King Alfred's Viking

by Charles W. Whistler

  Chapter XIII. The Greatest Victory.

  Now in a few days it was plain that Alfred held the Danes in thehollow of his hand as it were, and could do what he would withthem. At first we looked for messengers from the place, to treatwith him for peace; but none came. From the town at times we couldhear shoutings and the noise of men who quarrelled, as if therewere divided counsels among them that led to blows. They were veryshort of food also, because all their stores of cattle were leftoutside the walls, as I have said, so that we fared the better fortheir plundering while we waited.

  At the end of the first week, therefore, Alfred sent a messageunder flag of truce, and told the chiefs that he was willing tohear what they would say; and next day Guthrum asked that somechiefs might come and speak with him. But Alfred would not trustthe Danes enough to send any of his nobles into the town, and badeGuthrum come out to the camp and say what he had to say. But hewould not. Then one day, when Alfred held counsel as to what wasbest to be done to ensure lasting peace, I said that I thought JarlOsmund might be of use, for he could go between the two camps insafety.

  That seemed good to the king, and Heregar and I rode to find him,crossing the tidal ford at Combwich, where we heard from villagefolk who had returned that the Danish lord bided in Heregar's housebeyond the fort.

  There I thought I should find Thora, and we went quickly. The placelooked very deserted, and when we came to the courtyard gates itseemed more so, for the Maytime had sprinkled the gay-patternedpaving of grey and white shore pebbles with blades of grass andweeds that sprang up between them everywhere for want of tendance.

  Only the Lady Alswythe and a few of her servants were there now,for the Lady Etheldreda had taken Thora with her to Taunton whenshe left the hills. It had not been so safe here, though there waslittle plunder to bring the Danes to the place now. So I need notsay that I was grievously disappointed, though in the dismantledhall sat Osmund, listlessly shaping a bow stave, and waiting forwhat turn of fortune should take him next.

  Very glad, as one might think, were both the lady and the jarl forour coming, and we had to tell them all the tale of the working ofAlfred's plan, and of the great fight. And when that was heard, wetold the jarl of Alfred's wish to treat with Guthrum and the otherchiefs through him.

  That Osmund would gladly do; indeed, he said that, in hopes ofbeing thus useful, he had stayed so near at hand.

  So he and the thane talked long of the matter--for Alfred had sentmessages--while I spoke with the lady, of Thora mostly.

  It did not seem to me that I had any part in the king's businesswith the Danes, and so presently I thought that I could do nobetter than ride to Taunton to see Thora, who I feared might be introuble or doubt as to my safety.

  So I rode there with Kolgrim. At that time the scald was laid upwith a wound in the camp, and the king seemed to miss his presence,and to care for his welfare as if he were his brother; but, indeed,he made every man with whom he had to do feel as if his king werehis best friend.

  There is not much need for me to tell what manner of welcome I hadat Taunton from Thora. As for Etheldreda, she would have me tellher everything, and I sat with those two, until night came andrest, talking of all the time past. But of the time to come Thorasaid nothing, and once or twice when Etheldreda left us and we werealone for a little while, so that I could try to plan out somewhat,she would but turn the talk again.

  In the morning I found out how this was. She had gathered fromOsmund somewhat of his thoughts about what Alfred's plan for memight be, and was unhappy therefore, not wishing to stand in my wayto honour with the king. So she told me when I pressed her a littleto speak of what I would do; and when I said that there should benothing that I would let stand between us, she was the moretroubled yet.

  So at last I went and found Etheldreda, and prayed her to come andspeak with Thora.

  "Falling out already?" she said, laughing.

  "Not so, but a greater trouble than that," I said, "one that willneed your help before it is mended."

  "Ay, I suppose you could patch up a quarrel for yourselves," shesaid. "What is this mighty trouble?"

  So she came and sat by Thora, taking her hand and kissing her, andwe told her what Osmund's thoughts were.

  "There is such enmity between Saxon and Dane," Thora said, "that itis not likely that the king will trust one who will wed one of hisfoe's daughters."

