by Griff Hosker
Elfrida asked, “But what of the witches?”
I looked to Kara and Aiden. Witches were their domain
Kara said, “We must leave for Syllingar. Ylva must become a witch. With her power, added to that of Elfrida, and we two then we should be able to defeat them.”
“It is a risk sailing at this time of year.”
Kara smiled, “I know but you have risked more. I feel it is a risk worth taking for the clan. It is time we repaid the land for the benefits we have reaped. You were right father, we have not done enough for the clan. We begin now.”
Aiden nodded, “And this will protect our daughter.” He put a protective arm around her. “You said a witch died and they need five. It is a magical number. Remember Angharad when she tried to take Elfrida? Ylva is in danger until she has learned to harness her powers. Syllingar will give us the chance to make her safe.”
“But who will sail you there? We cannot afford to send a longship. We need our men here.”
“Then we send a knarr. Raibeart Ap Pasgen is a brave captain. He will do it.”
“But can you find the island?”
“It will call to us. We have spoken with the spirits and they will guide us there.”
In many ways it made sense but I was not happy about their absence. As much as I had complained that their skills did not aid the clan they had given us warning in the past. If they were away, even for just one moon, it might prove disastrous.
Once decided my daughter was like a whirlwind. Aiden was sent to Úlfarrston to arrange their passage and she began to organise the women of her hall. They were the healers for the clan as well as the ones who produced the cheese and the ale. They were vitally important to us.
While all of that was going on I spent some time with Ylva. Of all my children and grandchildren, she was the one I knew the least. That had been partly my fault for I was often away fighting but even when I was at home she was always closeted with her mother. There was a barrier between us which I could not break. “Ylva, walk with your grandfather to the Water. I would speak with you.”
We wrapped up against the cold and I took her to the eastern shore. I pointed across to the mound which, in spring and summer, was topped by flowers. Now it was just a snow topped mound. “That is your grandmother, Ylva. I see much of her in you.”
She nodded, seriously, “I know. She says that in my dreams.” She peered at me with her huge eyes, “She says you are not to worry so much. Mother and father know what they are doing. I trust them and their judgement. When I become a woman, I shall have even more powers than my grandmother. I will save the clan.”
As much as I was touched by her words I felt sad that she had not had a childhood. She had almost been forced to be grown up from an early age. Her parents had encouraged her to use her powers. “I am afraid, Ylva, that I cannot help but worry. I am the leader of this clan and many people depend upon me.”
She reached up and kissed my cheek, “And when I have my powers then I can help you lead our people. You will be able to enjoy being an old man! This is meant to be grandfather. Trust me. The spirits will protect this land.”
She did not mean the insult but I felt the barb. I was an old man.
To soften the blow, she cuddled in to me, “I know that I do not see as much of you as you would like but I would have you know that I feel as close to you as my parents. The spirit of my grandmother is within me and that of my great grandmother. Both loved you and were willing to die for you. I would do the same.”
“I would have you live, Ylva. I have seen two of my children die. I would not see more.”
They left three days later. That was the fault of the knarr. Laid up for winter it took Raibeart that length of time to make her seaworthy. I went with my family to see them off and, as they loaded what they would need I spoke with Raibeart. “Are you not afraid, Raibeart?”
“No Jarl. I am excited. The crew are too. I could have taken twice as many there were so many volunteers. I am sailing with a volva and a galdramenn. This will be my safest voyage. Do not fret Jarl. With favourable winds, we can be back in a moon. We will see a Norn and return to tell the tale.”
Shaking my head, I said, “You know not how long they will spend on the island.”
“Your daughter said she was keen to return here. But two months is the longest we will be away.”
I did not like such promises. They were too easily broken but it was out of my hands. I embraced Kara and Ylva and clasped Aiden’s arm. “May the Allfather be with you.”
Aiden smiled, “He always is as well as all the spirits who watch over you and us. Fear not we will return.”
