Saxon Fall (19 page)

“Aye he died well and it was not the sickness which took him. He had a sword in his hand and he is with his brother even now.”

“Good.” She took my arm and led me up the stairs to the hall, “A messenger came from King Cadwallon.  He is on his way here to speak with you.”

“That is timely for we need a counsel soon. The world has changed and we have lost the Holy Island.”

She smiled, “But we still have Wyddfa and she protects us yet. Come, your daughter is keen to see you.”

I quickly washed my bloody hands and face and followed my wife into my hall. The tables and chairs had been piled to one side and some of the refugees lay sleeping. We went into our chambers and there was the slave tending to Myfanwy. As soon as I entered she opened her eyes and began to gurgle.  I picked her up. The smell of the fresh clean baby seemed to cleanse my heart.  The deaths and the destruction disappeared as I held the child. I know not why but I felt tears coursing down my cheeks. Aileen hurried the slave from the room and sat with her arms around my shoulders as I wept.

“It is unmanly my wife, I am sorry.”

“It is right that you grieve. Aelle was a fine man as well as being your uncle.  You have also lost Tuanthal and I know how close you were to him.”

I looked at her in surprise.  “How do you know?”

“The spirits came to me and told me. And Myrddyn knew.”

“Where is he?” I had missed being greeted by the old man.

“He is with Gawan and he too will be returning.”

When I finally emerged from my hall, dressed and clean I felt much better.  I had needed the love and the tears. I could face the world once more. Even though it was late afternoon I set the men who had not fought to chopping wood and clearing ground further up the valley for our refugees. They would need a home for the winter. The grain we had taken from them would now be returned and they would be fed for the winter.  The next winter would be harder but we would cross that bridge when we came to it. After I had directed the men I spoke with Pol and told him of the fight.  “So you slew Aella.  That is good. He was a wily general.”

“There will be others, Pol, and do not forget Oswald and Oswiu.  They have been quiet since we raided their lands.  I would not expect them to allow us time to rebuild.”

As we passed the field with the new horses and foals Pol stopped and pointed. “They are growing well and Wolf has serviced two more mares which came into season. He seems keen to mate.”

“Good and we must choose the best young stallion from his line and use him to augment his father’s work.”

We turned our horses when we reached the top of the valley side and looked back to where the new halls and ramparts were being built. “This will be crowded soon, Warlord.”

“It is temporary.  We will improve the fort at the head of the valley and find another site along the Dee for a further fort.  The Hibernians did well and I will use them to ring us in. Deva is isolated and it will not take Edwin long to realise that and to try to take it.”

Over the next three days, visitors, in the shape of Cadwallon and Gawan arrived while the hall emptied as the new halls were thrown up and the families moved out. The women were keen to claim a roof for themselves. Aengus and his men built their own hall attached to our fort. We now had a healthy garrison and Aengus took his new responsibilities seriously. It was a load off my mind. I had larger problems to consider.

The snows came when we finally put the last roof on the last hall. The fort seemed emptier.  We were seated around my table, restored to the centre of the hall. My leaders were gathered. Cadwallon sat next to Gawan while Pol and Lann Aelle flanked me.  Myrddyn sat alone at the head of the table. Llenlleog and Pelas were the servants for the day and all else were absent at my request.  This would be a day for planning.

I had the last amphora of the fortified Lusitanian wine.  We had discovered it in the fort on Ynys Mon before we had fled. I had carried it in my bags and, miraculously, it had survived. 

“Before we begin let us drink to those who have fallen and remember them. We are fewer in number now but stronger for our dead are with the spirits and they dwell neath Wyddfa. They protect us still.”

I saw Myrddyn nodding his approval. We raised our beakers and each intoned his own prayer. As we sat Myrddyn said, to the table at large, “At Yule, Gawan and I will visit the tomb to dream.” He looked at Lann Aelle, “If you wish to come, Lann Aelle then it would be a good thing.”

“I will for I have some of my father’s belongings I wish to leave.” We waited for he had not finished.  “The Warlord gave him a wolf charm as a symbol of his office.  He gave it to me when he was ill. It should be returned to the tomb of the Wolf Warrior.”

“Good.”

“Can I come too?” We all looked around.  It was Llenlleog who had spoken. Myrddyn inclined his head and my new equite continued.  “In my land I dreamt of Wyddfa.  It was why I begged to be allowed to come with the Warlord.  All that I have witnessed since I came has confirmed the need to dream in Wyddfa.”

There was silence and we all looked to Myrddyn who closed his eyes.  When he opened them he smiled and he nodded, “It is
wyrd
.  It was meant to be.”

King Cadwallon said, “Now we must move on to more pressing matters.” I saw the irritated look cross Myrddyn’s face.  To him the spirit world determined what we did in this mortal one. “What do we do about Mona?”

