Viking Legacy by Griff Hosker

Author:Griff Hosker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: dark ages, vikings, saxons, saga of heores, oathsworn
Publisher: Griff Hosker

Chapter 10

My son had not returned when we gathered at Whale Island. We could not delay our departure. I had told Mánagarmr Long Stride and Conan Mac Finbarr that we would return at Tvímánuður and that was upon us. We had Raibeart and his drekar. We had a mighty fleet. I sent Bergil Hafþórrsson with Arne Eriksson as his captain in ‘Running Bird’ to tell Mánagarmr Long Stride and Conan Mac Finbarr that we were on our way. ‘Running Bird’ was the smallest and fastest of our drekar. She was so swift that they would be able to deliver my message and still reach us before we had reached Dyflin.

We knew the port very well and if Garðketill the Sly had lived there for any length of time then he would know its strengths and weaknesses. He would use the drekar like a longphort. It would keep an enemy away from the walls. The river was quite narrow close to the walls and their drekar could effectively bar the town. My plan was to fix the attention of the defenders to the north so that Conan and Mánagarmr Long Stride could march their men from the south and cross the Viking longphort. We would still have the walls to take but I knew Hibernians. They were wild fighters. If we could make them attack us then we had a chance. We would land at Hǫfuð. It was almost an island and was attached to the land by a narrow isthmus. We could leave our ships there and use it as a base. It would take Conan and Mánagarmr Long Stride two days to march to Dyflin. I guessed that the two warriors were too clever not to have begun men marching north. It mattered not when they reached the river just so that they did. I had more than enough men to attract their attention.

Ulla War Cry was on his father’s ship but Sámr chose to sail with me. I could see that Ragnar was hurt but all warriors chose their own leader. One day Sámr would have his own drekar and oathsworn. The day was approaching quickly. Already some of the younger warriors had attached themselves to Sámr. He took an oar and had oar brothers. It was the first step on the long road to becoming jarl. Baldr was the one who shared an oar with my great-grandson.

It took more than a day to reach Dyflin. The winds did not cooperate. Bergil and Arne joined us just ten miles from the mouth of the river. Their message delivered we knew we would have allies heading north. We landed a short time before sunset on the beach which lay on the north side of Hǫfuð. We were not trying to hide. I just wanted us to land unopposed and to make defences at the narrow isthmus. We set up camp on what must have been an island at one time. Those who lived there had fled when we approached. Their sheep and goats made for a hot meal.

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