  It was plain that Etheldreda thought the same; but she cheered usboth, saying that she would do all that she could to help us, andthat Odda would not be behind in the matter. After all, if we wereto wait for a while, things might be very different after a littletime of peace. And so we were content.

  So I went back to Alfred next day, and when he heard where I hadbeen he smiled a little, and said:

  "One thing I must tell you, my Norseman, and that is that ourthanes who know little of you will be jealous that you should havemuch dealing with any Dane as yet."

  Which made me the more uneasy; for though I might think that theking, at all events, was not displeased with me, others, and thewishes of others, might be too strong for him to go against.

  But my affairs are little things compared with what was on hand atthis time, and on the same day Alfred spoke to me about somewhatthat he would have me do for him.

  In the town the Danes were in the greatest straits by this time,for by no means could they get stores of any sort to them, so closewas the watch round the place. Osmund had been in and out once ortwice, and Guthrum had received him well enough, and it was thoughtthat there would be no long delay now before the siege was at anend by the submission of the Danes to any terms they might gain,and the more so that an assault on the fortress would surely havebeen successful, ending in the fall of all its defenders.

  But Alfred was most willing to be merciful, and he had biddenOsmund tell Guthrum and his chiefs that if he might name twelvehostages for himself the rest should go free, while Guthrum shouldhold the East Anglian kingdom for him as under-king.

  But this was what Alfred would have me do.

  "One other thing there is," he said. "If there is to be anybrotherhood between us, it must be as between Christians. The waysof persecution must be forgotten and that cannot come to pass untilthe chiefs at least have accepted the faith."

  "It is strange to me, my king," I said, "that Guthrum, who has beenin England for ten years, is not Christian by this time."

  "Ay, but his hosts are heathen," the king answered. "Now I think Ican speak to you as if no longer a heathen at least?"

  "As a Christian, my king," I answered.

  "Well, then," he said, smiling on me, "go and speak to Guthrum andtell him what I have said. I think that he will listen to youbetter than if I sent a priest or even Bishop Sigehelm. Warrior mayspeak to warrior plainly."

  Now this was a hard thing for me to do, as it seemed. Maybe it wasthe hardest thing he could have asked me. But it was in my mindthat I could not but go to Guthrum and give the message, else wouldI seem to deny the faith that I loved. Alfred saw at once that Iwas troubled in some way, and I believe that he knew well what theseeming doubt was.

  "Once you brought a token of good to me," he said. "Now that wasall unknowing. Go now and take a message of good to Guthrum openly,and have no fear."

  "What shall I say?"

  "Mind not that at all," he answered; "what is needed will come toyou."

  So I said that I would go if Harek might come with me, for hiswords were ever ready. But Alfred would not suffer that. I must gowithout help from a scald, taking only my own words; and at last Iconsented, though indeed my only fear was that I might not succeedby reason of my slowness of speech.

  Then I went to Osmund, and told him that I was to go into the townwith him next day, for that is how Alfred planned for me; and Itold him also what my part in the business was to be. Whereon hesurprised me.

  "I do not know that your errand is so hopeless as you seem tothink," he said. "Guthrum has harmed no Christians in East Angliasince he was ki
ng there."

  "Well," I answered, "I hope it may be easy, though I doubt it."

  I would not say more then, but, being anxious, went and spoke longwith Harek. The brave scald's wounds were deep, though he had saidlittle of them. Some say that he saved the life of Ethelnoth at thetime when that ealdorman was struck down, and that also isEthelnoth's story; though the scald says that if so it was byaccident, and less worth speaking of than many braver deeds thatwere wrought and went untold that day.

  "Here have I been in England but six months or so, and I have moreto sing of than ever I learned with Harald Fairhair," he said oneday, as he made songs on his bed while his wounds were healing.

  And he spoke the truth. Never was a winter so full of deeds wroughtby a king and a valiant people that were worth a scald'sremembrance.

  Now Osmund had a last message from Alfred that day, and in themorning we went together to the bridge. There Guthrum's owncourtmen met us, and they took us into the fortress, beyond whichlies the town, so that we saw little of what straits the host mightbe in by this time. In the fortress itself all seemed in order atleast; and there was a guard set at the door of the well-built hutwhere the Danish king was, as if some state were yet kept up.

