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' The Lost Viking ' : Chapter 4 : King Edmund Counterattacks

10/31/2014

 

The Lost Viking



Chapter 4


King Edmund Counterattacks




Bjorgolf awoke at the edge of the swamp. Earl Alfred stood over him, while three English warriors had their swords pressed up against the viking's vital organs. " Well, what have we here ? " Alfred asked with a wicked smile. " The king of those vile Norse creatures I suppose ! " he said answering his own question. Suddenly, Edward popped up out of his hiding place. " My lord, he is not a king, but a local chieftain from Norway. " he told the earl.  Alfred drew his sword and placed it against Edward's neck. " And how does an Englishman know so much about this viking dog ?! " he demanded. Edward smiled despite the fact that he might be killed at any moment. " Because I was tending my sheep just outside of Bamburgh when these vikings abducted me, and forced me to go with them. " he told the earl. " Oh, and his name is Bjorgolf, my lord ! " he added. Earl Alfred nodded, withdrew his sword from Edward's neck, and put it back in its scabbard.   


Bjorgolf did not understand most of what these Englishmen were saying, but he understood his name, and the word viking. Just then an older warrior came up and began to speak to the man who had held the sword to Edward' s neck, who Bjorgolf assumed was Earl Alfred.  When the older man was done speaking to the earl he addressed Bjorgolf in Norse. " My name is Richard. " he told him. " Are you the Chieftain Bjorgolf who lead these men ? " Richard asked as he pointed to all the dead vikings that were lying on the ground around them. Bjorgolf looked at Edward and realized that the sheep herder had told the earl who he was. " Yes ! I am Bjorgolf Helgisson ! " he told the man defiantly. The man named Richard then spoke to the earl for some time. Suddenly the earl barked out what must have been orders. The English warriors then grabbed Bjorgolf and threw him up against an old oak tree. Richard tossed a rope over one of the lower branches, and then tied the other around Bjorgolf' s neck. " It is time for you to die ! " Richard told Bjorgolf in Norse. As his hands were tied behind his back Bjorgolf realized that he would soon be with Odin in the halls of Valhalla.


Just as the Englishmen were about to pull the viking chieftain off of the ground Bjorgolf saw a number of riders galloping up the road towards them. The man who rode in front wore a purple cape, and his horse was dressed in such finery that Bjorgolf could only assume that he was the English king. Earl Alfred quickly walked over to the large man sitting on the greyish white horse, and bowed before he spoke. By his tone Bjorgolf could tell that the regal looking one was displeased with his subordinate. They spoke for a while, and then the earl barked out more orders to his men. Bjorgolf expected to die, but instead the Englishmen removed the rope from around his neck. Two warriors then grabbed him by the arms and dragged him over to the king. 


" Earl Alfred wants to hang you and leave you for the birds to peck at. " the king said in Norse. " I on the other hand see that as a waste. I think you can be helpful to me in understanding these viking raiders who continuously invade my kingdom year after bloody year. If it was not bad enough that the Danes came and set themselves up on my southern border, now I have you damned Norsemen trying to steal even more ! " he complained to Bjorgolf. " Your men are all dead, and there is no place for you to go but up in that tree.....unless, that is, ....  you choose to cooperate and help me. Make your decision quickly ! Life or death !  The choice is yours ! " the king shouted.



Bjorgolf thought for a moment before answering . As he looked around he saw what looked to be most of his men strewn dead all along the road, and in the swamp. He no longer had anyone to lead, and he knew the king was right, he had no where to go. Before he made his final decision, however, he thought of his wife Signy. He remembered how happy he was the day he married her, and he saw in his mind' s eye her tears as he sailed away. With her image fresh in his mind he looked the king in the eyes, and slowly replied : " I choose life . " The king then shouted orders to his men, and several warriors escorted him away. At first they pushed and shoved Bjorgolf, but the king shouted something to his men in English, and they instantly became kinder to their prisoner. 


Hoskuld lead his men north towards Bamburgh, and away from the English army as fast as he could. Bjorgolf's second in command fully understood how dire their situation was. He had less than two hundred men left, was in hostile territory, and his ships were lost to him. Even if he made it back to Bamburgh he could not possibly hope to hold the town against the several thousand warriors in the English army that King Edmund was sure to throw at them. Hoskuld's plan, though desperate, was also a very simple one. He wanted to make it to Bamburgh, commandeer or build enough ships to leave England, and place as much gold and silver into these ships to have made the raid worth the deaths of so many. The key to his whole plan was to make it back to Bamburgh before the king's men could attack. Every day, however, his scouts told Hoskuld that the English were gaining on them. 


After running for several days from the English, the vikings finally reached the outskirts of Bamburgh. What they saw once they entered the town was disheartening. The men they had left behind had all been killed, and whatever ships had been at the docks were now gone. The town, what was left of it after the fire, was completely deserted. Hoskuld set his men to making a ship as quickly as possible, though all the vikings knew that the effort was a futile one. There only hope was to somehow hold off the English army for a few weeks which might give them just enough time to launch a few small ships for them to sail back to Norway in. As night fell Hoskuld still held out a glimmer of hope. By morning, however, even that was gone !


Hoskuld awoke to see the entire Northumberland army camped just outside of the town. Along with the two thousand warriors stood what looked to be very angry townsfolk and local farmers with primitive weapons ready and eager to join in the coming battle. Before he went to sleep the night before Hoskuld had ordered a head count taken. One hundred and eighty three vikings were all that were left to oppose them. With no place left to run, and no other options available to him, Hoskuld ordered his men to form two shield walls just outside of the town. As the vikings were putting together their final defense King Edmund began to move his army towards the town. 


Hoskuld stood proudly with his men awaiting what was sure to be the last moments of his life. He remembered a story he was told by a Christian priest years before. In ancient times a huge Persian army invaded the land of the Greeks. The priest told a heroic tale of how a small band of warriors called Spartans, only three hundred in number, and lead by a man named Leonidas, at a pass named Thermopylae, held off the entire Persian army under Xerxes for three days before being killed to a man. As Hoskuld readied himself for battle he imagined himself as Leonidas, and hoped that he too would be remembered for a thousand years.


