by Griff Hosker
Haaken pointed his sword at the men around the Eorl. "They fought well. Had there been more like that we might not have had such an easy victory."
I looked down at the body of Audun Red Hair. He was but seventeen summers old. For him it was not easy. "And when word reaches Egbert he will bring many more warriors like this and they will be fresh from the slaughter of the men of King Mark."
"How soon do you think he will be here?"
"Even if a rider had left yesterday when word reached Eorl Beothild it would still take three days to reach King Egbert. We have at least seven days to empty this land."
"You will sail before he returns?"
"Perhaps. We came here to punish King Egbert and not to die."
Olaf Leather Neck shook his head, "It does not do to run from our enemies. It becomes a bad habit."
I reflected on those words.
Chapter 10
It was almost dark when we warily reached our destination. Men were laden down with the treasure they had captured. To many of the poorer warriors this was a byrnie, a helmet, a sword but all had some coins and many had the arm rings they had taken from the more experienced Saxons. Our warriors had pursued them for some miles. I doubted that they would be in any position to fight for Egbert for some time to come. Some of the crops which still lay in the fields would lie there until they rotted.
I was relieved to see Snorri and my other two Ulfheonar when we reached Wintan-ceastre. He looked worried as we entered the gates. "We were worried, Jarl. We should have been at your side and not acting as nursemaids for this puling, whining Saxon." I noticed the Eorl and his wife were sulkily sitting together and the Eorl had blackened eyes. Snorri saw my examination and said, "He annoyed me and I shut him up. Had you not given your word I would have ended his life."
"Was there much treasure?"
"Aye, two chests of it. He offered us a small one but Ulf has a nose for gold. We found it all...eventually. We took a little longer to return as we had to dig up five large pots which contained his treasure."
I stared at the Eorl, "I should have you executed out of hand, the both of you ! I said I wanted all that you had!"
He cowered, almost hiding behind his wife, "You gave your word!"
"Aye and unlike you I keep it." I pointed to the gate, "Leave now before I forget my promise."
"Leave? But there may be brigands out there! We will leave in the morning."
I laughed, "If there are brigands they are Saxon and you are an Eorl. You leave now or I sell you."
They stood and hurriedly headed for the gate. I neither saw nor heard of them again. I walked with Snorri to the fire which was burning, My men were roasting the ox we had slaughtered. "Did you learn much?"
He nodded, "They have few fortified burghs. There are many halls and farms. The Eorl lives at somewhere called Werham. There is an old fort close by. I am guessing that if we raided they would retreat there. It looks ancient with space for their animals. It could be defended and we would lose many men trying to take it."
"It seems to me that we have more than enough. We will raid for the next couple of days and hopefully our knarr will have returned by then."
I felt very dirty, bloody and in need of my sweat hut on the Water. The Saxons did not appear to be keen on being clean. I sought Hrolf, he was always close to hand. He seemed keen to impress. "Hrolf I need water to bathe."
"Aye Jarl. There is a well by the church. I will haul the buckets for you."
I followed him to the Saxon church. It had already been stripped of everything which was of value. My warriors were seeking out the empty houses which they would use to sleep. Animals were already butchered and the smell of cooking meat permeated the air. Were it not for the lack of decent beer my men would think they were in a perfect world.
I stripped naked as Hrolf pulled up bucket after bucket of water. I doused myself in its icy grip. I felt alive. Wolf Killer approached and he joined me. "The Saxons need to take a lesson from those in the east and build bath houses. At least we are close to the healing waters at home."
"This will do."
"It was a good victory today, Jarl."
"Aye my son. It went better than we could have hoped."
"Egbert will not be so gullible. He knows how we fight. This Eorl did not give you enough respect."
"Perhaps it was the quality of the men he led. Less than half were warriors."
Hrolf said, "When I am a jarl I will lead the best of warriors."
Wolf Killer laughed, "You have some years to go young Hrolf."
"The men say that you and your father were jarls before you had seen twenty summers."
