Saxon Fall (4 page)

“It is the land of your brother and you are its steward. If I had wanted them dead I would not have wasted my time returning here with them.” I was weary and I did not choose my words wisely, “I am tired but my warriors and I will spill blood here if you dispute my decision. It matters not to me!”

Fergus spoke, “Prince Fiachra we have our people back.  The prisoners are payment to the Warlord.”

I was grateful to Fergus.  He had given me a diplomatic way out of the dilemma.  Had Myrddyn been awake he might have counselled me but we had let the old man sleep on.

“Very well, Warlord, but we will speak more of this in the morning.”

“I would have your guards be vigilant, Prince Fiachra.  The
Uí Néill
may be hot on our heels.  I do not believe this is over yet.”

He looked at me in surprise which confirmed my opinion of him that he was not the cleverest of leaders.

It was Myrddyn who woke me the next morning.  He was shaking his head as he handed me the warm beaker of honeyed beer.  “I can see that either Gawan or I must be with you at all times. You are a warrior and a good one but you know not how to control your words!”

I smiled.  Myrddyn was as close to a grandfather as I had and he was right. “In my defence I was tired.”

“I know but you are Warlord think on that. You have a greater responsibility than just to yourself. Now tell me all.” When I had finished telling him of the pursuit, the fight and the conversations I had had he nodded. “Had you not upset the Prince then I might be praising you for doing so well.” He turned to leave, “I will now go and speak with the Prince and use my honeyed tongue.  You need to speak with the prisoners.  We shall need them sooner rather than later.”

He was still enigmatic but I was pleased that he was on my side. I went to the prisoners who were still bound. I took out my dagger and slit the bonds of Aengus.  “Come we will walk and we will talk.”

I saw that it was almost noon and a bright blue sky greeted us as we stepped out into the light.  Aengus shielded his eyes from the sun’s glare.

“Well Aengus, have you thought on my words?”

“I have but I have questions for you.”

I gave him a thin smile, “And you are in a position to make bargains?”

He shrugged, “If it is my time to die then so be it but I would know all before I answer you.”

“Very well ask away.  My wizard has mellowed me.”

He nodded, “He spoke with us when he brought us drink this morning.  Is it true he once flew into a castle and killed a king?”

“Is that one of your questions?”

“No, but I am curious.”

“He and my father did go to Din Guardi and slew King Morcant Bulc but they did not tell me how they did it.  He is a powerful wizard.”

“What is it you wish me and my men to do? There are but a handful of us.”

“I have more than just your band in mind.  I intend to hire two boat loads.”

“Then we will not be fighting in Hibernia?”

“No, you will be fighting Saxons.”

That seemed to please him. “Already I am more inclined to serve you.  And what would we be paid?”

“I will arm you and your men, give you a boat and pay twenty gold pieces.”

“In return for?”

“That I will tell you when you have agreed and when I have all the warriors I need.”

He seemed satisfied. “Then I am your man.” He held his hand out and I clasped it.

“You speak for all of your men?”

“I do.”

“Then let us go back and speak with them for I fear we may need your skills before the day is out.” When we returned to the Hibernian prisoners I slit the bonds binding them.  They looked from me to Aengus. “Your chief has pledged his word that you will work for me.  I will now take an oath from him but all of you will be bound by this oath.  Is that clear?” They all looked to Aengus who nodded.  They stood and inclined their heads. I took out Saxon Slayer and held the blade towards Aengus. “Swear an oath on this blade to be my man and not to take up arms against me or my people.”

I saw him hesitate when he saw the gleaming blade but he put his hands upon it and said, “I so swear and we are your men unto death.”

Pol and my men had appeared during this. “Give them some arms Pol.  I must speak with the Prince.”

I found Myrddyn and Fergus with the Prince.  They all looked up when I came in.  The two Hibernians had the guilty look of someone caught talking about another. I took the bull by the horns.  “I have just hired the prisoners and armed them.  They will fight for me.”

Myrddyn shook his head and rolled his eyes at the sky. Fiachra said, “The wizard has told us of your plan. Why did you not explain that to me, Warlord?”

“I would have done but you needed me to recapture your people did you not?”

“I did.  Fergus tells me that the
Uí Néill
will come here.”

“I believe so.  If they do not then it is a sign of weakness.  The fact that they hired these men to make war is evidence that all is not well. I believe that they will come and if we can defeat them then you will have peace for some time.”

Fergus nodded, “And you will be able to pay for more of us to fight for you?” I inclined my head. Myrddyn nodded his approval. He turned to Fiachra.  “Then, Prince Fiachra, when we have defeated the
Uí Néill
I would serve the Warlord.”

