Preparations for battle continue as Drustina re-connects with her own forces on the River Mersea. The first strike against the Viking main force proves successful and enables Drustina to relinquish command of the northern salient at the Wallasey while she rejoins the main combined force of Saxons and Mercians and is forced to assume command to curtail the bikering between Kings Ethelred and Edrinor.

The Angry Mermaid 124
Or
Y Morforwyn Dicllon 124.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wirral_Peninsula

Drustina’s weary Celtic band was glad to be on horseback and they made good progress as they rounded the escarpment to eventually meet with Edrinor’s main force. The Mercian King’s welcome was effusive.

“Lioness! So my scout was right. It is you!”

“Why? Did you doubt him?”

“We thought it might have been a Viking trick, they might have found your doppelganger and staged some sort of duplicitous cameo.”

“A Viking warrior queen who kills her own men? Seems a bit extreme d’you not think?” Drustina queried Edrinor’s remark as she recalled the Vikings whom she and her men had killed to rescue the horseman.

“Yes maybe!” Edrinor emphasised. “But the Vikings are desperate to kill you! Of this we are certain for we have learned it from the captives we have taken, including a high ranking jarl. Your reputation precedes you and Harald has put a huge purse on your head.”

“I’m flattered, but I would have thought it to be a given anyway.” Drustina grinned but Edrinor continued to look serious.

“Please do not jest Lioness. Everybody is on edge concerning your welfare, why only yesterday I received a missive from Ethelred asking of my progress and had I any news of you. There is panic and alarm in Chester and why do you think those six longships pursued you all the way up the River Weaver with such determination?”

Drustina shrugged. She had lived with such threats for several years now but one new concern now worried her. The previous threats had been mostly on the battlefield now it seemed there might be more sinister and internal threats. She wondered briefly if this had been one of Bishop Celyn’s little schemes. Speculation however was futile so she changed the subject.

“Well you for one know that I am the Lioness and I have the scars to prove it. I must say, I was never gladder that your scout got the message to you telling of our problems. We wouldn’t be here now but for him.”

“Well I am equally thankful to you for saving him. He is one of my younger sons.”

“Oh!” Drustina remarked with some surprise. “He never mentioned that. Well all I can say is he was giving a good account of himself when we met with him. If your other sons fight as well as he did then Ethelred has a good ally in the Mercians. We had best make haste towards Chester. How far is it.?”

“My guides say about a dozen miles.”

“Then let’s begin, the Vikings will be on your right flank or shoulder for they are coming from the Mersea. If you’re happy, I’ll push on to Chester; if we encounter Vikings we will immediately inform you. Three arrows with red smoke will mean we have encountered them. Are your scouts well positioned?”

“Yes, they try to stay out on a two mile perimeter and have instructions to report back anything suspicious immediately.”

“Good. I’ll try and get my message to them as we pass out through their perimeter; don’t forget three red smoke arrows means I have found Vikings.”

With no more ado, Drustina and her men trotted forth towards Chester and a dozen of Edrinor’s own riders accompanied her. The Mercian King was desperate that the Lioness would not come to harm on his patch. The going was good for the land after the ridge at Frod was flat and when one of the younger warriors climbed a tall tree, he could see the massive Roman walls of the city.

“No more than three miles Lioness.”

“Any sign of battle?”

“None that I could see.”

Somewhat unnecessarily, Drustina cautioned everybody to be on the lookout for there were bound to be Viking scouts doing exactly the same as she and Edrinor, namely checking ahead.

Leaving the woods, they came to the banks of the River Dee (Dyfrdwy in Welsh) and debated whether to cross it or travel along the north and east bank. They decided to cross it on the basis that if they encountered any Vikings coming from the north they didn’t want to be caught having to cross the river while Vikings could attack them from the bank. The river was deep and meandering and they would have to wade at least chest deep if not swim.

Once across the river and safe on the South bank, Chester’s city walls beckoned them and they eventually arrived at the Southgate more usually known as the Bridgegate because of the Roman Bridge over the Dyfrdwy that still stood after hundreds of years and carried all roads from the South into the fortress.

To her surprise, it seemed that Ethelred’s army had not yet arrived and she was in a quandary, for it seemed that events were moving very slowly. After entering the city she met again with the garrison commander to get news and he told her Ethelred’s army was camped three miles south on a small hill where the ground was dry and well drained.

“So what of your garrison? Have you enough men?” Drustina wondered.

“We think so. Ethelred wants to keep his army free to move quickly and at liberty to go in any direction.”

