by Griff Hosker
“Sámr, Germund, it is dawn.” I handed them the water skin. “Here is water.”
Sámr rubbed his eyes, “You watched all night?”
“No, Sámr, half a night. It was no hardship. The sea is where all the spirits of the world are found. They bring you thoughts which you would not otherwise have. I feel sorry for those who are not close to the sea.” I rose and made my way to the steering board.
Erik and Aiden were awake. Aiden was smiling, “Thank you for making me stand a watch, Jarl Dragonheart. A man needs to be alone with his thoughts and standing watch by the steering board allows a man to do just that. Since I learned to control my powers I have forgotten the pleasure of my own thoughts.” He tapped his head, “In here I normally compete with the spirits. It can be a very noisy place! I enjoyed the peace of standing a watch.”
Lars and Siggi were on the yard and Lars shouted down, “The horizon is clear!”
It meant that we could all relax a little. We could prepare for the day. After he had put out four platters, Siggi brought out the salted ham we had bought in Miklagård and he sliced pieces from it. He laid them neatly on the platters. He did it carefully for his captain and his jarl would eat from them. He returned the ham to the wooden box which he replaced in the chest. It was beneath the awning and would be as cool as anywhere. He took out the cheese and put a slice on each platter. We could not get apples in Miklagård but they had peaches and nectarines. They were not as good but they would do. We missed our bread. We would only enjoy bread if we took it. Finally, he poured each of us a horn of precious beer. We had spent so long in Miklagård that our resourceful warriors had found a woman who brewed ale. She had an inn by the Golden Horn and it was frequented by Rus. We had managed to get two barrels. We eked it out with a horn at each meal. If we could not have bread then at least we could have beer!
The days were much hotter now. After the storm there had been a brief period of more bearable weather but as the morning progressed and we headed west so the heat weighed upon our shoulders. Men lay beneath the awning to get what shade they could. Even Haaken forsook his composing and just lay there unable to move. Erik had picked up a tip or two from Joseph. He had two wide brimmed hats. He could not afford, as captain, to spend all his time beneath the awning. He had to look ahead and at the sea. The hat helped. The ship’s boys had also learned to make hats from woven straw. Joseph had told us to rub olive oil on our skin. It would stop the skin flaking from us. We headed back a more experienced crew.
Two days after we had passed Melita the wind shifted. This time it was from the south and south eastern quarter. More importantly it increased in strength. The breeze across the deck freshened us all up and ‘Heart of the Dragon’ seemed to relish the chance to speed up. For the first time since we had left Miklagård the drekar flew as only a drekar can. We should have known that it was the Norns.
Not long before noon, as the men were anticipating their water ration, Siggi shouted, “Sails to the west!”
I joined Erik, Olaf, Haaken and Aiden at the steering board. Erik pointed to the pennant at the mast head, “We can turn slightly north or south, Jarl Dragonheart but south takes us closer to Africa and north to the islands they call the Balears. I am loath to change course until Lars can identify the ships.”
If the ships to whom the sails belonged were on the horizon it would take some time to identify them. They could have been traders but, in this part of the world, it was best to assume that they were hostile and take the appropriate action. “If they are Arabs or Moors and enemies then we have a slight advantage. The wind is with us. If they turned to face us then we would have the weather gauge and, I have no doubt, that we could slip through them. I do not want to stay in this Blue Sea for one moment longer than we need to. We head for the Pillars of Hercules with all speed.”
I could see that, Erik apart, that met with their agreement.
Aiden said, “The wind may change but I believe that it will swing around to come more from the east and that suits us. I have had little to do on this voyage and I have been observing its direction. There seems to be a pattern.”
“Then have bows and weapons readied. Put the shields on the sheerstrake. ‘Heart of the Dragon’ may be going to war.” I clutched the wolf I wore around my neck. “We are in the hands of the Allfather now!”
