The Viking Saga Page 20

  The gardener began to cry hoarsely.

  Haro said, ‘And now let this show you what manner of man I am!’

  He made to swing the gardener out into space, above the dark blue sea. Harald and Radbard sat looking at this, smiling all the time, the pebbles still in their hands.

  Then suddenly Haro swung the little man back on to the steps and let him fall roughly on the marble. He lay there for a while, his hand clasped to his heart, as though he expected it to fail at any moment, his brown eyes wide with terror still at the memory of that long sheer drop.

  Then Haro knelt gently beside him and said, ‘If a Northman had trodden on my sword hand as you did a moment ago, he would now lie dead, with such wounds on his body as would frighten a dragon to dream of! Are you not lucky, O little gardener-man?’

  The man tried to speak, but could not get his breath.

  Haro went on, ‘Know then, little gardener-man, that from now on you are graced by the company of great warriors, who will deal harshly with you if you so much as raise your voice to them again!’

  He waited for a moment, until the man had regained his breath.

  ‘Now, good little gardener-man, lead on and we will follow; but see that you set us gentle work to do, or by Odin, I will drag you from your bed one night and finish the journey I was about to send you on today. Come on, get up and we will follow you!’

  The man needed no second bidding, but did as Haro had said. So the Vikings became gardeners in the house at Jebel Tarik, all because Radbard had had a desire to plant the barley along the fjord, as he had always done since his father, Radbard the Horse’s Face, had passed away to Valhalla.

  10. What Happened in the Great Courtyard

  The great courtyard was a most magnificent place. It stood in the utmost centre of the vast house of Abu Mazur and was the joy of his heart, next to his beautiful daughter, Marriba.

  Its broad floor was paved with porcelain tiles of many colours, laid out in the coiling arabesques of a Persian rug. In the centre of the tiled space was a fountain, made of alabaster and edged with beaten silver, in the shape of a snake coiling round a pomegranate, the sparkling water issuing from the snake’s upturned mouth.

  On all four sides of the tiled space were arcades, formed by arches of terra cotta, supported by veined marble pillars of such slenderness that one stood amazed that these delicate stalks should carry such weight.

  Within each arch was a garden box of black marble, its sides overflowing with the luxuriantly flowering plants – red, yellow, blue, purple, orange and violet, so that the cool air was always filled with the scent of blossom.

  This courtyard was not open to the sky, but had a double canopy, the upper sheet of which was of thick samite, striped with red and gold; and the lower sheet of which was of a delicate thin-spun silk, almost transparently woven. This allowed the light to come down from above, while keeping off the strongest blows of the sun at midday. It also had this purpose, that it allowed one to observe the colours and the flights of the many captive birds which were kept there, within the two sheets – whose voices, mingling with the voice of the fountain and of the small aeolian harps set on the roof, gave to this courtyard an air of Paradise.

  When Radbard first entered the place, he shrank back almost in fear and gasped, ‘No, not yet! I have not died yet – or have I?’

  After Harald had assured him that he was still flesh and blood, Radbard said, ‘But it is impossible. When I said I wanted to plant seeds, I meant on a wind-swept upland, with the salt in my face, strong hairy barley seed that doesn’t mind if a bullock tramples on it; not this sort of garden, where the flowers are like delicate princesses who would shrink from the touch of such rough hands as mine!’

  Haro said, ‘We shall get used to it, friend! It is like fighting in a battle; the first time one sweats and can hardly hold one’s sword still. But after that, one talks to one’s side-fellow as one advances, discussing the weather, the crops, the next feast, and so on.’

  Harald said, ‘You both talk like old women; I am all for doing something useful. Come, the water is cool and our feet are hot; let us wash them, that makes good sense.’

  So the three Vikings took off their heavy goatskin shoes and bathed their tired feet in the rich fountain, while the little hunched man who was their master wrung his hands in fear lest Abu Mazur should pass through the courtyard while they were about their ablutions. But the Vikings ignored him, and Abu Mazur did not pass through the courtyard so all went well.

