by Griff Hosker
Ragnar and Gruffyd were fighting back to back. I guessed that they were standing over Ylva’s body. A gaggle of Saxons had their backs to me. I threw myself at them. Both of my weapons found flesh and my charge, aided by the pitching drekar, knocked the others to the deck. They were all enemies and I twisted and slashed with my weapons as we writhed around on the deck. I felt weapons striking me but I wore mail and none penetrated it. A bearded face appeared before me. I pulled back my head and butted hard. Wriggling my seax free I began to raise it. The Saxon, his face bloody, saw my blade approaching but, like me, his arms were trapped beneath his dying comrades. I moved the seax closer. A sudden roll of the ship freed my arm and I rammed the seax under his chin and into his skull. His eyes closed.
“Jarl we are free!”
“Then let us send these as a sacrifice to the goddess, Ran! Ulfheonar!”
With a savage flurry of flashing blades, we hacked and stabbed until the deck ran red with Saxon blood. The Saxon ship lay thirty paces from us; the captain was trying to rig new lines to replace those cut by Oleg Olegson. The second Saxon ship was too far away to reach us. I saw the sun dipping to the west. Erik Short Toe was too good a sailor to be caught again. We had won. As I looked at the deck I saw that we had paid a price. Alf Jansson lay dead and a second hearth-weru, Leif the Silent, slept in a pool of his own blood.
My men cheered and chanted, “Dragonheart! Dragonheart! Dragonheart!”
We headed north into the darkening sky. I saw Ragnar and Einar the Tall standing over the bodies of the dead two hearth-weru. “They died well, lord. What better end for a warrior than to die protecting his lord. They are with your father now.”
I put my arm around Ragnar, “And you and Gruffyd won great honour today. It takes great courage for a warrior to stand his ground. You have saved Ylva’s life.”
Gruffyd was bloody with Saxon blood. His eyes were wild and he could not speak. He just nodded. I lowered him to the ground and laid him next to Ylva. “Sleep son. Let your mind return to Cyninges-tūn.”
I took off my wolf cloak and placed it over the two of them. My men were stripping the mail from the enemy dead and throwing their bodies over the side. We were not travelling quickly but already the Saxon ships lay too far behind us for them to be a threat.
Haaken walked up to me with Olaf at his side. Olaf was stroking the edge of his notched axe with his whetstone. “The Norns again, jarl? Is this punishment?”
I shook my head, “It is the Norns but this was put in place when we pulled into the bay for shelter. I do not doubt that the Norns will inflict some terror upon us for what Haaken and I did in the cave but this is not it. I fear that will be visited upon our land.”
Haaken nodded, “Then the land must help us to fight them.”
Cnut Cnutson came over to us. In his hand, he clutched a chain with a medallion hanging from it. “We took this from a leader. What does this signify jarl?”
I examined the medallion. It was a larger version of a coin. The head of King Egbert adorned it. I had seen one before worn by one of his thegns. “This confirms what we knew before. This Saxon ship came from Wessex. These were Egbert’s men. I think that the day is drawing close when we will have to face our foe.”
It was a slow journey north as Erik and Raibeart tacked back and forth. The crew were too tired to row. Many nursed minor wounds and our slow speed was safer. We reached the island of the puffins at dawn. The priests of the White Christ had a monastery there but we did not bother them. These were the poor ones. They had no treasures and no richly decorated holy books. They lived a simple life and we left them alone. We hove to and killed a few birds for a hot meal. We took our three dead ashore with us and buried them close by the beach where their spirits could watch over us as we sailed through these treacherous seas.
Gruffyd would not leave Ylva, “I have watched over her since Syllingar. When I dreamed last night, it was as when we were children swimming in the tarns near the Hows. She laughed. I will stay with her until we reach out home. It is my appointed duty.”
I nodded, “I will have food sent to you.”
Ragnar asked, “Why was I not appointed to this task, grandfather? I am the elder.”
“You were not chosen.” I shrugged, “I know not why save that Ylva and Gruffyd grew up together. Until you and your mother came to live with us they were inseparable. She was as an older sister. We choose not our own paths. They are chosen for us. There is a bond between them. Perhaps it is the water and their grandmother; I know not. Do not let it bother you, Ragnar. A path has been chosen for you. Let us see where it leads.”
As the fires burned I watched the smoke. It was now blowing more from the east than the north. It would make our journey faster. I took the food back for Gruffyd and my two captains. “The wind should aid us.”
“Aye, we should be there by dawn if we sail at night.”
“You would risk Mona at night?”
“With the wind from the east it means that it would only push us to Dyflin. There is no danger there and the coast is kinder than Mona. I am anxious to examine the hull. She is a strong vessel but the blow we struck the Saxon has made us make water. The boys have bailed it but it will only get worse.”
“Then I will have the men hurry. They can row for they have all slept.”
After a hot meal and feet on the land the crew were happy to row. They knew it would bring us home quicker and they sang well. The song they sang also celebrated when we had defeated the Saxons. Until they built better ships then we would beat them every time.