Despite the heat men moved with a purpose. My men were not, by nature, indolent. We liked action. The freshening breeze had made the deck more bearable. I went to my chest and took out my sword and dagger. I did not take out my helmet but I did take out the mail hood I had taken from the dead skutatos in Miklagård. I had seen that they wore it beneath their helmet. My own helmet restricted my vision. The mail hood would afford some protection and yet not restrict my senses. Many of my warriors had also taken hoods. The men who had had no mail not had a mail vest. It only came to their waist but was better than nothing. With the skutatos’ knives and daggers as well as their swords, we were better armed than we had been. None would wear mail. It was too much of a risk in a sea which was not ours. The shields would be left at the side of the drekar until they were needed. Armed and prepared we waited for Lars to shout down. He had joined Siggi at the masthead. Two pairs of eyes were better than one.
The sun had passed its zenith when Lars shouted, “Jarl, it is a fleet. I count the sails of ten ships. They are sailing due north.”
I turned to Erik and Aiden. I needed their advice. Erik said, “They may be heading for the Balears, they are a group of islands to the north. They have the wind as do we. In fact, they may well be sailing faster.”
Aiden said, “When I was in the library in Miklagård I spoke with a man writing about this region. He said that there were many pirates on the islands.”
“That would explain so many ships if they were sailing south but not heading north.”
Aiden shook his head. “They may not be heading for the islands. They could be heading for the Caliphate of Córdoba. This may be a convoy heading for the eastern coast of the Caliphate. They are sailing due north to take advantage of the wind. They can turn when they are closer.” He cupped his hands and shouted up, “Lars, how many are warships?”
There was a pause. Lars was the most experienced of our ship’s boys. Siggi might have plucked a number from the air but Lars knew that merchant ships were tubbier to accommodate more cargo and warships, like our drekar, looked like lean and hungry predators. The Arabs, like the Empire, had similar looking ships. The main difference was the lateen sail favoured by the Moors.
“I think there are four warships, galdramenn, one leads and one protects the rear. The other two vessels look like sheepdogs. There are seven merchant ships. They waddle in the middle.”
Aiden nodded. “You have your answer. If you sail towards the back of the convoy then you take out three of the warships. They will not be able to attack us and we should be able to escape the last one. They would have to turn into the wind to reach us. They might have oars but ‘Heart’ is flying today!”
He was right. We could use our superior speed and agility to avoid a confrontation. “Make the adjustment, Erik!”
Erik was a good sailor. He shouted his orders to his boys and then made the slightest of adjustments to the steering board. We were now sailing due east. We had the full force of the wind from our quarter and were rapidly approaching the convoy. I had no doubt that we were seen. That was confirmed when Lars shouted, “One of the warships has turned. She has run out oars and comes to investigate.”
I stood by Erik, “You are the captain and you steer the ship but I am a warrior. I would have you sail directly for the warship.” His eyes widened. “Hear me out. The wind will be aft of us and we will have more speed. They will be sailing into the wind and will have to use oars. We will try to smash some of the oars and then head south and west. We will try to sail around the convoy.”
“That is a risk Jarl Dragonheart. Perhaps we could sail south and west now.”
I pointed, �
��We know these ships are here. What lies below the horizon? If you were the captain of one of those ships and you saw a single warship heading for you what would you think?”
“That it was a madman.” I waited. He smiled, “Or a ship trying to lure us into a trap.” He cupped his hands, Full sail. We are coming about!”
‘Heart of the Dragon’ leapt towards the Arab galley. I saw flags fluttering from the leading ship. The whole convoy slowly turned to face north and east. If they had to run then they could turn north and west and take full advantage of the wind which pushed us towards them. They suspected a trap. In Miklagård we had heard of Rus ships which came down the network of rivers. They raided in the Hospitable Sea. David ben Samuel told us that some had managed to get into the Blue Sea. There were rich pickings to be had in this rich seaway.