  There Guthrum welcomed us, and with him were many chiefs, on whosefaces was the same care-worn look that Osmund had borne when I sawhim at Exeter before Alfred.

  "Two messages come to you today," Osmund said; "one by my mouth,and the other by that of King Ranald Vemundsson, who is with me. Ithink you may hear both, and answer them both favourably."

  Guthrum made no reply, but took his seat at the upper end of theone room the hut had; and all the chiefs sat also, leaving usmessengers standing.

  Then said Osmund:

  "I think it right that I should stand in the presence of my king,but the son of King Vemund should not do so in any less presencethan that of his overlord."

  Thereat Guthrum smiled a little.

  "I have heard that Harald of Norway came to blows with his brotherkings because they would not stand before him, and that others haveleft that kingdom because they did not choose to do so. Sit down,King Ranald. Your father's name was well known to all of us in theold days. I am glad to see his son, though maybe I should not sayso."

  "We would rather that he were on our side," said one of the otherchiefs.

  Then they set places for both of us, and we waited for Guthrum'sword.

  "Well," he said, wearily enough, "let us hear what King Alfredsays."

  "Few are his words," said Osmund:

  "'Let Guthrum suffer me to choose any hostages that I will formyself, let him swear to keep the peace hereafter as my under-kingbeyond Thames, doing homage to me, and he shall go hence with hishost in honour.' There is also the message of Ranald to addhereto."

  Now I thought that the faces of the chiefs showed that they thoughtthese terms very light; but they said nothing as yet.

  Guthrum turned to me.

  "Well, King Ranald?"

  "Alfred the king bids me say that he would fain treat with youhereafter as a brother altogether. And that can only be if thegreat trouble between Dane and Saxon is removed--that is, ifGuthrum becomes a Christian."

  Now I expected some outburst of scorn and wrath on this, butinstead of that a silence fell, in which the chiefs looked at oneanother; and Guthrum gazed at me steadfastly, so that I felt myface growing hot under his eyes, because I knew I must say more,and that of myself and my own wishes most likely.

  Then Guthrum said slowly:

  "Why has he not sent some priest to say this?"

  "Because he thought that a warrior would listen best to a brotherwarrior," I answered.

  "Ay, that is true," said the king. "Are you a Christian,therefore?"

  "I am as yet unbaptized," I said. "I have taken the prime signingon me, as have many others; but I shall certainly seek baptismshortly."

  "You came here as a heathen, then?"

  "As a heathen altogether, except that I had no hatred ofChristians," I answered, not quite seeing what the king would know.

  "What turned your mind so far from the old gods that you should bea fit messenger on such a matter to us?"

  "I have learned from Alfred and Neot," I answered, "and I know thatI have found what is true."

  Then Guthrum turned to Osmund.

  "What say you, jarl? you have been with Alfred also."

  "When Ranald is baptized, I shall be so with him," the jarlanswered simply.

  And that was the first word thereof that I had heard from him.

  Then an older chief spoke sharply to us.

  "What profit do you look to make thereout--either of you?"

  "Certainty of better things both in this life and in that to come,"I answered.

  "Ay, so they always say," the chief growled; "but what place withAlfred in return?"

  "It is likely that I shall gain no place with him," I said. "JarlOsmund knows that I do not count on that."

  "Ay," said Osmund, "I know it. Nor will any man think that I seekhonour at Alfred's hands."

  Then Guthrum rose up, and spoke gravely and yet very determinedly,as if this was no new matter to him.

  "Here, chiefs, are two good and tried warriors who willingly chooseAlfred's faith. You and I have heard thereof since we were inEngland; and many a man have we seen die, since we have been here,because he would not give it up. I mind me of Edmund, the martyredking, whom Ingvar, our great chief, slew, and of Humbert thebishop, and many more lesser folk. Tell me truly how much you havethought of the Asir in these last years?"

  But none answered. It was with them as with me: the Asir were notof England.

