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  The skies had darkened as more black, scudding clouds rushed up from the south west. They would not bring snow. We had learned that rarely happened in this land but they would bring rain. Life would be unpleasant but bearable. We used the animal trails and the paths which other hunters had cut. I looked to left and right for sign of spoor. Nipper stopped and sniffed. I bent down and saw some fresh boar dung. It was not quite cold. There were wild boars close by. I held my spear above my head as a sign that I had found tracks. I stroked Nipper’s head and whispered, “Hunt!” He sped off.

  I knew that the wild boars would be trying to eat as much as they could before winter came. If they found some food they would stay close by until it was completely gone. They would be close to where they had left their spoor. Bertrand was the one who saw them. Nipper returned first and that told me that they were close but it was Bertrand who raised his arm preparing to send his spear towards the wild boar he had seen. I did not see it at first and then I heard it snuffle and saw the shrubs move. Bertrand was brave but he had never hunted wild boar. It was a sow and an old one at the. He threw his boar spear and it struck her in her shoulder. She squealed, shattering the peace of the woods. But she had not been mortally struck and she hurtled towards a terrified Bertrand who had been about ready to celebrate his success.

  “Back!” He turned and then reacted to my voice. He ran. The sow was old but she still moved quickly. I stepped forward. Bertrand ran to my right and I thrust my spear into the side of her head as she passed. I had sharpened the boar spear but, even so, her skull was thick. I wondered if I had the strength and then it suddenly broke through the bone and into her brain. She fell to the side. The rest of the herd had taken flight as soon as she had squealed. The boar charged towards us. My men presented a wall of spears. He stopped and sniffed the air. Perhaps he smelled the dead sow or perhaps the wall of spears was too much. He turned and disappeared after his herd.

  I nodded, “I think we have enough meat now! You were lucky there, Bertrand. Next time wait until there is another hunter close by you!”

  “It is considered dishonourable, amongst my people, to have help when making a kill.”

  “But Franks hunt from the back of a horse do they not?” He nodded. “The horse can escape faster than a man!” I took out my seax. “Let us make an offering to Ullr. We were lucky and he watched over us.” I sawed through the thick skin of the belly and pulled out the hot intestines and guts. I sought the heart. I found it. It was warm. I raised it in the air, “Take this sacrifice Ullr, god of hunting, in thanks for your help this day!” Rurik and Beorn Fast Feet dug a small hole and we buried the heart.

  Rurik slapped Bertrand on the back. “And now, young Frank, use your spear to help us carry this back to the horses. She was an old boar but there is meat a plenty. Gilles. Fetch those guts! They are not to be wasted!”

  Beorn Fast Feet helped Bertrand to ram our two spears through the mouth of the sow and then out of her backside. The other warriors helped them to lift the beast. It was heavy. We sang as we rode home. A successful hunting trip is always worth celebrating. When we reached Haugr it was late afternoon. We wasted no time. The men quickly skinned the beasts. Their hides would not be discarded. They had many uses and then the animals were butchered. Every piece of meat and offal would be used. The intestines would be washed and the skins used to make sausages. The hooves of the animals would be melted down to make a glue which would be used by Sven the Helmsman. The bones would be cooked to make soup and then used to make tools from scrapers to needles. We wasted nothing.

  Six days after the hunt riders approached from the south and west. The sentry in the gate tower shouted, “Jarl! Franks approach from the south and they are armed!”

  I grabbed my sword, helmet and shield and went to the gate. I stood in the entrance. Gilles and Bertrand had their weapons and flanked me. As the word spread other warriors appeared. The walls had eight men and boys already there. They were armed with slingshots, bows and spears. I could now see that there were ten riders approaching us. Ten Franks did not worry me. “Are there any other riders in sight, Erik Green Eye?”

  He was in the highest tower and I saw him peer around. “No jarl. The land is clear.”

  We would talk. The three of us in the gate could deal with at least four of the Franks and my men on the walls would eliminate the rest. I sheathed my sword and slipped my shield around my back. As they reined in I took off my helmet.

