the crew around the steering board. We were going so slowly now, heading into the wind, that we were barely making any way. Had our sail not been partially shortened then we would have stopped. Erik continued, with the help of Olaf, to turn us so that we could sail along the sterns of the Danes.
As we passed the stern I saw that we could almost touch it and that the helmsmen and the others had been slain. I grabbed the torch which we kept at the stern to signal the other drekar and hurled it as high as I could. The wind caught it and carried it to the stern. There was no one to douse it. Ship's timbers are notoriously dry and as we began to move, more quickly north, flames leapt up and the ropes and sheets began to burn. One Danish drekar would not be able to fight.
None of my other ships had thought of using fire arrows but they all had archers ready and as they sailed, now ahead of us, they showered arrows on the Danes. The four remaining Danes were trying to turn to mirror our course. As they turned into the wind their full sails caused them to slow to a stop. We now had the wind and we sped along their line.
Snorri and Aiden worked as a team and their arrows struck the second drekar. This time there were crew ready to douse the flames but the Norns aided us and two arrows struck the sail, which could not be doused. And then we had passed that and the third drekar loomed up. Fortunately for the Danish captain he had not turned as quickly as his fellows and only two arrows struck him but he was too far away to be a danger. A fourth had become becalmed as its captain miscalculated and I saw him as they used their oars to turn the lumbering drekar around.
That left the last two and they had closed with each other to provide mutual help. Although stronger they had no manoeuvrability. The two threttanessa danced around them like hounds around a bear. They were irritating more than deadly but it kept the attention of the Danes on them. I saw, as we neared them that the last ship had managed to grapple 'Odin's Breath' . That would not do.
"Ulfheonar. We go to the aid of Jarl Asbjorn. Prepare to board the last drekar."
They all went to the side.
"Erik, we will board at the stern and cross to Asbjorn's drekar. Go alongside him."
"Aye Jarl."
It was not as risky as one might have thought. I would lead twelve warriors and attack the most vulnerable part of the ship. All attention would be on Asbjorn's drekar and we would have surprise; I hoped. Erik judged it well . Out sturdy side struck the stern and Olaf and Ulf led my Ulfheonar on to the deck of the Danish ship. It was smaller than ours and lower in the water. I was the fourth one on board. My men had slain the five who had been there. The steering board was next to me and I took the axe from the dead warrior's hand and hacked through the rudder boss. The drekar could not steer until it was repaired.
There was just Rolf Wolf Killer behind me with his two handed axe as I ran to follow my men. Olaf, Haaken and Ulf were carving a path through the Danes to get to 'Odin's Breath' . The ship was rolling as it was beam on to the wind and the waves. Keeping your footing was difficult. Had I not done this many times before I would have fallen but I kept my balance. A Dane tried to swing his axe over his head and he overbalanced. I slashed across his neck with Ragnar's Spirit.
Rolf was young and he was able to adapt. He had his shield over his back and he held his axe at the end and in the middle. He would not overbalance. He jabbed it forward and caught a Danish sailor in the middle. As he pulled it to one side he tore open the Dane's stomach.
Ahead of us the Danish warriors had realised that we were aboard and our progress was halted. What they did not know was that we were Ulfheonar. Ridiculous odds do not matter. I heard a roar as Olaf launched himself at the three Danes who blocked our way. Haaken's sword darted out
As we passed the stern I saw that we could almost touch it and that the helmsmen and the others had been slain. I grabbed the torch which we kept at the stern to signal the other drekar and hurled it as high as I could. The wind caught it and carried it to the stern. There was no one to douse it. Ship's timbers are notoriously dry and as we began to move, more quickly north, flames leapt up and the ropes and sheets began to burn. One Danish drekar would not be able to fight.
None of my other ships had thought of using fire arrows but they all had archers ready and as they sailed, now ahead of us, they showered arrows on the Danes. The four remaining Danes were trying to turn to mirror our course. As they turned into the wind their full sails caused them to slow to a stop. We now had the wind and we sped along their line.
Snorri and Aiden worked as a team and their arrows struck the second drekar. This time there were crew ready to douse the flames but the Norns aided us and two arrows struck the sail, which could not be doused. And then we had passed that and the third drekar loomed up. Fortunately for the Danish captain he had not turned as quickly as his fellows and only two arrows struck him but he was too far away to be a danger. A fourth had become becalmed as its captain miscalculated and I saw him as they used their oars to turn the lumbering drekar around.
That left the last two and they had closed with each other to provide mutual help. Although stronger they had no manoeuvrability. The two threttanessa danced around them like hounds around a bear. They were irritating more than deadly but it kept the attention of the Danes on them. I saw, as we neared them that the last ship had managed to grapple 'Odin's Breath' . That would not do.
"Ulfheonar. We go to the aid of Jarl Asbjorn. Prepare to board the last drekar."
They all went to the side.
"Erik, we will board at the stern and cross to Asbjorn's drekar. Go alongside him."
"Aye Jarl."
It was not as risky as one might have thought. I would lead twelve warriors and attack the most vulnerable part of the ship. All attention would be on Asbjorn's drekar and we would have surprise; I hoped. Erik judged it well . Out sturdy side struck the stern and Olaf and Ulf led my Ulfheonar on to the deck of the Danish ship. It was smaller than ours and lower in the water. I was the fourth one on board. My men had slain the five who had been there. The steering board was next to me and I took the axe from the dead warrior's hand and hacked through the rudder boss. The drekar could not steer until it was repaired.
There was just Rolf Wolf Killer behind me with his two handed axe as I ran to follow my men. Olaf, Haaken and Ulf were carving a path through the Danes to get to 'Odin's Breath' . The ship was rolling as it was beam on to the wind and the waves. Keeping your footing was difficult. Had I not done this many times before I would have fallen but I kept my balance. A Dane tried to swing his axe over his head and he overbalanced. I slashed across his neck with Ragnar's Spirit.
Rolf was young and he was able to adapt. He had his shield over his back and he held his axe at the end and in the middle. He would not overbalance. He jabbed it forward and caught a Danish sailor in the middle. As he pulled it to one side he tore open the Dane's stomach.
Ahead of us the Danish warriors had realised that we were aboard and our progress was halted. What they did not know was that we were Ulfheonar. Ridiculous odds do not matter. I heard a roar as Olaf launched himself at the three Danes who blocked our way. Haaken's sword darted out
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