by Griff Hosker
"They were ready for us, Jarl Dragonheart. They knew we were coming. The walls were manned and the gates barred."
"Aye the spy in our lands told them all. I wonder now how long he has been operating."
"There is just one?"
"There may be more but even one is enough to cause us harm. When this is over your father and I needed to scour our halls and rid them of rats." As we walked I saw that we were closely watched from their ramparts. "They have been standing too all day?"
"I think so. We changed sentries regularly and they told us that the walls were always manned."
"Good. I want every mailed warrior we have with us at dusk and I want them to bang their shields as soon as we began to walk back from the talk. I want my nephew to think we are stronger than we are. Tonight we build fires all around their town. Have our men divided into groups of six. Each six keep a fire burning all night. Two watch and four sleep. We will be rested." I smiled, "Tell them not to fear the wolves. I will summon them."
I could see that he was curious but he did not push me on the matter. He had only seen Jarl Dragonheart and his men fight as Vikings. When darkness fell he would see a different beast. I sat with Hrolf who watched my camp for me. He had emerged from the fray with scratches only.
"There are many enemies in the town, Jarl. I have counted the ones on the wall. They outnumber us and they are safe behind wood and stone. We will lose many men when we attack."
"Let me work out how we are to defeat the men who cower behind their walls. If they outnumber us why do they not attack?" I pointed to his sword. "You will need to put a fresh edge on your sword. Find whetstone and you can do mine too."
"You sharpen them when you have used them?" If he had been brought up in a Viking home he would have know that but he had been a slave in Neustria.
"Aye, Hrolf. Each time it comes from its scabbard and strikes something then it becomes a little duller. Your blade must be sharp enough to shave with every time you draw it. Erik Wolf Claw will have a stone. After this is over you should get your own." The sharpening of the blade kept his young mind occupied and stopped him worrying about what would happen later.
I returned the stone to Erik Wolf Claw. I had a task for him. He went, with a dozen men, to the harbour and the Manx drekar.
After I had rested I took Gunnar and Eystein down to the drekar and the waterfront. Erik Wolf Claw and my men had worked hard. They had cut the mast of the Manx drekar and the spare one into two. They had used the yard and spare yard to make carrying handles and then tied the improvised battering ram with ropes from the Manx drekar.
"Tomorrow morning, at dawn, when the sun peers from the east my men will take the ram to assault the gate. Gunnar, your mailed warriors will protect them with their shields. Eystein, you have few men left, you must use them as archers to stop the warriors of Balley Chashtal from attacking the ram."
They looked at me, "Where will you be, Jarl Dragonheart?"
"I will be the wolf warrior as will my men. Fear not, Ragnar's Spirit will be there when we breach this gate."
I did not don my red cochineal nor did I wear my helmet as dusk approached. My Ulfheonar had long since slipped away. No one had even seen them go. That was their skill. Eystein led the mailed warriors. There were forty of them. The rest were massed behind us. We made them into a solid block. It would disguise our paucity of numbers. It would not be a good way to attack but I did not intend that.
"Hrolf, stay with Eystein. The Norns have tied your threads together." He nodded and stood beside the young warrior. Gunnar and I had our shields behind our backs and our palms held before us as we walked towards the gates. We stopped beyond the range of their arrows.
"I would speak with my nephew, Jarl Erik Eriksson."
He must have been close by for a mailed warrior suddenly appeared. He looked like his father. His voice barely carried. "What do you want?"
"To speak."
"I cannot hear you; come closer."
I had a powerful voice, I always had had. My nephew's, by contrast, was weak and thin. When I spoke my voice carried to all of the warriors on the wall. "I do not trust you! If you swear, before all of your men that you will not break this truce we will advance and make the talk easier for you"
I could not see his face but I guessed that I had angered him by impugning his honour. His voice was a little louder as he spoke, "I swear you may talk and then retire. We will not harm you....yet!"
I began to walk. Gunnar said, "Do you trust him?"
