Blood Sword, page 17
We camped in the verdant fields around the town. Emissaries were sent to the five important towns in the area. All of them were ruled by the people descended from Viking raiders, Deoraby, Ligera caestre, Lincylene, Snotingaham and Stanford. We did not raid until the emissaries returned. It was not only the emissaries that returned but also the leaders of the five towns. They came to offer their support to King Sweyn and to swear allegiance to him. It was the first major defection from the ranks of those who supported King Æthelred. Their visit coincided with the arrival of the drekar bringing Lady Ælfgifu. King Sweyn wasted no time and the couple were married so that his new allies could see that he was allying Denmark to the house of Wessex. He was laying claim to the throne. We were in England to stay.
11th Century London
Chapter 13
I had not seen Lady Ælfgifu since we had rescued her. Then she had been a fearful, fey young woman. The woman who married Cnut was confident and happy with the marriage and she had grown into a beautiful one too. Of course, she had been groomed to marry Cnut by Queen Sigrid the Haughty. The queen’s recent death might have been the reason for the hasty marriage. Whatever the reason Sigrid the Haughty had done a good job and Lady Ælfgifu won over the new allies of King Sweyn with her charm and her smiles. I saw beneath the smile a woman in the mould of Sigrid the Haughty. I was not sure that Cnut would have a happy marriage but then he was a man who would be king and such men do not have the luxury of marrying for love as I had done.
Leaving Cnut and his new bride in what was now referred to as the capital city of King Sweyn’s new kingdom, we marched south and crossed the old Roman road of Watling Street. King Guthrum and King Alfred had made this the border between what was England and Danelaw. The moment we crossed it into the land that had been Mercia then it was as though King Sweyn unleashed his dogs of war. Men were sent to raid, plunder and burn. The message was clear. Submit or die. By the time we reached Oxnaford the army had devastated so much of the land that the city submitted without a fight and hostages were offered up to the king. The same happened at Wintan-Caestre and so we turned and headed up the valley of the Temese to Lundenwic. King Æthelred and Thorkell the Tall were there and with Thorkell’s ships guarding the river and the bridge, there would only be two ways we would take the city, trickery or assault.
We had a much larger army now that the army of the Danelaw had joined us and we pitched our camps around the walls of the city so that, the river apart, it was completely surrounded. Thorkell’s influence could be seen for he had improved the defences. The walls had been repaired and the ditches deepened and seeded with traps. They had used the time we had raided well. A council of war was held and this time the hersirs, as well as the jarls, were invited. It was the first time I had seen Karl Three Fingers for a long time and he looked gaunt. In addition he had not been, since Svolder, at the forefront of a campaign and he was no longer a young man but he sat at the king’s right hand and I saw his influence as he guided the king through the different choices available to us.
Many ideas were thrown at the king. Some wanted to return for our ships and fight the drekar of Thorkell the Tall. Others suggested using the river to get to the bridge but then those who had been with Thorkell when we had raided spoke of my sneak attack on the walls. My success at Haestingas now came back to haunt me. Some of those who had been with us said that it would work on the Roman walls of Lundenwic. I did not think so but to have said so would have made it seem as though I was afraid.
I pointed out that the walls we had scaled had been made of wood and were not as high as those of Lundenwic. It was the king who put me in my place, “Sven Saxon Sword is it that you will not be taking a treasury that causes you such fear? Here you are serving your king. Perhaps you sailed too often with Thorkell the Tall, or should we now call him Thorkell the Traitor.” He was trying to make a comparison with me and Thorkell.
It was unfair and I heard the murmur of disapproval that ran around the hall we were using. Karl Three Fingers leaned in and spoke to the frowning Forkbeard. He shook his head and then, after Karl had spoken again he smiled and nodded. “Perhaps I am being unfair, Sven Saxon Sword. Karl here has reminded me of your many skills and your clever mind. Have you a solution to our problem? Can you see a way for us to get inside the walls of Lundenwic?”
The simple answer was that I could not and I needed thinking time, “Perhaps if the king would give me a day and a night to scout out the walls then a solution might present itself.”
The king had no choice but to accede to my demand and he grudgingly nodded. He also gave orders for warbands to build rams and ladders. As we left the hall, I was not confident that such war machines would work but I knew why the king ordered them built, it kept the warbands busy.
Once outside I was assailed by many warriors offering to come with me. I shook my head, “My hearthweru are all that I will need.”
Lodvir the Long smiled and said, “I think, my young warrior, that you will allow me, your old teacher, to come with you. My eyes are not yet rheumy and may see something that you do not.”
He was right and I nodded.
Eirik, the standard-bearer said, “And I would beg you to allow me to come, if for no other reason than I bring you good luck, Sven Saxon Sword, and even a great warrior like you cannot have too much good luck.”
He was right and so there were seven of us who left the camp. I was pleased because seven is a lucky number and I was happy with each of them.
We began our walk by the river. We saw Thorkell’s fleet and they were moored close to Æthelred’s Hithe, the quay the king used. We were close enough to be seen and I recognised Thrum on the wooden quay. We were too far for their arrows to be effective and I knew that they would not waste them.
