Outlaw (Aelfraed) (25 page)

Edgar coloured and Sweyn went silent.
  “In other men I would find that boastful but in you, Aelfraed Godwinson, I heed the warning and you have my word, the people will be safe.”

We spent the next few hours discussing how we would coordinate the attacks.
  It would take the huge army some time to reach the northern gate and for the southern attack to manufacture its ram.

“Where is this famous axe?”

I brought out Death Bringer and Sweyn spent some time examining it with his men. “I know this blade.  It belonged to Ragnar.  He came to England on a raid forty years ago as a young man.  He too was made outlaw in our land for he had killed a mighty lord.  This was his axe. It is said to be a magical weapon and Ragnar was a fierce warrior.” He looked closely at my face, “How did you get it?”

I shrugged, “By luck.
  He and his bandits tried to rob us in a forest and I stabbed him with my dagger.  I could just as easily be dead.”

“No my young warrior friend, it is
wyrd
.  You were meant to have this weapon for we have all heard how you used it against Hadrada and his men.  The gods would not allow the weapon to be used by anyone other than a hero.  I envy you this weapon.  There are few of its like left above ground.” He carefully and reverently handed it back to me. He grinned as he saw Branton. “Now king killer show me those arrows again.”

While Sweyn was asking Branton about his arrows I took the Aetheling to one side. “I understand why you have brought the Danish king to help you regain
the throne,“ I did not mention that I had as much right to the throne as he had, perhaps more, “but when you are king, what assurances do you have that Sweyn will honour them?” He looked shocked but I continued, “I do not doubt that Sweyn is an honourable man, I like him but I also know that when men gain power they can change. Our father did.”

“I envy you Aelfraed for I did not know my father.
  You fought with him. What was he like?”

“He was fearless.
  The Housecarls loved him.  Why else would they have given their lives for him?  Did you know that at Stamford Bridge he rode alone to the Viking lines to speak with them for he was not afraid of anyone?  And he was funny too.  He made men laugh for he could talk with them as one of them.” I shrugged, “When he became king he became a little more distant.  Power, you see.”

Edgar looked at me with suddenly wise old eyes, “It is strange Aelfraed but that is the description men give of you and when I saw you I shivered, for it was as though our father walked the earth again.” He stared directly at me.
  “Perhaps you should be king.”

I laughed and put my arm around him.
  “No Edgar, you say I am like my father and I am honoured that you think so for he and my uncle Aethelward are my models.  But as much as I would like to be my father I would not wish to be king.  No you can be king and I will support you but first we have to defeat these Normans and that will take iron from you.  Can you do it?”

“Aye brother, with your help we can do anything.”

Edward made sure that he told all of our company of the esteem in which Branton was held.  The men at arms and the archers had a healthy competitive streak and loved to mock each other.  Branton’s rank amongst the Danes put a sour look on his brother’s face. I took the two brothers and Ridley to one side as Edward regaled the others with tales of the Danes.  Branton even allowed him to show the golden bracelet which impressed all.  Branton himself cared not for such rich trinkets but he loved the sentiment which came with it.

“We are to attack the eastern gate in two night’s time.”

Osbert wrinkled his nose.  “With fifty men?”

Branton smiled, “Lord Aelfraed told the Danish king that his men were worth two of any other warriors.”

“Huh, even with a hundred we would struggle.”

“I will happily charge!”

“Yes Lord Ridley but the bolts would bounce off that thick hide of yours we are mere mortals who would die!” I could see that Osbert was trying humour to enliven Ridley to his old self; it was not working for Ridley just ignored the attempt at banter.

“Perhaps if you listened to my plan?” They nodded as they saw that they had dismissed out of hand what they had not heard. “The Danes will assault the Mickelgate while others scale the walls. The Danes will use a ram; we will not.
  Nor will we strike at the gate but at the walls to the side.” Even Ridley looked interested and intrigued. “Mickelgate is situated at a bridge over the river which concentrates the enemy’s men we, on the other hand will go to Petergate to the west.  This is but newly built and is not yet stone finished. The upper parts are made of wood.  Branton and his archers can shoot fire arrows at the wooden parts.  They will catch fire.”

