B01N5EQ4R1 EBOK Read online

  “Raymond!” The leader’s voice was high pitched. He was young.

  The young man glared at me. I shook my head, “I am easily offended young man and I would lose no sleep if I had to gut you like a fish. I would like an apology!”

  He said nothing, “Raymond!”

  “I am sorry if I caused you offence.”

  I smiled and sheathed my seax. “There that is better. Now I am more than happy to take you to my stronghold and let you speak with those who lived in Ċiriċeburh but you can ask one now.” I gestured to Bertrand. “Bertrand here lived in Ċiriċeburh and was one of the few who survived the attack from the east. Bertrand, do you wish to return?”

  He laughed, “No, lord! You protect the people. King Louis just taxes them!”

  “That is treasonous!” The young leader was outraged.

  “No, it is not for we do not acknowledge King Louis. I am the lord of the land around the Haugr.” I mounted Copper. “Come let us ride to my home. I am thirsty and you need your question answering.” I turned to Gilles, “Ride to my lady and tell her we have visitors.” I gave him a knowing look and he nodded.

  We headed the short distance to the Haugr. I made conversation with the Frank, “Do you know this area well?”

  He shook his head. “My family come from the lands further south. This is a little cold for me.”

  “My people find it warm. Strange is it not?”

  “It is.”

  “Perhaps you need to dress for the climate. For myself I wear a cloak made of a wolf skin in the winter.”

  “Wolves? Do they have wolves around here?”

  “I have not seen any but this was from the land of the wolf north of the land of the Angles and Saxons.”

  “You killed it?”

  I smiled, “A warrior does not wear the skin of something another has slain. It is not honourable.”

  We had reached my stronghold. The position of the gate meant that we had to ride all the way around before we reached it. I saw the four of them looking first at the ditch and then at the high walls. When they saw the double gate, frowns appeared. This was a well-made stronghold and not just a simple ditch and palisade.

  “Did you make this?”

  “The knoll was here already and the people had a ditch but we made it something which we could defend.” I looked him directly in the eye, “We are here to stay. We have built our walls to last. This will withstand a long siege.”

  My wife and Ragnvald awaited us. She had changed into her best garment. It was why I had sent Gilles. Mary always wanted to look her best. To me, she always looked perfect but she said I had low standards. We dismounted.

  “This is Hugo of Ċiriċeburh. King Louis has made him a neighbour. This is my wife, Mary.”

  I could see he was taken aback and was speechless. Mary smiled, “I pray you enter my humble home. I have wine and cheese prepared.”

  They followed her meekly. “Gilles, see to their horses. Bertrand, we may need you but first round up all those who came from Ċiriċeburh. Do not forewarn them of what will be asked.”

  “Aye my lord!”

  The slaves had given them food and drink, when I entered, and Mary was asking them about their families. I took some of the cheese and smeared it on some bread. Alf, one of the slaves, handed me a goblet of wine. We had taken the goblets from Dwfr. I was now used to wine. It did not fill me up as much as ale. With my men, I drank ale and beer but I knew that Mary would have frowned on that before our guests.

  Bertrand appeared and I nodded to the wine. He helped himself. When there was a lull in the conversation I said, “If you wish to ask those from Ċiriċeburh if they wish to return to their former home they are outside.”

  Mary said, “Return?”

  I said, “I believe that King Louis believes we hold them as hostages.”

  It was a guess but when the Frank coloured I knew it to be true. Mary leapt to my defence, “My husband saved them! He fed them through their first winter! They would have died without the help of his people!”

  Putting my hand on hers I said, “Peace, lady, let them speak for themselves.”

  Once outside the Franks were all gathered behind Matildhe and her daughters. “Why have we been summoned, lord? We were busy working!”

  “I apologise but this lord has been sent by King Louis to ask you something.” I turned, “My lord?”

  He began to speak. He tried to speak loudly and only managed to sound high pitched, “I am here to offer you your former home once more. I am Hugo of Ċiriċeburh. King Louis has charged me with restoring my new home to its former glory.”

