Viking Legend by Griff Hosker

book of magic. Perhaps you can find a spell to transport us home in an instant.”
    He shook his head.  “It is not that kind of magic.  It is the magic of healing and of using my powers better.  The parchments in the box are worth more than all the treasure we have ever found.”
    I patted the hilt of my sword, “Worth more than Ragnar’s Spirit?”
    He grinned, “Possibly.”
    I nodded, “Then you have treasure indeed.”
    The inland waters through which we travelled as Erik twisted and turned back to the west were gentle.  I lay on my wolf skin and closed my eyes.  Soon I was asleep. I dreamed.
    There was a castle high upon a rock.  It was not Alt Clut for the sea was on the wrong side. I saw many fierce guards on the wall.  I looked to my right and saw Erika and on my left was an old wizened man with bright blue eyes.  We flew high into the air and the sentries saw us not. They flew me through a wall into a large hall and there I spied Magnus the Foresworn.  He was with Saxons whom I knew not and they were feasting.  My escorts disappeared and I began to lay about me with Ragnar’s Spirit. No matter how many Saxons I slew Magnus was still safe beyond my reach laughing. I hacked and cut until my arms would cut no more. As I dropped to my knees Magnus pushed me and I fell into a deep hole in the floor of the hall. There was water there and it consumed me. I fell, down and down, deeper and deeper.
    “Jarl! We have reached the sea!” I looked up into the face of Cnut Cnutson. “You were shouting in your sleep, Jarl Dragonheart.  I was afraid.”
    “Fear not Cnut.  When I sleep I am safe.  Your father’s spirit and the others who have died already watch over me.” I smiled, “I feel safer asleep than awake!”
    He shook his head, “I watched you and the others today.  How could you stand and face such enemies?  I thought they would have ridden over you all.”
    “When you become a warrior you will trust in two things; your sword and the men who stand with you in the shield wall. Then nothing can harm you.”
    Erik Short Toe chuckled, “You forgot the third thing, Jarl, you trust in a leader with the heart of a dragon and the sword of a god.”
    “The sword does help, Erik.  How is the wind?”
    “We need not to row for a while for the wind is in our favour but the rocks around here are treacherous.” He pointed to the sun setting in the west and the stormy clouds gathering. “Do you wish me to find shelter for the night or risk running south?”
    He looked at the masthead and the dragon’s tail which fluttered from it.  “If we head south and west we will have sea room. Let us risk running.”
    He smiled, “Let us hope that we have not used up all of our luck on this voyage.”
    I walked to the prow. I saw that most of my men were sleeping. They had earned their rest. My own sleep, while short, had refreshed me and I needed to think of the dream.  I had learned that such dreams were not literal.  I would not fly into a castle but it had given me an insight.  If the spirits spoke true then Magnus was in the west for the sea had been on the other side of the castle.  As I thought about the Saxons it came to me that they might be from Northumbria.  That would make sense. There were hints that Magnus knew of King Eanred. That King of Northumbria was my implacable foe and Magnus would be drawn to him. ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend. ’ That was too far a journey by sea. I looked aft and saw Aiden, curled around small chest, asleep. I would need to speak with Kara and Aiden.
    “I have my saga now, Jarl.”
    I turned and saw Haaken, “Aye it was a good fight and all the better that we lost none.”
    Can I confess to you, Jarl, that I thought we would be trampled beneath those horses’ hooves.  It came to me that although I would be dying with a sword in my hand that would not be a glorious death.”
    I laughed, “Me too.  Yet now that I think about it horsemen are only