the mines. Children and wives were helping too. It was just Bjorn, his smiths, and Kara with her women who were there to greet us. Kara raced to my side, "You are injured."
"A wound in the shoulder."
"I dreamed there was danger but I did not see your death." She glanced at Aiden.
"It was a spear. It penetrated the mail and struck the bone here." He showed her on his own shoulder.
She turned to her women. "Prepare a bed for my father."
I shook my head. "It is well. Aiden has bound the wound, it will heal. I will go to my own hall."
"I command here until you are well. Have my father's arms taken to his hall." I was led away firmly and I saw the smiles from my Ulfheonar. I would get no help from them. They approved. When I was stripped to the waist the bandages were removed. Aiden hovered nearby, anxious for Kara's view of his efforts. When he and Kara frowned I knew there was something amiss.
"Fetch boiling water." Kara turned to Aiden. "There must have been something on the spear head. This is an angry wound." She put her nose to it and sniffed. "Has there been pain, father?"
"I had a spear in my shoulder! Of course there was pain."
She smiled, "You have had wounds before. Usually the pain diminishes after a few days. Did this wound?"
I realised that the pain had not gone off. She was right. I shook my head, "Aiden said the bones were broken. I felt them grinding together. That caused me pain."
"Even when you were still you felt pain; when the bones were not moving."
"Yes."
"There is something in the wound. We will have to seek it. Lie down."
I looked at the roof of her hall as I waited for them to begin their work. I knew not what they would do yet. To take my mind off what was to come I let my mind wander. We could build my daughter a hall of stone. As I stared up I tried to visualise the buildings we had seen in Vasconia.
"Hold his arms." Kara's face appeared above me, smiling. "I must use a knife and give you pain. If we do not get the badness out then you may die."
I was shocked. I had had sword thrusts before. My body bore many scars. This had been nothing save that it had bled a lot. "I am in good hands, daughter."
I felt the hands of her women as they pinned me to the bed. Kara took a thin sharp knife especially made for her by Bjorn as Aiden began to use the hot water to clean the wound. The heat from the water was soothing. I saw Kara sigh, "I will open the wound now." She smiled at Aiden. "You did a good job. The outside has healed well."
He shook his head, "Yet there is badness inside. You must tell me what to look for next time I have to do this."
There was a sudden shock of pain as the hot knife sliced into my flesh. I knew she was being gentle but I gritted my teeth and dug my nails into my palms to stop myself crying out.
"There is no shame in shouting, Father. This does hurt; I know that." I shook my head. She laid down the knife and put her hands on my shoulder. I felt her hair in my face as she peered into the injury. "Ah! There it is!" She took two tiny pieces of bone which had been finely worked. They looked like the needles the women used to sew. Her hair came into my face but I had to close my eyes for the pain became even worse. It felt as though she was reaching in me to tear out my heart!
Then the pain stopped and I opened my eyes. She held in her bloody hands a tiny piece of metal covered in pus and blood. "What is it?" I asked, weakly.
"It is part of your armour. Your own mail almost killed you. This was poisoning the wound. We can heal you now. I will make a poultice and we will draw anymore poison from the wound. Tomorrow we will sew you up." She turned to Aiden. "You would not have known to look for this. He bled did he not?"
"I thought he would have no blood left in him."
She nodded, "And when it stopped you would not have thought to open him up again." She looked down at me. "How did you get this wound?"
Aiden told her, "He had won a combat and Alf Red Hair threw a spear when your father was not watching."
"Wyrd. There is some evil here." I saw her hand go to the blue stone she wore around her neck. "We must dream when father is well."
Aiden nodded.
I spent four days in the house of healing. On the last day in the house Elfrida brought my grandson to see me. Wolf Killer was not at home. He and his warriors had gone to the fells to the south and east of his land. There were Danish castle rustlers about. "I left a message for him and hurried here when I heard of your wound." She leaned over to kiss my forehead. "You have a grandson now. You must be more careful."
When she heard how I had been injured she too was concerned. She had powers like Kara and Aiden, she was fey. She returned with me to my hall and fussed around. She meant well but I wished to be treated normally. I knew the wound would take time to heal but I knew that I would become better. It was just my left shoulder which had been hurt. Had it been the right it might have been a disaster. However her fussing was bearable for Ragnar had grown a little and I enjoyed playing with him. Kara even allowed me to walk by the Water and I went there with Elfrida and Ragnar. I told my grandson the stories of my childhood, of Old Ragnar, Butar and Olaf. Elfrida had only heard some of the stories and I saw her nodding when I spoke of how I met Erika and that Midsummer feast. As we returned to my hall I saw the rays of the setting sun set fire to the Water and I felt the presence of my wife. I stopped speaking and stood watching and remembering. Elfrida put her arm through mine and held me close.
My son arrived the next day. "We chased the Danes back to the high passes. Their bodies mark their march. They will not come again soon."
"Good. And how is Ketil faring?"
&nb
sp; He laughed, "He has but ten warriors and yet he is keen. You would think he was the leader of a mighty army but the people love him for he is there to protect them. They feel safer."
When he heard of the wound and our traitors he became angry. "Haaken is right. You are too kind."
"Perhaps but we cannot change what is within. I am just worried that this Magnus the Foresworn will come back and hurt us again. I had thought, when they fled, that they would get as far away from us as possible. It seems not."
Elfrida shook her head, "Some people have a bad seed within them. It is like the metal Kara took from your body. You cannot see it but it poisons from within."
"Perhaps." I changed the subject for I was uncomfortable talking about this traitor. "When you are ready to sail again we have orders for weapons from Dyfed."
"And Italy?"
"That too but there is a limit to what we can produce. Bjorn and his smiths are working as hard as they can but good weapons take time. Perhaps the voyage after the next. I may send Haaken and the Ulfheonar."
Wolf Killer shook his head. "They guard you, father. You are more important than any trade."
"But I am safe enough here."
Wolf Killer put his arm around Elfrida, "Remember Angharad? This is not just me; Kara, Aiden and the Ulfheonar feel the same. You are too important to risk. We know that we nearly lost you this time. We must protect you."
"You have been speaking about me?"
He nodded, "We are worried."
I smiled. This was wyrd. Kara and Wolf Killer were speaking once more. My wound had nearly killed me and yet it had brought together my son and daughter. The Norns were, indeed, spinning well.
When they left, after three days with me, we agreed that Wolf Killer would take his drekar and escort the knarr to Dyfed when the next moon came. I was happy.
My wound did begin to heal. When it started to itch then I knew I was on the mend. Kara, too, seemed satisfied and allowed me to begin to practise with my weapons again. My sweat hut helped the healing process. By the time Wolf Killer had returned to go on his voyage I was almost back to full fitness. We had a feast in Kara's hall. Bjorn had made her a copy of the copper pot we had brought. She was pleased with the way it cooked and she and Elfrida discussed its properties as I sat with Aiden and Wolf Killer to talk of our plans.