The Dragon and the Raven; Or, The Days of King Alfred

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER X: THE COMBAT

  "I was thinking much of what you said last night," Freda said atbreakfast. "How is it that you, whose religion is as you say a peacefulone, can yet have performed so many deeds of valour and bloodshed?"

  "I am fighting for my home, my country, and my religion," Edmund said."Christianity does not forbid men to defend themselves; for, did it doso, a band of pagans might ravage all the Christian countries in theworld. I fight not because I love it. I hate bloodshed, and wouldrather die than plunder and slay peaceful and unoffending people. Youhave been in England and have seen the misery which war has causedthere. Such misery assuredly I would inflict on none. I fight only todefend myself and my country men and women. Did your people leave ourland I would gladly never draw sword again."

  "But what would you do with yourself?" Freda asked in tones ofsurprise. "How would you pass your time if there were no fighting?"

  "I should have plenty to do," Edmund said smiling; "I have my people tolook after. I have to see to their welfare; to help those who need it;to settle disputes; to rebuild the churches and houses which have beendestroyed. There would be no difficulty in spending my time."

  "But how could a man show himself to be a hero," the Danish girl asked,"if there were no fighting?"

  "There would be no occasion for heroes," Edmund said, "at least ofheroes in the sense you mean--that is, of men famous principally forthe number they have slain, and the destruction and misery they havecaused. Our religion teaches us that mere courage is not the highestvirtue. It is one possessed as much by animals as by men. Highervirtues than this are kindness, charity, unselfishness, and a desire tobenefit our fellow-creatures. These virtues make a man a truer herothan the bravest Viking who ever sailed the seas. Even you, Freda,worshipper of Odin as you are, must see that it is a higher and abetter life to do good to your fellow-creatures than to do evil."

  "It sounds so," the girl said hesitatingly; "but the idea is so new tome that I must think it over before I can come to any conclusion."

  Freda then went about her occupations, and Edmund, knowing thatSiegbert would not return for some time, as he was going with Bijorn toa council which was to be held early in the day, strolled down to lookat the galleys ranged along on the beach. These varied greatly in formand character. Some of the sailing ships were large and clumsy, but thegalleys for rowing were lightly and gracefully built. They were low inthe water, rising to a lofty bow, which sometimes turned over like theneck of a swan, at other times terminated in a sharp iron prow, formedfor running down a hostile boat. Some of them were of great length,with seats for twenty rowers on either side, while all were providedwith sails as well as oars. When the hour for dinner approached hereturned to Siegbert's tent. The jarl had not yet come back from thecouncil. When he did so Edmund perceived at once that he was flushedand angry.

  "What has disturbed you, father?" Freda asked, as on hearing his voiceshe entered the tent. "Has aught gone wrong at the council?"

  "Yes," the jarl replied, "much has gone wrong. Bijorn and I had notconcluded our bargain when we went to the council. We had, indeed, nodifficulty about the terms, but we had not clasped hands over them, asI was going back to his tent after the council was over. At the councilthe expedition against France was discussed, and it was proposed thatwe should consult the gods as to the chances of the adventure. Then theJarl Eric rose and proposed that it should be done in the usual way bya conflict between a Dane and a captive. This was of course agreed to.

  "He then said that he understood that there was in the camp a youngSaxon of distinguished valour, and that he proposed that Sweyn, the sonof Bijorn, should fight with him. Sweyn had expressed to him hiswillingness to do so should the council agree. I rose at once and saidthat the Saxon was no longer a captive, since I had ransomed himbecause he had once done me a service; but upon being pressed I wasforced to admit that the bargain had not been concluded. I must acquitBijorn of any share in the matter, for it came upon him as much bysurprise as it did upon me. It seems that it is all Sweyn's doing. Hemust have taken the step as having a private grudge against you. Haveyou had any quarrel with him?"

  "No," Edmund replied. "He has ever shown himself haughty anddomineering, but we have come to no quarrel."

  "At any rate he wants to kill you," Siegbert said. "I did my best toprevent it, pointing out that the combat ought to take place between aFrank and a Dane. However, the Northmen are always glad to see a goodfight, and having satisfied themselves that in point of age andstrength you were not unfairly matched, they decided that the conflictshould take place. He is taller, and I think somewhat stronger thanyou, and has proved himself a valiant fighter, and I would give much ifthe combat could be avoided."

