by Griff Hosker
“When I have slain enough of them then you and I will try our blades.” It was all bravado, of course. These were seasoned warriors. The warrior bands on their swords were testament to that. The leading warrior suddenly swung his sword overhand. As I put my shield up to take the blow Aethelfrith tried to stab me with his sword from behind. Lann Aelle knocked the edge down but the blade scored my leg where there was no mail. It did not hurt much but it made me angry. Lann Aelle then had to defend himself from the warrior to Aethelfrith’s left who assaulted him. I would be fighting two men, so be it.
As the sword from the scarred man crashed into my shield I allowed myself to sink slightly and the move caught the warrior unawares He tried to stop himself falling forwards and he opened his shield, it was only a marginal gap but it was enough. I stabbed Saxon Slayer forwards. I felt it strike the mail links. They were not as strong as they should have been and I pushed harder. I saw the exultation turn to fear on his face as the blade sliced through the mail as though it was not there. The tip entered his flesh and I pushed harder. He grimaced in pain and I twisted and turned the sword. When I saw the tendril of blood dripping from his mouth I withdrew it just in time to fend off another blow from Aethelfrith.
Things were not going our way. Tadgh lay dead on the ground and I could see that Drugh was wounded. Suddenly, with no warning there was a whoosh from behind me and a bolt speared the two men on the end of the Saxon line just as they were about to finish off Drugh. It was my ship. Lann Aelle took advantage and killed his man.
“Wem, look after Drugh.” I could see that Aethelfrith was now worried. A second bolt flew through the air and took out six of the warriors who were waiting behind the mailed warriors to join Aethelfrith’s oathsworn. They fled back towards the huts. I had no idea how far away the ship was and I could not risk looking for it. The numbers were now slightly in our favour although we still only had two mailed warriors to fight Aethelfrith and his remaining oathsworn.
The other bodyguards realised that the bolt thrower could not be used if they closed with us and they did so. I had just blocked a blow from Aethelfrith when Garth went down clutching his side. Before the warrior could help his king, Cadwallon’s bow appeared over my shoulder and he loosed an arrow from a sword’s length. It entered the warrior’s eye and erupted out of the back of his helmet spraying the bodies behind with blood and brain. It bought us more breathing space. There was just Aethelfrith and two of his men left. We were evenly matched in terms of numbers.
I noticed, for the first time that Aethelfrith’s sword was Dyrrnwyn. “I see you have a stolen sword, Saxon. How appropriate that you use another man’s weapon and use it without any honour.”
If I was trying to irritate him it was working. He roared at me, “And it will end your life too!” He swung it overhand and I had to hold my shield up to take the blow.
Dyrrnwyn was a good blade and it bit deeply into my shield. My shield was well made and had both leather and metal to protect it. I swung my sword sideways with the full weight of my body behind it and I felt his shield shiver. His was not as good.
“Father, the ship is here.”
“Get them aboard and I will finish Aethelfrith.”
“You are confident. Let us see if Dyrrnwyn can defeat Saxon Slayer.”
My men leapt from the ship to protect the boys and to allow them to collect the wounded. Lann Aelle and Aedh still guarded my right as they finished off the last of Aethelfrith’s guards.
I knew that his shield would not last but I could also see more men coming from the village. We had to leave and leave soon. I swung at his head and he raised his shield. This time a lump of his shield shattered. Fear was in his eyes. Lann Aelle shouted, “Hurry Warlord, there are more warriors coming from the village and beyond!”
Aethelfrith’s next blow was aimed at my head but I punched it away with my shield and smashed down with Saxon Slayer. It sliced off another piece of the shield and slid down the mail shirt to rip open his knee. I could see white bone of his shattered kneecap erupt through the bloodied flesh as he fell screaming and bleeding to the ground.
“Lann Aelle. Pick up his sword!” I raised Saxon Slayer but before I could despatch the injured king, four men raced forwards to drag him to safety and my men dragged me back.
