Viking Wrath

by Griff Hosker

  "It is Ragnar's Spirit. What have you heard?"

  "It was touched by the gods. I heard it was destroyed."

  "It was damaged. I have had it repaired."

  Her forefinger reached out and she touched the blue stone in the pommel. He eyes closed briefly and a look of ecstasy came over her face. "A powerful weapon. I now understand why you are so successful. The Gods smile upon you."

  I held out my arm and led her into the hall. As we entered I saw that Elfrida, who had been absent from the gathering, had been preparing food. My wife Erika would have loved my son's young wife. She had no faults that I could see. If Erika had been alive she would have approved whole heartedly of her.

  As we sat around the table and food and drink were shared Angharad spoke with Elfrida and Kara. She smiled at me. I noticed, for the first time, that the smile was with her lips and not her eyes. She appeared to be analysing me. I became suspicious. She suddenly took her gaze from me and spoke. Her words made me wonder if she could read my thoughts. "You will be wondering why we came to visit here." I nodded, "Your reputation as a warrior has come to the attention of my brother and he asked if you would hire out your warriors to fight for him against the King of Wessex, Egbert." She glanced at my son, "We know there is little love lost between your peoples."

  I smiled my own false smile in return. "We do not hire out our swords. When we fight it is to protect what we have. We have little desire to die for another man."

  "I heard you took gold from King Egbert. Perhaps I heard wrong." She shook her head as though it did not matter. "You would be richly rewarded."

  I spread my arm around the hall, "We have all the reward we need from this land." She inclined her head in acceptance of my decision. "It seems your journey has been wasted."

  "Not so, Jarl Dragon Heart. I also came because your daughter also has a great reputation as a volva. I am the High Priestess of my people. I would talk with your daughter and her women. I am sure that we have much to learn from each other."

  My daughter looked as excited about the prospect as Angharad. "It would be good, father, for me to learn from another volva. As High Priestess this lady will know magic which can help our people. Mother died before she could teach me all of her skills."

  I could not see how it would hurt us and so I stood, "Then you are welcome to stay but I should warn you that soon the weather will change and this land becomes cold and hostile. Unless you wish to stay the winter you had best keep an eye on Olaf and the skies."

  My daughter scowled, "Father! That is not polite. It sounds as though you are telling our guest to leave."

  I kissed my daughter on the forehead, "No, my daughter, I am being practical. Our guests need to know what our weather is like. This is not On Corn Walum. The weather here, as you know, can change in the blink of an eye."

  Angharad nodded too, "Your father is right although we did know about your climate." She closed her eyes, "The weather will not change for another half moon. We have time for us to get to know each other."

  My daughter looked excited, "You can detect the weather too?"

  "Yes, my child. I can teach you. Come we have much to share and may skills to discover."

  My son escorted me out to our horses. "She seems harmless enough, father; what troubles you?"

  "I do not know but we have rarely had visitors who brought us good fortune." I shrugged, "Kara seems happy enough and she has the spirits to guide her." I pointed to the warrior hall. "Watch those bodyguards though. Ask my Ulfheonar to keep an eye on them too. I like them not. They look to have dark hearts."

  Aiden was pensive as we rode east. He had been silent since we had met our guests. I reined in my horse and asked, "What troubles you?"

  "I do not know. I felt danger when I saw the party approaching our land but when I met the priestess the feeling was gone."

  "Surely that is a good thing."

  "No for why did I have the sense of danger?"

  "When, exactly, did the feeling disappear?"

  He looked at me and said, "When the High Priestess spied us riding into the settlement."

  We continued our journey home in silence. We were both deep in our own thoughts. Once back in my hall I cleaned my sword and hung it from my bed. I know not why but I took out the sword of the Warlord which I had found in a cave in Cymru. For some reason it seemed to call to me. I held it in my hand. It was too old to be risked in combat but it was a fine weapon and I enjoyed holding it. The balance, still, was perfect. Normally holding the weapon made me feel better but not so this time. I replaced it in its chest and retired.

