061

I returned to our camp with a few ideas in my head. I have assembled the crews of my ships to present my plan and discuss it.

- We attack at night, only those who have a disguise will come to the gate, the rest will wait a bit further and pretend howling wolves, hoots of owls ... You will make terrifying noises and attack only when the gate is open.

- Ulf, but how do you open the gate? The soldiers on the walls may start shooting at us and they will probably raise the alarm.

- One-Eye, I'll just knock ... and it will open. I don't expect them to attack, rather they will panic and run away. Probably everyone will try to take refuge in the abbeys. Christians believe that in these places evil cannot enter ... they can also pour holy water on us and scare us with a cross.

- Ulf, what is Holy Water?

- Water that can drive away evil demons or ghosts, but harmless to humans ... It is said to have a good effect on male potency as well ... you can even six times with a woman in one night.

- Ulf, have you tried? It works?!!

- I did not try. One-eye, why limit myself to only six times?

We covered a few other things, but the vikings didn't quite understand the concept of psychological warfare yet, at least not on a large scale. During duels, they tried to intimidate or upset the opponent, but did not think that a similar technique could be used to conquer the city.

At night, we crept near the city gate. We waited another hour to make sure that the city would go to sleep, and moved towards the gate. Me and fifty people in disguise at the front, the rest at the back ... some forty meters from the gate, my vikings began to wail to the moon, howl, making unnatural sounds. This quickly caught the attention of the guards on the walls... and they stood scared, did not know how to behave, even if they expected the enemy, they did not expect the enemy ... who came from hell.

I walked over to the gate and started hitting it with my fists screaming.

"In nomine Dei nostri Satanas Luciferi excelsi ... In nomine Dei nostri Satanas Luciferi excelsi !!!"

Latin has always been associated with religion and most people treated it as a sacred language, for sure it added to the authenticity of the situation ... the rest of my people started hitting and pushing the gate.

The guards panicked and started to run away, not one of them fired an arrow or threw anything from the walls ... we only heard screams moving away from us.

When no one was there anymore, we took out the hidden hatchets and started hacking the gate.

Now our entry into the city was only a matter of time ... after a few minutes, the first boards started to crack, twenty minutes later the gate stopped being an obstacle and at my sign the Vikings went into the city and started looting it.

My people dragged residents out of their houses, some were murdered on the spot, others were restrained ... People fell to their knees and prayed for rescue, from death at the hands of an army of demons, for salvation ... but no one listened to them. Unfortunately, a few houses were on fire ... I hope there was nothing of value there. Screams of frightened people, crying of women mixed with cheers of satisfaction from my people.

One of my men was hitting the man's body with an ax, at the beginning I was still counting, but after the eighth strike, I was already bored ... well, if he hadn't resisted, he would have been alive. Rollo called me, I looked in his direction ... he had two heads in his hands, I think he wanted to show off his prey. The city was conquered, there were only two more abbeys where most people took refuge.

I was not going to be polite, one of the prisoners was brought to me, the guy was fat, so rather rich ... I grabbed his clothes, turned and threw him with all my might against the abbey's door... the boards cracked, and so did the man's bones.

- Kill the monks, imprison the rest ... don't waste your time on women, there will be time for that later.

A similar situation happened in the second abbey. The monks were murdered, the inhabitants were taken prisoner, and their valuables were stolen.

- Jarl Ulf, this woman has a beautiful ring ... but she can't get it off her finger. I wanted to cut him off, but the damaged slave girl would be worth less.

I looked at the woman despite the fear and tears. She had a nice face, red hair ... she was attractive. At least in these times it is known that it is not dyed ... as they say, rust on the roof, moisture in the basement. I looked at the ring.

- A ring is worth more than she is, you can cut, but only a finger. Even without a finger, she can do other things ... sure as a bed slave she will be in great demand.

It took the rest of the night and most of the next day to rob the city, but the loot was huge. I will not know the exact amount until we return to Kattegat, but this was the best raid we have had so far.

Actually, we could go back to Kattegat, but I decided to visit another place, the settlement was not big and was a kind of dessert. I ordered the ships to be directed to Walcheren and only after capturing this place to return to Norway.

I gave up my plan to meet Leif near Hamburg, my thirteen ships were mostly loaded anyway ... the slaves were the problem. If I bring those we caught now to Norway, the slave population will exceed the population of Kattegat and the surrounding area.

It is a pity to kill them, but it will be difficult to feed such a large number of people. Perhaps I will sell them ... or if there was a mine in the area, hard work and natural selection ... the strongest will survive.