we would not be taking were slaughtered. We took the skins and hides. They would be treated back in Cyninges-tūn. Tanned hides and skins were both valuable and useful. The meat we salted and put in some of the empty beer barrels. We had drunk many of the barrels of beer and ale the monks had had and they made the perfect container for the salted meat. The captives knew that something was going on and I was approached by Hilda, the wife of Wulfric, the slain thegn. She had learned to defer to me and she gave a slight bow, "Lord, you are leaving?"
"We are leaving!"
"And us?"
"You will leave too unless Eorledman Brynoth brings enough gold to satisfy us."
She looked upset, "My fate is in his hands? Then we are doomed for he has coveted my husband's lands for years. If my son is sold as a slave then he will have the land for himself!"
I had thought that the man was cunning. "Do not worry. They want the churchmen so much that he will pay. You have shown courage, lady and I would spite this Eorledman. You will not be sold in Dyflin but say nothing to the priests."
"But why?"
"I have my reasons." I smiled, "Do not judge all Vikings by the actions of a few. If the priests know what I have just said then I will sell you and your family to the Irish and that I swear!"
"Then I swear I will say nothing." As she held the cross which was around her neck I believed her.
My scouts reported the arrival of the Saxon host. There was a large number but I could see that they came not for war. They had priests with them and wagons carrying chests. I went to meet them with my jarls.
"Let us get this over with I either have a tide to catch or Saxons to slaughter. First where is the gold to make us leave?"
The Eorledman snapped his fingers, imperiously, and ten chests were brought forward. I nodded to Haaken who opened each one and sifted through them to make sure that they had not filled the bottom with rocks and salted the top with a few coins. "It is good, Jarl Dragonheart."
"And now for the captives."
The priest who had the most regal robes waved forward two slaves who carried two boxes and laid them before us. Haaken check them again and nodded. I turned, "Bring forward the captives."
Aiden led Hilda and her family and the farmers and their families. The priests and monks, all twenty of them, were guarded.
"Here are your captives." Hilda gave me a grateful nod as she passed me.
Eorledman Brynoth and the priest became almost apoplectic, "This was for the monks and priests!"
I smiled, "I am the seller here. If you wish the monks then I want another three boxes of gold and coins."
I was gambling but I had seen more wagons lower down the hill. The priest nodded and waved them forward. They unpacked three chests and brought them to us. They were filled to the brim. I had seen one more box chest there.
"Very well you have paid my money and we will leave." I turned and shouted, "Fetch the priests and burn the monastery!"
The priest in the regal robes shouted, "No! We have paid you!"
"And I have given you that for which you paid. We said nothing about leaving the church and the monastery standing!"
"Here, one chest of gold to leave the church alone." A final chest, smaller than the rest appeared as if by magic.
I smiled, "Very well. Do not fire the church!"
The Saxons did not leave but watched as we loaded our drekar and knarr with our booty. We had achieved far more than I would have dreamed possible. As we headed out to sea Haaken said, "When others hear of this raid, Jarl, they will visit this land in even greater numbers."
"I know, Haaken, but next time they will defend better and pay less. This is wyrd . It is weregeld for all that King Egbert has done to us."
We were watched from the banks as we left. The skies were dark and foreboding. It seemed ominous. My drekar led the other ships. We had used a couple of men from each drekar to crew the new knarr which we had named " Weregeld ".
"We are leaving!"
"And us?"
"You will leave too unless Eorledman Brynoth brings enough gold to satisfy us."
She looked upset, "My fate is in his hands? Then we are doomed for he has coveted my husband's lands for years. If my son is sold as a slave then he will have the land for himself!"
I had thought that the man was cunning. "Do not worry. They want the churchmen so much that he will pay. You have shown courage, lady and I would spite this Eorledman. You will not be sold in Dyflin but say nothing to the priests."
"But why?"
"I have my reasons." I smiled, "Do not judge all Vikings by the actions of a few. If the priests know what I have just said then I will sell you and your family to the Irish and that I swear!"
"Then I swear I will say nothing." As she held the cross which was around her neck I believed her.
My scouts reported the arrival of the Saxon host. There was a large number but I could see that they came not for war. They had priests with them and wagons carrying chests. I went to meet them with my jarls.
"Let us get this over with I either have a tide to catch or Saxons to slaughter. First where is the gold to make us leave?"
The Eorledman snapped his fingers, imperiously, and ten chests were brought forward. I nodded to Haaken who opened each one and sifted through them to make sure that they had not filled the bottom with rocks and salted the top with a few coins. "It is good, Jarl Dragonheart."
"And now for the captives."
The priest who had the most regal robes waved forward two slaves who carried two boxes and laid them before us. Haaken check them again and nodded. I turned, "Bring forward the captives."
Aiden led Hilda and her family and the farmers and their families. The priests and monks, all twenty of them, were guarded.
"Here are your captives." Hilda gave me a grateful nod as she passed me.
Eorledman Brynoth and the priest became almost apoplectic, "This was for the monks and priests!"
I smiled, "I am the seller here. If you wish the monks then I want another three boxes of gold and coins."
I was gambling but I had seen more wagons lower down the hill. The priest nodded and waved them forward. They unpacked three chests and brought them to us. They were filled to the brim. I had seen one more box chest there.
"Very well you have paid my money and we will leave." I turned and shouted, "Fetch the priests and burn the monastery!"
The priest in the regal robes shouted, "No! We have paid you!"
"And I have given you that for which you paid. We said nothing about leaving the church and the monastery standing!"
"Here, one chest of gold to leave the church alone." A final chest, smaller than the rest appeared as if by magic.
I smiled, "Very well. Do not fire the church!"
The Saxons did not leave but watched as we loaded our drekar and knarr with our booty. We had achieved far more than I would have dreamed possible. As we headed out to sea Haaken said, "When others hear of this raid, Jarl, they will visit this land in even greater numbers."
"I know, Haaken, but next time they will defend better and pay less. This is wyrd . It is weregeld for all that King Egbert has done to us."
We were watched from the banks as we left. The skies were dark and foreboding. It seemed ominous. My drekar led the other ships. We had used a couple of men from each drekar to crew the new knarr which we had named " Weregeld ".
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