Fiachra nodded his agreement. 

“But you know not what I ask.”

“From what I have seen Warlord it will be something worthwhile and it will be away from Hibernia. I am your man.”

“Then swear on the sword.” He did as Aengus had done. “You will be swearing for your men.  How many do you bring?”

“The ones who followed you and recaptured our families.”

“Good. And now I will get cleaned up, eat and prepare to fight.”

Fiachra said, “You know they are coming?”

I pointed to Myrddyn, “Tell them, wizard.”

“The Warlord is correct.  They will be here this night.  You had best have your men clear the ditches and lay traps.  Water and food should be gathered for we know not their numbers and they may lay siege to this oppidum.”

As the fort was prepared for war and I washed I worked out that I had one boatful of warriors.  I now needed a second. It was
wyrd
.  If we fought I would see the mettle of the Hibernians I was going to buy. Myrddyn was so far seeing; what would I do without him?

I took Myrddyn and joined Pol and Prince Fiachra. “I will use two of my men as scouts to warn us of the arrival of these men.”

Fiachra asked, “Can you be so sure they will come tonight?  They might not have missed the prisoners yet.”

“Firstly Myrddyn is never wrong.” The wizard had his normal smug and self satisfied face. “Secondly we found them but half a day from the coast. They would be missed.  We did not bury the bodies.  They will come.”

We had much to do.  The walls were not the strongest I had ever seen and the ditch had been full of rubbish discarded from the oppidum.  It was now clear of the spoil of the fort and the sides were steeper.  Pol and my men had managed to embed a few stakes on the south facing side.  It was not ideal but it was better than nothing. I told Fiachra that all of the men who had been on the raid needed sleep and that included our new allies. I had had to use Pol and my men to protect Aengus and the others from the wrath of their captives. The fact that there had been a chief of the
Uí Néill
leading the raid seemed to have escaped their notice. They wanted vengeance on the survivors even though they were hired swords.

Although all of the recaptured Hibernians were less than happy with me it was Fergus’ sister, Aileen, who kept giving me the blackest glances.  She would be no friend to me.

I needed no waking.  I was up before night fell.  I washed, dressed and then ate.  Pol and the others woke while I was eating.  Myrddyn appeared. He had a happy smile upon his face. I knew what it meant.  “You have been busy wizard?”

“I have prepared a few surprises for our nocturnal visitors.”

“How are the Hibernians?”

“Worried. They are more used to cattle raids than assaults on their oppidum.  That is why they had let the ditch fall into disrepair.”

I nodded and strapped on Saxon Slayer. “Come let us go to the walls.”

Myrddyn shook his head. “No, Warlord, leave the men of the village to do that.  We do not want our attackers to know that we have almost forty men that they know nothing about.  They will know the number of warriors within these walls.  If they see helmets and armour on the ramparts then they will be suspicious.  We want them confident and eager to punish Fiachra and his warriors.”

It made sense but I could not see how it helped us. “What do we do then?”

“I will wait upon the walls.  When they come, you and our new allies will wait by the gate. It is not a well made obstruction and they will easily break it down.  I have prepared the ditches to discourage their use. When they come through the gates then you can kill them.”

I saw Pol nodding his approval.  It made perfect sense. They would burst through thinking that they had won.  There would be no order to them and we would have the advantage. My men were better than any three Hibernians who often fought without a shield and always without armour.

“Very well. Pol, bring Aengus here with his men so that I can show them how we fight.”

Fergus and his warriors joined Myrddyn and became the sentries on the wall; they waited. I noticed that Myrddyn had two torches on the gate tower.  I shook my head. That was a mistake a warrior would not have made.  It ruined night vision. I contemplated removing them and then I realised that I would be seen if I did so and the enemy would be watching us.  It probably did not matter as we just needed the raiders to break through the gate.

We lay down to conserve our strength but none of us slept.  I watched the moon rise and wondered if they would come this night or wait until dawn.  Would we have had a lost night’s sleep for no reason? A short while later my question was answered when one of Fergus’ men plunged from the ramparts transfixed by an arrow. We rose silently and I led my men towards the gate. We made a wedge with me at the centre. Aengus’ men were just behind us. I saw Fiachra ordering his warriors to throw spears and rocks. Fergus did the same on the other side of the gate. Suddenly I saw Myrddyn hurl a torch to the left and then one to the right. A wall of flame erupted along both sides of the gate and I heard the screams of burning warriors.  Fergus and his men cheered.

