by Griff Hosker
I went to the wall and took down the old rusted blade. I felt its power as soon as I touched it. I had never used it as a weapon and yet I knew that it had power. It was almost the same power as I felt when I held Ragnar’s Spirit. I wrapped a fur about my shoulders and left my hall. I walked to the quay with the sword in my arms and waited for the two boats to come across the water.
Arne the Fisherman and his son, Leif, tied them to the wooden quay. “Jarl?”
“Aiden has died and we go to bury him. We shall not need you for it will be the Ulfheonar who bury him.” They nodded and moved to the side as Haaken, Cnut, Germund and Karl carried Aiden’s body towards us. The people of Cyninges-tūn came out to watch in silence. Ylva and Kara walked behind.
Atticus hurried from my hall with tools. He placed them in the boat and then clutched his cross as the body bearers walked passed him. We placed Aiden’s body in one boat and Kara and Ylva climbed into the other. We rowed across the Water. It was still as I could remember. The air itself seemed to be holding its breath. Old Olaf’s top was shrouded in cloud but I saw that there were some shafts of sunlight to the west. We ground ashore on sand and shingle that formed the eastern shore of the Water. We dragged the boats on to the beach. Ylva and Kara went to my wife’s grave to touch it. After a few moments they nodded and pointed to the ground next to it. We took the mattocks to loosen the soil and then the ones with the shovels removed it. There was no turf here. It was too rocky. We would have to dig turf from elsewhere to finish it. The stones we removed we placed to the side. They would form the outline of the grave.
When it was deep enough Kara said, “That is sufficient. Fetch my husband.”
Germund and Haaken carried Aiden, who did not weigh as much as he once had. They laid him reverently in the grave. Ylva and Kara rearranged his body so that his knees were under his chin and he was on his side. They placed some of his maps with him along with his red jewels and leather satchel with his potions, salves and spells. Ylva turned to me and held out her hands. I gave her the sword and she laid it along his body. The hilt was close to his head. We arranged the stones around the side. Kara then took a shovel and placed soil on the corpse. We did not have the village to help us and the grave took longer to fill. That gave me time to reflect upon the life that had been Aiden’s. The only death which might affect me more would be Haaken’s. I could barely think of a time without Aiden. He had been instrumental in returning my wife and children when they were captured. He had been into the darkness that was the witch’s lair on Syllingar and he had been in Din Guardi, beneath the sea. There were so many adventures that we had shared and I could not envision life without him. He had been as much a part of my life as Haaken or Ragnar’s Spirit.
I was still remembering when Kara said. “You may go now. Ylva and I will finish the grave. We will walk around the Water back to the hall. We need to speak.”
One did not argue with a volva and we sailed the two boats back to the quay. After we had tied them up Haaken One Eye said, “Let us send the wizard on his way properly. Let us broach the ale barrel!”
Atticus had anticipated us and he had the horns and the ale ready. There was also food bubbling away on the pot. If it was cooked by Atticus then it would be heavily flavoured and honeyed. That was his way.
When we had spoken of Aiden and remembered him Haaken One Eye said, “When Sámr returns he will be unhappy that he missed the passing of Aiden.”
“And that is part of the learning. A leader cannot be everywhere at once. He was not needed. I will tell him.”
I said, “Rollo will teach him how to use the sword. I have skills but Rollo is younger and has greater strength. His broad back and oaken arms will harden Sámr.”
Haaken shook his head, “There speaks brawn! You can impart those skills in the twinkling of an eye. Sámr will still be learning to be a singer when he is a grey beard. However, Dragonheart, I know what you mean. If he is to lead the clan then he needs to raid and give commands.”
“I know. I plan on visiting Erik Short Toe to get my drekar ready.”
Karl Word Master shook his head, “‘Heart of the Dragon’ is old, jarl. Why not take one of the younger drekar?”
I had thought about that. It was true my drekar was the oldest vessel we had but I wanted Sámr to sail and to command that vessel. She did not have many voyages left in her. Sámr would commission a new one when he became a little older. “She will serve my great grandson and I want him to have the best around him. Erik Short Toe will tell me if there is a problem.” The Norns were spinning but my mind was filled with Aiden and Sámr. I did not hear them.
