Following the battle, which took place about eight miles northeast of modern Doncaster, his wife, Ethelburga, and remaining children fled to Kent (Cantware) with Paulinus and Bassus. Bassus is mentioned by Bede and described as a “gallant thegn of King Edwin”, so he must have been a character of some standing. The rest of Bassus’ exploits are my invention.
The land of Northumbria descended into a period of barbarous lawlessness, in which Cadwallon wreaked havoc on the people. Bede describes how he ravaged “them with ghastly slaughter” and that “this year is regarded by all good men as wretched and disgraceful”.
Eanfrith and Osric took control of Bernicia and Deira respectively, but were both killed within the year by the implacable Cadwallon. It seems incredible that Eanfrith would travel to speak with Cadwallon with only twelve of his thegns, allowing himself to be dispatched easily. However, this is what is told in the written accounts. Having Eanfrith believe Cadwallon was an ally (as suggested by D.P. Kirby in the book, The Earliest English Kings) seemed to provide a plausible background to that event.
Beobrand recalls the atmosphere of the Thrimilci celebrations. This May Day festival (also known as Beltane by the Celts) literally meant ‘three-milk month’. It was a festival of spring and fecundity when, after the long months of winter, cows could be milked three times a day.
The royal villa of Gefrin was destroyed by fire around 633, so it seems likely it was burnt by Cadwallon’s forces as they ransacked the land. Again, Eanfrith’s naive acceptance of a pact with Cadwallon gave me an excuse to have the king and his retinue there, rather than at the more defensible Bebbanburg.
I have taken some liberties with the location of the river at the site of Gefrin. The River Glen actually runs to the north of the site, not the south. However, there is a stream to the south-west, which I have decided was a larger waterway in the seventh century.
Eanfrith’s son, Talorcan, becomes a historical figure of some importance. The name of his mother, a Pictish princess, is unknown, but I have given her the name Finola (a simplified form of the name Fionnguala).
The tale of Eanfrith’s brother, Oswald, will be told in subsequent stories, so I will not go into detail here, but I took the decision to have him already present in Bernicia at the time of his brother’s demise, ready to pick up the pieces; to seize the moment and the throne.
At this time, many small monastic orders appeared. Some flourished and grew into great medieval monasteries, others faded away or were destroyed. The fate of Engelmynster is yet to be seen, but it is a purely fictional place.
Battles are often portrayed in fiction as huge affairs of thousands of well-armoured men. It is much more likely that battles in this period were between relatively small groups of warriors. There were very few professional soldiers and in a time when the whole of Great Britain had a population of about one million people, it is unlikely that even the largest battles had more than a few hundred people on either side. When kings called upon the fyrd, when each ealdorman would bring his people to war, it is probable that only a small proportion would have had armour and highly-specialised and expensive weapons like swords. Most would have had no armour save for a shield, and would only have carried a spear, which was the mainstay of infantry weaponry. The most common bladed weapon was the seax, a single-edged knife, which gave the Germanic tribes the name native Britons used to describe them: Seaxon.
I took the liberty of adding some langseaxes (a longer seax) into the novel, despite them not appearing until later in history.
It was common practice for the members of a lord’s comitatus, his closest gesithas, to give up their lives in battle when their lord fell in battle. At least, that is what is recounted in the sagas and poems from the period. I have taken a slightly more pragmatic stance where that course of action would be the ideal, but an ideal that many would struggle to fulfil and that some would see as wasteful of well-trained warriors.
Swords were very rare. Their blades, pattern-welded out of several strands of iron, were things of great beauty and the ultimate symbol of the elite warrior class. They would also be extremely expensive. Like sports cars today, they would be coveted by many, but owned by few. I am sure that some unscrupulous men, especially men of war, would be more than willing to kill to possess one.
I have used the term thegn to describe a professional warrior or minor noble, despite the term not really being used until later.
The concept of “wyrd” recurs throughout the story. It is similar to fate or destiny. The Anglo-Saxons believed that the paths of their lives were woven in threads by the three sisters of wyrd. Thus, everything could be considered predestined. But it is never that simple, and men still believed that it was possible to face one’s wyrd well or poorly. Your wyrd would place obstacles in your path, but you could choose how you would react to them.
I have sought to create a believable world and characters that are true to the time. Any mistakes I may have made are mine alone and I hope they do not detract from the telling of the story.
Beobrand’s tale will continue long into the seventh century, as he battles alongside saints and sinners, Christians and pagans. His wyrd will lead him to suffer more losses and maybe even find greater loves, but that is for another day and other stories.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I hope you, dear reader, have enjoyed this book. Let me offer you my heartfelt thanks for buying it and taking the time to read it. If you can manage a few extra minutes to leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads, or to tweet about it, or sing its praises on Facebook, then I will be eternally grateful.
