Viking Voices (17 page)

For now our great adventure is over, though I know that in Ragnald's mind it is just on hold. He expects this combined army to re-assemble soon to take on the real task of re-capturing Dyflinn. He hopes it will now be just a few weeks away. He may be unrealistic in this thought, the height of this summer is already past and no one fights major campaigns in the winter when the rivers are in flood and there are no crops and few animals to raid.

The surrounding countryside is ravaged again before there is a last night of feasting and drinking as we say goodbye to old comrades, now firmly established as trusted friends. All of our differences had been forgotten as we fought shoulder to shoulder but now our old identities are being brought out again.

The Danir will march south to Jorvik, and they must undertake another very hazardous journey, as they pass though more hostile territory in which they will encounter both Britons and Angles. It is a long hard march too, and they will need to complete it quickly to allow their enemies little time to plan and organise to attack them. They will certainly be a very attractive target if their enemies get to know how much treasure they are carrying home with them!

We will move westwards, hoping to find our boats unharmed so that we can sail back home. We have the best chance to return unhindered, as we travel by water. It will still be a long and tiring journey, but we Vikings are always happier travelling by boat. The sea is part of our heritage, and we revel in it despite it meaning that we spend every day cold, wet and being thrown around by the waves! The constant motion stays in our legs even when we go ashore and I sometimes feel more sea sick on my first day on land.

We have another day's march towards our boats but we can move quickly now across the flatter ground and more easily recognise where we are, so we eventually rediscover the site where they lie. The guard are still faithfully looking after them but have clearly become very bored with their task, and are delighted to see to us. They are relieved that we have survived and delighted to see how we have gained so much plunder, but are they also quite shocked at the level of casualties that we have taken. Not many more than half of our original force is returning and very few of us without injury of some sort. I realise how lightly I have been wounded and am suddenly terrified again by the thought of the great danger that I have passed through. My old restless nights of terrible dreams have come back again and will haunt me for some time. Each morning I wake in a heavy sweat, often shaking, and the exhaustion from a lack of good sleep lies heavily on me every day.

We are very happy when we can take the boats onto the river and by sailing we can move so much more easily and quickly than by the endless marching. It is especially better for the walking wounded, many of whom have endured a terrible ordeal on the return journey. We no longer have the number of men needed to crew all the boats and each boat will attempt to tow another one, though we all have orders to cut the towed boat free if we have difficult weather. No Viking will ever abandon a boat unless it is really necessary, and we are grateful that it is very calm as we set off, it is well worth the attempt to save the boats.

We are heartily glad to leave this cold, wet and miserable country, with its high and barren lands, but I am sure that its people will be even gladder to see us leave. We have brought them little but death and misery, and as we leave we are taking much of their wealth with us. They will not now be a threat to any one for generations to come.

In the event our voyage is remarkably straight-forward, even through the turbulent waters of the north channel at the narrow entrance to our sea. It is only one more uneventful and rather tedious day and night at sea before we return home, passing confidently past the Isle of Vannin, with all of our boats under full sail, and not caring whether they see us or not. We almost hope that they will come and challenge us as we are fully confident of dealing with them.

All of the boats that set off for this great adventure have been brought safely back home. In contrast the men are battered, scarred and far fewer in number, but the survivors are, for the moment, also both triumphant and very happy to return safely home. All of us will have a share in the plunder and will be wealthy men for a while.

There are many women in this community that are learning that they are now widows, and many children who are hearing that they will never see their father ever again. I have a tearful and very emotional reunion with Aud who can instantly see from the bruises, cuts and scars on my face and body how much danger I have been through. There is great weeping and mourning throughout the whole place. Those wives like Aud whose husbands have returned, no matter how scarred and injured, feel guilty at not being part of that grief.

The campaign has been very successful in enriching the survivors, especially Ragnald, and therefore enhancing the treasure chest which he feels is needed to invade Dyflinn but it has lost so many of the army we already had. Despite Ragnald's great jubilation at his successes, it has to be seen as a more of a setback than progress towards our real objective of recapturing Dyflinn.

