by Griff Hosker
I said, “Now is the time! Charge!”
We ran. We did not run fast. We advanced at the speed of men who had rowed with the warriors next to them and had their rhythm. We ran as one for that was what we were. We were the Clan of the Horse. We had yet to taste defeat. The Saxons would be soiling their breeks and wondering if they could make the safety of their own walls before our blades hacked, sliced and butchered them. We ran knowing that the Saxons would be disordered when the fleeing men tried to get behind the housecarls. And we ran knowing that we would be victorious. William and I, with our best warriors, ran at the thegn and the housecarls. They had axes held in two hands and that meant they had no shields. I heard them keening a song. They knew they would die. Had they been in a shield wall with thirty or more of their fellow then they would have believed they could stop us. They had done so before. When King Alfred had led them then they had been the equal of Vikings. Now a thegn led them. He was their lord but I doubted that he was Alfred. He was a thegn who watched the King’s town. They would be hoping, as they swung their axes in a figure of eight, that they might get lucky and take me with them. They would know who I was. The giant Viking was a legend. The housecarls would not be cowards. They would be brave and they would want to save the people of Wintan-Caestre. Then they would have died with honour. We had to ensure that it was they who died and we who lived.
I was not as fast as I once had been. It was Godwin and William who reached the line first. Godwin’s spear and the spears of my son’s men ripped into the housecarls as William’s sword hacked flesh. A couple of spears had their heads splintered. But a splintered spear shaft can still be rammed into the eye socket of a warrior. William’s sword hacked across the neck of one housecarl who did not wear a coif. I saw Godwin’s spear ram into the screaming mouth of his companion. He had been unlucky with his axe. It had missed Godwin’s spear by a handspan. His open helmet had no protection. I heard the spearhead grate through the back of his skull. The thegn was facing me and he held his shield before him. A lord, he used a sword. He thrust rather than slashed with his sword at my neck as I brought my sword from on high. He held up his shield and, while his sword pricked my coif, his shield was shattered by my blow. When I wielded Long Sword, I used two hands. It meant I had no shield but the power and weight of the sword could hack through mail! Splinters of wood flew into his face. I suspect I broke his arm too. He staggered a little and I swung again. This time it was a diagonal blow from the opposite side. It came down on his sword side. His own sword came up and the two blades cracked together. Sparks flew but he had merely reacted. There was no strength to the blow and the sword was knocked aside. I hit his coif halfway along the length of my sword. I ripped it downwards. It severed links as though they were made of cord. There was nothing beneath the coif and Long Sword sliced and sawed through flesh, muscle and bone. I took his head. His body stood for a moment and then crumpled as though it had been emptied of life in an instant. As Sámr slew the last housecarl the survivors ran back to the safety of Wintan-Caestre’s walls.
“Hold!”
My men were perfectly trained. They heeded my roared command and they halted. They presented their shields and they looked for more opposition to fight. When they saw none, they looked down at the men they had killed, assessing the treasure that might be carried. Each of the dead housecarls would be rich. They had mail and they had a position. They were Christians but they were also warriors. They had battle bands. Some would be silver. They might have a silver cross. They would wear rings on their fingers. Housecarls were vain. They liked others to know how good they were and that was displayed on their fingers and around their necks. Some would even have purses. They might be concealed beneath their mail but they would be there.
I looked at the town walls. William was right. We could have taken the town but what would have been the point? They had summoned help. We would soon have to fight many more men and the town held nothing we wanted. We had gold and silver. We had the ornaments from the abbey. In the town, we would have had to fight men for pathetically small pots of coins. It was not worth it. We had time. Gandálfr was still heading towards Hamafunta. I could allow my men the opportunity to plunder the dead.
“Fetch our wounded. We are done here. The Clan of the Horse has won! You can take from the Saxons but be hasty. We leave in five hundred heartbeats!”
Some of those who had crewed ‘Fafnir’ ran forward, “Lord, the mail?”
