Duke of Normandy

by Griff Hosker

  When the others had departed Sven stayed on for another day. We rode abroad with Harold and Haaken as guards. They rode fifty paces behind us for I wished to speak openly with Sven. It had been some time since I had ridden my mighty horse, Gilles, and there was a temptation to allow him to open his legs and gallop. I refrained from doing so. Sven had to know my thoughts. There were others that I could trust, Bergil, Sámr and the others but Sven had a sharp mind and he would be able to see flaws in my thinking. We did gallop for a few miles and then I slowed. I told him all of my news and all of my suspicions.

  “Kill the priest! It is simple enough.”

  “But I know not how deep the betrayal goes. How does he get his messages to our enemies?”

  “He is a priest. A hot knife will loosen his tongue.”

  “But how will we know the truth? No, my friend, I have to discover this web of lies. I have an idea. I will find someone to spy upon the spy.”

  “But how will you find someone to trust?”

  “That is another reason for the delay in the start of the offensive. I have someone in mind but they will need coaching.”

  He nodded. “And Lady Poppa?” I gave him a sharp look. “Come Hrólfr you have danced around her since you began to speak with me. You suspect that she and the priest are in this together. It would make sense. She is related to Alan of Vannes. There is a limit to how much he can discover. Lady Poppa? She is privy to all that you do.” He gestured behind. “She is with you even when your guards are not.”

  My shoulders slumped, “She has changed. It began before the Paris raid. If I did not know better then I would say there was another man but that cannot be. Perhaps she regrets her marriage to me.”

  “It is more likely that she thought she could change you.” He laughed, “You might have the title of the Lord of Rouen but in your heart, you are still a Viking. You will always be so. She might have thought she could tame your hair, shave your beard and make you civilised!”

  He was right. That sudden thought made me sad for I would never change and that meant I had lost my wife. “You are right. I will have to take another woman when Poppa has given birth to my next child. One son is not enough.”

  “You are right there, lord. How is William? I have not seen him.”

  It was a sore point. Perhaps to punish me Poppa had kept my son with her. She and the priest were teaching him more of the words from their holy book.

  “We will see him before you leave. When next I travel he will come with me. He should learn what his father does.”

  “Good and if I were you, lord, I would act sooner rather than later in the matter of the priest and Poppa. Delay hurts us more than our enemies.”

  He was right but I did not hear the Norns spinning. It almost cost me all.

  Chapter 6

  My excuse was that I had much to occupy my mind. I visited with Ágáta first. She had dealt with the slaves. “How did the new slaves settle in?”

  “Well, my lord. All have been bought by good masters. I bought Popæg for the hall. You were right about her. She is good with children and helps Lady Sprota. I bought her children too. They can be trained to be house servants.” She smiled, “Keeping a family together is helpful.” I nodded. “She is learning our language and young William likes her. Lady Sprota teaches William that which he needs to be a lord but Popæg laughs and teaches him how to deal with knocks and falls.”

  I looked at Ágáta. She would always be honest with me. “And my wife?”

  She hesitated and considered her words before she spoke, “She is a wise woman, lord and she leaves your son to those who understand what he needs. She seeks to save her soul for she is oft times closeted with the priest.”

  I lowered my voice. “I neither like nor trust the priest. Does he have dealings with any who travel beyond our walls?”

  She nodded, “Many priests visit with him. They seek his advice. Often they bring him gifts.” She was innocent and could not see malice in a priest. I now saw the network. The question was how could I exploit it?

  “You have women who are good with a needle?”

  “Aye lord.”

  “I would have two new banners made. One for here and one to go to war. They should be made of red material and have a yellow horse upon each one.”

  “Red is expensive.”

  “No matter. See Padraig and he will provide the funds.”

  I sought out Egil Flame Bearer. He was outside the warrior hall at the small anvil my men used to shape metal. I saw that he had recovered the split byrnie from the Breton lord I had killed. He was trying to join it. He looked up and shrugged, “I thought better one which was damaged than none at all.”

  “Leave it if you would and walk my walls with me.”

  “Aye lord.” He hurried after me. I shortened my stride so that he could keep up with me.

  “You told me that you would be my oathsworn.”

  “Aye, lord, and I meant it.”

  We reached the fighting platform. I waved a hand at the sentries and they moved towards the towers to give us space. “You impressed me at Sant-Brieg. You were brave and fought well. Your sword skills need work but now that you have a better sword that should be easier.”

  “I will try!”

  “Good. See Harold Strong Arm. Tell him I said that you need lessons.” He looked pleased. “When we next go to battle I would have you carry my new banner.” I saw his face brighten like a new dawn. “Before you become excited know that this is not something to be undertaken lightly. You will have to carry the banner in your left hand and that means that you cannot use a shield. Your job will not be to fight our enemies but defend the banner. There will be no shield wall for you and the only treasure you will take from the field will be from those you kill who try to take the banner or from those that I kill.”

  He beamed, “Then I will be a rich man.”

