by Griff Hosker
I nodded, “I know. We will find them but I wonder in what condition? Tadgh is cruel and he hates us both. I dread to think what he might do to her.” I had sent those dark thoughts far away. Therein lay madness.
“Do not let anger cloud your judgment. Do not become a berserker.”
His father had been Ragnar a crippled and half blind warrior but he had made me into a warrior. “Your father trained me too well for that. I will kill Tadgh. I should have killed him when I had my chance but pity stayed my hand; pity and the remembrance that we were children together once.”
“Good.” He peered around the land. “There seem to be few people around here.”
I too had noticed the lack of farms. The soil looked good enough and I knew they had the same weather we did. There had to be a reason. It was soon after Egill and the Ulfheonar caught up with us that we discovered a possible reason for the lack of people. We found a burnt out village. From the chewed and discarded bones this had been destroyed some years earlier. We halted to examine the remains. We could see that the bones had savage cut marks on them, as well as the marks of the teeth of animals. These people had been butchered. We had heard of the internecine warfare of these people and now we had evidence of it.
“Who rules here, Prince Butar?”
He shrugged. “They have a High King but his power depends upon his popularity. Otherwise they have smaller kings and warlords. It is easy to see why they would hire someone like Tadgh and the others. We are better prepared for war than these people.”
When we reached the bay we sheltered behind the trees and bushes so that we could spy out the settlement. They had no guards on the gates and we could see no armed men. We had to approach quietly without frightening them and making them retreat behind their walls.
Haaken shook his head, “They will see us long before we reach them.” He pointed, “Look it is open land right up to the walls.”
I scanned the opposite side of the bay. “But if you notice the bay shelves and anyone approaching along the water would be hidden.”
Prince Butar said, “You are right. I will walk slowly, with Haaken here while the rest of you make your way to the point over there where the shelf hides you. Keep yourselves close to the bank and to the walls and then hide.” He smiled, “It is one of the things Ulfheonar are good at is it not?” We grinned and nodded. We prided ourselves on our ability to hide in plain sight. “Haaken and I will walk up to them. They will not fear two men and when we are close you can reveal yourselves.”
It was decided and we quickly ran through the woods towards the head of the bay. When we reached the edge of the woods we crouched in the undergrowth. Although there were people a mile or so away I thought we could make the water without being seen.
“Egill, you bring them through and I will go first.” I crouched down and crawled towards the water. I reached down to the river mud and smeared some on my face and hands. I then pulled my wolf cloak over my helmet. My shield was already hidden and I was as dark as I was going to get. All that anyone would see would be a shadow and not a man. I waited until I judged that I could not be seen and then I plunged into the water. It seemed icily cold but I knew that was an illusion. It came up to my waist but, more importantly, I was well below the bank of the river which led to the bay. I could not be seen. I waded east, towards the sea.
The sound of the sea masked all other noises. I would have to rely on my sense of smell to tell me when I was near to the village. I had marked a spot on the opposite bank which was approximately level with the village but I didn’t know for certain. It was hard pushing through the water and trying to stay upright in the current. By this I knew that I was nearer to the village. The sudden splash of me hitting the water would be sure to alert the villagers. I halted. I glanced over my shoulders and saw that the rest of the Ulfheonar were also in the water. I could see that the bank was much higher than their heads.
When I judged that I had reached the right point I stopped and turned to the bank. It was hard to get purchase on the slippery, muddy earthen wall which rose above me. I had to grip with my hands and haul myself up. When my blackened muddy hand clutched air I paused and slowly raised my head above the bank. Had anyone been looking in my direction all that they would have seen would have been an animal, nothing more. I could see the village; I was about sixty paces too far away. We had not travelled far enough. I slithered down just as Cnut appeared next to me. I pointed towards the sea and he nodded.
I counted out sixty paces and then repeated my climb. It was the perfect position. I could see the gate and I was between the settlement and the sea. I waved for Cnut to climb and he did so.
The settlement was just forty yards away. My original plan had been to crawl towards it and hide even closer. That plan would have to change for the villagers were returning to their huts and we would have been seen had we attempted to move. I looked down the line and waved at the others. I used my flattened palms to make them lower themselves. They all knew what we had to do. It might be wet and uncomfortable but we were Ulfheonar.
I slid my sword from my scabbard and laid it on the bank next to me. We now had to wait until Prince Butar appeared; hopefully it would not be long. I peered through the marram grass at the settlement. It looked to be self contained. There were small coracles for fishing drying against the palisade. Through the gate I could see women weaving baskets from reeds and others, churning butter. I wondered why I could see no larger fishing boats; perhaps they were still at sea or they just used the one man coracles like the people of Cymru.
I could see men returning with animals they had hunted and I saw animals being herded into the enclosure. That told me a great deal. There were raiders in this land who would steal their beasts. They had to keep them protected at night. It made it a little more likely that Tadgh or other predators were in the vicinity.
