Viking Witch (Dragonheart Book 15)

by Griff Hosker

  After we had followed them for a couple of Roman miles I was able to estimate numbers. There looked to be thirty. Only Aðils was close enough to hear their words. I saw the tendril of smoke in the distance. The ground was descending. We were heading into a valley. I was close enough to Aðils to see him signal for us to take cover. We dropped and disappeared in an instant. I heard voices from ahead. There were more Danes. I had to know more. I snaked my way past the others until I lay next to Aðils. He held his finger to his lips. I nodded.

  We listened. At first it was hard to discern their words for they had a strong accent but gradually I did. There was a second band of Danes and they were coming from the west. They spoke of a summons from one they called the chief. I guessed they meant Baggi Skull Splitter. They spoke of his great victory over the Saxons. There was a disagreement about their next action. One of those we could hear wished the clan to attack and conquer the rest of the land of the Saxons but the other said that was not the chief’s plan. After they had rested they moved off. When they had gone I raised my head and saw that there was a spring where they had stopped. This was a halt only. They had yet to reach their final destination.

  I waved Snorri forward, “Is Loidis close?”

  “Can you not smell the smoke from their fires? It is less than three Roman miles away.”

  “Then we can return to our camp.”

  We were the first ones back and we spoke of what we had seen. “We have a problem. If we attack again and they discover we are here, then it may prompt them to attack our land.”

  Rolf Horse Killer said, “But this is a perfect chance for us to kill Danes. We could have slain many of those we saw today. We could have disappeared after.”

  “Perhaps. We need a prisoner who can tell us what they are saying in Loidis.”

  Haaken was right, “Then tomorrow we will return to the same place and capture one who is heading away from Loidis.”

  Haaken had discovered a village five miles south of us. Olaf Leather Neck had been bolder. He had found a small band of Danes and he had attacked them and killed them. “There were only twelve of them. Our arrows killed seven and the rest were no match for us.”

  “What clan?”

  “The clan of the otter.”

  We had met those before. I explained what I intended. Tomorrow, Olaf and Haaken, you keep your men here. Be ready to raid the village Haaken One Eye found. We will go to the greenway and try to take a prisoner.”

  We had to wait until late afternoon but we heard hooves as four horsemen rode down the road. It was child’s play to use our bows to kill three and for Rolf to live up to his name and slay the fourth horse. The rider fell heavily and cracked his head. We took the three horses and the weapons. Rollo cut a couple of hunks of horsemeat. I hoped they would think we were Saxons, fled from the battle, who were starving. It would confuse the Danes at the very least.

  The Dane awoke to find his arms pinned to the ground and an axe head close enough to shave him. “You are a warrior of the Skull Taker clan.”

  I spoke the words quietly and with confidence. We had seen the skull hanging from his belt and spied the crude metal skull amulet he wore around his neck. He nodded sullenly.

  “Before you die what is your name; taker of babies’ heads?”

  He struggled in vain. My men held all four limbs tightly, “I am Næwe Nefison and I kill no babies.”

  We had cut the skull from his waist and I held it up. “This was no warrior! Do you fight dwarves?”

  “Just give me my sword and kill me! I will wait for you in the Otherworld.”

  I smiled and took out my seax. “It is not as simple as that. My men do not like Skull Takers. You have slain too many of our people for that. If I am to give you your sword, then I need something in return.” I had begun to make him speak to me. Had he remained silent then I would have learned nothing. Once a warrior started to talk it was easier to extract information. Belligerent silence was the worst thing. “Just answer one or two questions and you shall have your sword.” I allowed my seax to hover close to his eye.

  “I will not betray Prince Baggi Skull Splitter.”

  “I would not dream of asking a warrior such as you to betray your leader. I wish to find your prince. I would fight him.”

  I saw his eyes and head turn as he looked at how few of us there were. “You would be slain. There are but a handful of you.”

  “We are Ulfheonar and besides, the result of such a fight is in the hands of the Norns.”

  “Prince Baggi is a mighty warrior. He has never lost a combat.”