“Mona is lost. The men who hold the Narrows cannot hold it for long unless you reinforce it.”

“But I need all of my men on the eastern border.”

“Then you must think about extracting your men from the fort while there is time.  If you destroy the pontoon bridge then the Northumbrians will not be able to attack your land.”

The king’s shoulders slumped. “And what of the grain which Mona produced?”

“We saved most of it and we can feed the people for this winter.  As for next year… we need new farmlands which will support the grain.”

He suddenly sat upright, “But our land is all upland! It is good for animals only!”

I sighed.  We had thought all of this through already. Instead of discussing our strategy we were looking for farmland but I explained anyway. “The valley of the Dee and the Maeresea are both fertile.  They are well watered and will support wheat, barley and oats.”

“But they are in Northumbrians hands.”

“Some are and some are under the control of Gawan. I intend to build another fort along the Dee and try to gain control of those lands with my horsemen. The land suits us and we frighten the Northumbrians.”

“And what would you have me do?”

“You and Penda must convince King Ceorl of the need to attack Edwin and keep his focus there.”

“But are we strong enough to bring him to battle?”

“With Penda and his men and the support of King Ceorl, I believe so.”

“What if King Ceorl will not supply his warriors?”

“It matters not so long as King Edwin believes that they may come to our aid.  Negotiate so that even if does not fight he agrees to respect and protect your borders.  I believe we can trust his word.”

“He has done that before.”

“And he may do so again. We need a year to train our new horses and secure the border along the Dee. You need to buy a year.  It will be a lean year, King Cadwallon. There will not be as much as there was this year but the Northumbrians will suffer as much. Your horsemen can raid Mona when the crops are sown and damage them or they can attack when they are harvested. But you must build up your army.”

“We will but it costs money to arm them.” I saw him chewing his lip.  The loss of Mona had come as a surprise to him even though he had done little to save it. He would have to think more creatively about gaining gold and food.

“Take from the Northumbrians.  They have gold enough to adorn Edwin’s new churches and monasteries.”

He smiled, “I am decided.  We will do as you suggest Warlord. In two years time my son, Cadfan, will be ready to ride to war and I hope he sees glory when we drive the Northumbrians hence.”

“And I will be happy if we survive another year.” The words of the witch still haunted me.  She had said that the end was not imminent but how long did we have? I was running out of time.  It was a luxury we did not have.

The counsel ended and the King and his son rode south to the Narrows. I had been tempted to offer to help but we had already lost many men in the defence of Mona.  It was time for him to take responsibility. I had plans for the next months.

It was
wyrd
. Even before we had reached our home news came that King Ceorl had died… in his bed.  Penda was now king.  We had our allies. We would have a much larger and stronger army.  The Mercians hated the Northumbrians and Penda loathed and despised King Edwin; not least because he was a Christian and had abandoned the old ways.

Yule was just a week away and I was preparing for bed.  Aileen had just put Myfanwy into her cot and, as she turned, she said, “Husband, I would go with Myrddyn and the others to visit the dream cave.”

I nodded, “And Myfanwy?”

“I wish Myfanwy to come too.  In fact the main reason for going is for her to visit the cave where her grandfather is buried.”

“Will it be safe for her?”

She looked at me askance, “Safe?”

“It will be cold and she is young and fragile.”

Laughing she said, “Babies are more resilient than you know. She will come to no harm.  Trust me. It is important that she dreams there as soon as possible and I need to speak with my brother. He has come to me oft times since he died but Myrddyn tells me that the dream cave is the place where I shall see him.” She paused, “And I am anxious for our daughter to see and hear her grandfather.”

“Not that you need it but you have my blessing.  I shall be with Aengus and his men.  I am keen to begin work on the new fort.”

“You have warriors who can do that for you.”

“I know but it is important for me to see the fort erected.” I smiled, “I have skills in that area.”

She took my hand, “You have skills in many areas.  Come.”

I took half of my equites, half of Daffydd’s archers and the Hibernians when we rode towards Deva. I took Kay with me while Pol watched over my home. Gawan would not be in Deva for he was journeying with the others to Wyddfa but I would call to reassure his wife, Gwyneth, that I was watching over my brother’s lands. After speaking with her we followed the river.  It turned sharply south and headed towards the land of King Cadwallon’s lands.  Aed and Dai were scouting ahead.  We would not be surprised. We found the site for the castle just sixteen miles from Deva on the old Roman Road they had called Watling Street.  There was a ford and a hill which would afford protection for the river crossing. Deva was well protected from the other directions.  This was almost like the back door which I would now shut.

“Well Aengus, what think you to your new land?”

