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  “Could we not out run them?”

  “We could but we would have to face them again. At least this way we know where they are.”

  “But they outnumber us.”

  “You will find nephew that numbers are not always the deciding factor. We have surprise on our side for they know not of Ulf and Ridley. That may yet turn the tide. But whatever happens we must get our news through to the king.”

  “What did we discover? I thought he was subduing his own people.”

  “That is the illusion but he intends to attack with the Mercians now his allies and his left flank well protected. He will pour into the heartland of Wessex when his men are all gathered.”

  The turn and the drop seemed to come remarkable quickly. With surprising speed my uncle dismounted and led his horse to a tree where he was tethered. I did the same and then took my shield and stood to stand side by side with Aethelward. I suddenly regretted the lack of symbol or sign on my shield. How would they know who they were fighting? I resolved to paint something on it should we survive the day although with odds of greater than two to one I was not confident that we would emerge unscathed.

  The silence seemed unbearable. “Why did we not remain mounted?”

  “We fight better on foot. We are not the Normans who are well trained on the backs of horses. We need space to swing and the firm earth beneath our feet. If they try to attack on their horses then go for the mounts.” I looked in horror at my uncle and thought of my own mount. “If the horse is hurt then so will the warrior be.” I noticed then that he had his spear poised to strike and felt unprepared with my sword alone. At least I had a sharp edge upon it. The battle with the bandits had shown me the need for that.

  The rumble of hooves warned us that they were approaching and the first three men crested the road. They seemed surprised to see us. I did not know if we would parley but the first three men decided the action themselves and they charged at us. Aethelward hissed, “Stand firm and the horses will miss us.”

  He drew back his arm and hurled his spear, which struck the lead warrior in his throat, plucking him from his saddle and making his mount veer left. The warrior next to him had no option but to jerk his mount away from us and as the beast turned I stabbed into its neck. It was unprotected and the life blood gushed out like a fountain. Its head dropped and the rider flew over its mane. I turned to follow the flight, ready to fight the warrior when he rose. In the event the bole of the tree behind me ended the man’s life and I turned to watch the others. The seven warriors halted at the crest and I saw their leader, Cynan Ap Iago, order them to dismount. He looked around in shock as the man next to him fell from his horse with an arrow in his back. He stared at us looking for a bow and then dropped from his saddle as another man was hit by the hidden Ridley.

  “Now we attack!” With a roar my uncle leapt forward as quickly as his leg would allow. I noticed then the other dead warrior, killed by my uncle’s blade. As we lurched up the bank I saw another of Iago’s men hit by an arrow and then heard the roar of Ulf as he joined in the attack. It was too much for Iago who had obviously expected an easy victory and he and his remaining two men fled on their horses. Even then they did not escape the attention of Ridley who managed to strike one of the departing horses on the rump.

  Two of the would be attackers were still alive when we reached them. One of them had an arrow sticking in his back but it had not penetrated far and he would live. The other was gurgling blood from his mouth and his pleading eyes stared at Aethelward. He placed the man’s sword in his hand and then plunged his sword into the man’s neck, mercifully ending his suffering. “Go to your god with honour.”

  Ulf and Ridley had reached us and they looked at the last man who lay there expecting to be despatched himself.

  Aethelward broke the arrow off and lifted the warrior to his feet. Ulf wrapped a crude bandage around the wound. “Aelfraed, get him a horse.”

  I had not time for a question and I sought an unwounded horse. When I returned Aethelward was speaking to the warrior. “You are a brave man but tell your leader, this Cynan Ap Iago, that I have let you live and I did not pursue him as I could have done but the next time I see him or you then you will die. Do you understand my words?”

  The man’s eyes were angry and showed his pain but he nodded.

  “Very well, we will leave the bodies here and you can bury them with honour for they died for their lord, their foolish lord, who thought that because he had a lame old man and a boy he could make a name for himself. Tell him that you gain a name by fighting on a battlefield and not skulking in an ambush. Now go.”