  I spent a restless night worrying about our visitors. When I had no dream and I awoke I felt slightly better. My wife oft times visited me from the spirit world when there was danger. She had not come that night. I wondered if I was imagining things.

  As events turned out I had little to do with our visitors. The women were kept closeted with Kara and her women. Cynan and his men went hunting with my Ulfheonar and explored the land around the Water. Haaken One Eye and Cnut came one night to my hall to talk about them. Aiden sat and listened. He always did that well.

  "They are dour men, these warriors from On Corn Walum."

  "I would say miserable!"

  "That is because you are always joking, Haaken and they do not understand either your jokes or your words. How can they laugh? They have more in common with the Welsh than with us. They are moody. They are good hunters and I would fight with them in a shield wall." Cnut was always honest.

  "They are similar to the Welsh, Cnut, for they come from the same blood. They are the last of the old people of this island. I have their blood in my veins too. Am I miserable?"

  Haaken shrugged, "I am just saying that they are not like us."

  I poured them some ale. Kara's women had brought a new barrel to me across the Water. Even though she was busy my daughter still watched out for me. "Why do you think they are here?"

  Cnut looked surprised, "They escort their ladies and they wished to speak with Kara."

  Aiden spoke, "It is a long way to come and … well I felt danger when first I saw them."

  Haaken leaned forward, "Do you still feel it?"

  "I cannot feel it now but that does not mean it is gone. I think it is hidden. I think she is a sorceress who has that kind of power."

  Neither of my Ulfheonar disparaged Aiden for they knew he had been right more than he had been wrong. "Then we will watch them closely but I cannot see what they hope to gain from a visit of so few men. Would they steal the sword?"

  Many warriors had come in the last few years to try to take it from me. I shook my head, "They showed no interest in it when they met me. The Priestess did but she has not mentioned it since."

  Aiden nodded, "I agree. It is the women who are the danger… if there is a danger."

  Haaken laughed, "You need to find a woman yourself Aiden. That is why you fear women. You do not understand them!"

  Aiden shook his head, "When I need advice about women I will ask Jarl Dragon Heart. You are too in love with yourself to know what is in a woman's heart."

  He nodded, "That is true." They all laughed at him. Haaken knew his own vanity well.

  They left ten nights after they had arrived. I had seen little of my family during that time. Looking back I can see that was a mistake but I think I was a little jealous. Kara and Elfrida had seemed quite taken with Angharad and happy to leave me to my own devices. I was happy when they left for I had my family back.

  My daughter could read me as easily as Aiden could read the books of the Romans and she visited me the night after her guests had left. She brought with her fresh cheese and a new barrel of ale. I smelled her boat as she was sailed across the Water for she also brought freshly baked bread.

  She said nothing as she and her women spread the food on the table. She waved her arm and the women disappeared into my halls. I raised a quizzical eyebrow. "I sent them to clean. Your men are not as tidy as my women." I said n
othing for they were the words which Erika would have used. I began to eat. The bread was still warm and the cheese was my favourite made from the black faced sheep we kept on the Scar above the Rye Dale.

  My daughter waited until I had washed down the food with the dark ale before she spoke. "You had no need to keep your distance, father. My guests had no secrets."

  "I did not want to intrude."

  "Nor would you have done." She smiled and spread her arms. " I learned much. Angharad showed me how to delve deeper into the spirit world." She held the blue stone which hung from the pendant around her neck. "These stones have magical powers." She pointed to my sword and its blue pommel. "Your sword has double powers; the power from Odin and the magic from the stone. The gods and the mother both protect you."

  I took the sword from the sheath and looked at the stone. Perhaps she was right. When the stone had fallen in the fire on Mann I had come close to death. Since Bjorn had fitted another of the precious stones Ragnar's Spirit had felt whole once more.

  "And what did the woman of On Corn Walum get from you, daughter?"

