by Griff Hosker
I watched the sky begin to lighten and went to Erik Short Toe. I shook him awake. When at sea Erik was like a cat. He napped. He was awake instantly, “There is trouble?”
I shook my head, “No, but dawn will be upon us soon. I was going to rouse the men. Better to be safe than sorry. The wind is still with us and we can sleep during the day.”
“You are wise.” He looked at Sámr, “He is doing well but there is much to learn.”
“If he learns no more about sailing than he has done already then I shall be happy. I knew less than he does when I was much older. We have two months to turn him into a sailor. We both know that the first hours have gone well. That cannot last.”
The ship’s boys roused everyone. They left Sámr and Baldr until last. He was not happy when he saw that everyone else was already up. He came over to me, “I need no special treatment, Dragonheart. I should be woken with the others.”
I smiled, “That is just the ship’s boys being thoughtful. Do not be angry with them. Besides there was naught to fret about.”
Dawn came and the seas were empty. Had we seen a sail then I would have been worried. Few ships risked the seas at night and any that did so were, like us, predators. We ate bread, cheese and salted meat. Later we would eat the pickled fish or the raw fish which the ship’s boys would catch but while we had bread which did not need soaking in ale to make it edible, we would eat the food of the land rather than the food of the sea. With ship’s boys keeping lookout, the crew, dressed just in tunics and soft leather shoes, enjoyed the sun which kept the rain clouds away. The seal skin capes and heavy cloaks, along with the seal skin boots, would still be in their chests until they needed them. Some men threw bones and gambled but most used their knives to carve bone. Once we might have carved the tusks of the walrus and narwhal but we had long ago learned that they could be sold to the followers of the White Christ. Some believed that the narwhal horn was the horn of a unicorn while their priests had the walrus tusks carved into crucifixes. I had never had time for such indulgences. This voyage would be different and I wondered if I might carve something. I had an idea for a bone wolf.
All thoughts were driven from my head when the peace of the morning was shattered by Erik, the ship’s boy, who was the mast top lookout. “Ships to steerboard!” His hand pointed to the south and west. It was Hibernian pirates and they were hunting.”
Chapter 4
All eyes were on me but I remained silent for I was willing Sámr to make a decision. I would give him until the count of ten to shout his orders. I had reached five when he shouted, “Arm yourselves! Prepare for battle!”
I saw Haaken and my more experienced men nod. It was the right decision. Running away, blindly, would be disastrous. Arne was roused to join his father at the steerboard. He carried his father’s helmet and sword. There were no passengers on a drekar. When he reached him, he waited a moment to let the sand run out and then turned the hourglass. I went to my chest. The wound in my leg had healed but I was not confident enough to move around too much or too quickly. I donned my sea boots. The soft leather slippers did not afford enough grip on the deck. I did not bother with my helmet. I just slipped my mail coif over my head. I took out Wolf’s Blood and Ragnar’s Spirit and fastened them to my belt. Finally, I took out the warrior bands and slipped them over my wrists. They were not an adornment. They protected my forearms.
I then went to the steerboard side and pulled myself up on to the back stay. I saw the ships now. They had no masts and were rowed. If we intended battle then we would have taken down the mast but there was little to be gained from fighting Hibernian pirates. Conan Mac Finbarr had told us of these pirates. They lived on the western coast of Hibernia. The farming there was unpredictable and they prowled the seas between the land of Gwynedd and Hibernia. The Mercian occupation of the island of Ynys Môn in the Angles’ Sea had merely given them more victims and more opportunities. Conan Mac Finbarr had told me that they packed their boats with men for their plan was to capture any ships they attacked. Knowing that gave us an advantage.
Haaken had also donned his seal skin boots and coif. He was strapping on his sword when he joined me, “A little test from the gods eh?”
“It could be or, more likely, it is the Norns.” I stepped back down onto the deck.
The three Hibernian ships were spreading out across the sea. One would get ahead of us while the third would stop us turning around. That would be the biggest mistake we could make for we had the wind. I saw that the experienced men had not bothered with their helmets and none had donned their mail. The newer, less experienced men had their leather, metal studded byrnies and their helmets. The extra weight would not impair them and might afford some protection. The Hibernians did not use bows effectively. It was their numbers which made them dangerous.
Haaken asked, “What would you do?” He nodded at Sámr who, along with Baldr, was making his way from their chests at the bow end.
“I would turn to sail towards the one at the fore of the three ships. He is the leader. The wind is with us and if we destroyed him then the wind would take us from the others. They might be strong men rowing their boats but we both know that there is a limit to the distance a man can row.”
“Then let us hope your great grandson has your mind.”
Sámr reached us and looked up at me. He smiled for I had an impassive expression on my face, “You have a plan, great grandfather, and you are waiting to see if I can replicate it.”
“Of course, and you have a plan, have you not? Those hours enduring defeat after defeat to Atticus over the chess board have taught you something.”
He nodded, “They have, although it was when we played fox and ducks with the pawns which has given me the battle plan. There is little to be gained from fighting pirates. This is the work of the Norns to test my mettle. We try to out run them. ‘Heart of the Dragon’ has a clean hull and a new sail. The wind favours us.”
