Viking Wrath (5 page)

"That will not help us when we are away from here."

"So long as we are close to water, whether the sea or meres then I can see further and sense more."

As we walked back up to the hall stepping through the crisp white snow I asked, "Is there danger now? Kara has no power until she becomes a woman and I would not suffer as we once did."

He closed his eyes and, touching both blue stones he chanted some strange words. After a while he opened his eyes and shook his head. "I can sense nothing but tomorrow we will light the fire in the sweat hut. That seems to enhance my powers too."

And so began a ritual which lasted until winter was over. The two of us would go down to my sweat hut by the Water. While my Gladramenn spoke with the spirits I thought how similar this was to my life with Ragnar. I rarely saw my son; in many ways I had lost him to Elfrida. That was natural. Old Ragnar had lost Butar too but I now had another son. When he was not in a trance we spoke of our hopes and dreams for Cyninges-tūn and our people. That was a good winter. It had begun well and it ended well.

Things changed at the end of Gói. It was not sudden; indeed the weather was so clement that green sprang from the ground quicker than we had ever known it. More lambs and calves were born than the farmers could remember and the pigs we had domesticated brought forth their first piglets and the beginning of our herds. We thanked the spirits and the gods. I think Kara felt guilty for she had had little to do with it. She came one evening, when the weather warmed a little to speak with Aiden and I about it.

"Do you think I should travel to On Corn Walum and speak with Angharad? Perhaps she can speed up this change in me."

Aiden shook his head, "I thought, Kara, that you were a woman already." He shrugged, "When I speak with your mother she thinks of you as a woman. Perhaps the priestess was mistaken?"

Kara shook her head, "Oh no! Of that I am certain. She spoke of things only my mother knew and I feel more powerful since her visit. I am a woman but inside I have to change. This is not the finished volva you see before you. Angharad told me that I will see further and read minds better than any."

I looked at Aiden and saw the question in his eyes, "Yet you have not spoken with the spirits since then."

"I know father and that is because I am changing. When a butterfly emerges from its cocoon it had spent a long time without the power to move. I will be patient."

"I will now answer your question. I would not have you travel to On Corn Walum. It is a long and perilous journey. This time of year often sees sudden storms and the waters twixt here and Corn Walum have many enemies. Besides Elfrida and our people need you. Soon Elfrida will be ready to give birth and Wolf Killer cannot help."

She nodded, "Then, Aiden, I would have you seek my mother's advice. I have missed her."

It was when I saw the distress on Kara's face that I truly understood what she was going through. Aiden promised that he would and, when she left, there was hope in her eyes. It is a sad fact that the Weird Sisters like to give us joy and then snatch it away in a heartbeat. The day after Kara's visit and before Aiden could do aught we discovered that the new bell Bjorn had made for Pasgen worked; we heard it tolling. This was no practice; this was danger. The Weird Sisters were spinning again.

We heard the bell, even on our side of the Water. Rolf and Aiden ran to meet me by the Water. "Did you dream?"

He nodded, "There was danger. I saw ships and they were filled with warriors."

"And where was in danger?"

"I know not. They were far out to sea."

"Rolf, I will send my family here for you to guard them and we will march to Úlfarrston. I fear the danger may yet come here."

"Do not worry Jarl, we will protect your family. I will not let you down again."

"You did not let me down when my wife and child died; that was the Gods."

By the time we reached the other settlement my son, his men and the married Ulfheonar were all armed and ready to march. The bell had proved its worth. Even more welcome was the rider Pasgen had sent on a pony with a message from him.

"Jarl Dragon Heart, my master says that we saw three ships hove to off the coast when we awoke this morning. We armed and gathered the people inside but they sailed away when they heard the bell. They were not dragon ships."

I felt relief that the danger had passed but something in the man's voice told me that he had not told me all. "And?"

"And they sailed west. One of our ships sailed after them and said they headed along the coast, north."

I looked at Aiden, "Then the dream you had was accurate."

He nodded, "I wish that it were not."

"Ride to Erik and have
'The Heart' of the Dragon'
prepared for sea." As he ran off to find a horse I said, Kara, I want you, Elfrida and your women in my hall."

"Why?" asked my son.

"I will brook no argument. We know not where these raiders will land. It could be towards the west near the Roman fort or it could be at Thorkell's Stad. I cannot afford to leave any men here to guard this settlement." I nodded to Bjorn, "It will be up to my people to fight from the walls." I looked at Kara and Elfrida. "Rolf and my men can protect you."

It was Kara who swayed the argument, "Father is right. I have no powers at the moment and we are vulnerable. Come sister, we will do as my father suggests." She laughed, "At least we can tidy his hall with all the men gone."

"Wolf Killer, I want you to take half of the Ulfheonar and half of your men and head for the Roman fort at Hardknott. Take ponies with you and send to me if they have landed there."