Thora is horrified by the great scar that Ragnald now has on his face from a sword wound which cut his face and nearly blinded him. It scares her to see how much her husband put himself in danger and she will now always counsel him to find safer roles for himself as Ivarr always did. Perhaps Thora was the influence that kept him away from the midst of the fighting in Dyflinn. That did not work so well for Ivarr's reputation in the end, but Ragnald is a very different man in very different circumstances. No one will ever doubt his aggression and courage, and the scar on his face is a permanent proof of that. Ragnald himself loves it and wears it as a warrior's badge of honour.

For now the Irskrs remain safe in our homes, across the sea. We still do not have the strength to oust them, and I suspect that the future co-operation of the Danir remains uncertain, though Ragnald is still convinced of their support.

Now that we are home we need a proper period of peace and reflection as the war weary men need to recover. Few of us would be prepared to follow our king if he thought to propose any more expeditions right now. His standing in this community has been severely threatened by the scale of the losses he has produced by his war.

In contrast Ingamund is seen to have been wise and brought those under his care a safe and secure life. His standing in the community is now higher than Ragnald's, at least among the women. The surviving men feel far better about Ragnald's war now that their pockets are bulging with a share of the Pictish silver which we took in plunder. The widows have differing views about the silver they have received; many would have preferred to see their husbands home safe. A significant number of them seem happier with the money though!

The problem of the security of Ragnald's silver hoard is bearing heavily upon me again, and I believe that it has become an even larger problem now that we have obtained even more silver from the campaign in Fortriu to store. That wooden chest is now even fuller, there is little room remaining inside it which must be a sign that it is time to stop filling it.

Ragnald is initially inclined to be quite dismissive of the issue, believing our numbers here will deter any attacker but clearly we no longer had the number we once had and I am insistent. I have a great fear that it will draw attacks on the community. I have now found a strong ally in Thora, who has had the responsibility of the hoard in our absence. She has clearly been very frightened by the persistent Anglian interest in us and our silver.

It seems that we have had two more visits from the Angles while we were away; clearly they were not completely convinced by Ingamund on their first visit. Thora does not know what has been the subject of discussion during their subsequent visits as they were only interested in parleying with Ingamund, who they recognise as the Jarl in charge here. It is clear that they were trying to find information from him that would lead them to the money. Perhaps they eventually concluded that Ragnald had taken it with him, as they would certainly know that he was away with many of the men.

Ingamund is not much more informative either as to the purpose of their visits, but he was clearly angry with the Anglian visitors who have often come from their nearby stronghold in Ceaster. He was confused and frustrated by their persistent questioning of him, which he sees as impertinent, and did not understand why they have been so persistent in asking for future tributes to be paid in silver. He is also very angry with them, and strongly inclined to discontinue any future tribute payments at all. A potentially very dangerous move, as it will certainly provoke the Angles, but one that appeals to Ragnald, especially as he now feels more confident in his ability to confront the Angles after his victories in the north. I am not sure his confidence is well-placed!

News reaching us about the Angles suggests that they have problems of their own, since their King Ethelred is suffering from a debilitating disease, and is unlikely to recover. It seems that Mercia is now under the control of a woman, his queen, Lady Aethelflaed, and Ingamund feels that they are now much weaker as a result. It is not obvious to me that this will be true since Aethelflaed has her own reputation as a formidable monarch and a good leader. She is held in high esteem in Mercia as befits her status as Alfred the Great's daughter.

Ingamund is becoming impatient to strike at the Angles in Ceaster, to revenge what he perceives as the insults and disrespect that they have shown to him. I think he might also be jealous of the prestige and fame that Ragnald has achieved by his adventures both in Vannin and battles in Fortriu, as it seems the stories of these incidents has spread far and wide and he is seen as a very clever and capable leader, as well as a ferocious warrior.