It was my turn to laugh, "He is right, my son. Besides, it is good to have dreams and ambitions."
"You are right Jarl Dragonheart and one day I shall return to Neustria and conquer it. I shall have a land such as yours."
Wolf Killer towelled himself dry with his wolf cloak. "You would not wish to be jarl of Cyninges-tūn?"
"That will be yours when the Dragonheart is gone and I would not fight fellow Vikings. The Jarl did not fight Vikings to take it did he?"
Wolf Killer shook his head, "You are too wise for one so young."
"When you are a slave you grow wise or you die. Is that not right Hrolf son of Gerloc?"
He grinned, "It is Jarl."
I handed him my sword and a silver penny, "Here sharpen my blade. We have not finished harvesting Saxons yet."
"I need no coins to sharpen this magical sword."
"Nonetheless I will pay you. Every man is worth his price. You are not my oathsworn and I pay all others."
"I am your oathsworn, Jarl Dragonheart, Hermund and I both swore."
"I realised you were too young to make such a promise. I do not hold you to it. Do not make such hasty decisions. If it is meant that you go to Neustria then you need to be your own man or serve a jarl who wishes to carve out a new home. I am content with Cyninges-tūn. I will fight to keep it but I will not fight to take another's Cyninges-tūn."
"But I may follow you?"
"I am honoured that you do."
"Then it is well."
I left, the next day, with the bulk of my men for Hamwic. Gunnar Thorfinnson remained at Wintan-ceastre with Gunnstein. The two of them would raid the surrounding area. I intended to use my drekar to raid to the west and to the east. We would strike from the sea. If we left in the dark of night we could use surprise as dawn broke. We carted all of the treasure, grain, animals and slaves we had captured, back to Hamwic. If danger threatened then we could send our gains back by knarr. It would not do to have lost what we had gained.
I rode with Aiden as we headed the few miles south. "We have gained treasure, grain and weapons. Have you gained knowledge?"
He nodded, "The monastery had many books which have valuable information for me. Some wrote of the time of the Romans. I now know where more of the Roman Roads were built. Others gave cures for some ailments. There was one parchment which told how to alleviate brain fever by drilling a hole and allowing the bad vapours to leave the head."
"That sounds a little hard to believe."
"We have both seen men who have survived savage cuts to their head with parts of the skull missing. It seems it is what is within the skull which is more important. However I believe that part of our success has been that we protect our men's heads with helmets. When I return home I have ideas about helmets which will afford better protection."
"The monks wrote about that?"
"No Jarl but they have things written by Romans. I do not think the monks had read them. They were dusty and buried beneath well read pieces about the White Christ. They have much knowledge that they are not using." He shook his head. "They study their religion too much. We just follow our ways and live good lives. They seem to hold the rituals in higher esteem than the purpose."
"That is too deep an idea for me. Just so long as our people benefit and are happy then I am satisfied."
We use
d two ships to raid; our biggest ones. I headed east with 'Heart of the Dragon'. We used warriors from Cyninges-tūn. Wolf Killer took 'Wild Boar' and Ketil's men to augment his own and they went west. We left enough in Hamwic to protect it and our supplies. Aiden remained poring over his books. He had identified two targets for us. There was a port to the east with a good harbour. It was not far down the coast. Wolf Killer's target was a huge port. I was more interested in it as an anchorage but we knew from the books that it was used to land cargos. There were warehouses.
I sent Asbjorn over land at dark of night. We rowed with stepped mast to the east. Thanks to Aiden we knew the precise position of the town and port. Erik slowed the drekar down and allowed the tide to take us close to it. The burghers of the town, Aiden said it was called Portesmūða, must have heard there were Vikings close by for they had put a thick hawser across the harbour to stop ships entering at night. It reminded me of the Golden Horn in Miklagård. Had it been made of metal then it might have stumped us. As it was we soon sawed through it with our blades and entered the harbour.