  He was disappointed in the response. Most laughed while a few of the younger men made disparaging remarks. Matildhe held her hand up, “Curb your tongues!” She smiled but there was no warmth in the smile, “We were left defenceless by King Louis, his Counts and his Leudes. When we appealed for help none came and our men were slaughtered. When we asked for food and shelter we were told that we had to fend for ourselves. This warrior and his clan took us in. We have prospered. This is now our home. King Louis rejected us… now we reject him.” Silence followed her words. She smiled at me and then turned, “Come we have work to do!”

  They left the four Franks with open mouths. Not one had accepted the offer. I felt proud of my people. This was a foretaste of the future and it was good. Mary smiled too, “Would you care for more wine and cheese?”

  He shook his head, “Thank you for your hospitality but we must return home. It is getting late and…” He tailed off lamely.

  “Then do not be a stranger. We are neighbours and we welcome all who are our friends.” She went back into the hall.

  “Bertrand, fetch the horses.”

  Hugo of Ċiriċeburh looked nonplussed, “I apologise. I thought you a barbarian and I can see now that I was wrong. You dress and speak differently that is all. I hope we can be on good terms but…” He came closer so that he could speak quietly to me. “Jean of Caen lost a leg. His son, Charles, blames you.”

  “Does his father?”

  “No. He said it was combat and these things happen but Charles… Jean of Caen is my overlord. If he orders me to…”

  I nodded, “Then pray he does not for Vikings may not be barbarians but once you begin a war you either destroy them completely or pay the price. Do not make that mistake.”

  They mounted and left. I felt vaguely optimistic. My people had said the right thing and Hugo of Ċiriċeburh had shown that he had a mind. That I could work with.

  Chapter 6

  Two days later the ‘Flying Fox’ appeared offshore. Fótr and his brother leapt ashore as soon as it was tied up. Both looked excited. “The day we met you changed our lives, jarl! We are rich!”

  I smiled at his enthusiasm, “Your raid went well then?”

  Folki said, “We found an abbey! The priests did not even defend themselves! They died on their knees, clutching their crosses! If we had stopped there we would have been rich and not lost a man!”

  “You raided elsewhere?”

  Fótr nodded, “We found a large village. The palisade was small but the Franks fought fiercely. We lost three warriors. We have all their women and children as slaves. My men scoured the land thereabouts and we captured animals as well as the treasure and holy books from another three churches.”

  “Aye we only left because the horsemen came. They caught two of my men. We headed down river.”

  Fótr waved a man forward. He held in his hand a small book, a book of the White Christ. “Here, this is for you. It is to thank you for your help.”

  I shook my head. “I thank you but your men who died paid the price for that. Sell it and give the money to their families.”

  “They had no families.”

  “Then share it amongst your warriors. I would not feel it honourable to profit from a raid I did not lead.”

  Fótr nodded, “I understand. The tide is with us and so we sail for Dorestad and then Dyflin. We hear they pay better
prices in Dyflin for slaves.”

  “But you have further to carry them.”

  “We also seek more warriors. With our success, we will have many men flocking to follow us.” He clasped my arm. “Thank you again, jarl. We will raid again.”

  Folki laughed, “After we have bought new mail and enjoyed some of our treasure!”

  “You could have made more money from the priests you know.”

  They both looked surprised, “But why?”

  “They can read and are worth much more than an ordinary slave. You sell them to lords who wish a scribe or, if you are clever about it, you sell them back to their church. Whatever you get for the books you would have got five times the amount for their priests.”

  “We thought that because they did not fight back they were fair game.”

  “They are easy game and that is why we do not kill them.”

  I had left them with something to think about on their long voyage north.

  The evenings were growing warmer and the light lasted longer. It was the time of year when the men sat outside my hall drinking Brigid’s ale. She made more money in Skerpla than any other month. She and her husband, Erik One Arm, cheerfully sang as they served us. They did not even mind that we did not drink at their hut! It was all profit. I told them what Fótr and Folki had said.