‘Yes including south again if he gets cold feet!’ Drustina mused silently.

She decided to gallop south to Ethelred’s camp and find out what was making him waver. She arrived with her entourage hot and sweaty from the ride and thundered into camp to pull up sharp at Ethelred’s tent.

“Why are you not defending the city?” She demanded.

“I have no news of Edrinor. It would be folly to attack the Vikings with insufficient numbers.”

Drustina was shocked by his reply for it reflected disorganisation and lack of communication. The first thing she did was put him right on Edrinor’s location.

“Dammit Ethelred! You can see I have a score of Edrinor’s riders accompanying me. The most important objective is to stop Chester from falling into Cold-blood’s hands. If he gets his hands on the granaries he can withstand a siege into the summer of next year!! I beseech you to get your army moving now! Edrinor is but half a dozen miles to the east of Chester and he’ll be here by mid afternoon or early evening. It is imperative that you have the city secure as soon as possible!”

“But we don’t know where the Vikings are.”

Drustina cursed with exasperation as she reflected that Ethelred’s most able officer Althred was busy with Carl harassing the Viking supply train in the Mersea; though she had no idea how they were faring. For all she knew, Carl, Udris, Heliox and Althred could all be dead. However expressing such fears to Ethelred would hardly induce him to move. Once again, for the sake of diplomacy and military advantage, she lied. This time it was in front of her own band of Celts and the Mercian horsemen and she noticed them exchange significant glances. Fortunately they had the wit to recognise the problem and they kept silent while Drustina continued explaining.

“Cold-blood is landing his troops on the Mersea shore at a deep creek that Edrinor’s guide called Brunbah. If we march immediately we could catch him not yet fully prepared and without a proper bridgehead.”

This was not wholly true for Drustina and her Celts knew full well that Cold-blood had landed a substantial portion of his army and Drustina’s arrival in the Mersea had merely upset the supply train as it was crossing the estuary. Drustina had one certainty. If Ethelred allowed Cold-blood to establish a beach head then their task of dislodging him would be made more difficult with every hour. Drustina’s fleet harassing the Viking fleet could only achieve so much, for Harald Cold-blood had a substantial advantage in ships. She pleaded with Ethelred.

“Look Eth’ If you enter Chester now and take up with Edrinor’s army as it approaches from the East, I will take a substantial mounted force and go west then north in a wide circle to approach the Mersea shore near the river entrance below Harald’s beach head. Once there, if my fleet is still intact we can either continue on the water or our men can land ashore and harry Harald from the Wallasey. There’s an inlet there where we can land easily if Harald has not already captured it.”
With the certain news that Edrinor’s army was now only hours away, Ethelred became more amenable to positive action. He was reluctant at first to release his horsemen but eventually relented.

“You ask for a substantial force of mounted men; how many?”

“I should think at least four hundreds.” Drustina replied then added. “That will leave you with two hundred and the whole of Edrinor’s horse; that numbers about five hundred. All told you will have a cavalry wing of seven hundred. Bearing in mind you are essentially an infantry army then the battle will be nothing more than a slogging match. Blow for blow and all that.”

“That’s not like you Lioness; usually you have some clever plan.”

“I can’t plan anything without decent intelligence. It is knowledge and intelligence that helps me fight my battles. Now, until I know how Carl and Althred fared with the ships I am blind and ignorant. For all my skill and knowledge of water battles this is the crunch battle and it will be won or lost on the land between Chester and the Mersea. He who arrives first and wisest can pick the battle site. The sooner we move the better.”

Finally she persuaded Ethelred to enter Chester and make use of the facilities that the Romans had left so many centuries earlier; defendable walls, paved streets, even some sort of residual drainage system that partially dealt with the filth a large army tended to generate. Next she advised him after entering Chester, to go east from Chester and meet with Edrinor thence to go north towards Brunbah.

“And what will your plan be?” Ethelred pressed the Lioness.

Drustina could sense that Ethelred lacked confidence to confront the Vikings on his own. It was as though he wanted the Lioness by his side to guide him and advise him; ‘almost wet-nurse him’ she reflected silently. She wondered if the Saxon king was up to the job and she knew from long experience that allies who were unreliable could be worse than an enemy who outnumbered you. Reluctantly she took her mounted men and set out up the spine of the Wirral peninsular always alert for Viking patrols. Finally she arrived at the Bidston Hill and found herself gazing down upon the Wallasey creek and the wider waters of the Mersea estuary.
She was surprised that the Vikings had not taken the hill and secured it as a lookout point for it gave her an excellent panorama of the whole of the Mersea estuary, the North Wirral and all the way across the Dyfrdwy to the Cambrian hills beyond.