  “Then you would be sending me to my death and we would meet in the Otherworld sooner.”

  I saw him considering. If he told us where his leader was then I would die. That much was clear. He gave a smile, “Prince Baggi has twenty oathsworn warriors. They have never lost a warrior in battle and never tasted defeat.”

  “Perhaps when we get there then they shall. We beat you four.”

  “You caught us unawares and used arrows! Warriors do not use arrows! You are all nithings!” He spat.

  I nodded, “Then where is he? Loidis?”

  I saw him decide to speak. He had weighed all up in his mind and saw neither dishonour nor disloyalty in sending me to meet his prince and his death. “He has escorted the four witches to the magical cave on the Nidd. When they have spoken with the spirits of the stone witches he will return! The holy women have promised that we will have victory in the Land of the Wolf! Soon every Dane will descend upon your land and it will be ours! Now give me my sword!”

  I stood and nodded to Aðils. He gave him his sword. As soon as he held it he swung it at me. It was a treacherous act. He was close enough to me so that he could have connected with my leg. Rolf’s axe took his head before the sword had moved a hand span.

  “Treacherous Dane!” He spat at the dead body.

  Aðils asked, “Where is this cave? Should we go there and end the life of this prince and his witches?”

  Snorri shook his head and clutched his wolf amulet. “I know this cave. We went there once and found stone bodies within. They were trolls. The place is sacred to witches. We would die; even the Dragonheart.”

  His voice was laden with doom and I saw my younger warriors taken aback. “Snorri is right. I risked the isle of Syllingar to rescue Ylva for I had no choice. Now I have a choice. Besides I think it is wyrd that we met this warrior. The Nidd is half a day north of here. We have the opportunity to hurt this Baggi Skull Splitter in his own home. We can attack Loidis!”

  Chapter 13

  “Attack Loidis? That is madness, Jarl!” The reaction of my warriors when I told them was mixed. Olaf Leather Neck’s words reflected the view of most of them.

  Haaken smiled, “Olaf Leather Neck, you will never be a jarl for your vision does not extend beyond the end of your axe. The jarl does not intend for us to assault their walls but to get within them and create terror.”

  “Is that true jarl?”

  I nodded, “We know that the witches and the best of his warriors are away. We gain entry to the town and strike in the night.”

  “How do we gain entry?”

  “Three of us will take skulls from the dead we killed today and pretend to be Danes returned from hunting Saxons. The three of us slay the guards on the gates and let us in. If we ride the three horses we captured today and wear their mail then they will not be suspicious.”

  Snorri said, “You cannot go Jarl.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you are known. Your sword is known. You have spoken without your helmet and your wolf cloak. We have not. When we have taken off our cloaks and changed armour then we are unrecognisable. We three scouts will go. It is wyrd.”

  “Snorri is right Jarl and,” Haaken pointed to the sun which was beginning to dip, “we should leave now before the men you slew are discovered.”

  They were right and I acquiesced. We rode back and stripped the bodies. We put our men’s cloaks, bows
and mail on their horses and the three of them headed back down the road to Loidis. I clasped Snorri’s arm, “May the Allfather be with you.”

  He nodded, “If you see our heads on the walls then know that I died happy serving you and the clan jarl.”

  “You will not die.”

  “We all die and each time we fight it brings our death just a little bit closer.”

  He was right. We were no longer as young as we had been. Our experience and skills could only keep us alive so long. We gave them a start and then took to the woods to follow the road which led to the old capital of Elmet. The town nestled on the side of a valley with a bubbling river running close by. From our vantage point a thousand paces away we could see that there were a number of large halls. It was a busy place and reminded me of my own stad. I could hear the ringing of hammers on metal. Smoke rose from fires and the smell of smoking fish drifted up to us. I peered anxiously at the gate. Our men were not there. If they had been apprehended, then there would be some sign of commotion within. There appeared to be none. We hobbled our horses and prepared to descend when darkness fell.

