of rock which rose high above the island. My home in Cyninges-tūn was higher. The lowest slopes of Old Olaf's mountains were higher. It was, however, a special place. Those who had fought the Romans, the Druids, had made their last stand at the hill fort. The spirits watched over it. The Romans had destroyed it which meant it had to have been rebuilt. From what we had been told by the terrified few survivors when Angharad had landed she had headed in that direction. Mountains, however small, were always the centre of the power of the Mother. Kara was a volva and if they wished to harness her power then they would take her there. We knew where we had to get to.
"The problem we have, Jarl Dragon Heart, is twofold. There are few places to land unseen and the warriors of Gwynedd are fierce fighters. They drove the Saxons hence from their sacred island. They are not weak like the men of On Corn Walum."
"There is a third danger. We have to approach this coast in the dark and there are many rocks and shoals to rip the bottom from an unwary ship."
Erik had been listening as he leaned on the board. "Josephus told me of that coast. He had sailed there when he served Rorik. He said that the currents were so strong that even with a full crew rowing the ships could still be pulled on to the rocks. The mighty Josephus feared the island."
I stood and walked to the front of the ship. I put my hand on the dragon prow. Bolli would need to repair it once we returned to Cyninges-tūn. However the familiar carvings helped my mind to work and I began to formulate a plan. I tried to visualise the coast. I had sailed it before but I could not remember the details. Certainly I had not landed on that coast. The rocks were, indeed, terrifying. As I felt the power of my ship beneath my hands I also saw that this strength and its size were a weakness. We needed something which was smaller. We had not time to build. We would need to raid.
I hurried back down the middle of the drekar. Aiden smiled as I approached, "You have an answer, Jarl."
It was a statement and not a question. I nodded. "Erik, if memory serves there are some fishing villages on the southern side of the land of Wyddfa."
"Aye, Jarl, there are a number of them. We saw them fishing when we rested at Ynys Enlii but if you think to raid them then you should know that they have defended them. They have learned from our attacks."
"Then we shall find them when they fish."
"Why do you want fishing boats?"
"You are right Erik, ' The Heart of the Dragon' would be dashed on the rocks if we attempted to land using the drekar but fishing boats could ferry us ashore no matter how small the gap." I picked up the map. "Look here, there are three beaches where we could easily land: Aberffaw, Trearrdur and Porthdafarc. All of them are on the south side of the Ynys Cybi or close enough to reach the mountain."
Aiden shook his head, "Aberffaw is on the main island and the King has a castle there."
"Exactly and that leaves the two beaches."
This time it was Erik who shook his head. "They have towers on both of their beaches. We could land but our presence would be known."
"Precisely."
I saw that I had confused them both. "Then you are saying we are doomed to failure before we start?"
"No, Erik. I am saying that there have to be small beaches elsewhere and closer to the mountain but they are so small that no one thinks to guard them for they would be inaccessible. If we have fishing boats then they become accessible to the Ulfheonar who will land and be as ghosts. They will appear from the bowels of the earth and be unexpected. It is what we do."
Aiden shook his head, "Wolf Killer will not be happy."
"We have a choice, we use the Ulfheonar to rescue Kara and Elfrida or Wolf Killer is happy. I am Jarl and it is my decision. Erik head for the fishing grounds. It is not far from the course we would have taken any way. If we can reach them tomorrow night then we have the chance to capture them. We
"The problem we have, Jarl Dragon Heart, is twofold. There are few places to land unseen and the warriors of Gwynedd are fierce fighters. They drove the Saxons hence from their sacred island. They are not weak like the men of On Corn Walum."
"There is a third danger. We have to approach this coast in the dark and there are many rocks and shoals to rip the bottom from an unwary ship."
Erik had been listening as he leaned on the board. "Josephus told me of that coast. He had sailed there when he served Rorik. He said that the currents were so strong that even with a full crew rowing the ships could still be pulled on to the rocks. The mighty Josephus feared the island."
I stood and walked to the front of the ship. I put my hand on the dragon prow. Bolli would need to repair it once we returned to Cyninges-tūn. However the familiar carvings helped my mind to work and I began to formulate a plan. I tried to visualise the coast. I had sailed it before but I could not remember the details. Certainly I had not landed on that coast. The rocks were, indeed, terrifying. As I felt the power of my ship beneath my hands I also saw that this strength and its size were a weakness. We needed something which was smaller. We had not time to build. We would need to raid.
I hurried back down the middle of the drekar. Aiden smiled as I approached, "You have an answer, Jarl."
It was a statement and not a question. I nodded. "Erik, if memory serves there are some fishing villages on the southern side of the land of Wyddfa."
"Aye, Jarl, there are a number of them. We saw them fishing when we rested at Ynys Enlii but if you think to raid them then you should know that they have defended them. They have learned from our attacks."
"Then we shall find them when they fish."
"Why do you want fishing boats?"
"You are right Erik, ' The Heart of the Dragon' would be dashed on the rocks if we attempted to land using the drekar but fishing boats could ferry us ashore no matter how small the gap." I picked up the map. "Look here, there are three beaches where we could easily land: Aberffaw, Trearrdur and Porthdafarc. All of them are on the south side of the Ynys Cybi or close enough to reach the mountain."
Aiden shook his head, "Aberffaw is on the main island and the King has a castle there."
"Exactly and that leaves the two beaches."
This time it was Erik who shook his head. "They have towers on both of their beaches. We could land but our presence would be known."
"Precisely."
I saw that I had confused them both. "Then you are saying we are doomed to failure before we start?"
"No, Erik. I am saying that there have to be small beaches elsewhere and closer to the mountain but they are so small that no one thinks to guard them for they would be inaccessible. If we have fishing boats then they become accessible to the Ulfheonar who will land and be as ghosts. They will appear from the bowels of the earth and be unexpected. It is what we do."
Aiden shook his head, "Wolf Killer will not be happy."
"We have a choice, we use the Ulfheonar to rescue Kara and Elfrida or Wolf Killer is happy. I am Jarl and it is my decision. Erik head for the fishing grounds. It is not far from the course we would have taken any way. If we can reach them tomorrow night then we have the chance to capture them. We
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