‘Perhaps they have not the men to spare.’ She mused before reminding herself not to make flawed assumptions about the enemy.

As her riders gathered around her she sighed with relief as she sighted her fleet still strung out across the Mersea and still effectively limiting Cold-blood’s delivery of his supplies and baggage train to his army now landed at Brunbah. Drustina now knew that her fleet was intact and she could make effective plans. Firstly she had to contact Carl and Althred who were still patrolling the Mersea and harrying Cold-blood’s larger fleet.

She led her squadron of horsemen down to the shores of the Mersea then trotted south along the shore until they located the northern flank of Cold-blood’s bridgehead. Having found the enemy, Drustina pulled back to a safe position and from there she fired signal arrows skywards. After a brief wait she nodded with satisfaction as a mermaid class vessel emerged out of the patrol line and made for the shore. She knew it would be Carl, Udris or Althred, any one of her three most able commanders.

As the craft approached she recognised her Saxon’s long hair and her heart beat with emotion. Desperate for news, she tied a long tether to her horse and she urged the animal into the turbulent tidal stream where she could get alongside Carl’s ship and join her beloved mate.

After she had boarded his ship her companion Gisela hauled the horse back ashore with the long tether and then she fell into Carl’s arms partly with relief and partly with love. After long seconds in his embrace they swapped information.

“Thank the gods you’re alive Lioness. After you disappeared upstream we lost all news of you. We had to despatch a ship to Chester with news of your disappearance and to ask them to try and find news of you.”

“That’s probably what caused the panic in Chester they seemed to think I was dead or captured. Anyway, enough of speculation; we have secured Chester and the Mercians and Saxons have combined at long last. I have just come from Chester along the spine of the Wirral. Now what of Cold-blood’s army?”

“As you know, his army was well established on the Wirral shore when we arrived but much of his baggage train and supplies lies at the bottom of the river. He is receiving some supplies because we have not sufficient ships to meet with his sallies when he pushes a few supply ships across with a massive escort force. But we are managing to obstruct the two channels namely the Brunbah channel on the south side of the Mersey and Gar channel on the north and this forces him to fight his way across with every convoy. It means we have control of the centre of the estuary and he cannot muster his longships in sufficient strength to break through our blockade line. Also our mermaids are free to range across the middle bank where his ships are too deep to go. We have him bottled up on the Brunbah side and he can only reinforce his numbers from the north shore with recourse to heavily protected convoys.”

Drustina nodded with satisfaction then asked.

“Can you release the Mermaids and their crews?”

“Only at low water when the middle bank dries out. Nobody can cross it then.”

“Good. And how many men have we got waiting in our own supply ships.”

“About a thousand possibly twelve hundreds, mostly Hibernians; have you a task for them?”

“Possibly but I need them ashore.”

Carl grinned widely.

“They’ll be happy to get ashore. They’ve been cooped up like chickens waiting for some action. What’s your plan?”

“Firstly we’ll need the mermaids to ferry the men as far up river as we can to where we meet with Harald’s northern perimeter. We’ll land them safely where they’ll not be opposed then they can bottle up his northern flank while I get word to Edrinor and Ethelred. I’ll need you to take command of this force so can you relinquish command of our ships to Althred?”

“Consider it done; oh! By the way, I have some good news for you.”

Drustina smiled partly with relief and partly with anticipation.

“Well go on! Don’t keep me in suspense.”

“A supply ship arrived this morning; she’s sailed all the way from Sotona.”

“Go on, what’s the good news?”

“There are two old friends aboard.”

“Who!?”

“Our horses, Seripatese and Jupus!”

Drustina’s shoulders sagged. It was certainly good news but she had been thinking of human friends. Nevertheless it was always good to have a trusted and proven friend under your saddle, especially when in the middle of a battle.

“Get them ashore as soon as you can.” She ordered whilst trying to hide her excitement.

Carl called another Mermaid craft alongside and explained the plans to be delivered to all their ships. Then they set off to call the newly arrived supply ship into the Wallasey creek. Both horses seemed beside themselves with excitement at meeting their companions and Drustina could not resist going for a short ride with her beloved mare.

By the evening things were beginning to get properly established at the new bridgehead on the Wallasey. Most of the Hibernian foot-soldiers were ashore and Drustina was astride her beloved faithful friend. More importantly, a small, portable trebuchet was landed ashore and quickly prepared.

