battle."
"Understood, and I won't hold you to it."
Ulfrik watched father and son hug each other in parting, Gunther thumping him on the head and admonishing him to do well. Yet all Ulfrik could think is somehow Gunther learned about the treasure and planted his son to spy on him. Shaking his head at the stupidity of the thought, he returned to settling into camp and tried to forget his worries.
CHAPTER TEN
Prowling among trees again brought a joy to Ulfrik's heart not experienced since fleeing Norway. Winter had stripped branches bare, and these dueled overhead in the cold breeze. The dead leaves crunched beneath his goatskin boats as he led his scouting party of fifteen men. The Frankish wilderness was colder than promised, and far more wet than expected. Mud seeped into his boots, chilling his toes. However, the clear and earthy scent of the woods summoned fond memories that warmed his spirit. He and his men huddled beneath green and gray wool cloaks, any exposed metal smeared with dirt to prevent reflections. Ulfrik stood at the head of the group, with Einar hulking beside him. Young Einar, whose stepfather Snorri remained at camp with the remainder of the crew, had grown tall and strong. Ulfrik was glad to have his blade in his service.
"Toki has been gone too long," he whispered.
"How long is too long? He takes whatever time needed to find a sign of the enemy. Haven't heard a sound yet, so he's not been discovered nor has he discovered anything."
Einar nodded, and Ulfrik returned to squinting through the sparse trees. A milky haze clung to the wet ground, and patches of slushy snow emphasized the whiteness. Far down the hill, the walled fortress called Pontoise brooded like a block of gray stone streaked with brown. The fortress had halted the progress of Sigfrid's fleet, positioned on the confluence of the Oise and Seine Rivers. Curls of smoke rose over the brown rooftops, giving it a false look of peace and comfort. Arrayed on the opposite side of the fortress were hordes of Danes and a river choked with their ships. The fortress commander had defied Sigfrid's demands to surrender, and now Sigfrid prepared to raze the fortress to rubble and ash.
Hrolf had persuaded Sigfrid to delay the attack, hoping to find another way into or around Pontoise. Ulfrik, as eager as his lord to move on to the real fight at Paris, had volunteered to lead a scouting party. He sought a weakness in the fortress or a portage to avoid it completely. A siege of an unimportant castle delayed his ultimate goal of a quick success in Paris and a return home before spring. He was unwilling to dally, and if needed would push all of the 30,000 men Sigfrid claimed he commanded to Paris.
Something flitted between trees, and Ulfrik instinctively dropped to a crouch. He heard the crunch and creak of mail and leather as the men behind him did the same. He grasped his sword hilt, cold and rough in his hand, but did not draw it. He held his breath so the fog of it would not give him away.
Toki's dark, curly hair identified him as he strode the last distance to their position. Ulfrik relaxed as Toki arrived, and Mord loped behind him. Toki smiled, rushing to Ulfrik and whispering excitedly.
"We've found something! Come and see."
Ulfrik's pulse quickened and he could not help smiling as well. "Is it another way in?"
"Yes, but it's easier to explain if I show you. There's no one about, but men watch from the walls. Be careful."
They followed Toki and Mord, Ulfrik and his scouting party clinging to whatever cover was at hand. The slope dropped precipitously and slowed their advance. One man fell in the mud to the hisses of his companions, and Ulfrik glanced at the fortress as if it might rise from its foundations and attack them. Yet it remained quaint and at rest, though as he neared he spotted pennants on the towers and black dots of men on the ramparts. He had to remain undetected for fear of either being killed
"Understood, and I won't hold you to it."
Ulfrik watched father and son hug each other in parting, Gunther thumping him on the head and admonishing him to do well. Yet all Ulfrik could think is somehow Gunther learned about the treasure and planted his son to spy on him. Shaking his head at the stupidity of the thought, he returned to settling into camp and tried to forget his worries.
CHAPTER TEN
Prowling among trees again brought a joy to Ulfrik's heart not experienced since fleeing Norway. Winter had stripped branches bare, and these dueled overhead in the cold breeze. The dead leaves crunched beneath his goatskin boats as he led his scouting party of fifteen men. The Frankish wilderness was colder than promised, and far more wet than expected. Mud seeped into his boots, chilling his toes. However, the clear and earthy scent of the woods summoned fond memories that warmed his spirit. He and his men huddled beneath green and gray wool cloaks, any exposed metal smeared with dirt to prevent reflections. Ulfrik stood at the head of the group, with Einar hulking beside him. Young Einar, whose stepfather Snorri remained at camp with the remainder of the crew, had grown tall and strong. Ulfrik was glad to have his blade in his service.
"Toki has been gone too long," he whispered.
"How long is too long? He takes whatever time needed to find a sign of the enemy. Haven't heard a sound yet, so he's not been discovered nor has he discovered anything."
Einar nodded, and Ulfrik returned to squinting through the sparse trees. A milky haze clung to the wet ground, and patches of slushy snow emphasized the whiteness. Far down the hill, the walled fortress called Pontoise brooded like a block of gray stone streaked with brown. The fortress had halted the progress of Sigfrid's fleet, positioned on the confluence of the Oise and Seine Rivers. Curls of smoke rose over the brown rooftops, giving it a false look of peace and comfort. Arrayed on the opposite side of the fortress were hordes of Danes and a river choked with their ships. The fortress commander had defied Sigfrid's demands to surrender, and now Sigfrid prepared to raze the fortress to rubble and ash.
Hrolf had persuaded Sigfrid to delay the attack, hoping to find another way into or around Pontoise. Ulfrik, as eager as his lord to move on to the real fight at Paris, had volunteered to lead a scouting party. He sought a weakness in the fortress or a portage to avoid it completely. A siege of an unimportant castle delayed his ultimate goal of a quick success in Paris and a return home before spring. He was unwilling to dally, and if needed would push all of the 30,000 men Sigfrid claimed he commanded to Paris.
Something flitted between trees, and Ulfrik instinctively dropped to a crouch. He heard the crunch and creak of mail and leather as the men behind him did the same. He grasped his sword hilt, cold and rough in his hand, but did not draw it. He held his breath so the fog of it would not give him away.
Toki's dark, curly hair identified him as he strode the last distance to their position. Ulfrik relaxed as Toki arrived, and Mord loped behind him. Toki smiled, rushing to Ulfrik and whispering excitedly.
"We've found something! Come and see."
Ulfrik's pulse quickened and he could not help smiling as well. "Is it another way in?"
"Yes, but it's easier to explain if I show you. There's no one about, but men watch from the walls. Be careful."
They followed Toki and Mord, Ulfrik and his scouting party clinging to whatever cover was at hand. The slope dropped precipitously and slowed their advance. One man fell in the mud to the hisses of his companions, and Ulfrik glanced at the fortress as if it might rise from its foundations and attack them. Yet it remained quaint and at rest, though as he neared he spotted pennants on the towers and black dots of men on the ramparts. He had to remain undetected for fear of either being killed
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