by Hosker,Griff
Sigtrygg Rolfsson asked, "When will the ships get here?"
"It will be a long day dying, Sigtrygg. The drekar cannot move swiftly. She will have but a handful of men on the oars. The knarr? That is in the lap of the gods. If they give us a wind then they will reach us by noon."
Ulf did not honey his words. The enemy would be here by dawn and in such overwhelming numbers that they would force the walls and then take a terrible revenge on us. The hope was that some of us would survive. I did not know about the others but I believed that I would survive. Aiden and Kara would have understood the voice I heard in my head which told me that I would live and see my son born.
Nipper warned us. He was by the stables below us and he growled. I pointed to the beach, "Find Dream Strider." He ran off. Perhaps he would live. I hoped so.
I did not think that they would come while it was dark. They knew of our traps and the fact that four warriors had not returned was another warning. I hoped that they would have stayed up all night drinking themselves into a warrior fury. Wild warriors made more mistakes. Ulf and I were in my small tower. It was only big enough for two. Our Saami bows had a longer range than the others. We could hit them from a greater distance. We had a pot of burning coal with us and some fire arrows.
When the sun first began to appear Ulf said, "Today we fight until there is no hope left and then we fight some more. If this is our day to die then it is to help the Raven Wing Clan live. We will not throw our lives away but we will die hard!"
I looked at the new men: Gudrun Witch Killer and his comrades. "You owe the clan nothing, Gudrun. You have already served us by fighting as you have done. There is neither shame nor dishonour if you choose to leave. There are fishing boats for you to use."
He shook his head. "We came to you poor and without hope. You have given us mail, weapons and something to believe in. We took an oath and we will honour it!"
We saw the shadow that was a column of our enemies when the sun was well risen. They came down the greenway for it was safer that way. They came as a column eight men wide and six men deep. Their leader was not at the front. He and his hearth-weru walked at the rear. This was not two crews. He had reserves. I saw Gunnstein Gunnarson in the front rank.
From our lofty perch we could send an arrow over two hundred paces. We had plenty of arrows and I raised my bow. I released an arrow high and shouted, "Gunnstein Gunnarson! You are a traitor! Die!"
My voice carried across to them and he stared at me and then realised I had a bow in my hand. As he looked up my arrow plunged into his head. The column was disrupted and Ulf sent an arrow into a warrior who wore no mail in the third rank. They quickly reformed. Ulf and I began to send arrow after arrow towards those in the third and fourth ranks. Those warriors had no mail. They held up their shields for protection. We loosed twenty arrows in the hundred paces they took before they came within range of our other men on our walls. We only hit three but we made them slow up. Then the others began to rain their arrows at the same place. A gap began to appear between those with mail who were more reckless about our arrows and those with no mail. The number of arrows began to cause casualties. Few were mortal but they were effective. We would not be facing fifty men. If Guthrum the Skull wanted us dead he would need his reserves.
The men on the walls who had no bows now readied their spears. They would be used when the enemy tried to cross the ditch. The Frisians had brought no ladders. I wondered what they would do to bridge it. I hoped they might try to cross the stinking faeces covered pit. When they neared the outbuildings ten of them left the line and raced with their axes. They intended to use the buildings as a bridge. They would tear them down and use their timbers.
Ulf grinned as he lit a fire arrow. "I must have the mind of a Frisian! I thought they might try this." He sent an arrow into the roof of the stable. We had placed kindling there and on the tops of the other outbuildings. He sent another arrow into the wall. When a warrior tried to reach up and remove it I pinned his arm to the wall. As the flames caught they set fire to the warrior's beard. He tore his arm from the wall leaving flesh which began to burn. They ran to the next building but Ulf's arrows had already set them alight and there was now a wall of flames behind the Frisians. Guthrum the Skull was trapped on the other side. His men were leaderless.
The smoke and the flames panicked them and the men with spears found targets. As their bodies fell into the ditch some of the braver warriors risked stepping on their dead comrades to reach the wooden wall. I loosed the last of my arrows.
"I will go and help them on the walls."