Having secured the Wallasey creek they now had a useable supply route and depot from which to prepare a feasible plan. Gisela was despatched with a pair of scouts to try and establish the strength of Harald’s northern perimeter.

Dorvan Dalgliesh had joined them from the ships to give the Hibernians a rallying point and Drustina’s own ships had released another five hundred precious crewmen from all over her fleet. As they planned for battle Drustina had four hundred and fifty
horsemen and nearly two thousand foot soldiers at her disposal, plus the valuable trebuchet.

As darkness fell Gisela returned from her spying mission.

“There are about a thousand men posted over a perimeter of about two miles. They are clustered about twenty at a time around campfires. At night we could infiltrate if we’re silent and overcome several outposts. I managed to get close enough to hear some of them talking. They’re miserable and hungry because enough food is not getting through.”

Drustina smiled with satisfaction. That was exactly the outcome she had been seeking. She immediately ordered cooking fires to be lit and food prepared at several locations along their own lines and close to the Viking perimeter.

“Why not in one place Lioness?” Gisela asked.

Carl explained for Drustina thus reinforcing Gisela’s comfort. His answer demonstrated to Gisela that the two lovers were both very capable and experienced leaders.

“We want the Vikings to smell the food princess. Nothing disturbs a hungry soldier more than the smell of inaccessible food.”

Gisela grinned as Drustina nodded affirmation.

“You two are evil.” She cackled.

“Evil is as Evil does.” Drustina replied. “Needs must when the Devil cracks the whip. I suggest you get yourself some blankets from the supply ship, you’ll be glad of them before morning it looks like a cold night. By the time you get back from the ship with your blankets the food’ll be ready.”

The Viking princess returned and realised the Lioness was right, the smell of stewing mutton, ham, parsnips and turnips even caused her own stomach to rumble so she knew it would be playing havoc with the Viking stomachs. After filling her tummy she found a dry spot and turned in. At three she was woken silently and told to prepare to fight. She found Drustina already girded for battle as men throughout their lines prepared to sneak as far though the undermanned Viking perimeter as they could before starting the action. Drustina whispered the plan to Gisela.

“Our men creep forward now because the third hour is the time when lookouts are at their sleepiest. If anybody is discovered we immediately commence fighting. If we sneak through their lines undetected, we attack from within their ranks at first light. Light armour only, we don’t want anybody clanking around waking up their watchmen.”

Drustina’s plan nearly worked, they were almost at their objectives when a watchman taking a pee spotted one of the men sneaking through the bushes. His shout raised the alarm but of course, Drustina’s men were already amongst the sleepy Vikings. Armed and alert they gained the early advantage and the northern Viking perimeter was breached. Drustina’s force had claimed the first small but useful victory after capturing the defensible line along a small ridge and a stream the Vikings had chosen.

Once they had a usable position, Drustina wasted no time in re-contacting the main Saxon and Mercian force. Gisela was sent with a small escort to explain the position and learn of the main battle dispositions. By mid afternoon, Gisela returned with news and information. From the contents of the report Drustina was mildly surprised to deduce that Edrinor seemed to have taken command and Ethelred was content to play second fiddle. She showed the report to Carl who growled his dissatisfaction.

“I think it would be better if you joined them Dru while I stay here and manage our affairs. We’ve made good contact with our ships and I’m thinking to extend our probe southwards along the shore line. The closer we can bring the trebuchet to the main Viking body, the more effective we’ll be. We’ll also be able to bombard their ships in the south channel.”

“You mean create a salient with the river forming one side.” Drustina deduced.

“Exactly, our ships can add their fire-power and the trebuchet will be almost in amongst the main Viking body if we bring it to the tip of the salient. Our ships can add to its protection by firing arrows over it into any attacking Vikings.”

“Seems like a plan but make sure the salient is as broad as possible. A long thin flank on the inshore side would be difficult to defend. The trebuchet will be damned useful but don’t let it fall into Viking hands.”

“D’you think they would know how to operate it?” Carl wondered.

Drustina shrugged.

”It’s not magic. Somebody amongst their ranks will have the wit to work it out.”

“Well they’ve got to capture it first. How many men d’you think he can spare to make a separate counter-attack against us.

“Can’t say, we don’t know how many men Harald’s got so I don’t know if he can counterattack our stronghold. The only thing we do know is that he has to consider our presence every time he plans any tactic and the trebuchet will be a real thorn in his side. Are you happy to hold here?”

