Blood on the Blade

by Griff Hosker

  “When I was but a little older than you, I had to defend a larger drekar. I killed my first warrior, a Walhaz on that day. If Saxons come do not hesitate.”

  “We will not.”

  As I clambered over the side, I could smell man. The fields nearby had been tilled. There were animals. I could hear them. I could smell their dung and I could also smell wood smoke. I hurried into the dark after the others. Galmr was at the rear of the line of warriors. He turned as I approached. He just nodded. We would make no unnecessary noises.

  Distance is hard to estimate in the dark. I had been counting my steps. I was half way through my second thousand when we stopped. I could see the silhouette of a building some way ahead. It was a church. I swung my shield around as I waited. Snorri would be sending men to surround the settlement. There were sounds ahead as people spoke in their homes. We were invisible in the darkness to the south. Behind me the river made noises. They would be familiar to those who lived in this village. The line moved forward until there was just Arne, Siggi and Galmr with my uncle and Leif. There was a hedge before us and beyond it I saw the shapes of dwellings. He pointed to Galmr, me and Arne. He circled his left arm. We were to head to the north. We would encircle the settlement. Galmr nodded and Arne and I followed him.

  We moved along the hedge. I guessed that the Mercians had planted it to give some protection from the west winds. Behind us, in the field, I heard the sound of sheep as they moved in the dark. I had counted a hundred steps when Galmr saw a gap and he headed towards it. There was no grass beneath my feet. This was a well-worn path. When we stepped through, I saw that Asbjorn and two others were already there. They crouched behind a crude Saxon hut. It was made of wattle and daub. Smoke spiralled from the opening at the top of the conical shaped roof. I saw sparks within. To the right lay another one and the left, a third. There was nothing behind us.

  Galmr gestured for Arne and me to move to his right. As we did so, we drew our swords. My uncle would initiate the attack. He would be attacking from the river side towards the church. We could see it now as it loomed up higher than any other building we could see. It had a wooden cross which rose from its roof. The cry, when it came from the dark, made me jump a little for the silence had been complete. Those in the huts close to us must have been asleep. This was the time of the short nights when darkness meant repose.

  The two of us stepped towards the two huts. I went right and Arne went left. The door obligingly opened and a Saxon stood there. He saw me and started to shout something. I lunged and my sword went into his middle. He reeled back into the hut. Women screamed and, in the light of the fire I saw a woman and two children. We had to eliminate the men. I turned and left. I heard the clash of metal on metal. There were men defending their homes. Screams and shouts now filled the air. I ran to Arne. He had a bloody blade too. We turned and headed towards the church. If there was an eorledman then he would have a hall there. There had been no palisade around the huts. Perhaps this settlement had few warriors.

  I heard Snorri’s voice, “Clan of the Fox!”

  We hurried to the sound of battle. Unlike the raid on Mann here we knew every warrior. We could identify each warrior by his shape, helmet, stance and weapon. Arne and I saw two men with spears running towards the church. They were not our men. As we neared them, they must have smelled us and they turned. Their spears were their undoing. As the one closest to me swung it I hacked down and severed it just behind the spear head. He now had a stick and a shield. As his hand went to his sword, I punched him hard and the boss of my shield hit his hand. I brought my sword over from behind and hit him on his helmet. It made my arm shiver. I cursed my eagerness. I should have used the flat of the blade. I would have taken off the edge. The blow was effective. He must have been bareheaded beneath his metal helmet for he fell to the ground. Arne was pulling his sword from the body of the dead Mercian he had slain as I heard Snorri’s voice once more. The Mercians were fighting hard.

  Galmr and Asbjorn joined us. We had more than one third of the crew with us. The ten warriors we saw were pushing back my uncle and his men. I saw Siggi lying on the ground. He did not appear to be moving. Galmr shouted, “Clan of the Fox!” And we hurled ourselves into the back of the Saxon line. Our shout made them turn and gave Snorri and the others hope. I blocked the Saxon sword and half dropped to my knee. I was not sure of the edge of my blade but I knew that I had a tip. I lunged up and under the Saxon’s round shield. He had pulled back his sword to swing at me again but my move disorientated him and the tip of my sword slid up under his ribs and, as I rose, I drove it deep within his body.