I looked at William. He shrugged, “My men do not need it.” Already the ones who had fought in the front rank were taking from the housecarls. They would not bother with the mail for they already had a byrnie.
“Take it but do not tarry. If you are caught it will go ill with you.”
I saw that we had lost men but they would not lie here. Oar brothers picked up the bodies of their dead comrades. Before men fought, they made promises. The families of their dead friends would be given a share of whatever we took. The swords of the dead would be killed if there was no son to give the blade to. The dead were cared for before the rest of their oar brothers took the treasure. That was why we fought as we did. We would bury them at sea. We would not allow the Saxons to display their heads! As we headed back, I positioned good men to the side and the rear as well as the front. It was a foolish leader who assumed that he had destroyed all of his enemies. I thought we had but why take chances? We had a day to reach our ships and then we could relax. Once we were at sea, we were safe. This time we used the road for we wanted to move quickly and we wanted to draw any attackers to us and not my men who hurried ahead of us. We did not need to move silently. The whole of the land would know we were here. Even as we headed south, we heard the distant tolling of bells. The Saxons had learned that when Vikings attacked you gathered your men and you met them with large numbers. Unless Saxons outnumbered Vikings then they had no chance of defeating them. We were not true Vikings any longer. We were better for we were Normans and we were even stronger than our forebears had been. We had honed our skills. We had fought more enemies than they had. We understood how to fight against horsemen and we knew how the Saxons organised. They would already be raising the levy, their fyrd. Each one hundred would be taking their weapons from the sacks in which they were kept. They would be donning helmets that they had not used in five years or more. They would be taking a tearful farewell from their wives and families and they would march together towards a muster point. It would all take time and we would be heading south while they did so.
I was confident. As we moved south, I looked at the new, younger warriors. Some had taken the mail from the dead housecarls. They had taken weapons too. They had had little to do in their first battle. They had had to stand in the face of greater numbers and they had done so. Some would have weapons which had not been used. That did not matter. The experience of standing there and seeing an enemy flee would give them confidence the next time we fought. Watching my best men hew the enemy without suffering losses would have been a lesson in fighting. They would be blooded one day. Now they tramped along burdened by the booty they had taken. Now, as they laboured along the road it would be a test of their strength. None of us had rested much on the journey to the Abbey. Food had been in short supply. Their stomachs would crave food. Their mouths would be dry. They would be desperate for ale. These were also lessons in war. Many of the young men had never been on a raid. Once we reached the ship, they would go over every detail. They would relive every blow and arrow. What happened to these men would be magnified when we attacked the Bretons. It had been years since I had led men into battle and I had to know their strengths and their weaknesses.
Sámr marched next to me. I was aware that my long legs ate up the ground. I was setting a hard pace. Sámr Oakheart had fought with me so many times that he was used to my pace. He could not only keep up with me, but he also seemed to be able to read my mind, “They did well, lord.” I grunted in reply. “They obeyed orders. I remember some of Guthrum’s men. They were brave
enough but, it is said, they lost the battle to Alfred when they did not heed Guthrum’s commands.”
“If we had fought a stronger foe then I might agree with you. A handful of mailed warriors do not make a good test. Many of them have weapons with sharp edges still. We do not.”
Sámr was not afraid to argue with me. We had shared much in the past and he was bold in his words. “You wish we had had a harder test? You would we had lost some of them?”
“Losing one or two would have made some of them more thoughtful. Listen to them!” There was laughter and even songs. Had the younger ones fought I would have understood it but they had just had to watch. That was my fault. I had not trusted them and I had used my best warriors.
“You are wrong, lord. I agree that not all had to fight but some did and some died.” I heard an intake of breath from Mauger and my hearth weru. “More mailed warriors would have given us a harder test but the Saxons fled twice. We beat them twice. We defeated the best that they had with consummate ease. Their town was ripe for the taking and we had lost few men. All of those facts show that even the new warriors know how to obey you. I think this was a good test.”