He began to tap men on the shoulder as he picked the ones he would take. "And where will you be, Jarl Dragon Heart?"

"I will head north to Thorkell's Stad with the rest. They could come from either the north or the west. We need to cover both eventualities. Bjorn send a rider to Windar's Mere and warn them of the danger." I slung my shield over my back. "At least we know the road to the south is safe for Pasgen has bolted that door already."

I saw that my son had left me with my new Ulfheonar as well as Snorri, Bjorn the Scout, Haaken and Cnut. He had only taken Sigtrygg of my older men. We marched towards the Rye Dale as quickly as we could. The ground was thankfully hard. Had it been muddy and wet then the journey might have taken us much longer. We knew that we could reach the river before nightfall if we kept up a steady pace.

Haaken quizzed me as we marched. "If it is not Norse do you think it is the same ones who raided before Yule?"

"I have neither Kara nor Aiden to give me second sight but I would guess that they must be either Welsh or Irish."

"Not Saxon?"

"Our Saxon enemy is Egbert and the journey for him would be a long one, even in summer. He would have to negotiate the land of On Corn Walum and we know that they do not care for the men of Wessex. When he defeats the men there then he will come. The Welsh and the Irish both have short journeys."

"I would have thought they had learned their lesson the last time. They left behind a good ship and many men."

"Perhaps they come for revenge but I am concerned that they sailed away. It is almost as though they wished Pasgen to see them. Perhaps it is a trick."

He laughed, "You have been playing too much chess with Aiden and reading much into small actions. The tolling of the bell meant that they knew we were forewarned. They may have gone to Strathclyde."

Haaken's words made sense but I could not rid my mind of this feeling that I had missed something important.

We crossed the col and rested briefly. I peered north to see if I could spy any smoke. That would be a sign that the men who guarded the river and Thorkell's Stad were under attack. Einar was a good jarl and he was not easily panicked. If they attacked he could hold out until we reached him. We had descended the far side of the col and were passing the dale of Mungo when Snorri held up his hand, "Jarl, a rider is approaching!"

My men went into a defensive circle with me in the centre. Those with bows nocked them and we waited for the rider. I was relieved when I saw it was Karl Thorkellson. He reined in, "Jarl Dragon Heart, Jarl Einar sent me. This morning three ships, he thinks they were either Welsh or Irish arrived at the mouth of the estuary. We called the men to arms and marched to meet them. Jarl Einar would have stopped them landing but they sailed west and then south. he thought you should know."

"Thank the Jarl and tell him to stay alert. Loki and the Weird Sisters must be hatching a plan!" Now the feeling of dread drew my heart into my boots. We had been tricked. We had been drawn north! Why? my men looked at me. "We go back to Cyninges-tūn but we run. There is danger. Snorri, Bjorn the Scout, take the four new Ulfheonar. You have the swiftest legs and the keenest minds. Get to Rolf and my hall and warn them that they are in danger."

The six of them loped off and were soon lost to sight. We would take hours longer than they would to cover the same distance. There was neither time nor breath for talking and we ran hard. I saw warriors gathered at the col. I took out my sword. I had no breath for words. My men needed no words and they emulated my action. To my relief it was my son. Gasping for breath I asked, "Have you met with Snorri?"

He shook his head, "We reached the fort and the shepherds there said that they had seen three ships draw close to the shore and then sail north after a short time. We were coming to your aid."

I had my breath and I shook my head, "It is a trick. They sailed to Thorkell's Stad and turned around. They are heading for Úlfarrston. They hope to have drawn us off and they have succeeded."

Wolf Killer almost screamed, "Elfrida!"

"I have sent Snorri and five others to get to Rolf. They should be able to reach them before the ships have landed at Úlfarrston and headed up to our home. Ships cannot fly!"

"I like it not."

"Neither do I."

It was almost dark when we reached the head of the Rye Dale and my fears were realised when I saw the flames. Cyninges-tūn was on fire and, to the east was another fire; my home. Kara and Elfrida were in danger. I asked Odin to watch over them until I could reach them.

We needed no whips to make our men run. These were their homes. Cyninges-tūn was the closest and we ran for there first. When we reached it I expected to find a ruin surrounded by bodies. Instead I found Bjorn and the men dousing a fire. Kara's hall, which lay to the west of the others had been set on fire.

"Who did this Bjorn?"

He shook his head, "We know not. With your daughter and your women in your hall there was no one close by. The flames began a couple of hours ago. By the time we reached it the fire had taken hold and we could do little." He pointed east. "It was then we saw that your hall was on fire. Half of our men went there to see if they could offer help."

"I fear that someone has a Greek mind and they have made us run around chasing ourselves. I dread to think what we shall discover when we reach my home."

