With Siggi abeam of her and Asbjorn behind she would be as well protected as any. Sigtrygg and Olaf sailed on the flanks.
Aiden seemed disturbed as we headed out to sea. "What troubles you, my galdramenn?"
"The Danish mercenaries worry me. They came within a short time. You say there were about thirty and that is not enough for a boat crew. Where are the rest? Had I been there when the battle was fought I might have detected their thoughts."
I looked astern. "Let us assume you are right," I smiled, "and you are rarely wrong, then there may be more Danes and they have to be north of us." I turned to Erik, "Where is the wind from?"
"The north east Jarl. It carries us home quickly."
"Aiden thinks that there may be Danes around. Aiden, when did the feeling come upon you?"
"When we passed the island where first we sheltered."
Erik nodded, "There are many channels on the north side. You could hide a fleet there. What do we do, Jarl?"
"We have to sail at the speed of the knarr. Slow down and I will speak with Siggi. When we begin to turn around the coast I will let him and the other knarr lead. We will be a wall of wood behind them. The Danes will have to come through us."
The coast of Kent turned south and, as we slowed, Siggi came abeam of us. I had Erik get us as close as he could but, even so, I still had to shout. "Aiden fears Danish pirates. You lead, " Weregeld ". If trouble comes then sail for the Sabrina and we will catch you up."
"Aye Jarl."
We used Leif and the banner to signal the other drekar into a line. I needed not tell them anything. I merely pointed astern and held my sword up. They knew the signal. There was danger. As soon as we made the turn to steerboard the wind pushed us along at a far faster rate. If there were Danish pirates they would be able to close with us quickly. One fear I had was that they might be ahead of us but then I realised that Eorledman Brynoth would have waited until he had the priests before telling his erstwhile allies. We had a little time. We could have rowed but that would have tired my warriors and would have done us little good. We had to keep the knarr in sight and they sailed at the speed of the wind. The advantage would be that the Danes, if they caught us, would have rowed and they would be tired. We were on the left of the line with the two smaller drekar between us and 'Odin's Breath' . We were the biggest by some way but Asbjorn's drekar was bigger than most. Sigtrygg's 'Crow ', was the least of my worries for he was an experienced captain and warrior. He would keep his drekar out of trouble.
"Snorri, break out the bows and have the archers gather here in the stern. We will keep them at a distance for as long as possible."
"We will be releasing into the wind, Jarl."
"I know but we do what we can. A couple of lucky strikes can make all the difference."
I was not certain I believed it but Ragnar had told me that a true warrior never gave up until he saw Odin's face.
Erik shouted, "Thorir, keep a good watch astern!"
"Aye Captain."
The ship's boy had his legs wrapped around the mast as he sat on the crosstree. He had young eyes and he would see the enemy first. We began to edge around the southern coast of Kent and were heading due west. Hope sprang in my heart. I began to believe that Aiden might have been wrong when Thorir's voice rang out. "Jarl Dragonheart, there are six Danish drekar astern."
"Prepare for war!"
I had not yet taken off my mail and I picked up my helmet. I would delay putting on until the last moment. Haaken and Olaf joined me. "They will catch us and we must somehow defeat them.
" 'Red Snake' and 'King's Gift' are both threttanessa, Jarl. They have small crews."
"I know Olaf."
"And their captains have never fought at sea."
"Thank you, Haaken. Is there something you wish to tell me that I do not know?"
Haaken was silent. Aiden said, "Is it too risky to use fire?"
"The wind is wrong,
Aiden seemed disturbed as we headed out to sea. "What troubles you, my galdramenn?"
"The Danish mercenaries worry me. They came within a short time. You say there were about thirty and that is not enough for a boat crew. Where are the rest? Had I been there when the battle was fought I might have detected their thoughts."
I looked astern. "Let us assume you are right," I smiled, "and you are rarely wrong, then there may be more Danes and they have to be north of us." I turned to Erik, "Where is the wind from?"
"The north east Jarl. It carries us home quickly."
"Aiden thinks that there may be Danes around. Aiden, when did the feeling come upon you?"
"When we passed the island where first we sheltered."
Erik nodded, "There are many channels on the north side. You could hide a fleet there. What do we do, Jarl?"
"We have to sail at the speed of the knarr. Slow down and I will speak with Siggi. When we begin to turn around the coast I will let him and the other knarr lead. We will be a wall of wood behind them. The Danes will have to come through us."
The coast of Kent turned south and, as we slowed, Siggi came abeam of us. I had Erik get us as close as he could but, even so, I still had to shout. "Aiden fears Danish pirates. You lead, " Weregeld ". If trouble comes then sail for the Sabrina and we will catch you up."
"Aye Jarl."
We used Leif and the banner to signal the other drekar into a line. I needed not tell them anything. I merely pointed astern and held my sword up. They knew the signal. There was danger. As soon as we made the turn to steerboard the wind pushed us along at a far faster rate. If there were Danish pirates they would be able to close with us quickly. One fear I had was that they might be ahead of us but then I realised that Eorledman Brynoth would have waited until he had the priests before telling his erstwhile allies. We had a little time. We could have rowed but that would have tired my warriors and would have done us little good. We had to keep the knarr in sight and they sailed at the speed of the wind. The advantage would be that the Danes, if they caught us, would have rowed and they would be tired. We were on the left of the line with the two smaller drekar between us and 'Odin's Breath' . We were the biggest by some way but Asbjorn's drekar was bigger than most. Sigtrygg's 'Crow ', was the least of my worries for he was an experienced captain and warrior. He would keep his drekar out of trouble.
"Snorri, break out the bows and have the archers gather here in the stern. We will keep them at a distance for as long as possible."
"We will be releasing into the wind, Jarl."
"I know but we do what we can. A couple of lucky strikes can make all the difference."
I was not certain I believed it but Ragnar had told me that a true warrior never gave up until he saw Odin's face.
Erik shouted, "Thorir, keep a good watch astern!"
"Aye Captain."
The ship's boy had his legs wrapped around the mast as he sat on the crosstree. He had young eyes and he would see the enemy first. We began to edge around the southern coast of Kent and were heading due west. Hope sprang in my heart. I began to believe that Aiden might have been wrong when Thorir's voice rang out. "Jarl Dragonheart, there are six Danish drekar astern."
"Prepare for war!"
I had not yet taken off my mail and I picked up my helmet. I would delay putting on until the last moment. Haaken and Olaf joined me. "They will catch us and we must somehow defeat them.
" 'Red Snake' and 'King's Gift' are both threttanessa, Jarl. They have small crews."
"I know Olaf."
"And their captains have never fought at sea."
"Thank you, Haaken. Is there something you wish to tell me that I do not know?"
Haaken was silent. Aiden said, "Is it too risky to use fire?"
"The wind is wrong,
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