I nodded, “A good plan. And if it fails? If the Hibernians close the gap?”
“Then we take out the first ship for that will be the leader.”
I saw that all eyes were on us and Erik Short Toe was looked expectantly at me. “Tell Erik what you intend and make your dispositions.”
He nodded but I saw the nervousness in his eyes. I had been the same when Prince Butar had entrusted me with an attack for the first time. “Erik Short Toe, take us south and east. Let us show these Hibernians our stern.”
“Aye Sámr Ship Killer.”
“Ráðgeir Ráðgeirson, bring Beorn Hafþórrsson and Benni Hafþórrsson to the steering board. You will guard the Dragonheart and Erik Short Toe.”
Ráðgeir Ráðgeirson looked happy to be given such an honourable task.
“Haraldr Leifsson take the men of Cyninges-tūn to the bow and guard it. The rest of you will be with me. Ship’s boys, take your bows and harass the enemy. I have a silver penny for any boy who kills their helmsman!”
As they all rushed off to their positions and Erik adjusted the steering board Haaken said, “I can see that he has your mind. It is unlikely that the boys will hit the helmsman but arrows descending from on high will upset him and discourage him.” He took out his sword and his seax. “I hope my fate is not to die at the hands of some hairy arsed barbarian! I have survived witches and skull takers. Such an end would not befit a poet of my stature!”
Ráðgeir who had returned with Benni and Beorn laughed, “Do not worry, Haaken One Eye, you can always talk them to death!”
I saw that the three of them had not brought their shields. The Hibernians were not known as archers and two weapons doubled our chance of success. Beorn Hafþórrsson carried a double handed axe. He had taken it in the land of the East Angles when we had fought the Danes. He was a big man and could wreak havoc amongst half-naked Hibernians.
The ships were clearer now. They were lower than we were and so overloaded that had the seas been a little rougher they would have risked being swamped. The three s
hips were racing through the water. Although they had no sails the wind was aiding their rowers and the leading Hibernian looked likely to reach us. It was obvious that Sámr was right. This was the leader. He had a red pennant flying from his mast head. I could not make out the design. He had the better crew of the three and that might prove to be his undoing for there was a gap between him and his consorts starting to open. They were the better rowers. That lead would only extend the further we sailed. We ploughed on and, inexorably, the leading Hibernian closed with us. I saw Arne turn the hourglass.
Sámr came back. He came alone. I was standing close to Erik. Sámr, after looking at the three ships, said, “They will catch us.” We were on a converging course. If we turned away then we would lose some of the wind and they would draw us in.
“Aye, Sámr Ship Killer, what would you have me do?”
He looked at me as Erik spoke and I said nothing but I was willing him to come up with the right answer. He rubbed his chin. I smiled. I did that when I was thinking. He looked at the second and third ships. He nodded, “The wind is from the north. Turn, Erik Short Toe and take us across the leader’s stern. Hopefully the ship’s boys can disable him and, if not, then we fight him.”
“Aye! Prepare to come about!” The shout was for the ship’s boys. Two of them were perched precariously on the yard. Arne took out his bow and strung it.
Our drekar leapt forward. The three Hibernians took a few precious moments to react. The leading one was but ten lengths from us. The second and third were more than twenty lengths away. The pirate with the red pennant turned. Already he had given us the advantage. If we turned back on our original course, we had a chance to outrun him but Sámr had made the right decision. He had thrown the bones and gambled that we could hurt the Hibernians and then escape.
I smiled, “May the Allfather be with you!”
The course change was not dramatic but the Hibernians were not as well drilled as our crews and we saw that some of the oars on the second and third boats collided with each other. They slowed and the gap between them and the leader grew. We ploughed on, almost skating over the waves. The wind aided us now and we sailed faster. I saw that we would reach the ship with the red pennant in a very short time. Sámr was at the mast and a decision needed to be made. I had seen that the Hibernian had turned his bows slightly. Instead of crossing the stern we would sail along the side of the ship. I turned to Erik, “Take out one bank of oars.”
He grinned, “Aye Dragonheart.”
He adjusted the steerboard slightly. The Hibernian was approaching at an angle to us. He thought we were trying to cut behind him and he turned so that he was bow on to us. It meant he could turn either way. As we made our move, I saw Sámr look up at our masthead. He knew we had changed course. Erik needed no instruction from me and when we neared to within two lengths of the Hibernian, he put the steering board over to run down the Hibernian leader’s steerboard side. Even though the Hibernian pirate had the best crew there was a delay in the reaction of his crew. It was crucial.
Arrows flew from our mast head and prow as the ship’s boys loosed their arrows. The helmsman was protected by shields but two of those who were protecting him were struck. I thought for just a heartbeat that our bows would collide. We would have survived for our ship was well made but it would have meant we needed to repair. Then I saw that we would miss. Our bow crashed and cracked through oars. I saw shards of wood fly into the air and heard the screams of men impaled on broken oars. The collision slowed us slightly. Our drekar seemed to shudder. I heard orders being shouted aboard the Hibernian and then, as our bow passed their stern, grappling hooks were hurled. They meant to board us. Although they had been hurt their leader was relying upon the other two ships to come to his aid.
