by Griff Hosker
When the sun rose, the others woke and I saw that the tar had ceased to flow. I sealed the barrel. We would take the tree I had hewn down the mountain too. I had cut it in two and it was manageable. The smaller branches had been used for kindling. We ate and then I went to make water. I know not why I chose to go to the edge of the treeline but I did. As I was pulling up my breeks, I spied movement to the west. There should not have been movement. I stared at the spot I had seen the movement. Perhaps there were animals and this was a sign that we could hunt. Then I saw a ray of early morning sunlight glint off metal. It was men. There were warriors. They were heading for our halls. The pine tar and timber were forgotten. I ran back to the others. “Take your weapons and leave all else. There are warriors heading for Maevesfjörður.”
I grabbed my bow and the wood axe and began to run. My mind was racing and calculating as I did so. We would be faster than the warriors for they had to climb up the slope through trees. We were running across open land heading downhill. We would get to Maevesfjörður before they did. As I saw the smoke from our bread oven rising in the sky, I wondered who these warriors were. The answer came before I had taken four more steps. Leif Yellow Hair. We had animals and we had women. Whoever lived on the other side of the island would need both of those and Leif wanted some sort of vengeance.
As we neared Maevesfjörður I shouted, “Alarm! Arm! Alarm! Arm!”
Men looked up from the fields and then ran back to the hall. The fact that three of us were running told them that this was urgent. I wondered if I would have the time to don my mail. I had not used my sword for such a long time that I was not even certain that it was still sharp. I stopped to speak with Arne, Snorri, and Siggi. The rest of the men were gathering weapons, donning helmets and mail while their families went to the drekar to get the shields.
“What is it, brother?”
I was out of breath and I pointed to the west, “Armed warriors are heading here. I know not the numbers!”
“Get your sword.” He turned, “Enemies attack us. Men, we form a shield wall. Boys get your slings.”
As I ran into the longhouse to find my chest, I saw Gytha, Helga and the other women who fought heading outside with swords and axes. Gefn took the wood axe I still carried, “I will take that, Erik!”
I donned my helmet and took out my sword. I was about to don Karl the Lame’s byrnie when I heard a shout from Arne, “They come! Shield wall!”
I had no time for my mail. I still had my bow and ten arrows which could be used for war. As I emerged, I saw Fótr running towards me with my shield. We had fewer men than we would have liked. I think the attackers would outnumber us. There were eight youths such as Halsten. Eidel, Sven and Stig and then seven boys with slings. I saw that Arne had organized a shield wall as I approached, he shouted, “Those with bows skirmish line with the slingers.”
There were seven archers amongst us. I dropped my shield behind Faramir and Folkman. They had no mail and were in the second rank. The front rank had our best warriors. Siggi and Snorri flanked my brother and they were flanked by Butar, Finn, and Asbjorn along with Dreng’s father Ebbe, and Rek’s father, Rether. Arne had picked the highest point in Maevesfjörður. The enemy were four hundred paces from us and racing across our newly sown fields. There were more than forty of them. I recognized Leif Yellow Hair and his son. The others looked like Danes. I had the best bow for mine was yew. I nocked an arrow. The other nine were in my belt. We would not release as one. That was not our way. We all knew our own weapons and our own ability. The same was true of the slingers. Fótr stood by me and he whirled his sling. I knew how good he was for he had brought down a bird with his first stone when we had collected the tar.
The enemy did not falter and that was a mistake. They did not form up and make a shield wall or a wedge. They would not only be tired but also lack protection from the shields of others. I saw that ten had mail. The rest had leather. Not all had helmets. Our front rank was made up of men who each had helmets and mail. I saw that they had archers. One stopped to send an arrow at us. It was wasted for it fell woefully short. I said, to the others, “The first flights are for their bowman but conserve your arrows and stones.” We were vulnerable to their missiles and they only had six men with bows,
I tracked the archer who had released and saw that, as they had neither shield nor mail, they were faster and moved ahead of the spearmen. We had an advantage for we had height. I pulled back on the bow and sent it at the archer who also stopped to send an arrow. I watched his arrow. It landed thirty paces from me. He was looking up when my arrow hit his forehead and he fell dead. Those behind me cheered. On such tiny events are fates decided. Their archers began to release and they fell short. My next arrow hit another archer in the shoulder. As they moved up the slope, they had to endure the rain of seven arrows and the stones of our slingers. It was an uneven contest. The four enemy archers were struck. Three of them were wounded. One had been hit by a stone in the head and I saw him rise and start to stumble down the slope. As he did so an arrow hit him in the back.
