Viking Sword (5 page)

Ironically some of the men of Cymru were our allies.  We had traded for iron with them although we did not need to do so any longer. After three days of favourable winds we had to navigate the Scillonia Insula.  I always felt a shiver when we passed these low lying islands. It had been here where the spirit of my mother had come to me.  A sorceress inhabited them and I was tempted to land and seek advice.  I knew that the Norns did not wish it for they had directed me with storms and foes before.  It did not do to try to cross the Weird Sisters.  If they wished it then it would happen.  When we saw them receding in the west then I knew that we would not be landing there.

Once we had passed the ragged rocks and boiling seas Haaken's face fell as he was forced to row.  Although the wind still sent us south it was now coming across our bows and the crew had to row.  Cnut set up the chant and the men rowed with vigour. It was a simple chant but it was unique to my boat.  It spoke of the pride they felt in their status.

'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 chant would be repeated until Cnut or Erik needed to change the beat. We would not need to do so for the seas were empty. The chant was almost hypnotic.  When I rowed the chant seemed to give extra strength and my warriors told me that they could row for longer when they chanted.

Danger came when we neared Wessex.  King Egbert was an ally.  We had helped him defeat Mercian raiders. However, he was engaged in a bitter war with the men of Corn Walum.  We were sailing to the south of the island called Wight when the five small ships appeared from the east. They were pirates from Corn Walum. I guessed, much later, that they had been raiding Wessex. It was unusual to meet another ship unless you were approaching or leaving a port.

As soon as I saw them I yelled, "Archers!" I donned my helmet and strung my bow.  Half of the rowers left their benches and took up their bows. I hailed Arturus and pointed to the east.  He waved and acknowledged the threat.  "Danger!"

With only half the rowers we were going slower and, as the wind was coming across the bow's quarter it meant we were crawling along. The five pirates, all of them half the length of ours, were able to sail without using rowers and were travelling much faster. Aiden smiled, "The Allfather watches over us, Jarl Dragon Heart."

"Aye Aiden.  We have a stable drekar from which to release our arrows and if they misjudge their attack then they will sail beyond us and have to turn into the wind." I was relieved that we had prepared for war and our shields were hung along the side.  The rowers would be protected.

Haaken stood next to me.  "Do the men of Corm Walum use bows?"

"They may do but I wager that they are not as good as my Ulfheonar."

"We will see."

I had the barbed arrows to hand.  Only a fool wore armour in a sea battle.  It was too easy to fall overboard and then you would be dead. We had twenty archers ready and we gathered at the bow.  There the figurehead, hand carved by Bolli's father, would give us extra protection. I nocked an arrow and prepared to draw. They were just a hundred paces from us and their intention was clear.  Each of our drekar would be attacked by two of theirs leaving the third to support whichever was having the hardest time.  These pirates had done this before for they shortened their sails.

"Release when you have a target!"

I did not need to tell them who to target for they were all experienced warriors.  The three new ones rowed still. I allowed for the wind and I released.  I aimed at the steersman and he ducked.  Sadly for him he was struck by a second arrow, probably from Haaken. As he fell his dying hands tugged on the steer board and the small ship lurched to the steer board side.  The wind caught the sail and, beam on to both the wind and the waves it heeled over. In their desperation they ran to the steersman and the extra weight capsized the boat, hurling the occupants into the sea.

The fifth boat now tried to close with us and we concentrated our arrows on the second of our attackers.  We discovered that they did have archers but their speed and their small size meant that many of their arrows were wasted. We had four times the number of archers and the deadly missiles rained down upon their packed decks.

Aiden suddenly shouted, "Jarl! The last one is closing." I glanced to the side and saw that the last of the ships of Corn Walum was almost alongside us.  The leader must have been aboard and he had risked more sail to close with us.  It had worked and our attention had been on the other ship.

"Snorri! Take half of the archers and keep the other ship at bay.  Haaken and the rest come with me.  This is sword work.  Let us show these pirates how real warriors fight!"

The rowers suddenly began chanting "Ulfheonar," over and over. I felt the blood surge through my veins.  I loosed a last arrow and dropped my bow.  Aiden would pick the dropped up and take them to the stern where he would guard, along with the boys, Erik Short Toe. Our captain was the most important man on my drekar and that included me.

