by Griff Hosker
Just then Karl Magnusson shouted, "Jarl, riders on the headland."
We looked over and saw four mailed men astride horses. Haaken said, "They know where we are then. So Jarl, will you now confide in us this plan of yours?"
I nodded and began. "There could be ten drekar waiting for us off the coast. The men we saw in the camp will man those drekar. We are a good crew but how could we fight such numbers? We could, perhaps, try to head for Hibernia and sneak past them however with the wind and their numbers it is likely that they would cut us off. We need to make them think that we go berserk."
Olaf Leather Neck laughed, "In a drekar?"
"When we were in camp I heard Harald Black Teeth. He spoke of Ulfheonar being almost berserkers and that I was distraught with grief. He said I had the death wish. Others might think so. We sail towards the centre of their line with the two drekar."
"Jarl, we do not have enough men to man both drekar!"
"I know Erik. Njoror has sent us the wind which means we do not need to row. We make the captured ship a fire ship. We will sail at dusk. They will try to close with us before dark. If I was this leader I would not want us sneaking off in the night. We let the ' Njoror' go ahead. The crew light the ship and steer it towards the enemy. They will escape in the long boat and when they are close to us we throw them ropes and pull them aboard. The fire ship will make them move and we escape in the confusion."
Haaken nodded, "A good plan but it requires courage and judgement. Who will command these men who may not survive?"
"There is but one man for this task; me!"
They spent some time trying to dissuade me. They wasted their breath. I would not order any man to risk his life. My Ulfheonar had done enough already. When I told them whom I would take with me they argued again. "No, Haaken, I know whom I will choose. Guthrum is an experienced ship's boy and a good swimmer. Cnut Cnutson can steer. Alf Jansson and Karl Karlsson chose themselves for they captured the drekar. It will be enough."
I took off my armour. The only weapons I would need would be my sword and my dragon amulet. We transferred all the kindling and seal oil we could to the fire ship and brought off the surplus crew. We were being observed from the headland but we were too far away for them to make sense of our actions. They were just watching to make sure that we did not escape. As we waited for the sun to become lower in the sky I said to my four man crew, "This will make a great tale for Haaken to sing."
Alf said, with a smile on his face, "It would be good, Jarl, if we were there to hear it!"
I laughed, "I have no intention of dying, Alf. If Guthrum is as good a sailor as I think he is then we will soon be aboard the 'Red Snake' and back in armour. I have to be aboard this drekar to make them believe that I have the death wish."
Alf shook his head, "You misunderstand me, Jarl. I am honoured, as we all are, that you chose us. If this is our last day in this world then we could not choose a better end."
Cnut stood at the steering board as we all hauled up the sail. It took longer than it should have. There were but four of us. When it was done we began to move. 'Red Snake' would follow in our wake. I went to the prow. I had washed out the cochineal from my hair and beard and I was Dragonheart once more. I drew Ragnar's Spirit and stood at the prow of this ill named drekar. As we rounded the headland I saw the sun beginning to set in the west and there, in a long line were the enemy ships. The furthest ship was almost two miles away. I frowned. Three were missing. I turned and shouted, "Which ships are missing?"
After a while Alf's voice came back. 'Eagles Heart' is one. I know not the others."
Then Harald Black Teeth had deserted them. That gave me hope for it meant there were three ships less to deal with. At the same time it meant danger for Jarl Gunnar Thorfinnson. The Weird Sisters had excelled themselves. The ships had not passed us which meant they had travelled north. I hoped my men were alert for three drekar, even with small crews, could cause much damage to my home.
I turned my attention back to the enemy. They had the Frisian ships in the middle. I saw a red skull painted on the sail of the centre one. Almost all of the shields along the side had a skull, either red or white, painted on them. Red paint made it appear as though blood was dripping from the skull's mouth. I took those to be this mysterious jarl.
"Steer for the skull!"
"Aye Jarl!
We were moving quickly now with the wind behind. "Alf, Knut, ready the fire but wait until I give the command!"
