by Griff Hosker
“Bring me the surviving warriors.”
The three who had managed to live through our attack were dragged to me. Their hands were bound. Had they not been followers of the White Christ I might have left their hands unfettered and offered them a warrior’s death. As it was they were not to be trusted. Their word meant nothing. There were two younger warriors, one was little older than Arturus and an older greybeard. I spoke with the greybeard. I saw that he bore battle scars on his arms and face.
“What is this?”
He remained silent.
“Who is lord here?”
He obstinately refused to speak.
“You know you will die if I do not find out what I wish to know?”
He nodded, “And I will die if I tell you so why should I help you?”
“You will live if you tell me.”
“As a slave?”
“As a slave.”
“Then kill me now for death is preferable to slavery.”
I shook my head, “I was taken as a slave on the Dunum and look at me.”
He nodded, unsurprised, although his two companions looked shocked. “I thought you spoke our language well for a Viking. You must be the one they call Dragon Heart.”
“I am.”
“I have heard of you. They say that you are not as bad as the rest and that you keep your word.”
“I do. So tell me.”
He shook his head, “I am too old to learn to be a slave. I would have died defending the church had I not been struck a blow from behind.”
“You follow the White Christ then?”
“I do.” He took out the cross from beneath his kyrtle. It was a small one made from metal. “I shun the old ways.”
“You do not wish a sword then?”
He shook his head. “This is my sword.” He kissed his cross. “Do it swiftly, one warrior to another.”
I nodded, “Thorgill.”
Thorgill was keen to regain my favour and he took out his sword and took the old warrior’s head off in one blow.
I looked at the other two. They had been splashed with the greybeard’s blood and looked shocked. “He was a brave man and I can understand him. He was too old to learn new ways. I make the same offer to you two. Tell me what I wish to know and you shall live as slaves. You will be treated well and may attain your freedom as I did.”
They looked at each other. The younger of the two looked terrified and I felt sorry for him. The other warrior put his arm around his shoulder. “I am Aelle and this is Aethelfrith my brother. I promised our mother I would look after him. She died of the fever last year.” I nodded. “We served Eorl Osbald. He ruled here for King Eanred.”
“Good. You shall live. And he left with his wife, son and oathsworn?”
“Yes my lord.”
“And where would he go to?” There was hesitation. “It cannot hurt him but I need to know.”
“Dunelm; his brother and the king are there.”
I was satisfied. It would take many days to reach Dunelm. They could not give chase. Aiden and the others had arrived, “Aiden, you and the boys watch over these two. They are to be taken to Man. Treat them well but keep them secure.”
Aiden nodded seriously. He would not let me down.
“And now let us see the priests. Rolf, find some food. The monks may be able to help.”
I went to the two monks who were dressed well. I took the Ulfheonar with me. I wished to intimidate the priests and my men looked fierce. We all wore red paint beneath our helmets and I know that the followers of the White Christ thought we looked like devils. They were creatures from their religion that they feared.
The two men tried to rise as we approached. I drew Ragnar’s Spirit and, resting it on the shoulder of one, forced him back to the ground.
“I am Jarl Dragon Heart. I do not fear your White Christ so curse me all you will, I do not fear him. Nor am I afraid to spill the blood of monks. I will sleep easily after doing so. I tell you this because I want you to know the truth. I hide behind no man and no god.” The older monk nodded. “You are the abbot?”
“I am. I am Abbot Kernhelm. What happens to us?” He swept his arm around his monks all of whom were looking very sorry for themselves.
“You will be taken back to my island and you will be slaves. Some will be sold and some will work on the island.” I smiled, “Your monks will find it no different from here but you will.”
“It will not be the same. They will not be able to worship our God, Jesus Christ.”
I laughed, “We do not impose our gods on you. We have others such as you, women too and they are allowed to worship whom they choose. I think it will be the hard work which you will not like Abbot Kernhelm.”