  Audun Einarsson asked, “Should we not do as the clan of the fox did and raid the Issicauna? They made a great deal on one raid. If we raided, we would not lose men to horsemen and villagers!”

  “Aye and we would have sold the priests!” Arne Four Toes could not keep the disgust out of his voice. He forgot that we had had to learn to do such things.

  I shook my head. “They will be alert for raids for some time to come. They will have horsemen riding their roads and ships watching their rivers. We could raid for I do not think we are in danger from the Franks. If we were then we would not have had an embassy from King Louis.”

  “We had an embassy?”

  “Hugo of Ċiriċeburh was sent to deliver a message from the king. He told my wife that the king sent for him. He had served with some distinction under the Count of Orleans in their Cordoban campaign and this was his reward. The Count would have just given him the title but King Louis wanted him to visit with me and ask for the return of his people. We have given him an answer. I suspect it will take him some time to decide what to do next.”

  Rurik had had his eyes closed but his good ear had been listening, “Then why not raid Cordoba. It is rich. They wear little mail and they have goods, such as spices, silks and jewels that we cannot get elsewhere.”

  I frowned, “The Dragonheart raided there and it did not end as well as it might.”

  “You raided there and it went well, for me.” Erik One Arm had been rescued from Olissipo.

  My silence was taken as acquiescence. It was not but I struggled to find a good reason not to raid. The real reason was that I enjoyed being with my horses now more than I enjoyed raiding. Yet I was a Viking and I led a Viking band.

  “If that is the wish of the clan…?”

  The cheers answered me. We would be sailing south. Sven said, as he clapped me on my back, “And we take ‘Kara’. I would not go at the speed of a captured ship this time. If we are successful, then we fill the knarr.”

  Mary was philosophical about the voyage. “At least you will not be enslaving Christians. They are worse pagans than you Vikings. Just do not be away too long. Your daughter grows inside of me.”

  I laughed, “Ah so you are becoming a witch and know what you will have!”

  She clutched her cross, “Do not say such things! We had a boy for you and now I believe that God will grant a girl for me!”

  I held her in my arms, “I am teasing and I will be away for a month at most. I shall be here when you give birth. That I promise.”

  We were fully crewed. We had some of the young men who had not been ready for our raid in Cent. We would have a larger crew. Rurik, now that his son was born was happy to come with us. He was keen to become richer. It was Sólmánuður and the days were long and the weather as good as it was going to get. With winds from the west it meant we could have an easy time south and north. As we had a knarr with us we had to rely on the winds. Harold Fast Sailing captained the knarr with Sigurd and Skutal as his crew.

  As we sailed past Raven Wing Island I wondered who was jarl there now. That was a closed door but it had been the beginning of our clan and I could not help but remember the island fondly. There I had first learned to ride Dream Strider. There I had learned to become a warrior and it was there that Mary and I had become as one. The Land of the Wolf was special to me but Raven Wing Island held a larger part of my heart.

  We did not plan on stopping. We had enough crew to keep watch on watch and sail through the night. Sven kept us close to the coast. We were the only wolves of the sea. Once we passed the Liga or, as the Franks called it, the Liger then the weather became much warmer. Those who had lived in Orkneyjar found it so hot that they lay on the deck naked. They paid for that with burned skin. I kept my body covered for I had sailed these waters before. Each league we travelled was logged on our maps. When we returned, I would copy them out again and then, if we perished, our families would have a legacy. Our clan planned for the future.