I drew my weapons. As the hooks bit, our men ran to try to sever them. The bows of ‘Heart’ began to swing around the Hibernian ship. One Hibernian warrior, half-naked and with a tattooed chest stood on their gunwale. He hurled himself across the narrowing gap. Arne’s arrow seemed to stop him in mid-air. His body fell between the two hulls as his comrades pulled us together. He screamed as the two hulls ground his body to a pulp. His death meant that we were now tied.
Erik shouted, “Arne, take the axe and free us!”
My five men and I ran at the warriors who stood on the gunwale to board us. One, leaping down at me, impaled himself on Wolf’s Blood as Beorn Hafþórrsson swung his Danish axe. It was a prodigious blow and Olaf Leather Neck would have envied such a strike. It hacked through two of the legs of one man and the left leg of a second. Arne’s axe chopped through one rope as Benni, Ráðgeir and Haaken slew the two men who had managed to reach our deck. I glanced down the ship and saw that Sámr and the younger warriors had made a shield wall and were slaughtering the ones who had boarded us in the middle. Haraldr led the men of Cyninges-tūn to attack their flank.
“Dragonheart, the other two ships are closing.”
“Sever the grappling hooks!” The men who had boarded were fighting for their lives. We outnumbered them and I heard the sound of axes hacking through ropes. There was a twang as the last one was cut. We suddenly leapt forward and we were free. The Hibernian ship drifted for her crew had abandoned the oars to fight us. Six men still remained aboard our drekar and one had a helmet. I took him to be the leader. They were facing Sámr and the men at the mast. Sámr showed no fear as he blocked the blow from the wickedly curved sword. Sámr still had some growing to do and he was not as tall as the Hibernian. He hacked with his sword into the thigh of the leader. Blood spurted. The rest of the Hibernians were slaughtered but Baldr and the others allowed Sámr to end the fight he had begun. It was another milestone on his journey to leader. He did not panic when the Hibernian renewed his attacks. He had seen warriors go berserk. He took a second blow on his shield and rammed his sword between the chief’s shield and sword. Sámr’s sword, like mine, had a point. I saw it come out of the back of the chief. I watched Sámr turn it around and push again. He must have struck something vital or perhaps the chief had lost too much blood from his leg for he fell to the deck.
The crew began banging the deck with their feet. They shouted Sámr’s name. This was the first time he had had the accolade. He looked embarrassed more than elated. I looked astern. The two Hibernians were still following but as they were five lengths astern of us it was unlikely that they would catch us. By the time we had taken everything of value from the dead and hurled their bodies overboard then they had given up.
Sámr came to join us. “We were lucky great grandfather.”
“Aye we were. The Norns weave and they plot. We lost none and that was largely down to you. You used a shield wall and held them.” I pointed astern, “They have given up. Clean yourself and then speak with Erik about the course.” I smiled, “A leader does not have the luxury of reliving each stroke in the battle.” I pointed to his young warriors who were animatedly describing each cut and thrust they had made. “That is for those who follow.”
“Aye, I can see that now.”
Already the ship’s boys were sluicing down the deck with pails of sea water. With luck there would be no stain. Erik was as proud of his ship as any wife was of her home.
Sámr threw himself into the navigation of the ship. We were now in the widest part of the sea between Hibernia and Gwynedd. As dusk approached, we saw the island of Ynys Enlli, called Bardsey by Norse sailors. The smoke coming from the monastery told us that the hardy monks still lived there. We did not bother them. They were poor monks who had neither gold nor silver. They spent their lives meditating and speaking of their god. I thought it pointless but it was their way.
We managed to tie to the land before darkness fell. We lit fires and began to cook shellfish collected by the ship’s boys. I found a quiet part of the beach, behind a rock. I could not empty my bowels on the ship. The older I grew the harder it was to hang over the stern. Perhaps this was Odin’s way of telling me to stay at home. When I had finished, I s
aw the puffins who lived on the island diving beneath the water for fish. We would take some of the birds to eat and some of their eggs. We never took too many. This was a larder for us. Once we left it then we would not strike land again for many days. We would sail south into waters where there would be neither ship nor land. We made the most of our fire, hot food and ale that was still fresh. By the time we reached the land of the Moor and the Arab we would have no ale left and we would be reduced to drinking rainwater. The shelter over the prow doubled as a reservoir for water.
I saw that Sámr looked weary. He wandered over to me with his wooden bowl filled with stew as though he was a man asleep. He had had little sleep in the night and he had fought a battle. I waved him closer to me, “Come, Sámr, you have done well. A good leader knows when to rest. This is the time to let others work. We are safe here and you can sleep all night. There will be ship’s boys to watch. Tomorrow begins the real lesson in navigation. We are going to a part of the ocean that even Erik Short Toe and I have rarely seen. Neither your father nor my son has done what you shall do. Be guided by Erik and, if you need to, then ask questions. When he learned from Josephus he was like a chattering magpie.”
He looked relieved, “I do not want to let you down.”
“And you will not. Your men did well.”