“I am not afraid of hard work.”
“Good for you shall have plenty. Now tell me where your treasures are.” He hesitated. “This is not a large place and we could tear it apart in less time than it takes to make a blood eagle.” I saw that they both touched their crosses when I mentioned the blood eagle. It was a thinly veiled threat and they knew it.
“There is a room beneath the altar and two chests within. They contain our treasures.”
“And your books?”
He looked at me in surprise. “You can read?”
“I can but I don’t.” I smiled, “We can sell them in Frankia. Thank you Abbot. You have just saved many lives.”
We went to the church. I pointed to the candlesticks, lace and other objects they used in their rituals. “Tostig and Ragnar Siggison collect those and keep them safe.” We opened the door to the cellar and Snorri descended.
“It is only small. There are two chests.” He handed the first one which was reassuringly large. We pulled it to one side. The other was disappointingly small and light.
We opened the larger one first. In it were some bones, two rings which looked to be seals and two bags of coins. The larger bag contained silver and the smaller, gold. I took some coins out. They had heads imprinted on them and the names of rulers. I would get Aiden to find out who they were later. “The bones are obviously saints’ bones. Cnut, take them outside and ask the Abbot which saints.” He looked at me curiously. “That will affect the price we can get.”
I carried the other chest outside. It was a finely made chest and it was locked. I was tempted to break it open but it looked too fine to be destroyed. I walked over to the Abbot. “The key.”
He shook his head, “The Eorl has it. This was his. It has nothing to do with the church.”
I believed him. Haaken said, “I can break it open.”
Aiden was still nearby and he shouted, “No! I can get it open.” I handed it to him. He looked at Haaken apologetically, “It is too good to destroy and all it takes is some skill.” He took out a thin dagger and some thin metal. I smiled as I saw Haaken peering over his shoulder. After a few moments’ exertion a grin appeared on the Irish boy’s face and he opened the box.
He had handed it to me after closing it again. “You should be the one to see what is within Jarl.”
Haaken ruffled Aiden’s head, “Every day I see you become more of a gladramenn!”
I opened it and, at first, I was disappointed, it was just a piece of calfskin. I took the calfskin out and underneath was a large gold coin. I saw writing along it which looked like Latin to me. I handed it to Aiden while I unfolded the calfskin. Once again it was Latin.
“It says ‘Corona Aurea’.
The Abbot stood. He held out his hand, “May I?” Aiden looked at me. I narrowed my eyes. The Abbot said, “I have never seen inside the box but I have studied Roman coins and this seems to be a Roman coin.” I nodded to Aiden who gave it to him. He turned it over in his hands and then handed it to me. “It is a Roman medal awarded to soldiers for incredible acts of bravery. This one was awarded in the reign of Antonius Pius. He built a wall further north of the one built by Hadrian.” I could see that he was desperate to read the calfskin.
“Well Aiden?”
“
This is a letter written to someone called Dux Britannicus…”
“He was the military ruler of Britannia after the Romans left.” I flashed a look at the Abbot and he was silent.
“It says that this is all that remains of a family called Aurelius. According to this the head of the family was an equite?”
The abbot looked at me and I nodded, “A knight or horseman.”
“He was an equite who guarded the land close to the wall. Oh I can see a name for the Dux Britannicus, it is Coel.”
This time the abbot could not contain himself. “He was the King who founded Rheged. He lived north of here. I had thought he was a legend. He was real!”
I took the letter and looked at the writing. I recognised some of the words but Aiden had done a good job. I fingered the medal. I could feel that they were connected to me. I did not know how but the hairs on the back of my neck tingled. Once again I had been meant to find something: the box. I replaced the treasures in the wooden casket. “Thank you Aiden, thank you Abbot.”
The Abbot looked disappointed. I think he wanted to examine them in a little more detail.
