Viking Raid (22 page)

Snorri spoke quietly, "We saw no one ahead but I could smell Saxons."

"Then when Dai scouts go with him. You make sure you are ahead of him at all times.  I do not want to walk into a trap."

The seven of them set off and we followed in pairs. Dai had found a trail. As a forester he would know this better than the roads. The Mercians would keep to the roads. It boded well for us.

We had travelled, roughly two miles when Bjorn appeared from the darkness. "Jarl, there are Mercians half a mile yonder." He pointed to the north.  "They are camped by the road. They have two sentries out. Snorri is waiting with the others."

"How many men are there?"

"Just fifteen or so including the sentries."

We hurried to Snorri. "We must be close to the hall." Dai nodded. "We cannot afford to have these warriors attack us while we are trying to rescue the King's family. Dai you stay here with these four warriors. We will rid ourselves of these Mercians before we rescue the family." The five nodded and we slipped off through the dark following the shadows of Snorri and Bjorn.  I hefted my shield around my back to free my left hand and I took out my seax.  This was sharp. We were Ulfheonar and we could move silently. Snorri was right; we could smell the Saxons. We dropped to knee as he waved with his left hand.  He and Bjorn moved forward.  There was the slightest of rustles from the leaves and then the two of them dragged the slain Saxons back towards us.

I waved our men forward.  The warriors were lying in an untidy circle. Each of my men approached a sleeping Saxon. If someone had been watching they would have sworn that my men had rehearsed the killing but they had not. It was just that they had fought together so much that they thought as one.  The would be ambushers all died.  My men took their weapons and moved back towards me.  I led them back to Dai.

Snorri said, as we deposited the weapons in a pile, "There were more of the men of Mercia on the other side of the road."

"I guessed as much but we will outnumber them. Is it far from here, Dai?"

"A short way.  On the road it would be no more than a mile."

I nodded, "You four stay here and guard these weapons.  When the alarm is given there will be fifteen warriors coming towards the hall.  When they do I want you four to take these weapons and run back to the ship. You need not be silent.  I want them to follow you.  If they follow you then they cannot interfere with what we are about. If they start to catch you then discard the weapons."

Olaf the Fast said, "They are Saxons; the day I cannot outrun a Saxon is when I will sit before the fire and tell tall tales!"

I was confident that they would do as I asked and we moved swiftly through the woods.  The attack had taken time and I now doubted that we would be able to reach the drekar by dawn.  It would be more likely to be noon and that meant we would be in danger from Mercians hunting us.  We would cross that bridge when we came to it. First we had to rescue the family.

I knew we were nearing the hall when we smelled smoke and our three scouts dropped to the ground. We could not afford any noise now and we used hand signals. Dai had a bow and I signed for him to guard our backs. Then we moved forward. The land around the hall had been cleared and there was a ditch but it was for drainage and not defence.  From the position of the hall I suspected that it was now used for hunting. It was a round house as opposed to a long house like ours.  That meant it had one entrance.  It was a huge dwelling.  I guessed it would hold up to thirty people. I hoped it did not for that would be too many warriors for us to handle.

Snorri pointed.  There were two Mercians sleeping outside the door to prevent anyone getting in. Bjorn tapped me on the shoulder and I saw that there were horse lines and another four warriors were watching the horses.  I waved for Haaken and five men to deal with the horse guards.  The ten horses might mean the difference between success and failure. As they hurried off I signalled for Snorri and Bjorn to use their bows. When their arrows silenced the sentries I saw Dai nod his approval.

Haaken and his men returned.  He nodded. Before we approached the hall we looked around to make sure there were no more guards. It was as well that we did.  A sentry came from the far woods.  He had been to relieve himself.  Before I could give a command Dai's arrow struck him in the centre of his face and he fell backwards.  Although he barely made a sound we could take no chances and we ran forward to reach the door before the alarm was sounded.

I was the first one inside the hut.  I stepped over the bodies and thrust open the door.  As I stepped into the hall I swung my shield around. There were sleeping bodies all around the inside.  The light from the fire in the middle illuminated some.  We had to make sure that we did not kill the two young princes. I had no idea of their age.  They could be youths or boys; I had no idea. I guessed that they would be close to the two women. I spied one woman alone as far away from anyone as she could get. Her back was to the wall and she had her back to the hut.  Her eyes bored into me. I put a finger to my lips and stepped into the hut seeking foes.

