In this chapter Drustina's ideas about defeating the Vikings out on the sea before they can land, are proven to work.

The young Prince Andrar finally wins his spurs. He comes of age quickly as he learns that war is not some glorious adventure but a frightening, dirty, dangerous business.

The Angry mermaid 67

Or

Y Morforwyn Dicllon 67.

Mabina... The youngest daughter and Twin to
Drustan... Her twin brother.
Grandpa Erin... the twin’s grandfather.
Giana... The twin’s grandmother
Caderyn... The twin’s father.
Herenoie... The twin’s wise and beautiful mother.
Morgaran... The Twins oldest brother.
Aiofe... The twin’s oldest sister. Famous for her beauty.
Tara... The twin’s second oldest sister. Famous for her grace.
Feidlim... Twins aunt (Caderyns’ beautiful sister.)
Mogantu... Twins uncle (Married to Feidlim.) Chief of the Gangani tribe.
Brun... Twins 2nd cousin and the Acaman clans’ blacksmith.
Feorin... Twins second brother. Also training to be a blacksmith.
Rhun... Feidlims’ son and Feorins’ favourite 1st Cousin. (Both red-heads.)
Arina... Child of a Demetae fisherman, (rescued by Aiofe, Drustan and Mabina.)
Penderol... Dumnonii Minor chief.
Udris... Young Dumnonii warrior.
Dryslwyn... High chief of the whole Celtic nation. Dwells in Brithony.
Bronlwyn... Dryslwyn’s wife (and queen.)
Magab... The moor who taught numbers.
Eric... Saxon galley slave rescued from Corsair pirates.
Carl... Another Saxon galley slave rescued by Drustan.
Torvel... Celtic galley slave rescued from the same captured corsair ship
Arton... Turdetani Chieftain Holder of Gibral Rock.
Carinia... Arton’s wife.
Isobel... Arton’s adopted daughter.
Appotel... King of the Turdetani Tribe. (Southern Iberia.)
Bramana... Queen. (Wife of Appotel)
Pilus... King of the Capetani.
Shaleen... Pilus’s queen and sister to Bramana.
Pedoro... Lord Marshal of the Southern border region.
Lady Shulaar... Lord Pedoro’s wife.
Taan... The scullery maid.
Isaar... Pedoro’s oldest son.
Ferdie... Pedoro’s 2nd son
Sular... Pedoro’s 3rd son
Gontala... Pedoro’s youngest son.
Shenoa... Pedoro’s only daughter.
Portega... Tyrant King to the west.
Portua... Portega’s grandson.
Jubail... Old Fisherman.
Mutas... Magab’s younger brother and usurper.
Walezia... King of Malta.
Alviar... Megalomaniacal bishop of Carthage. (Hates Drustina.)
Ethelia... Female healer who treats Drustina during her pregnancy.
Seripatese... Drustina’s faithful horse.
Astos & Amitor... Minor royalty who govern Alexandria. King and Twin Queen.
Meronee... Nubian Queen of Nobatia The northern Kingdom of the Nubians.
Horam... The Egyptian master Boat builder.
Muraa... King Astos’s male partner.
Tuk... Makurian general.
Fantu... Makurian Captain.
Irene... Emperor Leon’s only child.
Leon... Byzantine Emperor.
Zano... Byzantine general who defeats the Bulgars with Drustina’s help.
Urthos... The Gaul elected captain of the 4th ship. Ex Barbary galley slave.
Horus... Horam the boat-builder’s son.
Sister Catherine... Leader of the pirate nuns.
Guthrun... Jarl of Bornholm.
Etheline... Guthruns’ wife the countess of Bornholm.
Seripatese... Drustinas’ mare
Capenda... Taras’ mare.
Athun... Gay king of Dark Age Denmark.
Queen Elthorn... King Athuns’ Consort.
Iselda... Athun and Brendigan, younger (middle) sister.
Heingist... Drustina’s loyal Danish navigator and pilot.
Brendigan... Athun’s older sister and consort queen of Svenland.
Bjorn... The captain of the Palace Guard. King Athun’s partner.
Morgan Drustina’s twin children.
and
Amethyst... Drustina’s twin children.
Dalcimon ... Queen of West Friesia.
Andrar ... Prince of West Friesia (Dalcimon’s son.)

Chapter 67.

When facing her certain death, Drustina had always thought she would be terrified; but to her surprise she found herself first calm, then angry. Instead of crying in fear, she released a scream of defiance as she thought of the beloved land she would never now see or reclaim again.