Their spears and swords were now in range. We did not have the arrows to penetrate mail. We aimed at faces if we could, and those without mail byrnies. I aimed at one in the front rank. I sent my arrow towards his head. He brought up his shield and blocked the blow. I nocked another arrow and he moved a little closer. Peering over his shield he saw me aiming. As his shield came up, I sent my arrow into his thigh. He tumbled to the ground and I nocked another arrow.
They were now less than forty paces from us. I heard Arne shout, “Slingers and bowmen behind the rear rank!”
Fótr slung his stone and it struck the spearman I had hit in the leg. He went down as the stone hit his cheek and he stayed down. I saw a Dane with mail. He had a war axe and, seeing our archers and slingers fall back, he turned to encourage the others. I had an arrow nocked and, as he turned, sent it into his face. He was thrown back so hard that he knocked down the next two men.
Arne shouted, “Erik! Back!”
I ran. I saw that the women with weapons had left us space. The boy slingers were spread out along the side. I stood behind my shield, which lay on the ground, but nocked another arrow. I sent it into the air. It was a blind strike but I hoped it would fall into them. Dropping my bow, I slung my shield on my arm and drew my sword. I heard the rattle of stones on mail and helmets.
Arne shouted, “Now!” Our front two ranks leaned forward and I put my shield in the middle of Faramir’s back. Arne had prepared well and we barely moved. I heard swords clashing. Then Folkman moved to his right. The enemy warriors were trying to outflank us. I stepped next to him and saw that I faced Leif Yellow Hair. His son, Wiglaf, was already engaged and he looked down in horror as Folkman sliced his sword across his middle. His guts spilt like a pail of red worms. Leif had mail and, when he saw his son die and me before him, I think he went berserk. He brought his sword from on high to take off my head. I held up my shield and felt my arm shiver as the mighty blow hit me. It was so hard that I had to take a step backward. He punched with his shield at my head. I saw it in time and although I moved my head out of the way he hit my shoulder and knocked me to the ground.
This was no longer an organized battle. There was no one to support me. Leif and I fought alone while the clan battled our foes. As I fell, I heard a cry of triumph. I hit the ground. Leif had mail on his body but not on his legs. I hacked sideways with my sword. He was moving forward and while my sword did not penetrate the seal skin it hurt him as it cracked into his shin and it tripped him. His movement accentuated his fall and he fell over me. I leapt to my feet and, as he lay prostrate on the ground, I rammed my sword under his arm. The tip came out of his neck.
Helga shouted, “Erik, behind you!”
My sword was stuck in the body of my enemy. I whirled as Sigismund the Sour, another who had left our clan, ran at me with an axe. I drew Raedwulf’s dagger and all that I could do was to angle the shield. The blow caught the edge and the
metal boss. It tore the shield from me. I grabbed Sigismund’s sword hand and, as he fell, drove the dagger into his eye. When it struck his brain, he went stiff and fell. Throwing his body from me I looked up and saw that, although we were winning, we had men down. Butar Beer Belly was desperately trying to stem the flow of blood from his thigh. I saw my bow and picked it up. I still had arrows left. There was no honour in what I did but this was war! The clan was at stake. I walked close to where warriors fought and at a distance of two paces sent my last arrows into skulls. Each one caused death and that ended the battle. We outnumbered them and, as they tried to flee, two or three fell upon them and hacked and butchered them. Fótr and the slingers took their knives to slice and hack legs. Gytha and the women were like Valkyries as they slaughtered the wounded. In the distance, I saw two of their men as they hurried west. They would escape but the rest would not.