“I thought I was to be the steward of your fort on the Clwyd, Warlord?”

“This is a more important task for you.  This is between Deva and Wrecsam.  With this crossing of the Dee controlled we can hold back the Northumbrians.” I pointed to the land before us. “You know the earth, Aengus.  Does that not look like it will produce much grain?”

“Aye, Warlord.”

“And we have the farmers from Mona who can make it so.  We need you and your men to provide a refuge to which they can retire if threatened.  My equites will patrol to the east but you will be the rock upon which the Saxons will be crushed.”

“Then let us begin.”

“Have your men cut down trees from yonder woods.  We will work until dark and then return to Deva.” He ordered his men to begin work. “Kay, leave ten equites here to watch over the Hibernians.”

I led the rest to the east. We were heading into empty lands. The Cymri had fled to the west to avoid the Northumbrians and the land had yet to be settled.  I needed to find the closest Northumbrian settlement.  Midwinter was the best time for the people would be closeted within doors away from the cold and the damp. We were hardy folk and we would endure the elements.

We passed through one deserted village.  Aed thought it was one called Tatenhale. It looked to have been prosperous at one time but all we saw were burnt out huts and discarded bones.  There was an even smaller hamlet to the south.  We thought that was the extent of Northumbrian settlement until Dai rode in and said that he had found a defended village. He led us through woods and across deserted fields until we found ourselves looking up at the ramparts of a small hill fort. Dai pointed to the north.  “There is a river which runs from the north and passes along the other side of the fort.”

“Can the river be forded?”

“Aye, Warlord.  It is not deep.”

“I wonder why the Northumbrians built it on this side then?”

“That is easy, Warlord; they have taken over a village of the Cymri and the land on the other side is flatter. There are salt pits there.”

“Salt?  Then it is valuable. Go with Aed and see if you can ascertain numbers.”

When they had gone Pelas asked, “Will you take it?”

“I am thinking of that, squire. It is just sixteen or so miles from Aengus’ Ford. The land here is good farmland and there is salt. We will wait until our scouts have reported.”

That evening we rested at Deva where we provided the food for our hostess; my men had hunted on the way back and brought down two hinds.  We ate well. We also discovered the name of the village which had salt pits; it was Namentwihc.  That was valuable information.

I spoke with my leaders, “We will build the ramparts and dig the ditch on the morrow.”

Aengus nodded, “The weather has yet to turn too cold to dig.  We can work the earth.  If we all work then we can have the walls and ditch finished in a few days.”

I laughed, “You mean if my equites join you?”

He nodded, “I did not want to say, Warlord. I know that your equites are fine warriors.”

“They are not afraid of hard work, neither is your Warlord.”

He looked shocked, “I would not expect you to work Warlord.”

“I will do.  We will not be needed to attack the salt village until the weather improves.  Aed says that they looked to be poor folk.  It will not take much to capture it and I do not want Edwin to know of our presence on his borders.  I want to have this fort built before we do anything. We will take that before we raid his lands to the north.”

It took us seven days to finish the walls and cut the wood for the halls.  I left Aengus with ten of my archers while we returned to my fort to send carts with the food and weapons they would need for the hard winter ahead. They would have plenty of time to improve the defences and make their home habitable. With luck the Saxons would not even know that they were there until the spring and by then we would be that much stronger.

The dreamers had returned by the time we reached the Clwyd and the weather had begun to turn.  Aengus had been lucky.  A delay of a few days would have meant the ground became too hard to put the posts in. As it was they had a roof over their heads and they had even built the fire pit so that they could cook. All of the ones who had been in the cave looked thoughtful; even Myrddyn. I knew why he had been affected; it would be his tomb when he went to the Otherworld. I did not press with questions. They would each tell me in their own way and their own time. I sent the carts of Aengus, protected by some squires and I played with my daughter.  I would find out eventually what each had learned of themselves and the future.

As we ate in the hall it was Llenlleog who spoke first. “I will delay my return to my home, with your permission, Warlord.”

“Of course but why?”

“I saw a war and I will be needed.” He looked at Myrddyn who smiled.

I laughed, “I can see the effect that Myrddyn is having upon you.”

Gawan was the next to speak. “I saw our father.” I nodded for there was nothing that I could say to that comment.  “He is pleased with you, Hogan Lann.”

I saw a chorus of nods.  “You all dreamt that?”

Aileen touched my hand, “His was the most powerful spirit in the cave. We all saw him and heard him.  Even Myfanwy.”

“How do you know?”

Aileen smiled, enigmatically, “The dreamers know.”

Lann Aelle was the last to speak his thoughts and his voice was the saddest. “And I saw my father too. It was too brief but I am happier.  He is in no pain now and he will watch over Pelas and me.”

“Then the year has ended well.”