Earl Alfred asked King Edmund for the honor of leading the attack on the Vikings. Edmund, because this was the earl's town that the vikings had destroyed, agreed that he had the right to lead the army.  Alfred had under his command a little under a thousand men, which were broken down into two divisions. One he commanded, and the other was lead by the very able warrior Richard. King Edmund held his men in reserve just behind the earl's divisions, and he did not move his men forward when Alfred attacked. The earl had no intention of making a complicated attack. With four times as many men he saw no need for being clever. Earl Alfred simply sent his men running at full speed at the viking shield walls.


Hoskuld and his brave viking warriors braced themselves as the English came rushing at them. The crashing noise that was made when they hit the viking shield wall echoed, and reverberated throughout the town, but there was no one left to hear it. Quickly, as with most battles, after the initial rush was over, the combat broke down into one on one fighting. Both armies knew full well that there would be no surrendering, and no prisoners. This made the vikings especially fight with a determination the English warriors had never seen before. Men who had been wounded many times continued to fight until the last breath escaped their lungs. King Edmund was watching one viking in particular. The viking warrior's arm had been hacked at by an axe, and for a time it just hung to his body connected by a thin piece of flesh. Finally, after another blow the arm was severed, and fell to the ground. The viking, however, continued fighting on as if he had only dropped a rag, or lost a piece of clothing. Eventually the man, after killing two more of the English warriors, collapsed and fell silent on the hallowed field of battle. King Edmund assumed it was from loss of blood because no Englishman had struck him. 


The king was disappointed in the performance of the earl' s warriors. They heavily outnumbered the vikings, and yet his Englishmen were being cut down at a much greater rate than the Norsemen were dying. These viking raiders fought with a vigor and skill that the king had never before seen. It made the king realize that he had made a wise decision in allowing the viking chieftain Bjorgolf to live. When this awful business was over the king intended to gain as much information from Bjorgolf  as he could. The king understood their language, but what he did not understand was what motivated these warriors to fight and die .  Although King Edmund hated these Pagan Norseman he had to admit that he had great respect for their tenacity and fighting skills.


As afternoon slowly turned into evening, King Edmund considered sending in a few of his own men to help finish off the remaining vikings, but decided that he did not want to embarrass the earl in front of his men. The earl who had lead almost a thousand men into battle, against a mere two hundred vikings, now had less than half that number left. The battle had been raging now for most of the day, and yet Earl Alfred was confounded by these savages ability to keep on fighting even against increasingly long odds. These vikings almost seemed as though they enjoyed their own demise, the earl thought to himself.  


Hoskuld and his few remaining men had reached the end of their physical, and mental limits. They were all exhausted and every warrior had at least one wound, and most had many. As their little circle slowly collapsed in upon itself the vikings began to fall faster and faster until Hoskuld found himself surrounded by the enemy. The lone viking had long ago discarded his shield, and by swinging two swords at once was holding off at least a dozen English warriors . Then Hoskuld felt a searing hot flash of pain across his left shoulder as an enemy sword cut deeply into his body. As Hoskuld dropped the sword he held in that hand he felt a spear point as it entered his groin . Hoskuld never saw, nor did he feel for long, the axe that smashed into his face. Hoskuld was dead before he hit the ground. He was the last of Bjorgolf's valiant warriors to die on English soil.


- End Chapter 4


- Glenn Bergen, ( Ravensheart ), © Copyright, 2014.


Next : Chapter 5 : Signy' s Sorrow         


                         


                     

' The Lost Viking ' : Chapter 3 : The Trap

10/30/2014

 

The Lost Viking



Chapter 3


The Trap

Earl Alfred was no fool !  He did not wait until he reached Durham with his whole army to tell King Edmund of the arrival of the viking army, and the loss of Bamburgh. The Earl left his army in charge of his second in command, a seasoned warrior named Richard, and then Alfred and three of his best men rode ahead at full gallop, nearly killing their horses, to warn the king of the impending danger. King Edmund was disappointed to hear that the Earl had lost Bamburgh to the pagan vikings, but he was very pleased to discover that Alfred had saved most of his army. Edmund was a very intelligent monarch. He deduced at once that the vikings would use their fast ships to reach Durham as quickly as possible, and decided to use their strength against them.


Durham was only accessible by two main roads. One came in eastward from the coast, and the other connected the southern town with Bamburgh, and came in from the north. King Edmund knew of a location along the road that came in from the east that was heavily wooded on one side, and blocked by a swamp on the other. Edmund, who could read Latin, remembered reading how a Germanic leader had destroyed several Roman Legions by trapping them against the swamp. The part of the story that stuck in Edmund' s mind was how after his legions had been destroyed the Roman Emperor Augustus wept for his lost legions. Now King Edmund planned to use this brilliant attack formulated by Arminius against the invading vikings. When Earl Alfred heard the plan he was ecstatic ! He wanted to make these Norsemen pay dearly for what they had done to his town of Bamburgh !


While Earl Alfred and King Edmund discussed their plans in Durham, Bjorgolf sailed just off the coast of England ready to beach his ships in the moonlit night. As he watched the shore come ever closer he thought not only of the battle to come, but also of his lovely wife back in Holtavord. If the raids went well he would bring back silver and gold to his wife, and they would live in a style that in the past he could only have dreamed of. And maybe, just maybe, if he could conquer this land of Northumberland, he would become its king. Then he would send Hoskuld back to Norway to bring his wife Signy to Northumberland to sit proudly next to him as his queen. Bjorgolf was jolted out of his dreamworld as his ship hit the beach hard. As the ships came in one by one the men jumped over the side and made a temporary camp on the beach. Here they would wait for the first light of morning, and there would be no drinking this night.


Bjorgolf woke to a dreary morning. " Did it always rain here in England ?! " he thought out loud. When there was enough light he ordered the men into columns, and they began the long march to Durham. Bjorgolf lead the first column, while Hoskuld led the second that trailed about a hundred yards behind.  As they headed westward both Bjorgolf and Hoskuld wondered to themselves if they had arrived ahead of the Bamburgh army, or if their enemy KIng Edmund was waiting for them in Durham. Bergfinn on his own asked this very question to the Englishman, but Edward shrugged his shoulders and told the viking that he was just a simple shepherd and could not be sure. 


