Housecarl (18 page)

Ridley believed everything I
said but Wolf was sceptical. “Three hundred held off tens of
thousands for ten days?  I cannot believe it.”

“Ah but you see their king
Leonidas was clever.  He placed his three hundred in a narrow
valley such as this.” I waved my arm around the steep sides of the
valley.  They were so high that you thought they would fall in
upon you, “he had his back protected by a thousand others.”

“Ah a thousand now this is more
than the three hundred.”

I shook my head.  “The one
thousand were like the fyrd and they did not fight; when the
Spartans were surrounded they were sent away and the three hundred
died to a man.”

Osgar asked me quietly. 
“How do you know this?”

“Uncle told me.  He heard
the story when he was in Constantinople and it is famous in the
Greek world.”

My uncle’s involvement in the
story increased its credibility.  “Did they have bows?”

“No, they had spears, large
round shields and short swords.”

“So they were Housecarls?”

I thought about it.  “I
suppose they were for they were the bodyguard to the king but they
only had helmets, leather body armour and greaves.”

Even Osgar was impressed. 
“Brave men then.  And they all died?”

“To a man but through their
sacrifice they won the war for the Greeks and defeated the Persians
who had the largest army in the world at that time.” We could all
empathise with this for we would also sacrifice our lives for our
leader and our country.

When we reached the long lake we
were at the narrowest part of the valley and Earl Harold made us
camp at the northern end where we filled the entrance to the valley
like a cork in a jug.  Behind us the land rose to the col
which led to the lake. We could see a long way to the north west
but as it was coming on to dark we could not make out many details.
We were all excited about the prospect of action.  Ulf came to
fetch myself and Ridley and took us to the Earl.  Wolf and
Osgar looked curiously on.

Earl Harold led us to one side.
“You two are accomplished horsemen Aethelward tells me. “

I suppressed a smile at the
memory of Ridley’s first attempts.  But he had improved.
“Thank you my lord.”

“Get out of those mail shirts
and just take your spears and swords.  I want the two of you
to take these horses and scout out the land ahead. Find the Welsh
but do not let them find you.”

I felt honoured that we had been
chosen and noticed that we were given no choice in this matter. “We
will not let you down my lord.”

Harold look surprised and then
said, “I never thought for one moment that you would.”

He left us with my uncle who
helped us to disrobe.  “Now be cautious Aelfraed.  You
are not going to fight you are going to look.  Better return
with a negative report than become embroiled in a fight.” He looked
at Ridley.  “I asked for you because you are the sensible
one.  Look after this headstrong nephew of mine.”

I did not know whether to be
insulted or angry or pleased but Ridley beamed like the cat which
has found an upturned jug of cream. Not withstanding my reaction to
the words I was pleased with the mission and we headed down the
other side of the pass. As we rode down I noticed that it was only
wide enough for ten men at most.  Any army ascending would
have difficulty maintaining cohesion but then again any force
fighting them would struggle to maintain their ranks. The valley
sides were still steep and covered in woods.  Any Welsh army
would have to keep to the flat land at the bottom.  The stream
to our right bubbled and burbled noisily but I knew that it would
be no obstacle to warriors for although rocky it was shallow. 
This part of the valley would suit the Welsh. Darkness fell further
and it was difficult to see as the last rays of the sun dipped
below the mountains to the west. The horses were sure footed and we
relied on that to keep us safe. Suddenly my mount snorted and
stopped.  Up ahead I heard a whinny. I quickly dismounted and
held my hand over my horse’s nose.  I did not want him to
answer for the noise we had heard meant there were riders
ahead.

