by Griff Hosker
“I will and I will see you again, on the Wall.”
We headed up the Roman Road which led north. There were neither towns nor settlements on the route we took, just isolated farms and houses. The people of this land led a lonely existence. They were not Saxons and they were not Britons. They were survivors. Armies and dynasties came and went and they eked out a living. They were to be admired. As I watched Hogan Lann and Penda talking to each other at the head of the column I realised this could not have happened a few years ago. Even last year it would have been unthinkable. The dream in the cave had, indeed, begun an avalanche of change.
Myrddyn rode next to me. I had missed him in the depths of winter when he had been in the tomb. “Were you not cold in the cave?”
He shook his head. “It was as warm as my room in the fort. The men who worked there with me were happy to be there out of the wind, snow and rain. And you, Lann,” he had lowered his voice although the warriors assigned by Pol to protect me kept a decent distance, “how is your mind?”
“My mind?”
“I know that my news upset you and it changed you a little. The attempt on your family could not have helped. Now you seem a little more like your old self.”
“It was a shock but, as you say, I am over that particular obstacle. All men die and I have lived longer than most. My father, Aideen, King Urien, Pasgen and Raibeart all died without saying goodbye. What made me think that I would be different? The change you see is that I know what I must do before my time.” I nodded at the guards. “You didn’t say anything to Hogan Lann did you? These guards are a new addition.”
“No, I said nothing but you have given him more responsibility. Perhaps he has second sight too.”
“Perhaps.”
We were approaching the river called the Lune and I saw some movement at the front of the column. I spurred Mona on. She was not a warhorse but she was a good travelling mount. I reached Hogan Lann as Aedh was reporting to him. He turned to look at me as I approached but I gave him an irritated shake of the head. Until we reached the Saxons this would be Hogan Lann’s column to lead.
“We have found a defended settlement. It is on the other side of the river on a low bluff overlooking the estuary. It guards the crossing.”
Hogan Lann looked at me and Lann Aelle who had joined us. “We have to eliminate this threat. Even if we could get by them they would send word to King Edwin.”
They all looked at me. I sighed and said, wearily, “I agree. It needs only Bors and Daffydd.”
Hogan Lann grinned. “We are of one mind Warlord. Bors, take fifty of your men and fifty of Daffydd’s. Aedh take your scouts and stop any escaping from the settlement.”
As Aedh turned to leave I said, “I will accompany you Aedh. I need to get a feel for war again.”
They all stared at me. “But you have no need, father.”
“I know and that is why I will do it. You do not think me too old do you, son?”
He gave me a rueful smile. I had outfoxed him again. “No, Warlord, just be careful.”
“Of course and I will not need your warriors, Aedh and his men are more than enough protection for an old man.” I saw the scouts sit a little straighter in their saddles. Praise was never wasted.
Morcar kicked his horse forward. “No, Morcar. I need no banner. You remain with Myrddyn. Lead on Aedh, I will try to keep up.”
We headed upstream. It was a pleasant wooded valley and I could see the attraction of the site they had chosen. I rode next to Aedh. We did not ride quickly. Although Daffydd had his archers mounted, Bors and his men were afoot.
Aedh pointed upstream. “We found a ford and we will cross there.”
“Does the settlement have a palisade?”
“Aye Warlord, and a ditch too. It looks to have been built on the site of a Roman fort.”
When we had travelled south to settle in Gwynedd we had not touched the coast. We had kept to a route away from all roads and settlements. Prince Pasgen and his people had been a powerful force when they had left for Rheged. They would not have been bothered by one fort. We had to destroy it.
The water was icy and came up to my knees. Bors and his men would have a soaking. I knew they would curse the fool who ordered them through the water. They would have mail to clean and oil when this day was over. I lifted Saxon Slayer and its magnificent scabbard above my head. I could, at least, keep my weapon dry.
We waited on the river bank as Bors and his men struggled across. The archers helped them and many of Bors’ men hung on to the saddles of the archers. It made life a little easier.