Although he did not know it, Bjorgolf had reached the road to Durham before the Earl' s army. That, however, was a hollow victory as King Edmund was waiting for the vikings along this road to stop them. Bjorgolf and Hoskuld had discussed, while they were on the beach, how to lay siege to Durham. What they did not consider was a battle with the English before they ever got to the town.


King Edmund had split his army in half. He placed one half of his men, under the command of Earl Alfred, in the woods across the road from the swamp. The other half he placed across the road, around a sharp bend, in case some of the vikings fought their way through Alfred's force. This would give the Vikings only one way out. If they wanted to live they would have to retreat away from Durham, and back towards their ships. KIng Edmund could then harass and kill as many of them as possible as they scurried away. If he could not destroy the whole viking army, he could at least keep it away from the town of Durham, and send the dragon ships sailing back to their homeland with their tails between their legs.  


Richard, who now lead the Bamburgh army,  had been in one or another Northumberland army since he was old enough to swing a sword. He was not so much a master tactician as he was a smart seasoned soldier. Instead of taking the main road all the way to Durham, he veered the Bamburgh army through the woods, and headed for the coast. Richard had a hunch that the vikings might try to come in from the sea and attack Durham from the east instead of coming from the north down the Bamburgh road. And to the surprise of his men, who did not appreciate the extra marching, by mid morning they reached the coast and spotted the viking' s ships. Richard was disappointed that only a few vikings were left behind to guard the ships, because this meant that the vikings had already begun their march to Durham. 


Many of the Englishmen wanted to turn around and rush to the aid of King Edmund and Earl Alfred. Richard, however, wanted to do something that he felt important before leaving. The temporary commander of the Bamburgh army lined up his men in battle formation, and attacked the warriors on the beach who were guarding the ships. The vikings under Bjorn fought well, and held off the Englishmen for some time. In the end, however,  their gallantry was not enough to overcome sheer numbers, and they were wiped out to the man. Richard then had their bodies thrown into their vessels, and launched the dragon ships back into the ocean, where the outgoing tide took them away from the shore. Richard smiled from ear to ear as the last ship floated away. " Now let us see if they can get home ! " he shouted to his men who cheered.


Earl Alfred was not known as a patient man. King Edmund had instructed him to make absolutely sure that all of the vikings had passed the Bamburgh road, and were across from the swamp before attacking. Alfred, however, became jittery and sent his men screaming out of the forest when only about three quarters of the vikings had crossed the junction with the Bamburgh road. The fighting at first was lopsided, with the vikings suffering many casualties in the first few moments of the battle. When the shock of the surprise attack wore off the Vikings fought like their heroes Beowulf, Sigmund and Sigurd. Men were falling everywhere ! Some from the axe, others from swords and spears. A few were even killed by knives as the individual combats became hand to hand struggles for life and death. The Englishmen could sense that they had the upper hand, and fought with great confidence throughout the morning despite their mounting losses.


Bjorgolf had the bulk of his army up with him as they marched along the Durham road. Hoskuld was further back and looked after the rear of the army, which also acted as a reserve in case of trouble. Bjorgolf was walking with the Englishman Edward, and Bergfinn, as they approached a 90 degree bend in the road. The viking's leader did not like the fact that he could not see around the bend, and was just about to tell Bergfinn to ask Edward if there were other roads that intersected at this point with the main road, when suddenly a great roar came from the forest to his right ! It seemed to Bjorgolf that every Norseman who was marching closest to the forest was wiped out in the first few moments. That instant, that moment in time, gave those walking on the other side, close to the swamp, like Bjorgolf and Bergfinn, a chance to draw their weapons, and attempt to defend themselves.


Bjorgolf was quickly covered in blood as his men were hacked and sliced at by the Englishmen who seemed to be everywhere. The battle slowly became more even as the vikings killed more than their share of Englishmen, and the combat broke down into individual fights. The leader of the vikings was glad that he had asked Bergfinn to march with him to interpret what the Englishman had to say. It turned out that his translator was also a very skilled and powerful warrior who fought like a madman, and kept the English from overwhelming their position. As the battle dragged on Bjorgolf began to believe that his men might be able to not only fight their way out of this, but destroy the Durham army as well. Then out of the corner of his eye Bjorgolf caught sight of a regal looking man in full armor, leading another army around the bend and directly for them. King Edmund had arrived with the rest of his army.


King Edmund was angry when he heard the battle erupt out of his sight. He had specifically told Earl Alfred to wait until the vikings had all gotten past the Bamburgh road before attacking. This would have meant that the lead elements had turned the sharp curve in the road on the way to the town of Durham, and had begun to approach his army which was set up in defensive positions. When he heard the fighting off in the distance, but did not see the enemy before him, the king cursed Alfred, and ordered his men forward out of their defensive positions. As King Edmund came around the bend, on his great gray horse, he ordered his men to join in the battle at once !


Hoskuld, seeing the frantic fighting in front of him, ordered his men forward into battle. The sheer weight of his warriors began to push the Englishmen back into the forest, and gained relief for the rear of Bjorgolf's division. Hoskuld himself cut down several of the English warriors before a viking warrior ran up to him from the rear of his column. " My lord ! " he shouted over the din of battle. " There is another army coming up from behind us ! " he screamed as he pointed to their rear.  At almost the same time another warrior in front of them shouted : " There are more Englishmen coming around the bend in the road ! " 


Richard could not believe his good luck ! The vikings were already being attacked from the side and from the front. They were also pinned up against the swamp which he knew was all but impassible. There was only one escape route left for the vikings and that was the Bamburgh road which some of the vikings had not yet passed. If he could push the vikings beyond this road he could effectively cut off their last means of escape, and they could be wiped out to the last man. Richard drew his sword and yelled at the top of his lungs : " Block the Bamburgh road, and kill the bloody bastards ! " 


Hoskuld also knew that their only way out of this trap was up the road that led north, and that would be closed to him shortly by the Englishmen coming from the rear. Hoskuld now had a very difficult decision to make. He could stay and fight in what looked to be an increasingly futile battle for the vikings, or he could try and save at least a part of their army by making his way back to Bamburgh. In what seemed to him to be an eternity, though it was in reality only mere moments, Hoskuld decided to try and save his men. As quickly as he could Hoskuld began to turn his men, and point them to the still open road. At first one by one, and eventually in small groups they ran up the road. Only about half of Hoskuld's men made it up the road before Richard's men were able to cross the junction, and cut it off. Hoskuld, and a few of his closest warriors, were the last to make it, though a few did cut through the woods to join them. The rest of his men fought valiantly trying to push the Englishmen back, but they were too few to overcome the overwhelming odds. Their loss was not in vain, however, as it gave Hoskuld the time he needed to put distance in between his warriors and the English army. 