However, he saw me and could not resist a taunt or two, “Ha, it is the one with the so-called magic sword. You will blunt it on these walls.”
Normally I would have remained silent but I did not like Thrum and knew he was instrumental in the defeat we had suffered. “Killer of old bishops, let you and I step before the walls and I will show you how sharp is my Dragon Sword.”
It was a clear challenge and I saw his companions look at him anticipating that he would fight. Thrum was a bully and a coward. I had met enough in my life to recognise the type and he shook his head, “I will not waste my time with the likes of you. Loose arrows at them!”
It was pathetic. The arrows flew and we raised our shields. They were badly made, not one even penetrated the leather. Laughing we left. It was a small victory but Thrum had lost so much face that when we attacked, I knew that he would recklessly try to reclaim his lost honour. It took all morning for us to march around the walls and I spied just one piece of hope. When we came back, we stopped at a spot halfway between Cripplegate and Bishopsgate. There was a twin branched stream, the Walbrook, that passed beneath the walls. There was a Roman tower guarding it but there were no metal bars to prevent access.
Lodvir nodded with approval when I pointed it out to him. “You have sharp eyes, Sven, but it will still be a difficult undertaking for there are sentries in the tower and on the wall.”
I nodded and pointed to the ditch, “Aye, but crossing the ditch at nighttime and trying to scale the walls would be even harder. It is the only weakness that I can see. The Romans built their walls well.”
The king liked the plan but he would not let me lead the men who would attempt to gain entry, “We shall let another try that. Galmr and his crew have shown themselves to be worthy warriors. I want you, Sven Saxon Sword, to lead an attack on the western wall, close to the Danish ships. Your notoriety and sword will draw the attention of the defenders to that part of the wall and give Galmr the greatest chance of success. We will wait with our army to the north to enter the Cripplegate and Bishopsgate as soon as they are opened.”
Sadly Galmr was all too keen to do as he had been asked and was confident enough in my ability to draw the defenders that he agreed quickly. His crew were also as eager, especially Eirik. I determined to make our attack as strong as possible.
The attack was planned for the next night. There would be no moon and enough ladders had been built to enable us to cross the ditch. As the king had given me the task I would lead and I would plan. Jarl Sweyn Skull Taker and Lodvir the Long would follow my orders. I met with my tiny group of counsellors and told them my plan.
“The king wants a diversion and I will give him one but we will not assault the walls.” I saw my foster father frown and I smiled, “Do not worry, the diversion will do all that is expected.” I then laid out my plan. When they all smiled and nodded, I felt proud that I had concocted such a good one. We spent the rest of the day collecting kindling and building bridges. Only our clan knew what we planned.
At dusk on the day of the attack I visited with Galmr, “I am sorry that I came up with this plan, Galmr Galmrsson, for you will be in danger.”
He laughed, “It is a good plan and you will be in as much danger, perhaps more. You gave my clan pride, Sven Saxon Sword, and so long as we fight alongside you then we will go from strength to strength.” He nodded to his son, Haldi, and to Eirik. “These two warriors will follow me in and it will be my son who sounds the horn to tell the king that we have the gates.”
I nodded and clasped his arm, “May the Allfather be with you.”
“And you.”
The Norns were spinning and I could not shake off this feeling that one or both attacks would end in failure.
As we were attacking at night, we blackened our faces and hands with soot and charcoal. We wore cloaks for we could discard them when we had to but it would allow us to close with the walls and, hopefully, remain hidden. The majority of the men I led were mailed. The ones who had no mail byrnie were to cover us with arrows and slings. With our shields across our backs, we moved into position just two hundred paces from the walls. There was a wooden bridge across the Fleet but most of the men, me included, would wade across the shallow river. The sound of too many boots tramping on wood would alert the defenders in the towers and along the walls. We wanted them to know we were there but we wanted it to be at the last moment. Dreng carried the precious pot with the fire within. All eyes, including the jarl’s, were on me for I was the leader. I had made the plan and if it failed it would be upon my head.
Drawing Oathsword I raised it above my head. As soon as I pointed it at the walls, we crossed the river and headed for the Ludgate. Two out of every five men carried ladders, wooden bridges, or kindling. The men with bridges were at the fore and they dropped them across the ditch. We were unlucky for it was the dropping of the wood that alerted the defenders and a horn sounded. The men with the ladders and the kindling followed me across the river. I ran with the chosen men carrying the kindling, towards the drekar we had seen moored close to Æthelred’s Hithe. There were five guards there and as soon as they saw us, they drew their weapons. We ran and struck them even as they were summoning help. They did not have a true longphort but they had tied three drekar together. There were men aboard each of the ships and they began to dress, arm and race toward us. Arrows flew from the walls. With our backs facing the walls, they struck the shields across our backs. My plan was to make them think we would assault the walls and that was why ladders were being placed against the walls but it was a feint. Our archers and slingers would try to clear the walls while half of the men stood with shields held above them. The real attack was on their ships. We ran up the gangplank of the first drekar. I recognised it as the one I had sailed in, it was Hemingr’s. The deck watch ran at us but they had not had time to don mail. It was pitifully easy to slash swords across unprotected bodies and heads. The first ship being taken, we crossed to the next and after disposing of their watch took the third ship. Here men had donned helmets and taken shields. They faced us with determination for they thought we intended to cut out their ships and none wished to be stranded in this land.