She could move her chest and shoulders but the dead weight of the huge Viking pinned her at the waist and thighs. In frustration she cursed her nemesis.

“Lleyn am Bydd! Lleyn am Bydd! ... Lleyn forever, Lleyn forever!!”

With these words, she managed to whip her dagger from behind her shoulder but the berserker was alert to the danger. He simply stepped back out of arm’s reach and grinned with evil delight. His intention was to play with his victim before despatching her ... to torment her and make her passing as painful as possible. He was too well armoured for a thrown dagger to do much harm and he knew it. He roared with pleasure as he pricked her and nicked his mighty blade into her breast just to demonstrate his total superiority. Drustina snarled defiance in the feint hope that she might provoke him into delivering a swift, fatal strike.

“Your spells won’t protect you this time you sorceress bitch! This time you die!”

So saying he grasped his huge sword with both hands to hold it vertically, point down; then he raised it victoriously as he grinned his intentions once more, prior to slowly driving the blade slowly into the witch’s belly. He wanted to make her death as slow as possible; he wanted to make her pay for the death she had wrought amongst his comrades.

His gloating was to cost him dear. Drustina was so concentrating on somehow deflecting the huge blade with her dagger that she failed to notice another sword appear behind the berserker and pierce his armpit as the berserker poised momentarily with his arms raised prior to pressing his sword downwards.

His victorious sneer changed spectacularly to a bellow of enraged agony as the pain in his armpit upset his aim and he twisted instinctively to somehow address the excruciating sword wound under his arm.

His sudden sideways twist gave Drustina what meagre chance she needed as she realised two things. The giant was now off balance and someone had come to her rescue.

As the giant twisted to face his unexpected new foe, he stepped across his fallen comrade to recover his balance and in so doing he presented his foot for a perfect strike by Drustina’s dagger. Drustina could not believe her good fortune as she recognised a terrified Andrar now facing the enraged berserker giant. It was the young prince who had leapt from hiding by the tiller to drive his sword up into the giant’s armpit.

Drustina knew instinctively what to do and she drove her dagger with all her might right through the giant’s leather shoe thus actually pinning his foot to the Mermaid’s wooden deck. The giant released another bellow and instinctively tried to move his agonised foot but only then did he realise that his foot was stuck ... nailed to the deck by Drustina’s razor sharp, dagger point.
He frantically tried to recover his balance and had to use his sword like a walking-stick to stay upright. Drustina squealed at the petrified prince.

“Now Andrar! Now! Take him. TAKE HIM!!”

Her desperate shout brought the young lad to his senses and that was all the advantage that prince Andrar needed. He slashed frantically at the giant’s bare fore-arms and managed to inflict enough harm to immobilise the remaining arm.

With a pierced arm-pit, a nailed foot and a partially severed wrist the giant berserker was almost immobilised but somehow he still had enough wit to bring his mighty sword to bear towards Drustina’s still trapped body. Fortunately, young Andrar had been emboldened by his unexpected success and he swung frantically at the giant’s blade, just enough to deflect it from its course. As the giant berserker drove downwards, the tip of his blade sliced past Drustina’s chest and embedded itself in the woodwork just below her own armpit. Drustina felt the warm sticky blood and wondered at first who’s it was then the pain of the second sword cut told her it was her blood and she cursed, more in pain than anger.

The sight of Drustina’s blood drove Andrar to new heights of desperation and he threw himself forward to topple the giant.
By this time the shouting and roaring had alerted several of Drustina’s comrades and they now appeared at the prostrate berserker’s shoulders as they quickly despatched the disabled giant. Andrar also found the speed of mind to add his final coupe-de-gras as he slashed furiously at the giant’s throat. The berserker gave a final bloody gargle then lay still but Andrar did not stop as he continued screaming and slashing at the corpse. After a couple of frenzied sword strikes one of the men gently restrained the boy.

“Alright lad! ... alright. It’s over! He’s dead. Go and see to the lioness!”

Andrar turned with alarm then gasped with relief as he saw Drustina twisted on her side and resting on her elbow as she checked the bleeding sword cuts to her breast and chest side. She looked up and grinned at the prince.

“Well done lad! Now you can truly say you’ve won your spurs; and thanks by the way. I was facing certain death.”

She followed his gaze and realised the boy was staring at her ripe globe. Realising this she decided to divert his attention.

“Okay lad, you’ve seen enough, it’s only a tit! Now help me get this bloody lummox off my belly.”