Bjorgolf found himself surrounded at the edge of the swamp. Bergfinn had been killed trying to protect his chieftain, and Edward had run away, and was hiding in the swamp. Bjorgolf had a deep cut on his right arm, and was now using his left hand to swing his sword. He was not as effective a fighter using his left arm, and the last thing he remembered was being hit very hard in the head . As he collapsed on the ground the last conscious thought he had was that the blow sounded like a blacksmith' s hammer hitting an anvil.


- End Chapter 3


- Glenn Bergen, ( Ravensheart ), © Copyright, 2014. 


Next : Chapter 4 : King Edmund Counterattacks !  


        


                               


        
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' The Lost Viking ' : Chapter 2 : The Vikings Attack

10/29/2014

 

The Lost Viking


Chapter 2


The Vikings Attack

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Bjorgolf and his warriors did not have far to travel before they spotted an Englishman up ahead shepherding a flock of sheep. When the man saw the band of vikings coming his way he tried to get away, but Bjorgolf' s men quickly ran him down and brought him before their leader. Bjorgolf did not understand the English language very well, so the chieftain had a warrior named Bergfinn, who had learned the English language, brought forward to translate. Bjorgolf told Bergfinn to tell the Englishman that they would not hurt him if he answered a few simple questions. The Englishman responded by telling Bergfinn that he would answer all of their questions because he had a wife and three children, and very much wanted to live ! 


" What part of England is this ? " Bergfinn asked on behalf of his chieftain. The terrified Englishman gave the viking a funny   look as he answered : " Why this is Northumberland of course ! "  Once translated Bjorgulf and Hoskuld immediately searched their map, and when they saw that Northumberland had a border with the Danelaw, they smiled. " And what is the nearest large town, and how far away is it ? " Bergfinn translated from Norse. The Englishman pointed north along the sea coast. " Bamburgh is the nearest town. It is about half a days walk, and sits right on the coast. " he told the Viking. " Bamburgh is a seaport and it is where most of the trading in Northumberland takes place. " the Englishman offered as well. After hearing what the Englishman had to say, Hoskuld drew his sword. " Shall I kill this English dog now ?! " he asked the chieftain. Bjorgolf placed his hand on Hoskuld's sword and lowered it. " No, we will take him with us !  He knows this area much better than we do, and he will be an invaluable source of information for us ! " Bjorgolf replied.


Bjorgolf looked at the puny little man, who now knelt on the ground before him begging for his life. He did not need a translator to tell him what the man was now saying. Bjorgolf had heard many men beg for their lives before in several different languages, and it was always the same. Bjorgolf told Bergfinn to ask the Englishman his name. " The Englishman looked up from his praying and answered : " Edward my lord....... please do not kill me ! " he pleaded. " Have pity on my wife and children ! " he added. Bjorgolf grabbed the man by his shoulders and lifted him off of the ground. " Do not worry my little man we will not kill you. You are too valuable to die yet ! " he told him. Edward looked over at Bergfinn, who translated everything except the "die yet " part .  Bjorgolf then threw the Englishman at Bergfinn, who caught him just in time to keep him from falling.  " This creature is your responsibility ! Make sure he does not die until I want him dead ! " the chieftain ordered. Bergfinn nodded . " Yes, my lord ! "he shot back. 


When Bjorgolf returned to the beach, where his men waited, he was pleased to see that the missing three ships had made their way there to join them. Now with almost six hundred men at his disposal he sat down with Hoskuld and Bjorn, and with Bergfinn translating the Englishman' s words, they began to piece together a plan. Edward, trying to keep his head on his shoulders, told the viking commander, through Bergfinn, that the sea approaches were diligently watched, and if any unknown ships approached the seaport town the church bells would be rung, and the town' s warriors would assemble near the beach. As Hoskuld listened to what the Englishman had to say he gained new respect for his commander and chieftain. Unlike Bjorgolf, he would have killed the Englishman after interrogating him the first time, and then come back to launch a sea attack against the seaport town of Bamburgh. Which of course would have been a colossal mistake !


Bjorgolf and his leaders decided that they would send three of their ships, under Bjorn, and with skeleton crews, to feign an attack from the sea. When the alarm had been raised, and the entire army of Bamburgh had gathered on the beach leaving the town undefended, Bjorgolf would then attack from the opposite direction . As darkness began to descend over the English coast, Bjorgolf led his men, guided by the Englishman Edward, towards the town of Bamburgh, while Bjorn with a few rowers per ship led three of the dragon ships back out to sea. Bjorn would follow the coast north until he came to the seaport town, and then sail slowly towards the beach as though he were an invading force.


The journey was not a difficult one for Bjorgolf and his warriors. The forests were thin, and the hills and valleys were not steep. By the time they reached the small forest at the outskirts of the town the moon had almost completed its journey across the sky. This forest was on a small hill that overlooked the seaport, and it provided both a hiding place, and a platform with which to view what went on in the town below. The Vikings rested here until the sky began to lighten over the ocean. At first Bjorgolf became apprehensive when he did not see the square sails of his dragon ships on the eastern horizon. He wanted to begin his attack at dawn, and discussed with Hoskuld the possibility of attacking the town without the diversion. Both, however,  agreed it would be better to wait a little longer. Within moments a warrior who had been searching the ocean from a high tree ran over to Bjorgolf and told him he saw at least two square sails heading straight for the coast. He also explained that they could not see them at first because they were still sailing parallel to the coast. It was not until the ships turned that their silhouette became apparent against the rising morning sun. Bjorgolf and Hoskuld immediately formed their men into battle formations for the attack. Now if only the damn English would spot the ships !