“I will return, Aethelfrith, and you will pay for the pain you have caused my son. This I swear.”
As arrows thudded into my shield, Lann Aelle and Aedh led me over the side of the ship to safety. I was the last one to leave the island and I watched as the Saxons tried to protect Aethelfrith from the arrows of my warriors. The bolt throwers continued to hurtle towards the Saxons who had to pull further away from the jetty. As we edged away I noticed that the Saxon ship had settled deep into the water her hull ruined. They would need to build another one before they could raid my land again but by then we would be prepared. I also had the satisfaction of knowing that Aethelfrith would be crippled for life. I had repaid the mutilation of my son.
Chapter 11
“I am sorry we took so long, Warlord. The wind died on us.”
I looked at the two dead warriors who lay on the deck. It was possible they might have lived had Daffydd arrived earlier but I doubted it. “It was meant to be and they both died warrior’s deaths.”
I saw that Gawan was shaking. I think it was the shock of it all. He would have steeled himself, while a prisoner, to be brave, but now he was free and his body took over. I was about to go to him when I saw Lann Aelle slip his arm around his shoulder and begin to talk with him quietly. Lann Aelle and I had almost suffered the same fate some years earlier. He would understand better than most. I could leave my son in his cousin’s arms. We would honour the dead later but for now I had decisions to make.
As the ship heeled around and headed away from the island Daffydd asked, “Where to, Warlord?”
“I think we had better get these two home where they will be safe.”
Prince Cadwallon stood defiantly looking at me. “Have I done something to offend you, Warlord?”
“No, Prince Cadwallon. Why do you ask?”
“If you take me home now then it will be in disgrace. I will have failed you.”
“You have failed no one but you nearly died.”
“And next time something like this happens then I will be stronger.” His face hardened. “Einar must not die in vain. I will work harder now to be the warrior he dreamed I would be. No more wasting time hunting. I was a boy then. Now I am a man and I will work to be the best warrior in your army.”
I saw the nods of approval from the rest of my men. Those were the kind of sentiments of which they approved. “But what of Gawan? He needs healing.”
Gawan stood and placed himself next to Prince Cadwallon. “And the best healer in the whole land is Myrddyn. Take me back to him.” He held up his bandaged, mangled hand. “I can never be the warrior I hoped I would be but I can still be a healer like Myrddyn and I can still learn his magic.” He pointed to Prince Cadwallon, “The prince is right. We were not committed enough before and it took the death of Einar to focus us. I swear we will not argue with you in future and we will work to be the best that we can be.”
I looked at Aedh and Lann Aelle, their faces told me what to do. I closed my eyes. What would Myfanwy and King Cadfan say if any other hurt came to them? That decided me; I would have to ensure that nothing happened to them. “Set a course to Alavna then, captain.”
As we headed north the two boys told us the full tale of what had happened. It soon became obvious that the Saxons had been stalking the fort looking for just such a target. They told us that the Saxons were waiting at the place Einar used for sword work. I worried about their knowledge. Someone had to have told them of the two boys. Was there a traitor amongst my men or a Saxon spy? Those questions would need to be answered when we returned. They both told me how bravely Einar had fought. We teased out of them how they too had fought as hard as they could but they had been overwhelmed.
> Both boys had lost their mail and their swords. When we reached Penrhyd that would be the first order of the day. They needed better weapons too. When we reached Wyddfa we would have the new sword for Gawan that had been made for him by Hywel. The most important decision I made was that Cadwallon would not leave my side and Myrddyn would watch over Gawan. That way I would ensure that they were both well protected.
I remembered the sword of Rhydderch Hael I had recaptured. It was a prize as important as my son. I took it from the deck where Lann Aelle had laid it. It was magnificent and almost as good as my own. Its strength lay, however, in what it would do for our people. We would now have a secure alliance once the sword was returned to our near neighbours. It would also be a boost for our people. They would know that the Saxons were no longer invincible. The tide was turning against the Saxons. It was not rising, now they were ebbing. They were no longer having their own way. It had cost my son his fingers and three brave men their lives but we were winning.
