Chapter X. Athelney and Combwich.
In the morning King Alfred took us to the southern end of hisisland, and there told us what his plans were. And as we listenedthey seemed to us to be wiser than mortal mind could have made, sosimple and yet so sure were they, as most great plans will be. Itis no wonder that his people hold that he was taught them fromabove.
He bade us look across the fens to the wooded heights of SelwoodForest, to south and east, and to the bold spur of the Polden Hillsbeyond the Parret that they call Edington. There was nought but fenand river and marsh between them and us--"impassable by the Daneswho prowled there. Only at the place where the two rivers join wasa steep, rounded hill, that stood up strangely from the level--thehill that they call the Stane, on Stanmoor; and there were otherislands like this on which we stood, unseen among the thickets, orso low that one might not know of them until upon them.
"Now," he said, "sooner or later the Danes will know I am here,where they cannot reach me. Therefore I will keep them watchingthis place until I can strike them a blow that will end the troubleonce for all. They will be sure that we gather men on the Quantockside, whence Heregar can keep them; and so, while they watch for usto attack them thence, we will gather beyond Selwood, calling allthe thanes from Hants and Wilts and Dorset and Somerset to meet meon a fixed day, and so fall on them. Now we will build a fortyonder on Stane hill that will make them wonder, and so the planwill begin to work. For I have only told you the main linesthereof; the rest must go as can be planned from day to day."
Then he looked steadfastly at the Selwood heights, and added:
"And if the plan fails, and the battle I look for goes against us,there remain Heregar's places yet. Petherton, Combwich, andDowsborough are good places, where a king may die in a ring offoes, looking out over the land for which his life is given."
"We shall not fail, my king," said Heregar. "Devon will gather toyou across the Quantocks also."
"Ay," he said; "and you will need them with you."
Then said I:
"Hubba is in Wales, and is likely to come here when he hears thathis fellows are gathering against us. Then will Devon be needed atCombwich in Parret mouth, or at Watchet."
"That will be Devon's work," the king said. "If Hubba comes beforeyour ships are ready to meet him, he must at least be driven toland elsewhere, or our stronghold is taken behind us."
Now I was so sure that Hubba would come, that this seemed to me tobe the weakest part of the king's plan. But Alfred thought littleof it.
"My stronghold seems to be on Quantock side; it is rather beyondSelwood, in the hearts of my brave thanes and freemen. Fear not,cousin. Hubba will come, and you and Heregar will meet him; andwhether you win or not, my plan holds."
Then I knew that the king saw far beyond what was plain to me, andI was very confident in him. And I am sure that I was the only manwho had the least doubt from the beginning.
Now, after all was planned, Heregar and I rode back to his place,and sent word everywhere that the king was safe, though hecommanded us to tell no man where he lay as yet. None but thaneswere to be in the island with him; and from that time the name weknew it by began, as one by one the athelings crossed the fen pathsthereto, and were lost, as it were, in the hiding place.
Then we wrought there at felling timber and hewing, until we hadbridged the river and made a causeway through the peat to Stanmoorhill, and then began to make a triple line of earthworks around itssummit. No carelessly-built fort was this, for the king said: "Ifthe nobles build badly, there will be excuse for every churl to dothe like hereafter. Therefore this must needs be the mosthandsomely-wrought fort in all Wessex."
There came to us at this fort many faithful workmen, sent from thetowns and countryside, until we had a camp there. But every night,after working with us and cheering all with his voice and example,Alfred went back to Athelney with us; and none would seek todisturb him there, so that for long none quite knew, among thelesser folk, where he bided. Presently the queen and athelings camethere to him, and were safe.
That time in the fens was not altogether unpleasant, though thelife was hard. Ever was Alfred most cheerful, singing and laughingas we wrought, and a word of praise from him was worth more thangold to every man. And then there were the hunting, the fishing,and the snaring of wild fowl, that were always on hand to supplyour wants, though now we had plenty of food from the Quantock side.I know this, that many a man who was in Athelney with Alfred wasthe better therefor all the days of his after life. Men say thatthere is a steadfast look in the faces of the Athelney thanes, bywhich they can be well known by those who note the ways of men.
The frost lasted till February went out in rain and south winds.And then the Danes began to gather along the southern hills,watching us. By that time we had made causeways to other isletsfrom the fort, and the best of these was to Othery, a long, flatisland that lay to the east, nearer to the Polden Hills andEdington.
