Saxon Bane (21 page)

“Send for him please, Angus.”

Angus looked perplexed but he went to the door of the hall and shouted down the corridor.  I turned to Aedh.  “Pick your best two men.  Make sure they can speak Saxon. You and I are going to Manau.”

Aedh looked delighted and leapt away from the table to find his men.  The reaction of Gawan and Tuanthal was exactly the opposite; they were appalled. “You cannot do this, brother.  It is far too risky!”

“Listen to Gawan, Warlord.  He is speaking sense.  If Myrddyn were here he would say the same.”

I looked at them both. “As Warlord I have to listen to your advice but I do not need to heed it. Now listen to me. It will not be a risk.  We will go in disguise. We will pretend to be Saxons and we will find the sword.  I will not try to take it until you arrive with the ship and the men, Tuanthal.” They both looked dubious.  “Think about this.  We gain a day! All we will need to do is to hide on the island until you arrive.  The fisherman can guide you to the same place he drops us.”

When Angus came back he had with him a much younger man than I expected. He had the gnarled hands and weather beaten face of one who worked at sea.“This is Aed.  He and his father used to fish off Manau until the Saxons there attacked their boat and killed their father.  He hates them.”

“Aed, would you take me and three of my men to the island of Manau?”

“I will and I will join you on the island if we are to kill Saxons.”

“No, I just need you to drop us, come here and then guide my ship and my men back there.”

I saw Angus smiling.  It was a strange smile as, over the years, he had lost teeth in combat. “Just like your father! He was as impulsive as you are. If he had an idea then he acted on it.  The land is in good hands, Warlord. If I was ten years younger I would come with you but I would just hold you up.”

“And I would take you.” I turned to the fisherman, “We will meet you by the boat.” Aedh returned with the two warriors he had selected: Geraint and Daffydd. “We need to change into Saxon attire. As soon as we are ready we will sail.”

After I was dressed as a Saxon we headed to the boat.  Gawan accompanied us and said, “You will not let me come with you but I can give you this potion. It is Belladonna. It may help you. If you wish to make someone sleep, then add two or three drops to their drink.  If you wish to make an enemy unconscious, you must use six drops and to kill them half of the bottle.  You may find it useful. Remember you are fighting a witch as well as our cousin.”

I clasped his arm, “Thank you brother and I will return.”

He laughed, “Angus is right, you do sound like father.”

The boat looked far too small to me but it was my decision and I had to look confident.  I began to climb into the boat. Aed held up his hand and said, “You are Warlord of Rheged on the land but on my boat I am king.  You will need to sit where I tell you and do exactly as I say.”

Aedh began to bridle.  “He is right Aedh.  It is his boat and we are not sailors. Put us where you will, King Aed.”

He smiled.  “You and this one are the biggest.” He pointed to Geraint.  “Sit in the middle next to the mast.  You will raise and lower the sail.” He pointed to Aedh.  “You are the same size as me. Sit in the stern and the other one can sit in the front. You will find a piece of canvas there.  Rig it on those metal hooks.  You will be the driest and it will stop the boat from filling with water.”

We sat where he told us and the boat tipped, alarmingly, as we all climbed on board. Amazingly it did not capsize and Aed looked happy. The men at the side of the river pushed us off. 

“Good luck Warlord!”

“Hoist the sail.” Aed pointed to me. I looked at Geraint who grinned and put a rope in my hand.  He had a similar one and he began to pull.  I copied him and the sail rose and then filled. There was a piece of metal on the side of the boat and I did as Geraint did and wrapped it around. “Good.  Later we will need to move the sail around to catch the wind but we will wait until the wind changes for that.  The Allfather is with us today for the wind blows from the south.  We will fly over the whitecaps.”

I turned to look at the land but my brother and the others had disappeared into the gloom. We were on our way across the sea to Manau.  I had never been there and knew nothing about it but the spirits had deemed that we go there and I was in their hands still.

While we were still in the river the boat moved steadily but it was not uncomfortable.  Daffydd, at the bow had the cosiest nest for he could shelter beneath the canvas. I wondered if I should exercise my right as Warlord for such a privilege but then I remembered Aed’s words; he was king. He had placed us where he wanted us to sit. I saw the grin on his face as we left the estuary and he pushed the steering board over. The wind caught us and we seemed to jump like a warhorse over an obstacle. I gripped the mast and the side in fear. 