Through the stormy Saxon Seas
The Ulfheonar they sailed
Fresh from killing faithless Danes
Their glory was assured
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
Then Saxons came out of the night
An ambush by their Isle of Wight
Vikings fight they do not run
The Jarl turned away from the rising sun
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
The galdramenn burned Dragon Fire
And the seas they burned bright red
Aboard 'The Gift' Asbjorn the Strong
And the rock Eystein
Rallied their men to board their foes
And face them beard to beard
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
Against great odds and back to back
The heroes fought as one
Their swords were red with Saxon blood
And the decks with bodies slain
Surrounded on all sides was he
But Eystein faltered not
He slew first one and then another
But the last one did for him
Even though he fought as a walking dead
He killed right to the end
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
It was sunset when we saw Mona to the east and Erik was able to use the wind and take us towards Hibernia and give the men a rest. Their arms would be needed when we had passed Man. Then we would be sailing almost directly into the wind.
The smell of smoke drifting from the land told us that we were near. The men were tiring for we had rowed since turning east just north of Man. I had sat with Gruffyd and Ylva. “She has not stirred, father.”
“But she sleeps and she looks at peace. You have kept her lips moistened and made sure she is warm. You are a healer, my son.”
“But she is not better!”
“Healing is often about preventing harm. That you have done. Soon we will be able to put her in the hands of those who can heal her. I fear it is not her body but her mind which has suffered.”
Pasgen
gave us the welcome news that our land had been safe in the short time we had been away. A few days’ absence often invited disaster but there had been no news in Úlfarrston. As it was dawn we were able to leave the drekar beached and under the watchful eye of the shipwrights and we borrowed horses and a wagon to take Ylva back to her family.
As we prepared to leave we met Wighlek and Vibeke. They saw Ylva in the cart, “Jarl! What has happened to the little princess?”
Vibeke knew Kara for she often brought them herbs which Kara could not get. She was fond of Ylva, calling her the little princess. “She has fallen under a spell. I cannot tarry for I need to get her to her parents.”
Vibeke handed me a carved bone. It was in the shape of a wolf. “This might help, Jarl.”
“Thank you, you are kind,”
We hurried north to our home. News travels quickly and both Aiden and Kara rode to meet us half way along the water. Their faces showed their fear and the trepidation. We did not stop and they rode next to the cart. They were healers and did not need me to tell them that she lived. Gruffyd said, “She has not stirred since Haaken brought her from the cave. She has drunk but her eyes remained closed.”
Kara smiled, “You have done well Gruffyd. I sense some of the healer in you.” She looked at Haaken. “Were you in the cave too Haaken?”
He smiled, “Aye and I have a permanent reminder of it. Snorri only went partially grey. I am Haaken the White!”
She reached over and touched his arm, “Thank you for my daughter’s life. We are in your debt.”
He nodded, “I have known you since you were a babe in arms. You are as dear to me as my own family.”
“And you father… you were right not to take us. I am not certain we could have faced her; even for our child. How did you defeat her?”
“Defeat is too strong a word. I used Ragnar’s Spirit and it protected me from her power. She is there yet and I fear she has not finished with us.”
“Since you have been gone we have spent many hours in the dream hut. The spirits have spoken to us. We have collected herbs and roots. We will make a spell to protect us.”
I saw the welcoming walls of my stad ahead, “The Norns are the Norns. We can do little about them but there is a greater danger to us.”
Aiden nodded, “The Skull Taker Clan.”
“I have thought about this as we sailed north. They have two choices. Take their losses and forget us or make one almighty push and wrest this land from us.” I pointed to Ylva. “They want her. They know not what has happened to her but that does not matter. If they come again, and I believe they will, then they will come for her. You need to heal her.”
“More than that, father, we need to bring her back. Her body and her mind can be healed. The Norn has changed her. She has become a woman. Her powers are there in her body but they have been locked. Aiden and I will have to work to bring back the girl who has now become a woman. I fear we will not be of much use to you for a while.” She gave a wan smile, “She is now a Viking witch. She has great powers but it needs us two to bring her back to the clan.”
“And that is as it should be. Your child is your priority. Let me and my warriors prepare for war.”
Chapter 10
I watched as Ylva was carried into the house of healing and then I went, with Ragnar and Gruffyd, to my hall. Already news of my battle beneath the earth had spread. I saw my people looking at me in fear. I had battled with those who had magical powers. I had not only survived, I had won. I saw that some of my people, especially the women, had fear in their eyes. Many liked the order that the Norns represented. I had upset that order. I knew that I would have to do something to put their minds at rest but first I had to see my wife and family.
My daughter, Erika, ran to meet me. She was a quiet shy child but since the birth of her little sister she had come out of her shell a little. She hugged me and then grabbed Gruffyd, “I have missed you both! Mother has been irritable since you left.”
I picked her up and held her. She was getting too big for this. “Your mother worries. We are back and your big brother has done well. He has been caring for Ylva.”
Her face became serious, “She is returned and she is well?”
Gruffyd answered, “She is and father battled a Norn beneath the earth! Haaken’s hair has turned white!”