I drew my sword and felt its power rush into my arm. As the first hook snaked over the side I roared a primeval cry and leapt to the side. I saw a hand grasp the side and I was swinging before I even reached the pirate. My blade ripped across the man's head and into his hand.  It severed his arm, the rope and opened his skull.  He fell back in a heap. More ropes were now joining us but the pirates were struggling to climb our higher sides. I brought Ragnar's Spirit down on to the skull of the next pirate and this time his whole skull was split asunder.  Those around him were showered with the grey, slimy contents of his head.

Suddenly I heard a warning shout from Aiden.  Their chief had boarded us with three of his men. He was a huge half naked barrel of a man with an old Roman helmet and a long sword, the kind the Romans had called a spatha. He made straight for me and swung the long sword.  It had a longer reach than mine but the deck of a pitching, rolling drekar is no place for such a weapon. I ducked beneath its swing and, holding his arm with my left hand I plunged my sword into the vast chasm of his stomach.  When my hand touched his flesh and the blade ground on bone then I knew I had severed his spine.  His body shook and then he fell backwards into his boat.

That was enough for the men of Corn Walum.  The ones who had boarded with their chief now lay dead and the half empty boat drifted south.  I ran to the other side and saw that Snorri and his archers had driven off the second attacker. I fearfully looked north and felt relief when I saw that
'Josephus
' was alone.  My son and his crew had driven off their attackers.

"Well done Ulfheonar! The pirates are no more."

Haaken clapped me on the back. "And he was a big one, Jarl.  I wondered how you would get through the layers of fat."

Tostig Wolf Hand wiped the blood from his sword and said, "How did we sink a pirate, drive off four others and only have four wounded men."

"It was the sisters, Tostig.  It was
wyrd
."

Anglo Saxon London

We hove to in a little bay half a day's sailing east of the island of Wight. We had maps which Aiden had been making.  They had begun life as old maps we had found in a chest.  They had been made in the time of the Warlord and in the times of the Romans. Aiden could read Latin and the old language; he had transcribed them for the originals were too fragile to risk at sea. The old Roman port of Gesoriacum had long since vanished and in its place was a small fishing village called Bononia. It was clearly marked on the old maps.  I had chosen it as I assumed and hoped that its small size would mean it would be overlooked by raiders seeking treasure.  We sought not treasure but people. Fisher folk were strong and hard working.  They could be trained to be miners.

We decided that we would sail across under cover of darkness and strike in the middle of the night before the fishermen went to sea. We would be well to the south of any ships which might contain armed warriors such as the ones we had met in Frisia. It was the mouth of the Rinaz which was filled with such ships. As the two drekar bobbed up and down on the waves which lapped the shingle beach I tried to sleep.  I knew that it was impossible.  My mind was racing with the dangers and rewards of what we were going to do.

We left as the sun set and we rowed, for the wind had veered during the day to become a headwind.  The mast was removed and laid on the mast fish.  It made us harder to see and we were faster without it. Erik and the men we left on board could replace it while we raided. We had prepared for war before we sailed.  Our eyes were lined with red and black and our weapons were sharpened.  We shunned our armour for we did not expect armed opposition.  We wore our leather byrnies and our wolf cloaks.  They would be enough. It took some time to row across the short channel to Bononia. The headwind did not help but it was relatively calm and that was a good thing. Aiden navigated us to a beach which was close to the village.  We passed the village on our way north. The smell of wood smoke drifted on the breeze as we approached but the place was in darkness. They kept no watch.  They would pay for that mistake; it was a harsh world in which we lived.

The gods watched over us for it was low tide when we approached.  Six men from each boat were chosen by lots to wait with the boys and captains. Four of them were the warriors wounded in the sea fight so this time it was only two disappointed warriors we left behind. While we were away they would step the mast and then sail the drekar around to the port.  It was the reason we had landed to the north so that the breeze would do all the work for the two drekar.

I jumped ashore and smiled as I did so.  I remembered when I had been a ship's boy and it had been my job to take the rope and secure it.  Old Olaf the Toothless had been an unforgiving captain. Once my feet were on the sand I began to trot, knowing that my men would soon be behind me. I raised a hand and Snorri and Bjorn the Scout sprinted ahead.  They were our eyes and ears. Once they disappeared from view I slowed a little to allow the rest of my men to catch up with me.  Arturus appeared at my shoulder.  We said nothing for sound travels long distances at night but he nodded and grinned.  It was still a game to him. We moved forwards towards the village we knew was over the headland.