It was the movement and reaction of the villagers which heralded the approach of Prince Butar and Haaken. The women and children quickly rushed inside driving the animals before them and some of the men picked up their weapons to form a defensive barrier in front of the gate. I signalled to the rest to be ready. The eight men approached our two comrades and they had their swords and spears aimed at both of them. It was foolish. The two of them could have slaughtered the eight easily had they chosen to do so. Prince Butar had chosen Haaken as he was one of the other men who owned a mail shirt. I was another. Their crude weapons would have been useless against armour.
As they moved forward to meet them I raised my sword and we silently slid from the bank and ran across to the gate. Everyone’s attention was on our two warriors who were striding boldly towards the waiting villagers and no-one seemed to see us. Moving silently, we had almost reached the gate when there was a scream as a woman, standing inside the village, saw us. By then it was too late. We stood, back to back, with weapons drawn in the gateway. The settlement was ours.
Chapter 2
Prince Butar and Haaken held their hands palm uppermost; a sign for peace. I lowered my sword too and the rest of the Ulfheonar followed suit. Prince Butar was a fierce warrior but he was also a friendly and affable man, some even called him kind. He smiled at them and it was not the wolf’s smile of Harold One Eye, our former jarl; it was a smile which invited conversation and not war. They were too far for me to hear the words but when I saw the ten of them approach us then I knew we would not be fighting.
“Let us move inside the walls. The gate is secure.”
As we did so the people fled inside their huts. I almost laughed. We could have taken anything we wished to and their huts would not have stopped us. This was a land ripe for raiding. When they had entered the settlement I waved at two of the men to stand guard at the gate. “Cnut, take Egill and light the signal fire although it is light enough for the men on the hill to have seen us. They should know that we have succeeded.”
Even with four men otherwise occupied there were still plenty of us to prevent any trouble. Prince B
utar came over to me. “I do not understand them and they do not understand me. We have a problem.”
“Have you tried Saxon?”
He shook his head, “I will try.” He turned to the eight men, for they were the only ones he could see; the rest were hidden. He spoke in Saxon, “I am Prince Butar of Man and I come here in peace.”
Two of the men looked at each other and one of them shouted something. After a short while a woman with the yoke of a thrall around her neck was led over to us from the largest hut. The two men spoke harshly to her. She looked terrified and shook her head. The oldest man slapped her across the face. Still she shook her head when he raised his arm for another smack I grabbed it and said, in Saxon, “No! We just need someone who can speak Saxon!”
The woman gave me a half smile. “I am Seara and I can speak Saxon.”
Prince Butar nodded, “Tell them we come in peace, Seara.”
She told them and they began to speak. She translated, “The headman is called Padraigh and he asks why you sneak up and come armed if you come in peace.”
The conversation took some time because of the translation. “If we had come unarmed wouldn’t they have hidden behind their walls?”
His cunning smile was answer enough. “Then what do you seek here? We are a poor people and we have nothing worth taking.”
I suddenly said, in our language, “Excuse me, Prince Butar may I speak?”
“Of course. You have something in mind?”
“It seems to me that she might know as much as they do. If we ask them then when we leave they may reveal what they have learned of us. ” I turned to the woman and spoke Saxon again, “Where were you captured?”
“In the land to the west, the land of Northumbria.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Five summers.”
“Are you alone?”
Her eyes filled with tears and she nodded. “My husband was killed and my son and daughter died when the coughing sickness came.”
“We are looking for our families who were taken as slaves. I know that they are not here for the ships which took them are not close by. Were you brought here first?”
She shook her head, “There is a bigger place with a market and many ships. It is half a day south of here.”
“There is nothing north of here?”
“Not that I know. They take me to the market when they go and I carry back the heavy goods.”
The woman was little more than a two legged horse. “You see our armour and our weapons?” Again she nodded, “Have you ever seen warriors with these kinds of weapons before? Perhaps in the place with the market and the ships?”
She was now eager to please; I was speaking quietly and smiling at her. There were no blows and no harsh words. “There were. They came towards the end of the last year and they serve the king there, Colm the Mighty.”
I saw Prince Butar’s eyes widen as he took in the import of the message. I took her hands in mine; they were red and thin, much as she was. The men frowned as I did so. “Two last questions. Did they have a ship there? It may have had a dragon at the front.”
She shook her head, “The dragon was not at the front.” I felt disappointed. It was not Norse. “The dragon’s head was laid next to the boat.” I almost cheered out loud when she said that. Some warriors believed it was unlucky to have the dragon prow on a boat in port and removed it. “My second question, would you like to be free?”
She nodded, tears filling her eyes. “More than anything.”
I looked the village elder in the eyes as I said to her, “Tell them we would like to buy you. When they ask why say that we are men and wish to use you.” I smiled, “We do not but it will make them believe the reason for us taking you.”
For the first time she smiled and said, “I do believe you but that would not be as bad as living here with these…”
“Just ask them.”
She did so and they looked curiously at me. After a brief discussion they spoke to Seara and she said, “What have you to trade for me. You do not look as if you have any wealth. They say you do not even have a ship.”