  The leader was an older warrior. His beard was white and his face scarred. He had leather armour studded with metal plates and an open helmet. His shield had the emblem of a gryphon upon it. The background was a light shade of blue. I had not seen the design before. He looked at me and spoke in the language of the Franks.

  “I would speak to the lord here. Go and get him, boy.”

  Bertrand’s hand went to his sword and I restrained him. “Easy, Bertrand. Other men have made this mistake.” I looked the warrior in the eye. “I am the one who rules here. I am jarl.”

  He looked surprised, “You?” he waved a hand at the older warriors who stood on the walls. “You command these? How?”

  “Did you come here to insult me or to die? Was there something your master wanted to say to me?”

  “My master?”

  “I do not recognise your shield and you are an old dog! You are not a lord. Your armour is that of a warrior and not a lord. Speak and then be on your way.”

  He frowned, “I am Jean of Caen and I serve Philippe of Rouen. I am seneschal of the castle at Valauna. King Louis has appointed him as lord of this land and all the land between the sea and Rouen.” I nodded. “Your men have been hunting in his forest. Hand over those who took the king’s deer and wild boar so that they may be punished. If you do so then my lord may allow you to live.”

  I smiled, “And the punishment is?”

  He shrugged, “It depends upon my lord. Sometimes it is just the loss of an eye or a nose but I have known him take the right hand of a poacher.”

  “I am afraid that I need both of my eyes, hands and my nose. I cannot accommodate you.”

  He looked genuinely surprised, “The Leudes of Rouen was appointed here to make sure that taxes were paid and order restored. I warn you that he will not be gentle if you do not cooperate. He will destroy this stronghold.”

  “Tell your lord that I pay no taxes and I hunt where I please. I wish no harm to your lord nor his people but if he comes for war then he had better be prepared for the consequences. We are Vikings. We bow the knee to no king.”

  “And who are you, Viking? I would give my lord your name.”

  “I am Jarl Hrolf chief of the clan of the horse.” I said nothing more but I carefully donned my helmet and swung my shield around. When he did not move, I slid my sword from its scabbard. Erik One Hand was on the gate and he shouted down, “I would move, Frank! When the jarl dons his helmet then it means he is ready for war. If he draws his sword, then all of you will die!” He raised his hand and twenty bows and twenty spears appeared on my walls.

  The Frank nodded, “Very well. But I warned you.”

  After they had gone Arne Four Toes joined me, “What happened to the other lord?”

  I shrugged, “Perhaps he was not strong enough and King Louis has replaced him with someone who can do the job better.”

  Gunnar Stone Face shook his head, “You were right, jarl. The meat we hunted was expensive!”

  “This would have happened some time. If the king wants taxes, then they would have come here at Eostre for their coin. We will be vigilant. Gilles and Bertrand, ride to the outlying farms and warn them that the Franks will be coming to punish us.”

  I sounded calm but I was worried. Would they come with enough men to crush us or just enough to punish us? We had poked the sleeping bear. I now had to work out how to make sure it did not devour us.

  Chapter 2

  I began to ride around my land with mail upon me. Bertrand and Gilles did the same. Most of my warr
iors had other duties such as their farms or their ships but the three of us had no such duties. I had slaves who watched over my horses. Gilles supervised them but he could afford to be with me for a few days until we had seen the intentions of the Franks.

  A few days after Jean of Caen had left we rode south to Rurik. We had heard nothing more and I was anxious to know what was going on close to the borders of our small enclave. Bertrand knew of Valauna for he had been there. The seneschal’s words suggested there were men there but Bertrand thought that the castle was small. He said the town had a wooden wall and there was a stone tower within. He did not think that the Leudes would stay there. Caen was a bigger place. It would take some days for a message to reach him and for him to react. I would see if there was danger. If not, then we would either trade or raid before the winter storms set in.

