Viking Treasure (27 page)

The sun had cleared the mountains to the east of us before Karl shouted, "Sails, to the east of us.  Three drekar.  They are the ones who followed us.  I can see the skull on the sail."

Erik said, "So be it.  We have to gamble now. Karl, lower the sail! We run before the wind.  The bones are cast."

I went to the steer board side and peered east.  I could see Wyddfa which meant we would have to alter course soon.  Had we been in better condition then we could have risked the straits.  I knew that we were too fragile for such a course. We would have to sail north and west and pass between Ynys Môn and Hibernia.  The three ships would catch us.

As the sail filled Erik put us over on to our new course as gently as he could. The normally speedy drekar now felt as though she was limping.  Karl shouted, "Captain, two of the enemy are heading north.  Just one follows us."

I went to the stern. "This Jarl knows these waters."

"Aye, more's the pity."

An idea formed, "Karl, the one which follows us, how many oars does she have?"

I waited while he counted. "Sixteen on each side."

I turned to Erik, "Then she is little bigger than we are.  We fight her.  We cannot fight three of them but we stand a chance with one."

"You are right."

I shouted, "Change into armour and get your weapons.  One man in each pair."

We kept our way for we had half the men rowing but we slowed and that would encourage our enemy. I saw Ynys Môn just twenty miles off the opposite side to the steering board.  Soon we would turn and we would have the advantage of the wind but, at that moment, we were barely making way and the Frisian was racing to close with us.

By the time all the men were armed and back at their oars the drekar was just five lengths behind us. As our oars bit so we increased our lead.  It was not by much but it bought us time. The little rock, covered in seabirds, which marked the end of Ynys Môn was the point at which we would turn.  We could not throw the drekar over as we might have done had we been whole.  It would be a gentle turn. 

I had the chance to examine the Frisian.  It had a skull for a prow.  I had never seen one like that before. Perhaps all of them did.  This one had shields with a yellow skull. I took heart from the fact that all the crew were rowing.  None were sending arrows and stones our way.  It was slightly wider than our drekar which would make it slower.  It explained why we were able to hold our lead.  Once we turned it would be different.  Our turn would, perforce, be slower.

Erik shouted, "Stand by to turn!" As he put over the improvised steering board he shouted,  "Haaken's side row, Snorri's side ship oars."

It was little enough but it turned us quicker than using just the two sweeps. Snorri and the warriors on his side donned helmets and fitted their shields to their arms. Snorri asked, "How do we do this, Jarl?"

"He has more men but they may not expect us to put up much of a fight.  I intend to use the Ulfheonar to strike and strike hard.  We disable their steering board.  Then we head for Hibernia.  Their leader is clever.  He uses this  drekar to keep watch on us but if it cannot follow then we can disappear."

"In oars!"

Haaken and the rest of the crew began to prepare. The Frisian was closing rapidly with us.  He had been able to turn inside us. I do not think it was intentional for he must have realised that the other two would be coming from the east.  He had to sail to the west of us if he was to be a sheepdog! Our slow turn had taken him by surprise. He began to turn to the west.

"Erik, I want you to turn and lay us alongside his steerboard side as soon as he passes us."

"It is a risk, Jarl."

"If this works it matters not that we break your sweep; we can make another."

"Aye Jarl."

"Ulfheonar be ready to board.  The rest of you stop them from boarding us!"

The Frisian had his men rowing and they began to overtake us.  Suddenly Erik and Guthrum put the steering board over and we lurched to the west.  Although it took the Frisian by surprise there was a crack as the improvised rudder broke but it had done its work.  We slammed through the oars of the Frisian and into his hull. Snorri and Beorn threw the grappling hooks and pulled.  Olaf and Rolf Horse Killer leapt recklessly over the side while the sea still swirled below us. Haaken and I followed.

Some of the steer board side rowers had been injured by the collision.  One man held a shattered piece of oar which was rammed into his leg.  Olaf and Rolf swung their axes to clear a path to the helmsman.  Haaken and I sprang through the gap. I hacked across the middle of the helmsman.  He fell in a bloody heap. Snorri rammed his sword into the Captain of the drekar.  He fell too.  "Get the steering board destroyed!