“Sorry majesty! I ...”

“Oh don’t bloody worry lad. There wasn’t a boy born who wouldn’t stare at a woman’s tit. Besides, truth to tell; you’ve probably earned the right. Now get this bloody oaf off me!”

Andrar bent down, heaved mightily and the giant slowly slide off his leader’s belly. Drustina heaved a sigh of relief and grinned.

“By the gods’ I’d not want him as a lover. He’s a heavy bastard!”

The two oar’s-men roared with laughter while Andrar turned scarlet with embarrassment. Drustina looked at him and grinned.

“Oh don’t worry lad, it’s only a cut tit; you’ll see a lot worse than this before you’re dead!”

“Aye; but not a lot nicer boy!!!” One of the oar’s-men added as he bent down to check out the berserker’s excellent sword.”

Andrar crimsoned again then snapped.

“Shut up! Do not insult her body with gutter talk! She’s a queen! She’s your commander! Show her some respect! And put that sword down! It’s hers.”

Drustina chuckled easily.

“Nay lad. That sword is no good to me. I can hardly lift the damn thing. Besides, don’t squabble over the swords, there are four of them all around you. Take one each and let the rest of the men bid for the fourth. I certainly don’t want one. I have my trusty Toledo blade right here and it’s served me better than many. What I do want is a bloody dressing for this cut tit.”

Andrar frowned. It upset him to hear his hero use the same language as the common soldier. He glared at the two men and nodded towards the three other dead berserkers as his hand began to shake. To try and distract himself he snapped at the two oarsmen

“Take their swords and do as she says ... and find the blasted healer. Can’t you bloody see she needs a dressing!?”

The men stopped grinning but ignored Andrar’s sharp tongued offence for they could see he was visibly shaken. They both understood that the boy was still in shock; it had been his first ever engagement and they mutually agreed as they returned to the oars, ‘The boy had acquitted himself well.’

By now Drustina was sitting up and addressing her wounds. She sensed Andrar’s perplexed gaze and looked up to catch him staring again. She wagged her head impatiently.

“Hell lad! Have you never seen a tit before?”

Andrar tensed with embarrassment then replied whilst grinning slightly.

“Yes; I have, but never on a warrior’s chest and never with sword cuts.”

It was Drustina's turn to smile, partly with amusement and partly with relief at still being alive.

“Then get used to it young prince. There’s still plenty of fighting left. That was just one ship, albeit the Berserker ship. Now where’s that damned healer? This bloody battle will be over before I get my bloody tit fixed.”

With that, the medicine man finally appeared and took a poultice and dressing from his bag. Drustina cursed impatiently.

“By the Gods man! What kept you? Stop the blasted bleeding and let’s get back to war! And you! Andrar. Take a hand of that bloody rudder and steer back to the centre channel; that’s where we’ll be most needed.”

Being given a specific task served to settle the boy’s nerves and he quickly bent to his duty. By the time Drustina was ready for more fighting; the mermaid was back with the main fleet. She hailed Eric as the wind and tide bore the Mermaid swiftly into the centre of the squadron.

“That’s one we’ve accounted for but it’s an important one; the berserker ship. When you can, - pass the news around the squadrons. For now, though, we’ll have to fight them amidst the dead-man shallows. There we’ll have the advantages of shallow draught again.”

Eric acknowledged the idea and soon there were four mermaid class and the six captured ships steering towards the van of the Viking fleet. Both Eric and Drustina noted with satisfaction that the Vikings were operating to a tried and proven battle-plan that ordinarily landed a massive force together to achieve the greatest shock and destruction ashore. Here though, amidst the treacherous hazards of the Dead-man Shoals that tactic ensured that the Viking fleet was constrained to a narrow line three columns abreast as they threaded their way down between the exposed shoals as the tide ebbed. The lack of open water denied them their advantage of number and size.

Simply by presenting a solid front of three of the captured ships plus the slow massive Gaulish ship, the allies managed to block the Vikings and prevent them passing inwards to the main river channel that ran deep, slow and wide. Once the Viking advance was slowed and congestion reined; the smaller ‘Mermaid’ class were able to duck in and out of the struggling mass and pick off their targets with relative ease. It was rare for a single hampered Viking ship to find itself fighting less than three 'Mermaid's' at a time as each ship was slowly picked off while the others could only approach from astern ,a direction that made them predictable and therefore vulnerable.