  "I fear him not," Edmund said quietly, "though I would fain that thiscould be avoided. Had I met Sweyn upon a battle-field in England Iwould have slain him as a natural enemy; but to fight him in coldblood, either as a matter of augury or to furnish amusement for theassembly, likes me not. However, I must of course defend myself, and ifharm comes to him it is no blame of mine."

  "You will have no easy victory, I can tell you," Siegbert said, "fornone among our young Danes bears a higher reputation."

  "But after the combat is over how shall I stand?" Edmund asked; "for ifI defeat or slay Sweyn I shall still be his father's slave."

  "That will you not," Siegbert replied. "In these cases the captive ifvictorious is always restored to liberty; but at any rate you shallfight as a free man, for when I have finished my dinner I will go toBijorn and conclude our bargain. Do not look so cast down, Freda; aNorthman's daughter must not turn pale at the thought of a conflict.Sweyn is the son of my old friend, and was, before he took to arms,your playfellow, and since then has, methought, been anxious to gainyour favour, though all too young yet for thinking of taking a wife;but never mind, there are as good as he to be found; and if our youngSaxon here proves his conqueror other suitors will come, never fear."

  Freda was silent, but her face flushed painfully, and Edmund saw thetears falling down her cheeks as she bent over her plate.

  After the meal was over Siegbert again went out, and Edmund,approaching Freda, said, "Do not fret, Freda; if it should be that Ifind my skill in arms greater than that of Sweyn, I promise you thatfor your sake I will not wound him mortally."

  "I care not," the girl said passionately; "spare him not for my sake,for I hate him, and were there no other Norseman in the world I wouldnever be wife of his."

  So saying she left the tent. Edmund now regretted the chance which hadassigned him to Siegbert, for he would rather have taken his chance ofescape by sea than have awaited the conflict with Sweyn. But he couldnot carry his plan of escape into effect now, for it would seem as ifhe had fled the conflict. That this would be a desperate one he did notdoubt. The course which Sweyn had taken showed a bitter feeling ofhatred against him, and even were it not so the young Northman would,fighting in the presence of the leaders of his nation, assuredly do hisbest to conquer. But Edmund had already tried his strength with olderand more powerful men than his adversary and had little fear of results.

  The news of the approaching conflict caused considerable excitement inthe Danish camp, and Edmund's figure was narrowly scrutinized as hewandered through it. All who had been engaged in the war in Wessex hadheard of Edmund, and there was no slight curiosity, when the news wentabroad that the Saxon leader was a captive in the camp, to see what hewas like.

  At first when it was bruited abroad that Sweyn, the son of Jarl Bijorn,was to fight this noted Saxon champion the idea was that the enterprisewas a rash one, strong and valiant as Sweyn was known to be for a youngman; but when it was seen that Edmund was no older than he, and to theeye less strong and powerful, they felt confident in the power of theirchampion to overcome him.

  Siegbert spared no pains to see that his guest had an even equalchance. He procured for him a strong and well-made helmet which fittedhim comfortably, and gave him the choice out of a large number ofshield
s and swords. Edmund selected a weapon which answered nearly inweight and balance that which he was accustomed to wield. There wasfeasting again that night in Siegbert's tent; but he did not allowEdmund to join in it, insisting after the meal was over that he shouldretire to a small hut hard by.

  "You will want your head and your nerves in good order to-morrow," hesaid. "Feasting is good in its way, and the night before battle Ialways drink deeply, but for a single combat it were best to beprudent." As Edmund left the tent Freda, who had not appeared atdinner, came up to him.

  "I have been crying all day," she said simply. "I know not why, for Ihave often seen my father go out to battle without a tear. I think youmust have upset me with your talk this morning. I hope that you willwin, because it was wrong and unfair of Sweyn to force this battle uponyou; and I hate him for it! I shall pray Odin to give you victory. Youdon't believe in him, I know; still my prayers can do you no harm."

  "Thank you," Edmund said. "I shall pray to One greater and better thanOdin. But weep not any longer, for I trust neither of us will bekilled. I shall do my best to guard myself, and shall try not to slayhim; for this fight is not for my nation or for my religion, butconcerns myself only."