At my feet slept a Saxon.  He had a beard and I saw his weapons at his side. I swung my sword overhand and hacked through his neck. Behind me my men spread themselves out and began to slaughter the sleeping Saxons. Inevitably one woke up and shouted the alarm. There were more of them than I had expected but we had armour and were awake; they were not. Even as I fended off the blow from the axe and skewered the wielder I was looking around for the Queen and her princes. I saw a woman in the far corner huddled alone in her cloak. I heard a scream and saw a woman grab two youths who looked to be about twelve summers old. They had to be the Kings' family. In the recesses of my mind I took in that the woman on her own was the King's illegitimate daughter.  She would be saved too.

I ran at the two Saxons who were trying to get to the Queen. I brought my sword down on the back of one of them and split him open to the backbone. The other warrior heard the scream as I killed his companion and turned to face me. My sword was behind me and so I smashed him in the face with my shield. He crumpled at my feet and I sank my sword into his chest. I saw the terror on the faces of the Queen and her boys.  "I am sent by your husband! I am here to save you. Asbjorn, Eystein! Guard the Queen and the princes."

My two warriors hacked their way to me and stood guard before them. Coenwulf's men had now awoken properly and were beginning to organise themselves. I ran towards the woman who was still alone and cowering against the wall.  I had been tasked with saving them all and I would do so.

As I ran I heard her cry, "Look out!"

I managed to turn in time and blocked the spear which would have struck my side. The warrior was a large man and he put his arms around my neck as we fell to the ground. I let go of my shield for it was useless now. His face was in mine and he was snarling like a dog.  His huge hands closed about my neck.  His body lay on my sword and I could not move it but my left arm was free.  As I felt myself choking I pulled my left hand free and felt the hilt of a weapon in the warrior's belt.  I pulled it out and thrust it into his side.  He grunted and squeezed even harder.  I felt myself blacking out. I pulled out the knife and stabbed him again and again.  My hand became slippery with blood and I struggled to hold on to the hilt. When his hands loosened a little I pushed hard with my right hand and rolled him off me.  As he lay beneath me I ripped his own knife across his throat.

I rose and continued towards the frightened woman. She shouted again, "Look out! Behind you!"

I turned and saw a spear hurtling towards me. I managed to dive out of the way and then I heard a scream as it struck the woman. I swung my sword across the throat of the spearman and he fell dead.  I ran to the woman. The spear had nicked her knee. She had taken the blow which was meant for me.  Her knee was bleeding profusely. I tore the hem from the dead Saxon's kyrtle and tied it tightly above the knee to halt the bleeding. I hoisted her above my left shoulder and turned. The guards all lay dead. I saw that Harald Long Legs was wounded as was Siggi the Silent but we appeared to have lost no one.

"Asbjorn, take the Queen and princes from here. Haaken burn this place and let us get back to the drekar."

The woman I carried said, "I can walk."

"Not fast enough.  I will carry you for you are no weight."I shouted, "Aiden, come and tend this woman!"

He ran next to me and helped me to carry her.  Once outside I lay her on the ground while Aiden tended to her knee. Dai met us and said, "I heard a cry from the west.  I think the other guards are alerted."

"I expected that. Asbjorn get them on horses." I looked at Aiden. "Well?"

"I have stopped the bleeding but I will need to look at it again on board the drekar."

I carried the King's illegitimate daughter, Brigid, to a horse and put her on the back. "Can you ride?"

She shook her head. "I know not how."

I nodded, "Then I will mount behind you. Get them on horses! Haaken, Snorri cover the rear."

"Aye Jarl Dragon Heart!"

As the Queen was mounted on the horse next to me she spat out, "You can leave that whore here if you wish! I have no desire to take her back with us!"

I turned and stared at her, "I was charged with rescuing four captives.  I will do as I swore I would do. You just follow orders!"

"I am the Queen!"

"You are a captive and you will not be a queen until I return you to your husband so do exactly as I say!" She looked to me to be almost assaulted by my words. She nodded.  "We ride but at the speed of the Ulfheonar!"

Dai was mounted and he and Snorri led us towards the river.  To our left the dawn was breaking. We would soon be in even greater danger if we could not escape the warriors who would pursue us once King Coenwulf found that his bargaining chip had been stolen.

As we rode Brigid said, "Thank you for saving my life."

"You saved mine twice and I am grateful."

"What is a Viking doing saving a Welsh Queen?"

"Your father pays well!"

"My father feels guilty that his wife treats me like a slave.  If she had her way then I would have been left to the Mercians."

She began to cry and turned her head to nestle into my chest.  It would not have been comfortable for I wore armour. "You are safe now.  Trust me I will let nothing bad happen to you."