We spent a short time drying off and tightening girths on saddles. Aedh pointed downstream. “The village is just three miles down the river.” He did not insult either captain by telling them how they ought to tackle the walls. “We will spread ourselves out east of the walls. We will pick up any who try to escape.”
Bors snorted, “Then you will have little to do for none will escape.”
Bors looked like a younger version of his father Mungo. He was the biggest warrior in my army and like his father before him he carried the mighty war hammer favoured by the men of Strathclyde. It looked like a child’s toy in his mighty hand.
“Do not be overconfident Bors. The spirits are watching!”
He looked suitably abashed. “Sorry, Warlord.”
When the hundred warriors had left us we looked a pitiful handful. There were just twenty of us in total and I was the only one in armour. I was not worried. Aedh and his scouts were amongst the best warriors I had. They could hide in plain sight, ride faster than any and find tracks on rocks. When it came to fighting they could kill silently and against great odds. They had no armour but they had skill and speed. I was not afraid of any Northumbrians who might come our way.
Aedh held his hand up. I smiled. It was not for his men it was for me. I dismounted and we walked up a dome shaped piece of ground. Aedh circled his hand and four men took the reins of the horses and led them away from the skyline. The rest of the scouts bellied up to the edge of the low rise. There, some eight hundred paces away was the settlement. We were able to look down on it and see everything.
It was larger than I had thought. The gates were open and the Northumbrians were not expecting trouble. I saw some stables, recognisable by the horses being attended to outside. It looked to me as though there might be two hundred people living there. I wondered why until I saw the cross on the top of the building. It was a church of the White Christ. Then it struck me that this was a smaller version of St.Asaph. This was a monastery. The supporters of the White Christ were very sociable and liked to gather around their crosses.
Aedh drew my attention to my advancing men. The archers and Bors’ warriors were filtering up through the trees which lined the river. They were heading for the open gate. I saw twenty archers and warriors detach themselves and head north towards the northern gate. We were too far to hear anything but we watched as Daffydd’s archers took out the warriors who were on the walls. Bors led the charge to the gate and we saw a furious battle ensue as the defenders tried to close the gates. It was futile and the huddle of Northumbrian bodies in the gateway told their own story.
Aedh said, “Let’s get mounted.” He pointed to the northern gate. The warriors had not reached it in time and eight men rode out.
I clambered on to Mona’s back. I took my shield from my saddle and put it over my left arm. There had been a time when I could have done that in a moment when dictated by action. Now I needed to be prepared.
Aedh led the line of scouts to cut off the Northumbrians. We were hidden below the skyline although Aedh could still see them. I took my place at the end of the line. Aedh and his men knew what they were doing. I was just becoming familiar with combat once more.
We dropped into a dell and then, as we galloped up the other side I saw the Northumbrians. They were just a hundred paces from Aedh. The Saxons were better armed but Aedh and his men had a variety of weapons. As I watche
d, Aedh drew a javelin and hurtled towards the leading rider. It seemed that they had not seen us until that moment. I watched as panic set in. The first four riders tried to turn north. Two wheeled their horses around to head back to the fort but it was the last two who attracted my attention. They both jerked their horses’ heads around and headed for the rear of our line. Most of Aedh’s men were riding swiftly and the move caught them by surprise. The scout in front of me hurled his javelin but he hurried his throw and he missed. The two warriors aimed their horses at him. He drew his sword to defend himself but the force of their attack threw him to the ground.
As soon as I had seen them I had drawn Saxon Slayer and, even as the scout was falling to the ground, I was swinging my sword. I launched Mona at the nearest rider. I slashed down and the razor sharp edge of Saxon Slayer sliced through his arm close to the elbow. He involuntarily jerked his mount’s head around and they fell to the earth in an untidy heap.