So one day the king sent for me as we wrought at the fort, and bothhe and I were horny handed and clay stained from the work. I camewith spade in hand, and he leaned on a pick. Whereat he laughed.
"Faith, brother king, now can I speak in comrade's wise to mychurls as you speak to your seamen. Nor do I think that I shall bethe worse ruler for that."
Then he took my arm, and pointed to Edington hill.
"For many nights past I have seen watch fires yonder," he said;"and that is a place where I might strike the Danes well. So Iwould draw them thither in force. Do you feel as if a fight wouldbe cheerful after this spade work?"
Now I could wish for nothing better, and I said so.
"Well, then," he went on, laughing at my eagerness, "go toEthelnoth, and take twenty men, and do you and he fall on that postfrom Othery by night; and when you have scattered it, come backinto the fen. I would have you lose no men, but I would make theDanes mass together by attack on some one point, and that as soonas may be, before Hubba comes. I do not want to hold their place."
Now that was the first of daily attacks on the Danish posts, atdifferent places along the Selwood and Polden hills, until theythought that we wished to win Edington height, where we began andannoyed them most often. So I will tell how such a raid fared.
Good it was to lay aside pick and spade and take sword Helmbiteragain, and don mail and helm; and I made Harek fence with me, lestI should have lost my sword craft through use of the weaponswhereby the churl conquers mother earth. But once the good swordwas in my hand I forgot all but the warrior's trade.
So Ethelnoth and I and twenty young thanes went in the evening toOthery island, and there found a fenman to guide us, and so went tothe foot of Edington hill just as darkness fell. The watch-firelights, that were our guide, twinkled above us through the treesthat were on the hillside; and we made at once for them, sending onthe fenman to spy out the post before we were near it. It was verydark, and it rained now and then.
When he came back to where we had halted, he said that there wereabout twenty tents, pitched in four lines, with a fire between eachline; and that the men were mostly under cover, drinking beforesetting watch, if they set any at all.
So we drew nearer, skirting round into cover of some trees thatcame up to the tents, for the hilltop was bare for some way. Thelighted tents looked very cheerful, and sounds of song and laughtercame from them, and now and then a man crossed from one to another,or fed the fires with fresh wood, that hissed and sputtered as hecast it on.
"How shall we attack?" said Ethelnoth.
"Why, run through the camp in silence first and cut the tent lines,and then raise a war shout and come back on them. Then we may slaya few, and the rest will be scared badly enough."
Thereat we both laughed under our breath, for it seemed like aschoolboy's prank. Well, after the long toil in the fen, we werelike boys just freed from school, though our game was the greatestof all--that of war--the game of Hodur's playground, as we Norsesay.
Then I said:
"After we come t
hrough for the second time, we must take to thiscover, and so get together at some place by the hill foot. There isa shed by a big tree that can be found easily."
So we passed the wood, and our comrades chuckled. It was good sportto see the shadows of the careless Danes on the tent walls, and toknow that they dreamed of nothing less than that Saxons were onthem. Four rows of tents there were, and there were twenty-two ofus; so we told off men to each row, and then made for them at amoment when no man was about--hacking at the ropes, and laughing tosee the tents fall. It was strange to watch the shadows start upand stand motionless, as the first patter of feet came and thefirst blows fell, and then bustle, helpless and confused, withsavage shouts and curses, as the heavy canvas and skins fell inupon them.
Now we were through the camp, and the outcries were loud behind us.Two or three tents did not fall, and from them the men swarmed,half armed and startled, not knowing if this was not some sorryjest at first; and then rang our war cry from the dark, and we wereback upon them. We were but two-and-twenty to a hundred, but theyknew not what was on hand, while we did; and so we cut through themwithout meeting with any hurt. Two tents were on fire and blazinghigh, and blackened men cut and tore their way out of them howling;and I think that more than one Dane was cut down by his comrades inthe panic that fell on all.
Yet even as we passed into the cover and went our way back towardsthe fen, some bolder spirits began to rally, and a horn was blown.But we were gone, leaving six slain and many more wounded amongthem, while not one of us was scratched.
They did not follow us, and we heard the clamour we had causedgoing on for some time after we had gained the fen. Presently, too,when we reached Othery, we saw a fire signal lit to call for help,and we were well content. Doubtless those Danes waked under armsall that night through.