Aed laughed. “I told you she would fly.”

Soon I had no time to worry about the speed as Aed reset the sail a number of times until he was satisfied with its tautness and our speed.  My hands became red raw and I found the salt water and spray flying from the bows made me desperate for a drink. I was, however, gratified with the speed with which we flew across the water. When dawn began to break I saw a dark shape in the distance.  It was a grey smudge. Aed looked serious as he said, “There it is, Manau; the island of the Saxon killers!”

We half lowered the sail so that we would be harder to see from the land.  “There is one main settlement on the eastern coast. I will take you around to the headland on the southeast coast.  It is only a short journey to the place of the Saxons. They do not keep watch from the high places. They may have homes and farms across the island but I think there is only one place where they have a wall and warriors.  It is on the eastern side of this island. I know the place well for it was just offshore from their fort where they killed my father. I go nowhere near there now.” I could hear the bitterness in his voice.  We had something in common; those on the island had been responsible for the deaths of both of our fathers.

With the lowered sail it took us some time to close with the island but it allowed me to watch the island grow larger.  I felt the hairs on the back of my neck begin to rise.  The island appeared to look like a whale rising out of the sea! It was Gawan’s dream.  The sword would be here! The spirits had not lied to us and I was meant to come.

Daffydd kept a close watch on the shore. There might be no watchers but I was sure that there were shepherds and fishermen. If they saw us being landed then they might pass that news on. We were a fishing boat but once we landed then anyone who saw us would become curious.  We had to be invisible. We had to become Wolf Warriors just like my father and his men had been. 
Wyrd
!

Once we had cleared the headland then we raised the sail again and the wind took us close to the small cove. We edged into the beach which was a mixture of sand and shingle. “Bring my ship back here and we will be waiting.” As my men scrambled and splashed ashore I clasped his arm.  “I will reward you when we return.”

“My reward will be the death of the Saxons and to avenge my father.”

I jumped into the icy water and watched as he skilfully turned his small boat and headed due south.  When he raised the sail he would not be seen. I wondered how he would manage his sails on his own but he seemed like a more than competent sailor.  He would manage and we had more important things to think about. It was now daylight and we had to get out of sight as soon as possible.

Aedh and his men quickly checked the small beach.  There was a path, of sorts, leading up from the beach. The cliff was not very high and it was not rocky as they were on Mona. I nodded to Aedh who led his warriors towards the stony trail. I daresay it had been used by people collecting shellfish. I could see many discarded shells amongst the shingle and sand. I wanted us to be away from such paths as soon as we could.  Aedh pushed on ahead. He would pause, briefly, every few steps and sniff the air. Then he would hurry on. It was not far up the slope but we went carefully. He waved us down as we neared the top and he slithered along on his belly. He disappeared and the three of us made our way up to join him.  When we reached Aedh we could see the land rising away to the north.  There was the hill which had made me think that the island looked like a whale rising from the sea. It seemed to dominate the whole island. It was a few miles away. A tendril of smoke drifting from the north east showed us where the settlement was.  The fact that we could see and smell the smoke meant it was not far away.

Satisfied that there was no one in sight Aedh got to his feet and sprinted towards the undergrowth some fifty paces from us. It was obvious that there were no roads to be seen.  I doubted that the Romans had ever visited here. Aedh waved us forward. We were moving across earthen tracks made by the feet of man and animals. We headed north east towards the distant smoke. We found a deep valley and a stream.  The stream flowed from the west. The valley clearly headed inland. Aedh turned to me. “Warlord, we will take this valley.”

I frowned.  It made no sense.  This valley would take us north west, away from where we wanted to go. However Aedh had been my father’s most trusted scout.  “Why?”

“This gives us good cover. It you notice the stream is neither deep nor wide.  It will soon rise to a place which may be higher than the settlement. It is always easier to peer down into a place and observe those within than to look from below where you can be easily seen.”

I smiled and nodded.  “I am sorry for my questions Aedh.  You are right.”

