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shed.  If you draw your weapons we will slaughter you." I looked at his four oathsworn.  "Your lord is dead and you will gain nothing by trying to gain revenge." Without looking behind me I said, "Snorri!"
    An arrow suddenly sprouted from between the legs of the nearest mailed man.  It was embedded along half its length. The man nodded and sheathed his sword. He went to take the reins of Coenred's horse.
    "Leave the horse.  Take your lives and leave." Scowling, the four did so. I pointed to the nearest four men. "Pick up your master's body and head.  Put them on his horse.  Does he have a family?"
    One man ventured, "Aye lord, a wife and a bairn."
    "Then take him home so that he can be buried." I pointed to the next four. "You four come with us.  We go to your king but I would have you four testify to the events which took place here." Without waiting to see if they complied I shouted, "Ketil Windarsson, fetch four horses for these men." Turning back I said, "The rest of you go home.  I meant what I said.  We come in peace.  You may well remember this day when you are greybeards bouncing grandchildren on your knee.  This could be the day when the war ended and is certainly the day your lives were spared by the Dragonheart."
    I mounted Storm Rider and Haaken said, wryly, "Were you trying to blunt his sword?  Or waiting for him to tire himself out?  It is an interesting technique, Jarl."
    "I defeated him did I not? Besides he relied on my shield being as badly made as his. He should have invested his coin in a better shield rather than making his iron armour look golden."
    "Aye, his byrnie was too short."
    We all wore our byrnies so that they covered our knees. We had learned that the extra weight was worth it.
    Ragnar said, "Were you not afraid, Grandfather, when he launched himself at you?  His hands were so quick."
    "And that is why you practise against two men and learn to use your shield.  You have two weapons when you fight.  Use them both."
    He nodded, "Does this mean that the King will be angry when we meet him?"
    "I hope not but I could not avoid it could I?  It was the work of the Weird Sisters.  Our threads were twisted.  We will see what they next intend."
    Gruffyd said quietly, "I prayed to the Allfather that you would be safe.  He answered my prayers."
    When we came to the Aln the Saxons there had heard our approach and they fled to their hall in the loop of the river. We did not bother them for I was keen to reach Bebbanburgh before dark.  The fight had delayed us and we rode hard for the last fifteen or so miles.  We made good time on the Roman Road but the last few were over a rough road covered with windblown sand.
    The castle was well built and well sited.  It lay at the end of a promontory which was surrounded on three sides by sea, sand dunes and boggy ground.  There was but one approach and that was directly towards the castle across a neck of land. As we crested the rise I saw the mighty fortress rising ahead of me.  It looked like the boss on a mighty shield. Even as we watched the last of the Saxons were hurrying along the road desperate to be within the walls of the stronghold of Northumbria.  The walls were lined and King Eanred was ready for war.
     
     
     



Chapter 3
    I turned to my men, "Take off your helmets and put your shields behind your backs. You four Saxons, ride next to me." I said quietly to Haaken, "Take my kin to the rear."
    "Grandfather!"
    Haaken snarled, "You heard him. If you wish to serve the Dragonheart you obey orders without questions.  You get to groom all the horses tonight Ragnar Arturusson!"
    We halted below the walls and waited.  The entrance wound along the side of the salty swamp which would fill with the sea at high tide. The banners of Northumbria hung from the walls.  Suddenly something was hurled form the walls.  I dodged my head out of the way at the last moment as the lead ball thudded into the ground behind me.
    "Leif, come with