by Griff Hosker
Pasgen was, unusually for him, working on his own small farm. He had been a farmer when I had first met him but he spent more time running Úlfarrston. He was master of the town. He and his sons ran the whole burgh. He was no tyrant and ruled well. His people were satisfied. He used, I knew, farming, as a way of keeping in touch with his past. He paused in his work, "You have come to see how the work on your drekar progresses, Jarl?"
I nodded, "How are the beans this year?"
"We have done well. This is the second crop. I tell others that they should sow more seeds. The beans are useful for they last all winter when we dry them. The other farmers ignore me. They believe we can trade for whatever we need."
"Siggi and Trygg have heard that Wessex is attacking ships from here."
"Norse ships."
"Perhaps but I am afraid, old friend, that you are tainted by us. Egbert will not differentiate between us. I am just asking you to be wary. When we have enough for our three ships I intended to escort them to Frankia and, perhaps, Olissipo. If your knarr wish to travel with us I would be happy to offer them my protection."
"Thank you but with just one drekar how can you hope to protect so many ships?"
"We have a full crew and my knarr have warriors on board to augment the crew. However it is your decision."
"Thank you for your offer. I believe we will take it up. How are the young men from my burgh who volunteered as warriors faring?"
"You would be hard pressed to say which came from Úlfarrston and which were not. It is their hearts which are important not their blood."
"Will you stay this night?"
"No, I return home. The walk helps me to think."
I headed north through the forest. As I passed the scene of the ambush of the Mercians I could still see the scars in the trees and the mounds in the earth. Soon the forest would heal itself and reclaim the land which had seen so much death. As I came out and viewed the Water I remembered where we had fought Danes and I saw the mound marking our dead. Already it was covered with flowers and grass. It looked as though it had been there forever. Ahead of me the dipping sun seemed to make the water glow as though it was on fire and my thoughts went to my wife. Her spirit was there, within the Water. She was part of the whole process which healed the land and allowed us to live here in this most perfect of valleys. I knew that we were lucky and I understood why others wished to take it from us. I left the path to walk through the shallows at the edge of the Water. I felt the strength in me increase as the Water washed over my boots. I glanced up at the Old Man and saw that he was smiling. I could raid the Welsh for my wife and Old Olaf watched over my people. The Danish incursion had yielded fine weapons, armour and helmets. My new warriors would use them. All that happened had been planned by the Weird Sisters. Until the spirits and the gods abandoned me then we would all survive in my tiny kingdom.
Chapter 17
We left when the apples were being harvested and wood cut for the winter. We slipped out of the estuary and headed south. This time Erik did not hug the coast. We would not be making for the straits but we would, instead, sail for Ynys Cybi directly. This raid was not purely for vengeance. With the grain harvest in there would be knarr in the port ready to trade. The warehouses would be full and there would be bounty for us to take. The winds were in our favour and I sat with Haaken and Sigtrygg explaining my strategy to them.
"There is no longer a hill fort to defend the port. We destroyed it. They may rebuild but that will not be completed yet. We take their port as we did in On Corn Walum. We seize any ships that we find and their grain. We have crew enough to use their own knarr to take the grain home."
"What about the old Roman fort in the port?"
"We take it. When we spied it from the mountain I saw few warriors on its walls. If there are any then we will slaughter them." I pointed to the new warriors who sat on the thwarts, sharpening weapons and talking war. "These new warriors fought the Mercians with poor weapons and no armour. They trounced them. Now they have leather armour with metal plates. They each have a good sword and all have a helmet. Do you think a few Welshmen who have little to do other than fish from the walls can withstand them?"
"And what of the men of Gwynedd?"
"Their palace is at Aberffaw on the other side of the island. I have no doubt that our presence will be reported and they will send warriors to send us hence. I want them to do so. I would rather they came to us so that they are tired and we will use their own defences against them."
"But if you send men home with the grain will we not be short handed?"