  A mailed warrior was fighting Snorri. Around him oathsworn, well-armed and trained were fighting hard but we now had two men to every one of theirs. Men speak of glory and honour. There had been honour when we had fought the Danes. We had allowed their leader and ours to fight to the death. These were Saxons; these were victims. While I engaged a warrior with a byrnie and a helmet with a mask, Arne sank his sword into his back. Snorri’s sword ended the resistance when he drove his sword under the chin of the eorledman.

  As much as my uncle wished to see to his son we had a settlement to secure. “Asbjorn take two men and get to the church before the priests take their treasure. Finn and Butar, come with me and we will search the hall. Gandálfr take any men who are left and search the rest of the buildings.” He turned to me, “Erik, see to my son!”

  As they hurried off, I knelt next to Siggi’s body. I put my hand to his neck and I could feel a beat. He lived still. I took off his helmet. There was a large dent in it and my hand came away bloody. He had been struck on the helmet. His head protector had not been thick enough. There was a hut behind me. I stepped over the body of the Mercian man who lay there, gutted. The hut was empty. His family had fled. I grabbed a skin. It would either have ale or water within it. I also picked up the end of a burning log and carried it outside. I laid it close to Siggi’s head and poured the liquid on his scalp. It was ale. I put some to his lips. I saw that his head had been cut and his skull cracked. This was for a healer and not me. I suspected that leaving him lying on the ground might be the best thing. I wrapped his cloak around him.

  I was just standing when the Saxon whose helmet I had struck lurched towards me. His helmet had gone and his face was covered in blood. The blow had hurt him but he had seen me by the light of the brand. I easily stepped away from the swashing blow. I did not want to kill him for I now saw that he was even younger than I was. I said in Saxon, “If you attack me, I will kill you. I give you a life. Go!” In answer he lunged at my middle. It was a clumsy blow and I pirouetted out of the way and struck him in the back with the flat of my blade. “The next one will be with the edge and you will die!”

  He glared at me and shouted, “I am not afraid of you!” Then he ran, leaving his helmet, shield and spear behind.

  My uncle, with Arne and Leif came towards me. “My son?”

  “He lives but he has a wound to the head. I am not a healer. I washed the wound with ale and gave him some to drink.”

  I saw the relief on his face. “The three of you carry him to the drekar. He will be safer there and bring ‘Njörðr’ up river to here. We have captured great quantities of grain and treasure.” He pointed to the body of Tafæistr. “We have lost warriors.”

  I nodded. Arne and Leif placed Siggi’s shield beneath his head and back. His lower body and feet hung over the edge but his head would not move. I led them back to the hedgerow and then along the river bank. I did not want to move quickly for fear of worsening the wound. It seemed to take an age before I smelled our drekar. She was well hidden.

  Stig appeared from the undergrowth. He held my spear. “We heard you coming and I was ready.”

  I smiled, “Good, now prepare the ship to move. When my cousin is aboard, we will sail upstream.”

  By the time we had managed to get Siggi aboard and lay him, covered by a cloak and fur, by the prow where ‘Njörðr’ could protect him, the b
oys had untied us and we had drifted out into the middle of the river and we were heading downstream. I took off my helmet and put the steering board in the centre. We were clear of any trees. “Raise the sail. Eidel, lookout!” Fuelled by the need to get to the clan they managed to raise the sail and we moved against the current.

  The river headed north by north east. The wind came from the north and west. ‘Njörðr’ was a forgiving ship and I managed to make us move towards the settlement. We would not make rapid progress. I shouted, “Arne, how is Siggi?”

  “He breathes, brother.”

  The wind was not a strong one but the river was straight. As we edged up it, I saw the first lightening of the sky. The short summer night was coming to an end. What would we find? Stig shouted, “Erik, I see the houses and there looks to be a quay.”