I wanted the enemy's attention on me. I braced myself on the prow and raised my sword. We were less than a mile away and approaching rapidly with a strong wind astern. I turned and said, "Light it now. Guthrum, get to the long boat."
I heard the chorus of assent from behind me. We were now less than half a mile away and I shouted, "I am Jarl Dragonheart from the Land of the Wolf. I come here to wreak vengeance upon you for the death of my son! Today you will all die!"
I know not if my voice carried but I heard the clamour of swords on shields from the Frisians.
Behind me Alf said, "It is time Jarl."
Glancing at the fire which burned well close to the mast I said, "Not yet. We have time." I noticed that the outside drekar were rowing towards the centre. When we were less than half a mile away and the oars of the Frisians were sending their ships towards us I said, "Now is the time." Sheathing my sword I ran back to the steering board. Cnut was lashing it in position. As I passed Alf he kicked over the jar of seal oil while Karl hurled the pig fat. As I reached the steering board there was a whoosh as the fat and oil ignited sending flames leaping up into the mast and sail. The following wind took the fire. The front half of the drekar was covered in fire as we clambered down the ropes to the long boat.
We each took an oar as Guthrum steered us towards 'Red Snake' now less than two hundred paces from us. I saw the panic amongst the Frisians. The skull ship turned to the east away from the fire ship. The next ship tried to follow. As the wind caught the enemy's sails it sent them into disarray.
As we approached 'Red Snake' Guthrum shouted, "In oars!"
Cnut laughed, "Just like a sea captain!"
Guthrum was grinning. As 'Red Snake' came close the wake threatened to capsize us. There was also a danger that they would fly past us. Ropes snaked down and Haaken shouted, "Grab them. We will haul you aboard!"
I took hold of the nearest one and immediately felt myself lifted into the air. I braced my legs as I was swung towards the side of 'Red Snake'. It was fortunate that I did so else I would have been smashed against her side. I used my feet to clamber and climb up the strakes. Hands pulled me to safety. I heard Erik shout, "Let loose the sail!"
I glanced up and saw that they had been sailing under furled sails to allow them to pick us up. When I looked north I saw that there was a gap between the ships. The two to the west of us were racing across the choppy golden and red flecked sea towards us. The sun illuminated them. To the east the captured drekar was burning fiercely but her forward momentum was slowing. The Frisians could avoid her. Two had fouled themselves against each other while the others were trying to turn to sail towards us.
We were now in the hands of Erik Short Toe. He would have to use all of his skills to avoid us being caught by the Danish and Frisian ships which sailed towards us. They intended to position themselves at our bow and our stern so that we could not escape. Erik shouted, "Take your oars but do not run them out yet!"
My crew knew what they had to do. I went to the prow. Donning my new helmet with the golden wolf I stood there for all to see. I would be the bait this time. To the east two of the ships, the skull ship and a Norse had managed to turn and their oars were pulling them towards us. We would be caught in a neat little triangle of drekar. Erik judged it to perfection. The sun was a thin line of red to the west when he shouted, "Out oars! Haaken row!" The light seemed to glint off the wolf.
He began a song we had not used for some time but it was one which enabled the men to row quickly for it had a r
apid beat.
'Ulfheonar, warriors strong
Ulfheonar, warriors brave
Ulfheonar, fierce as the wolf
Ulfheonar, hides in plain sight
Ulfheonar, Dragon Heart's wolves
Ulfheonar, serving the sword
Ulfheonar, Dragon Heart's wolves
Ulfheonar, serving the sword'
As the oars bit into the sea Erik threw the drekar across the wind. We heeled but she was well balanced and righted herself. The two ships sailing from the west were travelling so quickly that they barely had the chance to react. The Dane put his steering board over to ram us.
