Viking Dragon (16 page)

"Each time it returns to me I see something else which needs doing. I have ideas for your mail too but let us not tempt the Norns.  I will say no more." Gryffydd looked barely able to contain himself. Bjorn was a grandfather and he knew how to tease. "Now young warrior, what do I have here for you?"

I thought my son would burst.  He was so excited he could barely speak. He just shook his head. Bjorn flourished the short sword like a conjuror. Gryffydd's eyes widened and I confess that I was envious. The engraved and etched dragon was a direct copy of the one I wore around my neck. It was so highly polished that I could have shaved using it.  The detail was impressive.  He had used oak for the grip and finished it off with a blue stone; a smaller version of mine.  That would have taken as long to make as the rest of the sword for it would have been drilled by hand.

"There, your first sword.  I have not bathed it in blood for it is your first and you will not use this once you are a man but I have put the fire of the dragon into its heart and it is tempered so that it is as hard as any sword I have ever made, saved that touched by the gods.  Your father will help you to make the scabbard.  That is a task for a warrior."

My son was silent.  "What say you to Bjorn, Gryffydd?"

He could not speak and he threw his arms around the mighty leg of the smith and hugged.  Bjorn was touched, "That is enough. He needs say no more."

I reached into my purse for payment.  Bjorn shook his head, "Jarl let me do this for you and my oldest friend.  There are just three of us left from those days in Hrams-a.  It is a gift."

I clasped his arm, "And a better gift I have yet to see."

"There is one more thing, Jarl, I would like to name it."

"You are the maker, it is yours to name."

"Then I would name it Dragon's Tongue. It came to me as I was making it.  The sword is sharp as a tongue and fast enough to flick out.  More important, when it speaks then others will listen. When your son is older and I make him his man sword then it will be called Dragon's Breath but this will do until then."

Gryffydd grinned, "I like the name, Dragon's Tongue!"

We returned to my hall and he clutched his sword as though it was made of gold. "What did Bjorn mean about the scabbard, father?"

"We must make a scabbard.  It protects the blade and the wearer. You will have to help me make it for a scabbard made by another may take away from the power of the sword." I held up my scabbard, "I made this one when Bjorn first made my sword and Ragnar's Spirit has never let me down."

It took two days to make it. I did those things which he could not.  I cut the wood and I gathered the materials but he, under my supervision, made it.  He lined it with sheep's wool and he joined it together with horse glue. He looked at it proudly and went to get his sword. 

I shook my head. "It is not yet finished.  You need to cover it with leather or the wood will rot and you should have a design upon it."

A further two days work saw it finished the satisfaction of us both. He was pleased with his efforts but his mother looked disappointed. She liked the effort it had taken and the detail but it was the function of which she did not approve. I shook my head, "Our son will be a warrior.  It is in his blood."

" I know but I have seen too many widows and grieving mothers."

"That is why I will train him. You have to trust me.  Our son will grow to be a man and will defend this land." Even as I said it I wondered if the Norns were listening. The Weird Sisters could be spiteful.

It was coming towards harvest time when the Danes returned. It was not a warband but it was a war party.  Wolf Killer sent word that his hunters had found signs of men in his woods.  When Wolf Killer examined the camps that they had used he determined that they were Danes. While he and his men continued to search for them he sent word of their numbers.  There were ten of them.  As soon as we discovered the news I sent riders to each Jarl and then sent out Ulfheonar with two or three warriors.  It meant we had fifteen parties out seeking these intruders.  Karl One Leg ordered our gates closed and we doubled the watch.  I went with Rollo Thin Skin and Harald Einarsson.  Against Brigid's wishes I took Gryffydd.  It was a risk but you learned by taking risks.

We wore no mail for we were hunting.  When we found them then we would return to don mail and we would kill them. It would be a good lesson for Gryffydd.  It would show him how men scouted. We took a quadrant of land from the road to Úlfarrston and the road to Windar's Mere. If we did not find them there then we would widen the search.

We used a raft towed by two fishing boats to sail down to the bottom end of the Water.  It would save a long journey over land and, with the wind from the north was quicker. Olaf and his two men headed due south.  Snorri and his two due east and I went between the two. Haaken had ridden down the water and he would complete the search to the south. Both Haaken and I believed that would be where the danger would be.

Rollo had good eyes and he had grown in stature, as a scout, in the last two years. We headed into the midge infested wasteland where no one farmed. It was the time of the biting insect and there were many of them. We had found spies using this land some years earlier. As it had no people our enemies could freely move around. We searched for some time and saw no signs of humans. The animal tracks told us that this would be a good place to hunt if a man could fight the insects. Rollo and Harald asked if they could come back to hunt. There were many signs of game. "Aye that might be good but let us wait until the winter is come.  The insects are less numerous then.

We reached the southern limit of our search and I said, "Let us head to Satter's Waite." This was the only farm for miles around. Old Satter might be able to tell us if he had seen anything untoward. We turned our horses and rode north east.

Satter was an old recluse.  He and his wife farmed the most inhospitable part of my land. I had no idea how he made it productive but he did.  They had lost both sons when the Danes had come over to raid many years earlier.  We had defeated them but they had left a trail of dead behind.  Satter's two sons had been amongst them. Satter and his wife had been at Cyninges-tūn buying that which they could not grow.  They never left their remote home again. He knew that part of the forest better than any.  They were almost part of the forest.  Both were like old gnarled trees. I would ask what he had seen.  If he had not seen any then we would have to search to the north of my land.

The sudden cacophony of squabbling magpies and chuffs alerted us to danger. "Gryffydd, take out your sword and stay close by me."

