Banners of the Northmen (41 page)

Ulfrik led Konal, Kell, and Snorri from his hall. The sun had trekked across the sky and now glowed red in the west, disappearing behind red- and gold-topped trees. Birds raced back to their nests, zooming through the chill autumn air. He scanned Paris, out of habit rather than need, checking for movement, odd lights, or other signs of trouble. It rested at peace, orange points of torches springing up where light no longer shined.

"All private conversations are best held in an open field," Ulfrik explained to his guests, gesturing them to the cleared fields by the makeshift halls. "Inside, we'd have to contend with too many spies. Mord is a good man, but what is said to him is said to his father and Hrolf as well."

"You tolerate spies well," Konal said as they walked across the well-trodden grass. "My father would've hanged the man no matter how much he liked him."

"I have few secrets but the one we discuss tonight." Satisfied that they were out of anyone's hearing, Ulfrik stopped and faced them, eying Konal as he spoke. "Let's be quick. I don't want to appear suspicious, and I want nothing more than to return to my wife's side. She is more beautiful than I remember, and softer that I'd have expected after the tales you shared with me today."

Studying him for any sign of insincerity, Ulfrik saw none. Konal smiled and inclined his head. "Few women can survive such trials and grow more beautiful, but no one can doubt your wife has."

A bonfire roared to life outside of Hrolf's hall, shadows of men flitting before it. Ulfrik wanted to press Konal for more details of his year in Nye Grenner, but Hrolf would soon emerge and attempt to recruit the twins to his army.

"Tell me your stories. Why do you believe Anscharic still has your treasure?"

"We don't know if he still has our treasure, but we guess he does. Even if not, he can tell us what he did with it." Konal paused and regarded his brother, who nodded solemnly. "Forgive me if I hesitate. We've not shared this story outside of our family."

Ulfrik and Snorri shared a glance. "Snorri and I share the same confidence. Don't omit anything from your tale, and we might help you yet."

"We captured Anscharic and all his men off the cost of England. Gave us a terrible fight, and he nearly got away. We had nabbed a fat prize. We'd heard about a Frankish noble traveling with a ship of Christian priests, gone to Wessex on some sort of exchange with the king there."

"King Alfred loves his churches and he'd bestowed a great gift to the Franks," Kell cut in to his brother's talk. He outlined a large cross shape in the air, from his head to chest. "Anscharic was carrying a gold cross as big as my forearm and nearly as thick. Most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Not sure why Alfred would ever part with it. Maybe Anscharic stole it himself."

"No matter, it was to our gain," Konal renewed his story, idly pulling down Kell's arm from drawing the shape again. "Anscharic loved that cross, and threw himself over it when we found it. Had to beat it out of him, and the bastard could fight well for an old man. We captured a small kingdom in gold that day, and having so much in our holds was frightening. We began to see enemies everywhere, and so sailed back to Ireland with it. Anscharic was going to be ransomed, and all his gold would fill our father's treasure pit."

"So his story about a cross of gold is real," Ulfrik said to Snorri, who scowled and nodded. "Do you know, this morning he summoned me to the walls and tempted me with that cross?"

Both Konal and Kell laughed. "That cross is Loki's work, I say." Konal slapped his brother's shoulder as he explained. "The cross lies in my father's hall, and he can't offer it to you any more than he can offer you the stars rising tonight."

"You're confusing them," Kell chided.

"Sorry, lord, but that cross is how Anscharic slipped us. As you know, his Norse is as good as any foreigner can manage. During our return to Ireland, that tongue of his wagged unceasingly and he found men among our crew who would listen. Not all of those men were happy to return to Ireland. England had been good to us, and some even started families there. Our father, too, is mad. A berserk who never leaves the battlefield, if you understand me. No one was glad to see him again. So Anscharic began to make promises to the crew. You'll recognize them, Lord Ulfrik.

"He claimed his wealth was beyond imaging back in Frankia. If they returned him, not only would his brother pay a fortune in gold but also grant them land and titles. The fools in my crew were too ready to believe. By the time we arrived in Ireland, a full crew of men were eager to betray us. We placed Anscharic and all the other treasures in the hall, where we prepared to reveal everything to our father.

