Viking Sword (20 page)

"Was I holding it?"

He shook his head, "No, Jarl, and that is what worries me."

"Then this was meant to be.  You shall travel by sea whilst I go to Jorvik by land.  The Norns have decided this."

He nodded, "It is
wyrd
."

I took some of the Ulfheonar with me when I went to the drekar. They insisted.  Sigtrygg, Snorri, Bjorn the Scout and Erik Dog Bite were more than enough to protect me from any danger.  Aiden came too.  Instead of the longer journey around the Water we headed south along the trail which followed the ridge. We used this eastern route for it was less prone to flooding. By noon we had reached the river.  Bolli was already hard at work.  The
'Josephus'
had been damaged.  An uprooted tree had driven into her hull. He and Erik Short Toe were hauling her on to the bank to drain her.  
'The Heart'
had suffered less but she looked the worse for wear. Erik shook his head.  "The gods were angry last night jarl but do not fear. We will be ready to sail in a week or so."

I nodded.  "The next voyage you take will be to Miklagård with Aiden.  I shall be sending the knarr there too. You need not rush the job.  You have half a month to prepare."

"You will not be coming?"

"No, Erik, I have other work to do." Bolli was shaking his head at the damage. "You will have much work to do on the Water, Bolli, not a ship remains afloat."

"I should be happy for that means more gold but I hate to see any boat destroyed."

"Do your best and if you need gold before you begin then just ask."

"I know I will be paid, jarl."

"What of the knarr?"

They both shook their heads. "We know not."

I dreaded riding into the estuary and discovering that they had been destroyed too. That would be too much to bear. I was relieved to see them both bobbing up and down on the tide. Siggi and Trygg left their boats to greet me.

"I am pleased that you were spared."

"We arrived this morning and missed the worst of the storm."

"It was not out at sea then?"

"No Jarl.  If it had been then we would not have survived.  We hove to and watched the gods hurling their lightning at the mountains."

Something in the tone of Siggi's voice made me ask. "Where did you sail from?"

"Lundenwic."

My warriors and Aiden gathered closer in. "You were not harmed?"

"King Egbert was not there.  When we were in Cymru we heard that he had taken an army into Mercia to punish King Coenwulf. We risked it."

"Were you welcomed?"

Trygg nodded, "The people of Lundenwic speak of you and our men fondly. We did good business.  It is why we hove to.  We did not want to risk the gold and cargo we carried."

"Eorl Edward came to see us and he gave you a message."

I already knew what it was. "He warned you that King Egbert has hired mercenaries to take back Elfrida!"

All of them clutched their hammers or their wolves. Siggi asked, "Are you fey now as well as your daughter?"

"No Elfrida and Aiden dreamed the danger. Did he say when?"

"They left Lundenwic fourteen nights since."

"Then they will be close.  We will need to prepare."

"There is more Jarl. The Eorl said they needed little inducement for the warriors wanted the sword too. They are led by a Dane called Bothvar Bjarki. He came from Jorvik. He wears a wolf skin. He is Ulfheonar."

"
Wyrd
. And his men are they Ulfheonar too?"

"No, but Eorl Edward said that this Bjarki is a berserker. He has killed many men.  He knows of your reputation and he told King Egbert that the world only had room for one wolf and it was him. He swore to slay you himself and bring back Elfrida." He paused, "The king wants her back or her body and that of Arturus. Your son is in danger too."

I knew that.  The storm made sense now. "You have done well.  Prepare your ships for I wish you to go to Miklagård with Aiden. 
'The Heart'
will guard you."

Siggi and Trygg nodded.  Siggi said, "These Danes are all killers. You must be careful, Jarl.  There were fifty of them left Lundenwic."

"We will deal with them when they come." I clasped their arms, "You have done well but I must return to my home. Warn Pasgen of the danger."

We rode hard to reach home. I first told Arturus, privately of the dangers.  It would not do to alarm Elfrida. "What will you do?" He had become far calmer since his marriage and I could see a change in my son.

"I will send word to Windar.  If they left Lundenwic then they will, more than likely come through the valley of Windar.  He should be warned. I will send some of my men to occupy your old fort.  If they do not come past Windar's Mere then they come up along past Hawk's Stad."

"You do not want to sit behind your walls and sit out a siege?"

"No, my son.  I intend to meet this Bothvar Bjarki in the open."

"He is a berserker."

"And that is why I will meet him in the open for my men have discipline and it sounds as though he has none.  I do not want to risk any of my people. Berserkers and their followers never know when to stop.  Do you think my warriors would slaughter women and children?"

"Of course not."

"A berserker would.  They would not know how to stop themselves.  We need to find these enemies and put them down as one would a mad dog."

Even Kara was taken aback when I told her the news. "The spirits did not know the severity of the threat father.  I am sorry."

"Do not worry.  I will deal with our enemies.  I am just happy that we knew it was coming."

My Ulfheonar were summoned back to Wolf's Lair.  They could return to their families when the Danes were dealt with.  They all understood and came forth willingly. It was Rolf and his old men who concerned me.  If I guessed wrongly then they would be slaughtered. They could not stand up to a berserker warband. It made me more determined than ever to find and stop this wild Dane.

Rolf and his men were not worried about this mad Dane.  If anything they looked forward to defending their home against such a monster. Our decision to move the majority of my people to Cyninges-tūn had been a good one.

"Rolf let us prepare the ditches for defence.  I know they are full of water but we need to embed stakes."

He grinned, "A little water never hurt. We will not let you down, Jarl."

"I know but I hope to stop them before they actually get here.  You are my last line of defence."

He rubbed his hands.  "I had thought that I had fought my last fight! I hope I am wrong!"