'Ulfheonar, warriors strong
Ulfheonar, warriors brave
Ulfheonar, fierce as the wolf
Ulfheonar, hides in plain sight
Ulfheonar, Dragon Heart's wolves
Ulfheonar, serving the sword
Ulfheonar, Dragon Heart's wolves
Ulfheonar, serving the sword'
The surge from the oars almost took us beyond them into the dark night but the Weird Sisters had not finished with us. The Dane caught us a glancing blow to our stern. I felt the hull shiver. Every warrior was rowing on both boats and there was no opportunity to either hurl a spear or release and arrow. We burst between them. I saw one trying to turn but the Dane had suffered damage. I saw men bailing as the bow began to settle.
I hurried back to the stern.
"Are we hurt?"
"I know not yet."He waved over one of his sons, Arne Eriksson. This was his first voyage. "Get below decks and see if we have sprung."
"Aye captain."
I went with him to lift up the two short planks which gave us access to the hold. The small boy wriggled below the deck while we waited anxiously. "You can slow down now, Haaken. There is no point tiring yourselves out.
The Saxon King had a mighty home
Protected by rock, sea and foam
Safe he thought from all his foes
But the Dragonheart would bring new woes
Ulfheonar never forget
Ulfheonar never forgive
Ulfheonar fight to the death
The snake had fled and was hiding there
Safe he thought in the Saxon lair
With heart of dragon and veins of ice
Dragonheart knew nine would suffice
Ulfheonar never forget
Ulfheonar never forgive
Ulfheonar fight to the death
He changed to a more measured song which would not tire the men out. I looked astern. The darkness of the east was illuminated by a distant glow as the fire ship settled beneath the waves. The shapes of three drekar were visible. They were following. They need not see us for they knew where we would go. We would be sailing north; we would be sailing home.
It was completely dark as Arne Eriksson wriggled up. "Well?"
"There is some water, Jarl, but it is seeping rather than flooding."
I saw Erik breathe a visible sigh of relief. "Thank the Allfather for that. We were lucky. Prepare to come about!" We would turn to sail due north so that we had the wind with us and the men could rest. "Come about! Oars in."
I took the opportunity, as the oars were pulled in, to discover whom we had lost. It seemed a lifetime ago that we had fought in the camp and fled. The wounded lay on the decks still. I saw that they had been bandaged. Finni and Erik Eriksson both had wounds to the legs. They were sitting up but, if we were attacked, then they could not fight. Three of the new warriors from the town were also lying bandaged.
"How many did we lose, Snorri?"
"Five went to Valhalla, Jarl. They died well but the odds were too great."
"What happened?"
"We slew the sentries. That was not difficult for we had the night to help us. Einar began the fight as you asked him to. When the guards came from the hall then we slipped in and killed them. The new men held off the others. It worked out well at first because many were drunk and wanted an excuse to fight with anyone. Harald Black Teeth and his men kept out of it and it was they who slew our men when they realised what they were doing. Einar did well for he managed to make a shield wall and a fighting retreat. We hurried after you for we knew not how many men were with this Ragnar Ruriksson."
"I think he was just the figurehead, Snorri. They were trading on his father's name and reputation. There is another who is the power behind the throne. He is the Jarl who has the white and red skulls on his ships and his shields."
"Harald Black Teeth has a white skull but no blood. Perhaps he is kin to this jarl."
"Perhaps but if that is the case then there is no blood loyalty for he has fled."
We kept a close watch astern but an even closer one ahead for we would be passing our enemies on Man. The night wore on and Erik kept the steering board aimed due north. The wind helped and it was the shortest route. The wounded warriors had meant we had to rearrange the rowers. Cnut Cnutson was on a chest behind Olaf Leather Neck. Although the wind meant we did not have to row they stayed at their chests in case we had to. Olaf was chatting to Cnut and Haaken. I knew that it would be about his father. He had been the warrior who had stood next to me at Hrams-a when the lightning had struck my sword. How my life had changed since then.
In the dark of night the wind began to veer and to freshen. It moved first south and then south west. I guessed it would eventually come from the west. That was the way it normally worked. That meant the seas would be rolling in from the far seas to the west and they would be big. Our threttanessa was lithe but she was light. With no cargo in our holds and water seeping in from our collision I prayed for dawn and the sight of land. The wind became even stronger and we were struck by increasingly large waves. One wave, larger than the rest, rose like a sea monster and struck the drekar beam on. There was an alarming crack and Guthrum shouted, "The steering board! It has sheared!"