I would like to express my sincere thanks to the following people for their support and help in the writing of this novel:
Firstly, the test readers who provided great feedback and helped me to hone the final draft: Derek and Jacqui “proof-reader extraordinaire” Surgey, Soelwin Oo, Emmett Carter, Naomi Harffy and Carry Crets.
Shane Smart and Richard Ward for the stimulating conversations about the book. Hearing their thoughts each day on the latest section they’d read made going into work even more fun than usual!
Simon Blunsdon, for being such a great sport and providing excellent suggestions about the structure of the novel.
There would be many more mistakes and typos in this book if not for the eagle-eyes of my dad, Clive Harffy. Any mistakes that remain are mine alone. Thanks also to my mum, Angela Harffy, not only for reading it, but for liking it too and putting up with dad spending hours reviewing it for me!
The incredibly talented and generous, Matt Bunker, from the amazing re-enactment group, Wulfheodenas, for the cover photograph.
It has taken years to get this book to the point of publication and many other writers, most of whom I have only “met” online, have provided encouragement, advice and support. There are too many to list them all here, but special mention must go to Steven A. McKay, Justin Hill, Angus Donald, Paul Fraser Collard, Carol McGrath, Manda Scott, Elaine Moxon, Derek Birks and E.M. Powell.
Robin Wade, my agent, for believing in me, giving me a great insight into the workings of the publishing industry, and for the pep talks!
Extra special thanks to Gareth Jones for the friendship, in-depth discussions and unwavering encouragement.
My great friend, Alex Forbes, who read the first few chapters years ago and told me I had to tell Beobrand’s story. Without his belief in me, there would be no book in your hand.
Finally, to my wife, Maite and our daughters, Elora and Iona, for being there always, understanding and supporting me every step of the way. They make me strive to be a better version of me and I love them completely.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Matthew Harffy has worked in the IT industry, where he spent all day writing and editing, just not the words that most interested him. Prior to that he worked in Spain as an English teacher and translator. Matthew lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and their two daughters. When not writing, or spending time with his family, Matthew sings in
a band called Rock Dog.
For all the latest news and exclusive competitions, join Matthew online:
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PRAISE FOR THE SERPENT SWORD
“A gripping and credible tale of Dark Ages Britain, well researched, with rounded, convincing characters and a strong plot-line ... the battle scenes [are] gut-clenching encounters in which you could almost smell the blood and feel the sweat trickling down your spine. A very good read! Recommended for all fans of Bernard Cornwell. Historical fiction doesn't get much better than this.”
Angus Donald, bestselling author of the Outlaw series
"A storming debut novel fans of Bernard Cornwell should not miss!"
Steven A. McKay, bestselling author of Wolf's Head
"Vivid and compelling...historical fiction at its brutal best."
Paul Fraser Collard, author of the Jack Lark series
“The Serpent Sword is a stunning debut: fast, confident, adrenaline-pumped, this story of a young warrior's coming of age in the maelstrom of the Dark Ages has the flavour of early Giles Kristian or James Aitcheson: it's raw, rugged and rich in colour and texture. Beobrand is a hugely likeable character with just the right blend of vulnerability and heroism and his story is clearly set to run for a good, long, loveable series. I stayed up till after midnight to finish this. What more could you ask for?”
Manda (M.C.) Scott
“From the early years of the 7th century, The Serpent Sword tells the story of young Beobrand, who sets out on a journey to take revenge on the man who killed his brother. With powerful language and gripping action, Harffy tells a tale of courage, revenge and love as Beobrand is transformed by his quest. A journey that will test both his mettle and his steel.”
Justin Hill
“The Serpent Sword by Matthew Harffy is a stunning debut novel. It is a fast-paced tale of historical adventure beautifully written. I found myself transported into villages, halls, camps, forest and the coastal regions of early medieval Northumberland, all atmospherically and convincingly portrayed. The Serpent Sword is a story of revenge, passion, betrayal, honour, love and loss. Above all, it contains both a quest and a love story. Kings, thegns, warriors and commoners leap out from its pages with superb vividness. Harffy’s characters are portrayed with depth and humanity. Readers of Bernard Cornwall and Giles Kristian will enjoy The Serpent Sword. They will wait with anticipation to visit Beobrand’s further adventures during the Dark Age of the seventh century, a time of emergent monasteries and warfare between kings. It is wonderful story and a fascinating world in which I thoroughly enjoyed spending time.”
Carol McGrath, author of The Daughters of Hastings Trilogy
THE SERPENT SWORD
First Published 2015
Copyright © Matthew Harffy 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Matthew Harffy has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
www.matthewharffy.com
Paperback ISBN: 978-1508995708
E-book ASIN: B00V2IIHPE
This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Acknowledgements
Cover photograph: Copyright Matthew Bunker
Excerpts from The Venerable Bede taken from ‘A History of the English Church and People’, translated by Leo Sherley-Price. Penguin Classics, Penguin Books, 1965.
The Serpent Sword (Bernicia Chronicles Book 1) Page 33
