Einar, Prince of Thieves

By Arthur Frank

Life was never easy for Einar Thorson. His father, Knute, Norse royalty and Thane of Holgar, was killed in a raid by the subhuman Wendol, and went to Valhalla. Einar was a mere stripling and too young ascend to his rightful heritage as Thane. His cowardly uncle Stig usurped his title and sent Einar with the raiders in the hopes that he would be killed and no longer be a problem. Odin smiled on him and Thor protected him; Einar was invincible in battle with his enchanted sword and became famous throughout the known world. The bards sang his praises, enemies fled in terror. Stig hated him and raised the tribute demands exorbitantly to drive Einar out. When he refused to pay, Stig banished him under Norse law, never expecting all of his loyal raiders to leave with him.

Einar and the raiders sailed away in their dragon ships to establish the new Norse colony at Orkney, where he became first Thane and then was elected Jarl. The dragon ships returned to Holgar to gather the families left behind only to find that the dreaded subhuman Wendol invaded again, sacking the settlement and carrying off the women and children as slaves and worse. Einar lead the raiders across the land of the Norse to the lair of the Wendol to wreak vengeance on the beasts for their multiple attacks on Einar’s people. He was determined to salvage his people and leave the cowardly Stig to deal with what remained of the burned out Holgar. He had a brand new settlement built with excellent new methods of construction, and Holgar was no longer his homeland. Let Stig rot with the rubble that remained.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arthur Frank
• Release date: Jun 25, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476097831

Arthur Frank

Arthur Frank is a former Director of Labor Relations for several fortune 250 corporations, responsible for union contract negotiations, strike preparations, arbitration advocacy, grievance handling, discipline and discharge, and staff supervision. As America was losing its industrial base in a dying career field and he changed careers to own a magazine publishing business, producing both consumer and trade publications.Magazines are also a declining field, and he sold out in favor of pursuing leisure activities. He is an expert in 19th Century European paintings and sculptures, and trades in the art market, a highly specialized challenging field. He never considered writing fiction until he told his wife that a certain story was really disappointing and that he could do better himself, in Colin Dexter fashion. She retorted he couldn’t possibly do it, that it was not his training, with his bachelors and masters degrees and US Air Force service, so he wrote his first novel of some 130,000 words. Surprised, she said it was actually good.He has lived all of his adult life in Northern Monmouth County, New Jersey now living in Holmdel for many years, where he is active in the community holding several elected or appointed local positions. He has always been afflicted with wander lust, and may be found on the beaches and waterways of Fort Lauderdale in the winters and in the cafes and theaters of Woodstock NY in the summers. He speaks 5 northern European languages and travels overseas by car when he can. Getting lost is half the fun.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Einar Thorson stepped through the receding morning fog, heading toward the bow of the flagship of his dragon ship flotilla. He reached out to Rothgar Knudson, his first officer, and first cousin, handing him the magnetite direction finder. He grunted Maintain course, and reduce sail a bit. Slow down the fleet.

As he approached the enormous dragon masthead, he unclasped the hammered silver broach holding his heavy cloak in place. The black cloak fell to the floor of the ship as he extended his muscular arm to grab one of the pegs on the neck of the dragon. He adjusted his sword and shield across his shoulder blades. He ascended the masthead and launched himself to the very top of the fearsome green and black dragon’s skull, dropping his legs on either side of the long and gruesome snout; He settled his rump into the hollow between the pointed ears. The bright red tongue was against the calf of his right leg. He stared into the distance searching for the shore of his home fjord, for his village, Holgar. The sea sprayed in his face. A scowl was noticeable behind his dirty blond beard. He shifted position to settle in for the long haul.

Rothgar, seated in the stern of the ship, was uneasy. He was not only Einar’s cousin, they were raised together. It was as if Einar and Rothgar wore the same skin. They were so close that if Einar sneezed, Rothgar would wipe his own nose. He couldn’t stand it; he stood up and turned to Per who was ‘on the tiller steering the ship. He grabbed Per’s hand and thrust the magnetite direction finder, a piece of metal dangling on a piece of rawhide. You heard what Einar said. Take this and maintain course and heading. Shorten the sail and reduce speed.