“But, my lord, they will douse them with water and put them out.”

“True Branton but if they are dousing them out, in firelight, they become targets for ordinary arrows and this will be night time.  We will be shooting from the shadows, over the ditch. At the same time the rest of us will close with the walls and, using our shields we will send up the lightest warriors to scale the walls. If they fight the fire they cannot watch from the walls and defend against us.”

“How high are the walls?”

“Good question Osbert.  If memory serves they are almost the height of two men.  We may need to use three shields supporting two men and two shields held aloft.”

Osbert looked dubious.
  “Which means that we could only gain the battlements with eight or nine men.  They would have to be good warriors.”

“Well as the three of them who will go over the first will be us, I should hope so.”He looked a little more pleased with that. Ridley just nodded. “The key to this is that they will send many men to the main gate.
  The Danes attack will be obvious for it will be a huge army.  Branton’s attack on the gate will be annoying for them rather than dangerous but it will draw many guards to the gate where they think we will be attacking and, even if we fail, it should ensure that the attack on the Monkgate will have a greater chance of success.” I looked at each in turn.  “Can anyone see a problem which I may have missed?” I allowed them time to think.  I remember when I was a Housecarl, and had been asked my views; the questioner never gave me time to think. Eventually they all shook their heads. “The target for the men at arms will be the gatehouse.  Branton and the archers can keep them busy so that we can slip down the stairs and open the gates.”

“What if we are seen from the walls whilst we climb?”

I had to be realistic with them and not give them false promises and hope. “Then we will have failed, so pray that it is a cloudless night.”

We spent the next two days preparing. We would all need to be fully armed and armoured.
  The odds, at the Petergate, were stacked against us.  The other problem I had foreseen was that William would be on his way north. Harold had made it in a few days; the disaster would be if he arrived whilst we were assaulting but we could do little about that and I realised, somewhat dispassionately, that it would be the Danes who would be the first to know and to suffer.

Edgar had obviously acquired some horses for one his English warriors rode to us with a message.
  “My lord asks is all prepared for tonight?”

“I am. What is the signal to be?” I could see, from the blank look that he did not have a clue.
  Edgar and Sweyn had not thought of that. “Ask him to do two things, one, to send you when he is about to begin his attack and secondly to shoot a fire arrow high into the sky when the ram rolls towards the gate.”

Relieved he grinned, “Yes my lord.”

I hoped that, as the gates were less than a mile apart, we would have a chance of seeing the arrow but the human signal would be just as effective.  I was now relying on a Viking to make the correct decision about the time of the attack.  I hoped that Sweyn was a good enough general to choose the best moment.

W
e watched the sun set to the west of us and when it was dark, before the moon rose, we slipped forwards keeping to the sides of the old road leaving two men to whistle when Edgar’s man arrived.  Branton and his archers went to the right and we went to the left.  Edward carried a covered pot containing coals; its lid hiding the fire which glowed within. We walked through the sparse bushes, constantly watching the walls for signs of movement.  Osbert held up his hand and we froze.  We could see a sentry walking from the Petergate to the small turret fifty paces from the tower.  We watched as he completed a full circuit and saw that he was the only guard.  We ran forwards in spurts when his back was to us and then became stationary.  Lying flat on the ground, our cloaks hid us from view. I kept one eye on Branton for he and his archers needed to be in position before us.

When we were twenty paces from the ditch Harald of Thirsk crawled along the ground like a serpent and peered into the ditch. As soon as it was safe he returned to me.
  “A few wooden spikes on the bottom, they are sharpened but you can put your feet between them,” he whispered. “They haven’t cleared the grass and weeds from the sides so we can pull ourselves up on the other side if we need to.”

