by Griff Hosker
Kara nodded, "You are right husband. I will prepare the potion tonight and tomorrow you can dream." Brigid looked as though she was going to object. "Would you rather he wandered off again? Here he will be watched over by Erika, his mother and us. We know not who lives in the cave. Trust me in this."
Brigid nodded.
Uhtric lit the fire in the steam hut. Scanlan arranged for some of my men to guard the hut until I entered. My people were taking no chances. Brigid was tearful all day. When the time came for me to leave she hugged me so tightly that I thought that she would crush me. Aiden came with me across the Water. He had the potion. Once we were across we laid Ragnar's Spirit in the centre. Its hilt faced east and its tip the west. Once I was prepared he handed me the potion. "We will dream as well, Jarl. You will be safe but I know not what you will see. The old man could be good or he could be evil. Until you speak with him we cannot use our powers."
I smiled, "I will visit this world."
He clasped my arm and then he and the guards left me alone on the eastern shore of the Water. I drank the potion and then sat. The heat from the steam hut and the smell of the thyme and rosemary filled my sanctuary. I felt my body begin to become cleansed. I took the bone strigils we had and scraped my arms and then my chest. I found myself becoming drowsy and I lay on the rush mat and closed my eyes. One moment I was awake and in my world and the next...
I was back in the cave but this time there was a glow from the far end. Gripping Ragnar's Spirit I moved towards it. I heard a snuffling and felt the ground beneath my feet begin to rumble. I pressed forward. I owed this to Kara and to Aiden. The glow grew brighter and, as I turned the corner, I saw a huge dragon sleeping. Covered in golden scales it was curled around itself. It filled the far end of the cave and I felt like an insect next to it. I heard its measured breathing. It slept. There was heat from its nostrils and I saw a spiral of smoke rising slowly to the roof of the cave. Suddenly one eye opened. I leapt back and all went black.
I heard Aiden. He was calling for me. I ran back into the cave but there was no glow and it was empty. I ran into the far recesses but he was not there. He called me still. I found myself flying. I crossed the Dunum and saw the river bank where I had been taken as a slave and I flew north. I saw the fort where I had hidden beneath the sea and then I saw the Roman Wall. I heard Aiden calling once more and I found myself tumbling towards the earth. I thought that I would crash into the ground but I found that my fall was arrested. I looked around and saw that the dragon had cushioned my fall with his wings. As he laid me on the ground he changed before my eyes and became an old man. It was not Ragnar and it was not Olaf yet I knew him.
I saw that we were on a pile of bones. Old rusted weapons surrounded us. The old man spoke, "I am Myrddyn. The people of this land now call me Merlin but my name is Myrddyn. I have waited for generations for you. You have been chosen. Your ancestors protected this land from those who would destroy it. It is your task to do so now. The spirit of the wolf is with you and today, the spirit of the dragon. You have the heart of the dragon and now you must have the power of the dragon. Do not fear death for, so long as you wield your sword, then none can defeat you. Keep it safe and your land is safe. The dragon fire will consume your enemies. You need to find this place when you leave the dream world. This is your destiny! This is your future. You will be the Dragon Warrior!"
I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out and the old man turned into a dragon again. I was in the air once more but this time there was a strange wailing like a spirit in torment. I found it hard to breathe and I began to cough..
I opened my eyes and found that the hut was wreathed in smoke and the hut itself was on fire. I grabbed Ragnar's Spirit and ran out in to the morning air. As I moved the curtain from the door a sudden gust of air took the flames and engulfed me. I was on fire. I ran to the Water and threw myself in. It felt cool and I found myself at peace. I lifted my head and bobbed up out of the Water. I saw a boat coming towards me. Scanlan, Aiden and Karl One Leg were on board. I turned and saw that the steam hut was now a pyre. The smoke rose high into the air and the flames greedily consumed the walls and the roof. I would use the hut no more.
"Jarl, you were on fire!"
As Scanlan and Karl hauled me on board I smiled and said, "I thought I was supposed to be safe, galdramenn?"