After an hour of furious action, six of the Viking attackers had been stranded on the shoals whilst only one of the captured Hoek ships had been overwhelmed and captured, only to be set on fire by its sisters once it was knowingly overwhelmed. By mid-morning, the allies were down to eighteen ships while the attacking invaders were down to twenty five. The rate of attrition had certainly favoured the allied forces and Drustina nodded with satisfaction as she joined with Carl after a third and separate action in the South channel. As they spelled for an hour or so, it seemed to Andrar that the middle channel ran red with Viking blood. Victory was being won slowly and cruelly.

As the sun started to sink, the Viking commander realised he was moving into even more dangerous circumstances. Darkness would force him to anchor for the night because he did not know the water intimately. However, while he had to maintain a vigilant watch against sneak attacks from an enemy that obviously knew their home waters like the backs of their hands, that same enemy could relax and rest while choosing how and where or if they wanted to attack.

Knowing the Viking commander’s dilemma, Drustina deliberately played a cruel game of ‘cat-and-mouse’ by organising sporadic attacks in total darkness using the proven expediency of occasionally igniting shore markers and taking bottom samples to determine their position before launching lightening attacks. By this tactic they destroyed a further four longships during a night that left the Vikings jumpy and exhausted.

When the following day dawned, the Vikings fleet was reduced to twenty useable ships while a further four had run aground during the darkness. Drustina savoured a particular satisfaction as she deemed her strategy to have enjoyed an unexpected degree of success.

‘Hit them before they can mass their army ashore.’

As her hand clenched tight against the rail of her beloved Mermaid she tempered her excitement with the cold realisation that the Vikings were still a dangerous force to be much reckoned with. There was not yet time for the defenders of Hoek to lower their guard. She studied the relief ships bringing supplies of food for her hungry sailors and smiled with a deadly satisfaction. Throughout the long night, the Vikings had enjoyed neither peace nor food except what they carried with them. Her second strategy had also proven useful though she had not made it known to any. She kept her second thought to herself.

‘The longer the enemy were bottled up, the hungrier and weaker they became.’

She had not expected this strategy to be quite so efficacious for she had anticipated being forced to meet with them on land as they foraged for food whilst advancing on Hoek. The extra sleepless night at sea must have sapped both the enemy’s strength and his confidence. She frowned to herself as she concluded grimly.

‘You haven’t even landed yet, you butchers. Let us see what another day fighting on the sea will do to your supposed invincibility?’

Drustina’s long experience of many forms of warfare had taught her one thing. Many battles were lost before they were won simply because an enemy’s reputation preceded them. The Vikings invariably won their battles because they chose their locations carefully then struck on land with overwhelming force without warning.

Out on the water, they may have been excellent navigators and seafarers but they had rarely been confronted by a well disciplined and well trained foe employing better ships and novel tactics. What’s more, the Vikings were a long way from home so until they managed to land ashore, they had no certain logistics. Conversely, Drustina’s forces had all the advantages of good food, regular rest and reliefs, coupled with short supply routes.

‘The longer the Vikings were held at bay on the water, the worse their prospects became.’

She decided to simply wait out the morning and see what the Vikings could come up with.

By noon, nothing had developed and Drustina’s commanders began to get impatient. Eric and Urthos came alongside the mermaid to lodge their protests.

“Why do we wait Dru?”

Drustina grinned and replied.

“Have you eaten?”

“Yes,” the pair chorused.

“Have all your men eaten?”

“Of course; we would not eat without first seeing that all our men are fed.”

“Have they eaten?” She asked; nodding towards the gathered Viking fleet.

“I doubt it.” Urthos grinned. “Well, not much.”

“Exactly,” Drustina grinned. “Look at them huddled in a tight bunch; their commanders and his lieutenants are bereft of ideas to handle our tactics so they huddle together while they argue .... and go hungry. They starve, we eat, they get more and more desperate, we get rested. They will have to make a move while we can now just sit and wait.
The longer it takes, the more they will argue and they will become divided against themselves.
Patience Urthos, have I not always said, wars are won with wit not wrath.”

Urthos grinned acknowledgement as he chopped off a hefty joint of pork and savoured the fulfilment.

“Aye Dru, you’re a clever bitch if ever there was one.”

At his use of the word ‘bitch’ Andrar let out a gasp of protest and Drustina had to move quickly to restrain the boy’s sword arm.

