Hosker, G [Wolf Brethren 02] Saxon Revenge (14 page)

There was an outbreak of cheering and slapping the table from all apart from the isolated Morcant Bulc who sat stony faced.  I could feel the animosity from his eyes and I could not work out why.  We would be defending his lands, once again, what did he want?  I decided to ask Brother Osric later on.  I knew that he would have some idea for he was the cleverest man I knew although I suspected that Myrddyn would run him a close second.

As the others all had families I took a turn around the castle walls. It was an icily cold night but the cold air helped to refresh my tired eyes and clear my head. I had much to think about. How would we protect our thousand warriors so close to the enemy?  How would we ensure that we had good intelligence? How would we hold up the enemy and yet not risk losing what were the best warriors we possess?  None of the problems was insurmountable and I knew that I would have the advice of Brother Osric as well as the mind of Myrddyn but there was another problem, Prince Ywain. He had not looked to be overjoyed at the command.  There were two possible reasons: either he did not want to share command or he did not want the command at all.  The former was not a problem as I knew I could work with him but the latter was.  Warriors want a leader who is keen and eager.  They want someone who wants to fight as much as they do. I would have to speak with him the following day.

“My lord?” The voice came from so close to me that I actually jumped and my hand went to my dagger. “I am sorry my lord, it is me, Myrddyn.”

I turned to see my healer but two paces away from me.  Had he been an assassin then I would have been dead. “I am sorry too Myrddyn for I am slowing up if I did not hear you.”

The moonlight made the ramparts as bright as day and I could see his gleaming teeth as he grinned. “I was always able to move quietly.  I enjoyed the game as a child.”

I relaxed and I smiled too.  It was my fault I had been startled and not Myrddyn’s.  A warrior should always be aware of danger. “No matter,” We began to head back to the stairs. “Have you learned much from the Brother?”

“A great deal my lord. He seems happy enough about my healing, my reading and my writing but he thinks I need to develop skills in language.”

“Language? You mean Latin and Greek?”

“Eventually but he first suggested that I learn Saxon. He pointed out that it might be useful to have a healer who could speak with any wounded Saxons and discover information; if only by listening to their words.” It made sense and I nodded my approval. “He said that you could teach me.”

“Indeed I could but I will just start you off.  M y brother Aelle was brought up in a Saxon camp as a Saxon and he can make you sound like a Saxon.”

“Thank you my lord… I”

His hesitation told me that he was holding something back. “What else bothers you? “

“I have been listening to the other warriors, as you suggested, and I am learning things which disturb me.”

“Such as?”

“The warrior you mentioned, Bladud, has been charged by the king with increasing his horse warriors and bodyguards.”

“I know that we all need more horsemen.  The Saxons do not possess them.  That is a good thing.”

“True.  But the men Bladud is choosing appear to be more loyal to Bladud than the king. There have been arguments and fights between some of the other men and Bladud’s.”

I now remembered seeing some of the bodyguards with blackened eyes and bruises.  I had put it down to training accidents but this was more serious.  The king did not need warriors at his back who were fighting each other. “You have done well and you did right to tell me.  Never hold back. I must know all that you do. I shall tell you now, because I trust you, that I have been given joint command of a thousand men and we are to watch the Saxons from early spring.”

His face lit up and I suddenly saw that he was a young man and he was keen for the thrill of war and battle. I had been the same.  Soon the idea would pale a little but it was good to see his enthusiasm. “And now I think back to our beds.  We will leave at noon tomorrow.  I will leave it to you to tell the men.”

“Do we not stay for the Yule festival?”

“No I would see my wife and children.  We have learned all that we need to learn and we need to begin our preparations for war.”

I rose early for I had a clear head having stopped feasting well before the others.  The rest had caroused until late.  I knew that Brother Osric would be awake and I joined him in his cell-like office.  He never seemed affected by drink, no matter how much he consumed. He briefly looked up from his inevitable writing and spoke, “Interesting last night was it not? It seems that the other kings want Rheged to bleed for their lands.”