  For the first time a flicker of doubt showed itself on her face. "Well…she said she had learned much."

  "But what did you teach her?"

  "I told her of my mother. We spoke of Olaf and we spoke of the cave near Wyddfa as well as the one where you found the stone people. She asked about the cave where you found the sword and the blue stones we have. She was most interested in those places. She said they were sacred from the time of the old people."

  I looked carefully at my daughter, "She made a strong impression on you then?"

  "I miss my mother. It is good to talk to her spirit but I was able to ask more questions of Angharad and she seemed to read my mind." She took my hand, "She was disappointed that you and your warriors would not fight for her but I explained how you had been brought up and what this land means to us. She understood. I hope to visit with her one day."

  "Their land is far from ours."

  She smiled and teased me, "You sail beyond that each time you go to trade and besides, the isles where the witch has a cave are close by and I would visit her too."

  I finished my ale. "I fear, my daughter, that the witch on the islands only appears when she chooses to. We have sailed those waters many times and never found her yet when she sought us she appeared as though by magic."

  My daughter became a young girl again, "And that is why I wish to go. Angharad told me that I am special. The Mother has chosen me and given me my powers so that I can become the most powerful volva in this land. You question Angharad and her motives but I know that she came here to help me. If I was close to the isles then the witch would present herself to me."

  I nodded, "Then I may have misjudged her."

  Seven days later I went with Aiden, Haaken and Cnut to visit my ship. Erik Short Toe would be preparing her for winter. We rarely sailed during the short days of winter and he would be putting her to bed like a bear preparing for hibernation. He would make sure she was safe during her winter hibernation. I was also curious about our visitors from On Corn Walum. They had not said how they had reached us. I assumed a ship but I did not know for certain. I would ask Pasgen and the other captains what they knew of her. The High Priestess had been right about one thing, the weather had yet to change. It was damp and it was unpleasant under foot but we had had neither frost nor snow and that was a reason to be thankful.

  We saw the masts of the ships in the estuary. Pasgen and my captains would be preparing their ships for one last voyage before winter. Our trade made us prosperous. Erik had drawn 'The Heart of the Dragon' out of the water and on to the bank for it was low tide. He was up to his waist in the water cleaning the hull with the new ship's boys. Each year we changed the crew for the experience was valuable for them but most would either become warriors or farmers. It meant we had well trained men who knew their way around a drekar.

  "Did you wish to sail in the 'Heart', Jarl? I can make her ready in a few days."

  "No Erik, we have finished with her. How are the new ship's boys?"

  He scowled, "They prefer to play rather than work."

  Haaken laughed, "A little like you and Snorri when you were ship's boys?"

  He had the good grace to laugh, "You are right."

  "Is she sound, still?"

  "Aye, Jarl. Bolli himself looked at her bottom. There is no worm and little weed. We are just clearing the last of it and then we will smear it with Aiden's magic!"

  Aiden had found a substance which, when applied to the hull, slowed down the accumulation of weed which slowed down many a drekar. It meant I had the fastest long ship in these or any waters. "Then we will continue to speak with Pasgen."

  Pasgen had seen us as we approached his walls. He had a soundly built fort. Because of his success many of his people now lived, as they did at Cyninges-tūn, outside his walls but his watchtower would warn of any danger and they could easily shelter within its walls.

  "It is good to see you Jarl. What brings you here?"

  "I came to see my long ship and I was curious about our visitors from On Corn Walum. The ones who left seven nights ago."

  His face showed surprise. "They left but yesterday, Jarl Dragon Heart. They sailed on the evening tide."

  My curiosity was aroused, "Did they have to wait for their ship then?"

  "No, Jarl, it left them here and then returned a few days later. We did good business providing them with supplies. They were quiet but paid well. Your visitors returned yesterday."

  "Our visitors left us seven nights ago where did they go?"