I strode more steps and reflected. He was right. Some had fought. Some had wounds. I was wanting perfection in the battle. That never happened. “You are right, Sámr! I am getting old and, perhaps, a little foolish.”
“No, lord, we both know that is not true.”
We moved along in silence. I was deep in thought. Sámr was right. I had been guilty of seeing the horn of ale as half empty. I fingered the horse amulet which hung from my neck. If I was wrong about that then what of the raid on the Bretons? I had thought to send a fleet to attack Nantes and the Count’s capital. I did not have enough ships and I now wondered if that was the right strategy. The days when we had sailed to fight was in the past. We could still raid using drekar but even Bjorn the Brave lived three days from the sea. As we moved through the heartland of Wessex, I changed my plans. I needed men like Sámr and Bergil with me. Sven Blue Cheek was sorely missed. He would have given me sage advice when I had first suggested the attack.
We reached Drokensford without incident. Harold Mighty Fist awaited us there. “Gandálfr left with the captives a couple of hours since.”
“Good. We rest for a short time and eat. Choose five priests to accompany us. When we leave, we bar the rest in their church.”
Harold laughed, “They will think we mean to burn them.”
I shook my head, “I will leave a message with those in the church. If we are attacked then the priests who are hostages will die. We need to move quickly. I would not stop save that the younger warriors need rest and food.” I pointed. Those who had taken from the dead Saxons now looked weary and we still had many miles to go. “They will reach us before we have embarked. I want the Saxons wary and cautious. Perhaps I am becoming cautious too. I would lose as few men as possible.”
“That is not a bad thing, lord. The younger ones still have much to learn. Aye lord. I have hot food ready. The monks know how to cook. The ones we take with us will be leaner by the time we reach Hamafunta.”
It was the early afternoon when we left. Our dead were placed on a wagon and we used some of the captured horses to draw it. After I had spoken to those left in the church, we hammered wood across the doors of the stone church. They would be found for I knew there would be pursuit. A chase did not worry us. We could move faster than those who chased us. Hamwic was my worry. That was a strong burgh. Word must have reached it and they would send men to slow us. They would need to muster and therein lay hope. That would take time. As we had left, I waved William and Godwin forward. “I want your men in the fore as a screen. Those who took treasure can stay with me. Kill any scouts you find but if you see a large force then return tome without alerting them.”
“Aye, father.”
I was proud of my son. He reminded me of me when I had been a young warrior. He was bold and fearless. He did not panic and he knew how to command men. Godwin Red Eyes did for him what Sven Blue Cheek had done for me. He was a voice of reason. William still had much to learn. His fearlessness on the battlefield became recklessness in his dealing with women. I had never been one to hop from bed to bed. William was.
We were five miles from Hamafunta when my son came back. Godwin was not with him. “The Saxons are waiting for us. They have blocked the road at a small hamlet. They have put barriers across the road.”
“Any sign that Gandálfr and his captives were stopped?”
“No, father. There were no bodies. They were still building barriers. Had you not ordered otherwise we would have attacked them.”
I almost ignored his words. He had obeyed my orders and that was what I had wanted. He was right. Gandálfr must have escaped. “Then they do not know how close we are?”
He shook his head, “I do not think so.”
“And how many are there?”
“They look to have the hundred from Hamwic and another one. The men were sprinkled with those who wore mail.”
I turned, “Harold Mighty Fist.” He stepped forward. “Take your warband and all of the men without armour. Head to the west. There are Saxons ahead in a hamlet. I want you to attack them from both sides. Wait until you hear our horns before you begin.”
“Aye, lord. My lads are keen to gain some honour this day.”
Harold nodded and he headed off to gather his men. I turned and waved forward the young men from my crew who had taken the mail. “Alan son of Erik, you and the others who carry the mail. Don it and guard the captives. Take the wagons with our dead. When we attack move them down the road after us. Your task is to get them to the ships.”
“Aye lord.” I watched Alan son of Erik head back to his oar brothers. I walked to my hearth weru and William.
