Viking Treasure (2 page)

He nodded. "I will fight alongside you father."

"I know.  Now go and fetch your mother.  I am hungry after all that shouting."

After he had gone I said to my two scouts, "I forgot to thank you two for bringing us the news.  I would say it was fortunate but I sense webs being spun." They nodded. "So Snorri, did you find any yet to carve something for your woman?"

Beorn laughed and Snorri said, indignantly, "She is not my woman!"

"I think it is good that you two make a couple. Eystein would approve and it is time you fathered a child."

Aiden said, "Do you need jet?"

"I have a mind to carve an amulet for her.  Do you have some?"

"I do and had you asked I would have given it to you. It would have saved a journey."

I felt the same shiver I had on the mountain top. "But you were meant to go to Hwitebi and you were meant to help the Frisian get to Valhalla. It is
wyrd
."

They all nodded and touched their amulets.

"I would like you two to summon the Ulfheonar.  I will hold a feast for them tomorrow night.  We will leave for Bebbanburgh the next day.  We will visit Elfridaby and Windar's Mere before we see Ketil."

"You just take your oathsworn?"

"I may take some of Ketil's men but any more would seem like an invasion.  We go in peace but we demonstrate our power."

I left them and headed for my smith. Bjorn was hammering a piece of twisted metal.  It would become a sword eventually. "Have you a sword which would be fit for a king?"

He laughed, "All of my swords are fit for a king. Which king?"

"King Eanred."

He nodded, "Then it would have to be a fine sword.  The Saxons are almost as good as me when it comes to making fine swords." He went to a rolled up sheepskin. Unfolding it he took out a sword which was slightly shorter than Ragnar's Spirit.  It had just one jewel in it.  It was one of the red stones we had found in a church. "I have been working on this one.  It has been quiet lately and I enjoy the craft of making something beautiful and yet deadly. I just need to etch the blade.  I was going to make a dragon."

"Then do so. It is worthy of a king and the gift may buy us an ally."

"Do we need one?"

I laughed, "You may be right, Perhaps it is better to say we need no more enemies right now." I looked at the other workshops they were all busy manufacturing the weapons and tools we sold.  "Have you heard from Bagsecg?" His son had left home and now plied his trade elsewhere.  Thoughts of sons were in my mind.

He shook his head, "No." His face darkened.  "When Anya, his wife, first came I liked her.  She was lively and I thought she would bring my shy son out of himself.  She is too ambitious and she likes gold too much.  He would have stayed here were it not for her." He shook his head, "I do not see the children and I grow old."

"You have other sons."

"But only one is called Bagsecg.  I named him for my father. My other sons are all fine smiths but Bagsecg, he understood metal the way my father did and I do. He was the best smith I sired."

"Then this is right. He can ply his trade and not compete with you. See this as a good thing."

"I wish I could." He shook his head as though to rid the picture of his son far away, "When do you need the sword?"

"Two days?"

"It will be done." He looked across the Water.  "I saw Wolf Killer leaving in a hurry.  It seems we both have problems with our sons."

"It starts the day they are born and ends the day that we die."

The words rang through my hall as my oathsworn sang the latest saga composed by Haaken One Eye.  It told of the death of Eystein the Rock. Although Haaken had, as usual, changed some events to make a better story, it was still largely true and it was a fitting way to begin the feast.

Through the stormy Saxon Seas

The Ulfheonar they sailed

Fresh from killing faithless Danes

Their glory was assured

Heart of Dragon

Gift of a king

Two fine drekar

Flying o'er foreign seas

Then Saxons came out of the night

An ambush by their Isle of Wight

Vikings fight they do not run

The Jarl turned away from the rising sun

Heart of Dragon

Gift of a king

Two fine drekar

Flying o'er foreign seas

The galdramenn burned Dragon Fire

And the seas they burned bright red

Aboard 'The Gift' Asbjorn the Strong

And the rock Eystein

Rallied their men to board their foes

And face them beard to beard

Heart of Dragon

Gift of a king

Two fine drekar

Flying o'er foreign seas

Against great odds and back to back

The heroes fought as one

Their swords were red with Saxon blood

And the decks with bodies slain

Surrounded on all sides was he

But Eystein faltered not

He slew first one and then another

But the last one did for him

Even though he fought as a walking dead

He killed right to the end

Heart of Dragon

Gift of a king

Two fine drekar

Flying o'er foreign seas

When the song was over Uhtric ordered the slaves and servants in with the food and the beet.  I had also broached a jar of wine for I knew that some of my warriors preferred it. There were just eleven Ulfheonar left and one of those, Karl One Leg, never ventured forth with us but we still counted him as one of us. He guarded my home while I travelled, trained new warriors and watched for new Ulfheonar.  There had been precious few of late.  That is not to say we did not have fine warriors who were the equal of any we met. It was more that they did not have the complete set of skills needed by the finest and stealthiest of warriors.

Few now lived in Cyninges-tūn and the meal was a noisy affair as they spoke to each other of their farms, their families and, inevitably, dead Ulfheonar. I daresay that Asbjorn who now had his own crew was doing the same.

When the food had all been finished save for a few morsels which my men picked at as they drank I rose and I spoke.

"Snorri and Beorn have brought us news that the son of Rurik of Dorestad is gathering warriors to raid us and avenge his father's death. Today I sent Raibeart ap Pasgen to sail to Dorestad and find as much as he can about the force he might bring. Our raids in Neustria have brought us the enmity of the leader there and the Mayor of Neustria is financing the  raid.  They will be hiring mercenaries."