Erik might have been worried but my men were not. Whetstones sharpened daggers, axes and swords. Others donned the mail hoods they had taken from the skutatos. By now all could see the fleet of ships and everyone had heard that there were four warships but none was worried. However many men came at them they were Vikings and they would not give in easily. Now that they had finished doing all that they needed to with the sails the ship’s boys took their bows and arrows. We were the Clan of the Wolf and we fought together. I saw Sven Stormbringer speaking to the newest crew members. He had been with us for well over three moons and I think he was explaining how we fought.
We were closing rapidly now and I saw that the ship which was racing towards us was changing course slightly. She was turning to cut us off. I looked to Erik. He shook his head, “She will never make the turn I will turn at the last moment.” He smiled and touched his wolf charm. “The Norns make life hard but the Allfather provides. This wind will help us to hit their oars and side hard. When we have struck her, I will turn again to pick up the wind.”
Aiden smiled, “Wyrd! Their own action, which is intended to hurt us, actually helps us.” I saw that he had a sword. He was not the greatest of swordsmen but we both knew how many crew the Moorish ships held. We would need every man if we were to escape and return home to tell our tale.
We were so close now that I could see the faces lining the side. The oars were driving them through the water as her captain and his crew tried to turn the huge galley. She was far bigger than we were. Perhaps that was why they had turned to take us. They thought that we were a scout. Then I saw agitation at the stern of the ship for it appeared that we were going to ram them. We were travelling as fast as I had ever known my ship to go. Their captain blinked first. Knowing that they had another ship ahead he turned to steer board. That allowed Erik to make a slight turn to larboard. I saw the faces on the side as they realised we were going to strike. Their captain tried to turn even faster but it was to no avail. We hit their oars half way along their length. We heard the splintering of the wood and the screams of the rowers as broken ends of oars struck them. The oars on the steerboard side continued to row and that pushed their hull closer to ours. We still had shields there. At the same time our boys sent arrow after arrow into the men standing at the side. When our hulls collided, many of the Moors and Arabs were thrown to the sea. The lucky ones made the water. Many others were crushed. Our speed took us away from the damaged galley. By the time they had recovered we would be many lengths away and we were faster.
We had one more ship to negotiate and then we would be free and clear. Perhaps the captain of the last galley, which was only slightly larger than we, read our minds. Maybe he was a clever man. He turned his ship as we crashed into his consort. He would be able to catch us.
Haaken saw the manoeuvre and slapped the side of the drekar in joy, “We fight this day! I get to add to my tally of men I have slain!” Haaken One Eye knew to the man how many opponents he had killed. I could remember many of those I had slain but not all of them. I remembered those like Eggle Skulltaker and Sigiberht but the others just melded into one another.
“Prepare to repel boarders.”
Haaken looked and sounded disappointed, “We do not board her?”
“We were lucky when we rescued Snorri and the others. Let us not push our luck. Besides the drekar is full. Where is the room for more treasure?”
“Then let us sing as we near them! We will put fear in their veins.” I did not mind them singing. It raised the spirits and made men more warlike. It also bound the new ones to us.
Haaken chose the song of Eystein the Rock. It had been a sea battle to, that day, but far to the north in the cold waters off Wihtwara. It was a favourite one of his and he often amended some of the words. As he said, ‘perfection was the result of attention to detail.’
Through the stormy Saxon Seas
The Ulfheonar they sailed
Fresh from killing faithless Danes
Their glory was assured
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
Then Saxons came out full of guile
An ambush by their Wihtwara Isle
Vikings fight they do not run
The Jarl turned away from the rising sun
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
The galdramenn burned Dragon Fire
And the seas they burned bright red
Aboard 'The Gift' Asbjorn the Strong
And the rock Eystein
Rallied their men to board their foes
And face them beard to beard
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
Against great odds and back to back
The heroes fought as one
Their swords were red with Saxon blood
And the decks with bodies slain
Surrounded on all sides was he
But Eystein faltered not
He slew first one and then another
But the last one did for him
Even though he fought as walking dead
He killed right to the end
Heart of Dragon
Gift of a king
Two fine drekar
Flying o'er foreign seas
The Arab intended to cut across our bows and board us. He had a corvus, a beak. I turned to Erik. “If you are able then avoid the bow. I do not wish us tied to him.” I gestured astern where the large galley we had hurt was now using the wind to follow us. She would not catch us unless we were bound to the other.
