Viking Treasure (12 page)

A week later and we were ready to sail. Sigtrygg and Asbjorn joined us.  Ragnar and some of my son's warriors also asked for a berth. Haaken told me that Wolf Killer had appointed his Jarl. He was happy.  Einar Thordson was a serious warrior and Haaken was certain he would make a good jarl.  Already more warriors had flocked to join my son.  His warband would be soon up to strength.  I was relieved my land would be protected by my son and his Wild Boars.

We had said farewell to Gunnstein who sailed to Dyflin to meet up with his brother. Our five ships made a fine sight as we sailed south.  '
Red Snake'
led the way and '
Crow'
brought up the rear. We had heard that there were drekar at Man now.  We sailed close together as we passed that island haunt of pirates.  We were too big a mouthful for them. We kept the same formation when we sailed through the waters close to Wyddfa.  The Mercians held the island but it paid to be careful.  Once we were through that narrow passage we allowed a greater gap between ships and settled down to a long voyage through waters filled with enemies.

I stood at the steering board with Erik and Aiden. "Did you find any of Josephus' family?"

"We did. They prosper.  I told them I would sail again at the end of the summer and trade with them.  I hope I have your approval."

"You do and if this raid is successful then we will have much gold to spend in Miklagård."

"I was given some more of Josephus' charts.  His family found them after he had died. They are of the waters north of the Pillars of Hercules. We used them coming home."

"Even after his death he is proving he is loyal."

"I think it is more than that Jarl." I looked at Aiden.  "I think this is
wyrd
. Remember who was Josephus' master. Rurik of Dorestad.  His son reappears and these charts are discovered. Christians could not explain it but I believe it is Josephus helping us from the Otherworld."

His words set me to thinking. My reverie lasted a whole day but as we approached Syllingar thoughts of Josephus were driven from my mind. As we sailed close to those mystic islands I found myself clutching my dragon amulet. Each time I descended into the witch's cave I wondered if it would be my last. It was like going down to Hel.  When we passed you could feel the relief aboard our drekar.

The men began to row for the winds were from the north and east.

The storm was wild and the gods did roam

The enemy closed on the Prince's home

Two warriors stood on a lonely tower

Watching, waiting for hour on hour.

The storm came hard and Odin spoke

With a lightning bolt the sword he smote

Ragnar's Spirit burned hot that night

It glowed, a beacon shiny and bright

The two they stood against the foe

They were alone, nowhere to go

They fought in blood on a darkened hill

Dragon Heart and Cnut will save us still

Dragon Heart, Cnut and the Ulfheonar

Dragon Heart, Cnut and the Ulfheonar

The storm was wild and the Gods did roam

The enemy closed on the Prince's home

Two warriors stood on a lonely tower

Watching, waiting for hour on hour.

The storm came hard and Odin spoke

With a lightning bolt the sword he smote

Ragnar's Spirit burned hot that night

It glowed, a beacon shiny and bright

The two they stood against the foe

They were alone, nowhere to go

They fought in blood on a darkened hill

Dragon Heart and Cnut will save us still

Dragon Heart, Cnut and the Ulfheonar

Dragon Heart, Cnut and the Ulfheonar

Ragnar and Gruffyd enjoyed the song and no one sang harder than Cnut Cnutson.  This was his father's song. We began to overtake
'Odin's Breath'
.  I was about to tell them to slow down when we saw three Saxon ships suddenly emerge from an estuary. Another mile or two and we would have missed them for we were about to turn and head due south for Frankia.  It was the shortest crossing we used. They had seen
'Red Snake'
.  It must have looked like a tasty morsel for them. They had only seen
'Odin's Breath'
as a consort. She was little bigger than
'Red Snake'
.  Our speed meant we began to overhaul the smaller drekar. The Saxons were so intent upon catching the lithe drekar that they did not see us until we were less than half a mile from them. As they tried to turn away from my huge ship they were taken aback. The wind which had raced them to their prey now betrayed them and they almost stopped in the water as they tried to turn.

As we passed Asbjorn's drekar I shouted, "We will try to take them.  Signal Raibeart to turn!"

This was too good an opportunity to miss.  The men of Wessex would be taught a lesson and who knew what treasure we might pick up. Erik steered us directly into the wind and we used just the power of our rowers.  I wanted to cut the Saxons off from the north west.  They would have to sail into the teeth of the wind.  They had few rowers. Once we had passed them we would turn and Erik would use the wind. Luck or the incompetence of the captains came to our aid.  Two of the Saxon ships rammed each other.  Their bows crashed together and their rigging became entangled.

"Hard over, Erik! To arms!" I turned to Ragnar and Gruffyd.  "Stay here and use your bows!"

I drew my sword and pulled out my seax.  I would not need my shield. Erik brought us skilfully next to the stern of the nearest entangled Saxon.  Our ship's boys furled the sail.  Olaf Leather Neck hurled a grappling hook which tied us together and then leapt aboard swinging his axe. My men poured over the side.  I landed on the deck and parried the spear thrust at me with Ragnar's Spirit.  I stabbed the warrior in the stomach with my seax.  He fell writhing to the deck. Asbjorn and Raibeart had managed to attack the third Saxon by placing their drekar on either side of it.  We raced over the deck of the Saxon ship tethered to our own and followed Olaf Leather Neck and Rolf Horse Killer as they hurtled towards the shield wall of warriors on the last Saxon vessel.