  He shrugged and pointed across the estuary. "I know not Jarl Dragon Heart. They returned from the west all twenty of them."

  My warriors and I looked at each other. "Twenty? When they reached us there were but six men and two women."

  "It was two women and twenty men who left us to visit with you and twenty and two who returned yesterday."

  I did not like the sound of this. I had been deceived. "Were all the men armed? Were they warriors?"

  "Aye, Jarl. They hired four ponies. We thought they were for the ladies."

  "But they did not ride them did they?"

  "No, Jarl Dragon Heart. Did I do wrong?"

  "No Pasgen. They had every right to hire ponies but I would have preferred to know where they were on my land and it would have been polite to ask my permission.

  As we headed back to our home the four of us discussed the matter. Aiden was the first to voice his concerns. "I did not trust them and now I trust them even less."

  Cnut had this habit of defending others, "They may have gone hunting. We would have heard if they were up to mischief."

  Haaken shook his head, "The Jarl is correct it would have been polite, to say the least, to ask Jarl Dragon Heart's permission to do so, for he rules this land."

  I waved away that argument. I was not worried about them hunting some of my deer. "I think they were not hunting but scouting."

  Aiden nodded, "That makes sense to me too. But why? Their land is far from ours. Surely we are not a threat to them."

  "Do not forget those pirates we met. The men of On Corn Walum are sailors. Aiden ride back and ask Trygg and Siggi to keep a watch for the ships of the men of On Corn Walum."

  There was a nagging doubt now and it made an itch between my shoulder blades. In my experience when others took an interest in us then it normally resulted in danger at the very least. We would need to keep a close watch on our coasts. If they had been scouting then it might have been to make an attack. I could not fathom the reason but until the itch went away or I could scratch it then I would make sure that we watched our borders.

  Chapter 2

  The itch lasted another month by which time the weather had worsened and winter had finally set in. Although we had no snow we had hard frost and when the temperature rose a little we had squalls of sleet and savage rain. I was happy to sit within my hall playing chess with Aiden. Inevitably he d
efeated me but I enjoyed the challenge of trying to get the better of him. My hall was cosy and my guards, Rolf and the other older warriors would occasionally join us to drink ale and watch the dragons in the fire. Rolf had served me for many years. The wound which stopped him leading my warriors had been well earned. He was still a good leader but he could no longer be a good warrior. You needed to be fast and strong to survive. He was strong but his lack of speed would put him at a disadvantage. I was happy for him to see out his years in my hall. He had served me well. The first month of winter was better than I could have hoped and we talked of old times and old friends. When that time ended it marked the coming of a long dark night.

  We had kept a small boat at the southern end of the water. Arne the Fishermen lived with his wife and two sons there. Dwelling close to the outflow from the Water they were able to gather fish either with the boat, or at stormier times, with a net. I had had the boat built for him so that he could get messages to us at the north. He had lived there since Wiglaf had sent his killers to capture my sword some time earlier. The arrangement appeared to work.

  Its value was shown when Osbert raced unannounced into my hall and disturbed us. "Jarl, it is Arne and his son. They are heading here."

  I looked at Aiden who closed his eyes briefly. He frowned and then, as he opened his eyes, he said, "The spirits are troubled, Jarl, but I cannot see the danger."

  "But you know there is danger. Osbert, get my armour." While Aiden and Osbert raced to perform my bidding I went down the slope to the side of the Water and the small jetty we had built there.

  Arne's voice drifted over to me, "Jarl, it is Úlfarrston. It is under attack!"

  He did not need to land. "Get over to my son and tell him to arm our men. I will be there shortly."

  Arne nodded. The wind was blowing from the east bringing flecks of snow with it. He would fly across the Water. His son Arne Arneson was as good a sailor as his father and he leaned out over the side to get extra speed across the Water. This was danger. Our friends at Úlfarrston were better warriors than they had been but they were not strong enough to withstand raiders like we were. If this was a Viking raid then he could be in trouble.