Hosker, G [Wolf Brethren 02] Saxon Revenge (19 page)

“Where are they?”

He pointed to the south east. “They are two miles in that direction.”

“Garth, get the scouts to find out where the Saxons are but I don’t want them seen.”

Garth, Riderch, Tuathal and Miach looked to me; I knew that they wanted a decision but I was in a dilemma.  Had it been any other warrior I would have left them to the Saxons and that included Garth but Prince Ywain was the heir to Rheged and I would not face the queen with news that another of her sons had died. What was galling was that we had achieved what had intended.  We had inflicted casualties, made their retreat more difficult and avoided too many casualties ourselves.

“I will have to find him.” The looks they exchanged told me that they did not think much of that.

Garth was the one who took me to task. “My lord, you were charged by the king with leading this force.  Who will lead it if you are not here?”

“You will.  I have total confidence in you.  I will just take two men and you can continue north to the Roman Road.”

“I think you are wrong my lord.”

It was a brave thing to stand up to me but I knew that Garth was both loyal and honest. “I may be, Garth, but Aella will have a bargaining chip if he remains in his hands.  We have a short time to rescue him.  If this happened just now then they will keep him with the warband and then tell Aella.”

“Then let us all go to rescue him.”

“No, Tuanthal, we still need to slow down the Saxons.  I will take Ridwyn and Adair. They have both shown that they keep their wits about them.” They could see that I was not to be dissuaded. “Garth, keep the army going north until you reach the Roman Road and ambush Aella there, should I not return.”

The scouts returned and reported.  “The Saxons have halted and are making camp my lord.”

I nodded to Riderch, “Good that means you should be able to get away unseen.” Adair and Ridwyn looked to be excited about the rescue attempt. “I will not order you two to follow me for if you fall into the Saxons hands then your death will be painful. Are you aware of that?”

“Yes my lord,” they chorused. I could see a mixture of pride and concern on the face of Riderch as his little brother bravely volunteered.  I would have felt the same about either Raibeart or Aelle.

Shaking my head I mounted my horse and led my two companions through the driving rain.  We had a spare horse in the optimistic hope that we might actually succeed.  Our only hope was that there were only forty men in the warband which had captured the prince.  They still outnumbered us but it was not the whole army. Night had fallen early but we could follow the muddy tracks left by Tuanthal and his remaining one hundred and fifty tired and exhausted horsemen as they had retreated.  The woods he had mentioned loomed up in the distance. We dismounted and walked the last hundred paces to the shelter of the elm trees. I left my shield with the horse and removed my helmet. They would not aid us now. It was not my arms which would save the prince but my mind. I strung my bow and led the other two into the woods.  I could see a faint glow in the distance and I assumed that they had a fire going.

We used no words as we moved through the darkness.  It was not thickly wooded but the trees were thick and provided us with cover so that we could move from tree to tree.  The soft ground helped us too as nothing crunched underfoot and the occasional squelch was not loud. The Saxons were making much more noise and there appeared to be an argument raging.  We drew inexorably closer and I halted us twenty paces from the outer edge of the rudimentary camp.  They had used some cloaks to rig up crude tents and shelters.  They had used the trees as stanchions and it meant they were spread out over a larger area than was wise.  We now had a chance. The majority of the warriors were around the fire in the middle of the camp but I could see a knot of men on the far side of the camp beneath a shelter. Two looked like guards and it seemed likely that, if the prince were still in the camp then that is where he would be. I decided we would make for the knot of men as I could not see prince Ywain near to the fire.  Before I did so I spent some time listening to their conversation. Although I did not pick out all the words, for some spoke with a Frisian dialect, while others sounded distinctly Frankish it seemed that the newcomers were not happy with King Aella’s plans.  It made me feel better about the day.  If we had sown dissention within their ranks then that would make King Urien’s task much easier.