  “Good. And there is one more task. I will not go into the details yet but I would have you watch my gate, when you can. I would know of any strangers who enter my halls and whom they see. This can be any you do not know. You just report them to me and no one else.”

  “I will be the best of sentinels.”

  “Good. And you need to eat more. You are too scrawny!”

  He laughed, “That will be a pleasure!”

  I was busy for the next few days. I did not get to leave my town. I made time to start William’s training as a warrior. I chose my time well. I waited until he was due to go to the priest, who now kept out of my way, then I asked him if he would like to learn to become a warrior. Of course, he said yes. We practised in the open area between my hall and the wall around my wall. It was where my men practised their skills. They always gave us enough space.

  He was too young and too small to even begin to think of using a sword. A stick was all that he could manage. We had old ropes which I had had coiled into circles. With a pair of sticks we played a game. I used my stick to throw a coiled rope at William. He had to catch it with his own stick and then throw it back. I knew that my wife, watching from the terrace, would think it a silly game. Nothing could be further from the truth. It would help him to develop quick hands and give him good reflexes. At first, he dropped it more than he caught it but soon learned how to do it. I was able to go faster and he, in turn, was able to flick it back and catch me unawares. When he tired of that game we played with sharpened sticks and a hay bale. In the early days, I just had him throw the sharpened stick at the hay bale. When he mastered that I took to standing before the hay bale. He had to run at me and, somehow, hit the bale. At first, he failed but that failure gave him the drive to succeed. He learned to change his direction and throw it when I moved to block him. He learned to have quick feet and hands. Of course, if was easier with me than it would have been with someone smaller.

  Egil had obeyed my commands and he would be found each day watching the gate. When I realised that William now had developed skills I had Egil help me. It enabled me to watch
my son and to coach him. He needed good hand skills. The two of them took to throwing a rolled ball of yarn at each other. Egil was remarkably thoughtful. He saw what I wanted and he stretched William without making him look foolish. Then he took to using two balls of yarn. It taught my son to use both hands at the same time. He learned to look not at the yarn but at Egil’s eyes. Over the next month or so William became quite skilled and he and Egil became friends.

  Poppa was not happy. “These foolish games are at the expense of his lessons with Father Æðelwald.”

  I had decided to be more honest with my wife. “And that is because the less time he spends with that oily priest the better. Besides the priest seems preoccupied with you and our unborn child. That, my wife, is the only reason that he is tolerated and it would not take much for me to banish him from Rouen.”

  I saw her mouth open and close as she thought to make some barbed comment. One look at my face convinced her to remain silent.

  It was at Sólmánuður that we had visitors and our troubles began in earnest.

  “Lord there are three drekar in the river.”

  I looked up at the sentry. He was one of the town watch. “Do they have shields hung at the side?”

  “No lord.”

  “Then I will come. Snorri, fetch some of our men. Let us go and greet these visitors.”

  I was wary of any drekar I did not know. Since Guthrum’s conversion we had lost touch and contact with the Danes. The Clan of the Wolf had withdrawn within itself and so few long ships came up the river. These three were the first in a long time.

  By the time I got to the wharf they had tied up. I saw from their ships and their dress that they were Danes. The leader was a youngish warrior of perhaps twenty-five summers. He had a good byrnie, His sword had a decorated scabbard. His hair and moustache were adorned with bones. I knew of warriors who did this. More often than not the bones were animal bones but the warriors made out that they were human. It was an affectation.

  I held out my arm, “I am Lord Göngu-Hrólfr Rognvaldson, Lord of Rouen!”

  “And I am Godfrid Godfridsson. My father was the Duke of Frisia.”

  I had heard of the Dane’s father. He had ruled from Dorestad for a while until he was murdered by some of his own men although there was a rumour that the King of the Franks had tired of him and been behind the murder. “I was sorry to hear of your father’s murder.”

  “Thank you, lord. The ones who did the deed are dead and now I seek to punish the master who ordered it.”

  “The master?”

  “King Charles of the Franks!”

  I shook my head, “That would be foolish with three ships. When the last raid took place there were more than three hundred and fifty ships.”

  “Nevertheless, I will try.”

  “You misunderstand. I have an arrangement with the Franks. I protect the river from those who would raid the Franks. At the moment I guard it. That may change but…” he gave me no chance to finish for he was angry.

  “You would dare to stop me from avenging my father?”

  I felt my oathsworn behind me. No one spoke to their lord like that. My voice was quiet but filled with authority. “Tread carefully young man. You are in my land now. I say again you cannot go up river and that is for your own good.”

  I wondered if he would use violence. I did not want a bloodbath and so I raised my arm and, without looking, knew that ten archers lined the walls with arrows nocked.

  “I ask you again to return downstream. There are many other places and people you can raid and you will not suffer as much as you would here.”

  I saw him glance over my shoulder. He was red faced and angry. He jabbed a finger in my direction. As I stood a good head above him he looked vaguely ridiculous. “This is not over. The King of the Franks is my foe and now you have joined him.”

  I said, quietly, “If you wish to live a long life do not make an enemy of me, my young friend.”