“Don’t worry lad, it’s not an insult. To lead these wild beasts, I sometimes have to be a beast myself whist fighting ... and a female beast is as much a bitch as a sorceress. He means it as a compliment, a term of endearment, a mark of respect. You have much to learn of combat Andrar. Urthos, Eric and Carl have been through much with me. They are entitled to call me a bitch but because they follow me, it makes each one of them a ‘son-of-a-bitch’. Now cut yourself some of that pork and take the watch.”

She then turned to Urthos with an indulgent smile.

“Forgive the lad Urthos, he's still an impetuous kid even if he is brave. Might I suggest you go and explain my strategy to Eric and take him some of that pork. I expect Carl will be back from Hoek soon with news of the defence preparations. Meanwhile, I’m going to catch up on some sleep. Andrar, keep a close watch on those pirates and if you see them move, warn me.”

With no more ado, Drustina curled up under her leather battle cape and was asleep before Andrar could take a single bite of his pork. He marvelled at her detachment.

‘How can she sleep at this time!?’

He wondered as he took his station beside the tiller where his two earlier protectors joined him.

He was glad of their company and experience for he was rapidly learning that responsibility was an onerous burden. He studied the congested ring of anchored Viking longships then turned to the older men.

“What should we look out for?”

One of the men grinned as he explained.

“Pretty obvious lad. If any of them begins to move then raise the alarm; if the wind increases or changes direction then raise the alarm; if any other ships appear from anywhere and you don’t recognise them, then raise the alarm. Anything you’re not sure of; raise the alarm or at least, wake her.”

As the man nodded towards the tightly curled up bundle that was Drustina, Andrar could not help noticing the affectionate, respectful attitude of the two men. He reflected silently as he took station by the tiller.

‘I only hope I can one day win the respect that she enjoys.’

~~ooo000ooo~~

It was in the mid afternoon as the tide turned that Andrar finally noticed some activity. It was only the return of Carl with news from Hoek but Andrar knew Drustina was waiting for information. After alerting Drustina and signalling to Eric and Urthos that Carl had news. Each commander arrived with a retinue of officers and they soon sat to plan their next move. Andrar simply sat silent listening to the commanders discussing tactics. He was impressed with the openness of the discussions and doubly impressed when Sister Catherine arrived from Hoek with food and weapons. The fact that she was also invited to join the discussions told Andrar much. In Drustina’s navy, experience and wit counted for all whilst gender and vanity were but nought. Eventually after each officer had told of his experiences in the morning’s battle the next plan was thrashed out. It changed little from the first plan but Drustina simply explained.

‘If a plan works, stick with it or something similar.’ She explained with satisfaction.

“It seems we have them bottled up between the shoals comrades. If they try to escape they have to thread their way out to the open sea and that thins their numbers while the mermaids can concentrate where they wish by crossing over the shoals. Thus we can choose our battles and concentrate our forces where we will. If they try to attack we employ the same tactic as before and harry them as they try to enter the main estuary. Carl tells that Hoek’s walls are all but finished in the first phase and the town is now defensible. Also, a small army of Friesians have joined with the town’s-people so the odds in a land battle are in our favour. If they manage to smash through here, our last defiance on the water will be to lure them onto the town’s new walls. Hopefully their greed will entice them to try and capture the town and they won’t know how well defended the town is now. So comrades, shall we prepare for the coming night again by first igniting the land marks again so that we can navigate amongst the shoals in darkness?”

There was a general murmur of assent as Carl grinned.

“The very act of our lighting the flares will fright them for they will know they face another wearisome and deadly night. To arms comrades! They are like rats in a trap.”

The commanders returned to their flotillas and Andrar shared food with Drustina and Sister Catherine as one by one, the shore beacons flickered into life. Eventually all six beacons gave sufficient transits to enable Drustina’s fleet to move amongst the shoals with confidence and the flotilla stirred into life. By the time the stygian darkness of total night had descended, the Angry Mermaid and her cohorts were secretly waging war on the trapped Vikings. Urthos and Eric remained in the company of their larger captured Viking ships to block any assault on the main channel or the town of Hoek, while Carl and Drustina carefully went about their deadly business. By morning to everybody’s satisfaction, another three of the Viking ships were destroyed while one was stranded on a sand bar. As dawn broke, the stranded ship became a sitting duck as the mermaid ships swarmed around her until every Viking was dead.

Andrar wondered why Drustina offered no quarter and as she sat eating her breakfast he mentioned it to her..

“You showed them no mercy.”

Drustina shrugged, all her companions knew of Drustina’s abiding hatred for the race that had left her a homeless orphan. She chewed thoughtfully before replying.