He shrugged, “We are used to sneaking around.  It is in our blood. You are used to fighting off hordes of Saxons. Your father would have asked too”

We made our way up the narrow, rocky valley. We had to watch our footing for there was no trail here.  It was dark under the canopy of trees and bushes and we all slipped into the water more than once.  As soon as he could Aedh led us across the narrow stream to the other side. The only trail down here was one made by animals coming to drink. We would not meet any Saxons in this dark place. I noticed that, as we began to climb, the path became lighter.

We paused at the top and listened. We could hear nothing save the sounds of the birds. Using the moss on the trees as a guide Aedh led us through the woods. He kept us moving towards the fort Aed had told us about. There was a path once more; this one had been made by the feet of men. It would lead somewhere. The trees along the path were not close together and we came out into patches of sunlight before being plunged into darkness again. Suddenly Aedh waved us to the side.  Something was coming. We dived into the undergrowth.  I found myself lying next to Aedh under a hawthorn bush.  I watched as he grabbed some damp soil and smeared it on his face and hands.  I did the same until he grabbed my hand to still it.

I could hear nothing. I looked at Aedh who just held his hand up as though I ought to be patient.  I wondered why for I could hear nothing and then I knew what he meant.  We could no longer hear the birds.  Someone was coming. As I put my hand on the ground I felt the vibration. Feet were coming down the trail.

When the voices spoke they seemed to be almost next to me and I had to fight myself to remain still. “It is a waste of time if you ask me.”

“Well no one asked you. The Prince told us to check it out and check it out we will.”

“But it was one little fishing boat! You know what?  I bet he was fishing!”

“Tadgh you are a real comedian! The fishing boat was heading away from the island. It was not fishing.”

“Well what do they expect us to find?”

“Listen, you half wit, we have captured that sword, Saxon Slayer.  The Welsh won’t like that.  That new warrior thinks that they will come to get it. In fact I heard him telling the two princes that he expected someone to come in the next few days.”

They were moving away but I heard the first voice give a lascivious laugh, “I wouldn’t mind a piece of that woman he brought with him.”

“I wouldn’t go near her, my friend, I have heard she is a witch!”

I could not hear what Tadgh thought of that for they disappeared. We remained still for some time until Aedh gestured for us to rise. “We know now that the sword, the witch and Morcar are here.  What we need to find out is where they are being kept.”

Aedh shook his head.  “But not down this path.  We will have to break trail.  If three warriors use it then there may be others.”

As he led us away I marvelled at his skills.  I had heard the voices of two men but I could not have been able to tell how many men had passed.

We went to the east.  It was hard going for there was no path and Aedh was trying to avoid leaving evidence of our passing.  I followed in his footsteps and his men made sure that there was no sign left behind us. After a while we emerged from the woods.  Aedh pulled us back in almost immediately. There, not far away, was the wooden wall guarding the Saxon village. We hid behind the trees as we assessed it. Aedh pointed to the nearest large tree and Geraint scrambled up like a human squirrel.

When he descended he spoke quickly and quietly. “It is the Saxon village.  I can see, beyond, the masts of at least two ships.  The village has a wooden wall all around and is on a low hill above the water.  I can see just a shallow ditch.”

I had brought us here but I had not thought how we could get into the village.  The fact that Aed’s boat had been seen meant that they were now wary.  We would not be able to just march into the village as though we were visitors.  They would examine every face even those dressed as Saxons.  I was too well known.  I would be recognised. I had to change my plan. What would my father have done? I smiled to myself.  He and Myrddyn would probably have flown in.  But I had no Myrddyn here. Then I cursed myself. I had Gawan.  Myrddyn had been right; we were two halves each making up one whole. He might have a damaged hand but here I needed a mind and not a warrior.  I would have to think for myself.

Aedh pointed to a high point beyond the settlement. “I think if we can reach there we might be able to spy on them.”

It took one of my father’s old warriors to come up with the solution. “Lead on, Aedh!”

We edged back through the undergrowth until the land began to rise. Aedh seemed to sense which way to go and, after we had left the security of the undergrowth he found a patch of scrubland which dipped away from the village.  We remained hidden.  The climb to the vantage point was over a rocky weed ridden piece of ground but it brought us up behind the small rise. Three of us bellied up to it while Geraint sat at the bottom watching the trail we had just used.

