by Griff Hosker
It was not a lie but it was unlikely that they would be able to stop the advancing warriors. They could slow them, they could irritate and annoy them but they were too few in number and too inexperienced to do serious damage. It would be down to the men and the swords on the wooden walls. I needed more information about these attackers. When I reached Arne I asked, "Any sign of them?"
Arne shook his head and pointed east. "It will soon be dawn and then we shall know."
I noticed that some of the men were shaking. It was the cold and not fear. "I will speak with Thorir again. Keep a good watch and shout if you see aught."
As I passed the cooking pots I smelled soup. I spoke to the women, "Take some for the men on the walls."
"Aye Jarl."
Thorir was looking a little better. The colour had returned to his cheeks. His father still remained in another world but he too had a better colour. "How is he?"
"His breathing is better."
"Good. Get some soup for the two of you. But first tell me about this drekar and how you came to be there."
"We had had a good catch and were on our way back to shore when the squall blew up." He pointed north. "We were close to the land of the men of Strathclyde and my father said we should run for safety. There are rocks close to the coast and we were heading south west when the canvas split." He shook his head. "It was a good sail! It should not have split."
Wyrd. I knew that the Norns had been weaving again.
"The sea was taking us away from the land and it took longer to fit the new sail than it should have. We were cold and our fingers fumbled. By the time we had managed to replace it the snow and the clouds had hidden the land. I think we sailed in the wrong direction for a while. Then the snow abated for a few moments and we saw a smudge of dark. Father said it was the land and we headed towards it. The snow began again and we sailed blindly once more. When we saw the land again we thought we were saved and that is when we saw the dragon ship."
"How big was it?"
"I have seen your ship. Jarl, and this one looked a little smaller. I only saw it briefly but I think there were either thirteen of fourteen oars. The prow had a red dragon. There were shields along the side."
It was a warship, "And the sail?"
"The sail?"
"Was it plain? Coloured? Did it have markings?"
"It looked plain." I nodded and gestured for him to continue with his tale, "My father said that it was an enemy. He said it was not one of your ships and that we should get home and warn Sven and Arne. We saw the land and the estuary which was to the north of us. We had to turn with the wind for it was coming across the side of our boat. Our catch meant we rode low in the water and the sea had been filling us up. When we entered the river the choppy waters began to swamp the boat even faster. There are dangerous sands on the southern side of the river and we headed for the middle so that we could avoid them. The water came in faster than we could bail. When we tried to turn for shore disaster struck and a sudden gust overturned us. The mast caught my father a blow to the head. I dragged him on to the upturned boat and climbed up with him. He seemed to drift in and out of consciousness. Then you came."
"You did well and you saved your father's life."
"Perhaps the dragon ship also found danger."
I would not lie to him. He might have to fight for his life soon. I shook my head, "It is in the river now. They will come here but thanks to your warning we have a chance. Get some soup for your father and yourself."
I joined Arne and Sven. "I think that the ship was just raiding. From what Thorir said I believe they brought the ship here. It followed them when they ran for safety."
"Then they are not enemies?"
"They are raiders." I looked at Sven, "You have been a raider, and you know how they work. They will look for chances to make a profit."
"Aye." He looked at Arne, "You may raid with a target in mind, but you are looking for places where people live and where you can find slaves, food, and treasure."
Just then Magnus shouted, "Jarl, I see movement. There towards the river!"
I peered into the snow which still came into our faces. There was a dark line moving towards us. "Spread the word they are coming. No one releases an arrow or a stone without my permission. I want everyone hidden beneath the ramparts. We use surprise as our first weapon."
I knew that it was asking much to have these who were unused to war to wait but I wanted the raiders to believe that we were not guarding our walls. They might have seen the upturned fishing boat and assume that we had no warning. I counted on the fact that they would be tired and they would be cold already. They would be hurrying to kill those asleep within the walls as quickly as possible. If we could kill some of them first it might weaken their resolve.
I saw them then. There was a line of warriors. I estimated forty. We were outnumbered. Only one, as far as I could see, wore mail. All, however, had shields and many had spears. They moved purposefully and quickly. They had the wind behind them and would not hear us when we spoke. I still kept silent. Arne, Sven and myself were in the tower over the gate and could see without being seen; our mail, helmets and wolf skin worked well. I glanced along the wall and saw the rest of our defenders crouched below the wall. I smiled. They would be out of the wind and warmer that way. At least they had something warm inside their bellies. The fear for their families would also give them heat; anger.
When the Vikings were forty paces from the walls they halted. I saw the leader spying out the land. He would see the bridge leading to the gate and realise there had to be a ditch. Nature had aided us here. The sides and the bottoms of the ditch were covered in a thick layer of snow. They would not know that there were traps in the bottom. The sides, too, would be slippery. The Jarl who led them waved forward ten of his men and they ran towards the bridge. He was not cooperating. I had hoped that he would advance along a line. We would have killed and wounded more that way.
When they were ten paces from the bridge I shouted, "Now! Make them pay!"
Those with bows, half of the men and half of the boys, loosed arrows. The five boys with slings whirled them and the stones cracked into the ten men advancing. More fell than I could have hoped and would take no further part in this raid.