  “We will sail beyond it and turn. Leif, have the boys ready to tie us up.” It was still too dark to see much as we sailed beyond the houses but I saw Butar Beer Belly. He waved as we passed and then turned to head up to the church which could now be seen on the skyline. By the time we had turned the sky was light enough to see that we had attacked a village which was bigger than we might have expected. The lack of palisade had made us think it was small enough to be taken by twenty men! “Lower the sail.” I let the current and the momentum of the drekar bump us next to the quay.

  The boys tied us up and Leif and Arne, after putting out the gangplanks, went ashore. As much as I wanted to join them, I was the navigator. I had to be ready to leave. We had not touched the women and the children. They had fled. I knew not what lay to the north and east. “Sven, leave Stig with Siggi. You and Eidel lift the deck and then go ashore and help to load the drekar.”

  “Aye, Erik.”

  I took my wooden board and marked the village with a cross. I put in the river turns as I could remember them. When we headed back to the sea, I would have Stig correct any mistakes. If we came back to this river I would sail better.

  The sun had risen fully by the time that our men began to bring back the treasure. There were sacks of grain. We had wheat, oats and barley. If we had nothing else then the raid had already been a success. Asbjorn came aboard with the first of the grain sacks. He looked at Siggi and then came down the drekar to speak with me. “How is he?”

  “He lives. We need to get him home. His mother is a volva. She can heal him. Do we have much treasure?”

  He smiled, “The Norns were, indeed, spinning. We found a thrall hall. There were eight Vikings within. They were from Ljoðhús and they raided last year. They were unlucky for King Ceolwulf had been visiting the church. This is the church of St. Elphin and the King of Mercia was endowing it. The warriors who attacked lost half of their crew. These eight are the only survivors. Others were killed or died. They are in a bad way but they have already sworn to join the Clan of the Fox.”

  I nodded, “Wyrd.”

  “Aye, just so. We know that there are none others close by. Snorri has sent men to fetch in as many animals as we can find. We will load what we can and slaughter the rest.” He turned to leave.

  “Asbjorn, I would not sail a heavily laden drekar down this river at night. We used up all of our luck last night.”

  “Aye, you did well. I will tell Snorri.”

  It was noon by the time the hold was full. As well as the grain we had treasures from the church and many weapons. The Saxons had good swords. We had two mail byrnie and the helmets could be melted down. With the deck replaced I had the barrels of ale and salted meat stored along the sides. I heard the sound of cattle and sheep as they were driven towards us.

  My uncle appeared. “We have two cows in calf. We take those first.”

  The two animals were led up and I had them tethered by the mast fish. They were in the centre of the drekar and the widest part. There they could do the least damage. We then boarded a ram and ten ewes. The ewes were all young. They would be close to me at the steering board. It could not be helped. We had to leave room for the rowers. We still had room and so we loaded a boar and two sows. I had those tethered at the prow. The wounded were brought on board. Only Úlfgeirr would not be able to row. He had a gashed arm. Then our men began to slaughter as many animals as they could. The eight thralls came aboard. Asbjorn had told me that they had been dressed in rags. The dead had been stripped and now they were better dressed. Their life would begin anew.

  They looked in surprise as they saw the youth at the steering board. One, I later learned that his name was Æimundr Loud Voice said, “Do you not have an older navigator?”

  My brother was close by and he snarled, “Insult my brother again and you will not need to worry about being taken by Saxons for I will feed your carcass to the fishes.”

  An older warrior smiled, “I am sorry for Æimundr Loud Voice. We are used to him. He gives voice to thoughts when others keep them hidden. Forgive him. I am Kalman Peacemaker and I am the one who leads these warriors you have rescued.”

  Mollified Arne said, “Where do you want them brother?”

  “We will wait until I see which oars are empty.”

  It was just two hours after noon when we had finished loading the drekar. The bloody carcasses, hides and skins were just laid on the deck. We put them close to the pigs. The other animals would be unsettled by the smell of death.