This was an anxious time for we had not yet fully recovered from the raids by the men of Strathclyde.  I sent Sigtrygg and six Ulfheonar to Arturus' old fort to watch for danger from the south and west.  I went with Aiden to tell Windar of the danger. I wore my armour all the time now and rode my horse.  Until we found the would be abductors we were in a state of war.

It was late when we reached Windar's Mere.  Most of the people lived beyond the walls of the old Roman fort for this was a peaceful place. Inside the halls had but six warriors, including Karl. "There is danger, Windar."

"Not the men of Strathclyde again?"

"No, old friend, your son and I disposed of them. Danes have been sent by King Egbert to take back Arturus' bride."

"Do you think they will come here?"

"They could and remember they are killers. Have you a signal to bring your people within these walls?"

"Aye but if they come from the south and they are killers they may overrun those who would warn us."

Karl nodded, "I will take some men on ponies and watch the road from the south."

"I have men at the Hawk's Stad.  It may be that they head in that direction."

"Aye well I will light the beacons if they come this way."

I clasped his arm.  "Do not be reckless.  These are Vikings and not the men of Strathclyde. These are fierce warriors."

"I believe you Jarl but we will not let them come unannounced. You will have warning.  Do you need warriors to aid you?"

"I would say yes but it is coming to harvest time and I know that every farmer will have work to do. I will rely on the Ulfheonar and Arturus' men."

We stayed the night and enjoyed the hospitality of Windar.  I now knew why he was so large.  There was enough food to feed a warband! We would have to name him Windar the Fat. He had a good heart but he was no warrior.

Aiden and I left early and we headed down to Hawk's Stad. Sometimes we do things and know not why.  Our actions are directed by powers we do not understand. We were riding through the Dale of Grize where the biting insects swarmed like clouds of evil.  When our horses neighed we knew it was something more than midges that they had sensed.  We stopped and dismounted. We tied our horses to a tree and moved down towards the road. I heard voices and we stopped and watched.  A file of warriors was moving through the woods towards Cyninges-tūn Water. I knew before I saw their arms that it was the Danish war band. We froze as we watched the column pass. There was little point in moving for we might alert them.

When they had passed I turned to Aiden.  "Ride first to Karl and tell him where the Danes are.  Then ride to Wolf's Lair.  I want the Ulfheonar and Arturus' men ready to march towards Nibth's Waite."

"And what will you do, Jarl?"

I pointed to the ridge.  "I will ride over the ridge and get to Sigtrygg and my men.  We will fall back towards Nibth's Waite."

He nodded.  I knew that I could rely on him. We mounted. He went north and I went west.  It meant I had to traverse the forest which was infested with biting insects but it meant that I could avoid the Danes.  They would follow the old road and that had fewer midges. It was strange that a biting insect could have such power. I rode my horse hard.  I had to reach the fort. I did not want some act of reckless bravery from any of my men.

I had just crested the rise when a movement to my left caught my eye. I halted my horse and peered down the slope.  There were two Danish scouts there.  They both wore wolf cloaks but I could not see armour beneath. I drew my sword and galloped down the slope.  They heard me but the annoying insects and the trees hid me from them until I was almost upon them. I veered my horse towards the nearer of them and swung my sword as he tried to stab me with his spear. He jabbed it at my leg, which had a metal greave.  Sliding harmlessly off I was able to hack into his neck.  I blocked the axe from the second scout as he tried to decapitate my horse and I yanked the reins around so that I was able to slice across his unprotected neck.  His helmet had no aventail and he died swiftly.  I kicked on; they were close to the fort.  Scouts were normally sent half a mile in front of a war band.  I had a short time only to reach the fort and extricate my men.

I was relieved to see the fort and that there were no Danes nearby.  I kicked my horse's flanks as I descended the trail.  The gate of the small fort was open. I did not dismount.  "Quickly! The Danes are coming.  Fire the fort!"

I did not want the Danes to have a place to which they could retreat. We could always rebuild if we had to. The last thing I needed was a warband of fifty warriors in my land and occupying a fort. My men threw the seal oil all over the walls and hall.  Using flint and kindling they soon had a fire going and we spread burning brands around.  It would attract the Danes but, by then, we would be gone.

"Quickly leave now.  They will see the smoke and they will come."

My men had brought ponies and they quickly mounted and trotted towards the Water. Behind me I heard a roar as the Danes appeared along the road and spied the burning fort. I was able to trot and still keep up with the galloping ponies.  I frequently glanced over my shoulder to make sure I was still safe but we were outdistancing them. We now knew where they were and I just hoped that Aiden had reach Cyninges-tūn and brought Arturus' men.  My Ulfheonar alone would struggle to defeat these warriors.

We waited by Nibth's farm at the southern tip of the water.  He and his family came out when they heard our mounts. "Take your family and get to Cyninges-tūn.  Enemies are coming."

He picked up his sword, "I can fight!"

"I know my friend but I need you to take your family to safety.  Arturus' men are coming and rest of my Ulfheonar." He nodded. They gathered their belongings.  "Take our ponies for we shall not need them and they will speed your journey." They took them and hurried north.  Had the storm not destroyed it they could have used their small boat but I saw its wrecked remains lying forlornly on the sand.

There were just seven of us and it was not enough to hold back the Danes who were coming. I thought that my Ulfheonar might reach us soon but Arturus had further to come. The storm had hurt us badly.  If it had not been for the storm then Arturus and his men could have sailed down the Water and be with us even now.

"Why here, Jarl?"

I pointed to the flat ground.  "Here we can form a shield wall.  It is the only way to break the attack of a berserker.  The ground is still swampy from the rains and there are many places where an unwary warrior can sink into a muddy hole.  We will wait here and, when they come we will feign flight and flee to the higher ground close to the trail to Cyninges-tūn.  We know to pick our way west but they will not. When they see our few numbers they will be eager to finish us off."