I spent the rest of the voyage writing two letters: one was to King Cadfan and one to Myfanwy. I dared not let them discover the events for themselves. I told them all that had occurred and I explained why the two boys were still with me. I hoped they would understand. As I stood on the jetty at Alavna I said to Daffydd, “Deliver this personally, my friend. I know that my wife will have questions. Answer them honestly.” I smiled, “It will be an ordeal worse than sailing into a Saxon fire storm but you are married and you know these things.”
“I will, Warlord, and, for what it is worth, I believe you have made the right decision. If I stopped sailing every time a bad storm took some of my men then I would have given up the sea many years ago. It is these challenges and how we meet them that mark us as men. You, my lord, are a man.”
The horses were well rested and we made good time as we rode east. My men made sure that the two boys were surrounded by iron and men for the whole journey. We called in at Wide Water for I needed to speak with Kay.
He had heard of the attack and was concerned. It showed that he was both loyal and compassionate. I needed those qualities for the task I was to give him.
“I will be speaking with all my leaders of a hundred but you are a seasoned warrior and you can put these plans into action sooner, rather than later.” I pointed to the west. “You will need to have your despatch riders become scouts who can ride this land and let you know of anything which appears out of the ordinary. We may have Saxon spies amongst us. I suspect they were watching us before Aethelfrith arrived. We need vigilance. This is a task for the rest of your life. I am giving you command of all the land as far as the sea to the west; to the two lakes to the north and to long water to the east.”
“And the south?”
“For the moment Wide Water is our southern boundary. I have thoughts on the land to the south but they are not clear yet.” I smiled, “I need the wizard’s mind.”
“I will do all that you ask. If it were not for you, I would be dead and my people still suffering. What we hold we keep.”
I felt better knowing that Kay would guard this southern gateway to Rheged. I had not spoken of it to him but I had decided to make the south more secure, myself. If we left the eastern boundary as it was then King Edwin could be kept at bay. The land to the south was fertile farmland but lacked defences. I would work my way south building forts and settlements as I went. What I now needed was people. I was sure there were many who had fled the Saxons in Rheged and settled in the south. I just had to find them. It would not be a rapid settlement but it would make Rheged much safer than it had been.
Myrddyn’s face showed the strain he had been under while we had been away. Hogan Lann also looked older. Their faces were wracked with anger and shock when they saw what Aethelfrith had done. We all knew that we could suffer wounds in war but to suffer such wanton mutilation was beyond the pale. I was still angry that I had not finished him off but I had maimed him too. He would never walk properly again. His days of fighting were gone.
I showed the sword of Dyrrnwyn to Hogan Lann. “I want you to take this and return it to King Necthan at Alt Cult.”
“Why me? You are the one he should reward for you recovered it.”
“I have plans to make here with Myrddyn; plans which will make Rheged much safer. Besides the king is of your age and you will be Warlord when I am gone. The bond should be between you two.” He nodded. He could see the reasoning. “And if you take your knights it will show him another way to fight the enemy.”
“Will he fight the Saxons then?”
“Aye but he is assailed from the north by the Picts and from the east by the Hibernians. He needs all the help he can get.”
“And Prince Pasgen?”
“I will need to speak with him. He must now assume control of this land. King Edwin has retreated. The prince must keep him on the defensive.”
I told him of my plans to give warriors like Kay control over large parts of Rheged. “It sounds a good idea but it may be dangerous. You are giving power to men who may decide to try to get more.”
“True but if that happens, it is because I will have made an error of judgement. So far there is Kay who will be my lieutenant around Wide Water. Do you think he is a wise choice?”
“Of course.”
“Good, and if I say that I am considering Pol as my second choice what would you say?”
He looked disappointed, “I think he would be perfect but he is my right hand.”
“I know. That is why he is such a good choice and my third would be Lann Aelle who, as you know, is my right hand. We all must make sacrifices. The future of Rheged is not about our happiness; it is about the safety and security of this land. I beg you not to say a word. I will need to speak with Prince Pasgen.”