  We had decided not to raid Olissipo but try the port north of that great city. Harold Fast Sailing had discovered its location while we were in Dorestad. Now it seemed wyrd that he had done so. Tui was known to be an important town. It was on the river which marked the border between the Empire and the Cordoba Caliphate. There was a church there and it was an important trading centre for the area. It was on a river and was further inland than either Portucale or Olissipo. More importantly it was used to send ships with goods traded from the north, south to the caliphates of Africa. We would find much that we could steal. As far as we knew no one had ever had the audacity to raid there. Perhaps we would be the first. I hoped that the Frankish attack would have directed their eyes to the land border and they would be careless about their ports. Harold had also discovered that, across the river there was another port. This time it was a Moorish one, Constrasta. Although there was a Roman wall around it we had the choice of towns to raid. As the river was the border it was unlikely that the two towns would aid each other.

  We reached a huge estuary towards evening. Sven was loath to risk the rocky coasts further south. We saw no light on the cliffs above us and Sven took us in to a small sandy bay, slowly. We anchored and went ashore. The breeze was coming from the land and we smelled no wood smoke. That meant it was unlikely that anyone lived on the cliffs. The men collected shellfish and we ate well. I sat with Sven and Harold. The knarr had not held us up and I knew it would prove to be invaluable. We examined our chart. The map we had was crude. We would need to make it better. All that we knew was that it was not far to the south of us but we would have to negotiate an unknown river.

  “I would not risk the river at night, Jarl.”

  “Nor would I wish you to. We will leave here before dawn. The captain you spoke with, Harold Fast Sailing, said that the town was some twenty-five miles upstream. You will sail twenty miles and then we will anchor. The men will need a rest. We send scouts to ascertain the difficulties on the river and then sail after dark.”

  “Ulf Big Nose would have been the best choice.”

  I nodded, “Then we will have to send the warrior he trained.”

  They looked at each other and then Sven said, “But that is you!”

  “Aye.”

  “You are jarl!”

  “Is there a better scout?”

  “No but…”

  “I have been remiss. I should have been training a scout. Beorn Fast Feet has skills. I will take him and Knut the Quiet.” I could see that neither was happy. “Would you rather rip the keel from your drekar Sven?”

  “We could sail in daylight.”

  “And they would spy us and either lock their gates or flee.
If they locked their gates, then we would lose many men. We cannot afford that. If the Weird Sisters wish to end my life here, far from home, then we can do little about it. Trust my skills and my sword eh, Sven?”

  We set sail before dawn and the men had to row against the slight breeze. The knarr struggled to keep up with us for Harold Fast Sailing had to continually tack. It did not matter for the drekar would lie up while we scouted. None of us wore mail yet for the weather was much warmer this far south. I had warned Beorn and Knut that I would be taking them. They saw it as a great honour. Arne Four Toes and Beorn Beornsson tried, as Sven had, to dissuade me. I was resolute.

  When we found the river, the entrance was not as wide as I had expected. That was because a sand spit narrowed it. At its entrance, it was but three hundred paces wide. Once we had passed the spit, however, then it widened to over a thousand paces. Sven was happy. We rowed up the centre of the channel with Siggi Far Sighted keeping a good watch ahead. We saw boats but they were fishing boats. They might never have seen a drekar before but they recognised us as a threat and they scurried out of the way and their crews headed ashore. I would worry about them on the way downstream. The land through which we were passing looked wild and empty. I could not see them having the means to send a message upstream.

  The river narrowed and there was a large island and secondary channel on the eastern bank. Sven nodded. He seemed satisfied. “This is about twenty miles upstream, jarl, and the river narrows. If we drop you on the northern shore, then we can hide here in this channel.”

  “This is good.”

  We did not take shields and we were not mailed. We needed speed. Our swords and seaxes would have to protect us against any enemies. We slipped ashore in a deeply wooded part of the northern bank. I had already warned my two would-be scouts what I expected of them. They knew to use their noses and ears more than their eyes. I went first and stepped into the cool dark trees which overhung the river. They were taller than the ones higher up the slopes. The river fed them. There was a well-worn path which wound through them; it twisted and turned by trees which grew larger each year. It meant we could not see a long way ahead. Suddenly lighter patches of the woods showed where the land had been cleared to our left but we neither saw nor heard anyone.