Viking Wrath (7 page)

We stopped twice more on our journey south. Our last stop was at Casnewydd. The Welsh who lived along the Sabrina were our allies and we traded with them. Although the king was absent fighting the Mercians again we found out a great deal more information about the men of On Corn Walum and their stronghold.

Llewellyn ap Daffyd was in command of the castle and he knew more about the political intrigues of this most distant British Kingdom. "This Mark of Tintagel would be King of On Corn Walum. He is the nephew of the present king but Gwybfor is old. Mark of Tintagel is busy gaining allies and the means to seize the crown and the throne. His sister is the one with the power. It is said that she has delved into the earth and summoned fell creatures who should not see the light of day and she has powerful magic available to her. I would fight her brother butI would steer well clear of her."

"And Tintagel? Is it as hard to assault as we have heard?"

"Aye!" He drew with a piece of charcoal on the table as he spoke, "They have a gatehouse on the mainland. If that is taken then you have to cross a rope bridge. It would need someone who could fly to cross it. Then they have another gatehouse, a high wall and the whole edifice is built upon cliffs."

"And the cliffs? Could they be climbed?"

He nodded, "They could but not in armour. I would not risk it but they are not sheer. A nimble couple of men could climb but then they would have to face the garrison and he keeps many men within its walls." He looked at me with horror on his face. "But you cannot seriously consider that. You would have to climb in daylight and you would be hit by arrows. It is impossible."

"None the less we will try it for they have my daughter, my son's wife and girls I rescued from Wiglaf the Evil. We rescue them or die trying."

He nodded, "
Wyrd
!"

"If you could ask your sailors and your ships to watch for those three ships we would appreciate it."

"None of those who have arrived in the last few days have reported seeing three such ships. We knew you were coming." He smiled, "Others fear you Jarl Dragon Heart. Perhaps they have taken a different route."

"They may have. If they have a witch on board then they might risk the edge of the world. We will have to sail to Tintagel and see if there is a way in."

We took our leave and headed along the Sabrina towards the land of On Corn Walum; it was within a day's sailing and we were now on the last part of our journey. I had never felt so pessimistic as on that voyage. I could not see how we could affect a rescue. It seemed that we would end our lives on a fruitless search for my family. The world and the sea was a big place and the witch could be anywhere.

We now had more detail on Aiden's map and he and Erik had worked out a more accurate position for Tintagel. We edged our way down the course during the afternoon. We saw no ships and we saw few settlements. Our information could only place the castle within ten Roman miles or so. We would need to scout it out and that meant wasting valuable time. We knew that there were some rocks called the Sisters and they were less than a mile or so from the castle. When we spied them in the distance we headed for shore. They were unmistakeable. Llewellyn had been specific about their location. The shore was a mass of sheer cliffs and no beaches. Even if we could get Snorri and Bjorn the Scout ashore then there was no way they could scale the cliffs. Reluctantly we retraced our course in the fading twilight to find somewhere to land.

We found an estuary some four miles north. It was now dark and we hove to off the coast to the south of the mouth of this estuary. Aiden used the light from the stern to read the chart. "I think, Jarl, that this must be the port that they use for their ships. There is nowhere else along this coast." We had been told of a small port which had a wooden jetty. The port lay at the mouth of an estuary to the north of Tintagel.

"Then we can send Snorri and Bjorn the Scout to scout out the castle and I will go ashore with Sigtrygg, Aiden and Cnut. We will see if this river and this port contains the ships we seek."

Haaken shook his head, "Wolf Killer will not be happy."

"When Wolf Killer is jarl then he can make the decisions until then it is my responsibility. Erik stand off the coast. I would not have you risk damage. We will signal with a light when we return."

We did not wear armour. I wore a kyrtle and wolf cloak over my leather byrnie. I carried my helmet but I left my shield. We did not wish to look like Vikings. Hopefully we would not be seen.
'Josephus
' was anchored to our steer board side and we descended into the water from the other side. Erik had judged it perfectly and the water came up to our chest when we dropped into the chilly waters. The six of us waded ashore. Once we reached the rocks we began to climb the path we had spied from our drekar. It looked to me to have been made by goats and then used for those seeking shellfish; it sufficed.

It was a hard climb. I was glad I was not wearing armour. At the top we separated. Bjorn the Scout and Snorri would have the longer journey but ours had more risk. We turned to walk along the ridge above the estuary. We could see the port nestled half a mile or so along the river. There were no large ships and I felt my heart sink. I had hoped our prey would be here but they were not. We stopped just half a mile from the town.

"Aiden, there is no castle here. How do they defend it? The river looks open."

"There are no defences. Perhaps they rely on Tintagel."

"Then they are foolish." Already I was revising the plans we had made. We could capture this port. The three ships had not arrived and we could wait for them here. If this was the closest port to the castle then they would bring them here. We could just wait for them like a spider hidden in the corner of a web. I had seen that the estuary could not be entered quickly. The crews of my drekar could catch any ship which ventured down the estuary. I pointed to the town. "We need to find out if there are any warriors here."

Sigtrygg asked, "What do you intend, Jarl?"

"I intend to capture this port. If Aiden is right and Tintagel has no other means of supplies then they may be more inclined to talk if we hold it." Rather than disputing my assertion all three nodded. I led them down to the port.

We kept to the shadows and walked around the darkened huts and buildings. It was late and the port was small. There was no reason for anyone to be outdoors for it was a cool night. Had there been ships in the estuary then it might have been different.

They had two stone buildings close to the jetty. I guessed they were where the officials would keep any goods which were landed. There was a small tower at the western end of the jetty and I saw the spears of three warriors. There were no others. I sent Aiden to get closer to the centre for he understood more of their language than we did. The three of us waited anxiously for his return. We did not speak when he found us and I led them back to the high ground, away from the port where we could speak.