I nodded and he slid into his allotted position.
  As soon as the guard moved I signalled and we moved forwards quickly to the ditch.  Harald and I went down first and safely negotiated the obstacles.  I waved the others down and they joined us on the other side of the ditch. I hoped that the shadows in the ditch would disguise our presence but we had to wait until the guard moved.  We could now no longer see him without presenting a white face and we had to wait for Branton’s signal.  He waved his arm and we pulled ourselves up next to the wall.  The only way we could be seen now was if he looked directly over and I hoped that soon he would be too busy for that. We took off our cloaks, which had served their purpose and hidden us but would now become a hindrance  and we split ourselves into the groups of six.  I hoped that two men would be able to thrust one over the top but I had planned six so that we could ascend higher. Then we waited. It seemed an age and I wondered if Sweyn had missed his opportunity; we need to strike in the middle of the night when the garrison was deep asleep and they were not expecting it. Suddenly there was a whistle.  I peered back into the darkness and saw a movement.  Branton could still see the sky beyond the walls and I relied on him now.  He had been given discretion when to loose.  It was with some relief that I saw the glow as they took the lid off the pot.

I turned to the warriors alongside me. “He has seen the signal. Ready.
  Prepare shields. Pass it on.” We were the closest to the gate and I would be the first up.  Harald and Wills held their shield aloft.  I hoped it would be high enough. Then there was a whoosh and a flash in the night sky as the fifteen arrows struck their target.  I could hear the alarm from above me and also one in the distance. Now was no the time for caution and, placing one foot on Harald’s knee and pulling on the shield I began to ascend.  I used Wills’ knee and then I was on the shield.  The battlement was level with my shoulder and I whispered, “Up!” It was a strange sensation rising up like that. I grasped the crenulations and pulled myself up.  Soon others would follow but I needed to clear the walkway of any sentries.  I drew my sword and gripped my shield. I could see that a kite shield would be better in a narrow space but I had to manage with my old round one.  There was no-one in sight but I could hear the flames and the hiss as the sentries threw water on to the inferno which was raging. I could hear the shouts and then the screams as Branton’s arrows thudded home. Glancing over my shoulder I saw Osbert and Ridley and I walked along the walkway.  The old Roman stone steps descended to the ground level and I kept the sword at my side to gain as much surprise as possible I did not want the guards to see the tip of my weapon before they saw me. The stairs ended in a small guard room but the guards I could see where peering through the slits in the door at Branton and his archers.  There were eight of them.  I turned and held up five fingers and then three; Osbert nodded and repeated the sign.  I risked a glance into the city but it was mercifully empty, no one was rushing to the Petergate to reinforce the sentries.

It was now or never and I stepped out and crossed to the far side of the gate to reach the man who was furthest away.
  My sword went through him before he even knew I was there.  The guard next to him turned in surprise and, as I with drew my sword I head butted him and, as he fell backwards, rammed my sword into his throat. The other six lay dead, for eight of us had managed to ascend the walls and we had had complete surprise. “Ridley, take some men up to the gatehouse and kill the guards there.  Osbert let us get this door open. “Even as we lifted the bar I heard the shouts from the city as a column of men appeared fifty paces away.  It was too late to recall Ridley and, besides we needed all of the guards above us dead. It seemed to take forever to lift the heavy bar, even for two of us and then it was free and we dropped it. Osbert managed to open one door to let the others know we had succeeded. I turned just as the Norman warriors were within ten paces.

The leader was a knight with a kite shield and a mace, the ones with him all had spears and they outranged us for we had no axes. I rushed at the knight with my sword pointed at him and held above my shield.
  A round shield protects much of the body and his mace smashed harmlessly against the solid wood and iron structure. I did not try to hit him I slid my sword into the gap between his shield and his shoulder.  He was wearing a gorget but it only deflected the blade and it slid along his neck, the blood showing that he was wounded. Before I could finish him off the spear man next to him had thrust his spear at my arm and I was only saved by the metal plates. I sliced backhand at him and, as he had no gorget, took his head off in one sweep of my arm. The Norman knight staggered backwards clutching his neck and supported by two of his men.