A number of Danir warriors in search of a strong leader to lead them to wealth and glory, have come here to seek out Ragnald and pledge themselves to serve him. While the campaign has done some harm to Ragnald's standing in this community, who have taken the casualties, it has given him a formidable reputation as a strong warrior among the wider Danish and Saxon world. He is very much admired in this violent and tempestuous world where the successful warrior is thought to be the strongest and the best, regardless of how many deaths are caused by him. Everyone just wants to be on the winning side.

Now Ingamund wants to press for an opportunity to enhance his own reputation as a fighter, and is advocating an attack on the nearby Anglian stronghold at Ceaster. Since Ragnald has returned our settlement is much better defended, but ironically those Angle visitors may well be more interested in us, rather than less. It could well be that they will believe we have returned bringing large amounts of silver with us, and that is certainly true.

If the Mercians did decide to make a committed and well- organised attack they may well have the numbers to invade us though perhaps not easily, and we could not successfully resist them without substantial Danir help. I believe it is a matter of urgency to remove the hoard to a safe place far from our village and to make it well-known that we have done so. That might finally stop the Angle threat to our safety, and so I strongly advocate we take that line of action immediately.

Ragnald can be stubborn, and is certainly opinionated, but he normally sees sense when confronted with sound argument and does so this time. He has, however, become so tired of the subject that he is refusing to be involved with the burying of the hoard. As so often when he finds a task inconvenient, distasteful or irksome he will give that task to me. This time there is a poetic justice in giving me this responsibility, since I am the one who is strongly championing its removal from the village.

Naturally, despite not participating, he still has a strong view about how and where it is to be hidden, and gives me my instructions on where to bury the treasure. He wants it put on the direct route from Jorvik to Dyflinn and sees the mid-point between them as the Ripam estuary. He seems to favour that place in many ways, and expects it to be the launch point for our eventual invasion of Dyflinn, which he now views as imminent.

He states that the hoard is to be buried as far up the river as we can take it, as close as we can get to the fording point where we started our march to Jorvik. That will put it at a distinct point, near where it is likely to be needed, and it should be easily located when it is needed at this place.

It also affirms his personal wish to move that part of this community, who see him rather than Ingamund as their leader, to Prestune. It is very much his preferred site now, and I think he will make a move to relocate his group soon. I am not pleased at the idea since Aud and our family is so well settled here and I will certainly be expected to go with him.

Prestune is the most likely place where we might need to start making payments to a mercenary army, as Jorvik is the only place that we could possibly raise that army. So I agree that it makes sense to go there, and we can most easily move it to that point. Taking it overland from the Ripam would have huge dangers as it would be easily seen and recognised, and we might not have the men to provide the huge guard it would need. Even among the Danir we would be in grave danger of attack when such a large amount of wealth is involved. Our losses in the war in Fortriu have made it essential to recruit as we have no possibility to raise enough warriors alone.

Ragnald has decided that a journey to Jorvik to consult with the Northumberland kings is our next action, but even he needs some time at home, especially now his own family is about to get larger. For once he is very attentive to Thora and it is clear that he is delighted with the imminent arrival of his first son. He has already decided that the infant will be a son; perhaps as a king he can decide these things!

My family are also suitably pleased to see me, though Aud is very concerned at the scar on my arm, she knows that the army has taken huge casualties and knows that had I lost the use of my arm at the height of the battle I might not have survived. She is very frightened by the risks that I have run, despite the status and the rewards I have earned, and does not want me to undertake any further adventures. This time she really is serious and with good reason. The risks I have faced were very real, and I have really hated being involved in war, I hope that my time as a warrior might soon be coming to an end.

We have our own lives to lead and a family to raise, and these are so much more important to her than raising wealth through raiding. She wants to have more children, and for her husband to be at home to take part in their upbringing. Naturally I also want to be a good husband and father, and to provide them all with the love they need and deserve as well as a good living. Nevertheless my alliance with Ragnald has brought us wealth and status and, if we can complete the task of regaining Dyflinn, my family and I can live out our lives there in prosperity and in high esteem.