"Nothing worse can happen to me." She raised her head, "Those Mercians took their turn with me and the Queen and her sons laughed while they did so."

"They are dead now."

"They did not suffer enough."

There was nothing to say to that. Suddenly Snorri shouted, "Saxons!"

"Take the reins and whatever you do keep on the trail. Even if I leave you keep on the trail.   My ship is ahead!" She nodded. "Aiden watch for the woman!"

"Aye Jarl!"

I dug my heels into the horse and drew my sword. I could hear the sounds of battle ahead. I suspected that some of my warriors had not made it to the drekar. I saw Sven the Slight on the ground and a Mercian was raising his axe above his head. I leaned out and swung my sword at his back.  The speed of the horse and my blade sliced him in two but the blow threw me from the horse.  "Ride to my ship!" I bounced along the ground and rolled.  My shield took the worst of the fall and I jumped to my feet and stood over Sven.  He was wounded but alive.  "Get to your feet, Sven.  Follow Aiden and that horse with the woman. Protect them."

"Aye Jarl." I just managed to swing my shield around as three warriors ran at me.  I took the blow from a sword on my shield and stepped forward to ram my sword into the second warrior who charged at me.  The third warrior's sword struck my mail but the metal plates stopped it penetrating and I shoulder charged him. The three had expected me to be on the defensive and now one lay dead, one was winded and the third was surprised when I charged him, swinging Ragnar's Spirit over my shoulder. I hacked him across the shoulder.  The spurting blood told me that he was dead. I spun around and brought the edge of my shield down on the throat of the third warrior.  I broke his neck.

Looking around I saw that the last of the Mercians had died. Oleg Svensson lay dead. "Bjorn, pick up Oleg and bring him with us.  We will not leave him here."

"Aye Jarl." Bjorn hefted the corpse onto his shoulder and I joined the rest of the Ulfheonar as we ran the last half a mile to the drekar.

I was relieved to see that the King's family had made it safely.  Aiden was helping them on board. Dawn had truly broken and it would be a fine day. "Erik, we will need the mast and the sail!"

"Aye Jarl!"

I waited until all were aboard before I slapped the horses away and clambered aboard.  Every warrior began banging his shield and chanted, "Dragon Heart! Dragon Heart! Dragon Heart! Dragon Heart!"

I raised my sword in the air and shouted, "Ragnar's Spirit! Ulfheonar!" We had succeeded.  The Gods favoured me still!

Cnut Cnutson shouted down from the mast head, "Jarl, there are riders to the north!"

I looked to the northern bank  of the Sabrina.  The trees and undergrowth hid the numbers but I saw the tip of a banner. We had been spotted.

"Snorri get every man who has a bow on the steer board side.  Everyone else take an oar."

Aiden was dealing with the wounded.  I sat next to Haaken and took his oar. I noticed that the two princes were standing and watching.  I snapped, "And you two can row too!"

One shouted, "We are princes! We do not row!"

"If I have not come to fetch you from the Mercians then you would not in a position to row! Row!" My voice brooked no argument and the two joined my warriors. Perhaps it was my fierce appearance or my voice which demanded obedience.

One turned to me and said, "My father will have the skin from your bones for this!"

Olaf Leather Neck who was seated next to him said, "Behave yourself or I will take what passes for your balls and make you eat them!"

Olaf Leather Neck had no front teeth and he was frightening to look at.  When he glowered at him I thought that the prince would burst into tears. I saw Snorri and the archers release their arrows and I concentrated upon rowing down the Sabrina.  The river was with us and so was the wind. I knew that if we could just make the next bend we stood a chance of outrunning the horsemen. It was many years since I had rowed and there is a rhythm you get into. All thoughts of tiredness went as we rowed with a purpose.

Haaken began the chant.

The storm was wild and the Gods did roam

The enemy closed on the Prince's home

Two warriors stood on a lonely tower

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 Cnut Cnutson stiffen with pride as we sang about his father.  What a contrast he was compared with the pampered princes. The power of the river and our efforts soon enabled us to outdistance the horsemen.  I watched Aiden as he worked on the wounded. Brigid had sat stoically as he had cleaned and stitched her wound. As my men were healed they returned to the benches to row.  Snorri and the archers released fewer arrows.  We had out distanced the horsemen but there were still watchers on the water.

As we neared the King's stronghold Cnut shouted, "I can see the Mercian army.  There are hundreds of them. There are many banners."