Suddenly a church bell rang out in the town. Over and over again it rang out its alarm, warning the townsfolk of the approaching danger. Bjorgolf and Hoskuld watched with utter fascination as the townsfolk ran out of their houses carrying their weapons, and their shields. Edward hung his head in shame as he saw all of the town' s warriors heading down to the beach. The plan, which he had helped formulate, was working to perfection. Then Bjorgolf saw something that he had not expected. Out of a large square stone building streamed horsemen, and what looked like a small organized army, being led by a man on a white horse, and dressed in royal clothes. Bjorgolf was relieved when he saw that they too were heading down to the beach. Bjorgolf walked over to Edward, and lifted him by the collar. Then he looked angrily at Bergfinn. " Ask him why he did not tell us about these cavalrymen ! "  In a moment, Edward, through translation, gave him his answer. " Earl Alfred was supposed to be in Durham until next week. I did not know that he returned early ! " Edward told the viking leader with fear in his eyes. Bjorgolf threw the Englishman to the ground. " It is of little matter ! The town will be completely abandoned in a few moments and we will kill everything that moves, steal everything of value, and burn the rest ! " he told Bergfinn. 


Bjorgolf motioned for his men to begin moving forward. He told them to be as quiet as possible until they reached the streets of the town. Bjorgolf wanted to be in control of at least half of the town before the English realized what was actually happening. As Earl Alfred watched the viking ships sail closer and closer he sat on his white mount supremely confident that he could easily destroy this small invading force. Earl Alfred did think it strange, however, that the enemy ships were sailing directly at him. " How did they expect to beach their ships right in front of us and attack us ? " the Earl asked himself under his breath. It was then that they began to hear the screams coming from behind them in the town.


By the time the Englishmen realized their mistake over half of their town had been overrun, and the townsfolk were streaming out of the town towards the beach with great haste. The western edge of the town was already ablaze and the smoke was beginning to rise high into the air marking the advancing enemy army. Earl Alfred had gone from an over abundance of confidence to sheer panic in just a matter of moments ! The Earl had but two options available to him, neither of which were very appealing. First he could attack through the now burning occupied town, and fight the vikings in the streets. The problem with this was that if he was pushed back out of the town he would be trapped with his back up against the ocean, with more of the enemy sailing quickly towards him. The second option was sure to anger the men of the town. He could abandon the town and march parallel along the beach out of Bramburgh and head south to join up with King Edmund's army at Durham. The decision was a hard one to make, but as the townsfolk came running out of the town he learned that almost the entire town was already in the enemy' s hands. Reluctantly Earl Alfred marched his men southward. 


That night, in Earl Alfred' s castle, the vikings threw themselves a massive feast in honor of their quick and very profitable victory. As the town burned below them the warriors ate and drank their fill, and had their way with the English women, who had been captured as slaves. Very few had been spared the sword, axe or spear, and those who had survived would surely regret their luck in time. As the warriors drank the night away, Bjorgolf, Hoskuld, and Bjorn, were huddled together in a corner of the castle's main hall.  While their men became dead drunk they kept their heads about them and planned their next move.


The leaders of the viking expedition were concerned that the Earl had escaped with his small army.  Although Bjorgolf and his men had destroyed the town, and many of its fighters, the Englishmen who escaped were still half as many as his whole force. The chieftain summoned Bergfinn, and the Englishman Edward, to join them. As Bergfinn and Edward stood before the viking leaders it was obvious that they had had a healthy amount of English ale. Bjorgolf asked Bergfinn if he would be able to translate. Bergfinn smiled from ear to ear and replied : " I never belt fetter my lord  ! " Edward put his arm on Bergfinn' s shoulder, smiled, and said something that the vikings did not understand. When Bjorgolf looked at Bergfinn for translation, Bergfinn shrugged his shoulders. " I think the Englushmon is drunken ! " Bergfinn said with a laugh. Hoskuld and Bjorgolf looked at each other, and just rolled their eyes.


Hoskuld jumped in and asked the first question. " Where was the Earl taking his army ? " Bergfinn and Edward giggled as they translated back and forth. My lord, and wunderful host, our littler friend Edweird has infirmed me that Orl Alfreed has most likealy travel south to met up wit the main army onder King Edmund of Nortumbraland. " he reported with a small bow and a huge grin. Bjorgolf tried to keep a straight face but could not help but smile. " And where will we find this King Edmund of Northumberland ? " Bjorgolf asked Bergfinn. After more giggling between Bergfinn and Edward, the translator replied : " My lord and mester, Edwoord has teld me that King Edmoond has a castle near a town culled Dur- ham . " Bjorn who was not as amused as the others asked in a serious tone : " Is this town of Durham on the coast ? " Bergfinn sensing that Bjorn was not amused consulted with Edward before answering. " No, ma lord. Dorham is in the land and the king has his custle on a tallllll hill, with the town proterected behind it by stone wulls. " Bjorgolf thanked them both, and told them to pour themselves another ale. As Bergfinn shakily got up to leave, he looked back to see Edward with his head on the table and fast asleep. " Englushmon cannot hold thare ale ! " he said to himself as he stumbled away.


Bjorgolf, Hoskuld, and Bjorn discussed the situation until early in the morning. They decided it would not be wise to march across the English countryside where their every move would be seen by King Edmund's men. Bjorgolf was sure that the English king would have spies out in force to monitor them all the way from Bamburgh to Durham. No ! The viking leaders decided it would be best to sail south, land across from Durham, and then march inland from the east. Sailing southward would also be much quicker, and might allow them to arrive before King Edmund could prepare for the attack that Earl Alfred was sure to tell him was coming. Once the plan was finalized, Bjorgolf quieted his men down, and commanded them to stop drinking. He told his men the sobering fact that tomorrow morning they would march back to their ships and sail south to Durham to attack King Edmund.