  Nevertheless, Marriba, who was watching them through the grille of an upper window saw it all, and told her father, who smiled and said, ‘They are three devils, my daughter, and I do not know what I shall do with them. Perhaps I shall come to like them one day – and perhaps I shall have to turn them over to the executioner. Who knows?’

  Marriba pouted and said, ‘But father, do not let us dispose of them until they have entertained us a little more. They are droll, these bears of the north! We have never had such funny ones before.’

  Her father had given her a wry look and then turned back to his accounts, which were long and tedious, since he was so wealthy and involved in business. He was not the sort of man who leaves all his affairs to a secretary; for, as Abu Mazur knew well enough, in such matters no secretary is ever as trustworthy as one is oneself.

  So life went on quite smoothly for the three sea-rovers, at their work or their rough play in the great courtyard. Their work was very light and consisted mainly in watering the many plants and in sweeping and keeping clean the bright tiles of the place. Sometimes this became tiresome to the Vikings and then the master gardener was teased without mercy and more than once was held, head downwards, over the fountain, when he had spoken too irritably to one or other of his slaves.

  Once Haro said, ‘I pity that little gardener-man. If I were such a man, I think I would swallow that prickly cactus and so put an end to my worries!’

  ‘I cannot understand why he does not report us to Clothair and get us whipped or put on to a heavier task,’ said Harald. ‘There is something strange in our being allowed to stay here after the things we do.’

  Radbard said, ‘There is nothing strange in it. If he were to tell Clothair, then he would be punished or his position taken from him, for not keeping better order. That is all.’

  Nevertheless, the antics of the Vikings had been observed by one pair of sharp eyes, and Abu Mazur’s mind had been troubled to think that there was any sort of disobedience among his slaves. The result was that one day the three Vikings came to work in their courtyard to find three well-armed guards lolling against the pillars, seemingly resting from more arduous duties outside.

  Haro went up to their leader and said insolently, ‘Good day, General. You appear to be fatigued, my friend. Would you care for a dip in the fountain? It is most refreshing, I do assure you.’

  The guard, who was a massive man, stared down at Haro from beneath his heavily-lidded eyes, then, showing his white teeth as he spoke, said, ‘I am not Rajik, the little gardener, my friend. I am a warrior and I do not make a habit of letting rug-headed barbarians up-end me over fountains. Go back to your tasks, or you may feel the butt end of my lance in a place where you would not find it welcome!’

  Haro stepped back a pace and said gently, with a slow smile on his face, ‘Now I am nearer to you, I notice that you smell, dear Captain. Let me repeat that a wash would do you no harm.’

  Harald ran forward now and tried to drag Haro away, but he set his feet resolutely and would not budge, not even for his friend.

  The guard still lolled against his pillar, but with a slight movement of his hip swung his heavy dagger round to a position where he could reach it easily.

  ‘Go back to your tasks, slave, and do not meddle with affairs which might bring your stay here to an abrupt conclusion,’ he said. Now Harald was greatly worried for he saw that Haro’s face had begun to twitch and that he was tugging at the short plaits which hung beside his ears, things wh
ich always happened when the man was about to run berserk.

  He stepped forward to grasp Haro, but even as he did so, the Viking launched himself at the great soldier, taking him off his balance and tumbling him on to the gay tiles of the courtyard.

  Haro was about to leap on to him, but Harald saw that, if he did, he would be jumping to his death for the soldier had drawn his dagger and was holding it upwards so that the Viking would fall upon it.

  Then behind them there was a scuffling of feet and Harald turned to see the other guards running across the courtyard.

  At the same time, Radbard thrust a sweeping broom into Harald’s hand, and offered another to Haro, who stood breathing fiercely, willing to grasp any weapon which might aid him against the guard.