  We made the open sea an hour before the sun set. I had marked as much on my map as I could. I had seen where the Saxons looked to have begun work on a palisade. It was in the south bank of the river just a mile or so from the mouth. I was not sure if we would raid here but it had been productive. Arne, who had helped to collect the animals, told me of a bull he had seen in a field. Too dangerous to take on a ship this land was close enough to make a raid over land and take the animals. First, we would have to deal with the Danes who had begun to raid there too.

  The wind was against us for the first part of the voyage home. We could tack but we were anxious to get Siggi to the volva. We rowed and Snorri gave us our first chant.

  The Clan of the Fox has no king

  We will not bow nor kiss a ring

  We fled our home to start anew

  We are strong in heart though we are few

  Lars the jarl fears no foe

  He sailed the ship from Finehair’s woe

  Drekar came to end our quest

  Erik the Navigator proved the best

  When Danes appeared to thwart our start

  The Clan of the Fox showed their heart

  While we healed the sad and the sick

  We built our home, Larswick

  The Clan of the Fox has no king

  We will not bow nor kiss a ring

  We fled our home to start anew

  We are strong in heart though we are few

  When Halfdan came with warriors armed

  The Clan of the Fox was not alarmed

  We had our jarl, a mighty man

  But the Norns they spun they had a plan

  When the jarl slew Halfdan the Dane

  His last few blows caused great pain

  With heart and arm he raised his hand

  ‘The Clan of the Fox is a mighty band!’

  The Clan of the Fox has no king

  We will not bow nor kiss a ring

  We fled our home to start anew

  We are strong in heart though we are few

  I was touched that I was mentioned. The men at the oars sang it for an hour. It helped to bond the new men. After an hour I shouted, “In oars! I will take the wind!” I put the steering boar over to let the wind from the west take us towards the coast. By tacking a little we could sail all the way to the Loyne and the men could rest. I looked up at the sky and thanked the Allfather. I had sailed on my first raid and the drekar and the crew were safe. I was a navigator!

  Chapter 13

  We reached the river after dark. There were brands burning at the quay and the tide was on the turn. I thanked the Allfather. We had made it safely home. I would be glad to get the a
nimals from the drekar. They had become distressed the further north we went. As a result, it would be many hours before the ship’s boys and me would be able to head to the stad. Snorri came aft as the deck was lifted and men brought out the grain. He clasped my arm, “Erik, you have done more than any could have expected. You are due a larger share than those who rowed.”

  I shook my head, “I am one of the crew and I was lucky. I would not tempt the Norns by talking more credit than I am due. I am learning and I will continue to learn for many years to come.”

  When the sacks had been removed, I had the decking laid on the side of the river. With pails of river water, we cleansed them. While they dried, I had the three ship’s boys help me to wash down the gunwale and remove the salt from the prow. By the time we had replaced the deck poor Eidel was asleep on his feet. I picked up my chest, “Come you have done enough. I doubt that we will raid again for a while. It will just be fishing from the snekke for you.”

  As we headed up to the stronghold, I wondered how Siggi had fared. He had not woken during the voyage but he appeared to be at peace. I know that Snorri had worried about his son. The gate was still open when we reached it. I saw that there were now warriors watching it.

  Finn the Scar closed it and barred it behind us, “Your father has made new rules. We close the gates at dusk. We were just waiting for you.”

  I pointed to the animals which were now penned on the far side of the church. “Were it not for those beasts then we would have been back sooner!”

  He laughed, “They have stayed food for you.” He pointed, “Here is your brother to fetch you.” He turned to close the gate.

  Arne put an arm around my shoulder. I asked, “How is Siggi?”

  “His eyes are open and he can speak but he remembers nothing of the voyage or the battle.” He shook his head. “I am going to add more padding to my helmet.”

  On the way north, I had thought of the raid and what we had seen and left behind. “You know that if we wanted that bull, we could get it. We could raid across the land. It is only forty or so miles.”