I laughed. “Then they know little.” I reached into my pouch and withdrew some small black stones. I counted out five. “Ask them if five pieces of jet are worth the price.”
Their eyes widened as they looked at the jet and saw how many pieces there were. I had offered far more than they thought she was worth. They spoke to her and she said. “They ask for ten.”
I drew Ragnar’s Spirit and it made a savage rasping sound as I did so. I put the point at the elder’s throat. “Tell him I could take you for nothing and slaughter his entire village. Ask him to reconsider.”
He was frightened enough with the blade but when she translated he nodded and held up five fingers. I threw the stones at the feet and he scrabbled after them. “Stand behind me. We will take your yoke off later on.”
Cnut’s voice sounded, “The ships, they are here, as are the village boats.”
The demeanour of the men changed instantly, their shoulders slumped. I think they had counted on delaying us here until their fishing boats arrived with the rest of their men. No wonder he had acceded to my request so easily. They had thought to surprise us with their extra men.
Prince Butar’s eyes narrowed. He now saw their treachery. He turned to Seara. “Did you know the fishing boats would return now?”
She shook her head and pointed inside the settlement. “They do not let me near the sea in case I try to escape. Another slave did just that last year and so I am kept within the walls of the village.” Her eyes pleaded with Butar, “I knew they fished but I swear, my lord, that I knew not when they returned.”
His face softened into a smile. “I believe you. Stay with us a while longer while you translate for us and then, as my son promised, you shall be free and the yoke will be removed.” He turned to the rest of us. “Disarm them! We cannot trust them.”
They were not expecting that and within a moment or two they were all disarmed. I pointed into the village, “Haaken, take a couple of men and search the village. They may have arms hidden.”
The sound, as the men went through the village, was like that when a fox moves through a hen coop. There were squeals of indignation as Haaken and his men searched for weapons. They had a good haul and returned with five axes and three swords. His one eye twinkled, “I wonder how many of us would have woken up to Hibernian steel up our backsides?”
When Sweyn and Eric brought the rest of the men from the ships they also brought the fishermen. Unable to speak their language Sweyn had used the universal language of the tip of a sword to make his point.
“Dragon Heart, see if there is another entrance to this village.”
I sheathed my sword and strode around the outside of the palisade. The ditch, I noticed, was a pitiful affair which would not have stopped a ten year old. It led me to believe that this village was protected by some warlord or king. I was even more hopeful about finding Tadgh. As a warrior I always examined defences when I saw them. People had learned to hide behind walls when we came and I needed to know how to destroy those defences. These were only as high as I was. I could see beyond them into the village. It helped that I was bigger than most of the Hibernians but, even so, I would have had a higher wall and fighting platform if this had been mine to protect. I saw that, at the far side of the village, they had dumped their waste there. It stank like a midden!
By the time I had returned to the only gate the settlement had, Prince Butar had the men kneeling in a circle. He was addressing them through Seara. “You have tried to deceive me and for that alone I could raze your wooden walls to the ground.” The women nearby, who heard that began to whimper. “But I will not do that. Instead we will allow you to feed us and then, tomorrow we will be gone from here so long as I have your assurance that you will not tell anyone of our presence.” Seara paused as Butar held up his hand.
The village elder smiled and said som
ething. Seara said, “He so swears.”
Sweyn laughed, “I would not take his word that day followed night without the evidence of my own eyes.”
“And neither would I. Seara, which is the headman’s son. Do not point, just tell me where he is. Dragon Heart when he is identified, grab him and bind him.”
“He is the small boy hiding behind his mother; she is the one with the raven hair and the eyes like daggers.”
It was a good description. The woman oozed hatred while the boy’s eyes were wide with wonder. In four strides I was next to them and I reached down to grab the boy. The woman squealed and, pulling a knife, tried to stab me with it. The blow would have pierced my flesh had it not struck, first my cloak and then my byrnie. I reached out with my left hand and twisted her arm sharply. There was a crack and she dropped the weapon. I leaned down and picked up the dagger. “Seara, tell her I could kill her for that but I know she was protecting her son. If her husband keeps his word then the child will be returned unharmed.”
Seara translated and the woman began to wail. I do not think the news that her son was to be a hostage caused the wail but her broken wrist and my treatment of her. She barely looked at the boy and the headman also appeared unconcerned.
“Dragon Heart, take Seara and the boy on to my boat.”
The boy did not seem to struggle as I led him. Perhaps the treatment of his mother has made him wary of p[erhaps she was indifferent about him. Seara followed me gratefully. The boys who were guarding the boat were eager for news.
“My lord what has happened?”
“This boy is to be our hostage.” I looked at Seara, “What is his name?”
“Aidan.”
“His name is Aidan and he does not speak our language.” Snorri from my boat was the eldest of the ship’s boys. “Snorri he is your responsibility. Arrange watches and keep him tethered.” Snorri nodded and grinned. I pointed my newly acquired dagger at him, “He is not to be hurt. I will inflict any pain he receives on you. Understand?”