I ran to Leif and took my sword from his body. I hurried down the slope. I found one of the archers who had been hit by one of my arrows and then hit by a stone. I put my sword to his throat for I saw that, although groggy, he still lived. “You are a dead man but the choice of death lies in your own hands. I can give you a warrior’s death with your dagger in your hand or we can give you the blood eagle!” The latter was a threat for I had never seen the blood eagle.
The threat worked, “A warrior’s death!”
“Why did you risk all?”
“Our cattle died this winter and Leif Yellow Hair told us that you had animals and women.”
“You are Danes?”
“Our jarl is Hakon Long Memory. His brother led this raid. You promised me a warrior’s death!”
With my left hand, I took his dagger and handed it to him, “I will see you in Valhalla.” As soon as his fingers gripped the blade, I sank my sword into his throat.
I stood and looked up the slope. The wives and daughters who had lost husbands were now kneeling next to their bodies. I saw that both Arne and Siggi, as well as his father, had survived but I did not see some other warriors who had fought with my father. I took off my helmet and sheathed my sword. As I walked up the slope Snorri and Arne came towards me.
“What did he say?”
“That our past has come back to haunt us. The leader who was slain…”
Arne smiled, “By you. Thank you, brother.”
I nodded, “By me, was the brother of Hakon Long Memory.”
Snorri frowned, “What are they doing here? Are they seeking us?”
“The archer told me all that he knew, uncle. Their animals died and Leif Yellow Hair told them of ours.”
Arne knew our priorities, “We can debate all of that later. First, we have our own men to bury and then dispose of the enemy dead.”
“Strip them of all their weapons and feed them to the sea. It is all that they deserve.” He shook his head, “I have lost three shield brothers this day, Butar, Finn, and Asbjorn are in Valhalla.”
I had known those three all of my life. Now only Snorri remained of those who had first followed my father. Our decision to come to the land of ice and fire now looked to be a bad one. Was my decision to find another home equally bad?
In all, we had lost ten warriors. One was Kalman Peacemaker. He had brought with him, good men. He had supported my brother. I feared that his death would weaken the resolve of the men who had followed him; men like Æimundr Loud Voice and Mikel the Follower. I saw Rek and Dreng. They were kneeling next to the bodies of their fathers. Ebbe and Rether had both died. My two crewmates were now the men of the family. Others were wounded but Gytha was able to help them all. We buried our dead for the ground was easier to work than it had been a month earlier. Arne used the last of the beer to celebrate their deaths for Butar would have appreciated the gesture. Then, while the women prepared food, the senior men discussed the battle and its implications. I was questioned by all for I was the one who had spoken with the enemy. “And he said that their jarl was Hakon Long Memory?”
I nodded.
“Then why did he not lead the men?”
None had an answer to that. “The coin we took is of little use to us. We cannot spend it. The mail and weapons are but we have fewer men now.”
Snorri said, “Arne, I think that Erik’s offer to sail and find a new land is a good one. If this is Hakon Long Memory then he has double reason to end our existence. We now have fewer warriors to fight our foes.”
I saw resignation on my brother’s face. I do not think he wanted me to go and the reason was my safety. He feared I would not return. “Brother,” I said, “I am a navigator. I can sail and I believe that the gods have pointed us in that direction. Gytha has said as much.”
“I think you are right but you are my brother and, if you took Fótr with you, then I would be left without any other family.”
I pointed to the families carrying their dead to the cemetery, “And others have lost their men. There are families who have suffered more than we.”
Siggi said, “You have us and I believe that my cousin will come back.”
Arne nodded. After we had buried our dead and while we drank beer to send them to the Otherworld, I spoke with my crew. The battle had shown my older ones, Eidel, Halsten, and Stig, that the clan needed warriors. When I said I only needed three of them then they said they would protect the clan. Eidel smiled, “Besides, Captain, we three are the heaviest. You will need the lightest to reach this new world. I confess that I would love to see the land but I believe that you will find it and when we take the drekar will be my time.”
I looked at Dreng and Rek. “And you two are the eldest in your families. If you need to stay with your mothers…”
Rek shook his head, “My father would not wish it. He was proud that I sailed with you. I would honour his memory. My mother has my sisters.”