"But when we arrived with our father, Anscharic was gone. The sacks of gold had been carried away and only the gold cross and scattered coins remained. More horrible still, the greatest treasure was gone. The cross was inlaid with gems. Gems the size of fat hailstones. Rubies and emeralds, all manner of gems. Those stones were worth more than the weight of the gold cross."

"Our father banished us from our homes until we can return the treasure Anscharic and our traitorous crew stole." Kell shook his head as he spoke. "We didn't know what had happened at first, and the crew had a strong lead on us. The ocean is wide and trackless, and finding someone in it is a fool's errand. But we had heard news that our traitors had headed to Norway. I suppose they wanted to hide their treasure. We located their hall, but someone had raided and killed them.

"That was you, Lord Ulfrik." Konal peered into Ulfrik's eyes, and again the appraising, shrewd light sparkled within them. "You heard the same news we did, and tracked them down for their treasure. Runa claims you found nothing more than trifling spoils and a mad priest who claimed to have gold hidden in Frankia. I need to know, with all respect and honor due to you, lord, did you find anything more? Did Anscharic carry any gems or try to steer you to a place where the gold might be hidden?"

"Nothing more than you already know." Ulfrik did not hesitate in his answer. He held Konal's scrutiny, then shared a glance with Kell. "He led us here on the promise of ill-gotten gold and a story of revenge upon a bishop. Whatever treasure your crew stole, they did not hide it on the lands we raided, and I made a hard search of that place."

Both Konal and Kell slouched in defeat, Kell rubbing his face and gazing toward Paris. "Is Anscharic so well guarded we cannot reach him?" he asked.

"He is now the bishop of this city. In time Paris may grow lax and allow you inside, but today you will be torn by an arrow storm should you approach the walls. I wish your story could end with more promise, but you at least have your man cornered. For my part, Anscharic led me to ruin."

"Ruin?" Konal's eyes went wide. "Your name is spoken all through this land, in the same breath as Hrolf and Sigfrid. We heard about the bridge and the castle you destroyed. Men say Hrolf believes he cannot die with you at his side and your are high in his esteem. This sounds like success to me."

Ulfrik smiled, and Snorri nudged him. "Lad, Hrolf has come out of his hall, and we better meet him soon. And Konal's right; you've got a lot to be proud of here."

They broke up as the sun stained the bottom of the sky with red and gold. The field was filling with darkness and yellow lights flickered from the open doors of the hall. The twins tried to straighten themselves and appear more cheerful than they actually felt. Yet Ulfrik did not need anything to bring a smile to his face.

He had found Anscharic's treasure.

CHAPTER FORTY ONE

"Do you remember when I claimed only Nye Grenner could be my home?" Ulfrik asked as he walked with one arm looped through Runa's. They had traveled into the woods, not far from where he had been betrayed. Their footsteps crackled on the fallen leaves and underbrush, and birds sang their morning songs in the branches laced above their heads. Runa smiled at him, a wide smile that filled his chest with warmth. He felt the gods could be no kinder to him than delivering him Runa for this day.

"I seem to recall you melting like snow in the spring, so full of despair that Nye Grenner was beneath us but our only choice."

Ulfrik laughed. "I shamed myself with weakness that day."

"It was with me." Runa tugged on his arm. "There is no shame when it is only us."

Nodding, he stopped them at a flat, lichen splattered rock that stood waist high. He scanned the woods, searching for anyone following, and found nothing but black trees hung with russet leaves. He placed the bag he had tucked under his other arm atop the rock.

"I was wrong about Nye Grenner. Toki will hold the land in my name, and expand it to the north. Frankia will be our new home. Norsemen have already cut out farms and estates along the coast, and the Franks are weak and yielding when not crowded behind stone walls. Hrolf has already promised me lands."

"What of your kingdom?" Runa asked, her eyebrow raised but her smile undiminished. "You did not want to bend a knee to any man?"

"Everyone has a master; even jarls and kings answer to the gods. Besides, I had already sworn myself to Hrolf, and Fate has rewarded me for the loyalty."

