Viking Dragon (18 page)

It was evening when we sailed. Our double crews meant that we did not need to put in to shore at night. That would delay us and risk discovery. We sailed with a candle in a glass vessel.  It was Aiden's idea and it worked.  We had a ship's boy with a ready supply of candles replacing them as each one burned out.  We had taken them from the churches we had robbed.  It also helped us gauge the time and we used one candle as the measure for one shift of rowing. It was not precise but it worked. It also acted as a marker for Olaf.  He knew where we were.

Thorir Svensson had been a ship's boy for some time and he was now almost a man.  Erik had brought him on to be as a second captain and it enable Erik to sleep.  He was confident in Thorir's skill.  Of course when we reached the difficult waters around Corn Walum or the straits of Menaii then Erik would take over.  He was watching his apprentice as we sailed around the western coast of Ynys Môn.  Aiden and Haaken were with us.  The four of us were old shipmates who were easy in each other's company.

"You are making the challenge more difficult, Jarl. It would have been more than useful to know where we would find our enemies. They could be anywhere."

"I know Haaken but I dared not wait any longer. Ragnar Halfdansson will be expecting his scouts to be on their way back soon.  When they do not returnit will alarm him.  We will have to sail the Humber and the Ouse and rely on Snorri and Beorn to sniff out our foes."

"They are both difficult rivers Jarl."

"I know.  It is one reason I have brought Aiden."

"Captain," Thorir pointed to the island of Ynys Môn.  There were Saxon ships there. We saw their masts. Saxons made good swords but poor ships.  Ours could carry more men and sail in shallower water.

Erik nodded, "Just watch them, Thorir.  We can out sail them any time we like. So long as they are there then they are no danger."

I agreed with my captain.  A Saxon would have to be moon mad to take on a drekar. Haaken asked, "I wonder what happened to Siggi and Raibeart?"

"I am not surprised they have not returned.  You are too used to a drekar, Haaken One Eye. If the wind changes then the crew rows.  On a knarr you go where the wind tells you and they are so tubby that any wind  from the beam makes life uncomfortable. When we sail up the river we will be against the current and we will row.  The knarr have to tack from side to side. They may have completed the task the Dragonheart set them but they did not know that we needed the information sooner."

I smiled, Erik was defending his fellow captains. It was the brotherhood of the sea.

Once we had passed the island the Saxons now called Anglesey Erik lay down for some sleep.  I saw how nervous Thorir was and so I stayed with him.  Aiden and Haaken also slept. "Would you be a captain like Erik?"

"Aye Jarl Dragonheart. I envy Olaf.  He has had more luck than any man deserves."

"Do not be jealous, Thorir.  Your time will come.  Learn all you can from Erik."

"I am not complaining Jarl and I am aware that I have much to learn but I can dream."

"Aye you can." As I looked down I saw that Aiden was dreaming.  His body and face twitched as they always did when he was in the land of the spirits. I looked to the east and saw Wyddfa and the cave we had found with the dead wizard, Myrddyn, lying within.  No matter how far we travelled we never got far beyond this land.  The old sword which hung from the wall of my hall was connected to my dragon and the standard and this mountain.  It was just impossible to piece them together and to make sense of them. Perhaps when I was dead and in Valhalla, looking down it would make sense.  I would say,
'Of course, that was why that was.  Why did  I not see it?'

We had just passed Ynys Enlli when the ship's boy at the mast head shouted, "Ships to steer board! Two of them!"

Erik was awake in an instant as was Aiden. I went to the steer board side of the ship.  All that I could see were the dark sails of two vessels. Aiden said, "Erik, steer toward them."

Erik did not even question the order.  He trusted Aiden but he gave him a quizzical look. Aiden shrugged, "I dreamed and I saw Siggi and Raibeart.  If we are not afraid of Saxon ships then these two should not worry us."

The lookout shouted, "It is '
Weregeld
'!"

I clapped Aiden on the back.  "You were right.  You were both right.  We need to stop, Captain."

"Haul down the sail!"

We must have been recognised too for the two knarr sailed directly for us and I saw their sails being hauled in too.  My captains had great skill and soon we were touching '
Weregeld'
.

"We were worried, Raibeart, and we had to sail early."

I saw him nod.  "We heard that Ragnar Halfdansson was preparing warriors to raid you.  He is offering money to mercenaries to join him.  He plans to come in the winter."

"He told you this?"

"It is common knowledge.  All in Jorvik wish to have a piece of the treasure they believe we have."

"More importantly where does he live?  In Jorvik?"

"No, Jarl Dragonheart, he has a hall on the river two miles south of the walls.  He has a jetty and two drekar there. It is a place called Fulford. I think he makes his own kingdom."

"And how many men?"