The line of shields came up and I heard shouts from their leader. They formed a wedge. It was what I had feared. The mailed warrior stood at the point and the shields locked. They began to advance. "Slingers, aim for the heads. Archers aim for legs and those with bare arms." Those to my left would be able to hit the spear arms of those who advanced. It was but a forlorn hope.
I turned to Sven, "The Ulfheonar will go to the gate." He nodded, "Arne you take charge on the walls. Do not let them climb up. When they try to raise their men up on their shields then use your spears. Keep them from climbing over the ramparts and we will have a chance of victory."
"Aye Jarl," he grinned, "It seems I need not seek adventure, adventure has come to me!"
I laughed, "This will be a tale worthy of Haaken!"
When I descended the rickety ladder I found the other three waiting for me. Ragnar said, "This will be a good end, Jarl."
"Do not be so willing to go to Valhalla, old friend. The battle is not over yet." He nodded. "There are too few of us for a wedge. But we can fill the gate. We let them waste their energy breaking it down and then we charge them. Push them into the ditch. We become the gate."
Surprisingly all three were grinning. They began banging their shields with their spears and chanted, "Ulfheonar!" over and over. I took my spear and joined them. The wind would carry our voices away but they would hear our chanting and they would wonder.
I looked up as Arne began to shout out his orders. I saw slingers and archers throwing and releasing as fast as they could. I heard cries coming from the other side of the wall as their stones and arrows found flesh. And then we heard the first blows of axe on wood. This was not a hastily repaired gate such as the one at Caestir; Arne and his me
n had done a good job of making a sturdy gate. However every entrance has a weakness. If it is to open and close easily then there has to be a gap, no matter how small, between the two gates. The axe found it. Wood began to splinter from the bar keeping the gates closed. It was a matter of time now. I brought my spear down and locked shields with Einar. I took the place of honour on the right. I was Jarl. No one guarded my right.
When the bar broke we knew before the raiders did and it meant we were ready. As soon as the gate sprang open we leapt forward at the wedge. I held my spear at waist height and I punched it upwards into the belly of a surprised warrior. Their leader had allowed others to break through and the four of us all scored hits on men without mail. We knocked them back to the bridge and stones and arrows began to rain upon the attackers.
I took a blow from a spear on my shield and, lifting my spear above my head jabbed down. The warrior was not fast enough to block my blow and the spear found his neck. As he fell his body dragged the spear from my hands and I drew my sword. I raised it above my head and yelled, "Ragnar's Spirit!" The men before us recoiled at the ferocity of our attack and at the quality of our weapons and armour. We stepped on to the bridge. Perhaps the Norns mocked me for at that moment an axe was thrown. I saw it coming but only at the last moment. It struck my helmet with such force that I fell to the ground, stunned. I kept hold both of my shield and my sword. As I lay there a warrior leapt forward and raised his spear to impale me. I swung wildly with Ragnar's Spirit and my blade went through his leg. He toppled into the ditch.
Then I heard Sven roar, "Ulfheonar!" and the three of them charged the raiders. Such was their fury that they drove back the wedge.
I struggled to my feet, "Arne, bring the warriors here, to me!"
Before I could race to the aid of my oathsworn two men ran at me. It was a mistake for I had a cold anger within me. I fended off one spear and struck down with my sword. The second warrior's spear slid along my mail before catching a ring on the side. As he tried to free it my blade sliced into the side of his head. His corpse slumped at my feet and I punched the second warrior from the bridge and into the ditch. He screamed as he was impaled on a stake hidden by the snow.
I watched as Sven White Hair hurled himself at the Viking leader. He punched so hard with his spear that the head sheared into the warrior's side, tearing through the mail. A sword hacked into the top of Sven's arm as he reached for his sword but he just roared with rage and head butted the man to the ground before taking out his sword and despatching him. The Viking chief stabbed Sven in the stomach. Sven was still not finished for he had the warrior's rage upon him and he smashed his shield into the face of the chief. His heroics ended when an axe, from the side, took his head. Einar and Ragnar had not been idle and they both hacked and chopped with their swords. They were killing machines. They were doing what they had been trained to do since youth. They did not have to think about it. Their muscles knew what to do. They too had the rage upon them and were impervious and oblivious to wounds and blows. They carved a path deep into the enemy line.
I ran towards the warriors who now completely surrounded them. I brought my sword down to hack into the neck of a warrior while punching another out of the way. Arne and the others could finish those I did not. I had to get to my two Ulfheonar. Even as I ran my sword through a warrior I saw Einar's body pierced by a spear. He swung his sword horizontally and took two heads with his last mighty blow. An axe took off his arm and still he roared his defiance. Ragnar, bleeding from every part of his body ran to his friend's aid. He slew his killer with one blow and was then felled by the Viking chief whose sword slit his throat.
My three Ulfheonar lay dead and I pounced upon the Viking chief. I swung my sword so hard that it split his shield asunder and he reeled backwards. He stabbed upwards at me but his sword slid along the mail links of my byrnie. I brought my shield around to catch his jaw in an uppercut. He fell backwards and, before he could recover, I took his head in one blow. Swinging my shield around to my back I picked up the skull by its hair and held it aloft. "This is the result of raiding the land of Jarl Dragon Heart!"