He turned to Olaf, and handed him two small flags. Here, go shorten the sail, and run up the flags to warn the other ships. If they ignore the second flag, make them pull up on our flanks. I’m going forward to see Einar.

Rothgar strode forward toward the dragon masthead. He made enough noise, but Einar didn’t turn around. Rothgar grabbed one of the pegs and stepped up the dragon’s neck. Einar, what’s wrong? It feels like beetles crawling up and down my neck. What do you want me to do?

Einar said nothing. He didn’t react; it was as if Rothgar was in some other place. Rothgar waited, but the waiting only made him feel worse. He raised his voice. Einar! Answer me! What is going on? Einar didn’t answer, he didn’t turn around, He simply shrugged. Rothgar punched the shield hanging across Einar’s shoulders. By Thor’s hammer, will you answer me? Do I have to throw you into the ocean to get an answer? What is going on?

Einar turned half way around, with a half smile on his face. He knew that Rothgar wouldn’t let go. But he wasn’t going to tell him. At least not yet. He gave a little shrug of his shoulders, and held out his hands, palms up. I don’t want to talk about it. Not to anybody.

Rothgar was getting mad. He grabbed Einar by the shoulder. Have you lost your mind? I’m not just anybody. It is me, Rothgar. If you are hot, I sweat. Just what’s going on?

Einar twisted his neck a bit. You know what it is, you fool. It’s Stig!

Stig? Stig? Our uncle, the Thane, Stig? By Odin, you must have lost your mind! Why would you be worried about Stig?"

I am not worried about Stig! He’s a moron. I’m worrying about what I’m going to do with him. Or about him. That’s what.

I don’t follow you. Explain to me what you mean.

All right, Rothgar. Maybe you didn’t notice, maybe you don’t know how to count. I know that your mother taught you about numbers, but maybe you’re a little bit slow. Every time we return from a raid, Stig takes more tribute from me than he takes from any other Viking. Ever. Without fail. .He sticks his grubby fist deeply into my pocket every single time he gets a chance. Every time I go on a raid, I could get killed. Or one of my men could get killed. Raiders do get killed you know. The last one to go to Valhalla was Sven, and I had to tell his wife and family that the Valkyries took him to Valhalla, and that I burned his body and left it in some foreign land. The plunder went to Stig; the bad news was left for me. He is Thane, it‘s his job. Every single time that there’s plunder to be divided, he hits me much more heavily that he hits any other raiding party. The normal tribute is that one in ten goes to the Thane. He has never hit me that lightly. The least it ever was came out to one in eight, and that was when I was a mere stripling leading my very first raid. Right away it went to one in five, lately it got worse, somewhere between one in four and one in three. I think he will demand half. That’s what is wrong.

Einar, are you sure? I thought he was hitting you a little hard, but nothing like that. Why would he do a thing like that?

Einar snapped around, grabbing Rothgar by the strap across his chest. Are you calling me a liar? I didn’t ask you to come up here. You came by yourself. If you think I am lying, I will throw you into the ocean, here and now."

Rothgar was shaken. Einar, calm down. I’m not saying that you are wrong. You’re the best raider in the fjords, and the smartest Viking I have ever seen. But I do not understand why Stig would do this. Even Hola, the fool, knows that proper tribute to the Thane is one in ten. It doesn’t make sense.

What doesn’t make sense is that I have let him get away with it for so long. I should have stopped it right away, but I was young. Then it got worse, and I thought that in order to stop him, I would probably have to kill him. Everybody knows that if he doesn’t attack me and I kill him over something as silly as plunder, that Odin will not let me enter Valhalla, and the clan will be forced to banish me under Viking law. They don’t have to wait for the Althing; they can do it right away. I am at the point that I don’t care. If I have to kill him, I will, whether he is the brother of my father, whether he is Thane only because my father was killed in battle and I was too young to be Thane, or not. I have a right to stop him from stealing my loot, and I will not go along with it any longer. If the ground runs with Viking blood, I don’t care anymore. I’ve decided to stop it with words if I can, with my sword if I can’t. Do not try to change my mind. It has been a long time coming, and there is no easy answer.

