Viking Legend (2 page)

Watching, waiting for hour on hour.

The storm came hard and Odin spoke

With a lightning bolt the sword he smote

Ragnar's Spirit burned hot that night

It glowed, a beacon shiny and bright

The two they stood against the foe

They were alone, nowhere to go

They fought in blood on a darkened hill

Dragon Heart and Cnut will save us still

Dragon Heart, Cnut and the Ulfheonar

Dragon Heart, Cnut and the Ulfheonar

I saw that Karl was carefully watching all that Erik did.  He was another of the ship’s crew. Karl was the former ship’s boy who now wished to be a sailor.  He was old enough to be a warrior but he stayed by Erik’s side. Soon I would need to do something for him. He had learned all that he could from Erik just as Erik had when Josephus had captained my ship. Perhaps Karl could captain a small knarr.  We had two we had captured. A knarr was easier to sail than a drekar. He had served me well. I knew that he had done a good job training Cnut Cnutson.

Erik shouted, “Karl, take in the sail.  Haaken you can stop rowing.  There is Mann ahead.”

Our former home was just a short way away across the sea from us. I went to the dragon prow and leaned out to view Hrams-a where my mother had been slain.  It had fallen into disrepair of late and the tower where my sword had been struck by lightning had long since fallen. There were no drekar in the small bay and I waved us south.  We would not raid.  There would be nothing worth taking from it these days.

Duboglassio was a different matter. This was fortified. We had our shields along the side.  It showed all that we were a warship and warned them to stay clear. As we passed the port I saw that there were two threttanessa in the harbour but neither had a red sail.  Two such ships would not worry us and we continued south.  There were two more ports on the island.  One at the south of the island, and the former home of my wife’s brother, Erik, on the west coast.

The one at the south which had first been ruled by Olaf the Toothless and then latterly Rolf, who had been one of my jarls, had one drekar in the harbour. It was as large as mine but it did not have a red sail.  Nor was it ready for sea.  I saw men still scraping the hull.  That left Erik’s old port.  My brother in law and his evil wife had long since died. I knew not who lived there now.  We would soon discover that information.

The wind was with us and my men lined the sides to watch the small port hove into view. Eystein the Rock pointed to the headland. There was a tower.  “Jarl, it looks like they are making a signal.”

I shaded my eyes and saw that he was right.  The tower was new. “This may mean danger.  Prepare for battle.”

We all wore our armour but our helmets were stored in our chests as were our wolf skins.  The wolf skins were symbolic. We did not need them for disguise when on our drekar but they marked us for who we were and they frightened our enemies when we ventured ashore.  More than that they inspired those who were not Ulfheonar.  It was seen as a great honour to fight alongside the wolf warriors. We did not paint our faces red to frighten our foes..  The arming of my warriors was a precaution only. The ship’s crew all strung their bows.  We had learned that the effect of a few arrows could be devastating.

I saw the fort they had built on the small knotty rock attached to the mainland by a thin strip of earth.  It protected the harbour well.  The idea to build it there had been that of Prince Butar.  He had always planned well. We kept well out to sea.  It was as well that we did for two drekar suddenly raced from the harbour; alerted, no doubt, by the watch tower.  They had their mast on the mast fish and were just using their oars. That was why we had not seen them earlier. They came at us like sharks.  However, we had the wind with us. We would use that advantage.

Erik’s voice carried down the drekar, “What would you have us do, Jarl?”

“Take us further out to sea.  Arm yourselves and prepare to repel attack.” I walked down the gangway to Aiden who held my helmet and wolf skin. 

Haaken was already dressed for war, “Think you it is Magnus Foresworn?”

“I do not know.  That is why I will allow them to close.  If it is then we will fight if not we will discourage them and sail for Siggi.”

Haaken shook his head, “It does not do to run away from a fight, Jarl Dragonheart.”

“You have known me long enough to know I run away from nothing.  What would be gained if we fought them?”