  And at that point, Marriba, opening her window to find out what the noise meant, saw the three great Vikings, standing in a triangle, and warding off the blows rained on them by the guards, whose weapons were long narrow-bladed axes, set with sharp spikes.

  ‘Quickly, quickly, father,’ she called. ‘Here is a sight one does not see every day!’

  She jumped with excitement, like a little girl, when Harald suddenly bent his head to let an axe sweep over him, and then, with a lightning movement, brought up the end of his broom into his opponent’s body. The man staggered back and fell into the fountain, winded.

  At this Haro gave a great laugh and brought down his broom-handle fair and square on the right shoulder of his guard, causing the man to drop his weapon, and fall back, groaning with pain.

  Radbard had seen these things and, anxious not to be outdone by his companions, was driving his opponent before him, as a dog might drive a rabbit.

  Haro and Harald were laughing and shouting now, forgetful of their situation, when suddenly the voice of Abu Mazur came down to them, commanding and hard.

  ‘Stop, this instant, all of you,’ he said. ‘The next man to strike a blow will row out the rest of his life in my prison galley!’

  The men all looked up at the window where their master stood, his lean face working with anger. The guards picked up their weapons and stood sheepishly beside the Vikings, their heads bowed in shame.

  Harald stared back at Abu Mazur, defiantly, but now even Harald felt the great strength of the other’s eyes and looked down, to see Marriba smile suddenly, a small and impertinent smile, as though she was saying that her father held no terrors for her, and that she would see that all went well.

  Later, standing before Abu Mazur in his small room, the Vikings heard him say, ‘My house is a place of peace and industry. You men of the north have spoiled that peace, and seem to have no industry in you. I could pass such a sentence on you, my friends, that you would never raise a finger against authority again – but I shall not do that, for I understand a little of what passes through your minds, having been a soldier myself once in my long lifetime, and having known what it is to suffer imprisonment. This time I shall not punish you; but be assured that should you ever give me cause to raise my voice against you again, you will find me to be such a man as will bring terror to your minds whenever you think of me again.’

  As the Vikings went from the room of Abu Mazur, they saw Marriba playing with her pet leopard in a little alcove. She smiled at them and said softly, ‘You are fortunate that I did not tell my father I hated you. If I had done that, who knows what would have happened to you?’

  Then she went on playing with the leopard, pulling his tail and tickling his furry ears. The Vikings passed by, prodded on by the spear-butts of the guard who escorted them.

  When they were again in their quarters, eating rye bread and drinking barley broth, Haro said, ‘For that young woman, I would lay down my life. She is the most beautiful creature I have seen.’

  Harald said, ‘Yes, she is beautiful, but I think she is perhaps cruel too. Did you see how she teased the leopard cub?’

  Haro said, ‘I would gladly become a leopard cub and be teased by such a princess.’

  But Harald only struck him on the back, making him splutter, for his mouth was full of rye bread, and said, ‘Take care that Loki is not listening behind the curtains, or you may wake to find yourself a leopard cub in all truth one day!’

  11. The Empty Bed

  For three weeks after the fight in the courtyard, the Vikings went on quietly and obediently with their work. And then something happened which led to even stranger things.

  They were being marched to their work in the garden one day, by their master, Rajik, when they passed by the prison room in which new slaves were sometimes put until they grew more accustomed to the idea of servitude. From the high barred window floated a man’s voice, young and strong and full of an infinite yearning. The vikings stopped dead and listened, for it was a voice which spoke their own tongue. And the song it sang was this:

  ‘I have sailed in the northern seas,

  Taking the Whale’s Way,

  Over the Gannet’s Bath,

  Among the ice-capped breakers;

  Song-drunk and drifting,

  Over the lift and the drop of green waters,

  Into the sun’s eye, into the West.’

  Radbard’s eyes filled with tears and his lips trembled when he spoke. ‘That is a Northman,’ he said. ‘A sea-rover – a seabird whose long wings are clipped.’