  The following morning the Northmen assembled. The jarls and otherleading men formed the inner line of a circle some thirty yards indiameter, the others stood without; Jarl Eric entered the ring withSweyn, while Edmund, accompanied by Siegbert, entered at the other sideof the circle.

  "I protest," Siegbert cried in a loud voice, "against this conflicttaking place. Edmund the Saxon is no captive here, but a free man, andmy guest; moreover, being a Saxon, the issue of this fight between himand a Northman can serve no purpose as an augury as to the success ofour expedition against the Franks. Therefore do I protest against theconflict."

  There was again a consultation between the leaders, for a murmur ofapprobation had run round the ranks of the spectators, who it wasevident were impressed in favour of the young Saxon, and consideredthat the jarl's words were just and reasonable. Eric spoke for a minutewith Sweyn.

  "I feel," he said in a loud voice, "that what Jarl Siegbert says isreasonable, that no augury can be drawn from the fight, and that, sinceEdmund is no longer a captive, and a friend of Siegbert's, he cannot beforced into fighting in order that we may have an augury. But theSaxon, though so young, has won a reputation even among us, the enemiesof his race; and my friend Sweyn, who has shown himself one of thebravest of our young men, considers that he has cause of quarrel withhim, and challenges him to fight--not necessarily to the death, or tillone is slain, but till the jarls here assembled do pronounce one or theother to be the victor. This is a fair challenge--first, there is aprivate quarrel; next, there is emulation between these young men, whomay fairly claim to be the champions of the youth of the two races.Such a challenge the Saxon will hardly refuse."

  In accordance with the customs of the day it would have been impossiblefor Edmund to have refused such a challenge without disgrace, and hedid not for a moment think of doing so.

  "I am ready to fight Sweyn," he said. "I have no great cause of quarrelwith him; but if he conceives that he has grounds of quarrel with me,that is enough. As to championship of the Saxons, we have no champions;we fight not for personal honour or glory, but for our homes, ourcountries, and our religion, each doing his best according to thestrength God has given him, and without thought of pride on the onehand or envy on the other because the strength or courage of one may besomewhat greater than that of another. Still, as a Saxon standing hereas the only representative of my nation in an assembly of Northmen, Icannot refuse such a challenge, for to do so would be to infer that weSaxons are less brave than you. Therefore I am ready for the combat."

  The Northmen clashed their weapons against their shields in token oftheir approval of the young Saxon's words, and the young championsprepared for the combat. They were naked to the waist save for shieldand helmet; below the waist each wore a short and tightly-fittinggarment covered with plates of brass; the legs were naked, and eachwore a pair of light sandals; their weapons were long straight swords.The weapon Edmund had chosen was considerably lighter than that of hisopponent, but was of toughest steel, on which were engraved in roughcharacters, "Prayers to Woden for victory."

  The difference in height between the combatants was considerable.Edmund stood five feet ten, but looked shorter from the squareness andwidth of his shoulders. Sweyn was nearly four inches taller, and he toowas very strongly built. His muscles indeed stood out in strongerdevelopment than did those of Edmund, and if pure strength was to winthe day few of those who looked on doubted that the Dane would be thevictor.

  The combat was a long one. For some time Edmund contented himself withstanding upon the defensive and guarding the tremendous blows whichSweyn rained upon him. In spite of the efforts of the Northman, hecould neither beat down the Saxon's guard nor force him to fall back asingle step.

  Again and again the rattle of the spectators' arms clashed an approvalof Edmund's steady resistance to his opponent's assaults. The Norsemendelighted beyond all things in a well-fought encounter. Each man,himself a warrior, was able to appreciate the value of the strokes andparries. The betting at the commencement had run high upon Sweyn, andhorses, armour, arms, and slaves had been freely wagered upon hissuccess; but as the fight went on the odds veered round, and thedemeanour of the combatants had as much to do with this as the skilland strength shown by Edmund in his defence. The Dane was flushed andfurious; his temper gave way under the failure of his assaults. TheSaxon, on the contrary, fought as calmly and coolly as if practicingwith blunted weapons; his eyes never left those of his adversary, ahalf smile played on his lips, and although drops of perspiration fromhis forehead showed how great were his exertions, his breathing hardlyquickened.