The next morning the groggy, half sober vikings trudged down to the beach and launched their ships. The wind, though weak, was with them, but the tides and currents were against them. Bjorgolf lead the way in his sleek dragon ship Sleipnir, but the going was slow, and both Bjorgolf and Hoskuld knew they would not reach the Durham area before night fell. This would mean of course that they would have to waste time, half a day, waiting for the sun to rise, because it was too dangerous to move in an area you didn't know in darkness. This of course was valuable time that the King of Northumberland would use to plan his defense.


End Chapter 2


- Glenn Bergen, ( Ravensheart ), © Copyright, 2014.


- Next : The Trap              


                                                  

Short Story : ' The Lost Viking ' : Chapter 1 : The Journey To Britain

10/28/2014

 

The Lost Viking 

Chapter 1


The Journey To Britain



The wedding had been decided upon at the last possible moment. Signy wanted to wait until Bjorgolf returned from raiding, but the chieftain had insisted that they wed before he left for Britain. They were joined together in marriage at a splendid ceremony in the great hall in their village of Holtavord. Although the wedding feast had to be put together in a hurry it was a lavish affair with good food, much ale, and great entertainment. The magician especially impressed his audience with the way he could make objects appear and disappear. But the celebration was as much about the upcoming raid against the English as it was their matrimonial union. After the feast, Bjorgolf, and his second in command Hoskuld, huddled together with their top warriors, and talked of their voyage to Britain over horn after horn of ale. As the evening wore on Signy felt more and more insignificant, and when she slipped away her absence was barely noticed.


Signy walked down to the water where the great dragon ships were tied up. The cargo had already been placed on board, and once the sun broke over the horizon tomorrow morning her husband, and most of the able bodied men in the village would launch these ships, sail up the fjord into the great ocean beyond, and head for Britain. As the moon reflected off of the calm water Signy was both happy and horrified at the same time. She felt very lucky to have been chosen by the village chieftain as his wife. She was now considered to be a woman of considerable status, and Bjorgolf was a good man, who was well respected by the elders, and supported by the region's Jarl. Signy smiled as she thought to herself. " And he is a very rugged and handsome man as well ! "  Then that thought left her another more powerful one entered her mind. She was afraid, as were many of the women in the village, that her husband would not return.    


Signy had met Bjorgolf years ago when he was an apprentice in his father Kjartan' s blacksmith shop. They had talked of marriage then, but Bjorgolf decided to go raiding with Sverting, the village chieftain, instead. Bjorgolf proved himself a mighty warrior, gained the respect of the other men, and also caught the eye of the chieftain. When Sverting was killed in a vicious battle with the Franks, Bjorgolf was chosen by his fellow warriors to lead the army into battle. Bjorgolf and his warriors returned to Holtavord with great wealth, and at the annual All - Thing he was officially chosen as the new village chieftain by the local elders.


For a while Signy and Bjorgolf drifted apart. Signy did not come from a family of wealth and power. Her father, Thord, was a simple farmer, who over the years had cultivated his land quite well and produced an abundance of crops. Thord gave to his daughter the excess produce to sell in the village market. Her father was wise to have Signy run their stand at the market square. Generally it was only women who went shopping for produce at the market, but Signy attracted men as well to her stand, and always made more money than the others. 


Signy was a beautiful young woman . She inherited her sense of humor from her father, but her radiant beauty she took from her mother Ingunn. Although she stood only slightly taller than five feet in height, she had the finely sculpted body of a shield maiden. Her hair was golden blonde, much like the Goddess Sif, her eyes as blue as the sky, and her face was as beautiful as most considered Freyja's to be. And as the sailors in the village liked to say : " She keeps her ballast stored top side ! "     


Signy was well aware of her appearance, but she did not allow it to change her demeanor. She was never aloof, and  was pleasant to everyone, and anyone she met. The women of the village considered her to be quite the flirt, but in reality she was simply friendly, and enjoyed very much to converse with anyone who would listen. And almost everyone listened. Especially the men !    


It was here at the local market where she once again met up with Bjorgolf. The chieftain had been bitterly disappointed with the food that was being served in his great hall. The head maiden and cook blamed it on the produce that was being purchased by the serving maidens, while the serving maidens blamed the cook for not knowing how to properly prepare the food that she was given. Finally, Bjorgolf had had enough and went to the market with all of the serving maidens. As they looked around they found that one stand had the best vegetables and grains. As Bjorgolf pulled out a few gold coins to give to the owner as payment for whatever the serving maidens felt they needed, Signy rose up from behind the table looking as beautiful as ever. Bjorgolf was once again bewitched by her beauty, and after spending most of the morning talking with her, he invited her to his great hall for dinner. The dinner was as disappointing as ever, and Bjorgolf had the cook bodily thrown out of his hall . For Bjorgolf and Signy, however, this was the beginning of a new relationship .   


As Signy looked out across the fjord, and off into the distant mountains, she wondered what lay ahead for her. A whole multitude of possibilities danced around in her head. Would Bjorgolf return with great wealth and even more power ? Could he possibly conquer some great land over in Britain, and be made Jarl, or maybe even a king !? Signy smiled as she fancied herself as a queen sitting on a high seat next to her husband King Bjorgolf. But there were darker possibilities as well to consider. What if he came back injured ?! And what if he did not come back at all ?! " What will become of me ? " she said out loud. Signy took a deep cleansing breath as she turned and walked back to the great hall.       


Bjorgolf was still sitting with his warriors as Signy entered the hall. When Bjorgolf saw his bride standing in the doorway, however, he stood up and told his men it was time for him to leave. His men all lifted their horns to Bjorgolf, and many nodded knowingly to him as he passed. Bjorgolf played the part of the groom, hitched up his pants, and winked to his men, as they cheered him on. Signy gave her husband a little bow, and held her hand out to Bjorgolf. The chieftain, however, still wanted to put on a little show for his men so he grabbed Signy in his arms and gave her a long hard kiss. Bjorgolf then grabbed her hand and ran out of the hall with his bride. Signy, not to be outdone, turned and winked at the warriors as she left the hall.