I reached my hall with a heavy heart. Brigid was nursing our daughter but Gruffyd came to me with a horn of ale. “You have not told me of the visit to the Danes, father. What happened?”
Sometimes it takes a single, simple act to change events and so it was. I told my son all and in telling him I worked out what we needed to do to defeat these Skull Takers. I was now in no doubt that they were coming. There had been too many signs. We had made them our enemies. I knew that it could not have been avoided, it was wyrd. Now I had to make the best of it.
When I had told, him I said, “Get out the chess pieces, Gruffyd.”
“We play chess?”
“No, we plan our defence!”
We did not lay the pieces out for a game. Instead I used the white ivory pieces, to represent our settlements and my warrior bands. I used the red stained ivory to represent the Danes. I was pleased that my son grasped the concept quickly. As I moved them around he made suggestions and spotted flaws. Finally, as Brigid came in with food and fresh ale I nodded, “That is how we will defend our home.”
“War again!”
“Perhaps we should turn the other cheek, my love. I am sure the Skull Takers will allow some of us to live.”
“They are Vikings like you!”
“They are nothing like us. This will not inconvenience you. Your life and that of the people within this stad will go on much as before. It is the men and the boys who will have to work harder.”
She did not understand. Her people were different to ours. He religion was different. It was as though we spoke a different language.
We had had snow before Yule and the spring also began to come early. It came slowly but the ground warmed. I called my Ulfheonar together along with Scanlan and Bagsecg. The two of them were the heart of my people. I gave them the instructions for our stad. The Stad on the Eden had better defences than we did. I told Scanlan that I wanted the men in the stad to dig a second ditch and make a second rampart. The Ulfheonar would offset the gates to make it harder for an enemy to enter them. I did not stay to supervise the work. Satisfied that they knew what they were doing I left with Ragnar and Gruffyd. First, we went to Windar’s Mere. Asbjorn the Strong was jarl there now. He had improved the defences at the head of the Mere but I knew that there was more to do. I spent three days with him walking around his palisade and ditches pointing out where the weaknesses lay.
As we ate in his hall I said, “You do not have enough warriors. This is not your fault. Old Windar was protected too much by my son and by me. All of your men must bear arms. I will return with my Ulfheonar at the start of Ein-mánuðr. We will test your defences and your men. I do not want to find them lacking.”
Asbjorn the Strong had only been jarl since the raid which had left most of the settlement destroyed. He had been one of the few warriors who had been willing to take on the responsibility of leading the people there. Arne Thorirson had been the jarl and I had told him to improve his defences. Arne had not done as I had asked and he had paid with his life.
“I swear that this time we will be better, Jarl Dragonheart. My warriors may not be Ulfheonar but this place is worth defending!” I saw that he had made a good start and I was confident that if the Danes came they would find his walls hard to take.
My visit to Ketil was different. His defences and his men needed no im
provement. Ketil was as hard a taskmaster as any, I needed to outline my plans to him and to discover his news.
“I have met with Carr. You are right, he is a good man. His son is a fine archer. I told them that if danger came they can take refuge here. He likes his independence but I think he likes our proximity. His son enjoys the company of my young men and he likes the girls. He visits at least once ever sennight.”
“Good. We will need his bow before too long. And Athelstan?”
“He was disturbed by the news. His father would not stir but the prince used his own gold to hire more warriors. When the grass comes again he will take men down to Loidis to rid himself of this viper’s nest.”
“I pray he uses caution. From what I have heard they are a mighty clan.” I did not want the young Saxon to try to fight these Danes. They were dangerous.
“He is trying to prove to his people that he can be a king like Egbert.”
“When I spoke with him I learned that he sees war with Egbert as inevitable. I said we would aid him.”
“Good for I like the young prince.”
My last visit on this journey of my borders was to Eden on the stad. It was the easiest of my visits for it was a strongly made fortress and the river meant we could keep it supplied. Of all my stad that was the one about which I worried the least.