“They wouldn’t have shown me any mercy. They’d probably have raped me then executed me. They are a cruel race.”

“But a brave one,” Andrar finished.

Again Drustina shrugged; in her vast experience of war, most volunteers were brave and resolute. She explained briefly.

“Those butchers consider it a great honour to die in battle. I sometimes think they deliberately go to war just to give any old warriors and particularly their chiefs the opportunity to die by the sword. I just offer them that opportunity.”

She nodded significantly towards an exposed sand-bar where several dozen Viking bodies were strewn about, flopping and lolling in the surf looking for the entire world like dead seals. Finally she finished eating and grinned evilly.

“They’ll get no mercy from me ... ever!”

Andrar shivered under her malignant introspections and he turned to polishing his sword to avert any more of Drustina’s attention. He did not escape however for as he studied his reflection in the polished blade, Drustina tasked him again.

“We should have a go at recovering that stranded ship. Nobody else seems to want it.”

“There may still be men hiding aboard.”

“Well now’s your chance to cover yourself in glory. Go and check if you want.”

Andrar hesitated before asking.

“What; alone!?”

He felt himself go crimson under Drustina’s withering gaze. Then he plucked up some courage to ask.

“Will you give me cover, they probably have bows and arrows.”

Drustina smirked.

“You didn’t think we’d let you walk up to it unprotected did you? Don’t get your bow wet and take plenty of arrows.”

Andrar fell silent then bit his lip nervously as he collected his weapons and jumped into the shallow water. To his surprise and relief it only came to his waist. It reinforced the message that the mermaid class were particularly shallow drafted and he waded manfully towards the shore. As he stepped onto the sand-bar he looked back once to see all the Angry mermaid’s crew lined up beside Drustina with bows drawn. Drustina waved encouragement and he set off towards the stranded ship. Its bow lay in the deeper water while the stern was securely embedded in the sand surrounded by shallower knee-deep water. It would be high tide before it could be moved.

As he walked along the surf line he picked his way amongst the dead Viking bodies, whilst he was relieved to see the Angry mermaid keeping up with him as they skimmed along the shallows.

Suddenly there was a shout and two Vikings popped up from the bow post of the stranded ship where they had spotted the Mermaid approaching. Andrar realised they had not seen him and he dropped like a stone beside a dead body to resemble one of the Viking dead. Fortunately his battle dress resembled the Vikings and they did not recognise him.

It was only then that Andrar realised Drustina’s ploy. He, Andrar was the sneak attack while the Mermaid was the decoy.

He peered cautiously towards the stranded ship as a shower of arrows erupted from the Mermaid and thunked into the Viking ship’s planking. There was curse from the ship but only two arrows were fired back. Andrar realised there were only two raiders remaining. He sucked in air as he waited for the next salvo to erupt from the mermaid then as they whistled high into the air, he saw the Vikings duck behind the planking. Realising they could not see him, he leapt up and dashed another ten metres to the next dead body then dropped to the sand as the arrows thunked again into the stranded ship.

Once more the two men fired back and thus Drustina repeated the ploy several times as she watched the young prince cunningly dash from body to body until he was under the beam of the ship where the two men could not see him. There he waited whilst his heart pounded with fear until the next Salvo had slammed into the bow planking. The bow of the Stranded ship was beginning to resemble a porcupine but Andrar had little time to think about it. As the two Vikings stood up to return fire, Andrar realised he was presented with a perfectly clear shot.

‘Next time you bastards’. He whispered to himself as he raised his bow to Drustina to signal his readiness.

The next salvo whistled in whilst Andrar stepped out from under the stern and waited. When the defending pair stood up to fire, Andrar released his single arrow and grunted with relief as he saw it strike home.

‘One down, one to go’, he told himself. ‘What will she want of me now?’

His thoughts were answered immediately by a shout from The Mermaid as several warriors splashed into the water under the cover of another salvo. Andrar watched for the remaining raider but he did not appear; this told him the man was stalking him so it was time for Andrar to move. He slipped low and waded around the stern to the steering-oar side because the notch enabled him to peep through the planking. He caught a fleeting glimpse of leather tabard and realised the remaining raider was sneaking down the original side hoping to corner Andrar.