Einar, why should I try to change your mind? I am at your side, right into the jaws of death, just as I have always been. I am sure that all the raiders are with you too, down to the last man. You are the best raider in the land of the Norse, and your reputation goes across the fjords far and wide. You’re a strong and fair leader. Your father, had he lived, would have been very proud of his first born son. He was a well respected Thane, who died before his time. He is a legend among the Norse. I still don’t know that Stig would do such a foolhardy thing.

Why do you think, Rothgar? Use your head for something other than a place to put your war helmet. Stig knows that he is a poor and weak Thane. He knows that he usurped the seat when my father was killed. He knows that Rutgar, his first born, is no better. Rutgar is slow witted, is not known to be fair in his dealings and is a terrible warrior and raider. He can’t lead a raid any better than his buffoon father. Either one of them would get killed right away, and they know it. Stig wants me out because he knows that I should have been Thane, had he not stolen the throne. I’m sure that he is doing it to provoke an incident. I think that he thinks that I will get aggravated and attack him, and that his bodyguards, the stooges, will jump in and slay me, ending his problem forever.

That’s crazy, Einar. Even Hola, the fool, knows that you could easily destroy all of the stooges as well as Stig, if you felt like it. Everybody knows that you are a formidable opponent, in battle. Everybody has to be careful to avoid tripping over the dead bodies that you leave in your wake. You are the first one into battle and the last one to withdraw. Surely he knows the power of ELWYN, your enchanted sword that kills everything in its path. Stig couldn’t be that stupid, could he?

"Rothgar, I do not know whether if its stupidity, fear or greed, but it’s there. It has always been there, and it will be there forever, unless I put an end to it. It stops here, today, no exceptions. What bothers me is how to keep you and the rest of my loyal warriors out of the fray. I don’t want anything bad to happen to them because of my problem.

Einar, you are the best warrior that the Norse have ever seen. The men will follow you anywhere. The choice to follow or to wait it out is not yours, it is theirs. I’m going with you to the tribute meeting. I’m sure that many others will want to come too. I don’t know how you’re going to keep them out. The ship is slowing down; the other dragon ships are signaled to pull along side. You stay here. I will see the men and explain the problem. If any of them want to walk away, they can do it a lot easier from me than they could from you. I will handle it.

It is a dirty job, Rothgar; I must do it, if at all. You stand down and I’ll take care of it.

Not on your life, Einar. I am going back to the stern to talk to Per and Olaf first. We three will discuss it with the crew first, and then with the other ships as they pull alongside. We‘ll lash the ships together and stay that way until we have it sorted out. If anybody wants out, we will put them on one ship and let them go their own way. Nobody can fault them one way or another. Don’t tell me no. It’s done. Go back to sitting on the head of the dragon, and think about what comes next.

Einar reached down to his belt and removed a leather pouch, about as big as a large man’s fist, and tossed it to Rothgar. Since you have your mind made up , go into the chests of loot, and fill this with gemstones and the silver and gold coins that we took from the Roman legions and from the Saxons.

Why?

Because when Stig demands his tribute, and he will, I want to toss him a pittance and tell him to choke on it. That’s all he gets. Take it or leave it. I hope he chokes and saves me the trouble.

Rothgar laughed. He walked toward the stern of the dragon ship, and Per watched him for clues as he drew near. Per said You look like a thunder cloud. Did you argue with Einar?

No one argues with Einar. He’s usually right, and if he’s wrong, it doesn’t help to argue. We had a discussion, and I am not happy. It has nothing to do with Einar.

Olaf had been hanging back, listening. If it is not Einar, who is it? Per’s right, you look terrible.