On the ride, south we passed through the most prosperous part of my land. The that had brought a sudden spurt of grass and my farmers used it. There were many cultivated fields and the fells were dotted with lambing ewes. Cattle grazed in the lush bottom lands. These farmers were cosseted from danger and war. Úlfarrberg seemed to watch over the prosperous little valley. Until it had been destroyed then Ulla’s Water had also been prosperous. None lived there now save for one or two hardy souls. Most of the farmers around the Grassy Mere had fled from Ulla’s Water. I did not begrudge them their peace. Their crops and animals were our prosperity.
As we crossed over the col into the Rye Dale all three of us looked towards Lough Rigg. I knew that my son and Ragnar still woke sweating in the night at the memory of the night in the magical cave. We could not undo it. I hoped that it would make better warriors of them.
The spell seemed to be broken as we dropped to the bubbling stream which ran towards Windar’s Mere. “Do you visit Úlfarrston and Sigtrygg’s Stad as well, father?”
“Aye. We will spend a day or two at home and then head south. This clement weather is good for crops but it hastens the arrival of the Danes. We need as much time as we can manage if we are to prepare.”
“Can we hold them, grandfather?”
Gruffyd burst out, “Of course we can! We have a grand plan do we not, father?”
“We have a plan but let us not boast of it until it has succeeded. We need Aiden and his family back first.”
I was pleased that Ragnar and Gruffyd had shown such an interest. But I feared that they would be forced to become warriors before their time. Such was the way of the clan.
When I returned home I spent two days with my wife. I was attentive and I was patient. Inside I could not wait to go to Úlfarrston and visit Sigtrygg’s Stad. I needed to see my people. My son and grandson came with me along with Haaken. He had had enough time with his family. I saw Erik Short Toe and told him that we might need my drekar before summer. I was not certain that we would but a drekar needed time to prepare for sea. I sat with Pasgen enjoying a fine feast.
The next day, as I prepared to ride to Sigtrygg’s stad I heard the cry of. “Sail Ho!”
Like everyone else I was curious who would be sailing into our port. We all went to the shore to watch the sail beat up towards us. I recognised the knarr. It was ‘The King’s Gift’, it was my drekar. My mind raced. What had happened? Had disaster struck? I forced myself to concentrate. Speculation could not help.
It was my ship and I saw, at the stern, my daughter and her husband. Had they not found the island? Had their plans gone awry?
Gruffyd gripped my arm, “What does this portend, father?”
“Let us wait and not make up gossip and rumour.”
It seemed to take an age but eventually the knarr tied up. Aiden helped Kara from the deck. I could not see Ylva, “Where is my granddaughter?”
Kara threw herself into my arms, “She is in Syllingar! The Weird Sisters have need of her. We have lost our child!”
For the first time since my wife had died, Kara wept. I let her sob and I looked at Aiden. He looked drained. “We found the cave and the witch was pleased to see us. She said that her voice had carried across the seas. We were dismissed. She said we would know when Ylva would return. We had to leave!”
“You should have taken her!” I would not have left her there.
“The witch is a Norn, jarl. She could have destroyed us. We left and boarded the ship. I am sorry. We have failed.”
I felt as low as I had ever felt. Erika and Wolf Killer’s death had almost been as bad but this was my granddaughter and she was lost. I had done nothing to stop this. She had entered a world in which I had no power. My sword could not save her. I had let her down. I forced myself to be strong, “We will return home and we will speak of what this means. It is not the end. It is but a pause along the way.”
Ragnar and Gruffyd flanked me as we rode our ponies north through the darkening gloom. It was Gruffyd who spoke first. “Father what of Sigtrygg?”
“We will go the day after tomorrow. Another day cannot hurt and I need to speak with Kara and Aiden. Their upset was too great. I need them to be calm and reflective. I must know what happened.”
