by Griff Hosker
As Haaken rowed he could not help laughing. "This will make a fine saga. How the Mercian king was duped by empty beakers."
"Let us hope that we continue to dupe him then or this plan will go seriously awry."
Although the plan was a good one it depended upon many things, not least the moon and the tide. Aiden and I had modified the plan suggested by King Egbert. As we sailed beyond the fort I saw him and his men standing along the walls. There were slightly more men in the fort now than had been there when we had fended off Guthrum's attack but now those besieging Lundenburgh had three times as many warriors. The odds were even more in the attacker's favour than they had been before. We sailed around the bend of the river to Grenewic and tied up there to wait until dark.
I looked at the sky; it was clear. "Are you certain that the clouds will come?"
Aiden was confident. "I am, Jarl Dragon Heart, and they will come when the tide turns. Fear not this is the work of the Norns."
We had listened to the sound of the assault on Lundenburgh and seen the flames rising in the sky. Lundenwic was burning. I daresay that our hall was destroyed too. The sting in our tail had left many of King Coenwulf's best warriors, his horsemen, dead and dying. He would want vengeance. King Egbert's plan had hinged on Guthrum and the Mercians believing that the Norse had fled in their dragon ships. He would ignore the river and yet the river would become a dagger aimed at his heart. We would be that dagger.
I watched the river begin to rise and saw the smug self satisfied smile upon Aiden's face. My Galdramenn had done it again. He knew nature and the spirits had guided him. We pushed off and, without raising the sail, we sculled upstream with the incoming tide. The clouds and the river hid us from prying eyes. The fighting had died down and we saw the watch fires which ringed Lundenburgh. King Coenwulf and Guthrum had them sewn up tighter than a pig skin. Their main camp appeared to be north of the river and north of Lundenwic. We went beyond them to our jetty at Celchyth. Our hall was a burned out shell; only the shrivelled turf roof remained.
We disembarked close to some willow trees. I waved to Erik as we led our men north. The two captains would have no warriors to protect them this time. They would be reliant upon themselves. They had Sigtrygg with them. His injury meant he could not move quickly enough. He was the only warrior we left behind. I had no doubt they would acquit themselves well. They had no enemies upon the river.
The Ulfheonar led. Terror would be a weapon we would wield. We spread through the woods almost invisible in our black armour with wolf cloaks. Snorri and Bjorn the Scout led. Their task was to find any sentries who might be watching. They returned, as the moon briefly emerged from behind the clouds. "They have no sentries and their camp is sixty paces to the east of us. They are sleeping."
I turned to Arturus. "You know what to do?"
"My men may not be Ulfheonar but we can move silently when we need to. May the Allfather be with you."
"And with you."
With shields slung around our backs we headed towards the camp. We all held a sword and a seax. With our wolf cloaks and red eyes I hoped that we would look like creatures from Hel. We moved silently in a large semi circle into the camp. We would have but a short time to do what we needed before the camp was awake. I saw that the ones through which we passed were Mercians. The Danes were further north. When we were forty paces in I turned to raise my sword. My men did the same and I brought it down on the neck of the sleeping giant at my feet. The first few died silently but inevitably some woke. At the first gurgled scream the camp was in uproar and warriors jumped to their feet. As they grabbed their weapons they stared in horror at the red eyed wolves who wielded swords and were in the middle of their camp. The fear cost many their lives as they hesitated. As I stabbed one half awake Mercian I sensed a warrior from my left and I instinctively brought my seax around in a sweep. My hand was covered in his gushing blood as he fell trying to push his entrails back inside.
I heard the alarm in the Danish camp and knew that we had not long left before we would have to flee. The oathsworn of the Mercian king were donning their armour. They knew better than to take on the Ulfheonar without mail. I felt a blow from a sword across my back. The wolf cloak, armour, and padding cushioned the strike and when I swung with Ragnar's Spirit I saw the fear in the man's eyes. He thought he had slain me and I turned and slew him.
"Back! Ulfheonar, back."
We turned and moved swiftly through the camp. To the warriors who were pursuing us it must have looked as though we had disappeared for all that they saw was the black of our cloaks. It was why I had chosen the Ulfheonar for this task. There were a few warriors before us and we slew them. The men formed on me. I knew that Haaken and Cnut would bring up the rear. They would turn a few times so that the Mercians and the Danes could see our direction. We wanted pursuit.
It was the time of year when the sun shone for far longer than there was night. It had been part of the plan. Behind us I knew that dawn's light would be breaking and that we would be running into the dark. When I heard the low whistle then I knew that we were almost at the ambush site. We emerged into a clearing and when I reached the far side I turned. We had run hard and I was out of breath.
My warriors formed on either side of me. I saw that Harald Thin Neck was not with us. We would see him in Valhalla. When Haaken and Cnut appeared and went to the extreme ends of our line I breathed a sigh of relief. We were drawing the enemy on to us.
We heard them coming down the track, keen for revenge. I saw a faint light to the east. It had worked perfectly for by the time they reached us the first rays of the sun would light our faces and fear would return to the vengeful pursuers.