"Aye Jarl."

Haaken and I turned to join Beorn and Leif as we fought our way to Olaf and Rolf.  None could approach our two axe men.  They swung in rhythm with each other .  Heads were shattered; limbs lopped. The deck was so slippery with blood that it was hard to keep a firm footing.  We were seriously outnumbered but our numbers filled the hull and we had enough blades to hold them off while Snorri and Beorn did their work.  A spear found a gap and scored a hit against the side of Olaf Leather Neck.  His mail parted and I saw blood.  Leif the Banner darted in and eviscerated the spearman. Snorri shouted, "It is done!"

"Back to the ship!" The steer board shroud was close to me and I hacked through it.  The sail began to flap. Cnut Cnutson had boarded with us and he suddenly took off down the centre of the ship.  It took everyone by surprise. He hacked his way down the ship and stood at the prow defying the whole of the crew. Haaken and I took two more warriors  who tried to stop us leaving.  It was brave but foolish. I shouted, "That is enough! Back!"

Haaken and I stood on the gunwale as our men jumped across.  Arrows fell from our ship into the Frisians.  Cnut seemed to bear a charmed life. He had taken everyone by surprise.  He slashed through the stays.  Until they were repaired the ship was going nowhere. Cnut then stood with his back to the prow as the crew advanced on him.

Haaken and I jumped aboard our ship.  The ropes were cut and the wind forced us along the side of the drekar.  Cnut slew two warriors as Haaken shouted, "Jump!" Cnut ran and leapt into the air. His father must have been watching over him.  As
'Red Snake'
came close Cnut crashed across the gunwale of our drekar.  Einar Hammer Arm and Olvir Grey Eye pulled him to safety. His leg and his arm had been slashed but he had survived.

Haaken said, "I think Cnut the Eagle that you are now one of the Ulfheonar!"

"Let us get out of this predicament before we begin to congratulate ourselves! Take to your oars and I will direct you again until the sweep is repaired."

The men complied.  They did not bother to take off their helmets.  We were three boat lengths from the stricken Frisian and we needed to make ourselves invisible. Guthrum and Erik had learned from their first effort and by the time the Frisian was a mile away they could steer again.

Erik looked worried, "Jarl, I would make for Dyflin. The wind may be against us but I would not risk Man.  The wind would take us thence."

I nodded,  "Make for Dyflin."

We were in a sorry state.  When Arne Eriksson wriggled back from beneath the deck his face told the story.  "We are taking on water."

Erik Short Toe nodded, "When we struck the Frisian it was too much for her. Son, have the ships' boys go below with you. Guthrum you stay deck side.  Use the empty beer pail to bail. Jarl, I need you here with me!"

I joined him and soon realised why he needed help.  A steering board moved the ship easily.  This improvised version was something you fought.  Soon we were both bathed in sweat as we tried to keep the drekar on course.  The water kept coming from below.  It was a race against both time and the sea. The sea was winning.

The thin line ahead told us that the coast was getting closer but as we began to get our hopes up they were dashed by Haaken, "Jarl, our two friends have caught us up.  They are coming at us from two different directions. They intend to outflank us."

I looked at Erik, "There is no point in stopping rowing.  We get as close to the shore as we can."

"You are right Jarl but the excess water is making us slower.  They will catch up with us before we reach the coast."

"We do not give up! That is not our way!" I gripped my dragon, "May the spirits of my ancestor and the Allfather come to our aid!"

Haaken began the chant.  My men were exhausted but a chant helped them and revived their spirits.

'Ulfheonar, warriors strong

Ulfheonar, warriors brave

Ulfheonar, fierce as the wolf

Ulfheonar, hides in plain sight

Ulfheonar, Dragon Heart's wolves

Ulfheonar, serving the sword

Ulfheonar, Dragon Heart's wolves

Ulfheonar, serving the sword'

I let Erik watch the shore. I held on to the oar with him but I watched astern.  The larger drekar was the one captained by the mysterious Jarl.  It was to the east of us, cutting off an escape to our home. The other was another with sixteen oars on each side.  It was smaller and faster.  It was beating up to stop us reaching the shore. "Erik they will catch us long before we reach the shore.  The one which will catch us is easier to defeat.  When they come alongside I will board him.  You and your ships' boys join us.  Better we die together than get picked off."

