Saxon Dawn (Wolf Brethren) (31 page)

By the time Gildas brought the army over we were rested, dry and had better arms than before. I gathered the men around me.  Gildas as always had deferred to me as had my brothers.  This was, in the absence of the king, my army. “
The King and Prince Ywain have gone north to the fort on the Tyne close to the old Roman wall.  Between us and them is a Saxon army of two thousand men.  The only chance we have of defeating them is to get to the fort before they do.  That means marching all day and all night.  I have promised the king that we can do it.  Can we?”

The roar told me that we could and we set off at a steady pace.  The two young princes brought up the rear, Gildas was in the middle and I walked with my brothers at the front.  “The problem is the wagons Lann
. “

“I know Raibeart, they are slow and they are noisy.”

“I was just wondering how they would fare once we left the road as we must if we are to overtake the Saxons.”

”We could use the ponies of the despatch riders.” We looked at quiet thoughtful Aelle and waited for him to elaborate, as we knew he would.  “When we are close to the Saxons we empty the wagons and load the draught animals and the ponies and leave the wagons. Once we have lost the Saxons we can return to the road.”

And that was what we did.  I rode ahead on Blackie to spy out the Saxon army.  My brothers objected but, as I told them, I had the most experience of scouting and the best horse.  They could not argue with either statement. As the afternoon drew towards night I rode hard.  I saw, ahead, the glow in the distance which marked their camp.  I left the road and entered the forest. I had to make sure they were camping and they were and I needed to find an alternate route north.  I rode back a mile down the road and waited for the army.  They were not long. The column halted and we began to unhitch the horses while Raibeart told the despatch riders that they would now be leading their ponies. I sent Aelle and Gildas and the bulk of the army through the forest to the west of the road.  Aelle would ensure their silence and I would bring up the rear with Raibeart, the pack animals and my own warriors.

I was acutely aware, as we made our way along what was little more than a footpath
, that it only took one inquisitive Saxon or one with a weak bladder to end our hopes of passing them without incident.  I hoped that whoever had watched over me until now would continue to do so. The despatch riders excelled themselves. They knew their ponies well and they coaxed and guided them with the aplomb of a wizened old carter.  My brothers had bows at the ready as did Garth and my men.  When I saw the glow fade into the distance I knew that one part of this impossible task was over. I led the horses through the trees to the road some eight hundred paces distant.  When I reached it I saw Gildas and the princes, relief exuding from their faces.

“Well done but now it is the hard part of this enterprise.  We have another twenty miles to go before dawn and, unless I miss my guess, it is about to piss down with rain!”

I was indeed prophetic and the rain soaked through every item of clothing.  What it was doing to the armour did not bear thinking about but we kept on going. I saw a warrior sat on a milestone at the side of the road.  “What is the matter warrior?”

“I am sorry my lord but I cannot go any further.”

“Do you see these young lads, these despatch riders?  Are they stopping or are they dragging themselves and their ponies. No. If you stay here then the Saxons will find you I the morning and they will gut you like a fish. “

“But sir I am tired. I cannot march another twenty miles.”

I nodded. “A fair point.  Could you march another one hundred paces?” I added in a wheedling tone. “One hundred, that does not sound so bad does it?”

He struggled to his feet. “A hundred paces? I could do that.” And he did.  I made sure that every time he stopped I was close by and I just inclined my head.  He even started grinning.  “Another hundred then is it?”

I rested the men after ten miles. They ate some dried meat and sipped some water although they were so wet that water was the last thing that they needed and then we went on.  We were five miles from the fort, according to the milestones when dawn broke from the east.  The rain did not stop but the sun gave the men hope and even my reluctant walker smiled at me and said.  “Just a few miles to go now, my lord.  We might actually make it!”

I had to keep chivvying the men at the back to keep up for I was not sure how fast the Saxon horde would move.  I did not know what time they would have broken camp.  If they caught us now then we were finished for no
-one could fight yet. It was with some relief that we heard the hooves of Prince Ywain’s men as they rode to meet us. “Just two miles to go, and my father has ordered food to be made ready.

“These men need some sleep then food. Did your men get some rest?”

“Aye we arrived before the sun set.  They are rested. If the Saxons come today we will have warning.”

I almost collapsed with relief.  If my men could only get a few hours sleep then we stood a chance.  Then it would just depend
upon the capricious Morcant Bulc. If he came in time then we had a chance and if not then our friends would only find a pile of bleached bones.

The king insisted that we slept first before the princes and Gildas. He knew that we had had the fight and the earlier start the previous day.  I felt like I had just put my head on the ground when I felt his arm rouse me. “It is noon and the Saxons are five miles
distant.”

I jumped to my feet.  “Has everyone had a rest?”

King Urien smiled.  “Yes Lord Lann, even the princes and the despatch riders.  Like you they only had a few hours sleep but with hot food inside them they are prepared. However now we must prepare our battle for I fear Morcant Bulc will not arrive before the Saxons.”

The fort had been built to withstand attacks from the north and the defences to the south were not as extensive.  The king and I walked the frontage of the wall.  There was a rudimentary ditch which had been gradually filled in.  We would not have the time to deepen it. “We could fill it with these,” I held the strange pieces of metal we had recovered from the fort in my hand.

His face lit up.  “These are caltrops and were used by the Romans.  They are so made that, no mater which way they land there is always a point sticking up.  They were used against cavalry but you are right they will hurt the Saxons and slow them down and that is what we need to do; slow them down to allow our allies to reach us.”

“I will get the men to cut down some of those trees to fashion stakes.  It will
delay them and allow our archers more time to thin them out before they reach me and my shield wall.”