"They are not expecting any ships, Jarl. I pretended to be an Irish sailor who had been shipwrecked on the southern coast of On Corn Walum and I said I was seeking a ship back to Hibernia. They said none were due in for a month."

"This High Priestess may not have confided in them."

"Perhaps but they do know of her and the three ships. The three sailed from here almost two moons ago."

That was devastating news. I shook my head, "It changes nothing. We capture this port and then we take Tintagel."

Once we reached the bay where we had been dropped, Aiden took out his flint and kindling and lit a small fire. I saw the light on
'The Heart of the Dragon'
as it flashed when Erik moved his cloak before it. They had seen us. We clambered down the path and I was glad I would not have to deal with this again. Once aboard I changed out of my wet clothes and dried myself.

"Take us close to
'Josephus'
we are going to attack this port tonight. Haaken, have the men armed and ready to raid."

We sculled over to the other drekar and I spoke with my son. He nodded. I could see, from his face that he was worried. I knew what he was going through. I had suffered in the same way many years earlier. He still could not look me in the eye and I knew that he was brooding still. He had become the petulant child once again. He was not ready to become jarl, that was obvious. He still thought of himself and his own feelings first. When he thought of his people then he would be ready.

We rowed slowly down the estuary and we did not use the sail. It was still dark. Dawn was some hours away yet. I hoped that they would all be asleep. Sigtrygg had chosen his five warriors who would attack the tower and Cnut would lead the rest. Cnut was the man for such a task. He was like a terrier with a bone. Once his teeth fastened on to something he could not be shaken free. We had to ensure that no one left the port. We knew where the last hut was and that was Cnut's target. The men had donned armour while I spoke with my son and now Aiden helped me to dress and to redden my eyes. We had found that terror was as effective a weapons as a sword. When these people saw my wolves the heart for a fight would desert them.

The men in the tower saw us as we ghosted towards the jetty. We heard the cry of alarm. As we bumped into the wall and, while we were still moving, my men began to flood ashore. I stayed on board with Aiden and the ship's boys to tie up the drekar. The Ulfheonar had to run as fast as they could. We wanted no one to escape. I could hear the clash of arms and the screams which told me that Sigtrygg had taken the tower. The last thing the guards would have expected would have been a boat load of Vikings descending upon them.

We had just tied up when
'Josephu
s' bumped into the jetty and Wolf Killer and his men landed. "Make sure that no one leaves. Do not hurt anyone. They may be valuable as hostages."

I drew Ragnar's Spirit as we hurried through the port. I did not think I would need to use it but it was always wise to be ready. The order of the buildings by the river soon gave way to a jumble of huts and outbuildings. Suddenly a scythe swung at me from the doorway of a dilapidated hut. I barely had time to swing my sword. I must have caught the man's hand before my sword tore across his stomach and he fell writhing in a heap on the ground. Two of my son's men ran into the hut to see if there was any other danger.

Cnut walked back towards me and his sword was sheathed. We had taken the port. He gestured behind him. "We have them all. They are in the large hut at the end of the jetty."

"Any losses?"

He laughed, "We could have sent our shepherds to take these sheep!"

I thought of the man with the scythe. Some of them had been willing to give their lives for their home. My son joined me, "There is no sign of the ships. What do we do now?"

The loss of his wife had unnerved my son. All the work I had done to make him a leader had been undone. Then I realised that it was
wyrd
. This experience, if he and Elfrida survived it, would make him a better leader. This was meant to be. Strangely that depressing thought made me calmer. "Set your men to guard the high ground to the south. Have a couple of good men at the headland to watch for the ships; any ships." He nodded, grateful for something to do and to occupy his mind. "Cnut, send two men to find Snorri and Bjorn the Scout, bring them here."

Haaken laughed, "I think, Jarl, that it will be Snorri and Bjorn the Scout who do the finding."

Aiden returned as the first light peered over the valley from the east. He pointed to the far end of the jetty. "The hut Cnut has used for the people is a place they use to store goods. Remember, Jarl, like those we found in Lundenwic?" I nodded. He paused, "They were empty."

It took me a moment to realise the import of his words. "Then they are expecting the return of their ships filled with the supplies and goods that they need." Aiden nodded. "Haaken, tell the drekar to turn around and step their masts. I want us invisible when the three ships return. We can catch them with our rowers." He hurried off.

Sigtrygg returned and was wiping his sword clean of blood. "We have the tower. I have placed some of Wolf Killer's men within."

"Good, now we wait. Aiden I am famished, find what food you can and we will eat. We have to wait now for our scouts and to see what the dawn brings from the north."

When dawn broke I saw that to call this a port was a little like calling Cyninges-tūn a city. It was tiny and it was poor. The road to the high ground had to twist and turn its way up the slope and I saw that it was just one cart wide. The men of On Corn Walum were not as advanced as the men of Wessex. Lundenwic could swallow the whole of this huddle of huts in one tiny part of that great city. Aiden had the captives fed and he questioned them. He found that the Welsh he knew helped him to understand their words. He confirmed that they were awaiting the arrival of their ships and that they were overdue.

When he gave me the news I became concerned. We had not hurried down here for we had hoped to catch them. We had visited the Sabrina too. Where had the ships been? They should have reached us before now. The sea was a dangerous place. Could they had been sunk or destroyed in some sudden storm? Perhaps they had been swallowed by a sea monster. I voiced my fears to the others as we ate our noon time food.

My son could not understand my concerns, "Why are you worried about the ships? It is my wife and sister I care about!"