Ridley skipped from his horse
and we tied them to a tree. We moved quickly and silently towards
the origin of the whinny. We moved away from the stream for its
noise meant that we could not hear as well and our hearing was now
more useful than our sight. The sharp nosed Ridley held up his hand
and I stopped. We peered into the dark.  Ridley had either
heard or smelled something, he later told me it was a smell, and
after a few moments our eyes adjusted to the dark and we saw the
white faces of the sentries.  They too had tethered their
horses to a tree. We could see two but suddenly a Welsh voice
shouted from our left and we knew there were more.  I gestured
to the right and we returned to the stream.  I stepped into
it, its icy shock almost making me start, and began to walk slowly
along the valley.  I assumed that guards would not be looking
in the stream for potential enemies and I remembered my first
watch.  Once we had moved a few dozen paces I calculated that
we were within their picket lines and we headed for dry land. 
As soon as we left the water I felt the blood rush to my feet and
the warmth was almost painful.

Ahead of us, through the trees,
we could see the camp of the Welsh. It was difficult to estimate
numbers but I counted forty camp fires.  It was a sizeable
army.  We suddenly froze as two men approached. We cowered in
the bushes hardly daring to breath.  I cursed their arrival
and feared that we would be discovered.  They dropped their
breeks and then turning their backs on the water they squatted. The
foul smell which arose told me their purpose. When they had
finished they used some grass and then returned whence they had
come. I led Ridley back to the stream, avoiding the place the
warriors had used and then walked back up the valley.  When we
neared where I judged the picket line to be I glanced to the right
but, seeing no one continued up a little further. It seemed an age
until we found our horses. I was dreading returning to the Earl to
tell him we had lost his horses but we eventually found them and
trotted back up the valley.  It was late when we reached the
camp but Ulf and my uncle were waiting for us.  They took us
immediately to the Earl.

“Well?”

“The Welsh army is three miles
away beyond the woods.  There were at least forty fires and
they have horses.”

Harold seemed almost
relieved.  “Good! And you escaped attention?”

“No one saw us.”

“Good.  I am in your
debt.  I thank God for the day I came to Medelai and found you
men and Aethelward.” He turned to my uncle. “Once again you have
chosen the field well.  We fight them here, tomorrow.”

Wales 1063

I stood in the second
rank.  Boar Splitter rested behind my shoulder and I wielded
Death Bringer. With my shield on my back I stood awaiting the
assault which we knew was coming. Those in the third rank waited
with their shields ready to protect those of us in the front two
ranks. So far it had been archers who had cost us the largest
casualties and it was those in the rear rank who would stop the
missiles. Earl Harold was counting on the fact they would use their
archers first and then charge with their warriors.  We knew
that he had few Housecarls remaining for we had killed many of them
in our first campaign and those that he did have would not face up
to the whirling blades of one hundred fierce warriors. Some of us
may have doubted that but not the strategy of Earl Harold and
Aethelward of Medelai.  No matter how many men we lost we
could survive and more than that we would win.

The dismay of the approaching
Welsh army was obvious as they trudged along the valley. When they
saw us perched atop the col spread out across their escape route we
could almost hear their collective cry of despair. Gruffyd was no
coward, despite his flight the first time we had fought, and he
sent forwards his spearman supported by his archers. It was his
archers we feared and as they drew back we all braced. It was hard
to stand there without a shield and rely on the men behind for
protection.  Luckily the shields we bore were large and few
men were hit by the missiles as they rained down. The shields and
the armour meant that the wounds we suffered were light.  The
spear men, who greatly outnumbered us advanced but we were
confident.  Standing above them our axes flayed a path at head
height. The axes first sheared the spear heads and then the warrior
heads.  Those in the front rank did not even see the enemies
they killed; they were in the killing zone and brave warrior after
brave warrior died without coming close to the shield wall.

The exhausted Welsh drew back
and I could see Gruffyd conferring with his lords. It was a heated
debate and we could see the gesticulating arms of his advisers
pointing to the north east, down the valley. It was infuriating to
stand there knowing that the enemy had faltered but we could not
attack as the terrain did not suit us.  Had we had the fyrd
with us then they could have been loosed to chase down the
demoralised enemy.  It was stalemate; they could not advance
against our superior weapons nor could we end it.