Aengus came to me, “Is it over, Warlord?”

“No, Aengus.  That is just one of my wizard’s tricks. He has driven them from the ditches and the only way left to them is the gate.  They will enter soon enough.”

I heard the axes as they began to hack a way through the poorly maintained gates.  The men of the village continued to harass the attackers.  It would infuriate them all the more and make them desperate to get at us.  That all worked in our favour. I saw cracks appearing in the wood of the gate. Had it been daylight I would have seen the attackers on the other side.

“Ready your weapons but wait for my command!”

My men chorused, “Aye, Warlord!”

Suddenly an axe severed the retaining bar and the wooden gates crashed open.  The warriors swinging their weapons to break in had tumbled to the floor.  When the ones rushing from behind tripped over them, I shouted, “Charge!”

I held Saxon Slayer just behind me.  One of the warriors was just struggling to his feet when I swung it sideways.  He had a helmet but no protection for his neck and the blade sliced through it and decapitated him.  So powerful was the blow that his head flew through the air. I smashed the edge of my shield on the head of the man who was to my left and stabbed forward with Saxon Slayer at the same time. Another warrior, who had just risen, took the sword in his unprotected middle. My men slew the ones in the gateway and I ran on to the bridge over the ditch.  I had time to see men writhing in the ditch; they were covered in flames.  Myrddyn had used one of his tricks. The shocked warriors who were left were gathering on the far side of the ditch; now was not the time of self congratulation.

I held Saxon Slayer aloft and shouted, “Rheged!” My men surged after me.  I recognised a chief by his helmet, long hair and fine cloak. He too had a shield but I gambled that it was not as good as mine.  I swung my sword overhand as I braced my shield for the strike of his blade. I heard a crack as his sword struck my shield.  My sword travelled the full length of my swing and when it struck the shield it smashed it in two and continued to sever his left arm. He looked in shock at his arm and I plunged my sword into his chest.

When he fell the heart went from the raiders. The rest turned and ran. “Aengus, Fergus after them!”

The Hibernians were better suited to a foot race. We went around the wounded raiders despatching them. Fiachra came to join me. His face was filled with both joy and amazement. “There were over eighty warriors and yet you went through them as though they were grass.”

I tapped my shield with my sword, “A good shield and armour make all the difference. Look at the shield where the chief struck it.” He examined it in the light from the flaming ditch.  “The leather is ripped and that is all.  When I return home I will refit a new leather cover.  Make good shields.  They cost little and save lives.”

He nodded.  “What did your wizard conjure in the ditch?”

I shrugged, “I do not know nor do I need to know.  That is why I have a wizard so that he can do such things.”

Dawn began to break and we had the gruesome task of removing the charred, burned bodies from the ditch. We piled them together away from the ditch.  The villagers could dispose of them later. We salvaged all the weapons that we could. There were some helmets which Aengus and Fergus could use.  One or two of the swords and axes were usable too but most of them were only fit for melting down and using for arrow heads or sling shot.

The warriors returned during the morning. One or two sported wounds but they had not lost any.  A fleeing man is always easier to kill; he has his back to you. In their arms they carried the captured weapons from the raiders they had despatched.  I was pleased to note that they now spoke to each other as they returned.  They had fought on the same side and they had won. That helps to build bonds.

When they reached us I pointed to the captured weapons and helmets.  “Divide those amongst yourselves. I am going now for your ships. I may be away for almost a month.  Be ready when I return.  I need the same number as you are again and so if you can recruit any warriors into your bands then they can have the same terms.”

Aengus nodded.  “I will go to the villages close to my home.  Many of those bear no love for the new king there.  I may be able to get more.”

“And I will find the young warriors close by here, Warlord.  They will be keen for glory, combat and coin.”

I returned to the oppidum and spoke with Fiachra. “I have my warriors now. My two new captains will be recruiting more men. If I were you I would repair the gates.  You should not have any trouble from the raiders; at least not for this year. Their chiefs have been killed and they have marked the road home with their dead. They may come again but you should have more warriors trained by then.” I pointed south. “You need to have eyes and ears there to watch for danger.”

“Thank you, Warlord.”

As I passed my new mercenaries, still dividing the booty and haggling over the better pieces I said, “Any more warriors will be sworn to me as you are.”

“Yes Warlord.”

We marched back to the beach.  I had done what I intended and I had the beginnings of a mercenary army. This was like the game with wooden pieces we had played in Constantinopolis, zatrikion.  You moved one piece to disguise the move of another. I would relieve the pressure on my island by threatening Manau.  I would then use the distraction to attack deep into the Northumbrian heartland.  I was taking the war to the Saxons.

