Vikings: Lords of the Ice Sea

Chapter 61 Departure
Upon arriving at the palace, Vig was the first prince to arrive. He handed the list to Goodwin, and after completing the formalities, Ragnar inquired about Bjorn's well-being, asking, "How is he doing?"

With members of the royal family involved, Vigé became more cautious and calmly recounted the information about the Icelandic settlements.

"For nearly twenty years, there have indeed been legends about the far west, but I never expected that the person who discovered it would be Bjorn."

Opening sea routes and discovering unknown islands were the two achievements that navigators valued most. Ragnar was proud of his second son's accomplishments, but unexpectedly, the queen, sitting to his right, suddenly asked:

"Lord Tyneburg, according to what you just said, Bjorn returned to Iceland after the transaction and had no intention of meeting the King?"

Sensing a hint of hostility in his words, Vig remained calm. "Yes, the North Sea is too rough in winter. The sooner Bjorn sets off, the safer it will be."

“I know the North Sea is rough, and since I can’t come in person, I should ask you to help me pay.” Sora wanted to say something more, but Ragnar stopped her.

“I have not bestowed any title upon Bjorn, and I have no right to demand that he come to me.” Ragnar raised his left hand, indicating that the matter should end there.

About two hours later, the princes arrived one after another, and a messenger from Mercia came to deliver a warning on behalf of Crown Prince Bergred.

The messenger, who called himself Theowough, wore a bright blue tunic with a brooch and armbands made of pure gold, and a deep red wool cloak over it—a typical Anglo-Saxon aristocratic outfit.

“Listen up, you filthy Northrends! You’d better get out of Britain by next spring, or I (Bergred) will lead a massive army north to uphold justice and wipe out every evil Viking settlement!”

The envoy's words ignited the anger of many nobles, and after they had argued enough, Vig couldn't help but speak up:
“Bergred is not acting out of a sense of justice, otherwise he would not have stood by and watched the Vikings conquer Northumbria three years ago. Moreover, Prince Ella refused to stay in Mercia and preferred to go into exile in Frankish territory, which must be because he saw through your true intentions.”

"That's right!" Ragnar led the cheers, and the crowd joined in.

Theowuff didn't bother arguing about it: "Since we've rejected His Highness the Crown Prince's mercy, we'll have to settle things on the battlefield."

After the envoy left, the nobles discussed attacking Mercia. Ragnar leaned against his throne, deep in thought for a long time, then gestured for everyone to be quiet.

“Three years ago, when the Viking coalition captured York, I had a conversation with Vig. He said that the large influx of people into Mercia would strengthen their power in the long run, but would deplete their food reserves in the short term, leaving them unable to wage war. Now, three years later, Mercia has completely absorbed these refugees, greatly increasing its strength and giving it the confidence to wage war against us.”

Mercia's national strength was on par with Northumbria's, and Ragnar was unwilling to prolong the war of attrition, so he prepared to crush them in one fell swoop.

"Attack! Attack now! Before the enemy can react, let's storm the capital in one fell swoop, lest they gather thousands of conscripts to fight us to the death next spring. Compared to Northern Europe, British winters aren't too cold; we Vikings can withstand it. Everyone, return immediately to assemble the troops and get them to Sheffield within half a month!"

The king made the decision, and the nobles had no choice but to obey. They didn't even have time for lunch before leaving the city to rush to their own fiefdoms.

Four days later, at the official residence in Tyne.

"A war in winter? Has Ragnar gone mad?" Upon hearing the news of the war, Heligef, her belly protruding, came to her husband's side, her eyes filled with worry.

“Your Majesty’s plan is indeed somewhat risky, but it has a certain degree of feasibility. The Angles are not resistant to the cold, and their mobilization speed is slow in winter. If we take advantage of the weakened borders to capture Tamworth (the capital of Mercia), we might be able to end this war in a short time.” Vig helped Herigif back to her seat and continued, “Winter warfare has another advantage. During this time, the North Sea is rough and not suitable for sea voyages. I am away from home, so I don’t have to worry about Norse raiders attacking Tyneburg. You are pregnant, so please rest quietly during this time. I will have the Shield Guard call your mother and brother to come and keep you company.”

After comforting his wife, Vig went to the warehouse to check the supplies. Since it was winter combat, each soldier had to be equipped with a thick wool coat.

"Four hundred and fifty coats are barely enough."

Currently, Tyneburg has a total of eighty shield guards. Vig plans to leave half of them to guard the city and lead the remaining forty to the expedition. In addition, he will recruit four hundred Viking civilians, including one hundred archers.

Three days later, on a chilly morning, the dragon flags fluttered in the wind as the hastily assembled Viking force embarked on its journey amidst the worried gazes of its families.

Compared to the frigid climate of Northern Europe, this level of low temperature was still within tolerable limits. The team's morale was at a normal level, with most people discussing the wealth of Mercia and hoping to get more spoils after the battle.

As king, Ragnar had the right to conscript nobles and commoners to fight, but not for more than forty days each year. If this limit was exceeded, the royal family had to pay the corresponding wages, and the nobles' tribute for the following year would be reduced.

Taking cost into account, Vig guessed that Ragnar would end the war by the summer harvest next year at the latest, to prevent it from dragging on for too long and causing his nobles and militia to leave without notice.

On the way south, the closer they got to Sheffield, the more desolate the countryside became on both sides of the road. Occasionally, a few dead bodies would appear by the roadside, and a dozen or so ravens with round bellies would perch on the corpses, enjoying the feast.

The passing of bandits is like a comb, and the passing of soldiers is like a grate.

As the various warlords led their armies to the front lines, they inevitably harassed the people along the way. Some even deliberately let their soldiers run rampant, thus venting their pent-up resentment.

On October 24, Vig led his army to the low hills north of Sheffield and counted the banners of the various nobles. Apart from himself, only Ivar had not yet arrived to join them.

He identified himself to the sentry and was granted entry into the chaotic and filthy camp.

In medieval Europe, armies lacked systematic logistics, leading to the emergence of a group of merchants accompanying them. The Viking army was no exception, with its camps mixed with a large number of unrelated people: blacksmiths who repaired weapons, tailors who mended clothes, grocers who provided wine, smoked meats and other groceries, women who did laundry, and numerous prostitutes.

"The day I lead an army alone, I will absolutely eradicate this chaos!"

After silently uttering these harsh words, Vig dismounted, handed the reins to the groom beside him, and walked straight into the central command tent.

Lifting the curtain, Vig only saw Pascal sitting behind a long table, busy with various accounts.

"Where is your Majesty?"

Pascal raised his head and pointed weakly in the direction of Sheffield town. "As is customary, the local lord is obliged to entertain the royal family. His Majesty and the nobles are all stationed in the town. Judging by the time, the banquet tonight should be about to begin."

(End of this chapter)