  The warrior struggled on to the back of his horse and Ulf slapped its hindquarters to speed it on its way. Two of the men’s horses remained. The others were either dead or fled. Aethelward grasped Ridley’s arm. “That was well done Ridley, your prowess with your weapon has saved us this day.” He turned to me. “And you have surprised me, Aelfraed, for it takes courage to face a charging horse and not to flinch. Now let us see what the bodies yield.”

  These men were better armed and armoured than the bandits and I found not only a helmet but a mail byrnie which fitted. Ridley grasped the axe which lay on the floor and grinned at me. “Now we both look like warriors.”

  Ulf laughed. “Aye but that does not mean you are warriors yet.”

  “Come let us ride, for this Cynan Ap Iago may have more fellows who wish to end my life and now they know our numbers. As we rode away I looked over my shoulder and saw that the ravens, crows and magpies were already feasting on the dead and I found myself hoping that the companions of the dead would return soon to bury them. I shuddered. It was one thing to die gloriously on a battlefield but another to fall on some forgotten road and become carrion for the birds.

  Chapter 4

  Winchester was a disappointment to me. It was a huge bustling town with a fine church but, after the solidly reassuring stone walls of Jorvik it felt like a new town something which could be blown over in a strong wind or the rush of Welsh spears. There was a wall but it was not as high as Jorvik’s and had wooden palisades on top of the stone base. Ulf and Aethelward, however, visibly relaxed as we rode through the main gates; the guards acknowledging them as old friends. Ridley and I rode side by side taking in the bustle of the first real town we had seen since leaving home many months earlier. I glanced at Ridley. He had grown in every way; he was bigger, stronger but he also had an ease about him he had not had before. Certainly the two previous fights had given him confidence and Ulf had taken him under his wing, replacing the indifferent Oswin as a father figure. Whilst we had been scouting they had been in the woods training and I wondered if Ridley would be more skilful than I when we began to prepare to be warriors.

  Our martial appearance did not appear to attract undue attention perhaps because of the proximity of the Welsh but I thought that we looked like seasoned warriors. Two combats had not yet made me a Beowulf but I felt that I was on the way to becoming a warrior and I could not wait to begin training in earnest. Ulf headed directly for the quarters of Earl Harold. As the leading warrior in the kingdom he had his own hall for his retinue. It was close to that of the king although we could see from the lack of royal guards that he was not in residence. Aethelward had told me that he divided his time between London and Winchester. I had hoped to meet him, if only to compare him to the Welsh king. Uncle had intimated that I would be disappointed with the comparison for Edward was a pious man and not in the least warlike whilst Gruffyd had been every inch the warrior. Aethelward felt ambivalent about the king, he owed him his loyalty but he could not forgive the disbanding of the Thingmen; the royal force which ensured the safety of the land. As he had said, whilst riding along the roads, the safety of the land was now in the hands of the Earls and their armies. Harold was reliable but Aedgar of Mercia and Tostig were less than dependable, both men having aspirations of their own. Aedgar was close to the Welsh king and it was said that Tostig had a close alliance with the
King of Scotland. I was glad to be serving an honourable man.

  When we reached the hall, Ulf and Aethelward were greeted by a greybeard who stood at the door of the hall sharpening an axe. I later found out his name, it was Sweyn the leader of Harold’s Housecarls. He was the most important man in the household and I immediately recognised that from the deference shown to him by both my uncle and Ulf.

  “You old warhorse. I heard that you were back in harness.” He laid down the axe reverently on the bench which lay outside the main doors of the hall. He clasped my uncle’s arm and then Ulf’s. Their heads close he asked, “Did you discover all that the Earl asked?”

  Aethelward, “Aye.”

  Sweyn held up his hand, “Then tell the Earl when he returns from the hunt.” He seemed to see Ridley and me. “Two new warriors Aethelward?”