  "One thing," said Guthrum, "has gone against our taking up theEnglish faith--we have thought the words of peace have made mencowardly. Now we know that is not so. Here is one who withstoodHubba, and round the walls watch Christian men who have beaten ussturdily."

  Then he stayed his words for a little, and his voice sank, and helooked round and added:

  "Moreover, the words of the new faith are good. I will accept KingAlfred's brotherhood altogether."

  Then one or two more of the younger chiefs spoke, and said thatthey would do so also; but again the elder warrior spoke fiercely.

  "Is this forced on us as part of the peace making?"

  "It is not," I answered. "It is, as I have said, the wish forbrotherhood altogether."

  Then said Guthrum:

  "That is enough. I do not think that we need be ashamed to beconquered altogether by King Alfred."

  "One more word," said the old chief. "Are we to have no hostages?"

  "There can be no exchange of hostages," said Osmund.

  "Things are all on the side of the Saxon," he growled.

  "Ay, they are, in more ways than that," said Guthrum. "We have nopower to say a word. It is in my mind that we could not have lookedfor such mildness at the king's hands. For there is no denying thatwe are at his mercy.

  "What say you, as a stranger, Ranald?"

  "I have known the ways of Harald of Norway," I answered. "I thinkthat he would not have left a man of this host alive."

  Whereon the old warrior laughed shortly, and was silent whileGuthrum bade us go back to Alfred and thank the king for his word,saying that an answer should be given as soon as the word of thehost had been taken in open Thing.

  So Alfred won Guthrum to the faith, and greatly did he rejoice whenhe heard what the Danish king had said. I think he was more gladyet when he knew that Osmund would become Christian also, and heurged us both to be baptized at once.

  "Let us be so with Guthrum," I asked.

  "That will be fitting," he answered, "for I think you have won himover."

  But I hold that Guthrum and more of his chiefs had been won by thedeaths of those martyrs of whom he spoke long before the choice wasset before him. One cannot tell how this was wrought in the mind ofthe Danes altogether by the hand of God. Some will ever say, nodoubt, that they took the Cross on them by necessity; but
I knowthat it was not so. Nor have their lives since that time given anyreason for the thought.

  Then Alfred asked the name of that old warrior who withstood us,and Osmund told him.

  "I will have that chief as a hostage," the king said, "for I thinkthat he is worth taming."

  "I think that King Alfred's hostages are not in any way to bepitied," Osmund said.

  "Save that they are kept from home and friends, I would have themas happy as may be," the king answered; "but I would have nonepresume on what mercy came to you, Jarl Osmund, for the sake of theChristmastide message."

  "I think that none will do so," Osmund said. "There is fullknowledge among my kin that you showed mercy when justice was aboutto be done, and well they know that your kindness was not weakness.It is likely that the mercy shown here also will do more for peacethan would even destruction of your enemies."

  So it seemed at last, for on the fourteenth day of the siege theDanes accepted the king's terms with one consent. And more thanthat, Guthrum and thirty of his chiefs asked that they might bebaptized; which was a wonder to all of our host.

  Now I have said nothing about the life in the great camp beforeBridgwater, for it had nothing of much note to me, though it waspleasant enough. I think there was some jealousy of me among theyounger thanes at one time; but it passed because I would notnotice it, and also because I took no sort of authority on me,being only the king's guest and warrior as yet. But I did find afew young thanes of Odda's following who knew somewhat of the sea,and I was wont to talk with them often of the ships and the like,until I knew they would be glad to take to the viking's path withme in the king's ships, bringing their men with them. And oftenAlfred spoke with me of the matter, until I was sure that he wouldhave me stay.

  It was but a few days after the peace had been made when Alfredwent to a great house he had at Aller, which lies right amidst themarshes south of Athelney. We had saved that house and the churchby our constant annoyance of the Danes, with many another house andvillage along the fen to which they dared not come for fear of usat last. Guthrum was to come to him there, and I think that hechose the place because there at least was nought to bring thoughtsof defeat to the Danes, and there they could be treated as guests,apart from the great camp and fortress. Great were the preparationsthere for the high festival that should be when Alfred himselfshould take Guthrum to the font.