"These may not be Ulfheonar but this is crew if larger than any crew we have carried before. It will suffice."
Haaken nodded, "And we will all be the richer because of this."
Our new course took us close to Mann. It was just a shadow on the horizon but those of us who had lived there all looked to the west as we passed. We were estranged from those who lived there. We had split many years earlier. Our first home and the land of Prince Butar was ours no longer. When we had left we had thought we were losing the finest land we could have had. We were wrong. That taught me that we make our own future. We had made a better one at Cyninges-tūn.
Our voyage south took us almost a day to complete. The days were drawing shorter with the imminent onset of winter. That suited us. We worked better at night and it would afford us the opportunity to seize the whole settlement without anyone being the wiser.
To the south east we saw Wyddfa and the mountains which guarded Gwynedd. They looked menacing. I was glad that we had not risked the straits. To the south we saw the low grey island of Ynys Môn. It looked empty and deserted but I knew better. There would be those with sharp eyes who spied the drekar silhouetted against the setting sun. Doors would be barred and families gathered together. When the wolves of the sea preyed then the followers of the White Christ prayed too!
As we approached our destination we were hidden from Ynys Cybi by the larger island. Two of the ship's boys were atop the mast. Karl had been here with us the first time and it was he who whistled down and pointed ahead. We had found the island. Erik ordered the sail to be lowered and the warriors took to the oars. Each had his face painted; the new warriors copied the Ulfheonar. Although they wore no black wolf cloaks their appearance would be as fearsome as ours. Having spied the island from the mountain and using the new maps drawn by Aiden, Erik edged us around the larger island to approach the port stealthily. The dark lump of the mountain was behind the town making it hard to identify individual buildings. We knew where the fort was. It ran alongside the stone jetty built by the Romans. As we drew closer I could see that there were five ships in port. Two were small knarr but there was a larger one. All but four of my warriors stopped rowing and two ship's boys hunched at the bow and the stern ready to leap ashore and to tie us up. I smiled. That had been my first experience of a raid; leaping into the water to hold the drekar while the warriors landed.
The rowers were all on the seaward side and edged closer from the dark. Suddenly there was a shout from the jetty, we had been spotted. There was just a small gap and I stood on the topmost strake and leapt on to the jetty. They must have had a couple of sentries for a spear was rammed towards me. Ragnar's Spirit was in my hand and I swept aside the spear. The wielder was hacked by a mighty blow from Ulf Long Arrow. The second sentry died when Haaken stabbed him. I ran from the jetty towards the old Roman fort which lay just ahead. This one had been made of stone but, like many Roman edifices, had not been maintained. Some stones had fallen and there were small mounds at the foot of the wall. The gate had been slammed shut as soon as the shout had gone up.
"Ulf, Magnus! Shield!" My two new Ulfheonar stood next to the wall with a shield held between them. I stepped on the shield as they prepared to launch me in the air. There were defenders and they were hurling rocks and throwing spears at us. Ulf and Magnus ignored the missiles crashing around them and hoisted me skyward. Such was their strength that I was thrown high into the air
and I jumped over the stone edge of the wall to land on the ramparts. I surprised the two warriors who faced me. They were slow to react. I stabbed one in the belly and he tumbled into the interior of the fort. I punched the second so that he fell into the two other sentries who were rushing to join him.
Ulf and Magnus hoisted Sigtrygg and Haaken in rapid succession and I saw Snorri and Bjorn the Scout at the far end of the ramparts. It was an uneven contest. The sentries had no mail and only a small buckler. Within the time it took for two more warriors to reach the ramparts the defenders on the wall had been slain. An arrow plunged into my shield and I looked up at the tower. There were two archers. "Snorri and Bjorn the Scout deal with those archers." As they raced to eliminate this threat I led the rest of my men down the stairs.