  Nipper came with us for I would need his ears and eyes too. I saw Rurik with his slaves in his orchard, gathering apples for the winter. He wore his sword at his side. He nodded as I dismounted, “You were right again, jarl. The ale got to us and made us foolish. We should have listened to you.”

  I shrugged, “It would have happened anyway and we ate well. It was wyrd.” I pointed to the woods a mile or more away. “You are ready to ride when you sense danger?”

  “Aye we have horses.” He pointed to his cattle herder who had a dog with him. They were by the sea on the grazing land by the shore. “Aksel there has a good dog and good eyes. He watches for us. And you?”

  “We ride towards their town. I would like to see what size of garrison they have at Valauna. It was a Roman fort in days gone by.”

  He nodded, “It is not far. In fact, I think it lies beyond the forest to the west.”

  Bertrand said, “It does.”

  “Take care, jarl.”

  “We will.”

  As we rode I wondered if the Franks would wait until they had a force large enough to quash us completely or come immediately. If they waited until they had enough men, it might suit us for winter would be our ally. Although the winter would not as harsh as in the Land of the Wolf, campaigning was never easy in winter. Our prudence in gathering in so many crops and procuring an excess of animals might just save my people if this one was harder than the last.

  We skirted the woods and followed the greenway. I noticed that, in parts, there were cobbles beneath our hooves. The Romans had built here. Unlike in the Land of the Wolf many Franks used stones to build their homes. They had dug up many of the Roman Roads to build their houses. It made their roads less reliable. We just used the stones from the sea. We harvested that bounty too. We forded the small river which ran from west to east and began to rise towards the distant stronghold. I had no intentions of riding close to it. That would be too dangerous but I wanted to discover if they had mounted men riding the land.

  When the greenway entered another wood, thinner this time, we halted to rest our horses. We were only six Roman miles from home but we were halfway to Valauna. Nipper growled as I let Dream Strider drink from the beck. Gilles and Bertrand knew my dog as well as I did and we all slid into our saddles and drew our swords. I left my shield hanging from my saddle until I had seen what danger came our way.

  I waved Gilles and Bertrand into the shelter of the trees and waited in the middle of the path. I heard the hooves of the riders as they approached. Nipper had felt the ground move at their approach. I hissed, “Nipper, hide!” My dog disappeared. I sheathed my sword.

  The four riders saw me when they were just thirty paces from me. I had seen their movement before they spied me. My stillness, born of long training from Ulf Big Nose, had come to my aid. None of the four had mail. They had the leather studded byrnie with open helmets and javelins held in their arms. They halted ten paces from me and peered around suspiciously. The leader was a young warrior. I think he had been with the seneschal when he had come to the haugr. He must have recognised me. He said, “You are the Viking the Seneschal spoke with when we delivered our lord’s ultimatum. Have you come to hand yourself over for punishment?”

  “No, I came for a ride in this pleasant wood. Soon it will be winter and not as enjoyable. And you?”

  My easy manner disarmed them. They looked at each other. Then the young leader said, “It matters not why you came here. We have you now and shall take you to the castle for judgement.”

  I drew my sword, “Heart of Ice here disputes that.” I leaned down and took my shield. “As there are four of you I may well need my shield too.”

  “You are arrogant for a barbarian who cannot ride! We are Neustrians and lords of the horse! Take him!”

  They split up as they charged at me with their javelins lowered. I saw that the young warrior hung back a little. If they thought to intimidate and frighten me they were sadly mistaken. I kicked Dream Strider in the ribs and he leapt forward. The four of them were too close to be able to use their javelins effectively. Two clattered into my shield; one missed me completely and Heart of Ice sliced through the javelin of the fourth. I wheeled Dream Strider around. The Franks tried the same manoeuvre but their javelins and numbers threw them into confusion. As I urged Dream Strider towards them I shouted, “Now Gilles! Now Bertrand!” My two men had been waiting for my order and they both sprang from cover. They had ten paces to cover but the Franks only heard hooves. Their heads whirled looking for the new danger.