There were many cargo ships; they were Saxon versions of the knarr. More importantly there was no palisade. They obviously felt secure. As we sculled towards the ships I began to think that we would have another easy time of it. That was until the shout went up. They had a town watch and we had been seen. We were less than a hundred paces from the jetty when the shout went up. We had enough way to drift in and my warriors shipped their oars and grabbed their shields. A few arrows and spears clattered off the side but only one man was hit. I stood at the prow. My hand touched the dragon's head. It brought us luck.
As soon as we touched I leapt ashore with Haaken and Olaf by my side. A moment later Snorri and Beorn jumped from the stern. I ran directly at the town guard who were rushing to push us back into the sea. I did not break stride as I swung my sword sideways to hack into the thigh of the bowman. I cut through to the bone and he fell to the cobbles blood gushing from the wound. The effect was to start a panic back to the houses where the townspeople were arming themselves to repel the raiders from the sea. I heard a distant shout and knew that Asbjorn and his men had arrived. My Ulfheonar and the men of Cyninges-tūn, led by Erik Wolf Claw despatched the thin line of poorly armed warriors and then the rest threw themselves to the ground pleading for mercy.
"Let them live!"
Olaf Leather Neck shook his head, "We need no more slaves. We have sent enough to the market and they will fetch a lower price."
I smiled, although in the dark no one saw it, "I have a better idea. We will use the method we tried with the Eorl."
Haaken was curious, "What is that?"
"We let them buy their freedom. It will save us time and effort searching for it. I lived in such a village and these people will find devious places in which to hide their gold and silver. Gather them all."
Dawn was breaking by the time the population of Portesmūða had been assembled. My men made them drop to their knees. I had silence imposed and then I began. "I could have all of your heads taken. I could have your women raped. I have conquered you and you are mine to do with as I wish."
A greybeard said, "Spare us, Viking. I beg of you."
"Then should I sell you in the markets of Dyflin?"
A woman wailed, "Better to kill us than give us to those pagans."
I let them all wail and weep before I shouted, "Silence!" It became quiet save for an occasional whimper. "Or you could buy your freedom."
The greybeard said, "Buy?"
"You all have money hidden away. Give me the money you have and I will let you live and not sell you to the men of Dyflin."
He snorted, "You will take our gold and kill us anyway."
Snorri smacked him about the head. I said, unsheathing my sword, "This is Ragnar's Spirit, the sword touched by the gods. I swear by this sword that if you give me your coin then you shall live. I am Jarl Dragonheart and I am never foresworn."
I saw the greybeard look at some of the others. He nodded and said, "I have heard your name. They say you are a wolf but an honest wolf. We would live."
My warriors watched them as they went to their homes and brought out their coins. We took them, every one. I kept my word. Even those who had but two silver pennies were allowed to live and to remain free. We took their animals and their grain and we sailed back to Hamwic.
As we sailed in to the Itchen I thought about sailing home. The thought was fleeting but I should have heeded it. I might have come up with excuses that we waited the drekar or we had not been defeated but in my heart I knew that we should have sailed and we did not.
My other jarls had equal success. Gunnar and Gunnstein sent cartloads of captured grain, animals, weapons and treasure. My son returned with fine mail and slaves. Yet we still waited for the knarr. Five days later the knarr had not arrived and the weather was worsening. I summoned my jarls from Wintan-ceastre. When they arrived, a day later, laden with booty I said, "We leave two day's hence even if our knarr have not arrived."
Aiden nodded but said nothing. Haaken spoke for all of my jarls. "We should stay. We have not yet milked this Saxon cow dry."
"None the less we go for I have decided."
I was Jarl Dragonheart and my word was law. We prepared to leave. The Norns must have heard my words or perhaps the gods decided that we had enjoyed enough good fortune for before we could leave King Egbert and his army arrived. I had withdrawn my men to Hamwic and Wintan-ceastre, our sentry, had been emptied. Our attention was to the south and west. We sought the sails of Siggi and his knarr. It was the sentries from the gates at the north who sounded the alarm.
"Saxons!"