The king looked to the left and the right.  His horsemen would be at a disadvantage.  They would have to charge up hill but at least their presence would deter a flanking attack. “I
think we will use the same tactic we did on the wall.  Place the archers and slingers on top and the shield wall before it.”

I looked at the wall he spoke of.  It was barely as tall as my leg to the knee but it would allow them to fight over our heads and the wall would prevent us being pushed back.  I also reflected that it would cut off our retreat.  I knew, however that retreat was not an option we would stand and fight and either win or die.

“Garth, organise some of the axe men to cut down some trees and make them into stakes I will show you where to place them.  Lord Gildas sow those strange metal devices we found in the ditch.” 

He looked puzzled, “I thought they were badly made nails.”

“No the king says they are called caltrops and designed that way.”

While they went off I sought Aelle and Raibeart. “
We will fight as we did on the wall again.  Aelle put your boys on the flanks of Raibeart’s men and you can all stand on the stump of the wall.  It will give you a clear line of sight over my men.”

“When do we loose? 
As soon as we see them?”

“No, we are putting traps in the ditch.  If you can send three flights before they reach it then we may sow confusion.  I am placing stakes after the ditch to slow them down then.  By that time you will be choosing your targets.”

“Come brother let us pace out the distances and put markers where we want to hit.” I noticed the ever reliable Garth organising the men to drive in the stakes just behind the ditch.  There were not enough of them but they would break up the Saxon line and that would, inevitably, help.

I strode back to the camp to don my armour and my helmet.  The enemy were not in sight but when they came I would not have any time and I suspected I would be wearing it for the foreseeable future. Aideen had told me she could sew and so it proved.  She had made me a padded undergarment to wear beneath my armour and it stopped the chafing I had suffered.  She also made a small cap out of the same goose down filled cloth and I wore that beneath my helmet. I had not been idle on the winter nights, after we had satisfied each other; I had made leather coverings for the
back of my hands.  I had studded them with nails.  I had witnessed warriors losing fingers as a blade had slid along the sword guard.  No fingers on a battle field meant death.  The palms were uncovered but they were protected any way.  I had tried them out and I could even loose an arrow wearing them. Finally I donned my wolf cloak over my helmet and my armour.  I was as protected as I was going to be.

I drew my sword and my daggers and went to the grindstone where I sharpened all three blades.  The other men stood in awe, watching the sparks fly from the sword know as Saxon Slayer. It was hard to believe that this shepherd boy of five years hence was now a champion with a reputation.

I heard the thunder of hooves and hurried to our lines. Other warriors had raced there too and it was with some relief that we saw it was Ywain and his men. There was one empty saddle.  “They are a mile down the road. They attacked us with their scouts and archers. We lost one but they lost ten.”

“The king wants your men on the left flank. He will be on the right.”

Just then the king rode up to me. “Better get your shield wall in position. I will wait here until we see what they intend.”

I looked at him, “I would have thought that was obvious your majesty, they want to kill us.”

He smiled, “True but there are many ways to fight a battle and we must respond to our enemy’s decision.”

I
turned to see the shield wall in position.  Garth and Gildas had left a place for me in the front rank.  The second and third ranks held spears and were ready to make the front appear as a hedgehog with bristling spikes. I had placed the better men, my men and those of my brothers in the middle.  I placed the two prince’s men on the flanks near to the horsemen where there would be less risk. The king and I stood together a few paces before the Saxons. The sun was already beyond its zenith.  I did not want a night battle which would suit the Saxons but we were in no position to dictate how the battle would be fought.  I could see, as band after band emerged from the forests on either side of the road, that we were well outnumbered. The slope on the other side showed them forming ranks, heavy with mailed and armed warriors.  Their ranks bristled with swords and axes. They were intent on victory.

Four men left their ranks.  From their arms and standards they were chiefs at the very least. The king turned to me, “Lord Lann, Lord Gildas accompany me and
one more thing Lord Lann,” he smiled, “bring your standard.”

“Garth, bring the standard.”

The four men waited for us and we rode down the road, carefully avoiding the ditch and its traps. They spoke first and they spoke in Saxon. King Urien looked at me and I translated. “This is King Ida of Bernicia and King Aella of Deira.  They want to know why you have barred the way to their lands.  They say Rheged is to the west.”

“Tell King Ida that after we threw him from Metcauld I thought he had fled back across the sea to lick his wounds.” Garth and Gildas grinned at that but when I translated King Ida’s face filled with fury.  He was restrained by King Aella who looked to be a more thoughtful king and less reckless.

He spoke. “King Aella repeats the question.  He says the two kings are heading north to reclaim King Ida’s land from the usurper, Morcant Bulc.” Even as I translated I was angry that we were, once again, fighting Morcant Bulc’s battles for him.

“This land was once the land of Rheged before the Angles and the Saxons stole it.  Tell them that the only way across this bridge is over our dead bodies.”

The two kings withdrew to confer. “Very well then you will die.”

After I had translated the king shrugged, “We all die
sometime; it is the manner of the death which is important.”

Both of them seemed to agree with that and then King Aella said cunningly, “You are Lord Lann the one they call the Wolf Warrior.”I nodded.  King Aella pointed to his front rank.
“Karl there is my champion and his brother was slain by you close to Din Guardi.”

“I slew many
Saxons; it is hard to remember them all.”

K
ing Ida bristled but was restrained, “He had a helmet much like the one you are wearing now but yours appears grander.”

“I remember now.  Yes it is his helmet which I have improved but he was not an honourable man for one of his men attacked me with an axe while I was killing his lord.”