Army of the Wolf (60 page)

Conrad looked into the sky. ‘I see no smoke columns. The Oeselians have hopefully stopped their burning and raiding.’

‘They must have learned of our presence,’ said Hans, ‘and are most probably trying to evade us.’

Hans was right about the Oeselians knowing about the approach of the Estonians and Christian knights, but was entirely wrong about the raiders trying to evade them.

Kareda was one of the main villages in the Jerwen county of Jarva and was an ancient settlement that Andres informed Conrad had existed for hundreds of years. Or at least people had lived on its site for that amount of time. It comprised at least a score of huts of varying size, around which were clustered a smithy, barns and various storehouses to hold grain, meat, fish and clothing. In between the huts were pigpens, while the large meadow on the south side of the village was where goats grazed. But not today.

Today the southern edge of the village was filed with Oeselian warriors drawn up in a long shield wall. Their large round shields painted red, yellow, black and white and sometimes alternately yellow and black. These faced the crusaders and Estonians when they filed off the track they had travelled along, which wound its way across the meadow to the village and then beyond through the forest of spruce on the northern side of the settlement. On the eastern and western sides of the village were fields of golden barley.

Conrad and his Estonian commanders trotted forward with Rudolf and Sir Richard while the army deployed into position behind them. Rudolf pointed at the stream that ran parallel to the track on the western side of the meadow, the distance between them being around two hundred paces.

‘We should keep our horsemen away from that stream. Your Estonians can deploy on our left and centre, Conrad, with our knights forming our right wing.’

Conrad looked at the long line of enemy shields and glinting spear points above them.

‘My warriors can use their shields as cover to allow the crossbowmen to move forward and shoot the enemy to pieces. I doubt we will need any horsemen, except to cut down the survivors.’

‘It is most strange that the enemy offers battle,’ remarked Sir Richard. ‘They must be acquainted with our crossbows and horsemen.’

‘And where are the captives they have taken?’ queried Conrad.

The answer came as the Jerwen, Rotalians and Saccalians dismounted and formed into their own shield walls, the brother knights and Sir Richard’s horsemen deploying on the right flank of the army. In the rear were the carts, draught horses, civilians and a reserve of a hundred of Andres’ men. But as the temperature rose and the breeze dropped a great commotion erupted among the Oeselian ranks. At first Conrad thought the enemy was going to attack as he saw movement among the sea raiders, but then he saw the Estonian captives being manhandled to stand in front of the enemy shield wall.

There were shouts of outrage and jeers from the Estonian warriors as the tethered slaves had their bonds fixed to wooden stakes that were hammered into the ground to ensure they could not move from their perilous position. Clearly the Oeselians were very well acquainted with crossbows and mailed horsemen.

Rudolf had ordered leather face and his crossbowmen to take up position in front of the Estonian warriors preparatory to advancing against the Oeselians. Conrad rode over to the mercenary commander.

‘Stand down your men. The enemy has placed their captives in front of their shield wall.’

Leather face peered across the four hundred paces of no-man’s land.

‘Don’t worry, Brother Conrad, my boys can shoot them down before dealing with the enemy.’

Conrad was appalled. ‘No. Many of the warriors behind you have family members among those captives.’

‘That is unfortunate.’

Conrad pointed at him. ‘Make no aggressive moves.’

He tugged on his reins and galloped over to where just over one hundred and thirty horsemen in three ranks were deployed on the right wing. Most had yet to place their helms on their heads, the ends of their lances resting on the ground as they waited for the command to charge. In the centre of the front rank were Rudolf flanked by Walter and Sir Richard. Hans and Anton had taken their places among the brother knights, and nodded at their friend.

‘We cannot send the crossbowmen forward,’ said Conrad, ‘they will shoot down the captives first.’

‘What is that to us?’ said Henke loudly. ‘They are pagans and are of no concern to the Sword Brothers.’

‘Quiet Henke,’ snapped Rudolf.

‘I am mindful of the predicament that presents itself, Conrad,’ said Rudolf sympathetically, ‘but unless you can think of an alternative I will have to order the crossbowmen to soften up the enemy.’

‘Clever, these Oeselians,’ grinned Henke.

‘The captives will die whatever we do, Conrad,’ said Sir Richard. ‘Before they themselves die I have no doubt that the Oeselians will butcher them all.’

‘I must ask your men to provide cover for the crossbowmen, Conrad,’ said Rudolf.

‘God grant the captives a quick and merciful death and a place in heaven,’ offered Walter in an attempt to offer Conrad some solace.

His words did not comfort Conrad as he rode back to where Tonis, Andres and Hillar stood in a group in front of their shield walls. The Rotalians formed the left flank of the Estonian warriors, with the Jerwen massed in the centre and Tonis’ wolf shields on their right. The Estonians had fallen into silence, concern etched on their faces as they stared across the meadow at the old, women and children staked out like bait.

Conrad slid off his horse. ‘Master Rudolf and Sir Richard are intent on attacking, regardless of the captives.

Tonis was unsurprised but Andres was most distressed.

‘I have to tell you,
Susi
, that many of my men will not attack knowing that by doing so they will condemn their loved ones to death.’

‘I have no words that will give you comfort,’ said Conrad, ‘but I am willing to listen to any suggestions any of you may have.’

‘There is one way we might be able to save the hostages,’ said Hillar, who then fell silent, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

‘Go on,’ ordered Conrad.

‘Demand that the Oeselian leader fight a duel according to the
holmganga
,’ said Hillar.

‘What is that?’ asked Conrad.

‘A duel of honour to resolve an argument between two individuals. The Oeselians accord the
holmganga
great reverence, the rules of which are strict and binding.’