After that these attacks were seldom so easy, for the Danes keptgood watch enough; but they were ever the same in most ways.Suddenly in the night would come the war cry and the wild rush ofdesperate men on some Danish outpost, and before they knew what todo we were away and into the fen again. We grew to know every pathwell before long, and sometimes we would fall on small parties ofour foes when they were on the march or raiding the cattle, and cutthrough them, and get back to our fastness.
Once or twice we were followed in the grey of early morning; butfew Danes ever got back from that pursuit. We would cut them offamid the peat bogs, or they would founder therein, and sink underthe weight of armour.
Then they tried to force some fenmen they caught to guide them tous at Othery. Once the brave fenman led them to where they darednot move till daylight came, while the blue fen lights flittedround them like ghosts in the dark; and then the fen people swarmedround them, and ended them with arrows and sling stones from adistance. They tried no more night attacks on us after that. Butagain they came in some force by daylight, and we had a strangefight on a narrow strip of hard land in Sedgemoor, with alladvantage on our side. No Danes won back to the Polden Hills.
Then they dared not try the fens any more, and daily we kept theirsentries watching, and nightly we fell on outposts, until at lastthey thought our force grew very great, and began to gather onEdington hill, even as Alfred wished. And this saved many a villageand farm and town from plunder, for the fear of Alfred the kingbegan to grow among his foes.
Then the king made his next move; for, now that the way was open,he sent to Odda at Exeter, bidding him move up to Taunton by somenortherly road, gathering what Devon men he could on the way. Thereis hardly a stronger town in Wessex than the great fortress thatIne the king made.
At this time I began to be full of thoughts about my ships. Butthey could hardly be built as yet; and most of them were insouthern havens, whence, even were they ready, one could not bringthem round the stormy Land's End in early March. Yet the weatherwas mild and open, and I began to think that at any time Hubbamight bring his Danes across the narrow Severn sea to join hiskinsmen at Edington. We heard, too, that Guthrum, the king of EastAnglia, was there now, and that he had summoned every warrior whowould leave the land he had won to come to him.
Men have blamed Guthrum for treachery in this; but seeing that thepeace was broken, and that he must needs fight for the peace atleast of his kingdom, I hold that this is not right. At all events,Alfred blamed him not in the time to come. Nevertheless, I supposethat in men's minds he always will be held answerable for what theother chiefs wrought of ill, because he bore the name of king fromthe first, and ruled East Anglia. No Saxon, who is used to hold hisking as over all, will understand how little power a host-king ofthe north has.
Now all this while my good ship lay at Bridgwater, and with herwere fifty of my men, who were well quartered among the townsfolk,and helped to guard the bridge. And, as I have said, two ships werebeing built there. So one day in the third week in March I rodeaway with Kolgrim from Athelney, to see how all things were goingon there, meaning also to go to Heregar's place for a time, havingmessages to give him from the king.
Harek was coming with me; but Alfred asked me to spare him for thistime.
"I have to learn somewhat from the scald," he said.
"Wizardry, my king?" I asked, laughing, for that was ever a jest atthe scald's expense after it was known how we found out that Alfredwas at Denewulf's house.
"Nay, but song," he answered. "Now I see not why I should not tellyou who put the thought into my mind; but I am going, as you did,to spy out the Danish camp. And I will go as a gleeman, and bewelcome enough as a Saxon who has enough love of Danes to learnsome northern sagas for them!"
"My king," I cried, "this is too perilous altogether."
He looked quaintly at me.
"Go to, cousin; are you to have all the glory? If you went, why notI? Maybe I too may find a chance of helping some fair maiden on theway back."
Then I prayed him to do nothing rash, for that he was the one hopeof England.
"And maybe the one man in England who can do any good by going,therefore," he answered. "And neither you nor I would ask any manto do for us what we durst not do ourselves."
"You will be known, my king," I said.
Whereon he held out his hands, which were hard and horny now withhard work, and he laughed as he did so.
"Look at those," he said, "and at my unkempt hair and beard! VerilyI may be like Alfred the king in some ways, but not in these. Theywill pass me anywhere."
So I could not dissuade him, and ever as I tried to do so he waxedmore cheerful, and made sport of me, throwing my own doings in myteeth, and laughing about Thora. So I was fain to get away from hispresence, lest I should grow angry at last. And when I was going hesaid:
"Have no fear, cousin; I will not go unless I am well prepared."