Finally Gruffyd took the
decision for us and as flight after flight of arrows rained down
upon us he and his spearmen left the battlefield.  For a
second time he had evaded us.  As soon as the arrows stopped
the Earl gave the order, “Forward!” and we trotted forwards our
shields held before us and our spears in our hands.  Form his
horse Aethelward could see that the Welsh were not heading down the
valley but up a smaller valley which led west. He was heading for
the mountain of the dragon and we would struggle to dislodge him
from that lofty perch. The Earl sensed that this might be the last
chance he had to capture the elusive king and he urged us on but a
band of his bodyguards were there to prevent that. Just as we had
blocked his escape route so the sixty or so bodyguards halted our
pursuit.  We would have to kill them before we could follow.
They were brave men and all resigned to their fate.  They
began to keen a lament in their own language.  As we advanced
I felt its beauty wash over me; to the warriors who were about to
die it must have had a calming effect.

Sweyn shouted, ”Wedge!” and we
forgot about their song as we clashed our spears against our
shields.  There was a kind of symmetry to it all; our slow
advance marked by our own rhythm and their steadfast song, almost a
barrier in the valley. We could not employ our normal tactic of a
run and a rush as the ground was too uneven and the last thing we
needed was for someone to fall and disrupt the wedge. When Sweyn
struck the enemy line it was a crash of metal on wood and then, as
we pushed on the ranks before us so the ranks behind pushed on
us.  We had the disadvantage that we were pushing uphill but
we had the weight of almost three hundred men concentrated upon the
tip of the arrow.  Inevitably we split their line but they
still fought, every moment they held us was more time for their
comrades and their king to escape.

We were on the right in the
fourth rank and the warriors who were on our side were slightly
below us.  Our spears outranged their swords and they
frantically held their shields before them to protect
themselves.  The sheer weight of numbers began to tell and
while the warrior before me could protect himself against Boar
Splitter , Wolf’s spear stabbed him in the side and he fell
backwards.  Their line was thin and we filled the gap so that
the warriors were fighting before and behind. It could not last but
they bravely fought on even after having suffered mortal wounds and
we had to cut their throats just to make sure they were dead. 
We all remembered the story of how my uncle had been hamstrung by a
warrior feigning death and we took no chances.

Ulf stood exhausted before me
his arm bleeding from a sword thrust.  “They were brave men
and deserved a better leader than Gruffyd. “

I too was disappointed with the
Welsh king and when Aethelward rode over to see how we had fared I
told him so. He shook his head.  “It is not easy being a
king.  The choices we have they do not for they are like the
guardians of their land. Sometimes they have to live to regroup and
defend the land rather than dying and allowing someone else to take
it.”

As I thought about that I
thought of the wisdom of the words. He was right; we defended our
lord , that was the extent of our decision making.  We only
had to think of the shield wall and naught else. We all turned,
weapons at the ready as we heard horses clattering up the
trail.  To our relief they were our warriors, Earl Tostig’s
scouts.

Sweyn led us along the path to
allow the scouts to continue the pursuit of the enemy for there was
no way we could close on the swiftly moving archers and horsemen.
We began to help the wounded but as there were few of them we
searched the bodies for any booty.  The warriors were not
laden with treasure but we found enough to make the exercise
worthwhile.  By the time we had finished, Earl Tostig and
Edwin, Earl of Mercia had arrived. Sweyn led us down the trail to
make camp while the leaders conferred. The mountain pass was cold
but we were able to light a fire, unlike the previous night when we
had had to remain hidden. We managed to catch some sheep and we
roasted the meat.  It was a little chewy but the hot food was
just what we needed.

“All we need now is some ale to
wash it down and we will sleep easy tonight.”

“And tell me Ridley where do you
think we would get ale here on this godforsaken mountain?”

“I didn’t. I just said it would
have finished the meal off.”

Osgar shook his head, as he
picked some meat from his teeth with the tip of his dagger.
“Instead you have just made us pine for ale and thereby spoiled the
meal.  Well done Ridley.”