Snorri rose like a wraith from behind the rock. He pointed ahead and I could see the huts. There were ten of them. They should contain at least twenty who could be taken as miners.  I had already told them that we would only kill if they resisted.  I hoped that our wild and fierce appearance would drive all such thoughts from their terrified minds. I waved Arturus and his younger warriors to the far side of the huts where I knew Bjorn the Scout would be waiting. I led my Ulfheonar to the heart of the village.  Each dwelling was surrounded by five warriors. They were all watching for my signal.  The Gods were smiling as the moon appeared and bathed the beach and the village in a beautiful blue light.  I raised Ragnar's Spirit and we stepped into the huts.

After the brightness from the moon it seemed incredibly dark in the hut.  There was just a glow from the embers of the fire. There were six people in the hut.  An old couple, two children and a man and woman.  I had my sword at the man's throat even as he was waking. Tostig picked him up and bound his arms.  The movement awoke the others and they screamed.

Einar asked, "Do we take the children and the old man?"

I looked at the old man.  He might not even survive the voyage and the children were less than six summers old.  It was not worth the effort. "No.  Just the man." They stared at us not understanding a single word but obviously terrified.

The old man struggled to his feet and tried to grab Tostig's arm.  Einar drew his sword but I restrained him.  I looked at the old man and I shook my head. He said something I could not understand.  I pushed him to the floor.  He reached into his tunic and pulled a knife.  I stamped on his hand and took the knife.  I knew he would not understand my words but I said them anyway, "Stay here or you die!" To emphasise the threat I drew my hand across my throat.  The old woman seemed to understand and she threw her arms around him to prevent any more foolishness. The woman and the children were sobbing.

"Take him out.  '
Heart
' should be here soon."

The beach and the village were still bathed in light but it was no longer peaceful.  There were screaming women and struggling men. It was a futile struggle. We outnumbered them. They were like helpless sheep and we were the wolves.  Such sheep needed a dog to protect them and these had paid the price for having none. I saw that the two drekar were off shore. Their masts were now stepped. "Arturus!"

He ran over to me. "No injuries, Jarl."

"I would have been disappointed if there had been. Take the slaves back to Cyninges-tūn.  Then return and meet us at Lundenwic."

"Are we not finished here yet? Why do we not both return home?"

"I wish to advertise our presence and draw the hunters to us. Lundenwic has many traders and is close to the Danes who live amongst the East Angles. If they know where I am they may come south for me. I would rather we fought far from our home and keep our people safe."

"You will wait for me?"

I laughed, "Make a speedy voyage and you will miss nothing. I am hoping to meet with King Egbert and see how his war with Mercia is faring. We can trade a little while we wait for you."

"We will fly, I promise you that!" He turned to shout to his men.  "Sven, get the slaves aboard our ship! Use the fishing ships to ferry them.  Why should we get wet?"

The unfortunate captives were dragged somewhat unceremoniously over the sand to their own boats. "Haaken, get the men into the other fishing boats and we will return to our drekar."

The old men and some of the older boys whom we had not taken were shouting at us and waving their fists.  The women restrained them.  We were being kind.  Had I chosen I could have slaughtered everyone in the village and fired it.  As it was they would have a hard time for a while but we had left them their boats and they could still fish. They still had a roof over their head.  Perhaps they would learn their lesson for if other Vikings came then this village would cease to exist. I was the last to board my ship.  We pushed off the fishing boats; the incoming tide would take then inshore but, already the young boys were hurling themselves into the surf to recapture their boats.

"Erik, head for Lundenwic!"

I watched my son's drekar as it headed west.  With the wind at its back it moved with the speed of an arrow. He would make good time. As we slowly headed through the night and dawn towards the coast of the land of Kent I thought about the slaves we had just taken.  I had been a slave and I had been freed. Scanlan and his family had been enslaved and now, not only were they free, Scanlan was my reeve and ran my estate. We lived in hard times and the families we left behind would learn to build walls and protect themselves from wolves such as us.  If they did not then this would happen again. As for their men, they would not be mistreated and, if they worked hard they would win their freedom.  The world was filled with many who could be enslaved as easily as we had taken these fishermen.

The Temese was a wide river and, as dawn broke, we were able to avoid the smaller boats heading out to sea as we sailed west towards the fort.  In truth it was they who did the avoiding for we were a Viking Drekar.  As we passed many of the ships I saw the followers of the White Christ making the sign of the cross.  It made me smile as though waving a hand in the air could ward off evil. For that you needed Thor's Hammer or a treasure touched by the gods; I wore such a treasure at my side.