Although we were at least four hundred paces from the west wall we could see clearly the fort and the sea beyond. I took in that there were just two Saxon ships.  One was the one which had evaded us and the other was of similar proportions.

“How many men would you say the ships could hold Aedh?”

“There are just eight oars on each one.  If we assume that they have two men to an oar and the same number of passengers then thirty two.”

“I think that there can only be double that number within these wooden walls. I cannot see any other ships. Count how many warriors you see and keep your eyes open for Morcar and Morgause.”

We saw Oswald and Oswiu long before we discovered where the two fugitives were.  The sons of Aethelfrith were in the large wooden hall.  We saw them emerge when three men entered the gate.  The three men pointed south and shook their heads.

“They must be the men who were seeking us, Warlord.”

“Aye and it looks like they found no trace of us.  Well done. Aedh.”

The five of them went down to the water.  I saw a conversation take place with much waving of arms, especially from Oswiu.  Eventually a warrior ran to the warrior hall and returned with ten warriors. They climbed aboard the ship we had seen on the mainland. It began to pull away from the land.  Daffydd asked, “Are they leaving?”

“No, I think not.  I suspect they are going to sail around the island and make sure we are not here.”

“So far I have the thirteen warriors on the ship and I have counted another twelve who are in the village.”

We watched until late afternoon.  Worryingly there was no sign of Morcar or Morgause but we did see, coming from the north, a line of warriors who had been hunting. There were ten of those. When they entered the compound there was a cheer and another five warriors emerged from the warrior hall.

“Forty warriors all together.”

Just as Aedh said that my attention was drawn to a small hut which was just inside the gate.  Morcar came out when he heard the cheering and, draped on his arm, was Morgause. I saw that he still had Saxon Slayer around his waist. He was assiduously ignored by the warriors who had just returned. I found that interesting. Morgause put a small jug into the large amphora which was outside the hut. When she carried the dripping jug towards the hut I knew it contained water.  They returned into the hut once more.

When the ship returned, just before dark we had manage to gather the numbers of all the warriors and others in the village.  There were only five women and four children. They appeared to have few slaves.  We counted only six.  Either they had another ship or they had arrived at the island on overcrowded boats.

Once the sun dipped behind us we watched as they shut and barred the gates. They had torches lit close to the two ships and we saw a deck watch of four men on the two Saxon vessels. Once the gates were slammed shut another four men became the sentries.  They had one on the main gate; a second on the small gate to the west and the other two looked to be patrolling around the walkway.

When it became too dark to see any more we slithered down to the bottom of the small rise and headed back to the undergrowth. We needed somewhere we could talk and sleep undisturbed.  Eventually we made it back to the small valley we had first used.  It was some distance from the village but there was water and we could sleep safely.

Geraint and Daffydd went up and down stream to set traps and alarms to protect us while we slept. I sat with Aedh and we ate the food we had brought with us. “What is your plan, Warlord?”

I laughed, “What you really mean, Aedh is, have you any plan at all?”

“No, Warlord.  You are your father’s son and you both have the same kind of mind.  You will come up with something that, perhaps, others would not think of.”

He was right, of course.  My father and I had studied in the east at the court of the Emperor.  We had learned that there were many different ways of approaching a problem.

“The key is the sword.  Now that we know it is kept close to the gate then we can get to it quickly.” Aedh just nodded and chewed.  “It will be just as hard or as easy to get in and take the sword as to get in and destroy the Saxons.”

His eyes widened a little.  “You are thinking of fighting Oswald and all of his men then?”

“I am. It all depends how many men Tuanthal brings.” I chewed and reflected.  The warriors with Oswald were not the best I had ever seen.  Even if Tuanthal only brought twenty warriors with the three I had with me we would be more than a match for the Saxons.  The key would be surprise. There was almost no ditch and only four sentries. If the gates were held and if we could contain the warriors within the hall then we might succeed.  I would have to ensure that Morcar and the sword were both captured.

I realised that Aedh was looking at me with a bemused expression on his face. I smiled, “I am resolved.  When Tuanthal comes we attack and we rid ourselves of this den of rats so close to our land.”

“Good.  It will be an ending then.”