It’s Stig.

What about Stig? As a Thane, he would make a wonderful goatherd, but this isn’t news. He’s small minded, mean and can’t lead a raid, but everybody knows it. What’s the problem?

Einar says that Stig has been extracting more tribute from him than anyone else. He says that other raiders pay one in ten, and he pays one in four, maybe one in three, and he refuses to pay any more, not even a single lamb. Einar feels that there will be a fight, and that he will have to kill Stig.

So what. Losing Stig is like losing a salmon in the fjord. Who cares about Stig?

Olaf, you are being stupid. If Einar slays Stig over something as silly as loot, he will lose his place in Valhalla; the Valkyries will never carry him into paradise. If he stands up to Stig, he will probably be banished, and he doesn’t want that either.

Per said Why should he worry about banishment. Half the village at least will follow him anywhere, even into the uncharted western sea. Life stinks here lately, like rotted fish. Many of the men don’t want to come home after a successful raid. They are bored. There is nothing here to challenge them any more.

Are you talking about yourself, Per? Last time I looked, you were the steerrman, not the spokesman for all the Norse.

Per is basically right Olaf said. Things have slowly gotten worse ever since Knute died and Stig took over as Thane. Everybody knows that Einar should be Thane. Stig is afraid to take a chance on anything, and it is running the village down. A lot of the raiders would go with Einar, and take their families with them. Maybe not the huntsmen and the carpenters, but some of them would go too .Nobody cares about Stig. Here come the other ships. Let’s ask them. If you don’t, then to do it, I will

What do you take me for, Hola the fool? I can talk just fine. Here come the other ships. You two take the gaff hooks and pull them in close, then tie them down, to stay tight to the flagship. I’ll fill them in on what is going on. If they don’t want to side with Einar, we can leave them at sea while we go in

Per and Olaf hooked the arriving dragon ships to the flagships. The captains and first officers climbed aboard Einar’s ship. The first question was Where’s Einar? Rothgar pointed to the bow of the flagship, where Einar was still sitting on the flat spot on the dragon’s head. The red tongue was still against Einar’s right leg. It was if he had turned to stone.

Rothgar retold the crews of the two other ships about the exceedingly high tribute that Stig had been extracting from Einar. If he took the spoils of the raids away from Einar, he also took it away from the raiders on the ship. He not only stole from Einar, he stole from every man in the raiding party, and in turn, from their families. Many of the men had wives and children, as well as old and infirm parents that could no longer hunt or fish. Too old to work, too young to die. A responsibility of the Vikings, the raiders. The grumbling on board the ships got louder.

Rothgar spoke up. Einar is sure that either Stig will provoke a fight or that Stig will banish Einar. He does not want to put you men or your families in jeopardy. He feels that it is really his fight, not yours. He also feels that it’s his fault for not stopping Stig long ago. The problem gets worse after every raid, and he won’t put up with it one moment longer. If Stig, or Rutgar, or Stig’s guardians attack him, he will slay all who come after him. The slaughter may cost him his place in Valhalla, but he does not want any harm to come to you men, his faithful followers. He does not want to jeopardize your future in Valhalla, drinking and fighting, awaiting Ragnarok, the end of the world. The time is now to decide. Do you want to stand with Einar, no matter where it goes, or do you want to hang behind, with the hunters, fishermen and carpenters. The choice is yours, but choose well. There is no going back. What is done is done.

It was quiet aboard the three ships, lashed together for a while. Then the voices came out, one or two at a time. Einar Einar Son of Knute, Thane of Holgar. Einar, Prince of Thieves! The sounds grew louder as more voices joined in. The raiders beat their shields with their swords, the cries of EINAR wafted across the sea.

Things quieted down. The first to speak was Rolf. Vikings, hear me. Do not take my words wrong. If it were only me, I would stick my dagger into Stig’s neck, just to save Einar the trouble. But I have Jadwiga and the three children that I am responsible for. Many of you may know that Jadwiga is pregnant, and if we had to leave right away, she might not survive the journey. Jadwiga is a little bit large. The crew let out with a roar of laughter.