"Not really but I trust the Norns. I cannot see them bringing us here to be killed by arrows. You may stay here. This needs just me anyway."
He chuckled, "No, Jarl Dragonheart. Let us cast the bones eh?" Each day he grew into a stronger leader.
As we approached I saw that few of the ones on the walls wore mail. The exception was my nephew and his oathsworn. He had grown into a powerfully built warrior. He had his helmet in his hand and I saw that he could have been his father's double. He also looked a little like my wife Erika. What would she have thought of this?
"What do you want, Jarl Dragonheart? Do you wish to surrender?" He laughed.
I waved a hand at his walls. I spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. "I wonder why you hide behind your walls. Do you fear your uncle? You have more men than we do. We have killed your Danes but they have taken their toll of us. Why do you not attack? Are you afraid?" I had used the two words afraid and fear deliberately. I had no doubt that his warriors would begin to wonder. That wonder might turn to anxiety and doubt.
"You have invaded my land without provocation!"
Gunnar could not contain himself, "Without provocation? You attacked us when we closed with your coast. Is that not provocation?"
He said nothing. It mattered little what he said. I was merely buying time and worrying him. "We will leave if you pay us weregeld for the men you slew and if you swear not to attack either the men of Ljoðhús or the men of Cyninges-tūn." I saw Gunnar flash a look of disbelief at me. I gave a slight shake of the head. I knew he would not agree to this.
Jarl Erik laughed. "You grow senile, Dragonheart! Leave now for if I want a clown to amuse me I have my own within these walls."
"Think carefully, Erik. You are of my wife's blood which is why I give you this courtesy. You have one chance to walk from this alive. Take it and save the lives of your warriors." I could smell smoke. Erik Wolf Claw had done as I asked. Without turning I said, "Your last drekar is being burned. I lived on this island. Where will you get the wood for new ones? Where will you and your men get the materials to build a drekar?"
I could see the anger on his face. "Leave now. This is over. You say this was your land. Your body shall be sent to the four corners when I have done with you!"
"So be it!"
I turned and walked back to our men. The sun was setting in the west while in the harbour the last Manx drekar burned on the sand where my men had beached her. The warriors all began banging their shields in time. We walked back at the pace of their banging. By the time we reached them the sun was just setting in the west and we were silhouetted by the fire. It was the effect I had wanted. I wanted them to see me walk away into the firelight.
When we reached our men they all cheered and roared. I turned to Gunnar and Eystein and said, "You know what to do. Have the men disperse and begin the fires. Let my nephew begin to worry."
I went to my camp where Hrolf awaited me. He felt honoured to be helping me. I laid my shield down; I would not need that. I took off my wolf cloak. He helped me to paint the cochineal on my face. Then he tried to string my bow. He could not. I saw him looking embarrassed. "When you are a fully grown man and your forearms are like the branches of an oak then you will string a bow with ease." I strung it and handed it to him to hold for me. I slung the quiver over my shoulder and then donned my cloak. I needed to be as dark as the night. I put his shoulders between my arms. "You know what to do?"
He had blackened his face with charc
oal and donned his cloak, "Aye Jarl. I go to the walls and I frighten the Manxmen."
"And?"
"And I do not close with the walls nor I do put my life in danger."
"Good. This will be good experience for you. I want you to live to have that experience and use it when you are a jarl like me."
It was now black night and the fires were springing up all around the walls of Balley Chashtal. The drekar had burned out but smoke still drifted across to remind Erik that he was trapped. Picking up the heavy sack I had prepared earlier I headed to the gate. I knew that my Ulfheonar would be at the rear gate. If there were an attempt to escape or send for help then that would be where they would try. The attack earlier on had cleared the few traps which the Manxmen had laid. I crept, like a shadow towards the gate. After dropping my sack I knocked an arrow and lined up on the warrior who peered out to sea. He was less than thirty paces from me. I waited. Suddenly, to my left, about a hundred paces away I heard the howl of a wolf. Hrolf had done as I asked. The sentry leaned forward to see and I released my arrow. I knocked another and as a second sentry looked in my direction I sent an arrow into his face. The two sentries fell. I then ran to my right.