Andres was unconvinced. ‘We are not Oeselians, why should their commander accept such a challenge from foreigners?’

But Conrad was intrigued. ‘They might if it was worth their while. Their lives, for example.’

‘The Oeselians think differently to us,
Susi
,’ said Tonis dismissively. ‘They believe that the gods predetermine every man and woman’s death before birth.’ He pointed at the locked shields of the enemy. ‘That they face certain death will not concern them because they believe that it is their destiny and a man cannot escape his destiny.’

‘And yet,’ said Conrad, undeterred, ‘any commander would want to save the lives of his men if he could, rather than consign them to a needless death. Hillar, you will escort me. Andres, please ride to Master Rudolf and Sir Richard and inform them that I go to negotiate with the enemy.’

He lifted himself into the saddle as Andres ordered that a pony be brought for him. Andres ran across the front of the Estonian shield wall in the direction of the mounted knights on the right flank as a lull descended over the battlefield. The captives were mostly quiet now, mothers having managed to hush their infants and most of them having sat on the ground, wondering what was going to befall them.

Kaja arrived on a pony pulling another behind her. She grinned at Conrad.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘I was ordered to bring a mount for Lord Andres,’ she replied.

Andres took the reins from her and jumped into the saddle. Conrad pointed at Kaja.

‘Get back to the reserve. I have more important things to worry about than your safety.’

She grinned, wheeled her pony around and trotted back to the rear. Many of the warriors recognised her and began banging on their shields with their spears as she passed them. They all knew her and believed her to be a lucky talisman. They also believed that she would be the wife of
Susi
, notwithstanding his vow of chastity that most believed was hilarious.

Conrad and Andres trotted forward through the line of crossbowmen.

‘Where are you off to?’ shouted leather face.

‘To talk to the enemy,’ replied Conrad.

‘I’ll try to ensure that you get a decent burial,’ said the mercenary, shaking his head.

Conrad turned to look at him. ‘You are most generous.’

‘If the heathens haven’t chopped your body to pieces, that is.’

The two rode across the grass towards the ragged line of captives, many of them standing up when they saw them approaching. The Oeselians remained impassive in their ranks. Conrad slowed his horse to a halt some twenty paces from the wall of captives, who looked at him warily.

‘Do the Oeselians have a knowledge of your language?’ he asked Hillar.

‘An intimate one,
Susi
, on account of them having visited our shores for generations.’

Conrad stood up in his saddle. ‘I am here to issue a challenge to the commander of the Oeselian host according to the rules of the
holmganga
.’

He sat back down and looked at the brightly coloured shields of the enemy, behind them rows of hardened faces and iron helmets, long fair hair poking out from under them.

‘Perhaps they did not understand me,’ Conrad remarked to Andres.

‘They understood you,’ replied Andres.

Conrad was about to give up and return to his own lines when the Oeselian shield wall suddenly parted. A warrior wearing a magnificent short-sleeved mail corselet that reached to just above the knee walked forward, his shield bearing the design of a red dragon coiling around the central iron boss. His helmet was a simple conical type with a nasal guard, though with an eyebrow ridge decorated with silver. His silver inlaid leather scabbard and rich sword belt suggested he was a man of some importance. Two similarly well-equipped warriors followed him, drawing their swords as they walked to where the captives were tethered.

‘What do you know of the
holmganga
?’ shouted the man with the dragon shield.

‘I know that no Oeselian who has honour can refuse a formal challenge to a personal duel,’ answered Conrad.

The dragon shield laughed. ‘You are correct, crusader, but the man issuing the challenge also has to possess honour. That is what the
holmganga
states.’

Conrad dismounted and began to walk towards the Oeselians.

‘Careful
Susi
,’ warned Andres but Conrad waved away his caution.

The captives parted nervously as Conrad walked through them towards the dragon shield. The two warriors moved to stand before their lord as Conrad opened his arms to indicate he intended nothing nefarious.

‘I am Conrad Wolff, Brother Knight of the Sword Brothers and appointed by the Bishop of Riga Marshal of Estonia, the land you have invaded.’

He halted two paces from the two warriors. Their commander ordered them to stand down as he removed his helmet and passed it to one of them. Conrad was surprised to see that his round face was clean-shaven, in contrast to the full beards of his two bodyguards.

‘I am Prince Sigurd, son of King Olaf, ruler of all Oesel and lord of all the seas.’ He regarded Conrad for a moment.

‘I have heard your name before, Sword Brother. I remember now. You are the one who killed Lembit.’

Conrad nodded.

Sigurd flashed a smile at him. ‘And now you seek to kill me.’

‘These are my terms, prince. If you accept my challenge and you prevail then you, your men and your captives may return unimpeded to Oesel.’

‘And if you prevail?’ probed Sigurd.

‘Then your men may return to Oesel but your captives will be surrendered to my care.’

Sigurd nodded towards the mounted knights of Rudolf and Sir Richard. ‘Will they abide by your decision, Marshal of Estonia?’

‘They will.’

‘Why are so concerned about the lives of these slaves, marshal?’

‘Because, prince,’ replied Conrad, ‘they are my subjects and I am therefore responsible for their welfare. But if you refuse my offer then we will destroy your army.’

‘And seal the fate of these slaves,’ said Sigurd.

‘But if you accept my challenge then your warriors will live.’

‘You think they fear death?’

‘I think, prince,’ said Conrad, ‘that your king would desire the return of hundreds of his men to Oesel rather than being slaughtered for no reason aside from his son’s vanity.’

The words stung Sigurd. ‘I accept your challenge, Sword Brother.’