Ulf turned and gave me a rare smile, "It has been an honour to see you grow into such a warrior. Make your son a good Viking, Hrolf the Horseman." He was saying farewell.
"And I will remember you and Siggi until the end of time. My son will hear of Ulf Big Nose and Siggi White Hair."
He turned and sent another fire arrow into a mailed warrior who had just stepped on to a body in the ditch. He began to burn. "Now go! We have talked enough. Now is the time to kill. Leave when you can or you must. I stay here!"
I slung my bow over my shoulders and descended the ladder. My shield was at the bottom. I picked up a spear. Turning to my men I said, "We are winning! They will need their reserves."
The dead and wounded bodies in the ditch were mounting up and the pressure from the warriors behind grew. I pulled back my arm and jabbed it at the head of a warrior trying to climb up the wall. The spear head scored a line along his arm and then gouged a lump out of his cheek. He tried to grab my spear with his wounded arm and pull me from the wall but I had been expecting the move. As he pulled I went with it and he began to lose his balance. I pulled the spear back and he lost his grip. He screamed as he impaled himself on a stake.
We were not having it all our own way and warriors had reached the fighting platform. I hurled my spear at a warrior who was just about to clamber over. It drove into his thigh and hip. He lost his grip and fell. Drawing Heart of Ice I ran towards the two Frisians who had just slain one of the new men, Kolbjorn Olvirson, and was about to strike Gudrun Witch Killer from behind. I brought my sword down on the back of his head. He had a good helmet but the force of it must have shattered his skull for he tumbled to the side and into the ditch.
Gudrun slew the man he had been fighting and turned, "Thank you, hersir. Kolbjorn has had vengeance!"
"They fall back!"
The flames had died a little and there was less smoke. The Frisians ran back from the walls. They had lost half of their number. Not all had died but enough to weaken their resolve. "See to the wounded. Who have we lost?"
"Karl the Tall and Kolbjorn Olvirson are in the Otherworld. I have a bloody arm and Arne Four Toes now has four fingers too!" Rurik did not sound downhearted by his wound. It was a badge of honour.
Arne shouted, "I can still fight Rurik One Ear."
"See to the wounds. Get some ale and some food. This is not over."
Suddenly Ulf shouted, "To the north, I see the knarr! They are coming!"
Suddenly we had hope. "Rurik, go down to the quay and wait for them. Load the horses as soon as they arrive."
"I can still fight."
"Then you can load the horses too. Go." I turned to Erik Green Eye. "I want you by the gate. When we leave you will need to open it and clear any Frisians who are on the other side. Erik Long Hair can help you."
So far they had not reached the gate but I was under no illusions. When they attacked next they would. I ascended to the fighting platform. "Can you see them, Ulf?"
"Aye and they have been busy. The other men were not the reserve they were cutting down logs. They intend to breach the wall."
"They are in for a shock then. There is earth behind the wood."
He shook his head. "They can bridge the ditch. Be ready to leave with the men. I will fire the walls."
"No! I will stay with you. It is a two man job at least!"
"No, Hrolf, I can do this. Once you followed my
orders. Do so again. Get the men to the quay. Prepare a shield wall for when they pursue you." He pointed to my hall. "You can fire your hall! It is your right to do so."
I nodded and raised my arm, "I salute you."
"And I will have this whole island to myself when you are gone! I will enjoy the peace!"
"Rurik, get the men down to the quay as soon as you have placed kindling around the walls. I will follow."
"And Ulf?"
"When he has fired the walls he will join us."
"Come on, you heard the hersir!"