I heard the commotion inside the town. I even heard someone shout, "To arms! They attack!"
I knocked another arrow and loosed it at another warrior who was foolish enough to show his face. I dived into the ditch as arrows down, blindly on the place I had stood. Then I heard the sound of cries and howls from the northern gate. My Ulfheonar attacked. Hrolf did as I had bid. He moved his position and howled again. I heard the men above me shouting orders. I took the opportunity to shift my position. I moved to the other side of the ditch, closer to our fires and howled. I was moving almost before I had finished and I returned to the main gate.
I was picturing the inside of the town. They had seen nothing. They had heard a circle of wolves around their town. Were we shape shifters? The arrows which had fallen into dead ground told me that they were loosing blindly. None had come close to hitting me. We had them rattled. We had to keep up the nervous tension and terror which would be racing like the plague in the town.
All went quiet as they sought us in the dark. I found the sack I had dropped and I took out two of the Danish heads. Rolf Horse Killer had fetched them for me from the battle field. There were eight of them. I laid down my bow and picking one up by the hair I hurled it over the walls. I did the same with the second. Then I picked up my sack and bow and ran to the south western corner of the town. I had not been there yet. I heard the cries and commotion as they found the heads. When I reached the corner I saw a tower. Four sentries stood there. I jammed an arrow in the soft earth, put a second in my teeth and knocked a third. Time was I could have released four arrows in a heartbeat. Now I would be lucky to send three. I loosed one and knocked a second before the first had hit the sentry in the head. My second caught his fellow and when I sent my third it struck a warrior in the shoulder. I took another head and hurled it over the wall, howling as I did so. Hrolf took up the howl further down the wall. I had not seen him and that was good. He was obeying my orders.
I picked up the sack, much lighter now and moved all the way along the wall to the south eastern tower. Stones and arrows were being wasted on an attack which never materialised. They were loosing them blind. There was no way for them to replenish their supplies.
I waited in the dark. I could hear howls from the northern side and occasional cries as my Ulfheonar struck sentries. I waited while Hrolf continued to move and to howl. Once I heard him less than thirty paces from me but I could not see him. The gods had given us the blackest of nights. I took a head from the sack and my bow and closed with the tower. They were wary now. I stood in the ditch and I threw the head to land on the walkway above me. It landed with a thud.
"What was that?"
"Go and check it Sven. We will have an arrow ready in case one of these shape shifters has climbed up."
I had my arrow already aimed as Sven found the head and peered over the palisade. My arrow hit him in the face and threw him backwards. I howled and I ran. This time they were luckier. I felt an arrow ping off my helmet. I picked up my sack and I moved out of arrow range. Hrolf's howls and those of my Ulfheonar occupied them for some time. I got my breath back. I had a swig from my water skin. I estimated that we were halfway through the night. I hoped that our men had taken advantage of our distraction to sleep. We needed them alert and the Manxmen in a state of tired confusion.
I had four heads left. I moved towards the gate, the place I had first attacked. There were two small towers and I guessed that there would be up to ten men there. I crept as close to the gate as I could get. Hrolf's howls distracted them enough to allow me to do so. Then I hurled two heads as far as I could throw them and, finally my last two heads to land on the gate. My bow had an arrow knocked and when a head appeared I loosed one. It struck him. I had a second ready for the second man and he died.
A voice from above me, to the right shouted, "There is just one of him! Let us rid ourselves of this Ulfheonar!"
I moved across the ditch and waited. I had an arrow in my teeth and another held with the bow. The gate opened and my arrow struck the first warrior in the shoulder as they came to get me. The gates opened wider and six men raced towards me. I sent my next arrow into the neck of one and my last into the chest of a second. I dropped my bow and taking out my seax and sword I howled. Instead of fleeing I ran at them.