As soon as I heard the words I knew that I had delayed too long. The drekar were not ready for sea. We had loaded nothing. I went to the jetty and, cupping my hands, shouted, "Erik prepare the drekar for sea."
"Aye Jarl, but the tide is not yet right! We need another two hours."
That decided me. We might not have two hours. I ran to the northern gate. Aiden, the Ulfheonar and my jarls joined me. Sven pointed north west. "There Jarl Dragonheart, emerging from the trees."
I followed his finger. I could see emerging from the trees a mile to the north west, Saxons. Gunnstein Berserk-Killer said, "It may be a group of scouts. This does not mean it is the Saxon army. We should ride out and capture them before they can send word."
Wolf Killer shook his head. "These are Saxons. They are not afraid of us seeing them. See more men emerge from the trees and some are mailed. This is an army." He looked at me. "Egbert."
"Aye. Aiden have all your books, papers and treasure secured on the drekar. Have the coins spread equally amongst them."
"What of the grain, tapestries, cloths and animals?"
"Leave them. If we have to we will tip them in the river." He hurried off. He had a quick mind and he had seen the same as I had. "Prepare to fight." I pointed to the north east. There was a small headland. From the wall of Hamwic to the river was only six hundred paces. "I want every archer in here with the gates barred. The rest of us will form line twixt here and the river."
Gunnar Thorfinnson said, "But we will be trapped if we are defeated."
Asbjorn was quietly spoken but I could hear the derision in his voice, "Dragonheart is never defeated."
"Thank you Asbjorn but I hope that we can be taken off from the river. We cannot be outflanked there and we can hold them until the tide rises and our ships can come to take us off. The archers can protect us. When we are embarked then they will fire the walls and we embark them at the jetty. Snorri you command the archers. Have the men use the captured Saxon spears. Make a barrier of them before us and each man holds one. It will stop them charging too recklessly at us." I was aware that we were close to the river. Our ally could become our enemy if we were forced backwards.
In the time it had taken me to speak more men had emerged and I saw the blue banner of Wessex with the cross and four birds. A second banner emerged that of the dragon. I
t too signified Egbert. The Saxons were gathering on the hill and organising their ranks. We had no time to waste. "Hurry!"
I ran to don my mail and my helmet. Hrolf ran to me. "Here Jarl Dragonheart! Your sword." He held up his hand and there was a scar across the palm. "It bit me! I am touched by the gods too!"
I smiled at his enthusiasm, "That is a rare wound, Hrolf. Those whom Ragnar's Spirit touches normally die. You may be right. The gods must have marked you down for something special."
I sheathed my sword and heard the words which gave me a kind of hope. "Knarr approaching!"
I ran to the jetty and saw, a mile and half down the channel, the three knarr approaching. It would take an hour for them to reach us. We could not leave now. "Aiden have the knarr loaded as soon as they dock."
"Aye Jarl."
I turned and saw Erik and his crew fitting the mast."Erik I want the drekar to pick us up from the other side of the headland. Come as soon as you can. Have 'Red Snake' here to wait for Snorri and his archers."
"Aye Jarl." He grinned, "The Weird Sisters eh?"
"Wyrd."
"Truly wyrd!"
As I reached my shield I saw my standard. "Hrolf, today you shall carry my standard!"
I saw joy on his face. "Thank you Jarl Dragonheart!"
"Listen for my commands. When I tell you to withdraw you must wave the standard towards the sea until I tell you to stop."
"I will be behind you, Jarl. I will hear."
There was a reason for my choice. I needed every warrior who could wield a sword if I was to extract us from this trap. I now knew that I was meant to fight Egbert but I wanted us to return home. I did not want three widows waiting in Cyninges-tūn for husbands and fathers who had died here in Wessex. We had done all that I had hoped. We had ravaged Egbert's heartland and we had sent him a message. We had had success in battle and we had great treasure.
I hurried out of the gate. Snorri and his archers were already stacking the wood they would use to bar the gates and to fire the walls. "'Red Snake' will be at the jetty for you. Stay safe."