Chapter 2
I waited until Sámr returned from Lang’s Dale before I left. Atticus would teach Sámr chess, Rollo the sword and Haaken the songs. We spoke of Aiden. He seemed to understand my urgency. He was now a husband. He was a man. He had spent a week living with an Ulfheonar who had changed once he had married. Aðils Shape Shifter had withdrawn into himself for the sake of his family. Sámr was of my blood and he could not do that. He had to share himself with his family and the clan. We spoke at length the night before I left.
When I reached Whale Island, I discovered that my son, Gruffyd, and his son, Mordaf, had gone to raid the Franks. They had heard of the success of Hrolf the Horseman and wished to emulate him. They had taken many of Ragnar’s men too. Gruffyd and his family had moved his home west of Whale Island. He had found a piece of high ground not far from the beginning of the High Divide. He had made himself a stronghold. Almost losing Mordaf in Om Walum had changed my son.
Before I visited Erik Short Toe, I spoke with my grandson, Ragnar. He could not believe that we had had two deaths in such a short space of time. Like me his initial reaction was that it was a curse.
Shaking my head, I said, “I thought so too but Kara has explained it to me. Aiden had been ill for many years and was in great pain. He chose to die. He chose to die when he did to make the pain less for me. He knew that I grieved over Uhtric.” I shrugged, “It was the way his mind worked.”
“Aye, he was the cleverest man I knew and it is good that he has the old sword with him. It came from the earth and is now returned.” I nodded. “How goes the training of my son?”
“He has been with the Shape Shifter. None can ever be as good as Aðils but so long as he has Ulfheonar skills then I will be happy.”
My grandson looked worried, “You would not make him Ulfheonar?”
“No and besides, that path is chosen for you. I do not see that in Sámr. Olaf and Haaken will give him more skills and then we begin the real training. We raid.”
“Would you have me with you, or Ulla War Cry?”
“Would you wish Ulla War Cry to come?” I saw the answer on his face. I smiled and shook my head, “You have chosen a different path for your feet. It is good that you are the jarl who brings peace and harmony to the southern side of the Land of the Wolf.”
“And where do you raid?”
I had thought about this and already made a decision. “Your son needs to learn to be a navigator. I am lucky. Erik Short Toe learned from Josephus and he has more skills than any other captain. His sons are not as skilled as he. Sámr Ship Killer will need to be his own captain. I would sail to the hot lands further south.” I thought of Uhtric. He had been buried with the spice box. I smiled. “We need more spices and we have not raided there for some time.”
“Yet others have. They may be ready for you.”
“True, and if they are then that will temper the steel that is your son. If we wanted an easy life then we would raid the Picts or Hibernians. We know that those who live in the hot lands are fierce warriors.”
He looked at me and studied my face, “You do not have the death wish, do you? I know you have endured many deaths but your people need you still.”
“Sámr is not yet ready to take over as leader. I am not yet ready to die. He is now married and I would have him have children of his own. The clan needs our blood to ensure i
ts survival.”
“Then I will have some of my hearth weru travel with you.”
“No, for I think that Sámr will chose those who sail with him. It is a skill he will need when he leads the clan.”
I saw the disappointment on Ragnar’s face but he nodded and said, “Will you be double crewed?”
“Perhaps.”
“The seas are more dangerous these days. We still have many ships which visit Whale Island and their captains talk. The Saxons have ships. They patrol their waters. A single ship with just forty or so warriors aboard risks being taken.” I nodded. “Do not forget the Danes. When you went to Lundenwic and the Land of the East Angles you killed many Danes. They bear grudges. Your sword draws enemies like honey draws ants.”
“If I was to worry about every Dane I have upset, I would lock myself in my hall and never budge!”
“And Syllingar; what of that island? The witch in the cave of Om Walum will have more reason than ever to wreak her vengeance upon you. I do not believe that the witch has forgotten you and there is no Aiden to sail with you.”