We were almost exhausted and yet we summoned up enough energy to run around the Water to my hall. It was a charred ruin; flames still licked around the buildings and the walls. It would need rebuilding. We discovered bodies some thirty paces from the walls. We would investigate them later. First I had to find my family and Rolf. When I saw Bjorn the Scout and Snorri walking towards me with Rolf hanging between them then I knew that we had come too late. The flames which burned still showed that Rolf was alive; but only just.

"Jarl, we were tricked. That Priestess from On Corn Walum returned. She asked for her and her small party to be admitted and Kara said to allow them entry. When they did so warriors burst from the trees and they fell upon us. We fought but…" his head slumped and I thought he was gone. He raised it to say, "I am sorry…" and then he died. He was oathsworn until the end.

I put my hand on his head, "Go to the Otherworld with honour my friend. You could have done no more."

"Elfrida!"

Snorri shook his head, "They are not here. All of the women," he looked at me, "have been taken. All of the men have been slaughtered. No one lives here now."

It was as though a fog had lifted. I saw it all so clearly now. For some reason the High Priestess had wanted Kara. Perhaps she wished to harness Kara's power for her own ends. The attack against Pasgen and the decoy ships were all part of a vast plan. I knew that the warriors from On Corn Walum would be driving my family south and they would take ship. They would head to their home and Tintagel. I turned to my son. "Gather the men around us."

Haaken asked, as the men formed a circle, "Could we catch them?"

Bjorn the Scout shook his head. "They had horses of their own and they took every horse the jarl had. You can see the hoof prints." He pointed south. "They headed south down the Water."

"There is little point in worrying about what is and is not. The Weird Sisters have spun and now it is our time. Haaken, salvage all that we can and then join us across the Water."

"And the dead?" He looked at the forlorn bodies which lay around us. Osbert lay there this his shoulder almost severed from his body. In his hand he held a meat cleaver; he had died with the only weapon to hand.

"We must see to the living. Those who live in Cyninges-tūn must honour our dead and, when we return, we can speak our words over their graves." He nodded and set to. "Wolf Killer, let us head back across the Water. We have much to do."

We trudged rather than marched back to Cyninges-tūn. We were exhausted. No one spoke and I had time to picture the events in my mind. This Angharad was a clever woman or perhaps it was her brother. Then I knew, in my heart, without even seeing this Mark of Tintagel that it was the High Priestess. She was a powerful witch, a sorceress and this had all been carefully and meticulously planned. She must have landed her men and come towards the eastern side of the Water and avoided Pasgen's settlement. They could even have landed some days earlier. The more I thought about it the more likely I thought that to be. They had been watching us. Our departure and the movement of the women to Rolf's care would have been observed. Of course Kara would have admitted Angharad; had she not been an honoured guest once? She had ingratiated herself into Kara's heart. The fire at Kara's hall had been inspired. It drew any who might have aided Rolf to the west. I had no doubt that they were, even now, many miles to the south. Her ships would have sailed to the estuaries which poured into the sea along our south coast and they would leave from there. They would be safe in the knowledge that none of our drekar could pursue them. We were busy chasing phantoms. The raiders from Tintagel would have a head start but I would take our ships and follow them. Even if they sailed west to the edge of the world I would be on their trail. There was no corner of this earth where they would be safe. They would feel the wrath of my blade.

As we entered Cyninges-tūn the only question which I could not answer was why? It seemed a long way to come for slaves and this had been an elaborate plan. They had not bothered to finish off the wounded. Rolf had been left alive; dying but alive. The women had all been taken and they had been given horses to ride. They were being cared for. Why? I would need to speak with Aiden and discover that reason.

My son was also distracted. He shouted at his men as they gathered all that they might need for our voyage. Corn Walum was many leagues south of here and we would need supplies. I heard the anger in his voice. That was not good. You needed a cool head. I left him to organise that while I sought Bjorn Bagsecgson. His hands and his face were blackened with the soot from the fire. I told him of our loss and he shook his head. He put his ham of a hand on my shoulder, "It is like Hrams-a all over again, Jarl Dragon Heart."

"No Bjorn, for my family were then taken as slaves. This was not a slave raid and I doubt that my family will be abused but I cannot discern the plan yet." I pointed to my hall across the Water. "We must follow. Have our people buried with honour and I wish you to watch over Cyninges-tūn until I return."

He nodded, "We will watch over the dead for you."

"Send a message to Einar and to Windar telling them of this raid. Until we return they will have to watch the land. Tell them it is my wish that they protect our borders."

"I know they will do so." He paused, "Jarl Dragon Heart, I know this is your family but take care. This has the Weird Sisters smell about it." He pointed to the blackened ruin of Kara's hall, "Even I, a blacksmith, can see that this was cunningly planned. It feels like the work of a witch. The people need you and your sword."