Saxon Dawn (Wolf Brethren) (13 page)

“We will.”

When I was released by the Brother I went immediately to the barracks. The priest rose early to say prayers to his White Christ and I was able to wake up my brothers. “What time of day do you call this?”

I kept my voice low. 
“The perfect time to test something about my sword.”

Raibeart knew me well enough not to question me and he handed me the sword which I suddenly saw, as though for the first time.  The king’s words, Bladud’s envy and the dream of my mother all made me curious.
My brothers dressed and we left the barracks without disturbing anyone.  We headed for the south gate and I could feel the unspoken questions from both of my brothers. We reached the gate just as it was being opened for the day.  The guards looked at us curiously but said nothing.

Between the fort and the river was a small lake, or a large pond.  It was not perfect but it would have to do
for the words of the dream came to me and the image of a weapon in the water. I took the sword off as well as my boots and I laid the wolf cloak on the ground.  I just had the thin undershirt and leggings I wore beneath my armour. My brothers looked at me as though I was mad.  I withdrew the sword and, without warning, threw it into the lake over my shoulder.

“Lann!
Are you insane?”

I turned around three times and stepped into the water. If I could not find it quickly then the sword was not meant for me and my mother had been wrong. I knew that she was not wrong. When the water was up to my waist I stood and closed my eyes.  I could see the pommel of the sword in my head. I lowered myself below the waters and I could still see the sword with my eyes closed
; I knew precisely where it was.  I reached out and felt the pommel and I lifted it and myself from the water. Later, when we talked of it Raibeart and Aelle said that I disappeared for the briefest of times and then the sword seemed to erupt from the water drawing me with it. Raibeart wrapped the wolf cloak around me as Aelle helped me with my boots.  Strangely I felt no cold; I felt elated. The power of the sword had been demonstrated.

As we entered the fort again, me dripping along the ground, the two guards looked at me with jaws dropping. “Did you just recover the sword from the lake?”

Pragmatic Raibeart just said, “Of course he did. It is a magical sword and returns to its owner.” I nudged him in the ribs but the legend that became my blade was born in that moment for the tale grew in the telling. “You must name it.”

Aelle ventured, “If it is a magic sword will it not have a name already?”

We walked across the courtyard and I left a series of wet marks where the water dripped from me. “Aye, but as the line is broken between father’s grandfather and us we cannot know it.”

“Saxon Slayer.
  That is its name for you slew Saxons with it.”

“Let us just wait a
while; the name may come, much as the sword came.”

The name stuck and i
t remained Saxon Slayer for a long time and I did not mind the name for it spoke that which was in my heart and a sword is better when it is named.  I had heard that, in the old days, warriors would have their blood forged in the steel with the sword and I could understand that.  As I had held the sword and emerged from the water I felt such a rush of energy and power that I believe I could have fought a whole Saxon army. Perhaps that is folly for a Dane I met many years later told me of warriors who, when the rush of battle was upon them, would discard clothes and armour and fight naked until slain.  It was battle madness.  I hoped that the spirit of my mother would not allow that to happen to me.

The barracks was alive with the sound of warriors preparing for the day. I was greeted with cheers for the men we shared our hall with had fought alongside us and we were more
than comrades.  They also had an aversion to the king’s bodyguard who looked down on the rest of the army as an irrelevance.  My defeat of Bladud and his treachery had enhanced my status amongst the men.

After we had eaten our early meal we donned our armour.
However, before we could organise the men two wagons entered the gate and Brother Osric waved us over.  “Your wood for your bows and your arrows are here.”

Raibeart and I had discussed at length the making of the weapons.  He believed, as I did and our father had before us that when a man made a weapon it became part of him and a better weapon because of it. The archers would make their own bows, under our tutelage, and then their arrows.  The arrows were less urgent as we had neither tips nor feathers ready yet. The bow was the crucial element and would take many days to fashion.
“Aelle, take your slingers out for some practice.” I saw the disappointment on his face.  “But before you do, take the first choice of stave for yourself.”

The disappointment was replaced by joy.  Not every yew stave is perfect; in addition it should be the same height as the archer. As I waited for the archers to arrive he sifted through them, discarding the ones which were the wrong height and then eliminating those he thought were not perfect.  Eventually he had one he liked and it coincided with the arrival of Raibeart and our archers.

“My brother here has just chosen his bow stave.  Notice that it is the same height as he is; see how the grain runs. He will make his own bow for he has been taught by us.  We will give you your bow stave and, over the next two days, you will make, under our guidance, the weapon which will make you feared by the Saxons.”

They were like children as they too
k their staves.  I saw that Brother Osric had ordered plenty. When we had more recruits we would be in a good position to make them. “Raibeart, you start the construction.  I will tell the king what we intend.” I beckoned him closer, “Besides he told me, the other night, that he wished to speak with me.”

My brother
, whose confidence had grown in leaps and bounds, said, cheerily, “Leave it with me brother.”

The king’s chambers were in the same building as Brother Osric’s.  Before I went to find the king I entered his office which was bare and functional. “Thank you for the staves and the arrow blanks.”

He looked up in surprise.  “I am merely doing my job.”

“I know but I am letting you know that I appreciate the speed with which you did it.” He seemed, unusually for him, a little lost for words. “I seek the king he said he would have words with me.”

“He has left with some of his guards and gone hunting.” He smiled maliciously, “it seems the disgraced Bladud has been given the task of commander of the sentries for the next three days.  How sad!”

I left and headed for the training ground. Ywain would be there and I could tell him.  I did not want any to think I was shirking my job. As I left the gate I saw the men in two wedges.  Gildas and Ywain were trying to get them as close as they could to each other.  Even as I watched some of them fell over the feet of the men before them. The shield wall always seemed to be a simple formation but it required great skill to make it work effectively.

