Free Viking Treasure by Griff Hosker Page A

was relieved to see the walls of Elfridaby standing yet.  The gates were whole and my son's standard flew.  We galloped through the sturdy entrance.  It was a small garrison which greeted us.  Elfrida came out, smiling.  It was a smile which masked her fear.  "Your son and Ragnar rode out when they saw the beacon from the south.  You have made good time.  Did Aiden work his magic?"
    "No it was luck or perhaps it was wyrd ." I turned in my saddle, "Sigtrygg.  You and your men stay here.  Your horses are exhausted and I want the garrison strengthened.  Gruffyd, stay with Elfrida and guard Ragnar's sister."
    He bit back his reply and nodded.
    "Keep a good watch.  The men of Dyflin will be here soon." I leaned down to Elfrida.  "We have been surprised and Wolf Killer's scouts have been killed.  You must command here with Sigtrygg."
    "I am the wife of a warrior, Jarl.  I know what I have to do.  Do not worry about me or your son.  He will be safe here."
    I smiled at Garth, "Today, grandson, you begin to become a warrior!"
    He took out the seax I had given him and flourished it.  "I have named it Fox Bite!"
    As I led my sixty men east I was grateful that Gunnstein Berserk Killer had sent his men.  With Sigtrygg's and the garrison Elfridaby would be safe; for a while at least.
    We met the first of those fleeing our foes close by the tiny mere a mile from the town.  They were not warriors.  They were the frightened people who lived in the farms.  They cowered fearfully in the ditches when we approached.  I spoke to them quietly. "Tell me what happened."
    An older man with a badly gashed head said, "Barbarians came from the east.    We had some warning of their coming for others fled before them.  We ran but they had mounted men and they rode us down. We did not understand their words. Many were killed but the Allfather smiled on us.  We fell down a steep bank and they thought we were dead." He held his hand to his head.  "I nearly was. We spent the day making our way west.  We knew that the Jarl at Elfridaby would give us shelter."
    "Did you see him?"
    He nodded, "We used logs to float down the Rawthey and we heard them.  They are fighting in the rebuilt burgh."
    "Keep heading west.  You will find a welcome at Elfridaby." As they hurried away I said, "Snorri and Beorn, I need to know the disposition of the enemy."
    "Aye Jarl." The two of them whipped their horses and disappeared ahead of us.
    Asbjorn bring your men.  I will take you and the Ulfheonar.  The rest of you dismount here and make a shield wall.  We will bring the enemy to you. Cnut Cnutson you command."
    "Aye Jarl."
    I drew my sword and raised it. "We ride!"
    Galloping down the gentle slope to the burgh I wondered if we would be in time.  My son could have no more than forty men with him.  Ten boat loads of our enemies could be as many as two hundred warriors.  My only hope was that there were some still strung out on the road from Eoforwic. Snorri met us.  He was dismounted. I could hear the clash of arms ahead.
    "Jarl the outer wall is breached.  Wolf Killer and his men are outnumbered.  They are fighting their way back through the huts. That is the only thing preventing them from being overwhelmed. The enemy can only bring a few warriors to bear but they have horses and soon they will outflank your son."
    "Dismount! Asbjorn go with Snorri and outflank them from the north.  Beorn lead us to the south." I swung my shield around as my tiny band of Ulfheonar tried to do the impossible; we would try to convince a larger army that we were a larger force than we actually were.
    We left the road and headed across the fields to approach the enemy from behind. We kept low and our wolf cloaks disguised us; they hid the metal of our byrnies. Haaken and Olaf Leather Neck were on either side of me. The noise of the fighting had grown. Beorn pointed.  I could see the Franks.  Their helmets were rounded and had no nasal. I took in that many of