  “They would be. This is my nephew Aelfraed, Aethelgifu’s son.” Sweyn and Aethelward exchanged a quick glance and I noticed my uncle nodding. My mother seemed to be as famous as my uncle.

  “And the young giant lurking below.”

  “That is Ridley, a doughty warrior, my nephew’s training partner and shield bearer. They would both be warriors.”

  “Aye the Earl said something about that. Put your mounts in the stable and your belongings in the hall and we will talk.”

  There was a large barrel of ale in the corner of the hall and the five of us sat around a long table drinking while Ulf and Aethelward found out about the politics of the town. Ridley and I sat in awe just listening to the three senior warriors for it was obvious that these three were very important men and we could learn much.

  “The Earl has his work cut out trying to stop the King giving too much freedom to these Normans. There are four of them at court and they stride around as though they own the kingdom”

  “Perhaps they are preparing for when Duke William comes over.” I quickly glanced at Ridley as I took in the import of the words.

  Aethelward looked sharply at me. “You two remember my words on the road.” We nodded and I felt affronted that my fidelity and silence was being questioned.

  “It is the churchmen though who have the biggest voice and as they control the rich abbeys and monasteries then they have the money and the power. Your news will be important to the Earl for it will determine what he does.”

  “Any news of the North?”

  “The Earl’s brother is up to his usual tricks and he has raised the taxes again. The man doesn’t seem to understand that there is a limit to the money that can be raised. Northumbria is rich but not that rich.”

  He looked down at me. “You two are Northumbrian?”

  “Yes sir,” Ridley, tongue tied, just nodded.

  “You could have trained there why come all the way down here.”

  I just blurted out, “I preferred Earl Harold.”

  The three warriors burst out laughing and Sweyn said, “You will have to watch that tongue of yours but it is good to hear a man who believes so passionately.”

  I beamed; I had been called a man. I suppose that if I had had a mirror and seen myself I would have seen what they meant for I had a beard and I was as tall as the warriors I sat amongst. My body had filled out but I thought there was still some growing in me which surprised me for my brothers and my father were all shorter men than I was. I put it down to my mother for Aethelward was also a tall man.

  Ridley leaned forwards and said something quietly in Ulf’s ear. Ulf smiled. “Sweyn, is there a smithy near by.”

  “Aye just at the back of the hall. Why?”

  “Young Ridley has some mail but he needs to repair some links and Aelfraed there would forge a spear head.”

  Rather than laughing at us Sweyn showed his respect by nodding. “Would that other young warriors felt that way about their weapons. Too many of them want any sword that they can get their hands on. They do not know that a good weapon has a soul. You do well Aelfraed to forge your own for that way you know you can rely on the blade. Come it will pass the time until the Earl returns.”

  I gathered my ash staff and the blade I would be melting. Ridley carried his mail shirt and I noticed the ease with which he did so. He was a strong warrior and I thought back to my uncle’s words, shield bearer. Perhaps Ridley would not be content to carry my shield, perhaps he would be in the forefront of the shield wall.

  The blacksmith was almost dwarf like in his height but his shoulders were so broad that I wondered how he managed to get through most doors. “Gurt we would use your fire for a while. Go and have a wet in the hall.” The gap toothed blacksmith grinned and happily left.

  Sweyn picked up the discarded apron and threw it to me. “I hope you have some skill in smithing Aelfraed?”

  I too hoped I had. I had watched and helped the smith at Medelai who had been one of the few men who had shown me kindness and I knew the basics. “Ridley, pump the fire.”

  Ridley worked the bellows happily and soon the flames were the correct colour. I put the metal into the cauldron and watched as it began to melt, slowly at first and then suddenly it was liquid. It suddenly occurred to me that I had not seen a mould for the head. Aethelward clipped me sharply on the back of the head as he handed me the clay mould. “Think and plan young Aelfraed. Not just in combat but in all things.”

  I checked to see that the metal was the correct consistency and was about to reach for the tongs when Sweyn stopped me. “This blade will be part of you Aelfraed and so you must become part of it.”