“But we are ready should the Danes come, are we not?”
“We have men ready to man newly prepared walls but we have not the power, yet to face the witches. Until Ylva was lost we had three who could combine their power now we do not.”
“You have my mother. She has powers.”
I smiled at Ragnar, “She has limited powers. She gave up most of them when she had you. She can aid Kara and Aiden but that is all.”
“My brother had power.” Ragnar broke the silence.
I nodded, “I know. Kara sensed it in him. It was not as great as Ylva but he had some.”
“And he was slain along with my father.”
“Wyrd. There is little point in bemoaning what the Weird Sisters have spun. We just have to adapt.” I felt myself brightening. “We will have to put our minds to this problem. The gloom about us makes us dull. Perhaps a fire in the hall will bring us to life.”
We went to my hall where a surprised Brigid quickly organised food and warmed ale. I sat in my chair with my sword across my lap and listened as Kara and Aiden spoke of their voyage and their visit.
“We found the island straight away. The smoke spiralled from the top as it always did. We went down and she was waiting. She looked even more ancient than the last time.”
Kara took up the story, “I was excited to meet her and I had questions racing around inside my head. She seemed to know that for she answered them all. But Ylva…” she stopped. The words were choking her.
Aiden put his arm around my wife, “She was excited. It seemed she knew the cave for while we spoke she explored and the witch did not mind. The witch told us that it was she who had sent the dreams to us. The storm and the avalanche, Jarl Dragonheart, they were the work of the Norns. That is why the dreams were as they were. We were being summoned.” He took a drink of the ale. “We were hopeful and happy at that point. Then the Norn said she was grateful we had brought her acolyte and we could go.”
“She just dismissed you?”
He nodded and I saw his face was contorted with the memory, “I would have faced her down but Ylva went to her side and said that she wished to stay with her.” His head bowed. His voice became little more than a whisper barely audible above the spitting of the logs in the fire, “She said that she was grateful for all that we had done for her but her real work was serving Skuld.”
“So, she is a Norn.”
He
nodded, “Kara tried to take our daughter but Skuld and Ylva used their minds. Kara collapsed in the cave and I thought her dead. I carried her hence into the daylight.” He looked up at me and his eyes showed his torment and his pain. “I had to choose, my wife or my daughter. May the Allfather forgive me, I chose my wife! What kind of father abandons his child?”
I stood and put my arm around them both, “A father who has no other choice. There was naught you could have done. All that would have resulted would have been the loss of them both. We will get Ylva back.”
They both looked at me, “How?”
I released them and held Ragnar’s Spirit by the hilt. “This is a powerful weapon. It may be that this can defeat the witch, I know not but when the threat of the Danes is gone I swear I will take my Ulfheonar and we will rescue Ylva.”
“But she is now one of them, father.”
I looked at Kara, “But in her heart, she is of us. We will find that spark which is her family and we will retrieve it. Use your powers to speak with Erika and my mother. You can do nothing until you have regained your power.”
“But it is hopeless. They are too powerful for us!”
My voice became stern, “When I faced enemies who outnumbered me, surrounded only by my oathsworn, did I give up? When you and your brother were taken by the Hibernians did I crawl into a hole and cry? The Norns make our lives hard but we show that we are worthy of life by fighting against it. Fight! You have one child! Is she not worth fighting for?”
“Husband you are too harsh. Your daughter needs time to grieve.” My wife gripped my arm as though that act might silence me.
“No Brigid, she does not. It is not the way of our family and this clan. Grief is a luxury we can ill afford. Make a steam hut by Erika’s grave and the two of you make contact. I will make preparations for this attack. Tomorrow I ride to Úlfarrston and thence to Sigtrygg’s stad. The Land of the Wolf goes to war.” Aiden looked at me and nodded. I added, a little more gently, “Now take my daughter to her women and sleep. You need rest. Do not despair. This is not over.”