  Twice Sweyn drew back for breath, and Edmund each time, instead ofpressing him, dropped the point of his sword and waited for him torenew the combat. At present he had scarce struck a blow, and while hisown shield was riven in several places and his helmet dinted, those ofSweyn were unmarked.

  At the third assault Sweyn came up determined to end the conflict, andrenewed the attack with greater fury than before. Three times his sworddescended with tremendous force, but each time it met the blade of theSaxon; the fourth time his arm was raised, then there was a flash and asudden shout from the crowd.

  With a mighty blow Edmund had smitten full on his opponent's upliftedarm, and, striking it just above the elbow, the sword clove throughflesh and bone, and the severed limb, still grasping the sword, fell tothe ground.

  A loud shout of approval burst from the Danes. Although the conquerorwas their enemy they appreciated so highly the virtues of coolness andcourage that their applause was no less hearty than if the victor hadbeen a countryman. Sweyn had fallen almost the instant the blow hadbeen struck. The ring was at once broken up, and his friends ran tohim. The Norsemen were adepts at the treatment of wounds, andeverything had been prepared in case of emergencies.

  A bandage was instantly tied tightly round the upper part of the arm tostop the rush of blood, and the stump was then dipped into boilingpitch, and Sweyn, who had become almost instantly insensible from theloss of blood, was carried to his father's tent. According to customhandsome presents of swords and armour were made to Edmund by those whohad won by his success.

  It would have been considered churlish to refuse them, and Edmund hadno thought of doing so, for he needed money, and these things in thosedays were equivalent to wealth.

  "You have done well and gallantly indeed, my young friend," Siegbertsaid as, followed by several slaves bearing Edmund's presents, theyreturned to the tent. "I am glad you did not slay him, for I think notthat he will die. Such a blow given in battle would assuredly have beenfatal, but here the means of stanching the blood were at hand, and Itrust for Bijorn's sake that he will recover; but whether or no hebrought it on himself."

  On reaching the tent Freda ran out radiant.

  "I hear th
at you have conquered," she said, "and I am glad indeed; itserves him right, for all say that he forced the fight upon you."

  "I did not know that your sympathies were so strongly against Sweyn,"Siegbert said in a somewhat reproachful tone. "He has always been yourdevoted follower."

  "He has always been my tyrant, father, for he has always insisted on mydoing his pleasure; but if he had been ten times my follower, and hadbeen a valiant warrior instead of a youth, and I a maiden of twentyinstead of a girl of fifteen, I should still be glad that he wasconquered, because without any reason for quarrel he has sought to slaythis Saxon youth who did us such great service, and to whom as he knewwe were so indebted."

  Siegbert smiled. "Hitherto I have wondered, daughter mine, at thereason which induced Sweyn to challenge Edmund, but now methinks Iunderstand it. Sweyn has, as his father has told me, youth as he is,set his heart on winning your hand when you shall reach the age ofwomanhood, and it is just because Edmund has done you and me servicethat he hates him. You are young, child, for your bright eyes to havecaused bloodshed; if you go on like this there will be no end to thetrouble I shall have on your account before I get you fairly wedded."

  Freda coloured hotly.

  "That is nonsense, father; another five years will be soon enough tobegin to think of such things. At any rate," she said with a laugh, "Iam rid of Sweyn, for he can hardly expect me ever to love a one-armedman."

  "There have been brave warriors," Seigbert said, "with but one arm."

  "It makes no difference," Freda laughed; "if he had fifty arms I shouldnever love him."

  Edmund now entreated Siegbert to repay himself from the presents he hadreceived for the goods he had the evening before given to Bijorn as theprice of his liberty, but this the jarl would not hear of. Edmund thenbegged him to buy with them, of Bijorn, the four Saxon slaves with whomhe had agreed to attempt an escape, and to expend the rest of thepresents in freeing as many other Saxon prisoners as he could.

  This Siegbert did, and by the evening Edmund had the satisfaction offinding around him twelve Saxons whose freedom he had purchased. Heremained as the guest of Siegbert until the expedition sailed in thelast week of March. Then with the twelve Saxons he embarked inSiegbert's ship, which, instead of keeping with the others, sailed forthe mouth of the Thames. The wind was favourable and the passage quick,and three days after sailing Edmund and his companions were disembarkedon the coast of Kent. His adieus with Siegbert were hearty and earnest.