Erik Short Toe did not panic. "Get on the oars! Until we can rig something up you have to use the oars to steer!"
We were no longer making way. With no rudder the normally responsive ship rolled sluggishly from side to side. She was like an over laden knarr. Guthrum and the ship's boys raced up the shrouds and began to furl the sail. We had to shorten it or risk breaching.
Erik shouted, "Jarl, find the spare oars we will have to use two of them as a sweep." I found the best two we had and took them to Erik. He cut some rope and began to bind them together. "Jarl, You will need to keep them on course. Keep the wind on our quarter. We will be more stable."
I stood between the rowers and held my hands out. That was the best way to gauge the wind. It was coming from directly behind. I waved to Haaken's side, "Up oars!"
As Snorri's side's oars bit into the water we began to straighten.
I pointed to Haaken's side, "Row!"
This was the test of a crew. They had to work in a way which was not normal. There was good humour and no panic. Haaken shouted, "With your hands like that, Jarl, you could be the White Christ they have in their churches. Perhaps that was what he was doing; steering a ship!"
It made the men laugh. Behind me I heard Erik cursing as he tried to attach the sweep to the withy. It was not easy. I shouted, "Guthrum, help Erik Short Toe!"
He slid down the shroud and landed lightly on his feet. With two of them working together they managed to fashion a steering board. It was not as efficient as the one which had broken but it was easier to use than having the two sides compensate for the lack of one. Erik and Guthrum tried a few tentative moves and it appeared to work. "Thank you Jarl, We can manage now." The two of them steered together.
I turned, "Can we risk more sail?"
He shook his head, "This is delicate and if this breaks then we are in trouble. If we have to then we will try it but I would rather not take the chance. Karl, get to the mast head and watch aft."
"But it is still night, captain!"
"And soon it will be dawn. Look, to the east, the sky is lighter."
I donned my wolf cl
oak and began to prepare for war. The Norns had not broken our steering board just to see if Erik could mend it. We had escaped too easily. We would have to fight. I found my shield and donned my helmet. Haaken saw what I did and nodded. "It is wyrd!"
The sun had cleared the mountains to the east of us before Karl shouted, "Sails, to the east of us. Three drekar. They are the ones who followed us. I can see the skull on the sail."
Erik said, "So be it. We have to gamble now. Karl, lower the sail! We run before the wind. The bones are cast."
I went to the steer board side and peered east. I could see Wyddfa which meant we would have to alter course soon. Had we been in better condition then we could have risked the straits. I knew that we were too fragile for such a course. We would have to sail north and west and pass between Ynys Môn and Hibernia. The three ships would catch us.
Chapter 18
As the sail filled Erik put us over on to our new course as gently as he could. The normally speedy drekar now felt as though she was limping. Karl shouted, "Captain, two of the enemy are heading north. Just one follows us."
I went to the stern. "This Jarl knows these waters."
"Aye, more's the pity."
An idea formed, "Karl, the one which follows us, how many oars does she have?"
I waited while he counted. "Sixteen on each side."
I turned to Erik, "Then she is little bigger than we are. We fight her. We cannot fight three of them but we stand a chance with one."
"You are right."
I shouted, "Change into armour and get your weapons. One man in each pair."
We kept our way for we had half the men rowing but we slowed and that would encourage our enemy. I saw Ynys Môn just twenty miles off the opposite side to the steering board. Soon we would turn and we would have the advantage of the wind but, at that moment, we were barely making way and the Frisian was racing to close with us.
By the time all the men were armed and back at their oars the drekar was just five lengths behind us. As our oars bit so we increased our lead. It was not by much but it bought us time. The little rock, covered in seabirds, which marked the end of Ynys Môn was the point at which we would turn. We could not throw the drekar over as we might have done had we been whole. It would be a gentle turn.