“Ragnar, the web is already woven and the threads entwined. You choose to stay here in the Land of the Wolf. You are content not to venture beyond our borders. I am happy with the decision. Sámr is a Viking. He will sail whether you wish it or not.” I looked at him. I knew how to look into a man’s eyes and determine what he was thinking. I was not a galdramenn but I knew how to do this. “Do you wish to sail with us? You could help to teach your son.”
He shook his head, “We both know that I am not the leader that you are or my father was. If I am honest, I do not think that Gruffyd is either but he still tries to be another Dragonheart. His new home is intended to be a stronghold such as yours. The witch and the horrors he endured there means that he will look to fight easier enemies. You have never chosen the easy way. Sámr does not want to be Dragonheart but he wants to lead. You and the Ulfheonar are in a better position to teach him.” I had looked into his eyes and saw that he spoke what was in his mind and I nodded. “You are disappointed in me?”
I shook my head, “A man can never be disappointed in those of his blood. When I was younger, I made that mistake with your father. We became estranged and I still grieve for those undone years. You are Ragnar and you have chosen your path. I am content.”
I left Whale Island and visited, briefly with Raibeart ap Pasgen at Úlfarrston. I was pleased to see that he had strengthened its defences. “It is good to see you Dragonheart.”
I saw that he was no longer the lean young warrior who had become a Viking by choice, if not by birth. He had filled out and now there were grey flecks in his hair. “How goes your world, Raibeart?”
He smiled, “I trade more than I raid. Since you appointed Bergil Hafþórrsson to be Jarl of Dyflin trade has been brisk and my sons are traders not raiders. You visit with Erik Short Toe?”
“I need my drekar for a raid.”
“He has made the shipyard a prosperous place.” He nodded towards the river, “He does well considering the river has such a dangerous entrance.”
I knew what he meant. At high tide it was not a problem but at low tide the shipyard became sealed by sands and shallows. It was said that a man could walk from Úlfarrston to the northern shore. Erik and Bolli serviced ships and built others. They were happy in their world. I bade him farewell and headed up the river.
Raibeart was right. There were many more houses than there used to be and the drekar were all either tied up or drawn on to the bank so that the shipwrights could work on them. This was all due to Erik Short Toe. He had brought his family here and shared the settlement with Bolli Bollison. Erik Short Toe was no longer the ship’s boy who had sailed with Josephus and me to Miklagård. He was now a grandfather. His joints were stiff and his hair almost gone and yet, as soon as I arrived, his face broke into a smile, “You want me to prepare the drekar!”
“You are galdramenn!”
“No, Dragonheart, but you and I do not do as others do. We do not visit and chat. We are not old friends talking to each other. When you come to see me then you need me to sail.”
I was suddenly sad that he thought that way. He was right, of course, and that merely made it worse. I nodded, “We will remedy that this day. I do need the drekar but not for a month or so. If you and your wife will have me, I will stay with you for a few days so that we can make up for lost time.”
“You are more than welcome but I do not want you to feel that you need to. I am always happy to stand at the steerboard and watch you lead.” He led me into his hall which was close to the river and the quay where he worked on his ships. “And we can have long talks while the rowers rest and Ran takes us across the ocean. Come, wife, we have a guest, fetch ale!”
His sons had moved out and Erik lived comfortably with his wife and slaves. His wife brought us ale and then left us. I saw a small ship’s boy helping her. I had not seen him before. I wondered if he was a grandchild. “I need you to teach Sámr how to be drekar captain.”
He nodded, “I can teach him to navigate and use a compass and hourglass but we both know that being a captain of a drekar requires other skills. Only you can do that.”
“And that is why we sail to the hot lands. We two will watch over Sámr and guide him. Josephus guided you and you shall guide Sámr. It is wyrd that we will sail close to the land where Josephus was most comfortable. He made you the captain you are today.”
“But who made you what you are?” I said nothing. He drank more ale and stared into the fire. “We both know who it was. It was the Gods, it was Odin when he struck your sword with the lightning. The power went not only into the blade but into you. As soon as you had the sword then the clan grew stronger. You were chosen. That is why men follow you when it seems that our course takes us towards disaster. Odin watches over you.”
