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always carried. "Stay here Padraigh."  We stepped into the main hall and there were six warriors there.  None wore armour and all were ready to kill.  They were Norse and had the tattooed bodies favoured by the men of Northumbria.  All of them carried a sword, held a shield and sported a helmet.
    Bjorn looked at me and smiled, "Only six of them, Jarl."
    Their leader had carved teeth and an enormous scar running down his body.  He wore battle rings on his arms.  "We have warriors enough outside.  When I have the sword touched by the gods then we will enjoy your women!"
    Just then there was the clash of arms beyond my hall.  I smiled.  It was my men and they were already falling upon the Vikings who had made the mistake of trying to beard me in my own den. "Did you think I was alone?  Did you hope to creep in like an assassin, murder me and take my weapon?" I shook my head.  "The gods would not allow that.  The man who prises this sword from my dead fingers will be a great warrior and not a posing, preening warrior who carves his teeth, cannot afford armour and was almost killed by some Saxon." Part of my insult was guesswork but I must have hit a nerve for he launched himself at me.
    His reckless charge played into my hands. I parried the blow from his sword as I spun and swung my sword horizontally.  He was past me when my blade bit into the bare flesh of his back. I caught sight of Snorri and Sigtrygg as they charged through my door and fell upon the others. The leader turned and saw the blood dripping from my blade. His eyes narrowed as he realised that he had been wounded. It sometimes happens in the heat of the battle that you are struck and do not know it. 
    He roared and charged at me. I noticed that the strike he had made on my shield had bent his sword slightly.  I parried hard with Ragnar's Spirit as I punched with my shield.  The sword bent even more and he stumbled backwards.  I brought my sword around in an arc and rammed it into his middle. He sank to his knees and he looked at me in surprise. I swung a third time and took his head in one mighty blow.  It was over and the raiders were dead.
    We had no one left to question for my men had outnumbered them.  The fact they came from the east told us that Wiglaf's poison had done its work.  We took their bodies and burned them on the beach.  The Water would scatter their ashes into the depths. Bjorn took the poorly made weapons and melted them down. Their treasure was poor.  Kara had nodded when she had seen their bodies, "They were poor warriors who saw the sword as a means of becoming rich and powerful."
    I worried that more might come now whilst we were away.  Scanlan and Rolf reassured me. "We can keep the gates shut from now on.  It is a small inconvenience to open and close them each time someone wishes to enter.  I have more men and boys I can use as sentries. The young see it as a way to become one of your warriors."
    Kara had agreed, "I sensed danger but I said nothing.  This is my fault, father.  I thought that the danger was for you on your voyage.  Fear not I will heed all the messages that the spirits send to me.  I will not let you down again."
    We left a day before Ein-mánuðr. The weather was good with a wind from the north east. It was a cold wind but it came from Ragnar's home in Norway and we all took that to be a good sign. It had also passed over our home and carried with it the good thoughts of our people.  Best of all, according to Haaken, was that the Ulfheonar did not need to row. I was torn because Arturus was with his own crew on the "Josephus."   It was hard to get used to the fact that my son had his own oathsworn.  They were not Ulfheonar for they did wear the skin of the wolf, but they had proved themselves when they had manned the eastern fort and fought off Ragnar Hairy Breeches and Rorik.  This would be their first raid.  I knew that my son needed to stand on his own feet and lead his own men but the