  Then came Neot on foot, with Guerir his fellow hermit, fromCornwall, to be present; and Harek and I rejoiced as much as theking that he had come.

  "I think I must answer for you two at the font," he said.

  "For Kolgrim also, I pray you, Father Neot," said I; "for he willbe baptized with us."

  "Ay, for honest Kolgrim also," he answered; "but what of old Thord,my reprover?"

  "He will have nought to do with the new faith," I said. "But atleast he does not blame us for leaving the old gods. He says he istoo old to learn what we younger men think good."

  "I will seek him and speak with him again," Neot said. "I think Iowe him somewhat."

  Then we thanked the holy man for the honour that he was showing us;but he put thanks aside, saying that we were his sons in the truth,and that the honour was his rather.

  Now in the seven weeks that we waited for Guthrum at Aller, whilethe priests whom Alfred sent taught him and his chiefs what theyshould know rightly before baptism, Osmund and I were wont to go toTaunton, across the well-known fens, and bide for days at a time inOdda's house there, and we told Thora for what we waited.

  She had come to England, when she was quite a child, with the firstwomen who came into East Anglia, and already she knew much ofChristianity from the Anglian thralls who had tended her. And whenshe had heard more of late from Etheldreda and Alswythe, she hadlonged to be of the same faith as these friends of hers, and nowrejoiced openly.

  "Ranald," she said, "I had not dared to speak of this to my father,but I was wont to fear the old gods terribly. They have no placefor a maiden in their wild heaven. There are many more Danishladies who long for this change, even as I have longed. Yet I stillfear the wrath of Odin for you and my father."

  "The old gods are nought--they have no power at all," I said,bravely enough; though even yet I had a little fear in thus defyingthem, as it seemed.

  "Then I will dread them no more," she answered. "Nor do I thinkthat you need fear them."

  So I comforted her, and bade her ask more of Etheldreda, who wouldgladly teach her; and the matter passed by in gladness, as atrouble put away, for she and I were at one in this. I will saythat I had half feared that she whom I loved would have been angrywith me.

  Now on that night Osmund and I and Harek would ride to Heregar'shouse over the shoulder of the Quantocks, with some message we hadto take to him from Alfred; and we went without any attendants, forthe twelve miles or so would have no risk to any one, and thesummer evening was long and bright.

  Yet we were later in starting away than we should have been, and sowhen we were among the wilder folds of the hills, where the baresummits rise from wooded slopes and combes, we were overtaken by aheavy thunderstorm that came up swiftly from the west behind us,darkening the last sunset light with black clouds through which thelightning flickered ceaselessly.

  We rode on steadily, looking for some place of shelter; but it grewvery dark, and the narrow track was rough, and full of loose stonesthat made the going slow. Presently the clouds settled down on thehill crest and wrapped us round, and the storm broke afresh on us,with thunder that came even as the darkness was changed to bluebrightness with the lightning flashes that played around us almostunceasing. There was no rain yet and no wind, and the heat grewwith the storm.

  Soon the nearness of the flashes scared our horses, and we had todismount and lead them, and in the darkness we lost the littletrack among the heavy heather. And then there seemed to me to be anew sound rising among the thunder, and I called to Harek, biddinghim hearken.

  It came from seaward, and swelled up louder and louder and nearer,until it passed over our heads--the yelp and bay of Odin's wildhounds, and the trample and scream of his horses and their deadriders. A great fear fell on me, so that the cold sweat stood on myforehead, while the hunt seemed everywhere above us for a moment,and then passed inland among the thunder that hardly drowned itsnoises.

  Then Osmund the jarl cried out:

  "That was Odin's hunt. I have heard it before, and ill camethereof. He hunts us who forsake him."

  And out of the darkness Harek answered, without one shake in hisbrave voice:

  "Odin's hunt in truth it was, and the ill comes to Odin, who mustleave this land before the might of the Cross. We who bear the signof might he cannot touch."

  Then I remembered myself, and the fear passed from me, and I wasashamed. I had no doubt now that there was need for Odin's wrath,seeing that he was surely defeated. And Osmund was silent also,thinking doubtless the same things; for he had taken on him theprime signing long ago, and had forgotten it maybe.