So I went, and next day was back in Athelney, riding hard; forHubba's ships had been sighted from the Quantocks, and they wereheading for the Parret. What I looked for and feared was coming.
Then Alfred sent messengers to Odda, who had come to Taunton twodays before this. And he gathered every man from the fen, and wewent to Bridgwater, leaving our little force there, and so rode onthe way to Combwich, thinking to see the sails of the ships inBridgwater Bay. But a shift of wind had come, and they were yetover on the Welsh coast, waiting for the tide to enable them tocome down on us.
By that time a fire burned on the highest spur of the Quantocks totell us that Odda was there, and at once another was lit on theCombwich fort to bring him to us, for it seemed certain that herewe must fight the first battle of Alfred's great struggle.
"Here you must meet this newcomer and drive him away, if it can bedone, or if not, hinder him from coming further; or if that isimpossible, do your best. I would have you remember that defeathere is not loss of all hope, for beyond Selwood lies our realgathering. But victory, even if dearly bought, will almost win theday for us."
So Alfred said, and we, who began to see what his great plan was,were cheered.
In the evening Odda came with eight hundred men of Devon. Alfred
had two hundred maybe, and my few men and the townsfolk madeanother two hundred. But Hubba had twenty-three longships, whosecrews, if up to fighting strength, would not be less than a hundredin each.
So we watched till the tide fell, when he could not come into theParret, and then I went back to Heregar's hall. It seemed verybare, for all goods had been sent up to the great refuge camp ofDowsborough, to which all day long the poor folk had been flying,driving with them their sheep and cattle and swine, that they mightsave what they could. But with Odda had come his daughter, the LadyEtheldreda, who would not leave him; and she and the Lady Alswytheand Thora were yet in the house, and Osmund the jarl sat in thehall, listless and anxious of face. It was an ill time for him; butthere were none of us who did not like him well, and feel for himin his helplessness.
"What news?" he said, when he saw me come into the hall.
"Hubba will be here on the next tide--with early morning," I said.
He sighed, and rising up went to the doorway and looked out to thehills.
"I would that I could make these two noble ladies seek refugeyonder," he said; "but one will not leave her father, nor the otherher husband."
Then I said:
"At least I think you should take Thora there. This is a difficultplace for you."
"I know Hubba," he said, "and if I abide here I may be of use. Ineed not tell you that you are fighting the best warrior of ourtime, and that with too small a force."
"Well," I said, "you and I can speak plainly, neither of us beingSaxons. We shall be beaten by numbers, and you mean that you willbe able to save these ladies by staying?"
"Ay," he said. "And if by any chance Alfred wins, I may be able toask for mercy for the conquered."
Then came in Thora, and her face was troubled. She had been tryingto make Etheldreda go to the hill fort, where all the women andchildren of the countryside had been sent.
"It is of no use," she said; "they will bide here."
"Well," said Osmund, "then we will stay also. I and our friend havespoken thereof, and it seems well that we do so."
I suppose they had talked of this before, for she made no answer,but sat down wearily enough before the fire; and Osmund and I wentout to the courtyard, for we were both restless.
Then Heregar came in on his white horse, and saw Osmund, and calledto him, asking of the same business, for he had asked the jarl tospeak about it as a friend. So I went in again, and Thora sat byherself yet, looking up to see who came now. I went and stood byher, staring into the fire, and feeling as if I wanted to go outagain. Restlessness was in the very air while we waited for thecoming fight.
"King Ranald," she said, after a little silence, "I wonder if evera maiden was in such sad doubt as I. I cannot wish that these dearladies, who have made a friend of me, should see their folk beaten,and maybe slain; and cannot wish that my own kin should be beateneither. It seems that in either way I must find heavy sorrow."
That was true; but it was certain that her own people were thecause of all the trouble, though I could not say so. I put it thisway:
"I think that if your people are driven off there will be peace thesooner, and maybe they will not land when they find us waiting. Iknow, too, that those who have loved ones in the battle that may beare in a harder case than yours, dear lady."
Then she looked up at me once, and a flush came slowly over herpale face, and she answered nothing. I thought that she felt someshame that a warrior like her father should bide here, withoutmoving hand or foot, when the war horns were blowing. So I said:
"Harder yet would it be if the jarl were in the battle against ourfriends. Then would the fear of his loss be a terror to you also."
Now came in Osmund, and straightway Thora rose up, turning awayfrom us both, and went from the hall. The jarl looked after hercuriously and sadly.