I kept rowing. That was worrying.  The Welsh did not have such large numbers.  I hoped the King would not think to attack the Mercians. His strength lay in archers.  He should hide behind his walls and let Coenwulf's men bleed on them. It was how we had defeated them in London when I had fought for Wessex. As I glanced into the Queen's eyes I wondered if Dyfed would be our ally once her husband heard how I had treated his sons. I could not change who I was and how I behaved.  I had been shaped and wrought just like Ragnar's Spirit. The Allfather was my smith and he had forged the blade that was me. Perhaps we would land his family and sail home without his gold.

A short while later we saw the anchorage. I saw that my knarr and most of the other vessels had departed as we edged into the jetty. We would almost be alone by the water. The King and his cousin were there waiting for us. I daresay the sight of my wolf sail had been a welcome one. We had not had to row the last couple of miles and the two princes had retreated to their mother where they rubbed their reddened palms. If rowing a mile or two had hurt their hands then they would never be warriors.  A warrior needed hands as hard as rocks. The two leapt over the side as soon as we were secured to the land.  Llewellyn helped the Queen ashore.  I saw the three turn and point at me. Their gratitude at their rescue was overwhelming!

I turned to my crew, "You have all done well.  I will see if the King still wishes to hire us as warriors. Be ready to either fight or row.  I will see the King." I looked down at Aiden and Brigid. "Is she able to be moved from here, Aiden?"

I saw them exchange a look and Aiden shook his head, "I would not have the wound reopened.  I can rig a canvas shelter and she can stay here." He looked at her. I could tell that they had exchanged words before this. "If that is all right with you."

The King's daughter nodded, "I would stay aboard. And I would like to thank you Jarl for saving my life.  I, at least, am grateful."

"You stay as long as you wish.  I will go and speak with your father."

Her face tightened as I used the word.  I do not think he had treated her well. I left my helmet and shield behind as I stepped ashore.  "Haaken, you had better come with me."

We strode after the royal party who were climbing up the path which led to the stronghold. "We should just go home, Jarl."

"What, Haaken?  It is not like you to turn down the chance to fight and earn gold."

"Let us just say that the King's family have, generally, disappointed me."

"I know what you mean.  I would have taken the princes across my knee if they had been mine."

"If they had been yours, Jarl, you would not have needed to.  Besides they are not children. We have warriors on board who are little older than they are." He was right.  We brought our children up better.

There was now a more urgent mood in the stronghold. The proximity of the Mercians had made the Welsh scurry around like ants whose nest had been disturbed. We made our way to the King's hall. There was no sign of the Queen and the princes when we were admitted. The King smiled, "Thank you, Jarl. You have done exactly as you said you would."

"I told you, King
Arthfael Hen ap Rhys
, I am never foresworn. Your daughter, Brigid, remains on my drekar until she is ready to be moved."

He waved a dismissive hand, "She is my daughter no longer.  My wife and my sons have spoken to me. She gave herself to those Saxons."

I took a deep breath. "She was taken by the Saxons and your sons did nothing to help her."

"Why should they have risked themselves?  She was a servant."

"She was their sister."

"Her mother was a slave. She is not their sister. She is a walking accident sent by God to punish me. I have done with her."

I felt Haaken's hand tighten on my shoulder. I gave the briefest of nods.  "And have you done with us too? "

He looked surprised, "Done with you? Why, no.  I still need your warriors to fight for me.  You said you would."

"And you said that you needed me to bring back your family.  We will fight for you but it will cost you gold." If he thought the one payment was enough then he was wrong.

I wondered if he would object but he just nodded. He waved his hand and his steward disappeared. "How do you think we should fight them?"

"From behind these walls.  We have seen their banners and they are a mighty host. They have horsemen.  Your archers are your strength.  Make them bleed to death.  If your archers thin out the ones who do not wear mail then we and your mailed warriors can deal with them when they reach the walls."

"There is little honour in hiding behind walls and sending arrows towards your enemies."

"There is less honour in having your family enslaved and your warriors slaughtered and that would be the result if you faced them in the field."

I saw Llewellyn nodding.  "He is right cousin. If we had an army of Vikings then we could face them beard to beard but we have already lost many of our best warriors."

I had not known this.  "You have fought them recently?"

"While you were away the King's young brother, Gwynfor Ap Rhys, could not wait for your return and he took our best warriors to attack the Mercians.  He thought to catch them unawares and he took all our best mounted and mailed warriors. They were caught on the wrong side of the Sabrina and slaughtered.  That was when they captured the Queen.  They crossed the Sabrina and found the royal party who had been on a pilgrimage to Buellt.  Their guards were all killed. It was a disaster."