  Then we went on, and the storm grew wilder. Harek sang now, butwhat the words were I cannot tell. I think they were some that hehad learned from Alfred.

  Now we began to go down the southern slope of the highest neck ofthe hill, as it seemed, though we could not rightly say where wewere, and in a little silence that came between the thunderclaps Iheard the rattle of hoofs as of another rider coming after us,going faster than we dared.

  "Here is one who knows the hill well," I said; "maybe he will guideus."

  And then the lightning showed the horseman close to us. He reinedup, and cried in a great voice:

  "Ho, strangers! are you wandering here?"

  "Ay; we are lost till the storm passes. Can you guide us to shelterbefore the rain comes?" I said.

  "Whence come you?" he asked.

  "We are Alfred's men from Taunton--going to the thane's house atCannington."

  "Ay, is that so? Then I will guide you. Follow," he said, and herode on.

  One could see him plainly when the
lightning came, and it showed atall man, grey bearded, and clad in a long hooded horseman's cloak,under which gleamed golden-shining mail. Well mounted on a greathorse he was also, and its sides were white with foam on the darkskin, as though he had ridden hard.

  We mounted and went after him, with the lightning playing round usand glancing from the mail of our leader as his arm threw the cloakback over his shoulder from time to time. He led us along the hillcrest northward, crossing the places where the fire beacons hadbeen; and we wondered whither he was taking us, for shelter herewas none. And now the storm grew wilder, with the wind and chill ofcoming rain.

  Then he turned downhill, riding fast until we came to a place whererocks lay loose and scattered everywhere, and our horses stumbledamong them. There he reined up suddenly, holding up his hand, andshouting through the uproar of wind and thunder:

  "Hold, for your lives! Hearken!"

  We stayed motionless, listening, and again we heard the cry andclang of Odin's hunt, coming now from inland over us, and I madethe sign of the Cross on my breast, in fear thereof.

  "Ho for Odin's hunt!" the strange man cried, in his mighty voice."Hear it, Alfred's men, for you shall join it and ride the windwith him if you defy him."

  "We fear him not," said Harek; "he has no power over us."

  "Has he not?" the man roared, facing full upon us; and as he did sothe lightning glared on him, and I saw that his drawn sword wasaloft, and that from its point glowed a blue flame, and that blueflames also seemed to start from his horse's ears. One-eyed the manwas also, and he glowered on us under shaggy eyebrows.

  Harek saw also, and he raised his hand towards the man and signedthe holy sign, crying:

  "Speak! who are you?"

  Thereat the man gave a hoarse roar as of rage, and his horsereared, trampling wildly on the loose rocks, and, lo, he was gonefrom before our eyes as if he had never been, while the thundercrashed above us and below us everywhere!

  "Odin! the Cross has conquered!" Harek cried again, in a voice thatwas full of triumph; and the blood rushed wildly through me at thethought of what I had seen.

  Then Harek's horse shifted, and his hoof struck a great stone thatrolled as if going far down the hill, and then stopped, and maybeafter one could count five came a crash and rattle underneath usthat died away far down somewhere in the bowels of the hill. And atthat Osmund shouted suddenly:

  "Back to the hill; we are on the brink of the old mine shaft! Back,and stay not!"

  Nor did we wait, but we won back to the higher ground before wedrew rein.

  "We have met with Odin himself," Osmund said when we stopped andthe thunder let him speak.

  "Ay, and have driven him hellwards by the might of the holy sign,"said Harek. "Nearly had he lured us to death, unbaptized as we are,in that place."

  "Come," said Osmund; "I know where we are now. We are well-nighunder the great fort, and there is a farm near at hand."

  We found that soon and the rain came, and the storm spent its furyand passed as we sat under cover in the stables waiting. Then camethe moonlight and calm, and the sweetness of rain-soaked earth andflowers refreshed, and we went on our way wondering, and came tothe thane's with the first daylight. And I thought that our faceswere pale and marked with the terror of the things through which wehad gone, and maybe also with a new light of victory {xvii}.