"This is a strange business for the girl," he said.
"She seems almost as troubled because you are not fighting as ifyou were in danger by doing so," I answered, with that thoughtstill in my mind.
Thereat the jarl stared at me.
"What has put that into your head?" he asked.
I told him what she and I had said, adding that I feared I hadseemed to hint somewhat discomforting.
Then said Osmund, looking in my face with a half smile:
"She is glad I am honourably out of this business, and the troubleis not that. There are one or two, maybe, whom she would like tosee as safe in the same way."
Then it flashed through my dull mind that perhaps I was one ofthese, and the thought was pleasant to me.
"Well," I said, "there are the thane, and his young son, the king'spage, who is here. They have been very kind to her."
"Also a wandering king who took her out of danger," he said then.
"Ay; I shall be glad if she thinks of me."
There were a little laugh and a rustling behind us, and one said:
"Either you are the least conceited of men or the blindest, KingRanald, or you would know what is amiss."
I turned, and saw the Lady Etheldreda herself, and I bowed to herin much confusion.
"O you men!" she said. "Here you will let the poor girl break herheart in silence, while you fight for glory, or somewhat you thinkis glory, without a word to say that you care that she shall seewhat you win. Of course she thinks of you, even night and day. Howelse should it be, when you have been as a fairy prince to her?"
Then I knew for myself that among all the wild life of Athelney andthe troubles of the king the thought of Thora had been pleasant tome; but now I was confused, having the matter brought home to mesuddenly, and, as it were, before I was ready to shape all mythoughts towards her. So all that I could say was foolish enough.
"I am a poor sort of fairy prince, lady."
"Ay," she said; "I am as good a fairy godmother, maybe. And perhapsI should have said nothing--at this time. But, Ranald, the maidenweeps for your danger, for, at the very least, she owes you much."
Then I said, humbly as I felt:
"That is more honour to me than I deserve."
"That is for her to say," answered the fair lady, turning to whereOsmund had been.
But he was now in the doorway, looking out again to the hills. Soshe was silent, and I thought of somewhat.
"There is none in this land or in any other--of whom I think as Ido of Thora," I said; "but my mind has been full of warfare andtrouble with the king. Now, if I may, I will ask for somewhat thatI may wear for her sake in the fight, and so she will know that Ithink of her."
"Now that is well said," answered Etheldreda. "But you must ask itfor yourself."
Thereat I thought for a moment, and at last I said that I would notdo so.
"If I might, I would ask you to gain this favour for me," I said;"for I think that a parting would be very hard, as things have comeabout."
"You are a wiser man than I thought you, Ranald," she said; and soshe went from me, and I stayed by the fire, thinking thoughts thatwere sweet and yet troublous, for beyond tomorrow's fight I couldnot see.
Then the lady came back, and with her she brought a little glove,worn and shapely from the hand that it belonged to.
"She bids me give this to her king and warrior," Etheldreda said."I did but tell her that you asked a token that she minded you."
"It was well," I answered. "What said she?"
"Nought at once. But her sadness went, and her face changed--ay,but she is beyond any of us in beauty when her eyes light up inthat way--and she fetched this, and then said 'Say, if you thinkthat he will care to know it, that this is the glove wherein I rodeto Wareham.'
"Do you care to know it, Ranald?"
"Ay, with all my heart," I said.
And so I put it very carefully under the broad, golden-studdedbaldric of Sigurd's sword. And it would not stay there, andEtheldreda laughed at me, and took a little golden brooch like across that she wore, and pinned it through glove and baldric,making all safe.
"There," she said, "is a t
oken from me also, though it was unasked.Bear yourself well, Ranald, for our eyes are on you. If Hubba comesindeed, we women folk will be in the fort."
Then I said, being at a loss for words enough:
"I would I had the tongue of Harek the scald, that I might thankyou for gift and words, my fairy princess."
"I have half a mind to take it back for that fine saying," sheanswered.
And then she gave me her hand, and I kissed it; and she went fromme with her eyes full of tears for all the trouble that was on us,though she had tried bravely to carry it off lightly.
Then I would stay in the house no longer, but went out to the fort,and sat down by the great Dragon banner of Wessex, Heregar'scharge, that floated there, and ate and drank with the otherchiefs, and waited. But my mind was full of what I had heard, andthe war talk went on round me without reaching my ears.