I hid my smile as I heard the king’s son swearing like a blacksmith. “You dozy buggers! Cannot you stay on your feet?  If we were Saxons then Lord Gildas and I could have beaten you on our own!!” He saw me and looked to the heavens in supplication.  “Lord Gildas carry on with the training while I go to talk to the swimmer.” The story had been passed from the guards at the gate and was now all the way around the fort.

“I was looking for your father.  He said he wanted to speak with me at the feast the other night.”

“He went hunting.  To be honest Lann, he was not sure if you would be up and about today.”

I laughed. 
“I have a hard head and it takes more than a blow on the back of the head to make me slow down.  My men will be making longer bows over the next few days”

“Good.”

I felt obliged to add a little more information.”I did not want you to think ill of me, that I was shirking my job.”

He laughed and shook his
head. “Did my father not make it clear the other night? You are a commander.  As yet it is but forty men but soon you will be as I am the leader of a hundred.  Then when I have a thousand men, should the army become that big, then you will command more.  Yesterday did nothing to diminish your reputation.  It was enhanced.  Bladud has never been bested and you did it with consummate ease and little technique. I know, from our bouts, that I am not in your class but I can show you how to improve.”

“I didn’t know,” I added lamely.

“There are quarters for you in the main building you know, with Gildas and me.”

“Thank you but I think I will stay with my brothers.  I hope you are not offended.”

He clasped my arm, “Of course not.  They are family and family loyalty is more important than anything else.  I know that.  Soon my brothers will be fighting alongside me.  When that day comes then no-one will stop us."

By the time the king returned the bows were all made and were maturing after being treated.  We had taught the archers how to make arrows and, although they had only made two each, they had the technique and it was a job they could do in the long winter evenings which were drawing closer. We had also had many more recruits; these were men
who had heard of our victory over the Saxons.  After so many defeats it was a sign that the tide was turning at last. Our barrack block was full and a second was half filled.

I was summoned to the king’s private quarters on the evening of his return.  Ywain was there too and I stood awkwardly until the king asked me to sit.”I am sorry for Bladud’s attack on you.  It was uncalled for and he has been punished.” I shrugged. “You should know that he is a fearless warrior and I owe him my life but he is, shall we say, strong minded. I have spoken with him and it will not happen again.”

“It is forgotten.”

“Good, now before I turn to the main reason I wish to speak with you, could you tell me about this report of you retrieving a sword from the lake?”

I found myself blushing.  At the time I had thought it necessary, I suppose I still did but I wished that I had been more discreet. “My mother was someone who understood dreams.  When I was knocked out I dreamed she came to me and the sword was under water. It was lost.  She told me how to retrieve it. When you told me the story of the legend of the warrior with the blade I felt I needed to test it and I did.”

The king looked at me curiously.  Those who worship the White
Christ believe many magic things but not of people; for them the magic is the work of God. My mother believed that people could work magic too. “Surely you saw where you threw it and then went directly to it?”

“Why would I do that?  That would not prove anything would it?”

The king and his son exchanged an incredulous look. “You mean you risked losing the magnificent sword to see if your dream was true?”

“Of course.”

The king shook his head. Ywain was more curious.  “How did you find it?”

“I closed my eyes and saw it.”

“How could you see it with your eyes closed?”

“It was in my head and I saw it as clearly as I s
ee you now.  I put my hand down and the sword awaited me. I now know that it is a powerful weapon.  We have named it Saxon Slayer although there must be another name it was born with.  That is now lost.”

“May I see the blade?” I handed it to the king who took it from its scabbard. He hefted it from hand to hand. “It has a fine balance and I can see that it is well made. It does not look Roman.”

“No, I have not seen another like it.”

The king handed it back.  “I have.  There are swords like
this one in Hibernia but none are as well made as this one.” He shook himself as though to break the spell of the sword. “I know my son has spoken to you of our plans for you.  I will need leaders when we fight larger armies.  I need leaders on whom I can rely.  We watched you in the battle against the Saxons and you kept your head and you led well.” He glanced at his son.  “We would make you a lord.”

“Thank
you, your majesty, but I need no title. My rank is enough.  Will a title make men fight better? No, they will fight because I am one of them and they know me.”

“Not the answer I expected but a good answer.”

“What I would say, your majesty, is that I would like my archers armed with more than just bows. There were times, at the Roman fort, when they were watching because the combat between the swordsmen was too close. We have few enough men to allow them to watch their comrades fight. The next Saxon helms we capture I would like for my archers.  Six of the ones who died were struck in the head.  Had they had helmets they might have survived.”

“Very well.”

”Can I ask if you have found any Roman arms in the fort?”

“Some, why do you ask?”

“I discovered boxes of Roman equipment buried beneath the fort on the Dunum. It would give, all of our warriors helmets and armour.”

“Then we shall explore that possibility.  Brother Osric may be able to help.
I am pleased that we spoke for I now know your heart and that makes me happier.”

By the time the first snows had fallen the archers were fully trained and could send an arrow over a hundred and fifty paces and hit their target
each time. They all owned a sword and a dagger and over half of them, the ones who had fought with us, owned a helmet.  Aelle’s slingers too, were well trained. As we had a hundred archers and slingers I was now commander of a hundred and Ywain had five hundred men to fight in a shield wall. The king had managed to recruit ten more horsemen which swelled the whole army to six hundred and fifty.  A sobering thought was that that army we had defeated was only a little smaller than that and it was one of the smaller warbands.  We would have to rely on tactics and better warriors to defeat them.