I turned to Rolf. “Tomorrow you can take the slaves and the treasure back to Audun’ston. Take them home and return with your ship.” I looked at the Abbot. “Is there another estuary north of here?” I saw him debating whether to tell me or not. “Your slavery can be with a good family or a pig farmer so choose your words carefully.”
“The River Lune is not far north of here but ships can only travel a short way up it.”
“Good, then Rolf, you will meet us at this river. We go north, we go to Rheged.”
As the others went about their business I sat with Aiden and examined the small casket. I saw that the lid had been well decorated. It looked Roman rather than Saxon. I had not noticed it before but now it was clear. I could see that there was a horseman and he held a lance with something fluttering from it. I peered closely at it. It could not be! I was making something out of nothing.
“Aiden. Examine the box and look at the lance. Tell me what you think it is that flutters there.”
He looked at and then his mouth dropped open and he started at me. “It looks like a dragon’s head, Jarl.”
I nodded slowly, “And that is what I thought too. ‘Wyrd’.”
Chapter 7
We set off in the hours just after dawn. Two of the horses were used to take back the treasures and weapons. We also divided the food we found so that some would augment Audun’s store. It was somehow easier walking knowing that we would be close to a river soon. A river meant safety for we had an escape on one of our ships should we become trapped.
We walked along an old Roman Road. Many of the cobbles were missing used, I imagined, by people living locally to improve their homes. We saw few of these people as we trudged north under the hot summer sun. I wondered why for the land look to be bountiful. Aiden and the boys still led the horses. I knew that both of them were desperate to speak with me about the casket. I did not expect for one moment that Aiden would not have told Arturus what he had seen. I had been awake half the night trying to make sense of it.
My mother had said her people came from Rheged and her father had been Warlord and yet from what the Abbot had said and the letter had implied, Rheged only came about when the Romans left. Where did my heart come from? Whose blood coursed through my body? I thought I had discovered much in the two caves but now it seemed that the more I found out the less I knew and the more there was to discover.
I had been silent for some time and Haaken and Cnut joined me. “What troubles you Dragon Heart? Did you discover something in the box which was evil?”
“No, just the opposite. I found another link to my past.”
I explained to them all that I had discovered. Haaken was fascinated. “A horseman with a dragon’s head on a lance? Why?”
“I have no idea but the horseman on the box looked much like those horsemen who pursued us on Anglesey. If Raibeart was correct then that is how the men of Rheged fought; fully encased in mail, riding big horses and carrying lances. Now we know that they had some connection with a dragon.”
Cnut shook his head, “There is something greater here than we can fathom.” He clutched his wolf amulet, “This is the work of the sisters.”
“Aye and that worries me for we all know how precocious they are. I will make a sacrifice when we reach the river.”
I saw that the land to the east was steep and hilly. Woods covered its sides and, I assumed, would be teeming with game. It seems that those who lived here, the people of Rheged, were not farmers. If they were then there was little evidence of them having cleared the land.
We reached the river and I saw that the priest had spoken true. We could almost walk across it. “We will head down stream and watch for Rolf.”
It was only mid afternoon when we made camp. Some of the men set up nets across the river to catch fish which would come and go with the tide. Those who prepared our food began to make the fires. I sought Haaken and Cnut.
“I intend to make a blood sacrifice before we cross this river. I should have done so earlier.” Their expressions told me that they understood. “I will go into the woods and find an animal worthy of a sacrifice.”
“You will go on your own?”
“I need to make the blót a special sacrifice for the gods.”
“Aye but we will come with you. Not to hunt but to watch over you. We are your oathsworn.”
I could not gainsay them and so the three of us left. We deigned armour and helmets. We needed to be able to move swiftly and silently. I took a good spear and my bow. Thorkell was less than happy for me to be going but he obeyed orders and promised to watch over Arturus for me. I left the casket with Aiden. “See what else you can discover while I am away. There may be secrets we cannot yet divine.”