Her mouth opened. I saw that Brigid had emerged with Myfanwy and heard the last part. “A Norn? I thought it was a witch.”
I embraced her and said, quietly in her ear, “I am safe as are all of our family. Do not become upset and fret over what might have happened. Besides you do not believe in Norns!”
She leaned back, “They are evil and I believe in the devil and evil. These Norns of which you speak sound to me like the devil!”
I laughed, “Devil or Norn it matters not, I survived! I am hungry. Let us eat.”
The next morning, I went to see how Ylva was faring. She was still unresponsive. Kara had managed to feed her; I know not how and they were busy trying spells and potions to return her to our world.
I did not want to interfere but I was her grandfather and I offered a suggestion. “Kara, I think you need to seek the help of your mother.” I pointed to the barrow across the Water. “I would take her there. She responded to Erika when I was in the cave.”
Aiden nodded, “We will try that. Thank you, Jarl, and thank you for bringing her back. You did something that we feared to do.”
“That is because you use magic yourselves and are too close. When I have an enemy, I use my sword.”
“What will you do about the Danes?”
“When they come it will be as a horde. I need more warriors. I have to turn farmers, boys and fishermen into warriors and I have to do it quickly. I am afraid I will be of little help to Ylva.”
“You have done all that you could.”
My Ulfheonar made their way to my hall. On the voyage back we had spoken, not of Wessex, that problem was far in the future, but of the Skull Takers. Like me they were all worried about numbers. We had lost an Ulfheonar and two hearth-weru. It did not seem many but the ones we had lost were irreplaceable. I had Asbjorn and Ketil’s men. I had Ulf’s men at Stad on the Eden but it was still not enough. I needed my walls filling with armed men who could fight the Danes that I knew would come. That was not something which would happen overnight.
Olaf Leather Neck came up with the best idea. “The followers of the White Christ have one day a week when they worship him. We do not have that ritual. We do not need it but we could ask that every male comes on that day and we teach them to become warriors.”
Cnut Cnutson asked, “Will one day in seven be enough?”
“It is better than no day at all. And we must make sure that it is enough. We pass on our skills. We see what skills they have and use those.”
Everyone seemed happy and Haaken said, “If we had something to throw stones then we could hold them back. A machine such as we saw in Miklagård would be good then those who have little skills could use that.”
We all knew of those who had no skills with any sort of weapon. They were not those who were Norse born but we had others who had joined our clan and they were the ones to whom Haaken referred.
“Let us make it so. I will see Scanlan and Bagsecg. You need to organise weapons, helmets and shields.”
Olaf said, “We will show them how to make a shield. That will make them warriors faster than anything else.”
I left them to divide the tasks amongst themselves. I noticed that Ragnar and Gruffyd had kept apart and were with the four hearth-weru by the Water. I smiled. They were practising. The sea battle had shown them their limitations. They were learning and they were growing. A slave was carrying water for the forge. “When you have taken that to Bagsecg find Scanlan and bring him too me.”
“Aye jarl.”
We did not have as many slaves as most other clans. If a slave proved his worth, then we gave him his freedom. Most only served as slaves for les
s than a year. I had been a slave and I had not forgotten the joy of being free once more.
Bagsecg stopped work when I entered. He poured us a horn of ale each. “It was good that you found Ylva. Men are talking of you as a hero once more.”
“I did what most men would do for their family.”
He laughed, “Face a witch in her cave? Some perhaps might talk of it but I cannot think of another who would do it.” He raised his horn, “Here’s to a hero and the sword.” We both drank deeply, “I have never made a sword as good again, you know Jarl.” I took it out and handed it to him. “I know it was touched by the gods but even without that it is still a well-balanced weapon.” He held it by two fingers and a thumb. “See how few marks there are upon it. I have tried to make another which was as good and failed. I think that my hand was guided when I hammered and quenched. The steel was perfect, the tempering judged to an instant. Why cannot I make another?”
“It maybe you were only meant to make one.” I took it and held it up to the light. “When I was in the cave it acted as a light for me. The cave was pitch black and yet I saw a light. It frightened away the witch. It is a remarkable weapon.”
“They say a good sword chooses its owner. That is true of you.” He smiled as I stroked the hilt. “But you did not come here for praise did you, Jarl?”
“I have sent for Scanlan. He needs to hear this too.” While we waited, I said, “And I would have you make a gold wolf for my new Ulfheonar.”
“He is a good warrior. It will be an honour but it may take time.”
“Whenever it is ready will be good enough. I need Kara to put a spell upon it. My warriors need protection.”
Scanlan appeared. He had been running and was out of breath. There had been a time when he could have run up the Old Man. Much of his work now involved organising. That would have to change. He too would have to become a warrior.
“The Danes will return. We all know that and next time it will not be a warband of a hundred warriors. It will be the whole clan and other clans who wish to pick over the body of the wolf for they wish to take over our land.”
Although it was no surprise I saw that the words had an effect. They were used to warriors trying to kill me but this was different. They wanted what we had. I had their attention.