"I am sorry, Jarl. I saw fire but I thought it was the dragon."
"You dreamed too?"
"Aye I did."
Scanlan said, "Lord I have never seen anything like it! I was certain we would pull a charred corpse from the Water and yet you live and you breathe. It is a wonder!"
I lay back in the boat and closed my eyes. "You had best get to Ulf's Stad, Aiden, and work you magic there. If I want to use a hot room you will need to repair the baths!"
Part 2 The Danes
Chapter 7
Aiden left for the fort a week after Asbjorn and the others had sailed for Neustria. I had four young warriors escort Aiden. He did not wish an escort but I pointed out that he might need them to labour on the baths. Since we had defeated those from north of the river the border would be safe enough. It was Kara who first alerted us to danger. Aiden had been gone half a day when she ran to my hall. "My husband is in danger! His spirit cried out to me!" She looked terrified and her words filled me with dread. Why had Aiden not seen the danger?
With any other I would have been sceptical but Kara was not given to flights of fancy. "Send for the Ulfheonar!" Although many did not live in my settlement I had a half a dozen who did. "Uhtric, my armour!"
By the time I had donned my armour and mounted my horse eight of my Ulfheonar were ready to join me. Haaken was still on his farm with his wife but I had Olaf, Snorri, Erik, Rollo, Rolf, Finni, Vermund and Leif. Those eight would have to do. We were about to leave when a horse galloped in. The saddle and its haunches were bloody. Karl One Leg said, "It is Oleg's horse. He was one of Aiden's escorts."
I nodded, "Keep the gates barred until I return. I like this not. This may be a trick by our enemies."
We found Oleg close to the village of Thirl. He had obviously been wounded and was trying to get back to us. He had bled to death. We could not yet do him honour. We had to find the living. My daughter had said that Aiden called to her. That meant he was still alive. We found the site of the ambush close to the dale of Mungo. Where the trail headed north west to Ulf's Stad a party had waited for them. There were three dead warriors from Cyninges-tūn but, thankfully, Aiden was not amongst them.
Snorri leapt from his mount and searched the ground. "They took the horses and they headed north and east."
"The men of Strathclyde?"
Snorri shook his head and held up a Danish bracelet which had fallen. "These were Danes, Jarl!"
Olaf Leather Neck said, "What are we waiting for? They have Aiden."
I shook my head, "Why take him? This makes no sense. If they had killed him then I would understand but why Aiden?"
Snorri was not only the best scout I had, he was the most thoughtful Ulfheonar. "Perhaps they did not come for him but recognised him for what he is. You do not kill a wizard lightly. They may have been on a raid and this has changed their plans." He pointed to the tracks. "This was a large warband. It explains why they killed our men and lost none of their own."
I had a sudden chill run down my spine. "Olaf, return to Cyninges-tūn. Karl will need help. If this is a trick to draw us out I need you to protect my family. Send for the Ulfheonar and their families. Until our drekar are back we defend our land."
"Will you have enough warriors, Jarl?"
I laughed, "I have Ulfheonar! We can take on the world if we have to!"
Olaf was a loss but he was the most dependable of my men and he would ensure that my family was safe. After he had gone I said, "Snorri, find them!" As we rode I gave thought to the two Danish spies. Perhaps their boat had not sunk. It now occurred to me that they might have faked their own death to remain in my land. There we
re many places where men could hide and observe. I wished that I could remember what they had looked like but it had been a brief view as they sailed away to fish.
My scout led us east. The Danes had used the Roman Road. This was not the one which ran the length of the wall; this was another which ran south. It crossed a higher peak and it led to the Dunum. The Norns had been quiet for too long and they were taking me home. I was returning to the place I had been enslaved. As we rode east I begged the spirits that the Danes had not harmed Aiden. He was resourceful but the Danes had no love for me and they could do him harm just to spite me. As we ate up the miles I wondered why this had been hidden from both him and Kara. Why had this Myrddyn not warned me? There was too much I did not understand. Lundenwic had seen us at our most successful; now we were in danger of losing someone who was vital to my land.