With the recently captured Saxon ship we had two vessels for the mercenaries to use.  Daffydd had two young captains for them.  Both were keen to become masters and this would be the start.  I had no doubt that neither Fergus nor Aengus would have any experience of sailing. My own captains, Tuanthal, Gawan and Lann Aelle had not been idle either. We now had a bigger force than when I had left.  We could field sixty equites, twenty five squires and thirty mounted archers. The squires were a mixture: formerly they had been those young men who had shown skill in riding and would spend some years training with an equite and learning how to fight. Latterly they were a mixture of some of the older squires and youths of just fifteen summers. What they all had in common were skills in riding and with weapons.  When we found them armour then the older ones would join the ranks of the equites. They were the weapon our enemies feared.  As well as those fighting men we also had the last three scouts who were left from Aedh’s elite. Felan, Dai and Aed would have to do the job of ten men until we acquired more skilled scouts.

I left my men to head north.  I took Lann Aelle’s eldest son, Pelas.  He was just fourteen summers old but he could ride and he was desperate to be a warrior. We sailed aboard the
’Gwynfor’
with Myrddyn and accompanied the two Saxon ships.  We also carried spare arrows and fodder.  I aimed to make a cache of supplies closer to home than Deva. I had brought with me my father’s shield and gave my dragon shield to Pelas. The time at sea had given me the time to think and plan.

As we headed towards the north eastern coast of Hibernia he asked me why. “I am honoured that you give me the shield which you bore into so many battles but I would know why.” He hesitated.  “Does it have bad luck?”

I laughed, “No, just the opposite but when I last used it someone said that the Warlord was associated with the wolf. They were right.  I have my dragon standard.  By using my father’s shield I keep his memory alive.  Besides I use his sword. Do not worry Pelas, the shield will protect you.”

He nodded.  After glancing at Myrddyn who appeared to be asleep he said, “Why does not Myrddyn fly and save the voyage across the waters?”

I saw the smile on Myrddyn’s face and knew he was not asleep.  He allowed me to answer, “So that he can watch over the two of us.  A wizard should not waste his powers but use them judiciously.” I pointed to the coastline which was just appearing over the horizon. “And now, Pelas son of Lann Aelle., you need to learn your duties.  As well as keeping Saxon Slayer sharp, cleaning my armour and watching over Star I would have you keep your eyes and ears open whenever we are with those you do not know.  Sometimes young eyes and ears can pick up things which I miss.  Just because you are standing in the shadows does not mean that you are not serving me. Understand?”

“Yes Warlord, my father told me what to do.  He impressed upon me that I must not let you down,” he hesitated, “as Morcar did your father.”

“Do not worry, Pelas that was as much my fault as it was Morcar. I should have been more aware of his heart.  That will not happen again.”

When we reached the beach we manhandled the two horses ashore.  Myrddyn decided to explore the beach and see what he could find. He managed to unearth treasures wherever he went.  What to me was a strange type of grass would prove to be an herb of inestimable value.

We rode to the oppidum and reached it far quicker than the first time we had come. It was a well sited hill fort and Fiachra had heeded my words; it had been repaired and improved. He would not be caught as easily a second time.  He and my new warriors came down to meet with me.  Their ranks had swollen to fifty.  They also had their women with them. I was not certain how they would fare. The ruthless side of me did not care.  So long as they occupied the Northumbrians on Manau then my plan would have succeeded.  However, no matter how much I tried to be totally ruthless once I had fought with someone and they had sworn an oath to me I felt bound to protect them.  I wanted these warriors and their families to win.

I clasped hands with Fiachra who had a huge smile upon his face. “It is good to see you, Warlord.”

“And you, Prince Fiachra. What has made you happy?”

“The
Uí Néill
came to sue for peace. It seems they feared our wrath and thought that you were intent upon conquest.”

“You did not tell them that I had no interest in their lands?”

He smiled, he was gaining guile.  “The question never came up and I am not to blame for another’s thoughts am I?”

I clapped him about the shoulders.  “Your brother would be proud of you.” I pointed to Fergus and Aengus who were waiting with the men. “These are now my oathsworn but when they have finished my task they may return to their home.” I was warning him, as diplomatically as I could that they would be much more powerful as warriors once they had been equipped by me and had gained skill in war.  If they failed then it would be a different matter but I needed Fiachra to know that there might be a time when he had forty hardened warriors roaming his land.

“I know but I know Fergus and I have discovered that Aengus is more honourable than I first thought.”