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Of course I didn't intend to keep my word ... Sigvard and Kalf are dead, Ecbert and Heahmund are still there, but they must also die. Astrid, Ragnara and Rollo let's say that for this moment I let them go... My reflections on the planned murders have unfortunately been interrupted. Leif came to my chamber, he looked like Ragnarok was about to begin.

- Our men caught the messenger, about 20 kilometers south of Ecbert's camp! (Leif)

- And? (Ulf)

- It was a messenger from King Ecbert to King Offa ... he was to propose a joint attack on Jorvik. (Leif)

- Have a drink because you're out of breath... Two things became clear. Ecbert doesn't waste time and doesn't love his son very much. I gave him one day to attack Mercia's troops, and he sends a messenger ... As you can see my friend, hope is the last to die. (Ulf)

- What are you going to do? (Leif)

- Send some men to find our remaining armies, with orders to return to Jorvik. Prepare the city for a siege too ... take King Ecbert's son, priests and monks if they are among the prisoners ... and chain them to the city walls. If Ecbert wants to take the walls of Jorvik, he will have to do so over his son's dead body. (Ulf)

Jorvik has been well fortified over the past two years, the food supply will last for three months, with proper rationing ... So, apart from the screaming Englishmen at our walls, it was going to be a peaceful vacation.

The storm began the next day, I was standing on the wall and I was amazed at the stupidity of this move. Instead of digging in and fortifying around the city, setting up camp and other preparations, Ecbert's army immediately attacked. The archers tried to cover the soldiers by shooting at our positions, but the effect was poor.

When Ecbert's army was about 80 from the walls, my crossbowmen started firing at them and although the accuracy was good, loading the crossbow takes a long time so the effect was not satisfactory, but we killed more people than we lost.

- Lord, the Wessex troops are trying to break down the gate. (Soldier)

- How many are there? Anyway, not important, I'll check it myself. (Ulf)

I went to check the situation and indeed, the English tried to break down the gate, but they only used cut tree and they covered themselves with shields against attack from the walls ... it wasn't a very good idea.

- Pour boiling water on them, then kill them with stones or crossbow bolts ... or don't kill them... Moans of wounded men will surely raise the morale of Ecbert's army. (Ulf)

A few minutes later, the first pots of hot water poured over the men who stormed the gate. They let go of the battering ram, or rather the log, started rolling on the ground and screaming in pain ... the log rolled sideways crushing the hands and legs of several people.

- Keep pouring the water, even in the cold ... with a little patience, the water will soak into the ground, mud will form and they will have trouble attacking the gate. (Ulf)

An hour later the assault broke down and Ecbert's men moved to a safe distance and began to set up camp. As there was no longer anything to watch, I returned to my quarters to eat and sleep.

- What do you think they will do now, attack or wait? (Leif)

- They will bring King Offa's army and besiege us together ... we've caught one messenger, but we won't catch all of them. (Ulf)

- Offa will trust Ecbert? (Leif)

- No, but Offa has a bigger army now, and Ecbert has suffered additional losses today. So the Kingdom of Mercia will help the Kingdom of Wessex, but not for nothing. (Ulf)

- Are you saying that Jorvik will be surrounded by an additional 5,000 Mercia soldiers? There are only a thousand of us, and there are still 6,000 inhabitants and slaves in the city who do not like us. (Leif)

- Ecbert's son is still alive? (Ulf)

- No, he and the others died in the assault. Why are you asking? (Leif)

- Curiosity ... now let me get some sleep. Nothing big is happening, just another war. Once we attack, once we are attacked. (Ulf)

Leif saw everything in black, he saw 6,000 people who might revolt, I saw 6,000 hostages who might be used as cannon fodder.

(King Ecbert / King Offa POV)

- You want my help in defeating this army of barbarians, but why should I help you? (King Offa)

- If they defeat me, they will attack your lands later ... you will be the next target. (King Ecbert)

- I know, but I might as well wait until you kill each other and then I will attack the side that survived ... I will get rid of them and you. (King Offa)

- You will not win against them alone, their King Ulf, before my eyes ... he killed his own son and he has my son hostage. He wanted to make me attack the Kingdom of Mercia ... (King Ecbert)

- So you killed your son too. I'll help you, but everything has a price... My price is all of England, from the lands of the Scots to Wales and Wessex, of course you can still be King in Wessex, but you will pledge your allegiance to me and you won't have an army. (King Offa)

- You demand too much of me, I sacrificed my son ... (King Ecbert)

- Too much? It is you who come for help, if you do not want to ... What will happen to you will not be my concern. (King Offa)

(End POV)