Behind me my handful of warriors roared a challenge and ran at the survivors. They fled. I hurled the head after them.
I pointed to the men and boys from the stad, "You finish off the wounded here. Arne, bring your warriors and we will end this!"
Arne and four warriors followed me. The trail was easy to see in the lightening dawn. We soon despatched two wounded men and found another one who had died of his wounds. Ahead we could see them running. There was a trail of red blood in the white snow. My three Ulfheonar had died well. I saw that they would reach their ship before we would catch them but we did not stop. I wanted them humiliating. I wanted them to see that just five warriors chased them, unafraid.
We arrived at the bank as the drekar drifted out in to the middle of the river. Barely six oars moved. They would return from whence they came and tell a tale of horror. At the stern the steersman stared incredulously at us.
I sank to my knees in the snow. I had lost three warriors but they had found themselves. They would be in Valhalla now with Butar, Olaf and the others who had gone before them. Arne put his hand on my shoulder, "Jarl, look!" I raised my head and saw there, on the bank the half wrecked fishing boat of Magnar. It would never sail again; the mast was gone and it was holed. "That would make a fine grave for Sven and his warriors."
"You are right!"
The five of us carried it back to the battlefield. It was dawn when we arrived. The three bodies had been laid out and the raiders stripped and searched. We took off our helmets and I took off my armour. We dug a hole in the snow and the earth until it was deep enough for the boat. When we had placed the boat in the hole I said, "Arne, take the armour from my Ulfheonar. They will not need it where they are going and they would have liked you and your men to have it." I pointed to the dead Viking. "Have his armour too."
They nodded. We laid the three of them together, with the hands together holding their swords. I placed their wolf cloaks over their bodies and, finally, the golden wolf amulet across the cloak. They had no family to leave it to. They would take their treasure with them. The men of the village brought stones and we laid them over their bodies and then piled the soil back on top.
Arne nodded, "When it is lambing time we will lay turf and flowers here. We will remember them."
I took out Ragnar's Spirit and pointed it to the skies. "Allfather these three heroes come to join you at your table. They died with honour and their tales will fill you with pride. They died oathsworn and they are Ulfheonar!"
The enemy bodies were piled on brushwood and burned. They would join the earth and crops would grow. Our own dead, five of them, were buried with honour too, not far from the boat grave. We said words over them too. That was Arne's duty for he knew them. We turned and headed back to the stad. The women had prepared food and we ate, in silence, in the hall. Sven had redeemed himself and his life had had purpose at the end. He and his comrades had not drunk themselves into a forgettable death. I was pleased that I had come. If I had not come north then Thorkell's Stad would have been destroyed and my Ulfheonar would still lie drunk in Sven's hall by the oaks.
When we had finished eating I knew that I would not be able to sleep despite the fact that I had been awake for a whole day. Arne and I sat by the fire and drank beer.
"Jarl Dragon Heart, you asked me before this happened what I would do."
"And you have decided?"
He nodded, "Before the attack I would have returned to Cyninges-tūn. I would have gone to sea and raided with you." He pointed to the north and the graves. "The Ulfheonar have shown me that I can find honour and I can find glory here. They died for the people who dwell here. Raiders will come again and you will not be here all the time. I will take on that responsibility. I have seen boys become men and stand a watch on the walls. They will grow and become warriors. Others will come and they will become my warriors. We n
ow have mail and we have an example. The memory of Sven, Einar and Ragnar will inspire us."
"I am pleased that you are my Jarl of the North."
He smiled, "I would do it even without a title. Thank you for the honour you bestow upon me, Jarl Dragon Heart."
I was about to leave, two days later, when a party of riders struggled up from the south. They were covered in snow. It was Snorri, Bjorn, Eystein and Asbjorn. Once inside the gate they shook the snow from them.
"Kara and Aiden were worried. They had a dream three nights ago that you were in danger. The pass was closed and it took us until today to get here."
I nodded, "It is good to know that they dream still. We were in danger. Sven White Hair, Ragnar Siggison and Einar Svensson died when Vikings attacked." I pointed beyond the gate. "They are buried yonder but they died well."
"Where did the Vikings come from? Dyflin?"
I shook my head, "There was no treachery. From the treasures and the runes on their weapons I would say they were Norse. They may even have been neighbours of Harald One Eye. We killed their chief and they fled. Arne is Jarl here now."
They all knew Arne. He had grown up with them and they were pleased for him. They patted him black and blue.
"Is the pass open now?"
"Barely." Bjorn pointed to the north east. "More storm clouds are gathering. Unless we are to spend the winter here I would suggest that we leave immediately."
"Saddle my horse." I clasped Arne's arm. "We have fought side by side and we share the bond that all such warriors have. If you have need of me then send for me. Use your boys to keep me advised of any happenings here. Even the smallest information might prove valuable."
"I will. I have learned much."
"And when Magnar and his son are well," I handed him a small pouch of coins, "here is recompense for their boat. Had they not warned us…"