Runa's laugh was like the tinkling of bright silver. He drew her under his arm and cherished her a moment longer. Snorri had hinted that she and Konal might have shared a bed. Her stiff and formal manner in Konal's presence confirmed as much for Ulfrik. He did not begrudge her. More than one Frankish slave woman had found herself under his blankets during the long year alone. All that mattered was the future, which he relished like never before.

Ulfrik pressed his lips in a tentative smile. "Have you no curiosity why I've taken you to these woods in secret?"

"You want to build your family, I hope."

Bending back with laughter, he patted the bag on the rock. "That I do, and we will! But let me lay a richer bed for us first. This bag holds our future."

He snatched the deerskin bag by the bottom and tipped out the contents. Anscharic's ragged, dirty red cloak tumbled out and unfolded on the rock.

"What is that?" Runa frowned and lifted the cloak to check if anything was hidden beneath, revealing nothing but stone.

"Humbert claimed it belonged to his father, and that it meant more than anything to him. When I captured him, I nearly threw out the cloak but for his pleading. All throughout his time with me, he clung to this rag. I tore it from him during his escape, and he had to choose freedom or this bit of dyed wool. But he has connived to retrieve the cloak ever since. He sent Thrand after it, then on the morning you arrived he offered a ransom of gold for me to return it. Why?"

"Because it belonged to his father?" Runa prodded the cloak again. "It's just a rag."

"It's just a rag," Ulfrik agreed, drawing a knife from his belt. "After speaking with Konal and Kell last night, I knew it was nothing more than a rag. And the hiding place of Humbert's treasure."

He smoothed out the cloak, felt for the thick and tightly sewn hems and the hard lumps concealed within. Knife point beneath the first stitch, he ripped down the length, his hand quaking and heart pounding.

Gems rolled out from the seam: brilliant stones that sparkled like unearthly eyes, rubies like frozen blood, green and yellow gems that flashed as if rejoicing at being revealed. Cutting along all the edges, more stones popped out, until he had brushed them all into a pile large enough to nearly fill two hands.

Runa covered her mouth and gasped. Ulfrik placed his knife to the side, stepped back and stared at the glittering mound.

"Ander was true. The gods spoke to him. The treasure was hanging over my head all these long months. We are rich beyond imagining, Wife. My hall will be glorious and my men will be adorned with gold armbands. You will dress in the finest linen and wear gold every day. Finally, Runa, we will fulfill our destinies with this treasure."

"But these belong to Konal." Runa's voice was muffled behind her trembling hands.

"No, they belong to Anscharic, who lost them to Konal. Now they belong to me, to us, Wife." Mention of Konal's name galvanized him, and he swept the gems back into the bag and stuffed the cloak over them.

He and Runa stared at the bag for long moments in silence. A bird cawed in the branches above, and Ulfrik spotted a black raven eying them. It cawed again, and fluttered away, flying over their heads.

"Odin has seen this and approves. The gods have been well entertained, and this is the reward. We must keep it secret from everyone, not even Snorri nor Toki will know. In time, we will convert the stones to gold and live in great luxury in this new land."

Turning back toward the camp, neither spoke. Ulfrik continued to hear the raven cawing. The bird, the gods themselves, celebrated his newfound riches.

As they exited the woods, they entered into a future of bright possibilities

Author’s Note

In 885, Vikings under the leadership of Sigfrid sailed into Frankia (modern day France) and demanded a bribe from the Holy Roman Emperor Charles the Fat to leave. After being rebuffed, Sigfrid raised an army intent on using violence to extract revenge along with the bribe. Cobbling together forces from all over the Viking world, though most were Danish, he led a fleet of seven hundred ships containing 30,000 warriors up the Seine until the bridges at Paris barred his fleet from further progress. This number, while duly recorded by eyewitnesses of the day, is likely a tremendous exaggeration. However, even a force half that size was still a formidable army.

Count Odo was charged with the defense of Paris, which was only an island in the Seine at that time. He could call on no more than two hundred men-at-arms to hold his city against the Vikings. The abbot of St. Germain, Joscelin, bolstered the Franks with his presence and his willingness to fight alongside the men in defense of the city. Desperately outnumbered, the Franks would hold out for an entire year.