"Aye Jarl, but we will bail until we touch.  I will not abandon this drekar so easily. She is brave and has spirit! She deserves to live."

"Stop rowing and arm yourselves. Arm the wounded.  We die with our swords in our hands!"

The cheer from my depleted crew gave me hope. The sight of the nearest Frisian, just four boat lengths away filled me with despair.  The larger one was further back.

"Get your boys on deck and arm them, Erik Short Toe.  This is a good day to die!"

I donned my helmet and hefted my shield.  We would be fighting overwhelming odds and I needed all the help I could get. As the bow of the drekar came abeam of us Erik and I pushed the makeshift steering board hard over.  It was a violent move and it shattered the sweep but it took us across the bows of the drekar.  The skull prow rose over our gunwale and seemed to bite into the mast. We had no need to throw ropes and my men hurled themselves over the prow.  It gave us a chance, albeit slight, for the Frisians were gathered on the steering board side.

Olaf Leather Neck inevitably led the way.  His wound did not slow him down. He swung his axe before him. It was lightly armed men who met him.  Their spears seemed not to bother him.  His axe smashed heads and arms.  Those that hid and survived his onslaught were felled by Rolf Horse Killer.

Haaken and I led the attack down the other side. I held my seax behind my shield and wielded Ragnar's Spirit. We fought together as we had done since we were boys. I blocked a skeggox and slashed my sword under armed to rip open the Frisian's belly. Haaken smashed his shield into the face of one warrior as he casually took the head of a second. It seemed we were doing the impossible and beating the Frisians.  However sheer weight of numbers slowed us down.  Rolf and Olaf were finally stopped by the mast.  Wounded Finni and Erik Eriksson joined them. They had fought together for the longest time.

Snorri, Beorn, Leif and Rollo Thin Hair stood behind Haaken and me.  The press of our enemies was so tight that we could barely swing our arms. I head butted the nearest Frisian so hard that he tumbled over the gunwale. That gave me the chance to slide my sword into the side of another.  A sword clanged against my helmet.  Arrows came from behind us.  A warrior who was about to stab Haaken fell backwards with an arrow in his eye.

It seemed to energise Haaken.  He shouted, "Come on, warriors of Cyninges-tūn! Push these scum over the side.  They are not warriors they are bandits!"

Leif the Banner, Snorri and Beorn pushed against us.  I ripped my seax sideways and opened the entrails of a warrior.  The deck was slippery now with blood and gore but we were winning.  We pushed them back. Haaken and I had enough room now to swing our swords.  With Snorri next to us the three of us scythed our swords towards the fearful Frisians.  I began to think we stood a chance when I heard a cry from behind.  It was Sven Svensson.  "Jarl the other ship is here.  We are surrounded!"

"Then let us make a shield wall and make them pay dearly for our lives."

My men all locked shields. Rollo Thin Hair hacked a Frisian who was coming at my left side and joined his shield to that of me and Rolf Horse Killer.  I jabbed my sword over the top of the shield.  The Frisian who stood there recoiled.  Had there been just this one drekar then we would have won but the second had over sixty men on board.  As soon as they clambered over the deck of
'Red Snake'
then the slaughter would start. I felt a movement behind me.  I risked looking to see if it was danger.  It was the ship's boys led by Guthrum.  They had cut the stays of the enemy ship and swung across.

Guthrum had been cut across his cheek and his eye but he grinned, "I will tell my grandchildren of the day I fought with the Dragonheart!" He pulled back and sent an arrow to smash through the face of the Frisian chief who was rallying his men.

Then the dying began.  Bjorn Eiriksson and Sven Svensson fell one after the other.  It took six blows to kill Sven and he took three more men before he died. When Beorn took the last spear in his stomach he grabbed two men and took them over the side with him. They died well. Snorri suddenly dropped to one knee as his other was hacked by a Frisian sword. I chopped across the side of the warrior's head.  I smashed his skull open and his brains spurted out.

I helped Snorri to his feet.  "Come, my friend, rest on me."

"I am sorry, Jarl. I must be getting old!"

"Never! We are just getting our second wind!"