Aiden. Fire arrows do not have the range of normal arrows and we would be releasing into the wind. No, I am afraid this will be an old fashioned battle. We must use the skills of the Ulfheonar and Asbjorn."
" 'Crow' has Sigtrygg and his men on board. He has fought at sea."
"But not for some time." This was all my fault. I had been so confident that I could defeat the Saxons I had forgotten about sea battles. We had not prepared. I promised myself that, if we survived this, then we would work out tactics should such a situation occur. Had Wolf Killer been with us we would have had a second drekar which was as big as mine. I glanced astern and I could now see them. They were catching us. I was tempted to row but that would not help my knarr. If anything we needed to go slowly. I put my hand on my sword and stared up at the skies as though they might give me inspiration.
And then the idea came to me just as suddenly as the lightning had struck the tower back on Man all those years ago. "Aiden and Snorri have fire and fire arrows prepared."
Erik said, "But Jarl that is risky and they will not reach the enemy!"
"They will if we are behind them."
"But how ..." He smiled, "You have the cunning of a fox."
Olaf looked confused, "Then explain it to me Jarl for I know not what we do!"
"We turn and sail across their bows and then into the wind. They are using oars and they will go beyond us. They will pass close enough for our arrows to do them damage and then, when we are turned the wind will be with us and carry our arrows further."
"But what of the others? They will not know the plan."
"I have three experienced jarls aboard those ships. They will work it out quickly enough beside, we are the largest drekar and we can do this alone."
Haaken burst out laughing, "Each time I think I have the saga in my head, Jarl Dragonheart excels himself!"
I turned to Erik, "I leave the turn to you, Erik. You know how to judge these things."
"We need them close enough so that they are still rowing. They will stop when they are within three boat lengths. I will wait until they are four lengths away. If we shorten sail a little now it will slow us down and, perhaps, tell the other captains what we plan."
"Good idea. Olaf, you keep watch on the Danes."
Now that I had a plan I felt better about the way the events were turning out. Firstly it would ensure that the knarr escaped. Our people would benefit even if we were dead. Secondly it gave us a fighting chance. If they held the wind gauge then they could dictate the battle and thirdly they would now not only be tired but confused and those two conditions made men make mistakes.
"Five lengths, Jarl."
Erik said, "Then it is time!" he shouted, "Prepare to come about!"
I had to help him, along with Olaf, to push the steering board hard over. We began to head south and we kept the wood of the steering board hard over as we turned to face east. Snorri, Aiden and the archers were now in the bows with the small brazier and the fire arrows. They would not release yet. As we began to turn east I saw the bows of the Danish dragon ship hurtling towards us. The captain had not managed to get all of his oars in and, as we turned and my archers released arrows at his stern, our drekar smashed across half of the oars. I had seen the effect before at first hand and not only would the oars be broken and therefore useless, the splinters could severely wound and even kill a rower.
"Haaken, what of the other drekar?"
"They have all turned, Jarl and they are passing between the Danes." Asbjorn would have two drekar to contend with; one on each side. I hoped that my others were as lucky as I had been and that they would also break some oars and that their arrows would inflict casualties.
We were close enough to see the faces of our foes. Some shook their fists. I saw others lifting wounded warriors and all the time Snorri and his ten archers were loosing arrows at
" 'Crow' has Sigtrygg and his men on board. He has fought at sea."
"But not for some time." This was all my fault. I had been so confident that I could defeat the Saxons I had forgotten about sea battles. We had not prepared. I promised myself that, if we survived this, then we would work out tactics should such a situation occur. Had Wolf Killer been with us we would have had a second drekar which was as big as mine. I glanced astern and I could now see them. They were catching us. I was tempted to row but that would not help my knarr. If anything we needed to go slowly. I put my hand on my sword and stared up at the skies as though they might give me inspiration.
And then the idea came to me just as suddenly as the lightning had struck the tower back on Man all those years ago. "Aiden and Snorri have fire and fire arrows prepared."
Erik said, "But Jarl that is risky and they will not reach the enemy!"
"They will if we are behind them."
"But how ..." He smiled, "You have the cunning of a fox."
Olaf looked confused, "Then explain it to me Jarl for I know not what we do!"
"We turn and sail across their bows and then into the wind. They are using oars and they will go beyond us. They will pass close enough for our arrows to do them damage and then, when we are turned the wind will be with us and carry our arrows further."
"But what of the others? They will not know the plan."
"I have three experienced jarls aboard those ships. They will work it out quickly enough beside, we are the largest drekar and we can do this alone."
Haaken burst out laughing, "Each time I think I have the saga in my head, Jarl Dragonheart excels himself!"
I turned to Erik, "I leave the turn to you, Erik. You know how to judge these things."
"We need them close enough so that they are still rowing. They will stop when they are within three boat lengths. I will wait until they are four lengths away. If we shorten sail a little now it will slow us down and, perhaps, tell the other captains what we plan."
"Good idea. Olaf, you keep watch on the Danes."
Now that I had a plan I felt better about the way the events were turning out. Firstly it would ensure that the knarr escaped. Our people would benefit even if we were dead. Secondly it gave us a fighting chance. If they held the wind gauge then they could dictate the battle and thirdly they would now not only be tired but confused and those two conditions made men make mistakes.
"Five lengths, Jarl."
Erik said, "Then it is time!" he shouted, "Prepare to come about!"
I had to help him, along with Olaf, to push the steering board hard over. We began to head south and we kept the wood of the steering board hard over as we turned to face east. Snorri, Aiden and the archers were now in the bows with the small brazier and the fire arrows. They would not release yet. As we began to turn east I saw the bows of the Danish dragon ship hurtling towards us. The captain had not managed to get all of his oars in and, as we turned and my archers released arrows at his stern, our drekar smashed across half of the oars. I had seen the effect before at first hand and not only would the oars be broken and therefore useless, the splinters could severely wound and even kill a rower.
"Haaken, what of the other drekar?"
"They have all turned, Jarl and they are passing between the Danes." Asbjorn would have two drekar to contend with; one on each side. I hoped that my others were as lucky as I had been and that they would also break some oars and that their arrows would inflict casualties.
We were close enough to see the faces of our foes. Some shook their fists. I saw others lifting wounded warriors and all the time Snorri and his ten archers were loosing arrows at
Similar Books