I signalled my companions and we slowly made our way around the perimeter.  We had to keep hiding and we occasionally lost sight of the men we sought but I glanced over and saw Ywain’s helmet close by. It seemed increasingly likely that he would be with them and I notched an arrow in anticipation of action soon. We were moving almost imperceptibly the closer we came to the men.  One of the three who were standing laughed and left to join the men in the middle.  There were just two men standing over the man who was lying on the ground.  I recognised the armour and knew that it was Ywain.  One of the men knelt down next to Ywain and took out a knife. I took a sharp intake of breath.  Would the heir to Rheged be killed when I was but a few paces away?  Then I saw that the knife did not plunge into his body but cut away some material from the tunic which was worn beneath the armour. The man was a healer and then, as he half turned and the fire light caught his face I saw that it was Myrddyn.  My acolyte lived and, he was in a position to help us. The problem would be getting by the rest of the warband for we had travelled all the way around the camp.  Our mounts were even further away now than when we had started.

We moved around until we were as close as we could be and yet remain hidden.  The warrior with Myrddyn was obviously a leader from his torc and his warrior bracelets.  He had a long scar running down his face which showed he had been in battles and suffered serious wounds.  I absent mindedly ran my finger down my scar.  We had much in common.  Myrddyn did not look unhappy and was smiling as he tended the prince.  I could see that the prince was not awake.  If we did manage to affect a rescue then that might be a problem but I was getting ahead of myself.  We had not even got him in our hands yet.

I motioned for the other two to make themselves comfortable; it looked like we were in for a long wait. I had tuned out the noise and arguments from the fire and I could hear the occasional words.

“Healer, will he live?  You have been working on him for some time.”

“As I told you, Lord Ida, the draught I gave him made him sleep.  You could hear him raving and thrashing about. I had to get him quiet and then tend to the wound.  The wound is a bad one but it is not serious.  He has a broken leg and I must stitch his shoulder where the spear went through.  When I have done that I will splint his leg and by then it may well be dawn!”

“I know that our king has much faith in you.  If you can save this warrior and return him to King Aella then you will be rewarded. It is the son of the King of Rheged and he is a worthy prize. I will set some guards and then get this rabble to get some rest.  Those warriors we pursued cannot be far away and I hear that one of them was the mighty Wolf Warrior.  There is a chest of gold waiting for the man who kills or captures him.  I would do it just for the honour of killing the man who maimed my brother.”

He walked across to the middle and shouted to get their attention.  He had some arguments from two men and he brought their heads together with such a crack that they both fell to the ground and lay still.  The rest became silent and more compliant. Four men were selected to become guards and, to my horror, one marched straight towards us. I saw my comrade’s hands go to their weapons but I shook my head and gestured for them to hide. He strode towards us, pausing only to pick up a sword and then he walked next to Myrddyn glancing down as he passed.  His foot almost stood on my hand as he left the light of the camp and entered the wood.  He did not see any of us. I pointed to him and then to Ridwyn and drew my hand across my throat. He nodded and followed.  That would be one less guard to deal with.  A short while later I saw Ridwyn appear, wiping the blood from his dagger. Our only problem would appear if they decided to check on the guards before we had escaped. That was in
wyrd’s
hands.

It seemed hours until the camp was quiet but in reality it was a short time.  The warriors had been fighting and running all day, they would be tired. I moved forwards slightly and murmured, “Myrddyn.” I was still hidden by the bush and I spoke quietly.

“I saw you when you first came.  Are they asleep behind me?”

“They look to be.”

“Then let us move swiftly. I will need some help to lift the prince, he is sleeping.”

“Ridwyn. Pick up the prince and put him over your shoulder.” Ridwyn was as strong as an ox and could easily manage the prince. The Bernician stepped forwards and lifted the prince as though he was a sack of grain.

“Do not be rough with him, he is badly wounded.” Myrddyn and Ridwyn stepped out of the light and into the woods.

“Adair get to the other side of the camp.  Close to the next guard.  Kill him with your sling and then close with the other.” I held my breath as I watched the unconscious prince and my men slipped from the firelight.  I walked backwards with my bow notched just watching for any movement.  There was none. All it took was one warrior to wake and see us and we would all be dead. When we reached Adair he had killed the first guard. “Ridwyn take the prince and Myrddyn back to the horses and we will cover you.”