The other rider spurred his horse and it leapt away. Mona was no warhorse but she was one of the best horses we had and I allowed her to open her legs. She began to eat up the ground. The Saxon had a head start and I think he hoped to be able to outrun me. I was the only one close enough to catch him for Aedh and his scouts were busily chasing the other Northumbrians.
The ground was undulating. On the downhill sections the Saxon held his lead but Mona’s strength paid off on the uphill sections and each rise brought me closer and closer to the Northumbrian. I saw that he wore a full helmet and was wearing mail as I was. I saw that his sword was a typical Saxon sword, it was short and broad. If he fought me I would have the advantage of length.
I saw his bearded face as he turned to gauge the distance. He must have seen that I was alone and would soon catch him. We reached the top of a rise and he turned his horse to face me. I wondered, as I tightened my shield, if he had ever fought from the back of a horse before. It was not as easy as it might have looked. When he swung his sword at me I knew that he had not. His swing almost took his horse’s head off. I nudged Mona forward and she pushed against the Northumbrian’s mount. His was a horse for riding. It had not been trained as well as Mona.
I swung my sword overhand and brought it down on to his shield. There was a loud crack and I saw a long sliver of wood slip from the middle. He had learned his lesson and he brought his sword around in a long sweep as he attempted to do the same thing to my shield. Mine was a well made shield and he looked in horror as his sword banged into my leather coated shield and made not a mark. I kicked hard again and Mona pushed forward. He was finding it hard to control both his horse and his shield. I saw the gap and stabbed forwards. My blade punched into his mail. Some of the mail rings cracked and the tip struck his leather byrnie. He tumbled backwards from his horse.
I dismounted, somewhat awkwardly I must confess. I noticed that his horse ran away but Mona just stood patiently waiting for my command. The Northumbrian struggled to his feet. He had held on to his sword and his shield was still attached by his shoulder strap. He was a young warrior and he must have seen my greybeard as an invitation to finish me off swiftly. The fact was that I was not as mobile as I had been but I knew I was a better swordsman with a superior weapon.
He launched himself at me, hitting my shield with a flurry of blows. All he succeeded in doing was blunting his own weapon. I allowed him to waste his energy and, when he paused to get his breath I sliced horizontally at his shield. There was already a vertical crack going from the boss and when Saxon Slayer struck another chip flew from his shield and a second crack appeared. His defence was weakening.
He changed his attack and began aiming for my head. My Byzantine helmet was the best that there was and the inner padded leather cap also gave me protection. Even so I blocked his first blow with my shield. He feinted for his next blow. I anticipated that he would try to hit my sword arm and I parried it with Saxon Slayer. I felt his arm shiver as tiny fragments of metal flew from his blade. I was tiring now and I needed to end this. As he closed with me a second time I hit his shield with all of my strength. The shield shattered into two pieces leaving him holding the boss in his left hand. I did not give him time to recover and I head butted him with my helmet. I heard the crack as his nose broke and he fell to the ground. He was helpless and I skewered him through the neck. He bled his life away on that hillside still wondering how an old man had got the better of him.
I heard hooves behind me as Aedh and four of his riders rode up. Aedh was grinning. “That is a silver piece you owe me Dai.”
I saw a warrior throw a coin to Aedh. “What is that all about?”
“I bet Dai here that you would not only catch your Saxon but kill him too.”
“How is the young warrior who was hit?”
“He is more embarrassed than anything. He has a broken arm and hurt pride. He will be relieved that you live still. He, too, was convinced that you had gone to the Otherworld.”
I mounted Mona which Dai held for me. “Not yet, Aedh, not yet.”
Chapter 12
When we reached the settlement the bodies were being placed on a pyre for burning. As I had hoped our attack had caught them by surprise and no word had got out of our presence. The ones I had pursued had been the only ones to escape. There were prisoners; most of them were Northumbrian. I had Bors assemble a party of warriors who had been slightly wounded and they would escort them to Deva and then return north.