Olaf yelled at the top of his lungs A little bit large? A little bit? Now that is an understatement Jadwiga is HUGE! You can’t let her go anywhere near the shore, or somebody will mistake her for a walrus and harpoon her. We are not so rich that we could not use the meat, the blubber and the hide. A little bit large? Now that is love! Or maybe Rolf is blind. The laughter roared out across the water. Einar heard it and stirred from his self imposed isolation. He wondered what they found so funny.

The jokes continue at Jadwiga’s expense. Rolf said You know that women give me problems but Jadwiga is different. I got her on a Saxon raid; maybe all Saxon women are like that, but I don’t want her to die during the banishment, forcing me to go steal another Saxon.

Rothgar said If you were not so miserable, you would not have to steal a Saxon. A Norse woman would take you, even though you are ugly and scarred up from the battles. Don’t complain to me about your woman problems.

The crew laughed again. A few other raiders had similar considerations to Rolf. Rothgar said I am sure that Einar would not want any harm to come to your families. The warriors can go ahead and forge a new place to live, and you family men can follow later. This is consistent with Viking law. If banishment takes place, the first to leave would be Einar. Families can follow later. Are we all agreed?

The crew began to chant Einar! Einar! Einar! Einar!

Einar shifted on the flat spot on top of the dragon, and smiled. It looked like the decision had been made.

Rothgar gave the command to unlash the ships and to raise sail. Holgar lay to the east, and time was wasting. As the ships gathered speed and fell into linear formation, Einar slipped off the big green head of the dragon, picked up his discarded cloak and worked his way back to the stern, Rothgar saw him ,but didn’t utter a word. He balled his fist and thumped his chest sharply in salute. The rest of the crew stood up and did likewise, but Rothgar was pretty sure that not all of them would do exactly as they said.

CHAPTER 2

The dragon ships fell in behind Einar’s flagship, and the convoy sailed toward Holgar, under full sail, but in no particular rush. Einar was still bothered and paced the catwalk on the floor of the ship. He was prepared for the upcoming conflict, but he didn’t have to like it. He walked forward, and seeing his home shore, gave the signal to reduce sail. The dragon ship lost speed and entered a controlled drift to the shore. The crew slipped the oars into the oarlocks below the gunwales to control the beaching of the ship. As the bow nosed into the sand, the forward oarsmen pulled the oars together and lashed them in place, with the oars poking out like wings on a giant dragon fly.

Einar jumped to the shore, as did Rothgar, Per and Olaf. Some of the other crewmen jumped down and walked under the oars. Rothgar shouted the command All Stand! and the warriors stood up with the oars across their backs. The bow of the ship rose. Rothgar bellowed Heave! and the ship went forward on the sand , Rothgar barked the command two more times and the ship rode up on the rocky shore of the fjord. Rothgar walked forward, grabbing a hawser and a stake on the way. He took his battle ax and pounded the stake into the gravel on the shore, then tied the hawser to the stake. Even the North Wind can’t blow her loose now. Are you ready for this trouble now, Einar?

I was ready hours ago. Wait until the other two ships are beached and tied off. I don’t want any one to think that they are not wanted. I may lose some supporters along the way, but I don’t want to put my finger in their eye. A little wait won’t hurt us.

I wasn’t worried about the raiders, Einar. Definitely we will lose some in the beginning, either way. I was concerned about Stig. He doesn’t like to wait, and wants a report from returning raiders right away.

Who cares what Stig wants or doesn’t want. I want to conquer all the lands of the Saxons and claim the lands for myself, but it’s not about to happen As far as I am concerned, Stig can go straight to Nifliheim, and rot there. We’ll wait until the ships are beached and staked. Here comes the second ship now. Let’s go meet it.