For now we are both content to stay at home and look after the farm and enjoy our family life with Astrithr, and our two mothers. My mother Edda, in particular, has needed a lot of attention recently since she has become quite ill, and although I play my part, much of this burden has fallen on Aud. We do not understand what is wrong with her but she has lost a great deal of weight and is increasingly weak, at times she has difficulty in drawing breath. During the time I have been away the condition has first developed and then worsened. We hope that she will grow out of it and be cured, but I do not know what the condition is and I fear the worst for her.

Brodir is still working my forge and for the present he is making iron goods. Now that the army is back home he can resume his role as moneyer, and Aud already has a small stock of silver ingots put aside for the purpose. She enjoys this activity and knows that it brings her some status in the community, so our standing is not just due to my actions but to our joint activities. Brodir seems to have used the time well and has produced dies for new coins of good quality. He has devoted all his time to metal working is getting to be highly skilled in his craft.

My mother's ill health is also a good reason to stay and not to undertake any journey, but I have been very insistent to Ragnald on moving the hoard and now that task has fallen to me. There is no way out of it, but it should only take three days, so the chances are good that nothing will happen to my mother while I am away. I feel that I must fulfil my duty to the settlement, and the consequences of refusing Ragnald would be disastrous for my relationship with him. The high status we enjoy within this community depends on that relationship, and perhaps after this short task I can relax at home and be the good husband I want to be and concentrate on my family, but for now I have these other duties to complete.

So on a cold, wet day, at mid-morning on the banks of the River Dee, in full sight of the whole community, we load Ragnald's entire silver hoard onto a drakken longboat, and this time tell everyone what we are doing. There is no suggestion of hiding what we are doing. We want everyone to know that the silver has left, and is being taken away to a safe place far away where no one can find it. We hope that word of this will reach the Angles and any others who might be interested. I tell every one of the crew and anyone else that asks that we are going to the island of Môn to leave it there in the care of the Britons. It might not sound very convincing to an informed person but at least it deflects the questions for the present.

I take the smallest crew that I could possibly take, as we want as small a number as possible to know where the treasure is buried. All of us will be in some danger in the future as the only ones who know for certain the location of the hoard. Many in the crew will not know which direction we are taking and I will be doing all I can to mislead them about the location. The one who will certainly remain threatened by possession of this knowledge is myself, and there is no way to avoid that. The danger that accompanies this knowledge will become part of my life until it is recovered and spent. For many reasons I hope that day will come soon.

The voyage out of the Dee is uneventful and, although it is cold it is otherwise very pleasant now the wind and rain have stopped. Even the clouds have thinned out and in front of us we can see a small patch of blue sky. The swell inside the estuary is very limited but develops into a significant roll as we reach the river mouth, the dark grey murky waters there are broken by a regular pattern of white crests indicating the position of the sand banks below the water. Although I am intending to head north I first continue west for quite a while and then track northwards out into the open sea.

I hope to deceive even these on board with me as to where we are going and especially where the treasure is to be buried. We have moved around in a gradual circular movement until eventually we are heading due north; there is just enough of the sun in sight to allow me to judge the direction. At this point we can relieve the oarsmen and raise the sail. Many of the crew will understand our direction in relation to the wind, so it is not likely to fool all of them, but I insist that we are going to Môn and most will just take my word for it, they are not trained in navigation. It would be quite possible to go there during this voyage had I chosen. They have no reason to believe that I am lying to them and in the main they are used to relying on someone else to plot the course for them.

After nearly half a day going west and then north I finally turn the boat east towards our real destination and soon we can see land appear again in front of us. The outline of the low hills in the distance is as familiar as the flat fields and marshes that we soon see nearby, and I can judge the approach to the estuary which we enter as night falls and continue to sail right into the river itself making good speed running before wind and with tide. Eventually the river starts to narrow and we must row instead, and therefore our progress slows quite a lot.