Viking Sword by Griff Hosker Read Free Book Online

their attack then they will sail beyond us and have to turn into the wind." I was relieved that we had prepared for war and our shields were hung along the side.  The rowers would be protected.
    Haaken stood next to me.  "Do the men of Corm Walum use bows?"
    "They may do but I wager that they are not as good as my Ulfheonar."
    "We will see."
    I had the barbed arrows to hand.  Only a fool wore armour in a sea battle.  It was too easy to fall overboard and then you would be dead. We had twenty archers ready and we gathered at the bow.  There the figurehead, hand carved by Bolli's father, would give us extra protection. I nocked an arrow and prepared to draw. They were just a hundred paces from us and their intention was clear.  Each of our drekar would be attacked by two of theirs leaving the third to support whichever was having the hardest time.  These pirates had done this before for they shortened their sails.
    "Release when you have a target!"
    I did not need to tell them who to target for they were all experienced warriors.  The three new ones rowed still. I allowed for the wind and I released.  I aimed at the steersman and he ducked.  Sadly for him he was struck by a second arrow, probably from Haaken. As he fell his dying hands tugged on the steer board and the small ship lurched to the steer board side.  The wind caught the sail and, beam on to both the wind and the waves it heeled over. In their desperation they ran to the steersman and the extra weight capsized the boat, hurling the occupants into the sea.
    The fifth boat now tried to close with us and we concentrated our arrows on the second of our attackers.  We discovered that they did have archers but their speed and their small size meant that many of their arrows were wasted. We had four times the number of archers and the deadly missiles rained down upon their packed decks.
    Aiden suddenly shouted, "Jarl! The last one is closing." I glanced to the side and saw that the last of the ships of Corn Walum was almost alongside us.  The leader must have been aboard and he had risked more sail to close with us.  It had worked and our attention had been on the other ship.
    "Snorri! Take half of the archers and keep the other ship at bay.  Haaken and the rest come with me.  This is sword work.  Let us show these pirates how real warriors fight!"
    The rowers suddenly began chanting "Ulfheonar," over and over. I felt the blood surge through my veins.  I loosed a last arrow and dropped my bow.  Aiden would pick the dropped up and take them to the stern where he would guard, along with the boys, Erik Short Toe. Our captain was the most important man on my drekar and that included me.
    I drew my sword and felt its power rush into my arm. As the first hook snaked over the side I roared a primeval cry and leapt to the side. I saw a hand grasp the side and I was swinging before I even reached the pirate. My blade ripped across the man's head and into his hand.  It severed his arm, the rope and opened his skull.  He fell back in a heap. More ropes were now joining us but the pirates were struggling to climb our higher sides. I brought Ragnar's Spirit down on to the skull of the next pirate and this time his whole skull was split asunder.  Those around him were showered with the grey, slimy contents of his head.
    Suddenly I heard a warning shout from Aiden.  Their chief had boarded us with three of his men. He was a huge half naked barrel of a man with an old Roman helmet and a long sword, the kind the Romans had called a spatha. He made straight for me and swung the long sword.  It had a longer reach than mine but the deck of a pitching, rolling drekar is no place for such a weapon. I ducked beneath its swing and, holding his arm with my left hand I plunged my sword into the vast chasm of his stomach.  When my hand touched his flesh and the blade ground on bone then I knew I had severed his spine.  His body shook and then he fell backwards into his