  The warrior whose javelin I had sliced in two had drawn his sword. He swung it at my head and I blocked it easily with my shield. I stood in my stiraps and brought my sword across the top of his shield. He fell from his horse. A javelin punched into my back but my forward momentum stopped its penetration. I whipped Dream Strider’s head around and brought my sword across the neck of the Frank. The other two were not faring well against Gilles and Bertrand who were both superb horsemen. Gilles lunged at his opponent and found the gap between his shield and his saddle. The sharp sword slid into his body and he fell. Bertrand’s opponent, the young leader who had held back a little, turned his horse and galloped off. I saw that Bertrand had caused a wound to his head for there was blood coming from beneath his helmet.

  Bertrand looked to follow but I shouted, “Hold! We have done enough! Gilles search the bodies. Bertrand gather the horses.” I rode down the trail a short way to make sure that the last man had fled. There was no sign of him. By the time I had returned the helmets, swords, javelins and shields were hung from the saddles of the three horses we had captured.

  Gilles held up three purses. “They have coins, jarl.”

  “Then they are yours. You did well.” We left the bodies where they lay. I had no doubt that the franks would investigate the attack. They could clear their own dead.

  As we passed Rurik’s farm he came over to us. “I see you found some Franks.”

  I nodded, “There were four and they chose to fight. Keep an even closer watch, Rurik. You will be the first to hear of an enemy’s approach. Do not try to be a hero. Give us warning.”

  “I will.”

  We rode the last mile or two to my walls. Gilles ventured, “That encounter may be enough to put off the Franks, jarl.”

  “No, Gilles. It will not. Those men were sent to scout. They were not important were they jarl?”

  “I fear you are right, Bertrand. We will have to bloody their noses a little more if we are to make them let us alone.”

  The warriors who farmed and lived close by the walls approached as we returned. It was late afternoon. The men who had watched from our walls had been staring all day for a sight of our horses. I dismounted and said to my two men, “Take the horses to the stables and put the weapons, helmets and shields in my hall. We will distribute them later.”

  My warriors gathered around me and I told them what had happened. “I think they will be here tomorrow. It is just a guess. I do not have the gift of a galdramenn but if they came quickly for a couple of deer and an old boar then they will come that much sooner for three dead men and lost horses.”

  Eina
r Asbjornson said, “So we fight?”

  “We fight.” I pointed to the open ground before the walls. “We fight there, if they come.”

  Einar frowned, “But what about our walls? Surely we could stay behind them.”

  I swept my hand around, “We have yet to gather all of our crops inside. There are animals without. If we hide behind our walls they will take what we have. We meet them here. Our boys and archers can man the walls and loose over our heads.”

  “Do we fight on horses?”

  “No Gudrun Witch Killer. Not enough of you have those skills. From what I have seen of the Franks most of their horsemen do not wear mail and their horses are vulnerable. A good shield wall can withstand an attack. We proved that last year. Have the outlying farmers return to the safety of our walls.”

  Arne Four Toes asked, “And Rurik?”

  I smiled, “He will act as a sentry. He has horses and he will warn us of their arrival. I suspect they will avoid him and try to surprise us.”

  As I went to take off my mail I reflected that the Franks were more predictable than we were. We might have tried a night attack. They would not. I was confident about that. If they did, then their horses would alert us to their presence. They would come in daylight and that meant we would have warning.

  There had been a time when my wife would have been worried about such an attack. Now she was less concerned. She had seen the strength of my warriors. “This will just be the start, husband. You know that. Now that blood has been shed it will rankle with the count and the king.”

  “I know. It will be a test of the resolve of our clan. I am counting on the fact that your people value horses. If we slay their men and take their horses, then they will have smaller numbers to attack us. It takes time to train a mounted warrior. We may hurt them enough to make them sue for peace. We will see.”

  She nodded, “I will go with the women and Ragnvald. We will pray in the church.”