We passed the old Roman fort and headed for the jetty.  We had arrived propitiously for many ships and boats had recently left and we had space to berth. Although Siggi and Trygg traded extensively here they were knarr and the drekar still inspired fear.  The people who did not live within the Roman wall hid behind their wooden doors. I knew that they would be wondering if we came for trade or for war.

I took off my leather byrnie and, after hauling up a bucket of river water, I washed my face of the red so that I would not terrify those that I met. "Haaken, keep the warriors on board until I have met with Egbert's man.  I will just take Aiden with me."

"Aye Dragon Heart.  It will give us time to make ourselves irresistible for these Saxon wenches."

"Haaken! You are married!"

He laughed, "Aye but the children I make down here will not be so demanding of my time as my own and the world needs more of my blood.  It will put poetry into the hearts of these dull Saxons."

He was a dear friend but Haaken had a high opinion of himself and his skill as a singer."Have you coin, Aiden?"

"Aye, Jarl."

We had learned that using silver coins made us more welcome. Erik's boys had put the gangplank down and we headed for the gates of the town.  I noticed a few faces peering from cracks in the door as the two of us strode through the wooden buildings which proliferated around the river. Passing the sign of the barley I knew where Haaken and the others would be found later.  They had an ale wife here in Lundenwic who brewed passable ale.  It was not as good as that which we brewed but it was better than most we found on our travels.

There were armed guards at the gate.  They wore no mail but held spears and shields with their seax in their scabbards. Without my cloak and helmet I was not recognisable.

"You are bold, Viking, to come into our town and stride up to the fort. Do you have the death wish?"

"I am Jarl Dragon Heart of Cyninges-tūn.  I am a friend to King Egbert."

Those words changed the warrior and his attitude in an instant. He bobbed his head. "I am sorry, Jarl. I did not recognise you." He stood aside, "Please pass." He looked and sounded terrified.  I knew that there were stories about me which were not true.  They told of how I had leapt aboard a drekar and slain every warrior within. That was not true.  It had been Rorik's ship and I had leapt aboard to enable my own knarr to be saved.  I killed but a couple.  However as it had happened on this very river and had been witnessed they had built the tale into something it was not. It was further enlarged by Haaken's song which made it sound as though it had been a tale of the Gods and not a battle between Vikings.

I strode through the narrow streets of the old Roman fort.  The wide open spaces of the old Roman fort had been filled with tiny stalls and shops.  The barracks were either filled with the warriors and their families or had been converted. Either way the neat lines which had been planned by the Roman engineers were no more. It was no wonder that folk were building outside the walls when inside was more cramped than a double crewed drekar.  I headed for the hall. It stood on the site of one of the barracks.  It was not made of stone but timber, lath and tiles taken from demolished barracks. I knew that Egbert had his own eorl here.  He changed them frequently for he was a clever king.  This was a powerful place and he did not want one of his own men to use it to usurp him. Once he conquered Mercia then he would be King of Britannia. Of course there would be one part which would not be under his control and that was my land.  I bowed the knee to no king.

There were more guards at the hall and I pre-empted any confusion by speaking first.  "I am Jarl Dragon Heart of Cyninges-tūn and I am here to speak with King Egbert's man."

"Eorl Edward is within." He glanced at my sword.  "Is that the sword touched by the gods?"

"It is."

I saw that as well as the cross of the White Christ he wore about his neck there was another thong which showed beneath his kyrtle.  This Saxon was not a committed Christian.  He still adhered to the old ways.  I believed that he wore Thor's hammer.  It was confirmed when he asked, quietly, "May I touch the blade my lord?"

I nodded and drew the blade. It was the most beautiful sword in the world and both guards gasped when they saw it. I held the blade so that the guard could touch the hilt. I saw him feel the power and he nodded as he withdrew his hand.  He viewed it as though it had been burned by some magical fire. "Thank you, my lord."

He led us into the hall. I saw Aiden smile at me as we went.  He knew why I had acceded to the guard's request.  This would announce the location of the sword quicker than anything.  He would tell all that he knew that he had touched Ragnar's Spirit.  By nightfall the story would have been spread throughout the city and beyond for the sailors who heard it would repeat it. It was the fastest means of telling Wiglaf where the sword was. The second part would come when I spoke with Egbert's eorl.