Adair and I slipped quietly towards the place we had seen the third guard go. I saw him leaning against a tree and I drew my bow. Suddenly a fox bolted from behind me and he looked directly at me.  Before he could utter a sound I had sent an arrow through his throat to pin him to the tree. “Let us back out slowly.  We should be safe now.”

By the time we reached the horses the prince was slung like a piece of dead meat over the saddle and Myrddyn was sitting uncomfortably behind him.  “Myrddyn, ride double with Adair, he is lighter than the prince.  You two take the reins of the prince’s horse.  Ridwyn and I will protect the rear.” We walked the horses away from the woods to avoid making a noise.  Once we had travelled a mile we were able to kick them on. Adair held the reins of the pack horse while Myrddyn kept his arm on the prince’s back.

By the time dawn was breaking on a cold and damp morning we had passed the valley where we had hidden the previous afternoon. Adair had taken us further west than we had travelled to avoid the enemy but now we had to risk their patrols if we were to make the Roman Road. A murmur from Prince Ywain told us that he was waking.  We had, however, no time to stop and Myrddyn just spoke some quiet words to him.  We had but two miles to go before we struck the Roman Road and then we would have to find where Garth and Miach had taken the men.  I hoped that it was not too far.

Although the road was straight it dipped down small hollows and climbed low ridges.  The Roman legionaries who had built it had cleared the trees from both sides but it had been neglected for over a century and bushes had colonised it. It was a nerve wracking two miles for we knew not where the Saxons were.  It would have been tragic to be captured so close to safety. The first of the scouts suddenly stepped out from one of the bushes, his face filled with delight at our arrival.  “My lord you made it!”

“Where is Captain Garth?”

“He has made a camp a mile up the road.”

“Good keep watch here and well done.” He beamed with pride at the praise from the Wolf Warrior.

When we reached the camp Garth shook his head as he approached us but a smile creased his tanned face.  “Someone watches over you my lord.  You get into their camp and not only rescue the prince but bring back our healer.”

Myrddyn ignored the words and ordered the nearest warriors. “Get the prince down from his horse and make a shelter.  I had not finished with him when we left the camp.” I saw Riderch come over and embrace his brother. I suddenly missed my own brothers.

I dismounted stiffly.  My leg had hurt me for two days; I blamed the rain but I suspected I had done too much.  It was a good thing Brother Patrick was not around to chastise me. “We saw no sign of them but that doesn’t mean they will not be chasing us; although if they do not chase us then our mission has failed. I take it you have prepared an ambush?”

“We have dug some pits and laid ropes to trip them if they try to flank us.”He looked at Prince Ywain.”We do not have enough fit horses and horsemen to be a threat and Tuanthal will have to annoy them.  The archers are running short of arrows but we can cope with one more attack.”

I put my arm around his shoulder; I could see that he felt as though he had not done enough.  “You have done well. When your scouts have rested, send them south to find the Saxons.”

Miach wandered over with a bowl in his hand.  “We found some game and made a stew.  I’m thinking you will be ready for this.”

“I am indeed.  Thank you.” As I ate they watched me. Between mouthfuls I spoke. “We are still better off than either King Urien or me expected.  It is Aella’s early attack which has thwarted our plans but we have only lost horsemen and the rest are still in fine mettle. I suspect that Aella will be livid when he discovers we have rescued Prince Ywain but he will probably now take the time to organise his men and follow us with a plan in mind rather than a reckless pursuit. When we were at their camp I heard arguments between the different tribes. They are not as unified as they would have us believe.”

Myrddyn wandered over.  “I have given him a draught and checked the wound in his shoulder.  It is knitting.”

“And his broken leg?”

“I lied. He had a slight wound to the leg but I was playing for time until I could get him away.” He smiled.  “And then, as it was ordained, you turned up.”

“Get some food and tell us your tale.”

“I took the long way to Aella.  I approached from the south, from the land of Elmet. I was lucky or, perhaps
wyrd
intervened, for there was a chief who had an illness and they were blaming witchcraft.  I was able to cure him and King Aella said it was a sign that they would win and he took me into his household as his healer. That was why I was at the camp.  The king sent me for he did not want Ywain to die.  He intended to trade his life for the neutrality of Rheged.”