It being their wedding night neither of the loving couple got much sleep before the Goddess Sunna woke them with her brilliant light. As Bjorgolf left their long house he emerged into the daylight with a broad smile that reached from ear to ear.  While Signy dressed, Bjorgolf  walked down to the Fjord to check on the readiness of his ships. Most of his men were already on board when he arrived, and many of the village women stood on the shore to see them off. When his warriors saw his blood shot eyes, and the dark circles beneath them they could not help but give their commander a rousing cheer. Bjorgolf enjoyed the moment, but it was much more important that he make sure that his ships were in perfect sailing condition. 


When Hoskuld spotted his old friend Bjorgolf he called him over. " Would our valiant leader like to take a nap before we set sail this morning ? " Hoskuld asked him with a wicked smile. Bjorgolf gave his second in command a small chuckle before asking in a tired voice : " Are the ships ready my old friend ? "  Hoskuld laughed. " Of course ! But I am having them fix the rudder handle on the Munin. I found a small crack, and do not want to leave until it is repaired ! " he told his commander. Bjorgolf grimaced : " And how long will that hold us up ? " he asked. Hoskuld gave Bjorgolf a sly smile. " They are just finishing the repair as we speak. " he told him.  " There will be no delay ! " he added as he walked over to inspect the repaired rudder. Bjorgolf proudly looked out over his ten fine dragon ships, each of which had been given a name of the God's pets. Gently rocking in the calm waters sat in order : the Hugin, Munin, Gullinborsti, Geri, Freki, Hofvarpnir, Gulltopp, Skinfaxi, Lettfeti, and at the head of the group was the largest ship, his ship, the Sleipnir.       


As the warriors did their last inspections of the ships before casting off Signy ran up to the shore where Bjorgolf was supervising the final preparations. Signy suddenly felt the great weight of the moment . Although she knew for weeks that this day was coming, now that it had arrived she was overcome with emotion and began to cry. Hoskuld' s wife Helga quickly walked over to Signy and placed her hands on Signy' s shoulders. " This is not the way for a warriors wife to act ! Go to your husband, and show him that you are the proud wife of a brave warrior ! " Helga told her. Signy walked over to Bjorgolf, but she could not hold back the tears. Bjorgolf, who smiled as he shook his head, held his trembling wife in his arms. As the warriors looked on Hoskuld overheard one of his warriors, named Hrafn, make a disparaging remark about Signy' s behavior. Hoskuld quickly grabbed the man harshly by the arm. " Remember, that is the wife of our chieftain my friend ! You will show her respect ! " he demanded. Isleif, the large warrior standing beside Hrafn, clamped his hand down hard on Hrafn' s shoulder. " Be tolerant my friend ! They have not even been married for one whole day yet ! " Isleif reminded him.


Hoskuld waited for as long as he could, but finally he had to remind Bjorgolf, who was still consoling Signy, that it was time to leave. " All the men have boarded, and the wind is with us Bjorgolf. It is time to sail ! " he shouted to his old friend. Bjorgolf gave Signy one last kiss before walking up the plank that led onto his ship, the Sleipnir. As the lines were untied and the ships rowed out into the fjord, there arose a great cheer from the women, children and elders on the shore. Everyone watched intently as they reached deeper water and set sail. A few, including Signy, stayed to watch as the ships disappeared out of sight. Hoskuld's wife Helga who had also stayed behind, now put her arm around Signy. It is time for us to go about our daily duties while our husbands go a - viking my dear. " she reminded Signy. As they walked back to the village Signy could not help but look back several times. But there was nothing for her to see. The ships were gone. 


Once the dragon ships left the shelter of the fjord, and entered the open waters of the North Sea, the winds picked up and the ships cut through the waves making fair speed. The ocean was rough, with an occasional wave breaking over the sides of the smaller ships, but the weather was manageable as their voyage began. With the sails pushing them ever faster, the men were able to play games, and tell tales of other raids they had been on. Of course their stories were embellished with fantastic battles, and heroic actions, but this was to be expected from the warrior type. Bjorgolf was glad for the easy sailing at the beginning of their journey because it gave the men time to get to know each other better, and form bonds. " The better you know the man rowing next to you, the harder you will fight for him in battle ! " Hoskuld would always say. Unfortunately this was literally the calm before the storm.


On the night of the third day out, no stars were to be seen in the night sky. Bjorgolf passed the word to the other ships to make sure that everything was tied down, and to prepare themselves for a storm. Just as dawn was breaking the winds picked up, and the rains poured out of the heavens. When the winds became too much for the sails, they were taken down to make sure they were not ripped to shreds. The warriors for the first time on their voyage were forced to row. As the waves grew ever greater in height, the men had to pull on their heavy oars with all their might as the rudder man tried desperately to keep the bow of their ship pointed directly into the oncoming waves. The task was a difficult one, but also a very necessary one . If a ship was struck by a large enough wave from the side it could overturn the ship, and spill the warriors out into the freezing churning ocean. No man, no matter how strong, could last very long in these freezing waters of the North Sea.


From time to time during the day some of the men had to drop their oars and pick up a bucket and bail out some of the water that had had come over the sides of the ship. This vital duty, much like rowing in rough seas, was a tiring exercise in futility. For no matter how much water they bailed out of their ship, the next wave that broke over the side would deposit more.   Bjorgolf and Hoskuld, however, had been on enough voyages to know that this storm, as bad as it was, would not destroy their fleet. As long as every man did his duty to the fullest the fleet would come out of the other side of this storm a little worse for wear, but with no major damage.


The storm lasted for not even a full day, but to the less experienced sailors it seemed to go on for an eternity. Some of the warriors begged Aegir and Ran to be merciful, while others looked to Njord and Thor for assistance. But storms, much like the fates woven by the Norns, must slowly unravel themselves until they have reached their end. As darkness began to fall again the sailors began to see Mani' s welcome face shining through the thinning clouds. More importantly to Bjorgolf the stars had reappeared. Now they could navigate again !


The winds were light as Mani crossed the midnight sky, but they were strong enough to once again raise the sails, which was a great relief to the exhausted rowers. Most of the men, except the boat leaders, and the rudder men, quickly fell asleep to the gentle rocking of their ships. Bjorgolf, after checking the stars for their position, also lay down to rest. The chieftain of Holtavord had only one thought in his mind as he fell asleep. " How far off course were they blown by the storm ? " Their destination was the English town known as Durham in Northumberland, but Bjorgolf knew there was little chance that they would be able to make landfall where they had planned. 