The nearest forest was a mere six miles away. Without shield, armour and helmet we almost ran the whole way. It was good to feel the wind in my hair and my beard. I do not know about the other two but I felt years younger. It was like being a boy again and hunting in the forests high above our village.
Once we struck the forest we looked for the animal trails. They would all head for water and so when we found a deer trail we followed the one which led down through the forest to the stream we knew would be there. There seemed to be an understanding amongst animals that they would all use the same water at sunset. Once they left the water then there would be danger. The only danger to animals at water would be man.
We found the spoor of some deer. I would not sacrifice just any deer. It had to be a kill worthy of a sacrifice. It would need to be a fine stag; a leader as I was. In a perfect world we would capture the beast and kill it at the river. However we had neither the time nor the means for that. We would kill it and use its heart and its blood.
We moved silently and carefully through the darkening forest. We had little time before sunset. When we saw the lightening of the forest ahead we knew that there was a clearing; it had to be water. I waved my two companions away. They were there to protect me and not to kill for me.
I saw that it was a small mere, a patch of water bigger than a pond. I could smell the deer. That meant the wind was in my favour. Soon, I could see three does drinking. They would not do. Then I saw the antlers of a fine red deer. He was on the far side of the mere. He would be a worthy sacrifice for the gods and the sisters. I looked over and saw that the other two had seen him. I laid my spear against a tree trunk and strung my bow. I drew a hunting arrow and notched it. I was going to descend to the side of the mere when I saw him enter the water and begin to wade across. The gods wished me to make this sacrifice and were bringing my victim to me. I knelt down and took aim. When he emerged from the water I would have a clear shot of his chest. It would only be forty paces distance and I could not miss.
I pulled back on the bow and began to let out my breath. Suddenly I heard the sound of leaves rustling and a roar of anger. I spun round
and saw a wild boar hurtling towards me. I loosed the arrow which pierced his eye. It served merely to enrage it. I had almost no time to think. It was less than ten paces away and coming towards me roaring its pain and its anger. I grabbed my spear and, jamming the end against the tree pointed the head at the beast. Its mouth was open and was covered in the blood dripping from its eye. Its tusks looked ready to rip me apart. As the spear entered the boar’s mouth I realised that it was not a boar spear. I would die when the spear went down the boar’s insides and its teeth and tusks found my soft flesh.
With a crack and a tearing sound I saw the spear head emerge between the boar’s ears. It stopped dead, quite literally. I watched the life go from its eyes. Its teeth and tusks were just a hand span from my fingers. I had been saved by luck once more.
Cnut and Haaken appeared, white faced by my side. “I was convinced you were dead. I could not see how you would stop such a beast.” Cnut’s eyes widened as he took in the size of the animal.
“The spear must have entered its brain and killed it instantly. That is why there is so little blood.”
“Then it will be a worthy sacrifice.”
I looked down at the mere. The stag and its does were edging away from the noise. “Farewell king of the forest. It was not your day to die.”
We tied the boar’s feet around the spear and hauled the enormous animal out of the forest. It was dark by the time we reached the camp. We saw the flames from the fires and they helped to guide us. Arturus, Aiden and Thorkell rushed to meet us as we laboured along the old Roman Road.
All of them were impressed by the size of the beast. We rigged up a frame to keep the body from the ground while I prepared the sacrifice. I washed and cleansed myself in the river. I dressed in clean clothes. Haaken and Cnut put one of the cooking pots beneath the dead boar. When all was ready the men formed a circle around the animal. I whetted my seax until I could have shaved with it. I began to slice and saw through the underside of the wild pig. I did it carefully for I did not wish to waste any of the blood. When the entrails began to pour forth I dragged them out of the way and the, putting my hands deep within the animal I sought its heart. Even though it had been a couple of hours since it had been killed the heart was still warm. I ripped it down and suddenly blood poured into the pot. I placed the heart in the bottom and waited until every drop had drained.