"They are both large drekar with twenty oars on each side and he has mercenaries.  In his hall I would say between eighty and ninety but there are many more in Jorvik waiting for... well I am not sure what but the Danes are not yet ready to leave." I saw Raibeart laugh.  " I said we were from Ynys Môn and he gave me a gold piece to spread the word that he wished more warriors to join him. You have a month at least."

"Then we will sail.  Thank you, Raibeart, you and Siggi have both served me well. Steer towards Hibernia.  There are Saxons ahead on Ynys Môn."

"Thank you for the warning.  We shall steer well clear of them. May the Allfather be with you."

As soon as Erik lowered the sail we began to pull away.  The darkness took the knarr. With just Olaf Grimmson behind us the only ones ahead would now be enemies. Erik went back to his bed once we were under way but I sat with Aiden.

"Do you know this place, Aiden?"

"I have heard of it. When the Danes first came it was the place they used as a base.  They used it to trade and the King of Northumbria allowed it.  I think they kept it undefended to lull the King into believing that they were peaceful."

"In my experience the Danes do not build great fortresses."

Aiden chuckled, "Neither do the Norse but then Jarl Dragonheart is not Norse. The gods made him."

"What do you mean?"

"We are the only people who build strong walls."

"No, I meant about being created by the gods.  Do you mean as all men are made by them?"

"No Jarl. There is purpose to your life and a long thread which the Weird Sisters wove. The thread begins over there." He pointed east. "It starts in the past with the old people of the land.  When your mother, a volva was taken by the Saxons do you think that was not planned?  Your mother was a volva.  She could have escaped but she did not. All the time you were growing up she could have left.  You told me that your father was often absent. Then you are taken to the Dunum. That was so that the young clay of Garth the Saxon could be reformed into Jarl Dragonheart of the Norse. You are like the caterpillar which turns into something wonderful, a butterfly.  The gods formed you. Our dreams have told us that. Few men control their own destinies.  You are completely controlled by the gods and the Norns. One day your work will be done and then... who knows. But this voyage is meant to be and the time is right.  We would not have met Raibeart otherwise."

Even though I knew that dawn was not far away I lay down and tried to sleep.  I wanted to dream while I was close to this land of the dragon.  I touched the dragon around my neck and slept. The dream came but it was a strange one.

It was dark.  There was no light.  It was like the cave on Lough Rigg and it was silent.  I wondered if I had died and then I heard a voice.  It was my mother's. "No my son, you are not dead. That day is not today. You will know the day of your death as I did. All of our family know when they are to die.  It is a gift and a curse.  You will dream your death.  You were made by your past but you were also formed by the land. Every generation has a hero born who protects the land.  It was my father and it will be you.  When you die another will take your place. Trust to your heart for you are well named.  The dragons that were are all gone.  You will be the dragon. Be swift, be powerful but remember, my son, you must protect the land and the people."

There was no fall from the sky, no sudden jolt.  I just opened my eyes and saw gulls flocking above me in the blue sky. I could hear the chant of my men as they rowed to one of Haaken's chants.

'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'

Aiden was asleep and his twitching told me that he was dreaming. Cnut Cnutson was speaking with Erik at the steering board and, when he saw me awake, he approached me with a skin of ale.  "You have slept well, Jarl.   We have changed oars twice and we have passed Corn Walum."

I drank the ale and wiped my beard with the back of my hand. "Any trouble?"

"No Jarl. We row for the wind is from the south west but once we round the Dragon's Point we will have the wind and we can rest."

The Dragon's Point was the last corner of Britannia.  It stuck out like a dragon's tongue.  It seemed appropriate that, once we turned, the wind would speed us on our way. I looked astern and saw that
'The King's Gift'
was on station just a couple of boat lengths away. If the rest of our voyage was as smooth and as simple as this had been then we would, indeed, be favoured by the gods.

Of course neither the Norns nor the gods would make life simple for us.  We were constantly tested to see if we were worthy enough for the rewards we earned. Five Saxon ships waited for us close to the island the Saxons called the Island of the Wights. The ship's boy on the cross tree spied them.  "Five Saxon ships to landward!"

Erik was on the steering board. "Do we fight or run, Jarl?"

"We run. We cannot afford to lose any men before we reach Jorvik. If this was on the return journey then we would fight them for I have no doubt that our dragon ship could dance around them!"

Erik laughed, "Aye, Jarl.  They are tubby and slow. Haaken, double crew the oars.  Let us show these Saxons how a dragon can fly!"

I turned and, cupping my hands, shouted to '
'The King's Gift'
, "Double oars! We run!"