Bjorgolf awoke to a blaring sun, and shouts of :  " Land ahead  ! Land Ahead ! " As the men in his ship slowly roused themselves, they picked up their oars and began to row towards the distant shore. As he looked around Bjorgolf could see only seven of his original compliment of ten ships. Bjorgolf was a little concerned, but he knew that if their captains had maintained their ships properly they were merely off course, and not lost to the seas. The chieftain did not like landing, however, with one hundred and eighty less men. Bjorgolf was not sure exactly where they were on the English coast, and had no idea what to expect once they came ashore. As the ships beached themselves, one by one the men scrambled over the sides ready for battle. For some of the less experienced sailors this took longer than others because they had to walk off their unsteady" sea legs ".  Once they were all assembled Bjorgolf and Hoskuld took a contingent of warriors with them to find out their exact location. Bjorn, a trusted warrior, remained behind with the rest of the warriors to guard the ships. As Bjorgolf walked with his warriors into the great unknown, his thoughts were not of his missing men, or of what lay ahead of him. His thoughts were of the wife he had left behind.                                        



- Glenn Bergen, (Ravensheart ), © Copyright, 2014.


Next : Chapter 2 : The Vikings Attack





         



New Short Story

10/27/2014

 

New Short Story : ' The Lost Viking ' ©

Picture
Beginning tomorrow I will start posting my short story, ' The Lost Viking ' © , which I have finally finished and edited. The first chapter, ' The Journey To Britain ' , will follow the trials and tribulations of a Norse chieftain named Bjorgolf,  who has gone " a - viking "  with the rest of  the villagers to the Isle of Britain. The following chapters, eleven in all , will also deal with how those left behind in Norway, including Bjorgolf's bride Signy, have had to deal with their loved one's absence. I hope that everyone will like my new short story .


I am also developing another short story tentatively titled, ' Good Witch, Bad Witch ' ©. This story will take place in Jotunheim and will deal with two witches who are sisters, and as the title implies, one is good and one is bad. But things are not always as they seem ! 


Finally, my second book, ' Skaldic Poems : Volume 2 ' is now in the editing stage and is due out sometime in December of this year. I sincerely hope that everyone will enjoy my second offering ! 


- Glenn Bergen, ( Ravensheart )       
Picture

Poem : Witch Sisters

10/26/2014

 

287. Witch Sisters

Picture
There was once born two sisters into the Jotun race,
One was a good witch, the other quite the disgrace.
The kind sister was destined to live with a disfigured face, 
A twist of fate gave to the evil witch all the beauty and grace.

The ugly witch forced out of Jotunheim, made to live in a cave,
But the pretty sister was allowed to stay in the Jotun' s enclave.
The good witch 
mixed potions, which to others she freely gave,
While the pretty evil one cast spells that would injure and enslave.

Over time all who knew her began to love the ugly, but kind witch,
But the wicked sister, though pretty, was despised as an evil bitch.
Finally the good witch was summoned to Jotunheim and made rich,
While the evil sister was buried alive in the woods in a deep ditch.

The evil witch sister is now cursed, to her grave she is bound,
While the ugly, kind sister, in the Jotun king' s hall can be found.
Jotuns honored the good witch, as their queen she was crowned,
But no one in Jotunheim dares visit the evil witch' s grave mound.

- Glenn Bergen, ( Ravensheart ), © Copyright, 2014.

Poem :The Flow Of Time

10/25/2014

 

28. The Flow Of Time 

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter,
The seasons flow like a mighty river,
They deposit themselves in an ocean of years,
There to be counted for all time.
Everything changes in the nine - worlds,
It is the magical way of our universe !

- Glenn Bergen, ( Ravensheart ), © Copyright, 2012.

Poem : The Three Maidens

10/24/2014

 

27. The Three Maidens

Picture
Cold and heartless, they number just three,
Those maidens who live close by the ash tree,
That grows evergreen beside the holy spring.
Songs of the past, present, and future they sing. 

They show no emotions, never happy or sad,
These Norns are not good, but neither so bad.
Stoically they weave the lives for all men,
With each new birth, again and again.

They are maidens of death, but also of life,
They spin together love, misery, war and strife.
Their gossamer thread they embed in our souls,
They provide us our laws, our lives, our roles.

Urd, Skuld, and Verdandi, these are their names,
They weave out our lives, our destiny on their frames.
Forever they sit and work at their loom,
Until Ragnarok comes, that ultimate doom.

- Glenn Bergen, ( Ravensheart ), © Copyright, 2011.  

Poem : The Power Of Her Love

10/23/2014

 

286. The Power Of Her Love

Picture
Every time Freyja comes near I can feel my heart beat,
Each pulse makes me quiver with uncontrollable devotion,
Like a defeated warrior my inhibitions slowly begin to retreat,
As a tremendous wave of love washes
 over me like an ocean.

So many times I have asked myself : " How can this be real ? ",
Then I sense my face flush, as my weak heart begins to race,
I wonder if a Goddess can be the cause of the way that I feel,
Why would Freyja care for me ? How could this be the case ? 

The affection that I have for Freyja is something I would never tell,
For I walk upon a confusing path, one which I fear is seldom trod,
I blindly follow her heart as she entices me with her powerful spell,
For this is the power of love and devotion between a mortal and a God. 

- Glenn Bergen, ( Ravensheart ), © Copyright, 2014.

Poem : The Wild Hunt

10/22/2014

 

26. The Wild Hunt

Picture
The time has come,
 Dawn is fast approaching,
String the bows, sharpen the spears,
The Wild Hunt is here !

Blow quickly the horns,
Gather up the men,
Make all the ready,
The Wild Hunt is here !

Let loose the dogs,
Mount your horses,
Lead us Great Odin,
The Wild Hunt is here !

Through blood red skies,
And forest still dark,
We ride like the wind,
The Wild Hunt is here !

The dogs have the scent, 
Push the horses to their limit,
The prey has been cornered,
The Wild Hunt is here ! 

- Glenn Bergen, ( Ravensheart ), © Copyright, 2011.

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