The King shrugged, "My little brother was headstrong but he had a noble death.  You as a Viking should understand that."

"There is an honourable death and there is a pointless death.  This seems to me pointless as nothing was gained and much was lost. Had he died defending the land then it would have been an honourable death."

"But your men fight here for gold; where is the honour in that?"

"There is none but your gold makes us richer and means that we do not have to hire our blades out as much. When we have fought King Coenwulf then we return home."

"You will not stay?"

"Our home is many leagues to the north.  We fight until the Mercians retreat and then we go home." I could see that I had not pleased the King with my words. "If that is not satisfactory then we shall leave you your gold and return home."

Llewellyn shook his head and the King smiled, "No. I understand your words Jarl Dragon Heart. You fight until the Mercians retreat."

"And now I shall go and fetch my men. We will be fighting ere long and I need to have my drekar made safe."

The chest of coins took two of us to carry. "If the best warriors of this land are dead then we will struggle to hold this town.  The Mercians are cunning enemies."

"I know, Haaken, and we will need to be even more cunning."

Once we reached the drekar we secured the chest in the hold.  Haaken marched the Ulfheonar and all but six of my warriors back to the stronghold.  They took the weapons we had captured as well as our own weapons. I addressed the warriors, the crew, Aiden, and Erik. "We are to fight for the King. I suspect that this will become too dangerous for you to stay. Take the drekar west along the coast and find somewhere to wait.  I will send a rider when we are ready for you."

"And if no rider comes?"

"Then, Aiden, you take the gold and give it to the families of the dead and tell Wolf Killer he rules my land."

Aiden nodded.

The King's daughter looked up at me, "And what of me, Jarl?  Am I to be taken and used by your men? You have not spoken of me and yet I am here in plain sight."

"I have not yet spoken to you for I wished to speak with you privately." I shook my head, "I am neither your father, nor his wife and I am certainly not your half brothers." I led her to the side away from the others who were preparing the drekar for sea. "Your father has finished with you.  I can take you either to my land or to your mother. I was paid to save you and I have done so but I will not leave you in further peril."

"My mother died.  I have no home.  Here I was a slave.  I will be just as well off as a slave in your land."

I was beginning to tire of this. "Do you not hear my words?  I have said that I am not like your family.  My sister is a volva and has a house of women.  There you can be free and do as you choose. You will not be harmed by any of my men! Do you understand?"

When she began to weep I realised I had been shouting.  She looked at me through tear filled eyes. "I am sorry, Jarl Dragon Heart I thought… I thought you were as other men and…"

"And I am sorry that I shouted.  It is some time since I spoke with a woman such as you.  I am more used to speaking with my men and they are accustomed to my outbursts." I put my hand on her shoulder and stroked her hair, "Fear not; Aiden and my men will protect you.  They are my oathsworn.  I must go for I have a battle to fight."

She suddenly kissed me on my cheek, "You are a good man.  I am sorry that I misjudged you." Her sudden smile made her face glow and she looked much younger in an instant.

"You will be safe."

I hurried up the ramp to the stronghold.  As I reached the gate I saw the drekar heading west along the coast and, to the east, I saw the banners of Mercia advancing steadily towards us.  Coenwulf had come.

The walls of the stronghold had a stone base but were made of wood.  The ditch was adequate but no more. This was not a stronghold which was intended to stand as a rock.  It was a refuge only and it had to now face a tidal wave of warriors. The Welsh had withdrawn their bridges after the last of those without had entered.  A thin line of refugees headed west to safety. Apart from the Royal family there were few women and children left. It was warriors who remained. King Coenwulf could have avoided attacking King
Arthfael Hen ap Rhys
if he had chosen. He could have headed directly west across the hills and cut him off.  He was coming to defeat the Welsh King and conquer the land of Gwent.  Equally King
Arthfael Hen ap Rhys
could have withdrawn west but that would have meant giving up control of the mouth of the Sabrina. Both kings wanted this valuable piece of land. The battle would be here.

My warriors awaited me.  They would not take orders from any Welshman. I nodded to Haaken who followed me to the gatehouse. There were two small towers on each side and they were filled with archers already.  Llewellyn was there too.  He looked around as I arrived. He said quietly, "I am pleased you are here.  Had the King's brother not wasted our finest warriors then I would not have needed you.  The men who died were the men of Gwent and they were doughty and cunning fighters."