It was good to talk to an old friend and we spent all afternoon and into the early evening talking of the voyages we had taken and the people we had known. We only stopped when the food arrived. We ate alone for his wife knew that we needed this time. Like all Viking women there was something of a volva in her. The food was good. It was a fish stew. Erik lived so close to the sea and knew the fishermen so well that he was offered the freshest of fish. The good food and the fine ale helped me to forget all of my troubles. The dead became a distant memory for Erik and I had only spoken of the good things in our lives. I found I envied Erik Short Toe. He had all that he wanted close to hand and he answered to no one, save to me. I made an annual demand but other than that he was free to do as he wished. Odin had chosen me but he had laid a burden upon my shoulders.
We looked over ‘Heart of the Dragon’ the next day. We already knew that she was an old drekar and now she looked it. The sun had bleached her deck as white as snow. There were the marks of battle along her gunwale. Although there was no weed on her hull the strakes down the steerboard side looked a little worse for wear. Erik ran his hand down the gunwale, “I fear, Dragonheart that this will be the last voyage of ‘Heart’. We can replace the ropes, yard and mast. We can fit a new sail but her heart is old. If the worm is not in her yet it will be soon. We had her out of the water last year and we coated her keel but she will suffer if we have a northern storm.”
“Then it is good that we sail her in warmer waters. She only needs one more voyage. Sámr can commission his own drekar but for this lesson he will need ‘Heart’.”
Erik patted her affectionately, “Aye, well she can do that.” He looked up at me. “And how do we deal with the witch at Syllingar? We have no Aiden to aid us now.”
I nodded, “I have given this thought. We do not go near to the islands of Syllingar. We intend to raid the hot lands. They are well to the south of us. Once we pass the land of the Walhaz we sail due south until we are many leagues from Syllingar.”
“The empty ocean?”
“Remember that Josephus did so. He was not afraid. We do not sail west. We will not risk sailing off the edge
of the world. We sail south. When the air becomes warmer then we turn east.”
He smiled, “Then I will find all of Josephus’ old charts. This will be an adventure for Haaken to sing of.”
The two of us went over every part of her. I gave Erik coin for he would need to make purchases. I was not going to take a chance with Sámr’s life. There would be enough dangers on the voyage without risking a weakness in a ship. I stayed two days with Erik. We were both getting old and who knew when we might meet again? As we parted, he said, “I will make copies of the maps and give them to Sámr when this voyage is over. Mine had Josephus’ hand all over them and, as such, are precious to me.”
I was away some time and by the time I had returned to Cyninges-tūn Sámr had finished his work with Aðils Shape Shifter. I noticed a change in Sámr immediately. He seemed to move more smoothly. When he was in my hall his were the footsteps I did not hear. Ulfheonar learned to make as little noise as possible and to move with the maximum economy. Aðils had done what I had asked. Sámr was sad to have missed the passing of Aiden. I wondered if Aiden had chosen his moment of death so that it would affect fewer people. That would have been typical of Aiden.
The four of us, Sámr, Rollo Thin Skin, Haaken and myself ate in my hall. Atticus served us. I would have used one of Kara’s servants to help but Atticus seemed aware that soon he would be alone in the hall when we went to raid. He wanted time with me. I told them of the drekar and my plans.
Haaken seemed to be particularly pleased, “Good. The heat of the sun will be good for my old bones.”
Rollo picked at his teeth with a sliver of wood, “Aye but wearing mail in a hot country is more tiring.”
“We will be at sea. We need not wear mail then.”
They bantered for a while. Haaken was a positive warrior. Every horn was half full. Olaf Leather Neck had been the opposite. Rollo’s closest friends had been Rolf and Olaf. They were dead and he had changed a little to become more like them. It was as though the clan needed the balance. Sámr smiled at them both. He knew them well and was fully aware of their strengths. He turned to me, “I am young to lead, Dragonheart.”