There were, however, six others who had been enslaved by the Northumbrians. Two of them were older women whose husbands had farmed to the north and their men folk had died at the hands of the invaders. Four of them were young women three of whom had come from Rheged but one, Morgause, had been taken from Mona during one of their raids. She had been cruelly treated by both the Northumbrians and the other women. I wondered why for she was stunningly beautiful with hair the colour of a sunset over Mona.
My attention was drawn to her by Morcar who had found her cowering in a hut, fearful for her life. “We should return her to our home, Warlord. My mother could take her in and look after her.”
It was a thoughtful gesture. “You are right nephew. She can return to Deva with Bors’ men.”
“No! She will be mistreated. You cannot let a young girl be alone with warriors. She can accompany us. She is a healer too.”
Myrddyn suddenly took an interest. “How do you know?”
“She told me. She knows about herbs and the remedies from Mother Earth.”
Myrddyn always had a soft spot for the followers of the Mother cult. Some called them witches and perhaps that explained why the others did not like her. “She may be useful. An extra healer is always welcome.”
“Very well but you two look out for her. I have no time for distractions.”
Morcar looked delighted. It was as though someone had brought him a puppy. Morgause, for her part, was also overjoyed and the two became inseparable. They were good for each other and Lann Aelle and I noticed the difference in our relative. He was now more like the Morcar before the abduction.
We pushed on north. The other former captives would be returned to their homes. They came from the area just south of Wide Water, on the coast. I had never visited there but they told Hogan Lann that the river which flowed from Wide Water finished by their village. We decided that it might be a better way to Kay’s fort at the head of the lake. We reached their village as the sun began to set and the rain started to fall. The villagers withdrew, fearfully, behind their flimsy walls. They would not have withstood an attack. Hogan Lann showed his qualities when he persuaded them that we were friends and we were welcomed. We did not eat their food for we had brought our own. We knew that these people lived a hand to mouth existence. We did however learn much about the people there.
They were the last remnants of the people who had followed Prince Pasgen north. Whilst the equites who had survived had join Kay at Wide Water the rest of the men had taken to farming, hunting and fishing. Some of the older men came up to me and tol
d me that they had served with me on the island of Mona and in the early campaigns. It made me feel my age for all the ones who did so were old men fit only for mending nets and herding cattle.
Prince Pasgen’s dream had been ended not by the sword but by disease and that was not the way a warrior should die.
The rain made the journey up the river valley an unpleasant experience but we knew that we only had a few hours of discomfort before we would be in Kay’s fort. He had been warned of our imminent arrival by Aedh’s scouts and we hoped that would ensure comfort, for a few hours at least.
I noticed that Myrddyn now travelled with Morcar and Morgause. He seemed quite taken with the young girl. If it had been anyone else I would have said that he was attracted to her but Myrddyn was like the priests of the White Christ and did not think of such things. It was her mind and her skills which appealed to him. He quickly discovered that she truly was a healer. She even had one or two potions of which he was unaware.
Morcar was definitely attracted to her and I think the feeling was mutual. It was good to see my nephew regaining his humour. I rode at the fore of the column now with Hogan Lann and Lann Aelle.
“It seems Morcar is smitten eh?”
Lann Aelle chuckled, “He is, Hogan Lann. Perhaps coming back to Rheged will return the warrior we lost in Hibernia.”
I nodded to Hogan Lann. “Hogan was abducted as was Cadwallon. It did not make them morose.”
“Do not be hard on our cousin father, we are all different warriors. I knew that my father would find me. Morcar’s father was not there for him.”
Perhaps they were right. I was being a little hard on Morcar. He was a man but a young man. He had not had the training that these two had. I decided that I would make allowances for him. But I had looked into his heart and it worried me.
Kay had grown in stature since he had come north. He had been the reason we had returned to Rheged. He had told Prince Pasgen that the people of Rheged still yearned for their own ruler. Sadly that had not lasted long for Prince Pasgen and the devastating plague they had suffered had hit Kay and his warriors too. I was pleased with his greeting. There was genuine relief that the Warlord had returned.