Erik said. “He will not. She is a fast one, I will give you that, but ‘Heart’ is faster and turns on a dinar! I have one hole from a beak in my ship, I will not have a second!”
“Aiden, if you can then use fire. You are more use with magic than your sword!”
He sniffed but had the good grace to nod. “Fire is dangerous, Dragonheart. We do not want to be tied to her when she burns.”
“Then use fire at the stern.” They were longer than we were and her stern would not be next to ours.
I watched as we closed. The captain did not steer. I recognised him by the plume on his helmet. He stood next to the helmsman and was giving orders. He turned to look at us and then spoke to the helmsman. He was an Arab. He had scale armour; I saw the light reflect upon it. He was adjusting his course to match our own. This would be a battle of wits between the two captains and their ships. Erik had the advantage. The drekar was an extension of him.
“Ship’s boys, see if you can hurt their officers!”
The officers were all gathered around the helmsman at the stern. They were an inviting target for not all were armoured and they were standing close together. I saw that Sámr had his bow ready. As the archers loosed Sámr waited and when four of the officers had been hit he sent his at the helmsman. He hit him in the neck. It was a fine strike. We were three lengths from them and I saw the blood spurt and arc. In that moment when the helmsman fell
the fate of the Arab was settled. The ship lurched and the rowers were thrown into confusion. Haaken clapped Sámr on the back and gave him the name that he kept for the rest of his life. “You have just ensured that we will win, Sámr the Ship Killer!”
The rest of the crew cheered. We were close enough that the Arabs and the Moors heard us. They looked around. Their loss of rhythm meant that they slowed. I could hear, above the waters, their captain shouting orders. They would not be able to use their beak and so he did the only thing he could. He drew in his larboard oars and brought his ship alongside us as we passed him. His ship was higher than ours. It had a larger crew. They would board us and so we had to make it difficult.
“Olaf, take half the men to the prow side of the mast and make a shield wall. I will hold the rest here.”
“Aye jarl.”
“Use spears! They will swing down with ropes and they will jump.”
I took the nearest spear and grabbed my shield as the galley lurched towards us. It was longer than we were but not by much. As I had expected, even before the hooks came over to tie us together, men had swung across. They were impaled on our spears.
“Archers, clear their stern.” If the steering board was covered in their dead then there would be no one to extinguish Aiden’s fire.
Then the hooks came over. There was no point in severing them until Aiden had done his work. We had two double ranks; one forward of the mast and the other astern. Erik had left our sail to push us along. It meant we crabbed a little as the larger galley swung around us. Their ship would now be between us and their consort. To get to our larboard side she would have to sail around two ships. It was a small point but it might just save us.
As soon as the hooks bit our gunwale and grabbed then hordes of warriors dropped on to our deck. We had shields braced. All of the shields had a metal boss. We each held our spears above our heads; it was a double row of death. Most of the first ones who jumped were either wounded or died as they found steel tipped ash. Those who avoided a spear were struck in the face by the metal boss of a shield. My spear was shattered by the half-mailed warrior who crashed into it. I quickly drew Ragnar’s Spirit and skewered the warrior who had hit Haaken’s boss. Our archers did as I had asked. The steering board of the galley was just fifteen paces from us and I saw them fall. The captain, in scale mail and plumed helmet, was struck in the leg but he survived. Taking a shield, he scurried to join those boarding us. The stern was empty.