  We were to the east of the walls and when the sun began to dip we started our approach. We would be hidden in the dark. Once again I held my sharpened seax. I had two additional ones now. One in each boot. Every man knew what to do. Once we gained entry we would slay the sentries who remained on the walls. My plan was to set fire to their warrior halls and to escape in the confusion. Our victories so far had been small. We had slain Danes but they were like the grains of sand on a beach. If we could fire their warrior halls, then we had the chance to hurt the Skull Takers.

  We crept to within forty paces of the walls and lay in the undergrowth watching the walls. We saw the shadows of the sentries above the gate. They had no towers but we could see other sentries walking the walls. There looked to be eight in total. We were in the hands of Snorri and the others. When the gates opened then we could enter. Until then we waited and we watched.

  It was a low whistle which alerted us. I rose and hurried to the walls. The gates were not yet open but the whistle was Snorri’s. We crossed the bridge over the ditch and waited. I heard the sound of a bar being removed and then the gates opened just wide enough to admit us. We slipped through. I pointed to the walls and Rolf and Rollo went one way while Olvir Grey Eye and Cnut Cnutson went the other. They would slay the sentries on the walls.

  These were short nights and we would have to work quickly. Luckily the people were all asleep and the only ones awake were the sentries. Even as we headed towards the halls they were dying. The fire in the middle of the settlement was still burning; it would warm the sentries no more. As we approached I saw that there were two men seated with their backs to us. I waved and Aðils and Snorri were on them in an instant. Their knives tore through the Danes’ throats. We each grabbed a burning brand. There were three halls. One looked larger and more imposing than the others. I took that to be the jarl’s. They were built much as were ours with one door only. It made defence easier.

  I ran with Aðils and Snorri. We threw our brands at the door and then stood with our swords ready. The overhanging roof meant that the door was bone dry and I saw the flames flicker and climb up the oaken door. Those sleeping within would be unaware of their danger until the door was aflame. I saw the four warriors who had slain the sentries descending. Their task was to secure horses for us. That would enable us to escape quickly while also denying our enemies the means to pursue us.

  As they descended they must have made a noise. The door of the bakery opened and a flour covered baker spied us. Before we could react, he had shouted. “Alarm!”

  Snorri hurled a spear and impaled him. It was too late, however, for the alarm had been sounded. The doors of the three halls were already burning but there were other dwellings close by and those within came out. They were not warriors but the men ran at us with whatever weapon they had. I saw Haaken One Eye and his men lay about them with their swords and axes. Those who attacked them fell. Then the door of the hall they had fired burst open. Warriors erupted. Two of them were on fire and they ran out screaming. Others came out like angry wasps from a nest which had been disturbed. Without mail, half asleep and with streaming eyes my men were able to hold them off. The door to our hall stayed ominously shut. The flames had leapt to the roof and the whole building was an inferno. It must have had more materials inside which would catch fire.

  It was Olaf Leather Neck and his men who were in danger. Their fire looked to be slower to catch. The door and the front was on fire but not the roof. Even as we watched men hacked an opening in the side of a wall.

  “At them!” Aðils, Snorri and Beorn followed me with raised weapons as we hurried to stem the breach. I hurled one of my seaxes at the leading warrior. An awkward weapon to throw I was lucky. The Dane had no helmet and the seax struck him in the eye. He raised his hand to remove it and my sword sliced though his middle. As I bent down to pull a second seax from my boot an axe swung where my head had just been. The warrior was to my left and as I pulled out the seax I lunged upwards. The wickedly sharp seax ripped him open from his crotch to his chest. His wriggling, writhing body spoke of a painful death. Although the four of us had stopped some of the warriors, others had emerged from the far side. Even as we slew the ones before us I heard a shout as Olaf and his men were surrounded.

  The sound of horses’ hooves told me that Cnut and the others had horses. We had to extricate ourselves. Already there was a light appearing in the east. “Haaken! Olaf needs help!”