“Honour! Glory!”

“And we would lose warriors. If we won then our enemies would lie in the sea with their treasure lost forever.”

Aiden fitted my helmet and then attached my wolf skin, “The Jarl is right, Haaken.  We do not throw away lives needlessly. Erik can out run them.”

“But they will be encouraged to attack us closer to home.”

He could not see my face but I was smiling.  It was the smile my enemies called my wolf smile. “And where is a wolf at its most dangerous?  It is when it is in its den.  Let them come. Their way home will be marked by their whitening bones.”

The two drekar were racing towards us. Erik skilfully put the steering board over.  We were tantalisingly close to the prows of the two ships. Had they not been rowing they might have loosed arrows at us. “Karl, can you see Magnus Foresworn?”

Karl was at the mast head with Cnut Cnutson. His voice came down to me, “I do not see him Jarl and the rolled sails are not red.”

“Use your bows to discourage them.  Go for the helmsmen.”

Snorri and Beorn the Scout picked up their bows and joined the boys in releasing arrows.  The two drekar were just fifty paces away and the range was close. I saw that the arrows had struck home immediately.  One of those with the steering board was pitched over the side when he was struck by two arrows.  His falling body made the drekar veer to the right. The two ships were so close together that a collision was inevitable. The oars on both drekar were sheered as they struck.  The arrows continued to fall. The drekar crashed into each other. I saw that the drekar on steering board side of the one we had hit was lower in the water.  Its strakes had sprung. They would be lucky to get back to land.  I saw the two captains shaking their fists at us.  My men laughed as they took off their helmets.  We would not be fighting this day.

We spent a night in Úlfarrston.  Erik had discovered that one of the ropes on the rudder withy was weak.  He was annoyed with himself for he had allowed the shipwrights to look to that. He was angry until I pointed out that it was better for it to happen close to home rather than at sea. “We are watched over, Erik.  The spirits have given us this chance to make our ship whole before we face unknown waters.”

He smiled, “You are right, Jarl.  It is just that I want our ship to be perfect.”

“She is. This delay does not hurt us. We have a night on land and we can be across the sea by late afternoon.  It has happened for a reason.”

We left the next morning with our drekar repaired. Siggi’s ship was heavily laden and slowed us down.  She carried timber, stone and iron.  All were valued by the Hibernians and I hoped that we would make good trades. We had traded with Hakon the Bald the previous year.  He had seemed quite happy to do so but he had served with Rorik and Magnus Klak in his youth. He might have reformed but I was still suspicious of him.

We sailed to Dyflin without shields on the side.  We were going to trade. As we approached the river I had Karl and Cnut keep a good watch for a red sailed drekar.  They reported none. There were longships in the river but they had their masts stepped.  They were not yet ready for sea.  We had left our home earlier than most ships.

We tied up first as the stubby knarr edged its way in to a berth. Already Viking merchants were making their way to the ship.  My name was known and our goods were valued.  There had been a time when we would have had to fight our way in but this time it seemed we were welcome. I let Siggi and Aiden haggle with the merchants.  I awaited Hakon the Bald.

He looked the same as he came towards me.  He was slightly heavier.  I think his days of going a-Viking were long gone. He embraced me in a bear hug, “Jarl Dragonheart! It is good to see you.” He nodded towards my knarr. “I see you have come to trade.  Do you have any of that fine wine from Frankia on board?”

“Sadly no.  I fear I have worn out my welcome there.  The Emperor of the Franks does not like me.”

Hakon laughed, “I know! I heard he has put a price on your head.  He has a price on every Viking but there is a bounty of a thousand gold pieces for your head and wolf skin.”

I smiled, “I hope that you do not try to collect such a bounty Hakon the Bald.”

He looked offended, “I am insulted, Jarl! I thought we were friends!”

“And we are.  And as a friend I would ask if you have seen Magnus the Foresworn.  He has a ship with a red sail.”