I saw the ship's boy at the prow of
'The King's Gift'
raise his hand in acknowledgement and then race to tell Olaf. It took time for Haaken and the men to get to their benches and the Saxons closed. They were just five lengths away when Haaken began to sing and the crews chants transmitted to their hands and hearts.  We began to surge through the water. It was as if the dragon ship was flying.  The dragon prow seemed to lift us over the waves.

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

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

Cnut Cnutson always swelled with pride when this chant was used for it was about his father and me. I looked astern and saw that even
'The King's Gift'
could not keep up with us and began to drop astern.  She was, however, in no danger for the Saxons dropped back even further. They were not natural seamen.  Had they been then they would have had half of their boats ahead of us to ambush us. We would still have beaten them but there would have been a sea fight first.

Erik glanced astern and shouted, "You can slow down, Haaken.  We have lost them."

As soon as the chant stopped then we slowed.  The men rowed hard and it hurt but the song stopped men feeling burning muscles and it fed their hearts. They were able to do more than they thought that they could. If the Saxons ever discovered that then they might be better sailors.

Soon we were able to stop rowing and Olaf 's ship was back on station.  Aiden looked at his charts.  He kept a record when we sailed. "That little burst of speed has helped us, Jarl.  Soon we turn north and this wind will still aid us."

I looked up at the mast, "Thank you Allfather."

I had told Aiden of my dream as soon as he had woken.  He had not spoken of it since. As we sailed between the land of Kent and Frankia he did. "I have thought of your dream and it begins to make some kind of sense. If your family had not been kidnapped then I would not have been your hostage would I? I would not have learned to read the words of the Romans.  I might still be a galdramenn but I am not even sure about that.  My powers came to me as we travelled through the land of the Cymri."

"You were born with those powers. Even as a child you were cleverer than most."

"I know not but I do know that each day with you and now your daughter increases my power. What I am saying, Jarl, is that the gods give you the means to do what you do.  Looks at Haaken One Eye, he and Olaf are the rocks upon which enemies break.  Cnut died to save your family so that Kara and Wolf Killer would be reconciled.  Prince Butar died so that you would leave Mann and go to Cyninges-tūn.  I thought that all of this was just the webs of the Norns but I see a higher power now. The Norns serve the gods.  What we do, we are meant to do."

He said no more but he had no need to.  His words filled my head. Unconsciously one hand went to the hilt of Ragnar's Spirit while the other went to the dragon about my neck. My mother's words came back to me, '
All of our family know when they are to die.  It is a gift and a curse.  You will dream your death
'
I knew then that each time I went to sleep I would wonder if that would be the night I would dream my death.

The voyage north to Jorvik was stormier than the one to reach the Saxon Sea. The wind was still with us but it blew in gusts, in fits and starts.  It varied in strength and the crew were tested all the way north. There was one thing in its favour. Only fools were out in that storm and we had the whole sea to ourselves. It was just after dawn when Erik made ready to turn west to the mouth of the river. Haaken had the men ready to row as soon as we entered the huge estuary that was the Humber.  It was deceptively wide.  Erik knew it well.  Many knarr had come to grief because they believe it was deep all the way across.  It was not. There were shallows and there were mudflats.  It shifted constantly as silt was deposited in one place and eroded in another. He chose the deepest channel. We could sail closer to the shallows but there was no need for such risks.

Haaken and the rowers were not needed, at first, for the wind, from the south west still, helped us. Erik was busy and so I sought out Aiden.  He knew the sea and river well. "How long to reach the hall?"

"The river runs due west for a while and then it begins its turns. When they are to the north and east we will be swift but when they turn we will be slow. Soon Erik will have to take in sail and then we will move at the pace of the rowers. In a straight line we could be there in a couple of hours but with the twists and turns of this meandering river it will take us all day. We will be close by dark."

Aiden would know exactly where Fulford lay.  We would lie up below the hall. My warriors would land. Our drekar's skeleton crew could follow us up the river.  The warriors would travel, unseen, across the land. I had spent some time during the voyage discussing our attack with the Ulfheonar. Although not as well made as a Saxon Burgh or even Elfridaby, the hall would have a ditch and a fence. If we could get over those without being discovered then we could burn the warrior hall.  That way we could guarantee that the blood feud would be over. All of our enemies lay in Fulford. This raid might just bring us respite, for a while at least. I intended the attack to be swift, sudden and decisive.

We would use my men to secure the gate and then we could surround the halls.  There would be at least two.  One would be for the warriors and the other would be Ragnar's.  There they would have his oathsworn and his family. That would be the one which the Ulfheonar would attack while Asbjorn and Eystein would lead the bulk of the warriors to attack and burn the warrior hall.