  He stormed off. He and his men boarded their drekar. We watched them turn, slowly, and head back to the sea. Æbbi Bonecrusher and my hearth weru joined me. They were mailed and armed. “You are not needed, yet. I fear, however, that our young Dane will return this night. Have our men rest. Let the town watch keep a look out until dark. Call up every man who owes me service. I need them on the walls. We will try out our new system.”

  “Aye lord.”

  Padraig arrived, “Trouble lord?”

  “A young Dane wished to raid the Franks. He would not listen. Have the ships moved upstream and then have a chain and logs run out across the river.”

  “He will return?”

  “He thinks his manhood has been impugned. He will return.”

  I went and told Ágáta that there might be trouble and then my wife. I almost smiled. I had given her a dilemma. I had done that which she would have wanted. I had stopped the Danes from raiding the Franks but I had put her in danger. She was bereft of words and that rarely happened. William asked me, when we were alone, “There will be a battle?”

  My son was young but it was never too early to help make a young boy into a warrior. “The Danes will attack us and they will die.”

  “How can you be so sure, father?”

  “Because they will try to scale walls which are high and we are expecting them. Attacking a walled town is never easy and needs preparation. We will be safe.”

  “Can I watch?”

  “No and before you ask why I will tell you. If you watch I will need a warrior to watch over you. He will have to be a good warrior and he would be better placed fighting our foes, would he not?”

  He nodded, “You are right but I will be a warrior soon enough and I will not need a protector.”

  I made certain that my men all ate. The town watch were old men and they would be of no use in a night battle. I had well over a hundred warriors to defend my walls. Two thirds had been on my recent voyage. The Danes had more than a hundred and twenty but they had walls to climb. We would make them a killing ground. On my walls I had stone throwers. We would send stones and flaming kindling at their ships. Nothing diminishes a warrior’s ability to fight like his ship sinking.

  I spoke with Padraig. I knew that I could rely on him to have the needs of my people at heart. I could fight my enemy knowing that he had all else in hand.

  I was mailed and ready before dark. There was no sign of the Danes but I knew that they would be waiting for true dark. They would row silently up the river and climb my walls. I had braziers over the gate house and at the corner river towers. The walls were completely manned but only two or three men could be seen. To the Danes it would appear as though we were unprepared.

  Egil joined me. I had not asked him to but I had made him my standard bearer and he was diligent. Æbbi Bonecrusher smiled at his enthusiasm. I turned to my lieutenant, “Have we darts, stones, javelins and bows?”

  “Every ten paces there is a pile of each. The crews of the stone throwers know to wait for my command. We have water ready by the gate in case they try to burn it.” He shook his head. “You might take a small Saxon burgh with three drekar crews but not Rouen. This will be a waste of good men.”

  “He is thinking with his manhood and not his head. He is young and felt foolish. Had he thought about my words he would have seen the sense in them.” I sat down with my back to the wall. I was recognisable. I did not want them to think that I was on my walls.

  There was no moon. With no ships tied close to us any longer and the town awaiting the attack there appeared to be complete silence. Thus it was that I caught the slight noise of the wash from the leading drekar as it was rowed upriver. They had muffled their oars but you cannot muffle a keel. I nodded to Æbbi Bonecrusher and he peered over the wall. He held up three fingers. They had returned with all of their drekar. He hurried off to the west wall to warn the men. I nodded to Harold Strong Arm who did the same on the east wall. This was the time for patience.

  Æbbi Bonecrusher returned and he donned
his helmet. It was dark enough for me to stand knowing that I would not be seen. I picked up my helmet and held it. I could not see the enemy but I could smell them. They had the smell of unwashed warriors who had lived off pig and pickles. The air was filled with their pungent smell. I picked up one of the javelins which lay close by. It was just something to occupy my hands. I would not need it for a while. I caught a glimpse of something white moving. It would be a warrior who did not wear a helmet. They would be seeking a sight of our sentries. They would look up to look for a potential target. Their archers were not as good as mine but, unlike the Franks, they would have them. I wondered how they would scale my stone walls. I had not built them but they were formidable. They were the height of two tall men. Behind me lay a second, taller wall in which my family would be safe. I heard the ladder scrape on the wall. I wondered where they had found them. Perhaps they had had the wood and made them. Of course, if they had planned on taking Paris they would have needed them before they came up river.

  The silence could not last and when an arrow was sent at one of my men I heard a shout of alarm. “Stand to!” The Danes gave a roar and arrows slammed against the walls.

  “Stone throwers!” The stone thrower crews did not need to know where the ships had landed. We were next to the river and they knew the range. The crack of the four machines sounded like thunder. I heard three splashes and a crash. I forced myself to ignore the sound of the machines and concentrate on the Danes. I glanced over the top and saw that they had ladders and they were also using shields and the mortared stones to climb. I pulled back my arm and sent my javelin at the ladder to my left. I hit the warrior but he was wearing a byrnie. He did not fall but he would be wounded. Others sent darts, stones and arrows as well as javelins towards the Danes. There were cries as some of my men proved luckier than I was or perhaps more skilled with darts, stones and javelins.