He nodded, “
‘The Red Snake’
. Aye she was in a week since and just before winter the time before.”

“Where did he go? I seek him. He raided one of my jarls.”

“I think he sailed north to the islands close to the land of the Picts.  He had been raiding further south, towards Wessex.  I do not think he prospered.”

“How so?”

“Egbert’s men were waiting for him.  He raided last year and was successful.  He had two ships then.  One was lost close to Wessex.” He leaned in, “He has a large crew on his ‘
Snake
’.  He picked up most of the crew of the drekar he lost swelling his numbers. He is a dangerous young man.  He is unpredictable.”

“Yet you showed him hospitality.”

He smiled, “He paid well. He must have had some success on his raids for he paid for everything with gold. You I welcome as a friend.  He paid for his welcome.” He stroked his beard.  “I did hear him say that the King of Northumbria was paying for warriors but that seemed unlikely.  As you say he is not to be trusted.  Who knows which of his words is the truth and which falsehoods? Will you stay?”

I knew that Hakon was as two faced as a Roman coin, “No my friend. When we have traded then I return to my home with the profits.”

“Yours is a rich land.  You should keep watch that no one tries to take it from you.”

“Many have tried.  Their bones help our crops grow well.”

He laughed, “That is what they say of you jarl.  You are a good friend but a relentless and ruthless enemy.  Fear not I covet not your land.  This suits me. If I had more of that Vasconian wine then it would be perfect.”

Normally we would avoid sailing at night but I wanted to escort Siggi east as soon as possible. We left at dusk and kept the setting sun behind us.  We used Siggi’s ship as a navigational aid and, when we saw the coast loom up, we bade them farewell and headed north along the coast of my land.  The wind still favoured us and we made good time. It was late when we pulled in at the river close to Thorkell’s Stad.  Arne was my jarl there now. His was a lonely land for the Picts and the Scots who lived north of him were fond of raiding as were the Hibernians.  He had to keep a good watch on the coast and the river. Although it was late his sentries spied us and we were welcomed into his hall.

“Welcome, Jarl Dragonheart.  This is an unexpected visit.  I hope it does not mean there is danger.  We have prospered over the winter.”

“No, my friend.  We are hunting Magnus the Foresworn and we heard that he was heading north to the islands.”

“Does he have a red sail with a dragon upon it?”

“Aye?”

“My fisherman spied him some many days ago.  He was hugging the coast and heading north.”

“He did not land then and raid?  He knows the land for he and his family lived up Lang’s Dale before I banished him.”

“No, Jarl.  He did not but we are ever watchful these days.”

“I will be sending goods with Coen Ap Pasgen to trade.  If there are any goods which you need then let me know.”

“We need for little but if there is any seal oil then we would appreciate that.”

“I will have Siggi find some for you.”

We left the next morning.  The night with Arne would be the last hospitality that we could expect. The jarls who lived in the islands were unpredictable. They spent much of the time squabbling and fighting amongst themselves.  At other times they would join forces and raid the men of Strathclyde.  I could see why Magnus the Foresworn would seek an island of his own.  He could become powerful in the thousands of islands which dotted the coast.   A cunning young man he had the ability to take advantage of a power struggle between others.  The problem would be finding him in the myriad of islands which lay off the coast.

As we passed the land of the Scots I joined Aiden and Erik at the stern. “Now we begin the game.  Where do we start Aiden?  What do the spirits say?”

He smiled, “I have to be closer to our enemy before the spirits can aid me but Erik and I have been discussing where he might go.” He unrolled one of his maps.  He was skilled at making charts.  “This chart has many gaps in it.  We sailed here only once but there are four or five large islands.  Some are almost as big as Mann.  I do not think he would choose one of the larger ones. Perhaps we need to visit
Ljoðhús.  It is a large island and the King of Norway is said to have some influence there. We could try the port on the island. The jarl there might be able to give us information. However we know not if the jarl is friendly or not.”