My men had fought on ships before.  The Saxons were not so experienced. Whoever had decided to attack a pair of Viking ships must have had brain fever or a death wish. Olaf and Rolf took a wide stance and lowered their knees as they swung. Their axes smashed into shields and knocked already unbalanced Saxons to the deck.  Haaken and Cnut Cnutson led the rest of my warriors to smash through the already weakened shield wall. Swords flashed mercilessly.  Shields were punched at terrified faces.  I ran to the stern where the captain and helmsman were protected by four mailed warriors.

Finni the Dreamer, Rollo Thin Skin and Snorri were behind me and we ran to the men in mail. I think the four of them were confident that their mail would protect them.  They were wrong. I blocked the sword strike with my own and then stabbed down with my seax.  It had a wicked point and pierced the mail. It grated off the kneecap of the man I fought.  As his weakened leg gave way I raised my sword for the kill.  The Captain lunged at my side.  If it had struck it would have wounded me but two arrows flew before me and struck him in the head.  I finished off my wounded warrior and looked to see who had released the arrows.  It was my son and grandson. The helmsman did not wait for death but jumped overboard. Those without mail joined him and those with mail threw theirs off before they abandoned their ship.  The ships were ours!

Beorn the Scout shouted, "Jarl, this one is holed.  It will soon sink!"

"Take what you can aboard our own drekar.  Ran can have them as a sacrifice and to give thanks for her bounty!"

I stripped the mail from the warrior I had slain and took his warrior rings.  He had a good sword, seax and a pouch with coins.  I would give the mail to one of the younger warriors.  I did not need it. The sword I would give to Ragnar and the seax to Gruffyd.  I had no doubt we would find more bounty in Neustria. By the time we boarded our own drekar the two Saxon ships were low in the water.  Our last two drekar had joined Raibeart and Asbjorn.  The last Saxon ship was aflame.  We did not leave drifting ships of the dead to haunt these waters.  We would send them to the bottom.

My son and grandson awaited me, "Thank you for your arrows.  Here are gifts for you."

They took them gratefully. I watched as the holed Saxon ship sank beneath the waves. It was still entangled with the other and with a flurry of foaming water it too followed its consort to the bottom of the sea. Perhaps some of the crew would make it to shore and tell the other Saxons of the disaster but more likely it would remain a mystery.

We had taken shelter, when we came south, in small isolated bays. We could not do that this close to the land of Wessex.  They would be watching for us.  We rowed due south all night. The wind helped us. Instead of having two  men to an oar we had just one and the other slept. The crew swapped over half way through the night.   We would lay up close by the small islands which the Romans called Caesarea and Sarnia. People lived there but there were so few of them that they presented no threat to us at all. Most importantly they were just a few hours from the Breton and Neustrian coasts. There were over twenty of them but only six had people who lived upon them.  I had wondered if these had been the islands which Jarl Gunnar Thorfinnson used but his brother had told me that it was a single island and was much further south.  Perhaps one day someone would colonise these and make them Norse.  They would make raiding the mainland much easier and they would be easy to defend.

I slept and Aiden watched.  He would help Erik to navigate.  At night time we changed the order so that we led and kept a lantern at the stern to guide the others. I awoke to find us at anchor. We had reached an island. There was just a deck watch.  I sent Aiden to bed and roused Haaken and Snorri.  They had had a long sleep.  We went to the prow.  We were facing east.

"Aiden says that it is about a hundred miles to the mouth of the estuary and then eighty or so along the twisting river. Jarl Gunnar did the river part himself and his brother told us of the dangers. We leave tomorrow at noon. There are two small ports close to the mouth of the estuary.  One is to the north and one to the south.  We can do nothing about them.  If we are spotted then so be it. I want us to row along the river during daylight.  I will not risk a drekar being sunk.  That way we can attack at dawn.  Snorri you and Beorn will be landed five miles from Rouen.  Aiden's charts are accurate." I smiled, "The parchments showed the distances. We need to know if the tax ships have left.  They should not have but it pays to be careful. We rely on speed to take them.  We do not need to tackle the town.  It is the ships and their treasure that we want."

"Are you certain they will leave it on board? If it was my gold I would keep it in my hall, guarded!"

"Aye Haaken, you would think so but the parchments say that the gold will be kept in the holds and there will be guards at the gangplanks."

Snorri nodded, "It is easier to guard one entrance to a ship rather than a whole hall."

"I will use the men of Cyninges-tūn to shift the treasure.  Asbjorn, Sigtrygg and Raibeart can take the ships.  We will use Cnut Cnutson and the Ulfheonar to stop reinforcements. We have spears and the ship's boys can use arrows."

Haaken chuckled, "You are gambling, Jarl. I like that.  We are throwing the bones and hoping for as many spots as we can. The Allfather likes such bravery."

"You are right Haaken we do gamble but I want just one raid this year for Ragnar Ruriksson is still out there.  We have him to deal with.  When we do I would not leave our land undefended. We seek him with one crew; mine!"

"And then you build from stone?"

"And then we build from stone.  The walls at Seddes' Burgh would not have fallen as easily if they had had a stone base and stone gates.  Gunnar Thorfinnson told me that they have stone towers at their new home of Olafstad.  If they can make such a tower then our Greek mason should be able to build something much bigger and better!"

As we waited for the sun to come up I wondered if the Weird Sisters would allow us to make it as easy as that.