Those who were not rowing donned their mail and prepared for war.  My sword and seax had been sharpened before we left Cyninges-tūn. I put on the cochineal and held my helmet.  Since I had had the extra aventail and embellishments on the front it was slightly heavier. I would don it at the last moment. Besides I needed my eyes and ears to be unimpaired until we went into battle. We were now in the land of our enemies. There was not a single friend east of the great divide. The Saxons hated us but I hoped that they would take us for a Danish drekar sailing home.  The two peoples, Saxon and Dane, had an uneasy alliance.

Erik was taking no chances and Thorir Svensson was at the dragon prow staring intently at the water to shout should we find a new shoal or mud bank. The boy on the crosstrees watched far ahead and the third kept an eye on Olaf in the drekar behind. I knew that Olaf and Asbjorn would be equally vigilant. Aiden was struggling into the short mail shirt I had insisted he wear. He was no warrior and we would be going against Danes in their home.  If he was coming ashore then he needed to be prepared for war. He had no shield but a short sword and seax would have to suffice for protection.

Both Erik and Aiden were correct about the journey.  It was tortuous. Soon we needed every oar manned as we wound our way along the Ouse.  We spied many Saxon settlements.  The one at Gulle looked to be a strongly defended burgh in a loop of the river. Soon after Gulle the river turned north towards our destination,. It was early afternoon when we passed it. By the time we reached Riccall it was almost dark and I wondered if we had misjudged the time.

Erik shook his head when I expressed my doubts. "We have six or seven miles to go.  We will be there at midnight.  By the time you have reached the hall then we will have turned the drekar around and have captured their jetty."

We were leaving fifteen warriors aboard to enable us to keep our drekar safe. They were the youngest and least experienced of our men but Erik and Thorir knew their business.  They would not let me down. Disaster almost struck when we were but a mile from our destination. The hull ground on to a sandbank.  Perhaps Thorir had been complacent I know not but we struck river bed and we stopped. Erik quickly hissed, "Everyone, to the stern!"

All obeyed and, as the bow rose we began to move.  Even as we shifted he said, "Now to the bow." Everyone ran to the bow.

There was a grating noise as we shifted over the sand and shingle mud bank but then we floated again. 
'The King's Gift'
was smaller and had a shallower draught and they managed to sail over it without grounding.

Aiden scribbled a mark on the chart and murmured, "We will watch for that upon our return."

Thorir would be chastised by Erik but that would be much later.

All of the warriors were now armed and ready. The sail was down and we rowed the last mile up the twisting river. Our nose, Snorri, was in the bows and he whistled when he smelled the Danish hall.  The smell of wood smoke carried, especially across water. Erik nudged us towards the shore.  Snorri and Beorn leapt ashore first and disappeared into the night. The ship's boys were next and they wrapped ropes, fore and aft, around two trees. My men disembarked leaving a skeleton crew to row up stream.

I was the last one off, along with Aiden and as soon as we were on the river bank the boys leapt back aboard with their ropes. We followed our men inland. We did not run but watched where we walked.  We had time enough.  The Danes would be sleeping. If we had judged it right then we were less than a mile from the hall. Asbjorn and his men soon caught up with us.  We did not move in a straight line but, rather, we swarmed.  Every warrior was ready for action.  I hoped we would reach the hall before we were seen.

The men before me stopped and made way for Haaken, Aiden and me.  Snorri and Beorn stood there, panting.  They had run hard. "The hall is a thousand paces to the north east, Jarl.  There is a low palisade but it is only the height of a warrior. The warrior hall is closest to the river and the Jarls' hall is raised and has two sentries at the door."

"Take archers and dispose of the guards." They tapped the archers on the shoulders as they led them back. I turned to Asbjorn. "You know what to do.  Aiden has Dragon Fire.  He will fire the hall. You will slay the warriors. The Ulfheonar will deal with the oathsworn.  We will meet you at the jetty."

I took out Ragnar's Spirit and held it aloft so that my Ulfheonar could see me. I ran towards the hall.  Our eyes were accustomed to the dark and I saw its dark shape above the palisade within a few steps.  As we moved closer to the walls and the hall I could pick out more detail.  We were in the hands of Snorri and his handful of archers now. If they did not kill silently then the alarm would be given and our task would be almost impossible. We walked slowly the last hundred or so paces. If the sentries were not dead then sudden movements would give us away. Snorri and Beorn rose like wraiths; they were almost next to us.  Snorri pulled his finger across his throat. The sentries were silenced.

The archers led the way as we went towards the palisade.  There was a ditch but it was for drainage. It would not deter us. Most of us jumped it although Olaf Leather Neck contemptuously waded it. When we reached the palisade, pairs of Ulfheonar stood with their shields at the ready. I put my foot on the shield and was pushed up to the level of the wooden wall.  I could see the Jarl's hall.  It was on the far side and the sentries did not appear to be looking in our direction.  As I slipped over I saw Asbjorn and his men as they, too, scaled the walls.