“And you, Dreng?”
“I have a brother, Ebbe. He can watch my mother.” He looked over to where his mother was placing flowers on her husband’s grave. “She will miss my father for she loved him but she is young. There are other men who might take her for a wife. I, too, wish to see this land in the west.”
I spoke with both mothers. Rek’s mother was older. She understood her son’s need to travel. “His father was a wanderer. He will wander no more. Just bring him back, Erik.”
Dreng’s mother, Ada, was distracted. She was but a summer or two older than I was. She had birthed Dreng when she was young. When I asked her, she nodded absentmindedly, “Aye, Navigator, you are a good man and you will watch my son.”
And so it was decided. I would take Fótr, Dreng, Rek, and Sven. My other three ship’s boys would become warriors. We now had helmets, swords and even shields for them. We could not leave for many days. We needed to make the ship seaworthy and we needed supplies for three months. We would take three barrels with water in them and dried seal meat. With the fishing lines, we carried then we should be able to feed ourselves. We would sail for forty days. If we had found no sign then we would return east. My four companions were all happy to be on the voyage with me. Fótr would be the least experienced but the battle of Maevesfjörður had shown him the necessity of the voyage. We now had guards watching our herds and Arne had planted stakes as a palisade to slow down an attacker. Halsten and Stig chose to sleep aboard the drekar. If our enemies came then that was the most vulnerable asset we had.
Gytha summoned me the night before I left. I say summoned for it felt like being taken into the presence of a queen. Yet when I was alone with her, she smiled and stroked my cheek, “I think that the fate of the clan rests with one who is so young and yet has the heart to carry the hopes of the Clan of the Fox.”
I shook my head, “If you have dreamed of a future where I save the clan then I fear you have been eating strange mushrooms.”
She shook her head, “My dream is of you, Erik. I see you in a verdant land. I see our people there but my dream was of you. Through your veins courses the blood of Lars and my husband. The threads which bind us have bee
n woven by the Norns. When I die, I shall join the spirits. It will not be a death but a transformation. I do not fear death. I fear for my children and my husband for they are not volvas. There is no guarantee that I shall see them in the Otherworld. So long as you live then even if the rest of the clan perishes our blood will survive and our spirits will endure.”
I nodded although I did not understand her words. I knew that I was speaking with a powerful witch and I was a mere mortal. She held my right hand in her two. Her skin felt soft and warm. Her eyes bored into me. “Erik, you will need to be strong. Before you leave, I will give you a stone. It is a blue stone. I found it in the river before we left Larswick. Ylva came to me in a dream and told me that it would guard and protect you. When you sail west and things look bleak and black; when you think that you will give up then hold the stone and think of me. I will come to you and I will counsel you. Do not give up.”
I was being bewitched and I could do nothing about it, “I will. I swear.”
She reached into her leather pouch and took out the blue stone. It was the size of the nail of my little finger and there was a metal chain. The chain was neither gold nor silver. “This chain is made from the mail of your father’s byrnie. When we sailed west, I worked on it as did the other volvas. It has your father’s spirit within and the spells of our clan. It will guard you.”
I took it and hung it from my neck. I felt a warm glow and she smiled and nodded. “I thank you for the gift.”
“Do not return until you see land. Not land like this piece of ice-bound rock nor the land of Orkneyjar but land which is warm and green and fertile.” She stared deep into my eyes and I felt myself falling deeper under her spell, “Swear!”
I had no choice, “I so swear.”
Without her speaking I knew that I had just sworn the most sacred of oaths. If I broke it then I was doomed.
Chapter 6
We left on the day when the days and nights were exactly the same length. It was a propitious day for such a voyage as we intended. There was no mother to wave Fótr and I off. Arne and his wife came down to the quay, as did Gytha, Siggi and Snorri. Apart from Gytha, who smiled, their faces showed me their concern. The snekke was more laden than I had ever seen her. As we drank the water and ate the supplies, we would become lighter. I had my sword with me but not my shield and not my mail. I had my helmet. I had joked that I could. always use it for cooking!
