TLV - 01 - The Golden Horn by Poul Anderson Page B

of wood smeared with wax and sulfur were bound to the birds and set alight; the birds flew back to their nests and started fires throughout the buildings. The defenders gave in. As was the common practice, Harald granted quarter and did not loot the place. He took tribute and waited until Georgios sent a garrison.
    Summer was well along when he came to the next stronghold, so he could not use the same trick, nor did he have luck with fire arrows. He settled down as for a siege. The castle stood on a flat plain baked hard by the sun; a nearby stream ran low between its banks. Thus a tunnel could be dug, unseen by the Saracens, with the water carrying away the dirt. When it was finished, Harald led his warriors crawling through. They broke out into a hall where men sat at meat, expecting no such uninvited guests. When the gates were opened the rest of the Varangians came in, and that was that.
    The third castle was very large, with moats around it that forbade sapping even had there been a river so handily close. Harald ringed it with tents and camp-fires but made no move to attack. When some days had gone by, the defenders were jeering, often throwing open their gates. Those who knew Greek shouted to the Varangians to come in and be killed like the poultry they were.
    Ulf sought Harald in his tent. 4 'When will we strike?" he asked. "'The men are grumbling, and you know how readily sickness breaks out when folk stay camped for a long time."
    "I know," said Harald. He sat resting his chin in one hand, eyes half closed. Outside, the sun danced in a haze of heat.
    "We could wade across the ditch," said Ulf.
    "And be slain under the walls," answered Harald. "They have but to throw spears and boiling water down on us."
    Ulf caught a louse and cracked it between his teeth. "Well, I would be glad of a bath," he said and laughed.
    "No," said Harald, "tell the men we'll give the foe back his mockery. Tell them to play games every day, just beyond bowshot, and leave off their weapons when they do, to show how little we fear yonder heathen."
    Ulf snorted, but seeing Harald's look he did not argue further.
    As the days dragged by, Harald's men amusing themselves with ball games and wrestling matches, he saw how the defenders had lost their wariness. His Northmen clearly were making a long siege. The Saracens began to dawdle about on the walls, unarmed, watching the sport; their gates remained open for the sake of the breeze. They knew they could close the fortress and take up arms long before a real assault could be mounted.
    When he thought the time was ripe, Harald summoned Halldor. "Now we can go to work," he said.
    The Icelander was astonished. "Have you decided to try storming them after all?" he asked.
    "Yes, with a trick I could not speak of erenow, lest the secret leak out. Tomorrow let a number of the Varangians go forth to play as always, but let them have swords under their cloaks and helmets under their hats. Work as close as you can to the main gate, and then attack. I'll bring the rest of our lads after you."
    Halldor looked doubtful, but pride would not let him protest. "I'll gather fifty trustworthy men," he said.
    No others could yet be told.
    Harald slept little that night, but in the morning, Halldor's band were out tossing a ball between two teams. Their shouts, that sounded like mirth, were orders in the Norse tongue. No shot was loosed at them even when they reached the moat's edge.
    Then Halldor winded his horn. The Varangians whipped forth their swords, wrapped cloaks around their left arms and surged into the ditch. Splashing through the green-scummed water, they were in the gateway before winches could be activated to shut them out.
    Now haste was everything, for they could not last long against so many Saracens as boiled around them. Harald sounded the charge. But his unwarned host was maddeningly slow to uncoil itself and lumber forward.
    Dead men lay thick in the entrance, the ill-armed Varangians were being