They were on horses. That helped us for Snorri was following the trail of animal droppings. And they kept going. Even when the sun dipped behind us they kept moving north and east. They reached the Dunum and there, close by the old, deserted hill fort we were forced to stop. Snorri pointed to the hard ground. "The road splits here, Jarl. There is one road which follows the Dunum and the other heads towards the north and east. We could follow one or the other but we would gamble. We need daylight now."
Erik said, "Jarl they must rest too. If they do not then we will see their dead horses and then we will catch them. I know you worry about Aiden but I would take heart from the fact that we have not found him. If they have carried him this far then they will not harm him. At least not until they get where they are going."
"Erik is right, Jarl. Even if they have a drekar then the two rivers they are heading for are more than half a day's journey away. We rise at dawn and we ride hard. We are Ulfheonar and we will not stop."
Finni was right and I dismounted. We unsaddled our horses and my men had a fire going. We had water but no food. For my part I could eat nothing anyway. I sat and looked east. We were fortunate that it was summer. Night would not last long. I knew that sleep would not come and I stood watch while my men slept. Aiden was now more than just my wizard; he was the father of my granddaughter. He was family. What I could not work out was the reason for his abduction. Was it deliberate or an accident?
I watched false dawn and went to make water. I shook my men awake and then watered my horse. He was saddled and I was ready as I watched the thin light of dawn appear in the east. Snorri mounted and rode next to me. "You did not sleep?"
"No, Snorri. Find him!"
He nodded and trotted off. I waited until all of my men were ready. We had to wait until Snorri found which of the two roads they had taken. Snorri was soon back and he waved us to the north eastern road. He pointed behind him and I saw a thin tendril of smoke rising in the air. We trotted along the road. Five miles down the road we found where they had camped. We dismounted for if Aiden had lain here then there would be clues. It was Rolf who found the answer although he did not understand it.
"Jarl!"
I went over and saw what looked like a series of squiggles in the soil. There were random pieces of wood there too.
Rollo stood next to Rolf. "I know not what it means, Rolf."
"Neither do I but it is not natural is it?"
I recognised it. I had watched Aiden make his scratches on parchment. It directions; my galdramenn was talking to us. "It is a map. Aiden was skilled in such things and I have seen this. That is Dun Holme and that the river. They are taking him to the Wear. They can sail drekar up as far as the hill fort."
Snorri said, "Then we can catch them! It is a day's hard ride. I doubt that they will think we are close by. They would not have lit this fire else. They are less than five miles ahead of us."
That was all the incentive we needed. We knew where they were going and we rode hard. They did not stop at the old hill fort. Those who lived there hid as we galloped past. Both we and the Danes were the enemies of those who lived here. I began to worry. Where was the drekar? I knew now, for certain, that they would be heading for a boat. I knew not the reason but we had to hurry. The river could be navigated not far from Dun Holme.
We were just a mile or so beyond the hill fort when Snorri suddenly reined in and pointed right towards the river. There were freshly broken branches and tracks in the mud. They had left the road and that meant that the drekar was close by. We saw them less than a hundred paces ahead. The trail twisted down a steep bank and one of the Danes had been thrown from his horse. The others were gathered around as he began to stagger to his feet. We saw each other at the same time.
I drew my sword as we galloped up. I cared not how many we faced. The Danes, like us, did not fight on horses and they all dismounted to form a shield wall. Snorri leapt from his own horse and drew his sword. I kicked my horse in the flanks. One of the Danes realised that I had no intention of stopping and he swung his axe at my horse. I was ready to slip from his back. I let go of the reins and brought my shield around. As the axe bit into the chest of my horse, which was already trying to turn, I brought my shield up. I flew from my horse's back. The dying horse took out two of the Danes and my shield hit a third in the head. He fell to the ground stunned.