I had chosen the young warriors because they looked weary. They could be exhausted and they would still be able to cope with a handful of priests. I drew Long Sword, “The rest of you, we have some Saxons to shift. We move silently until we find Godwin Red Eyes. Mauger, when I say, have the horn sounded. We hit them hard. This is the levy. They are farmers with bill hooks and ancient helmets. They will be thinking of their farms and their wives. They will run if they are given the chance.”
“Aye, lord.”
This was still the land which the kings of Wessex had used for hunting. The forest had only been thinned a little. The farms and houses were clustered in the open areas and we found Godwin Red Eyes and William’s men some twenty paces from the hamlets. I could see that the Saxons were still building a barrier. I turned, “We make a wedge and I will lead.” I said it forcefully. None argued with me. They might disapprove of the idea but they would not speak out. I smiled, “I think if we move at the pace of an old man, we might be able to stay together, eh!” They smiled back. “We will start to form here. My slow pace will help us to make a mighty wedge.” Without further ado, I marched towards the road. William and Sámr took their places behind me. The others formed up in organized lines. Mauger was behind William and he had Odo with the horn next to him.
As soon as we cleared the woods, I heard a shout from ahead. All work ceased and I saw the crude barricade bristle with spears. It was not solidly made. They had used hastily cut saplings, carts and willow hedging. It gave an illusion of protection. The hamlet lay about half a mile down the road. I kept the same pace. I did not look behind me. I knew that my men would be forming up. We would have ten ranks deep by the time we hit the barrier. Marching towards it I saw that it was not as high as they might have liked. It was not as tall as me. Men in mail stood atop it. They must have dragged a couple of carts and wagons behind it. I smiled. They were in for a shock when my Long Sword and that of my son struck them. When we were just two hundred paces from them and stones began to fall, I shouted, “Mauger, have the horn sounded now!” The horn sounded. We kept moving and then I heard our flank attacks. Harold Mighty Fist was keen to bring his men into action and I heard the rustle of arro
ws as they flew from the Saxon flanks and into their unprotected backs and sides. Men cried as they fell. The arrows did not strike mail. They struck men who had, at best, leather jerkins. They were no match for our war arrows. The stones no longer flew at us.
I started to chant. It helped us stay together and to move faster whilst unnerving the Saxons who had seen their plans thrown into disarray by my men’s flank attack.
Clan of the Horseman
Warriors strong
Clan of the Horseman
Our reach is long
Clan of the Horseman
Fight as one
Clan of the Horseman
Death will come
I lowered my head as we advanced. The stones and spears would not hurt me. I wore a good helmet with padding beneath as well as my byrnie. The helmet had a conical, angled crown. Stones and arrows would slide along it. If they had had axes, I might have been in danger but the men standing on the barricade, although mailed, held spears. As we neared the barricade, we, inevitably, moved faster. It could not be helped. The ones at the rear of the wedge were anxious to get to grips with the enemy. They pushed into our backs. As I swung my sword at the legs of the Saxons whose spears cracked and rattled off my mail and helmet, I felt myself pushed along as though by a fast tide. My sword hacked through first one leg and then a second of the Saxon above me. Even as he fell, dying, my blade hacked into the leg of the next Saxon and grated off the bone of his knee. Sámr’s spear went up under the byrnie of a third and William took the legs of a fourth. Above us, the centre of the barricade was clear and then my body was rammed against the barricade. It had been hurriedly erected. The weight of my men was behind me. I struggled to keep my feet but managed it until the barricade disintegrated before me. It was as though a dam had been burst and I tumbled forward and landed, somewhat awkwardly, across the wrecked barricade. If I had not been followed by my son and hearth weru I would have been trampled to death but they formed a wall around me. The wedge was broken but the barricade was no more. The whole structure crumbled and the men at the rear, having seen me fall, were eager to get at the Saxons. It was like a mailed tide flowing over the shattered Saxons. From the side, Harold’s men fell upon the Saxons who were attacked from all sides but one. Mauger and Erik held their hands out for me and I pulled myself up.