“At least this way we control the force which, I believe, is powerful enough to give Aella pause for thought.”

“It is but,” he looked at the door and nodded. I shut it. “But I am not sure that Prince Ywain is keen to lead.”

“I was not sure of the reason for his diffidence.  I thought that it might be the joint command which was the issue.”

“No.  He has grown too comfortable now that he is married.  He rarely leads his patrols anymore and delegates that to his men. I am not saying that he is not still loyal but he has lost the hunger he had and which you still maintain; despite your marriage.”

“I still seek revenge for the loss of my family.  The Prince has yet to lose.” I paused.  “I think I will return to Castle Perilous today.” I looked for a disagreement but he just nodded. “Will the king be disappointed?”

“No, my friend.  He will know that you miss your family.  I am afraid that the next few days will see a repetition of last night’s debauchery. It will not be a pleasant sight.”

I was relieved.  I was fond of King Urien and did not wish to offend him but the priest’s words had told me that I ought to speak with him personally; just as soon as I had had conference with Prince Ywain. “There is something else.  Myrddyn…”

He leaned back and his face beamed a grin at me.  “You were right about him.  What a bright lad! If I were not a Christian I might believe that fate had sent him our way for other purposes. I could teach him nothing about healing and he has knowledge greater than mine. Some of it is a little arcane but still… I suggested he learn Saxon as well as Greek and Latin.”

“Yes to question their prisoners.”

“He told you that?” I nodded. “He has not yet fought or he would know that we take few prisoners.  I was thinking of using him as a spy. He could pass amongst them and bring valuable information.”

I had not thought of that. “And that, Brother Osric, brings me to some information he did pass on to me last night. Bladud is recruiting warriors who are more loyal to him than the king.  There have been fights.”

“I was aware of that but the king still has faith in Bladud.  I think I agree with your brother, one day you will have to kill this man but I am at a loss to see how, without destroying the kingdom.” He smiled.  “So, Myrddyn already possesses skills as a spy. As you might say,
wyrd
.”

King Urien was walking in the small, walled garden.  It was a peaceful place and, even on a frosty morning was quite beautiful with the hoar frost hanging like silver jewels on the trees and shrubs. He smiled as he saw me.  “Ah Lord Lann.  I hoped that you did not mind being put forward as joint leader of the expedition.” He pointed at my scar. “I know that the Queen and your wife think you have bled enough for the kingdom.”

“Until the Saxons are driven back into the sea I will do everything that I can to fight for Rheged.”

“Good.” He could sense that I had not come just to chat.  “There is something else?”

“I would beg your majesty’s permission to return to my family.  I mean no disrespect to you or the other kings but…”

He came over and put his arm around me. “Were I in your position I too would wish to go to my family.  Go with my blessing but before you go… I chose Prince Ywain to go with you for I fear that he has lost the appetite he once had for defending this land.  I know how he feels.  I would prefer to stay at home with the Queen and watch our grandchildren play but one day he is to be king and he needs fire in his belly again and not the good food and wine with which he has been over indulging. I know that with you at his side he will make the right decisions and become the king he will need to be when I am gone.”

I felt a sense of relief. I had thought I was betraying the two men who had given me my chance to be a warrior. “I was intending to speak with the Prince before I left for we have much planning to do.”

“I would suggest Lann that you hold future meetings at your castle for he is easily distracted by his young wife.” His twinkling eyes spoke volumes.

“I will do so. I will not be here to speak with the other kings; we would need their warriors within ten weeks from now. We can gather the warriors from Rheged and Strathclyde at my castle and march to the Roman Bridge where the men from Elmet and Bernicia can meet us.”

“A good idea.”He shook his head and a sad expression suddenly made him look much older.  “I cannot understand King Morcant’s reluctance to drive the invaders from the southern part of his land.”

“Neither can I for he seems to want the glory without the risk.”

“I hope that we can soon defeat the enemy and then you and I can get back to our families. Take care, Lord Lann for I believe that our hope lies with you and this wonderful cunning you have on the battlefield.”