I had to draw Norse Gutter to block the blow of a sword and I hacked beneath the shield to bite deep into the thigh of the warrior who tried to kill me. I dragged the blade back across the bone and when blood sprayed, I knew he was dead. The others died as bravely.
“The kindling quick!”
We knew where to place the wood, close to the mast fish where the fire would soon take hold very quickly. As the bundles of faggots were laid around the mast so Dreng dropped burning coals. The bone-dry kindling flared and ships that had laid at anchor for months were dry enough for the fire to begin to bite and to race up the masts towards the crosstree. We headed back to the next ship. I could see that the walls of Lundenwic were manned and the small gate to Æthelred’s Hithe was opening; it would allow men to come and attempt to stop the fire. With the wind from the west I hoped that we could destroy, perhaps ten ships but whatever damage we did was immaterial. The attack had drawn the enemy.
As the last fire was started, we jumped ashore and Sweyn Skull Taker shouted, “Shield wall!” He and the bulk of the men formed a single line facing both the walls and the Danes heading towards us. I saw that Hemingr led them. After swinging around my shield, I joined the warriors forming the second rank. We had no spears but we would fill the gaps when men fell.
Hemingr and his men were trying to save his drekar. I knew he would fail for I could feel the heat as the flames of the inferno we had started were fanned by the western wind and raced up the mast to set fire to the sail and crosstrees of the three stricken ships. If they were quick then they might save some of the drekar downstream, but they seemed intent on having vengeance on us. It was a mistake. They hurled themselves at our line. They did not know that we had already planned to move back towards the River Fleet and that our purpose had been fulfilled. We had drawn their best warriors to us and that would allow Galmr and his men to gain entry. Oleg the Strong fell to an axe wielded by Hemingr. It was a quick death for he had his helmet and skull split open. I stepped into the gap he left. I stood next to Sweyn One Eye and Haaken Hairy Mouth. I blocked the spear that came for my cousin and rammed Oathsword into the Jomsviking’s ear. His round helmet afforded him little protection.
Hemingr roared a challenge, “Treacherous snake, face me!”
I laughed as I turned, “I was not the one who changed allegiance, Hemingr the Unfaithful.”
He held his war axe high and I knew he would try to end my life as he had Oleg the Strong. Lodvir who stood on the other side of the jarl had taught me well and I angled the shield so that when he struck although it hurt my arm the blade slid down my shield to lodge under the edge of my boss. As he tried to pull out his axe head he was distracted and I lunged up and across his shield with my sword. His shield slightly deflected the strike but I still sliced across his cheek and through his leather straps. The helmet flew from his head. He pulled back the axe head and tried to punch with it. I punched at the same time with my shield and our arms jarred together.
“Back!”
The jarl’s command had to be obeyed and I stepped back. Hemingr saw it as weakness and lifted his arm for what he thought would be the final strike. I stabbed as he came forward. It left me slightly isolated as the rest of our line had stepped back but it allowed me to sink the tip into his throat. I tore my sword to the side and Thorkell the Tall’s brother died.
Before I could step back Thrum saw his chance. He had been humiliated by me and was probably drunk. He roared a challenge and as I stood before our line with my hearthweru trying to get to my side he ran at me almost like a berserker. Once again, my training with Lodvir came to my aid. He had pretended, during one training session, to be a berserker and with two swords had rained blow after blow at me. I had survived and learned that using weapons so wildly meant your blows were inaccurate. I would use Thrum’s own recklessness to defeat him. He had not yet used his sword and it would be sharp. He screamed and while punching the boss of his shield at me he tried to end my life with a wicked swing of his sword. He was travelling too quickly and I turned so that his shield struck fresh air and his sword headed not for my head but the wood of the quay. I punched him in the side of the head with my shield and as Gandálfr and Faramir reached my side I hit his neck so hard that I almost severed his head.
“Enough, my lord! Back! This is your plan enjoy the fruits of victory.”
Gandálfr was right and, after taking Hemingr’s short sword and scabbard, I stepped back into the line. The death of their leader and the killer of the archbishop allied to the fact that two of the drekars we had fired were hissing into the Temese as they sank, demoralised them. The horn from the north wall drew them back within their fortress and we were able to back away without losing another man. We even had the luxury of fetching back our dead and wounded. I wondered if we had done enough for King Sweyn to take Lundenwic. My worries before the attack appeared to be groundless. Seven of their drekar were already destroyed and they would be lucky to save another five. We headed back to our camp in high spirits. We would mourn Oleg the Strong but he had died well and Sweyn One Eye would remember him with a song.
We drank and ate back at the camp and awaited the order from Karl Three Fingers to join the king once he had breached the walls. Daylight came and still, there was no order. Worse, we saw other men whom we had thought would be already over the walls wearily making their way back to us.