“Of course.” He gave me a curious look. “When did you think of this?”
“When I stood on the jetty at Alavna waiting for Daffydd and I wished to put all thoughts of your brother’s pain from my mind I began to work out how we might have made the land so secure that this could have been prevented.”
“Even your new plan would not prevent a small war band causing trouble.”
“But it would. When we pursued Aethelfrith I was thinking then that the land of Rheged has natural narrow points which men have to pass through. The Roman fort close to the coast is one such place. Somewhere along the long lake just south of us is another. We have done this at Wide Water and, so far, our enemies have avoided it.”
“Where would Pol and Lann Aelle rule?”
“One would rule here at Penrhyd and the West Moors Land; the other the land to the south of Wide Water. It is harder to control and it needs someone who understands horsemen such as yours. I want Rheged to reach to Mona. We will be an island against the Saxons. And now I must go to Myrddyn. He is looking at your brother’s hand. I am anxious to hear his opinion.”
Myrddyn was in his quarters. The room blazed with light and Gawan’s bandages had been removed. The wound made me gasp. I had seen worse wounds but this was my child. It was red and angry. The two fingers had been taken off below the knuckle. The Saxons had used a torch to cauterise it but I wondered if that would be enough to save the hand.
Gawan saw the pain on my face. “It does not hurt father.”
Myrddyn glanced up at me. “I can save the hand but he will have a weaker left hand.” His eyes bored into mine. “He will never stand in a shield wall.”
“I can hold a shield.” Gawan was desperate to hold on to the dream of being a warrior.
“Myrddyn is right. You will find it hard to use a bow too. How would you ride and use a weapon? You could not. We will continue to train you with a sword but it may be that you do as you wished to do before this horror; you may become a wizard.”
“I would rather have had a choice.”
Myrddyn just said, “It is wyrd boy. Do not fight it. You accept what you are given and you make the best of it. He dabbed the wound with an ointment he held. “It has served
both me and your father well enough. There have been times when it was not the blade which saved us but my mind and yours is as sharp as any.”
I stepped back as Myrddyn continued to work on the hand. I knew that Myrddyn would also heal my son’s mind. It amazed me that Gawan did not seem at all put out by what Myrddyn was doing. He was asking him questions and even aiding him. They seemed so close that I almost felt a little jealous. This would be good for them both and I had to accept that my younger son might follow someone who was not his father. My own words came back to haunt me. We often had to give up things we loved for a greater cause.
I left Gawan with Myrddyn when I rode to visit Prince Pasgen. Lann Aelle and Prince Cadwallon accompanied me. The prince never stopped asking me questions as we rode. Lann Aelle tried to shut him up at one point. “He needs to learn, my nephew. He is to be king and he will have to lead an army against the Saxons. He must understand not only how to fight but how to use his best weapons.”
“Best weapons?”
“Aye, his warriors and his leaders. If you know your men then you can win. Look at King Edwin. He knew Aella would fight as hard as any man to get to me and that allowed him to watch from afar. Aethelfrith had to come himself because he did not trust his men.”
Cadwallon nodded. “And you sent your son to see King Necthan because you trust him.”
“Exactly.”
As we rode the twenty odd miles north I noticed that the weather was changing. It would soon be autumn again. The year seemed to fly by. My daughter would be a grown woman before I returned home and my son would not even know his young children. At least I would be able to move further south and closer to my family once I had spoken with Prince Pasgen. I also needed to send for a monk. I had written to Brother Oswald asking him to journey north to serve the prince but he had begged to stay where he was. He was getting old and he did not like change. I understood that. He had promised me that he would find someone who could do the job that he did. We needed someone who understood writing, map making and how to organise armies. Prince Pasgen could lead but he could not plan. Myrddyn could plan but he would be with me. I needed someone in whom Prince Pasgen and my son could confide and who was completely trustworthy. The monks of the White Christ were such men.