Einar and Rothgar walked up the beach to meet the ship. The captain, Froede Seim, stepped up to the bow and jumped to the beach, pulling the hawser behind him. The oars were already out and lashed in place and a half dozen raiders jumped into the water. Froede thumped his chest and saluted Einar! Odin smiles upon him! Thor protects him! Einar, Prince of Thieves

Einar returned the salute and greeted Froede. He embraced Froede with one arm, then stepped away. Froede said They all want to come, Einar. Should I bring them all to Stig’s lodge?

They can all come if they want, but I would not have them all come inside the lodge, Froede. It would be out of the ordinary, and may provoke a separate incident. It would be great if they stuck close by, just in case.

No problem, Einar. The men are in a mood. If Stig steals from you, he also steals from them, their families, and their futures. You have always been fair with the men, and they are with you all the way. Froede walked up the shore and banged his battle axe into the stake driving it into the beach, tying up the ship the same way as Rothgar did. He said Here comes the last ship. Should we go meet it?

Einar said Yes. Have a few of your men stay behind with the ship, just in case. I don’t know how Stig will react. Put a standby watch. Leave the family men; they have the most to lose. The group of Viking warriors walked down the shore to the incoming dragon ship.

The ship slid into the shore and ground to a stop. Mads Saheim, Captain, jumped into the water before the bow struck the gravel shore. He too thumped his chest and called out Einar! Hail the greatest raider of the Norse!

Einar raised his hand and smiled at the man. Hello Mads. Took you long enough.

After the news that you dropped into the ship, I had a hard time holding the men back. Many of them are ready to attack Stig on sight. Imagine him holding up so much of the spoils. Some of the men had a very hard winter, and they hold Stig responsible. They are all with you Einar. They want you for Thane.

Thank you Mads, but you know that it isn’t possible. Stig is Thane, and if Thor threw a lightning bolt at him and roasted him like a mackerel, I still would not be Thane. His son, Rutgar, would take over as Thane, unless he stepped aside .Then I would be next in line. That is what happens when the old Thane dies and his son is too young to take over. I didn’t make the rules, and we are all stuck with them. We could take it up with the law giver at the next Althing, but I doubt that much would change.

Mads spit on the ground, then pounded a stake into the beach, tying off the dragon ship. Viking warriors splashed into the surf on both sides of the ship. Mads said They are all ready for a fight. Are you ready to go?

I have been ready for a long time, Mads, but you should leave a watch behind with the ship. I told Froede to leave the family men, maybe you should too. Then we can all go, but I think many of the warriors should wait outside the lodge. If they all crowd in it could stir up a problem. If Stig attacks, I will have to slice him in two.

That is what the son of a snake deserves. Good!

No, Mads. It is best to deal with the problem up front. Vikings do not kill other Vikings. There are plenty of Druids and Saxons to kill. Odin says we must not kill other Vikings if we want to get into Valhalla. Let’s go to the lodge.

Mads singled out the men for the safety watch, and signaled the rest to form up and follow him.

The children of Holgar had been playing and running around when the ships came into the shore. They saw Einar’s ship beached, and started to run toward the ship, pushing and shoving each other, shouting Einar’s home! Einar’s home. Let’s go to the ship! By the time that they got there, Mads had joined Einar, Rothgar and.Froede and there was a phalanx of sea worn, heavily armed Viking raiders lined up behind the four leaders. This was something that they had never seen before, and they stopped in their tracks.

Einar stepped forward and said Greetings, young raiders of Holgar. Lay down your arms. We come in peace! The children laughed, and let down their guard. Einar bent over and scooped up one of the older boys, a dirty blond stripling, and heaved him high in the air, spinning him as he tossed him. The boy laughed in glee, and Rothgar stepped up and caught him on the way down. Einar grabbed the lad by the wrists and swung him around up and down, careful not to bump him into the ground. Rothgar grabbed a second boy and flipped him high in the air for Einar to catch. Einar slipped him onto his shoulder and let him down to the ground, head first. The crowd of children laughed, as if it were a circus clown act. One of the children yelled "Einar! What did you bring us from the raids?