Guthrum and his Danes led and they were cautious. They had taken the time to arm and don mail. They halted at the far end of the clearing and began to form a wedge. Guthrum, I assumed it was him from his magnificent armour and helmet, shouted, "You may frighten these Mercians with your red eyes and wolf skins but I know you for what you are! You are a half breed trickster. You are not Odin's child but Loki's! I swore vengeance when you slew my son and I will give you the blood eagle. I swear this."
He thought to anger me but I remained silent. I wanted the delay. When the Mercians came they would be terrified despite Guthrum's words. When they attacked Lundenburgh we wanted them afraid of the Wolf Men before they even moved towards the walls.
He saw that he was getting nowhere with his insults and he ordered his men forward. I noticed that he and his oathsworn kept back and the only mailed warriors were the eight at the front of the wedge. They were thirty paces from us when the arrows rained down on them from behind. I saw some turn and look only to be pierced by the black arrows which came from all around them save where their enemies were. The rear ranks of the wedge dissolved as men fled or died. Although the eight at the front were mailed their rear was exposed.
Arturus and I had planned this well. His men had hidden in the woods when the enemy had followed. After releasing their arrows they had run to line the enemy's flanks. Once they had released those they ran behind us.
"Now!" My warriors swarmed around them. I smashed my sword against the haft of the spear from the lead warrior and jabbed forward with my seax. It went into his eye and penetrated the skull at the rear. He died instantly. All eight fell and we stood back in line.
King Coenwulf appeared with his warriors. Guthrum's men were sheltering from their invisible foe. Another shower of arrows fell. Had they not been in a state of shock they would have realised that the arrows no longer came from behind them; Arturus and his men had moved down the sides towards us and were now raining death from the north and the south of the Mercians.
I saw warriors protecting the two leaders with their shields while they argued. Now was the time for a final gesture to inspire fear. We had decided to intimidate and terrify the enemy. They were in the clearing and we knew the effect of a wolf's howl. The Ulfheonar stepped forward. Each warrior began to howl like a wolf and our ene
mies just kept moving into the centre of the clearing. Behind us Arturus' men were forming up in the woods with their bows ready with nocked arrows.
I raised both my hands. My warriors fell silent as I yelled in Saxon, "The Ulfheonar strike in the night. When you camp tonight, Mercians, keep your weapons close and your armour on for we will come and you will die! No matter how many sentries and guards you have we will come!" A strong ray of sunlight chose that moment to shine on my black armour and revealing my red face. I saw them recoil. We turned as one and ran towards the woods.
"After them! It is a trick!"
King Coenwulf's voice broke the spell and Mercians and Danes ran after us. Two flights of arrows slowed them down. We ran until we reached the ships. We quickly boarded ours and half of the warriors took the waiting bows and nocked arrows. Arturus and his men were right behind us. My archers sent discouraging flights towards the pursuers while Arturus and his crew jumped aboard their own drekar and cast off. The Danes and the Saxons had not brought bows and they had to watch impotently as we sailed downstream towards the safety of Lundenburgh. There would be no attack this day. King Egbert's army was another day closer.
We tied up next to the southern gate. The gates were opened and King Egbert and Eorl Edward awaited us eagerly. I clasped their arms. King Egbert looked over my shoulder as my warriors disembarked. "Did you succeed?"
I nodded, "We surprised them and I do not think they will attack today."
King Egbert looked disappointed. "You did not kill many then?"
I felt my hands clenching into fists. Aiden caught my eye and shook his head. "If you mean we did not lose many of our warriors then you would be correct but we slew many. However each of my dead warriors is worth more to me than fifty dead Mercians."
There was an edge to my voice. Although I had taken off my helmet I had not yet washed off the red dye from my face. That and the blood which had spattered on to me must have made me appear aggressive for the king took a step back. His face creased into a frown. He was not accustomed to being spoken to like this. I would not back down.
Arturus' cheerful voice broke the tension. He had been a little slow getting off his drekar and had not witnessed the disagreement. "We managed to take some of the weapons and helmets from the dead warriors who were in the wedge. We did not have time to take their mail. Look, father, a silver torc!"
King Egbert managed a smile at my son's enthusiasm. "You have succeeded then. Good."
I pointed to the south west corner of the fort. "We need to defend there. I will leave our drekar here but I will not risk losing them." Without our ships we were helpless.
Eorl Edward stepped forward and put his arm around my shoulders. He led me into the fort. "I will have my men build a barrier between the ditch and the river…"
I shook my head. "Have them dig a channel from the ditch to the river and it will fill with river water. That will suffice."
I saw the look exchanged between father and son. They had obviously not thought of that. I was tired and I headed directly for the warrior hall. Arturus caught me up. "I am sorry, father, what was all that about?"
"It was not your fault, son. King Egbert did not think that we had lost enough men. Now that he pays us he thinks he owns us. I will put him straight on that but I shall wait until I am less tired. I do not want to say something that I will regret." I looked at the objects he had in his hands. "What do you have there? Treasure?"