Carl nodded slowly then grinned reassuringly.

“Of course I can hold on here. You go and join those two nincompoops and take command of their bloody armies. I’ll manage here. Take the girl with you.”

Drustina grinned but it hid her fears for her beloved Saxon as she turned to leave.

Drustina wasted no time in taking Gisela and a couple of hundred horsemen south to Chester and the main body of the Saxo-Mercian army. Carl would need the remaining Cavalry to respond quickly to any Viking counter-attack.

It was almost dark when Drustina’s squadron arrived unexpectedly amidst the combined camp. She found the two kings at some disagreement about the way forward. As she trotted through the lines towards the headquarters she could sense the nervousness turning to murmurings of relief and satisfaction as the common troops recognised her golden hair. The sense of discord palpably changed to one of unity like a wave of satisfaction as the whispers followed her squadron.

‘It’s the Lioness; it’s the warrior queen; now we’ll see some sense.’ These and other similar calls followed her as she approached the royal tents.

She turned and smiled toward Gisela and Cedric as they dismounted.

“Let’s hope these two kings see sense.” She whispered softly to avoid offending anybody.”

The Viking princess smiled and nodded silently as Cedric took the reins and handed them to a guard.

Inside the tent they found a stalemate. The kings could not agree on a battle plan because each had come to the battlefield from different directions and with different objectives. Fortunately the dispute was calm and deliberate as each king argued logically.

‘At least they’re not at daggers drawn!’ She reflected as she accepted their greetings.

Both kings turned to meet her and the same sense of relief that had followed her approach through the ranks, now pervaded the command tent. Ethelred rose to greet her.

“Ah Lioness, what news have you?”

Drustina described what she knew then added.

“My small force cannot hold the salient they have won for very long. Every hour you delay here gives Harald more time to re-supply and reinforce his bridgehead.”

“I thought you had stopped his re-supply?” Ethelred complained.

“No, we can only hinder it; we have not enough ships to block it completely. He is able to send a heavily armed convoy about twice a day, one per high tide when there is water enough for him to concentrate his warships. We have reduced his supply train to about a quarter of what it would be if he was un-opposed. Nevertheless, he is slowly gathering enough men to meet you on equal terms. You must move quickly.”

“How?” Asked Edrinor.

“A fast-moving, heavily armed, concentrated column where the Brunbah creek penetrates deepest into the Wirral shore. If we can break his line there and he is forced to retreat, he will quickly find his back to the headwaters of the creek. If we reach those headwaters, we divide his force. His beachhead is only one or possibly two miles deep at that point.”

“And when do we attack?”

“Tomorrow morning before first light, get your men moving so Viking scouts cannot accurately determine what we are about. They will have to march between ten and twelve miles depending where Cold-blood has set his perimeter.”

“You mean we march twelve miles in total darkness! We could get lost without recognisable features to follow.”

“Yes twelve miles. Give me your best scouts now and we will mark the way.”

The two kings nodded slowly and that single gesture of unity told Drustina she had virtual command of the whole allied army. The kings had not verbally conceded command but the consent was clearly implied. Within the hour, in total darkness, Drustina and the best scouts combined with the local guides to ensure a clear, dry route to attack the Viking front line. By the middle hour a route stretching to some ten miles north of Chester had been marked out and guarded with reliable local guides secreted at each important location to meet and direct the advancing Saxo-Mercian column.

Drustina had the troops on route by the first hour while the cavalry guarded the flanks of the column. A final affirmative count confirmed that she had about eight thousand men and about eight or nine hundred cavalry. She had little idea of Cold-blood’s numbers but the dye was cast and there was no turning back. Gisela rode beside her with a quiver full of signal arrows while the Mercian cavalry rode further out in the van arranged in a large protective arc that would immediately retire to each flank if and when they encountered the main body of Harald’s army.

At every way-marker she and the two allied kings met with the posted guides who cleared the password which only Drustina knew. She had arranged a different password privately with each pair of guides at each station. Any further intelligence was also passed from the guides if they had any. It seemed the Vikings were fairly inactive and none of the guides had much to report.
In the darkness before the dawn, the allied column came to a halt where two of the mounted scouts had encountered the main Viking line. The battle formations were arranged and as the first shaft of dawn sunlight split the eastern sky, Drustina prepared to fight.
Every warrior knew this was to be the decider, the final battle and a reflective silence settled momentarily on the massed ranks.

‘This is it!’ Drustina told herself as she fired a signal arrow high into the air.

~oo000oo~