"Secure the gates and let in the rest of our men." I ran to the sea gate and saw that it was unguarded. I lifted the bar and opened them. Ulf and Magnus were grinning at me. "Take two warriors and make sure none of the knarr leave." My men flooded through the gate and we began to search the fort for any other defenders and anything which might be of value. I shouted to Siggi and Rolf, "Follow me." I ran to the office the Romans had called the Principia. I knew from experience that this would be where anything of value would be kept. Sadly all that we found were a few charts and documents. They were in Welsh. "Take them and we will give them to Aiden." Rolf stuffed them in a leather satchel which lay on the floor.
"Move this table, Siggi and bring the candle closer." We moved the table and I saw the expression of surprise on Siggi's face as I dropped to my hands and knees and took out my seax. I had no time to explain; that could come later. I ran it around the stone with the XX carved into it. It was the mark of the legion. "Go outside and bring in two of the Welsh spears, Rolf." Both were intrigued. If anything could have returned Siggi the Silent's voice to him it would have been his curiosity. He remained silent.
When Rolf returned I said, "Put the spear points into the cracks here and here. Wait until my command and then lift." I slid my seax into the third side. "Now lift!"
The two spears were not the best but the long hafts helped and, very gradually, the stone moved. "Is this magic, Jarl?"
"Aye Roman magic." There was a sudden smell of musty air as the stone cleared the floor. I pushed it to one side. "Get me a torch." It took a few moments for Siggi to light one from the candle and I put my hand into the dark void under the stone. I found a box of some description and I lay down with both hands in the space. I pulled it towards me. It was heavy. My fingers found a metal handle and I pulled. I pulled too hard and the fixings were frail. It tore off the box and I cursed. I should have been more patient.
The room flared into light as the oil soaked torch caught light. "Siggi hold it to one side so that I can see what is within." As soon as he moved I was able to peer into the hole. There was the box I had tried to pull and two bags. There also appeared to be what looked like rusted mail and a sword. I had been fortunate. I grabbed the bags, one by one and pulled them out. I could now reach the box. I pulled it towards me. When it was beneath the hole I said, "Rolf, help me lift this from the chamber." It took two of us to move it from the hidden room. This was not because it was heavy but because it had been lowered through the hole and was a tight fit. We both grazed our knuckles as we pulled it out. I could then reach into the hole and bring out the rusted mail and the sword in its scabbard.
The mail would need to be cleaned and even then it might be of no use. Bjorn would have to melt it down. The sword, on the other hand, had been oiled before being put in the hole. It would not take much work to make it usable. "Take theses to my drekar and have Erik make them secure."
"Will you not open them now, Jarl?"
"There will be time for such things later. When you have done that then join me. I will be at the town gate."
We seemed to have been in the room for an age. Haaken and Sigtrygg had secured the fort and were nowhere to be seen. Two of my new warriors, Ulf Rolfson and Arne Grim Face were on guard at the gate. "Haaken One Eye told us to guard the gate, Jarl. They are sweeping through the town gathering the people."
"Good." I smiled at the young warrior who had stood behind me defying the Mercians. "How is your first raid, Ulf?"
"These Welsh are not as fierce as the Mercians, Jarl."
"Wait until you face their real warriors before you make the judgement."
I climbed up the stairs to the gate tower. The Mountain was just a dark shadow to my right but I could see the lights of torches and hear the shouts and screams as my warriors worked their way through the huts. I hoped that we had captured all but I knew that it was likely some would have escaped. It was a long journey to Aberffaw. They had to negotiate the channel between the islands and then march across Ynys Môn. They could not reach it before dawn. It would be mid morning at the earliest before the men of Gwynedd could reach us. We would use that time productively.
I watched for a while until Rolf found me. "Jarl, we have captured the ships. Some of them fought."
"That was foolish. Did we suffer any losses?"
"No Jarl. Our armour saved us from harm."
"Are they loaded with anything of value?"
"They look to be empty but there are sacks of grain in the warehouses close by."
"Good. I will join you."