He nodded, "These were on the warrior you slew. There is a small golden torc. See how it has the blue stones at the ends. They are the same stones as are on the sword you found and the scabbard from the fort."
"Wyrd." It was the second such torc we had found.
"The sword he had was also decorated with gold wire. These Danes are rich if they can decorate their weapons so."
We had reached the warrior hall and he offered them to me. I took the torc. "You keep the sword. It looks well made."
"But you killed the warrior." He was desperate for me to have it. I needed no such treasure. Arturus and Kara, they were my treasure.
"I have Ragnar's Spirit and I have the sword we found. That is enough treasure for me. I am content"
After I had taken off my armour I returned to the river. Taking off my clothes I plunged in. The current was not particularly fast and my drekar were close by. I let my head sink beneath the river water. I felt much cleaner when I emerged, free from blood. The water had wakened me somewhat.
Feeling refreshed I sought Aiden. He had spent the night on the drekar as an extra bowman. He now took me to one side and said, "You should watch your words with King Egbert, Jarl. I have spoken at length with his son. The King has a new wife and she is young. He is keen to show her what a fine warrior he is and what a hero. You are too great a hero for him. The folk of Lundenwic are speaking of you as the hero who saved them. The king does not like it."
I was bemused, "And how does that affect me?"
"She is travelling with his army and your threat to his authority today would not be brooked in front of his young wife. She is young, jarl. She is younger than Arturus. Apparently he likes young girls. His old wife is now in a nunnery." He shrugged, "I cannot understand it either but poor Eorl Edward has suffered because of it. It is hard enough being the bastard son but when someone young enough to be your daughter is put above you then it is even worse."
"Thank you Aiden. You have done well. Your eyes and ears are as sharp as any. When King Coenwulf is defeated then there is not enough gold in the world to keep me here. We will return home." I would have left already had I not given my word. A man did not forswear himself. The gods did not like it and a man had to face himself each morning.
That evening, after I had rested we were summoned to a counsel of war. It was punctuated with food and ale but I kept my intake of the latter down to a minimum. Arturus was invited as were King Egbert's eorls. I could not help but compare them to my Ulfheonar. Where my men were powerful warriors without an ounce of fat, Edward excepted, they were all overweight and too fond of their food and drink.
The way King Egbert spoke one would have thought that he had been the one responsible for the attack on the Mercian camp.
"We have weakened them now. Perhaps we could take the army beyond these walls and defeat them in the field." He was asking for praise and for encouragement. He deserved neither. He had done nothing.
I saw Edward look to me. He appeared far less confident when his father was close by. The overweight eorls all sounded their agreement. I introduced a pail of ice cold water. "You do not have an army. You have three warbands. If you met them in the field then you would be slaughtered."
"You and your band survived."
"We did not fight them we tricked them. We led them into an ambush and we took them by surprise. If we leave Lundenburgh then they will know and they will be ready. From what we have seen they have twice the number of mailed warriors as you do. The Danes are a tough enemy. We sent them packing only because we surprised them. We have no more surprises. We have to hold them here until your army reaches us. The question is, when will that be?"
The king looked at me as though I had spoken Greek to him. "How do I know? They could be here tomorrow."
I knew the answer to this question but I had to voice it. "Is it just the army or do you have baggage and," I hesitated, "women?"
"Yes of course we have baggage and we have women. The army protects them both."
"If the army do not reach here in time, your majesty then the baggage and the women will belong to Coenwulf and Guthrum."
When the eorls looked at each other I knew that the queen was not the only female passenger. "So your only solution is to wait behind these walls?" I think the king thought that such a mighty warrior would have a solution he had not thought of. He was wrong.
"We have food, water and shelter. We control the river. If anyone tried to get up or downstream then my drekar can stop them. We have plenty of oil and pig fat, we can burn them as we did
before. This is a good, well made burgh. Use it."
As soon as the words were out of my mouth I knew that I had not used the right tone and the king frowned. I was not meant for politics. After this was over I would not fight with allies. I preferred making my own decisions. Within seven days I would be a free man again. We would never serve another again. The treasure was not worth it.
The enemy came in the middle of the next morning. This time they had prepared well and had faggots to lay in the ditches and a ram to break down the gate. They did, at least, come by the north gate which we had prepared better than the others. It was the one entrance which allowed them to use the ram. Although we could only see two hundred warriors I knew that there would be others hiding in the woods.
King Egbert, on the other hand, seemed confident that this was all that Coenwulf and Guthrum had available to them. "We will slaughter them before they reach us!"
Argument with him was futile. I waved to Haaken to bring all of our archers to the north wall. Our enemies were lined up in a long shield wall which bristled with spears. Once again it was not his best warriors whom we could see but, from the helmets in the second rank, I knew that they were close. The ram was visible but it was behind the front two ranks. It would be well protected on its journey towards us. My men waited to release their arrows. We had saved enough for this. King Egbert shouted to his men, "Release!"
Eorl Edward said, somewhat diffidently, "They are too far away. The arrows will be wasted."