  Olaf and his men were desperately fighting against overwhelming odds. I picked up a shield and ran at the five Danes who were left before us. They had the light behind them and we had the dark. They misjudged their blows and we did not. I ducked beneath the swinging sword as I blocked a blow from a sword. My own sword swung below the Danish shield and hacked his left leg in two. He fell screaming, his life blood pumping away. The Dane behind was so shocked that he stared. There is no time for hesitation in a battle. I pulled back my arm and my sword rammed through his neck. The five Danes were dead.

  “Let us help Olaf!” As we ran I saw that we were too late for Olvir Grey Eye. He lay dead with four dead Danes around him. The sight of our dead comrade enraged my men and the Danish warriors who remained were slaughtered. “Mount and bring Olvir with us! They shall not have his skull!” I picked up a brand from the fire.

  Most of the warriors were now dead, dying or lay in the halls burning. As Olvir was draped over a horse I mounted. “Set fire to as many buildings as you can.” I spied a round building. I had not seen it before for it was hidden by the halls. I saw the skulls which adorned the outside. I know not how but I knew that this was the lair of the witches. I rode between the burning buildings. The heat was intense. When I reached the round building, I rode into the door. I hurled the burning brand inside. There must have been something inside which burned easily for a wall of flame rose before me making my horse rear. I was lucky I was a good rider. I leant forward and, as he landed whipped his head around and galloped out. The fires were now out of control. The wind had spread them to nearby buildings and the Danes ignored us as they tried to douse the fires. We galloped through the gates and headed into the rising sun.

  I allowed my scouts to ride ahead and I followed at the rear with Haaken One Eye. I turned around to see the inferno we had created. I saw a column of smoke rising to the skies. Haaken said, “Olvir has a good journey to Valhalla, Jarl. He is taken there by the very fires we lit. It was a good death!”

  By the time we reached our horses dawn had broken. We took Olvir the Grey and buried him by the stream. With his sword in his hands and his wolf cloak covering his body we placed him in the grave we had dug and then laid stones upon it before finally adding turf. When the winter snow melted and the stream flooded his body would be washed away and reach the sea. There it would join with the other warriors who had died fighting for the Land of the Wolf.

  We led the Dan
ish horses and rode our own which were rested. I had a plan in my mind and it was now being put into action. We would head for Eoforwic. There were Danes who served Baggi Skull Splitter. They were laying siege to the Saxons. We could not raise the siege but we could inspire terror in those who lay outside the gates.

  We rode in sombre mood. We had done what I intended but an invaluable warrior now lay dead. Each time an Ulfheonar died it brought us closer to our own death. When I had been young it had not bothered me but now it did. Every death seemed to lessen me. There was just Haaken One Eye left from those warriors who had first served with me. Snorri had been a young boy on Man when he had joined us. He was even younger than Aðils was. Men had become Ulfheonar and fought alongside me and now they were dead. It just made me more determined than ever to make my land safe. Even if all of my Ulfheonar died it would be worth it if the clan lived on.

  We passed some small settlements but they were all burned out. I was heading for Fulford and Stamford. It was a vain hope but I thought one of Athelstan’s thegns might live yet. We took the secret, hidden ways away from prying eyes. We were nowhere near the Nidd; that lay to the north of us but I worried about riders heading north to tell the Skull Takers that we were loose in their land. It was late afternoon when we reached Fulford. It too was burned out. The corpses we found had no heads. It was a sure sign that the clan of the Skull Takers had been here. Eoforwic was to the north of us and so we pushed on the eight miles or so to Stamford.

  It was becoming dark when we reached it and it had all the signs of having been burned out. It had been a vain hope. However, as Snorri and Beorn examined the ground they saw that there were no bodies.

  “Here is a mystery. Were they slain and then buried or did the Danes come here and find that there was no one here?” Even Aðils was confused.

  “It is as good a place to camp as anywhere else. If the Danes have burned it then they will not return.”

  Haaken was right, “Get that horsemeat on a fire. We will have hot food tonight.” My men all went about their tasks with efficiency. This was what we did. The horses were unsaddled, watered and hobbled. They would graze beneath the trees. Others lit the fires while four of them stood watch. I suddenly noticed that one was missing. “Where is Aðils Shape Shifter?”