As I left the greatest king on the island I felt myself glowing with pride that he thought so highly of me.  I would not have let him down in any case but I now had even more reason to do my duty. As I waited in the main hall for Prince Ywain I rehearsed how I would approach the man who was still a dear friend and closer to me than any apart from my brothers and Garth. I decided to just pretend that I had no worries about him and let him make his own decisions.

My brothers arrived just before the Prince and I gave a slight shake of the head.  They both nodded and headed for the table which was laden with the cold meats left from the previous night’s feasting. I put on my best smile as I strode over to him full of enthusiasm. “So, my lord, we lead again together! And what a force of warriors eh?  The best that Rheged and her allies have to offer.”

He returned a wan smile and drew me to one side. “But will we not be in danger Lord Lann?  From the reports of the Bernicians the enemy could have more than five thousand men assembled ready to war.  We would be outnumbered five to one.”

“We have fought against great odds before and besides we are not there to fight them but to watch them. If we mount our archers then we will have almost half our force which can outrun the enemy and that just leaves me with four hundred warriors.” I was giving him the excuse to be with the mounted men who could flee if necessary. I was not worried by the thought that I might have to escape the army with four hundred warriors.  I knew the country well along the Dunum and the Saxons did not but I hoped it would not come to that. It was with some relief that I saw the hints of a smile appear on his face.

“With four hundred mounted men we could run rings around lumbering warriors.  That is a good plan Lann and I will acquire us the horses.”

“I also intended using the despatch riders who are slingers to be scouts.  They did well in the last campaign and they are more experienced now.” He nodded.  I had kept from him Brother Osric’s idea of using Myrddyn as a spy. The fewer who knew about that the better for I was still aware of the spy in my camp.  What I did know was that the only men I would leave guarding my home would be the warriors I knew I could trust and all of the recruits would be going to war.  If I was the target then I was not taking the chance that my wife and children might end up as accidental casualties. He was now nodding eagerly. “I will spend the next few weeks planning.  If you could come to my castle in four weeks then we should be able to finalise them.”

His face fell, “Your castle but…”

I remembered the king’s words. “I will have the maps that we will need at my castle and we will be closer to where we intend to fight.”

He could see no argument and he nodded reluctantly.”It will have to be a short meeting.  I do not like to leave my wife and castle alone.”

“Just one or two days and we will be ready.”

“Very well then.  Four weeks.” He clasped my arm.  “I am pleased we had this talk for it has cleared my thoughts.  Thank you; you are the rock of Rheged.”

As soon as he had left my brothers came over; eager to speak with me. “I wish I was coming with you.”

“I know Raibeart but I know that you will watch over my castle when I am away.”

“As I will Lann.”

“I know Aelle.  I would also like you to teach my new healer, Myrddyn how to speak Saxon. I will give him the basics but you can make him sound Saxon.”

He nodded.  “He is to spy then?”

“You are a clever one but keep that to yourself. Only Brother Osric and you two know of this.  He will be our secret and may give us the edge.”

Raibeart looked over to where the prince was filling his platter with food. “And what of the Prince?  Last night he did not look happy about the prospect.”

“I have made him happier but the king is keen for him to go.”

Aelle gave me a shrewd look.  “And that tells me that you command.  Good I am happy about that.”

“Little brother you are so sharp, that you will cut yourself one day.”

Chapter 8

Aideen was delighted to see me; the welcome I received made the journey through the blizzard worthwhile. The snow had come from nowhere and we had struggled through the driving windows and biting ice. Had we not been travelling home we might have turned around but we knew that if we kept on we would, eventually, reach home and so we finally did.  It was after dark and we were chilled to the bone but we were home and it seemed so much more comforting for that. Aideen was not only a good wife she was a kind woman and she chivvied the kitchen slaves to make sure that the men who had accompanied me were as well fed as I.  Brother Oswald had just brewed a new batch of mead which was gratefully consumed. For me, the journey had been alleviated by the Saxon lesson I gave Myrddyn.   He was like a sponge and, by the time we had reached Castle Perilous, he had enough phrases to hand to speak with an unsuspecting Saxon. It boded well.