  I looked in confusion at the others and Aethelward said quietly. “It needs your blood to make it stronger and to make you brothers.”

  I suddenly understood and I took my dagger, already sharpened and drew it across my palm. The flesh opened like a piece of ripe fruit and I watched as the blood dropped hissing into the metal. I took the tongs and poured the metal into the mould.

  “That was well done and now it is time for you to work for your comrade. I took off the apron and handed it to Ridley. It was only when I began to pump the bellows that I understood Ridley’s strength for my arms ached within moments of starting but I knew that I had to keep going as he had done. Fortunately it was a simple task to make the mail rings and then to hammer them into place. Ridley stood back to admire his handiwork and Ulf picked up another handful of the precious rings.

  “You are strong and you can carry more weight. I would add some more about your shoulders and your neck.”

  Although I mentally cursed the additional labour it would require, Ridley happily continued until he had a mail shirt with a double row of links on the shoulders and the neck.

  “The fire is still hot, go fetch your shields.”

  Ridley and I happily ran for our shields. They had had the least work and the least attention but I remembered the fight with the bandit and now knew that it was as much a weapon as a sword. They were both simple round shields and neither had any metal work.

  Sweyn shook his head. “These would last but two blows in a shield wall. You need metal around the rim and on the front.”

  “Will that not make them heavy?”

  Ulf laughed. “You think that you are strong enough yet Aelfraed to be a warrior? There is still a long way to go. The two of you will need to be much stronger before you can stand and fight in a shield wall. A heavy shield will give you much protection.”

  We spent the next hour adding metal to the shields. The metal around the edge was easy as there were hoops laid by for barrels and they fitted well. Then we found some circles of metal. The two of us took turns to beat the metal disks until they were flat and then hammered them across the surface. When we thought we had finished Sweyn handed us some iron nails.” Now finish it off by embedding nails on the surface so that a blade striking your shield will strike metal no matter where it hits. You want to blunt the edge of your enemy’s weapon as much as you can. Try to make the pattern regular, it looks better and protects you better.”

  We had just finished when we heard the clattering of hoov
es. “There is the Earl. Get cleaned up and we will go to meet him.” Gurt had returned, the happy smile showing that he had enjoyed his ale break. “Gurt, watch the spear head and the shields until the morrow.”

  By the time we had tidied our equipment and left the smithy, the hunting party had dismounted and were greeting each other. I looked at Ridley and he had the same expression as I did, what were we to do? We just waited out of earshot while the hunters stared at us making us even more self conscious. People said of Earl Harold that he thought too much of himself; I never saw that side of him. I saw self confidence and a belief in himself but I also saw someone who was aware of all those around him, no matter how lowly a position they held.

  As soon as he spied the two of us he turned and opened his arms. “Ah my two young warriors. Come and join us. I have been hearing good things of you.”

  We approached the large group of men and I saw Aethelward’s smile reflected in that of Ulf. Harold looked at Ridley who appeared to be taller than the tall Earl. “By boy, you have grown since I last saw you. I think you could be a shield wall all on your own.” Known for his jests and ready wit the men all laughed and Ulf slapped the blushing Ridley on the back. “And I hear young Aelfraed that you have killed your first man, a warrior no less.”

  I felt embarrassed as I remembered the fat old bandit. “He was fat my lord and not young.”

  This time everyone, Ridley included, laughed. “Fortunately Aelfraed we do not always get to fight brave young warriors. You take your victories where you can. I am proud of you as I know your uncle is.” I wondered if my head would burst at the all the praise from the greatest warriors in the land. “Now then come with me for I need a detailed account of the Welsh and you two young men are important for you may have seen things that others have not.”

  We were taken to a fine home, that of Earl Godwinson, and there were just the four of us with Sweyn and the Earl, it all added to my sense of awe that Ridley and I were now moving in such exalted circles. Two warriors guarded the door and the Earl’s attention was focussed on our every word.