“And what of your trip, Warlord?”

Although Myrddyn asked the question the answer was not for him.  He already knew it. “We have a fort not far from Deva and it guards the ford over the Dee.  The nearest Northumbrians are at Namentwihc and in the spring I will capture that town. Then we can raid in the heart of Northumbria.”

Llenlleog nodded, “That is good for it will bring the men of the north to battle.”

“You saw the battle?”

“We did but not when.”

Gawan said, “It was in the summer.”

“And was I there?”

“And Cadwallon and Penda.”

“Then I hope that it is next year for this year we will still be preparing our strength.”

“If it is meant to be it will come whether we are ready or not.” Myrddyn always believed that events were out of our control.  I still believed that we could prepare ourselves for unknown events.  Despite what they had all said and their confidence about the future I would rely upon my equites and archers.”

We spent the winter watching the horses grow and sheltering from the cold.  We even heard wolves that winter, in the high passes. They rarely came this close to humans and we knew that it had been a hard winter. When the weather allowed we travelled to visit with Aengus. He and his men were comfortable enough.  We had swollen his garrison to twenty men.  Although we sent them food they hunted for themselves too. His men were becoming useful archers.  Even in winter he sent them out to explore the land around so that they knew it well.

We started training the first of the new horses as soon as the snows and hard frosts had finished.  They would all be bigger than the ones we had already.  It meant that some of us would have a spare horse.  That would make us a formidable force once more.

King Cadwallon paid us a visit, the month before Eostre. It was a strangely ominous visit.  He had lost the Narrows.  His watch on the fort at the Narrows had not been careful enough and the Northumbrians had attacked at night; he had lost most of his garrison.  Luckily the pontoon bridge had been destroyed but it meant that he would now have to leave more men guarding the straits. He seemed quite depressed.

I took him to the headland overlooking the estuary.  From there we could watch both Wyddfa and Mona. “This is the year where we can make a difference, King Cadwallon.”

“Perhaps but each time we try to best our enemies we suffer a setback.”

“But we are never defeated. I will begin my raids in the next month.  We did not manage to raid last year but I promise you that my banner will travel from one end of Northumbria to the other.”

“Will you do as last time and head up the western side?”

“No, we will travel east through the heart of his land. I intend to push as far north as I can before he follows me and then I will draw him back to our border forts.  Perhaps he will be angry enough to waste men trying to take them.”

“Then Penda and I will prepare to repulse him.  We will begin the muster of our armies.  I know that King Penda is anxious to show King Edwin that he is the High King of the Saxons.”

“Be careful of your new ally, my king.  When he was the leader of a warband he had no ambitions. If we do defeat Edwin be wary of where he moves his gaze.”

“I will heed your advice for, like your father’s, it is always wise. When will you return so that we may be ready?

“I will be back by midsummer’s eve.  That will give our famers the chance to sow crops and harvest the young animals.  We will be taking his men from their fields.”

“Good.  You have heartened me. I will send to Dyfed and to the other kingdoms. Perhaps they will send warriors too.”

“I hope so.  If we can defeat King Edwin this summer then that may end his threat for all time!”

Now that we had three garrisons guarding our eastern and northern borders I felt happier about leaving my wife. Once again we were mounted and we even managed to take with us fifteen boys who would be both messengers and slingers.  Aed and his scouts numbered eight. I left half of Gawan’s equites at Deva. They would be able to respond to an attack from Mona.

We passed the ford at Aengus’ fort and pushed on to reach Namentwihc by the early afternoon. The gates were open. “Daffydd I am going to ride through the gates.  Circle the town and stop any men from leaving.”

I saw the question forming on his lips and then he thought better of it.  Giving me a wry smile he said, “Aye Warlord.”

Llenlleog was more open, “You will charge through the gates, Warlord?”

I shrugged, “It may work.  I can see no guards on the ramparts and the gate is just two hundred paces from the trees.  Even with these horses we should reach it but as you have the best horse you have my permission to try to hold the gates for us.”

He suddenly grinned, “Why not pretend you are chasing me?  Give me a start.”

“Aye, we will try that.”

He burst from the trees and galloped up the track to the gate.  We left almost immediately for he had nearly reached the gates anyway. We thundered after him.  I saw that there were men at the gates although there were none on the ramparts. Llenlleog’s charge had confused them.  For no one would be reckless enough to charge a fort on their own. Llenlleog laid about him with his blade and the two men at the gate were slain.  He dismounted and stood in the doorway.  As we galloped up a handful of warriors ran at him.  As soon as they saw us they turned and fled before they even got close to Llenlleog.  The eastern gate was soon jammed with those trying to escape from the fort.  Horsemen in armour could only mean one thing; the equites of Rheged and the Warlord.