Free Viking Sword by Griff Hosker Page B

hereabouts and the fort could only be dimly made out but Snorri waited for us. "It is less than a thousand paces from here. Bjorn the Scout is waiting beneath the walls to the west."
    "Arturus, take your men and go to Bjorn the Scout.  You know what to do?"
    "Aye, Jarl Dragon Heart."
    "Make sure that you light the fire as soon as the sentries are dead.  That is the crucial part of the plan."
    He cocked his head on one side.  "I am a man now father and I lead my own oathsworn.  Trust me to do this well."
    I clasped his arm, "To me you will always be a son and I cannot help worrying about you." He nodded and led his men off at an easy lope.  Snorri led us east towards the tower at the end of the fort.
    As we neared it I could see that it was not Roman.  It had not been built of stone.  Therein lay its weakness. It was wooden and the ditch was too shallow.  It would not deter a child. The towers did not jut out which created many blind spots. I intended to exploit those.
    The flaw in my plan was that there was no way of coordinating our two attacks. I just hoped that we would confuse them.  It was likely that one of our two attacks would have to bear the brunt of the Dane's ire.  I hoped that it would be us.
    There was a ditch which ran beneath the ramparts. However the driving sand had filled in most of the ditch. It might have originally been built deeper but it had not been maintained. The complacency of the garrison would come to haunt them. Half of the Ulfheonar approached the walls. Snorri and Bjorn the Scout had bows strung and arrows nocked in case the sentries showed an interest in the landward side.  They seemed more concerned with the seaward side and that suited us. Cnut waited with half of the men while Haaken and I led the other half. We sank a little in the damp, sand filled ditch but it was a minor inconvenience. Tostig and Erik Dog Bite held their shield for me and others did the same for Sigtrygg, Haaken and Bjorn Carved Teeth. I stepped on to the shield and they raised it to their waist. My shield was upon my back and I held Ragnar's Spirit in my hand.  The sentries were still at the tower which overlooked the sea.
    I nodded and I was thrust upwards. I grabbed the top of the ramparts with my left hand and sprang on to the walkway.  I must have landed silently for no one sounded the alarm.  I did not wait for the others but moved towards the tower. I was almost at the tower and the guards when I heard a piercing scream from the western end of the fort; Arturus and his men had struck and been seen. One of the Danes came rushing from the tower and ran into my sword before he even saw me.  I thrust him to the courtyard before me and stepped into the tower.  There was a brazier burning. The four Danes must have had a shock when they looked up and saw a monster wearing a wolf cloak with burning red eyes. I swung my sword horizontally and was sprayed with the warm blood of two of them. I punched them with my shield and they fell in a heap.  One was mortally wounded but the other three tried to get to their feet.  Haaken and Bjorn were behind me and all three fell dead.
    We could hear the noise of battle at the main gate.  All was eerily quiet where we were. After helping the others over the ramparts we clambered down the ladders into the heart of the fort. The Danes were leaving their warrior hall and running to the gate where they perceived their danger. Sigtrygg stabbed a surprised Dane in the back as he stepped from the hall.  He pulled the body away and stepped inside.  "Haaken, Cnut, keep at their backs." I stepped into the warrior hall.  Half of the Danes had already left and the ones who remained were struggling to rise.  The evening's drink had weakened them.  "I am Jarl Dragon Heart and I wield the sword touched by the gods! Fear me and my oathsworn!"
    Normally I would have just attacked but I needed my name spreading. The bait would have to be laid thickly if I was to draw the danger