  Haro bit his lip thoughtfully and said, ‘He is young and will feel the pain of imprisonment. But perhaps in a day or two he will see sense. He will see that a man could be in worse places than this.’

  Radbard Crookleg clenched his fists and shut his eyes. ‘For some of us,’ he said, ‘death itself would be better than slavery.’ Harald said slowly, ‘I am as true a sea-rover as any man, but what good does it do a man to pour out his soul like that, into the foreign air where there is no one to help him?’

  They had forgotten Rajik, who had stood aside while they spoke, smiling softly to himself. Suddenly he came forward and whispered, ‘Who says there is no one to help a sea-rover who wishes to break from his cage? Who says that a man might not get away from this house, if only he had the right friend to help him?’

  Radbard turned and stared at Rajik, who shrugged his shoulders and then continued to walk towards the courtyard. They followed him, for now the song had finished and all was silent in the high prison.

  Rajik said nothing more that morning, but often seemed to fix his eyes on Radbard especially, as though he expected the man to open the conversation again. Harald and Haro watched their companion closely, for he appeared to be moody now, and when they met again in the eating hall, they saw that Radbard had taken a bench near to Rajik and was talking excitedly and in a low tone to him. Rajik was replying quietly, glancing over his shoulder many times as he spoke.

  Haro said to Harald, ‘There is a bird that will fly before long, unless I am mistaken.’

  That evening, Harald put his hand on Radbard’s shoulder and said, ‘Friend, we have been together for a long while. Let us stay together now, for the time may come when we shall find a way towards the north again.’

  Radbard stared at him like a man in a dream and said, ‘Let us stay together, yes. Let us all go north together now.’

  Harald turned away from him and said to Haro, ‘He speaks like a man who has drunk some drug and does not understand.’

  Haro shook his head and said, ‘I fear that Radbard’s mind is clouded, Harald. I have seen Northmen grow like this before when they have been locked up too long. Their senses leave them and they beat their brains out on stone walls, like a bird trying to fight its way out of a cage.’

  They decided that they must keep a watchful eye on their companion from that time onwards, and if possible prevent him from talking too much with Rajik, whose conversation seemed to trouble him.

  Two nights later Harald woke from a frightening dream in which he was chained down in a cave on the seashore. As the green tides flowed higher and higher into the cave, Harald saw a large basking shark which tried to get to him. He shouted at the
creature in his dream, telling it to beware for he had his father’s sword by his side – though even as he dreamed these words, he knew that his hands were tied and that he could not defend himself if the tide rose so high that the shark could get to him. It was at this moment, when the breakers were already rolling over his body, that he woke up with a great start and sat up, mopping his forehead with his hand.

  He looked about him, to make sure that he was not in the cave, and then he saw that Radbard was not lying beside him as he usually did. The coverlet was flung back from his pallet of straw and Radbard was not to be seen in the long dormitory room.

  Harald touched Haro lightly on the face and woke him. ‘Our seabird has flown, it seems,’ he said. ‘Come, we must find him before he runs himself into mortal danger.’

  Swiftly the two men rose, passing between the beds of the other slaves and through the open door, where their guard snored at his post, his helmet on the floor beside him, and so out into the long corridor.

  The moonlight glimmered on to them as they passed between the pillars of the cloistered passageway, and at length they ran through the nearest courtyard and so into another passageway, this time shut off from the light.

  Once more they moved silently past a sleeping sentry and as they rounded the next corner, saw a white figure disappearing under an archway.

  ‘That may be Radbard,’ whispered Harald, as they ran.

  ‘It looks more like a woman than a man, for it is dressed in long white robes,’ said Haro. ‘Yet we must make sure.’

  Once as they ran a sentry stretched his arms and yawned, and the two men were compelled to draw aside into a little alcove until the soldier had grunted and settled himself to sleep again. Then they passed on, through the great courtyard where they worked each day, and into a square, high-ceilinged chamber.

  It was there that they almost ran into the figure in white, for it had stopped and was bending over someone who lay on the floor.