I grabbed a brand. I saw Ulf sending arrow after arrow towards the advancing Frisians and I heard them cheer. They could see it was but one man. We did not have long. As I stepped out of the gate I saw the knarr. She was still over a thousand paces from the shore and with the wind against her the progress was painfully slow. I went into the hall. Everything that could have been taken was gone but what it held was irreplaceable. There were memories in every part of it. There was the room Mary had used. The corner she had sewed. There was the sleeping place where my child had been conceived. Soon they would all be gone save inside my head. I took the brand and went to the end room and lit the kindling which lay there. Then I did the same in the main hall. The turf had dried out, as had the wood, and the flames leapt up as I opened the door to step out. I headed back to the stockade and the gate. I heard the sound of logs ramming the walls. They would soon realise it was pointless and would use them as bridges. Even as I stepped inside I saw a Frisian climb the wall. I took a spear and hurled it at him. It caught him a glancing blow and he disappeared but others took his place. Then I saw Ulf turn and aim an arrow at me. It was a fire arrow. It smacked into the kindling by my feet and the flames leapt. He waved to me as he sent another five arrows towards the other walls. Finally, as Frisians poured over the walls he threw down the pot with the coals. It erupted at the bottom of the tower and I saw flames leap up towards Ulf.
"Ulf!"
He climbed on to the top of the tower and taking out his sword shouted, "I am Ulf Big Nose of the Raven Wing Clan! I have lived long enough. Allfather take me!" He dived down towards the mass of Frisians who had just poured over the walls. He landed amongst them and was on his feet in an instant. His whirling sword took heads and hands. Even as the flames and smoke stopped my view I saw that he was being hacked to death but I heard his cry at the end. "Raven Wing Clan!"
I turned and ran. The smoke made my eyes water. At least that was what I told myself. Half way down the slope my men waited in a shield wall. I saw, behind them, 'Kara' as she made the last tack. Soon she would land. When I reached my men I saw that the top of the slope was on fire. The flames had finally spread to the haunted farmhouse. The ghosts would have a home no more.
"Quickly Rurik, load the knarr. Erik Green Eye, Erik Long Hair, Gudrun. You stay with me. We will buy time."
I could hear cries and shouts from the burning stockade. As the smoke began to thin they would realise that they could get around the stables. I had one spear left. I pulled my shield around. The other three flanked me. We did not stand with locked shields. We just had to slow them and give the others time to get my horses on the knarr. They were my most valuable cargo. They were my family's future.
A handful of warriors burst through and I saw them shout to others. "Here they come. Remember we are just slowing them down. We back down the slope slowly."
The first eight men ran at us recklessly. I jabbed my spear not at the warrior's head which he protected with his shield but the knee he exposed. I jabbed and twisted. As the spear came out and his knee buckled I slashed my spear sideways at the next Frisian who was busy trying to spear Erik Green Eye. The head tore across his right arm and Erik stabbed him.
"Back!" We took two steps back while jabbing at the Frisians who were now more cautious. I saw more men emerging from the smoke. We had forty paces to go. I could hear my horses whinnying and Gilles singing to them. I shouted, "When they are loaded leave! We will use the fishing boats!"
A mailed Frisian charged at me swinging his axe. I thrust between strokes and my spear went into his middle. He was a big man and he grabbed the spear from my grasp. I drew Heart of Ice. Stepping forward I swung it at head height. It took the Frisian by surprise but he still managed to ram me in the side with his spear. Bagsecg's mail was good but the blow tore links and I was only saved by Mary's padded kyrtle.
"We are loaded! Run!"
There seemed to be too many of them for us to disengage without losses and then half a dozen arrows flew over our heads. As shields came up I stabbed forward as did my three companions. We all found flesh and there was a gap. We turned and ran. I held my shield above my back. I felt something heavy crash into it and I nearly fell. I saw that the knarr was forty paces from shore. Sigurd sat in one fishing boat and Skutal the other. We threw ourselves into them. The arrows from the overcrowded knarr kept the Frisians at bay.
Skutal lowered the sail and his nippy fishing boat leapt like a dolphin across the water. "That was as close as we could make it hersir. Another stride or two and they would have had us."
"Where is the drekar?"
"We did not have enough crew for her. The wind was against us. Sven sent the knarr." He shrugged. "He did not want to lose his new ship."
"I understand. I would have done the same in his position but will the knarr make it? She looks overcrowded."
"She is a sturdy vessel. She will make it." He nodded to the bow. "Hersir you had better see to Erik Long Hair. He has a wound."
I saw that Erik Long hair had taken a thrust to his thigh. It was bleeding heavily. I tore a piece of cloth from his kyrtle and cut a length of rope from the anchor. I wrapped the cloth around the wound and then tied the rope tightly. "You must release it regularly or you will lose the leg."