I ducked beneath the spear and gutted one with my seax as a second ran into my sword.
"I am Jarl Dragonheart! I wield the sword which was touched by the gods! You are dead men you just do not know it yet!"
The last two turned and ran back into the safety of the town. I hacked a head from one of the bodies and threw it over the closing gate. Then I turned my back and headed into the dark. I had four arrows left and I spent the rest of the night howling like Hrolf and loosing my arrows when a target appeared.
I saw false dawn and headed back to our camp fires, still burning brightly. I caught up with Hrolf who was moving to a new position. "You have done well, Hrolf. There are many warriors who will survive this day and they will owe that to you."
"But I killed no one! I howled!"
"And you terrified them."
I saw that Eystein and Gunnar had the men ready to assault. Gunnar was grinning. "You terrified me and I knew what you were about."
Eystein said, "Were you not afraid when they came from the gate for you?"
"I have a name which strikes fear into men. They came out to kill one man; when they found out my identity they became afraid. Never fear another man, Eystein. If you do then you have lost the combat. Always believe that you can win."
I saw Thorfinn limping towards us. "I cannot fight but I can watch!" He chuckled, "I would not have believed that ten men and a boy could cause so much terror. I have much to learn from you Jarl Dragonheart."
"It is time, Gunnar!"
Hrolf brought me my shield and took my bow. The assault party gathered and began to move, like a metal snake, towards the gates. Eystein led his handful of men with their bows to follow his brother. I raised my sword and the rest of the warriors moved forward. There were not many of us but we were rested and we were in good spirits.
I heard the alarm from inside Balley Chashtal. The wall filled with men. This time Gunnar and the men he led would have to endure the full force of the defenders. Eystein and his men darted like insects to release their arrows and then move to a new position. Men fell from the walls. The shields which protected the ram did their job but when they drew close then the stones and spears thrown from above would begin to take their toll. I heard Gunnar shout a command and they ran the last twenty paces. I saw two men fall but, by that time, the ram had the speed and the momentum. It smashed into the gate and I could hear, from fifty paces away the creak and crack. When it had opened in the night I knew they had not nailed it shut. It was not like the one we had attacked
in Frankia. Erik Wolf Claw and my men pulled the ram back and ran again. Another two warriors fell but this time there was an audible crack when the ram struck the gates.
The next time it would break. I raised my sword, "Charge!"
Even as we ran to the rear of the ram the gate was cracked wide open and the metal snake burst into the settlement. The warriors dropped the ram and raced in. They had lost warriors in the attack and now they would wreak their vengeance!
Gunnar quickly organised his men so that the mailed warriors were at the fore. As I passed through the gate I saw that Jarl Erik had organised a shield wall. Gunnar placed himself at the front of the wedge and they moved forward. I saw Rolf Horse Killer with his axe. "Come with me and you two as well." Sven Finehair and Einar Bluetooth were with him and they too had axes.
I did not run towards the shield wall but up a path between huts. Two warriors raced towards us, having descended from the walls. I contemptuously fended off the blow from the spear with my shield and ran him through with my sword. The other fared no better. Rolf smashed his skull in two with a single blow. I turned left and headed along the wall to the northern gate. There were eight men bracing themselves against it. I could hear my Ulfheonar as they tried to break in. Snorri and Beorn were using their bows for a warrior fell from the ramparts with an arrow in his chest.
Two of them had their backs to the gate and they faced us. I saw terror as they beheld the four of us. We did not stop and I needed to issue no orders. I slashed my sword across the top of the thighs of the warrior who faced me. Three others had their heads staved in by three long war axes. I smashed my shield into the face of another. They had stopped holding the gate to face us. I took a blow from one sword on my shield and blocked a second with my sword. Then the gates sprang open. Olaf Leather Neck stood there, his face infused and red. He was almost a berserker. Even as I watched he bit the edge of his shield. He was now lost to us. I stood aside and he ran towards the sounds of combat close to the hall of Jarl Erik.