After rolling I quickly stood and fended off the blow from the sword which had been aimed at my back. The Dane I had stunned began to rise and, as I turned to face my new opponent I stamped hard across his throat. He lay still. The second Dane threw himself at me and I blocked his savage strike with my shield. I brought Ragnar's Spirit around in a wide sweep and struck below the shield of the Dane. It was a powerful blow and it smashed into his left leg. It buckled and I punched with my shield as he dropped. I caught the off balance Dane square in the middle of his helmet and he fell. I stabbed him through his mouth and turned to see off the others.
My Ulfheonar had slain almost all of the Danes but there were three left. One held Aiden and had a seax to his throat. The other two stood on either side. Aiden looked calm. He smiled, "I told these Danes that you would come."
The Dane holding him pulled tighter and snapped, "This galdramenn comes with us! One step closer and he dies!"
I knew that was a bluff. If they wanted him dead then why did they need to bring him all the way across the country? He would not kill him. I took a step forward and said, "Snorri!"
The Danes took a step backwards. "We will kill him!"
"And if you do then we will give you the blood eagle." As I took another step forward there was a twang as Snorri released the arrow. I had the Dane's attention and he did not see the arrow which pierced his left eye. He fell to the floor and before the other two could react I had savagely brought my sword around to hack through the neck of one while Rolf's axe had struck the other. The noise of the conflict had attracted the attention of the other Danes who were below us by the river. The trees prevented us from seeing the drekar but I heard their shouts.
"Grab the horses. We must flee."
Aiden smiled and took my hand in his, "Thank you Jarl. Even though I knew you would come I did not know if you would reach me before we reached the drekar."
"We will talk later."
I mounted one of the Danish horses just as the Danes appeared. They were spread out in a long line and they had cut off our escape south. We would have to ride north. Rollo, Erik and Leif had the spare Danish horses with us. We might need them and they would be denied our enemies. "Finni, watch Aiden. Snorri, find us a way out."
I slipped my shield around my back as I urged the Danish horse up the slope. He was struggling. It was with some relief that he made the trail at the top. Snorri pointed north. "Here Jarl, there is a well worn path!"
We galloped down the trail. I heard the shouts from the Danes behind. They were following. Our horses were not the biggest. They would not be able to move much faster than the Danes. I relied on the fact that the Danes would tire. When the horses succumbed and could go no further then we would turn and fight.
Snorri had a wonderful sense of dir
ection. A mile from the fight he found the Roman Road which headed up towards the Wall. We could not use our former route. The Danes could cut us off. We would have to find a different way home. Once on the road we could move faster and, gradually, we lost the Danes. I suspected they were still following but we could afford to slow down a little and save the horses.
Aiden turned to me and said, "Jarl they were after either you or me when they came. They are the brothers of Halfdan the Black. Those two brothers, Thrand and Finni Karlsson were with them. It was Thrand whom Snorri slew. They had been waiting in the woods north of the Rye Dale and were waiting for either you hunting or me seeking herbs. The brothers knew us both by sight. They took great pleasure in telling me how they had fooled me by wrecking their own boat. I am sorry Jarl. I should have dreamt them and I didn't. Perhaps my powers are fading."
"No Aidan, it is the Norns. They are toying with me and with those who are close to me. We will have to deal with these Danes but not just yet. First we must get you back to Cyninges-tūn. My daughter will be worried."
Rolf shouted, "Jarl, I can see them. They are a couple of hundred paces behind us."
"It is time to push on again. We will ride hard for a mile. Let us see if we can lose them."
I tried to estimate how far we might have to run to escape the Danes. Aiden shouted, "I think it is thirty miles to the Roman Wall."
"Then we will reach there by dark." I wondered just how much Halfdan's brothers wanted me. Would they pursue us all day and all night? This was a blood feud now. They would not rest until I was dead. I urged my horse next to Aiden's. "Why did they take you? What was their intention?"
"They wanted you but they recognised me. Their leader had been at Tilaburg and, like the two brothers Karlsson, he knew me. He said they would take me to Ragnar and Harald, Halfdan's brothers. He thought they could use me as a hostage. I think they wanted to bargain with me."