"Aye. That was a battle to remember. Less than twenty men held off two boatloads of Frisians!"
"Ulf's last stand will long be remembered."
"Did he go berserk?"
"No but he had little left to live for. He sacrificed his life so that we could live. He gave his life for me. He is happy now for he is in Valhalla. There will be heroes there who are jealous of his end."
I turned and watch my island home disappear in the east. There were few left, now, of the crew of our original drekar. We were starting afresh with a new longship in a new land. It would not be easy but we had learned from our mistakes. My small stockade had been well built but I could improve on that. We needed to make a citadel which could withstand attacks from large numbers of men. I had ideas. I knew that the next battle would be a battle for a home, our home. I would lead the clan and I would do so in memory of Siggi and Ulf.
Chapter 17
I was more worried about the horses than the knarr as we headed out beyond the headland to sail along the coast. The waters became choppier. I knew that Gilles would be watching my horses but I would have been happier if I was with them. Sigurd and Skutal kept us as close as they could to the knarr but we had to bail so much that the knarr gradually left us behind. The bailing helped us to forget our predicament. We were too busy working to think about drowning. It was almost dark when we turned east. I knew that the haugr was not far away but in the dark we had no way of knowing exactly where it was and there was the danger of running into the rocks or the causeway. We had had Ulf's nose the last time we had come here. He was now in Valhalla. In the end we almost ran into 'Kara' which had anchored.
Harold leaned over. "I would not risk running on to the rocks. Sven would tear me a new mouth if I did so."
I turned to Skutal, "Are we in any danger?"
"No hersir. We are shallow and if you keep watch from the prow then we should be safe enough.
"We will land and I will get the others to light torches and guide you in. My horses have spent long enough afloat."
"Aye and we have spent long enough with their dung too!"
"How are they Gilles?"
"They miss you lord but they wi
ll last a little while longer."
With Sigurd close by we headed towards the beach. I saw the tell tale bubbles of white water. "To the left! Rocks!" Skutal eased us more to steerboard. I noticed that the water became calmer. Soon I saw the beach and we ground on to the sand. I jumped into the water which came up to my knees. The bottom was sandy."Sail back to Harold and have him follow you."
"He will ground her here, lord."
"It will not hurt the knarr for this is sand." The two fishing boats pushed off again. Erik Green Eye joined me. "Have you a flint?"
"Aye."
"Find something to fire and I will find driftwood." I was taking a risk. I was gambling that the nearest folk to us would be our people. A fire would attract them and we would find our new home. I hurried along the beach. As I had expected there was dried wood above the waterline. I retraced my steps and found Erik. He had some dried grass from the dunes. He managed to get a flame and by blowing on the dried grass and kindling we managed to get a fire going. The knarr now had a beacon.
I peered down the beach. When we had raided we had not needed to travel north of the haugr. I remembered some dunes and they looked to be a mile north of the haugr. Was that where we were? I heard the flap of the sail as it was furled behind me. The knarr loomed up out of the dark. Its bow ground on the sand. It lurched and the horses whinnied. I ran down, "Get the gangplank out. Gilles, lead Night Star and I will lead Dream Strider. The others will follow."
I pulled myself aboard and untied my stallion. "Come boy. You have done well. We have a new home." He trusted me and followed me across the gangplank and on to the sand. I handed the reins to Erik. Soon we had all six horses ashore. Saddle them and I will ride to the haugr with Gilles. We will light beacons for you."
Rurik said, "What of us?"
"Stay aboard. You warriors are now the treasure of the clan. You must be protected as carefully as gold. Give me the chest Ulf gave for my wife."
He clambered back aboard and brought it to me. Gilles and I mounted our horses and, each leading two mares, we rode down the sand. In the dark nothing was familiar but when I smelled wood smoke I knew that there were houses close by. Then I saw a darkened lump to my left. It was the island and we were close to the haugr. I headed slightly right and saw another mound rising and the pin prick of a watch fire. When Bagsecg said, in very poor Frank, "Who goes there?" Then I knew we had found our new home.