  "I would you had been a Northman," the jarl said, "for I love you as ason, and methinks that when the time comes, had you been so inclined,you might have really stood in that relation to me, for I guess that mylittle Freda would not have said no had you asked her hand; but now ourpaths are to part. I shall never war again with the Saxons, for indeedthere is but scant booty to be gained there, while you are not likelyagain to be cast upon our shores; but should the fates ever throw ustogether again, remember that you have a friend for life in JarlSiegbert."

  Freda, who had accompanied her father as usual, wept bitterly at theparting, which, however, she did not deem to be as final as it appearedto her father; for the evening before, as she was standing on the poopwith Edmund, he had said to her, "You will not forget me, Freda; we areboth very young yet; but some day, when the wars are over, and Englandno longer requires my sword, I will seek you again."

  "Is that a promise, Edmund?"

  "Yes, Freda, a solemn promise."

  "I will wait for you," she said simply, "if it were till the end of mylife."

  The youth and girl ratified the promise by a kiss, and Freda, asthrough her tears she watched the boat which conveyed Edmund and hiscompanions to shore, felt sure that some day she should see her Saxonhero again.

  On landing, Edmund soon learned that the Danes were everywhere masters,and that since the autumn nothing had been heard of the king, who wassupposed to be somewhere in hiding.

  In every village through which they passed they found evidence of themastership of the Danes. Many of the houses were burnt or destroyed,the people were all dressed in the poorest garb, and their sad facesand listless mien told of the despair which everywhere prevailed. Inevery church the altars had been thrown down, the holy emblems andimages destroyed, the monks and priests had fled across the sea or hadbeen slain.

  The Danish gods, Thor and Woden, had become the divinities of the land,and the Saxons, in whom Christianity had but recently supplanted thesuperstitions of paganism, were fast returning to the worship of thepagan gods. Edmund and his companions were shocked at the change. Onreaching home they found that the ravages of the Danes had here beenparticularly severe, doubtless in revenge for the heavy loss which hadbeen sustained by them in their attack upon Edmund's fortification. Hisown abode had been completely levelled to the ground, and the villagesand farm-houses for the most part wholly destroyed. His people werelying in rude shelters which they had raised, but their condition wasvery much better than that of the people in general.

  The news of Edmund's return spread like wildfire, and excited the mostextreme joy among his people, who had long given him up for lost. Hefound to his delight that the Dragon had returned safely, and that shewas laid up in her old hiding-place. The great amount of spoil withwhich she was loaded had enabled her crew largely to assist theirfriends, and it was this which had already raised the condition of thepeople above that of their neighbours. Houses were being graduallyrebuilt, animals had been brought from districts which had been lessravaged by the Danes, and something approaching comfort was beingrapidly restored.

  Upon the day after Edmund's return Egbert arrived. Feeling sure ofEdmund's death he had taken no steps towards rebuilding the house, butwas living a wild life in the woods, when the news reached him thatEdmund had reappeared. His own large share of the booty with that ofEdmund he had buried, with the portion set aside for the king, in thewood near the spot where the Dragon was laid up.

  They had passed up the Parrot at night unobserved by the Danes, andafter taking the masts out of the Dragon, and dismantling her, they hadlaid her up in the hole near the river where she was built. There waslittle fear of her discovery there, for the Danes were for the mostpart gathered in winter quarters at the great camp near Chippenham.

  Egbert's delight at the reappearance of Edmund was unbounded, for heloved him as a son, and it was a long time before their joy at themeeting was sufficiently calmed down to enable them to tell each otherthe events which had happened since they parted three months before.Egbert's narrative was indeed brief. He had remained two or three daysoff the coast of Norway in the lingering hope that Edmund might in someway have escaped death, and might yet come off and join him. At the endof a week this hope had faded, and he sailed for England. Being winter,but few Danish galleys were at sea, and he had encountered none fromthe time he set sail until he arrived off the coast at the mouth of theParrot.

  He had entered the river at night so as to be unseen by any in thevillage at its mouth, and had, after the Dragon was laid up, passed histime in the forest. Edmund's narration was much more lengthy, andEgbert was surprised indeed to find that his kinsman owed his freedomto the jarl whose vessel they had captured at the mouth of the Humber.