Andrar had two options, to take a quick peep over the rail in the hope of locating exactly where his enemy was or simply wait until the others arrived to overwhelm the lone Viking. Andrar hesitated then decided to take a peek.
His impatience or his curiosity, (For the rest of his life Andrar would never be able to determine which.) nearly cost him his life. As he grabbed one of the remaining oars and hauled himself up to peer over the rail he came face to face with the single remaining Viking! It was hard to tell which was the more shocked but Andrar had one slight advantage. The surprise caused him to let go of the oar and he fell back flat into the shallow water. The raider frantically raised his bow and leaned over the rail hoping to get a perfect shot but Andrar managed to snatch his shield and scrabble under the hull as the first arrow sliced with a deadly whisper into the water between his knees.

For a moment, Andrar was shocked as he crouched under the turn of the bilge to make all of him invisible. The raider took this natural reaction to mean Andrar was frozen with fear and he yelled victoriously determined to take one Saxon with him. He vaulted over the side and landed heavily into the soft sand for he had misjudged the depth. He sank to his knees and cursed as he extricated himself from the unexpected trap. The delay gave Andrar a vital moment to dodge out from under the hull and make a stance as he swallowed fearfully.

Andrar was a mere fifteen-year-old boy while the Viking was a head taller. Realising he couldn’t defeat the experienced warrior, Andrar let out a desperate shout for help as their swords clashed.

The shout would not have been needed; the ring of steel against steel told Andrar’s comrades that the battle was afoot on the other side of the ship. The men dashed around the stern to see their young prince dwarfed by his assailant. They realised the boy was making a fist of it but only by stepping back with every sword-play. Already, blood was flowing from a cut to the boy’s arm. Without hesitation, one of the men put an arrow into the Viking and he fell at Andrar’s feet.

“You alright lad?”

The boy stood gasping for breath and shaking with his heart pounding as blood flowed from his arm.

“Yes. What kept you?”

“Ignorance lad,” the leader shouted. “Once you knew there was only one Viking left, you should have shouted immediately, not go peeping and poking into a bloody wasp’s nest. Let that be a lesson lad, don’t try to be the hero, support your mates and they’ll support you. Now get back to the Mermaid and get that arm seen to. We’ll tidy up here.”

“She’s my ship, I captured her.”

“Possibly lad, I’m sure Queen Drustina will reward you handsomely now go and get your arm seen to!”

Andrar plodded back to the Mermaid to be met at the rail by Drustina.

“You managed it then?” Drustina inquired.

“Managed what?”

“To dispose of the last Vikings.”

Andrar frowned surlily.

“I didn’t. I only killed one of them. The other one nearly killed me.”

“But one of your companions — my companions — saved you.”

“Yes.”

“How did you get the cut on your arm?”

“The big one nearly did for me, if it hadn’t been for Hadrar and his bow I’d be dead by now.”

“But you’re not. For now you’re safe.”

“Yeah, no thanks to you; d’you know I had to ...”

Drustina raised her finger to her lips.

“Hush now. You did what was asked of you and you ensured the capture of that fine ship. We all knew what you had to do and you did it. Well done; now go and get that wound sorted. The healer is ready for you.”

“Hadrar said you might reward me.”

“And how should I do that?”

“You might at least say thank you.”

“For what; doing your job?”

“Well no; I ...”

Andrar hesitated and Drustina was blunt.

“You are a warrior fighting a battle. Somebody had to stalk that ship, I chose you to test you. You passed, well done. What more d’you want?”

“I thought I might have some sort of claim on the ship.”

“You get the spoils of victory, just like every one of us. Title to that ship has yet to be decided; anyway, that ship, as you call it, is not so much a ship at the moment as simply a stranded wreck. First we’ll have to get it to float.”

“How, she’s high and dry and the tide is still ebbing?”

“We all dig around her now; then when the tide rises tonight, we try to float her off.”

“What if the Vikings come to reclaim her. They can put a hundred men ashore from one ship.”

“Then we burn her. We can’t afford to let them recover her. The sooner we start digging the better our chances before the water rises high enough.”

“How does digging help?” The young prince asked.

“We dig as much sand as we can out of a trench around her then, as the tide comes in, it will cause the walls of the trench to collapse inwards. The ship will settle a bit deeper but it will settle into a trench full of water. If she floats, we can tow her off the bank down the trench. Her bow is already in the water so it should work first time. The most important thing is to get her off before those brutes can get in close enough to attack. At the moment, their ships are deep draughted because they are loaded with all sorts of logistical materials that they can’t afford to jettison so we’ve got about three hours by my estimation.
We’d best get to it.”