I tightened my grip on my spear as did the other two. I waved to the left and right.  The two warriors separated. We moved slowly towards the clearing. As we emerged the birds took flight, noisily. I saw that they had been picking over the corpses of Satter and his wife.  They had been slain. I saw that they had been eviscerated and the birds had widened the wounds to feast on their flesh. The relatively untouched faces told me that it was recent. They had yet to begin on the eyes. We moved cautiously through the farm.

Rollo dismounted while Harald and I kept watch. I held my hand up to stop Gryffydd. Having examined the ground Rollo went into the hut Satter and his wife had lived in.  While he searched within I looked for any sign of the Danes.  It was obvious to me that it was they who had done this.  If the bodies were fresh then that meant they might be close.  I began to regret bringing my son. He sat, white faced, on his pony.

Rollo came out and mounted his horse.  He shook his head. They were not within.  He pointed his spear north west.  I followed him as he led us towards the Danes. They had left the clearing and headed into the midge filled forest. We saw their tracks on the trail. They had not bothered to hide them. Once we found them then I would send Harald back to Cyninges-tūn with Gryffydd and summon the rest of my men.  I would not risk my son further.  He had learned enough on this scout.  I think they were the first bodies he had seen. His mother would not be happy but it would stand him in good stead.  For warriors this was a common sight.

When Rollo dismounted and waved his hand then I knew he had spotted something.  I dismounted and went to Gryffydd. I whispered in his ear. "Hold my reins and stay here." He nodded.  My son was learning quickly.

Harald and I knelt by Rollo. He pointed to the foot prints in the mud. We had seen similar for some time. They were fresh. Then Rollo pointed to a bush.  The urine was still dripping from it.  I could smell it.  They had passed this way not long before. I was slightly behind the other two and I heard a noise from my right.  It was faint.  It was a foot stepping on to a twig and trying not to make a noise. I spun around with my spear at the ready and saw Sven Green Eye.  It was Snorri's patrol. He looked as surprised as I was.  He held up two hands and then one hand.  He made the sign for Danes and then pointed ahead.  I pointed to the farm and made the sign for fetch help. He nodded and left.  I hoped he had the good sense to take my son with him.

He had been gone but a moment when Snorri and Erik Alfsson appeared. I headed after my two warriors.  There were now five of us.  Better odds but with no mail and spears and swords only we could not risk taking on fifteen warriors. We caught up with Rollo and Harald half a mile further on.  They had moved quickly. The ground dropped away and Rollo urgently waved us to the ground. We said nothing and I listened.  I could hear the Danes. They had obviously taken food from the farm for they were eating and discussing which direction they should take. I could not see them.  They had chosen somewhere hidden by low scrubby bushes and straggly trees.  These were scouts who knew their business.

I lost track of what they were saying as a number of them all spoke at once. Then a voice barked out, "Jarl Ragnar Halfdansson has put me in charge of this raid.  We do not discuss. I decide!" There was silence. "We were told to find the weakness of the Norse who live here. You, Karl Fine Hair, did not need to kill the old man and woman.  When their bodies are found then they will know we are here."

"Did you see any path leading to the house, Gurt the Silent?  I did not. They were alone and we needed the food they had. If we had not killed them then they might have told others that we were abroad. No one will find their bodies ten years from now!"

"No one kills without my permission. We are not here for treasure.  We will get enough of that when the Jarl has gathered his forces. We have a month to discover all that we can and a month to get back. We have been promised our own drekar! That is a reward worth a little hardship. Do not throw that away for a full belly!"

"We have only seen one place they were defending. That looks easy to avoid."

"That was the stad they call Elfridaby.  The son of the Dragonheart lives there. Jarl Ragnar will not avoid it.  But make no mistake that is a hard place to take.  It has high walls and deep ditches He has plans for the one they call Wolf Killer and King Egbert has promised much gold for the return of his wife.."

There was laughter.  "I hear he plans to have her boiled alive for the disgrace of leaving him for another man."

"I care not what is promised so long as we get our drekar. We will head to Cyninges-tūn.  There is a headland across the Water.  I have been there before.  We can make camp and study the walls. They are well made but we can find a way in I am certain. That is why we come for so long.  We will examine the walls and the defences at night when the people sleep. We go back to Jorvik through the big water. That is the last place we were ordered to scout."

"What about food!"

"We have seen plenty of game."

"But not ale!"

"Two months without ale is not much to ask for Einar Einarsson. When we have a drekar we can sail the length of this land.  There are many rivers and we will become rich. Now leave no sign. If they do find the dead farmer I do not want them to find us."

I heard noise as they moved around the clearing and then the leader, Gurt the Silent, said, "Follow me.  We are not far from where we can camp. I have been here before."

We allowed them to move off and then I nodded to Snorri.  He slipped through the undergrowth. A moment or two later he reappeared. "They have gone. I heard a little of what they said and, from their tracks I think they head for the head of the Water. It will be the place close to where we had our hall."

"I agree.  Where are your horses?"

"Just a mile back.  We left them there when we followed the Danes."

"Meet us at the farm of Satter.  He and his wife are dead.  We can take the road by the Water and make faster time.  We might pick up the men I sent for."

When we reached the farm I was relieved to see that Harald had taken Gryffydd with him.  My son would be safe. While we waited we put the dead farmer and his wife inside their hut. When time allowed we would bury them. We had just mounted when Snorri and his two warriors appeared. We rode down the slope and through the woods to the road by the Water.  We were halfway there when we ran into Olaf Leather Neck and his two men.

"We met Harald.  He has ridden for Haaken."

"We have found them. They are heading for the hillside above my old hall. There are fifteen of them."

Snorri said, "The leader and two others wear mail. I found their tracks and glimpsed them when we followed."

"We can still take them, Jarl!"