Erik and his boys were preparing 'The Heart of the Dragon' for a quick departure. While we had been fighting they had turned her around so that she was facing to sea. We took as few chances as possible.
"Erik which of these knarr is the best?"
He jumped over the strakes and strode down the line giving each one a critical appraisal. "None of them are as good as ours but this looks to be the best." He tapped the wood of the second largest ship. "The hull is sound and the sail is almost new. The others are poorly made and might not last the voyage home."
"What about the larger one?"
In answer he walked over to it and, taking his knife cut a piece from the lower strake. He rubbed it between his fingers. It crumbled. "I would not risk this one across the estuary."
"Good. Then take everything you need from the others and then sink them. We will make this harbour so that it is hard to use again. When the others return I will have the grain loaded. I need someone to sail it back. Think who would be the best for such a task."
He nodded. I did not expect an instant choice. He knew all of my warriors and his ships' boys. He would run them through his mind and only then would he choose a captain.
I walked down the jetty as Erik and his boys swarmed over the ships which were now doomed to destruction. The jetty had been well made by the Romans but I could see that the mortar had crumbled in places and it was beginning to look a little worse for wear. Unless the men of Gwynedd did some work they would soon have an unusable jetty.
Ulf Rolfson ran up to me. "Jarl, Haaken and the others have returned with prisoners."
"Good."
I returned into the fort and found thirty or forty people gathered forlornly in front of the land gate. Half of them were old. A third were children. There were only six men amongst them and two of those were old men. "Let the old go Haaken. Send them on their way." He cocked an eyebrow. "They are no use as slaves and they cannot be any threat to us. Let them go."
Haaken nodded and shooed them out. Some of the women tried to stop them going but my warriors restrained them. "Sigtrygg, have them load the grain on to the ship. Erik will supervise." They were herded out. I noticed that they huddled together as they went. None dared to look at me. I knew how terrifying we looked. They would have expected death at our hands. Now they worried about their fate.
"Vemund, get some food organised. We have time now. I fear we will not later on."
Haaken peered through the gate as the last of the doomed ships bubbled beneath the water. "What was wrong with those?"
"Erik thought that they were not seaworthy. We will need six men to go with the prisoners back to Úlfarrston. If there had b
een fewer captives then we could have sent just two but the grain is valuable."
"We could just slit their throats."
"We could but I will not. Do not forget that my mother was descended from people such as these. Besides we can always use slaves and we can sell any surplus."
With so many hands, albeit unwilling ones, the knarr was soon loaded and I saw the sun begin to glow behind Wyddfa in the distance. "Erik, have you a captain?"
"I would choose Arne the Fisherman."
I waved him over. "Arne, pick five others and sail the ship and the prisoners back to Úlfarrston. They can carry the grain back to our hall."
"I would stay and fight alongside you, Jarl."
"There are others who can fight but only you can sail the knarr. Erik, give him a couple of ships' boys."
When the captives were herded aboard I said, in Saxon, "I have told my captain to throw overboard any of you who causes trouble. I know there will be some of you who speak Saxon; tell the others. Despite what you may have heard of us we treat our people fairly. You will live and you will not go hungry. You will have life."
I noticed that Arne had chosen fierce looking warriors and the captives huddled even closer together. By the time the sun had risen the knarr was a mile away and heading north. No matter what happened here, on Ynys Cybi, my people would eat well this winter. When they had disappeared from view I drew Haaken and Sigtrygg to one side. "The Welsh will come. They will attack us. My aim is to make them bleed upon these walls. If we think we can win then we destroy them but if this Welshman has more warriors than I expect then we sail home. We have achieved our objective already."
"The grain and the slaves?"
I nodded, "And the chest and pouches I found in the hidden room."
Haaken brightened, "Roman treasure again?"
"I believe so but we will wait until we reach home before we open it." We had brought plenty of throwing spears and arrows. "Have the spears and the arrows spread around the walls. I want two good men guarding the sea gate. Our escape has to be kept clear."