Andrar could see the reasoning and he quickly joined the rest of Drustina’s crew after the healer had fixed the cut to his arm. When he joined the diggers he was dismayed to see every moveable item removed from the ship except oars and sails. Drustina explained.

“We have to make her as light as possible. If there’s anything you want go and get it now and load it on the mermaid. The men have already recovered the valuable weapons and stuff.”

Andrar cast his eyes around the sand bank and saw little of value left so he resumed digging beside Drustina. To his delight after about an hour of digging, the ship creaked slightly and listed to one side. The movement gave the warriors renewed incentive and they dug furiously until the ship eventually settled upright in the water-filled trench. After half an hour’s further digging they had a channel dug towards the sea and a tow rope was attached to the mermaid. With lots of pushing and manoeuvring, the comrades finally manhandled the ship into deeper water with little damage except to one plank at the water line. After quickly closing the leak several of Drustina’s experienced crew joined Andrar to check out the seaworthiness.

“She’ll do lad,” Hengis remarked as Andrar felt a surge of satisfaction when the ship dipped comfortably to the incoming swells.

“Do I get to keep her?”

Hengis grinned and nodded out to seawards.

“Only if we and Drustina’s Mermaid can fight off those bastards.”

Andrar looked seawards and swallowed.

“Shit! They’re close, we’d better get moving.”

“Aye lad. Head back to the estuary. Drustina will watch your back. We’re undermanned with only five men and Drustina’s only got a dozen or so. D’you remember the marks?”

“Yes. At high water the two easternmost marks and the watch tower mark the first reach when they’re in line.”

“Well done kid. You’re learning. She’ll make a bloody king of you even yet!”

Andrar flushed under the roughly worded compliment but he felt a warm glow suffuse his body as he relished the supportive affection he had won from Drustina’s men.

‘So this was what it felt like to be a well loved and respected leader.’ He reflected happily as the sails tightened and started to thrum earnestly.

As the shore marks came into alignment Andrar looked back to see Drustina waving affirmation and he steered directly for the estuary deeps. With his course now easy to follow, he kept glancing back to see Drustina and the Mermaid teasing the pursuing Viking ship as she kept crossing it’s path and inviting him to follow. Instead, the deeper, larger ship had to keep checking the depths while the leadsman kept swinging his leadline ahead as they went in fear of grounding. Consequently he was easily outpaced by Andrar’s undermanned ship and Drustina’s infinitely more manoeuvrable craft. The invading Vikings were quickly coming to learn that this time they had disturbed a veritable hornet’s nest.

Even as the pursuing raider finally confirmed she was in deeper, safer water; her troubles only multiplied. Eric and Carl had been watching events and they quickly fell upon Drustina’s pursuer. With a couple of the Hoek captured ships assisting, they had little trouble subduing the Viking ship and they captured it with little loss.

Several further skirmishes took place and Drustina watched with satisfaction as her protégé acquitted himself satisfactorily. Her main tactic had worked, the battles had been fought on the water and the Vikings had been denied their main advantage. Landing large numbers of ‘shock-troops’ ashore from their ships.

That evening victory was complete for the forces of Hoek. By dint of training, preparation and local knowledge they had defeated a larger force who had totally under-estimated their enemy. Drustina’s forces had captured or destroyed several more ships and the Viking invaders had seemingly retreated back to the open North Sea. Drustina was not prepared to let down her guard however. Even as she released Andrar, Urthos and Eric to take the news back to Hoek and Queen Dalcimon; she and her favourite Lieutenant Carl, kept patrolling the approaches to ensure no sneak attack was resumed during the night. As their two ships latched oars so that Drustina, Carl and the other lieutenants could confer; she made her feelings known.

“We will have to patrol for many miles up and down the sea coast to make sure they cannot land with impunity. Remember there are still some fifteen of their ships unaccounted for by our estimations. Even if some of these have been lost, we cannot be certain. They might even try a night landing but fortunately we have hidden all our marks and doused our fire beacons so they are now invisible from sea. Frankly, I think they would be foolish to try at night but they will be desperate by now.”

She paused to hear of any dissenting ideas but there were none. Every lieutenant knew of the need for caution and alertness. Fortunately they also felt the North- west wind increasing and they smiled knowingly amongst themselves. Any northerly wind would set the invading seaward fleet on a treacherous lee shore. Drustina’s patrolling ships would be inside the banks and safe from the pounding surf.

All in all, Drustina was pleased with the day’s work.

~~ooo000ooo~~