Olaf Leather Neck snorted, "And they will flee at the first sign of opposition!"

"Perhaps, but when Rurik came last time we had to spend many months scouring the land for the last vestiges of those who remained.  There were many farmsteads destroyed by hired swords. You may not fear them Olaf Leather Neck but you are a well armed warrior and not a farmer and his wife fighting the flies of Grize's Dale."

Olaf nodded, "And that is why you are Jarl and I am just a hewer of Danish necks. Sorry, Jarl Dragonheart."

I waved his apology away. "Aiden and I agree that there are three courses of action our enemy can take.  Two of them; an attack by sea and from Eoforwic would take time to organize but Northumbria is weak from war and this Frisian may take the third and seek to ally himself with Eanred."

Erik Eriksson slapped the table, "Excellent! We go to war with the Saxons! More riches for us!"

Others slapped him on the back and cheered, "No, we go to talk with Eanred."

Snorri and Beorn were silent.  They knew my reasons.  Haaken One Eye looked curious for he knew me well but the others began a clamour. Olaf banged the table, "Talk? We slay Saxons!"

Shaking my head I said, "We do not wish any of the Saxon lands and they have learned to fear us. I intend to persuade King Eanred to be our ally and to protect our border."

Rollo Thin Skin asked, "Why would he do that?"

"Because he fears King Egbert from Wessex.  Egbert wishes to be High King of the land of the Angles. It was always the Kings of the north who were the old High Kings. Wessex will go to war with Northumbria when Mercia is cowed. It suits us to ally with them for we know they are not strong enough to fight us."

"We defeated Mercia and Wessex! No Saxon is strong enough!"

"Rolf Horse Killer, you are young.  You are a fine warrior but you are still young. We are few and the Saxons are like fleas on a dog. They will return one day and in even greater numbers for we shamed Egbert in front of his army. Our ransom humiliated him. He will be brooding and plotting in his burgh. Better he attacks King Eanred and we help Northumbria than he attacks us and we fight alone."

Everyone fell silent.  Haaken One Eye, who was seated next to me, said, quietly, "Have you dreamed Jarl?  You seem not yourself."

"We are older, Haaken, that is all. I have not dreamed but I climbed the Old Man and I felt him pat my back." Their hands went to their amulets. They believed that warriors such as we felt our fallen comrades close by when we were close to death.

"What do Kara and Aiden say?"

"They have not yet dreamed. They are now dreaming."

I paused to fill my horn. My words had sobered them and made them reflect.  Despite their words they were all thoughtful warriors.  It was what made them Ulfheonar. They realised now the wisdom of my words. Rolf Horse Killer and Rollo Thin Hair apart they were all older warriors; most with families and farms. That changed a man.

"So we ride tomorrow.  Take a spare horse each and ride in your best armour. Leif, we will ride beneath my banner. I want to impress the Saxons.  We visit with Wolf Killer before riding to Ketil.  I will take some of his men. He is the nearest neighbour of the Saxons.  It is right that we do so."

Now that they understood the mood changed and they became enthusiastic. It was a chance for them to show off with their best armour. They would wear their warrior bands and display their golden wolves around their necks.  It would show any that we met who we were. The drinking went on for some time. Only those who lived within a mile or so of my hall attempted to go home. Uhtric put the rest to bed.

I had not drunk as much as my men and I rose before dawn and left Brigid sleeping.  I slipped along to the hall of my daughter and Aiden. Macha and Deidra admitted me. If they wondered why I was visiting so early they knew me well enough to hold their tongues.

"My lady and her husband have just risen.  They have gone to make water."

"Then I will wait in the hall.  Fetch me some of your fine cheese and small beer."

The two former nuns of the White Christ made excellent cheese. They still worshipped the peacemaker god but they fitted into our world well. It was hard to imagine Cyninges-tūn without them. It was Macha who returned with warm bread, runny goat's cheese, honey and a horn of ale. Deidra followed a short while later. 

"My lady will be with you when she has dressed."

There was a hint of criticism in her voice and I smiled, "This is fine cheese!"

She scurried out uncertain how to reply.  I think she still feared me a little. I knew now that I looked frightening.  My white bearded face bore scars from battles and the lines upon it were like one of Aiden's charts. They reflected the life I had led. It had rarely seen peace.

"You are early, father."

I nodded, "Aye Kara for we leave as soon as we are able and I would know as much as I can before I speak with Eanred."

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and looked up. Kara looked drawn.  She always did after dreaming.  I knew not what the potion was they took but it seemed to age her each time she and Aiden dreamed.  It was one of the reasons I rarely asked them to dream. She sat down and poured herself some beer from the jug.

"It was a strange dream. We saw the raven flying."

The raven?  The bird of death?"

Smiling she said, "And also the sign of Jarl Gunnar Thorfinnson. We think it was both. We did not see enemies close to hand but we dreamed of a wall, far away and there was a gate.  Warriors spilled out from it.  There were Franks and Frisians, Saxons and Danes. They will be coming here."

"But not yet?"

Ignoring my question she continued, "We spoke with the spirits. They spoke not of danger but of treasure."

That made me sit up.  It was not the reply I expected. "Treasure?"

"I saw mother counting coins from one chest into another and she smiled. And..." she hesitated, "there was a figure behind her but he was hidden. It was a spirit but one without features.  They are not dead yet."

Once again I felt the icy fingers of Olaf the Toothless on my neck. "Someone dies?"

She drank some more of the beer as though to compose herself. "Someone dies.  More than that it is someone that I know.  Mother hid their spirit and I saw your mother too.  She smiled at me."