5 years later alternative.

As promised every raid, every battle that took place Ernak was there, so much so that Sigurd ended up using him to help plan the event and under his advice, raiding became much more efficient. His ideas were: Never loot a place more than once a year, send scouts ashore to assess the situation; specifically the defences and rich areas before scoring. Splitting into three groups: One goes Straight to the monasteries and richer houses, one attacked the businesses and homes and the others stood lookout and looted anything on the streets before focusing on defending the others whilst the others loaded the ships. Warfare on the other hand where he would try and outthink them what scared or intimidated the enemy the most was Ernak’s willingness to charge into battle alone or in impossible odds. Meanwhile at home tension between mother and daughter **** a drift larger than households apart. Astrid wanted to be loved and where Ernak refused to give it to her she went elsewhere with a lack of care on who with, this caused both political and social problems which Alfhild refused to help with and to Alfhild’s greater annoyance when Ernak found out he didn’t care but instead ignored it until a man spoke out of line or **** his attentions on Astrid then he would defend her, this was the only time Astrid saw any care from him but the tension between mother’s orderly and politically sociable appearance which and Astrid’s carelessness to it knowing that as long as Ernak was being “heroic” she wouldn’t have to worry about her actions.

“Can you please not try and get yourself killed this time!” Sigurd argued as they gathered around the table to discuss the plan, “Does it matter as long as it works?” Ernak responded studying the map in detail, “Exactly! Especially after all the threats he has made to your person?” Erik stated siding with him only because he didn’t want Ernak around, “Yes it does matter! I know my daughter, your wife doesn’t care but Alfhild and Lagertha does and I wouldn’t want them upset because you don’t care about yourself!” “The plan Sigurd!” Erik growled “They are weak on the left with inexperienced warriors, if we can attack from the side and push them sideways across the centre section, it would cause them to push right and disrupt the stronger section which is also ours!” “That is only if your scouts are actually right this time!” snapped Ernak which caused Erik to challenge back, “I assume Ernak is going to volunteer for the suicide part?” Ernak nodded with Torvi smiling adjusted her shield straps, “I’ll go with him! I promised Lagertha that I’d look out for him and... I like to be next to him on the battlefield anyway!” “Agreed, what is your idea Ernak?” “Don’t worry about that, you worry about maintaining shape when the others flood right!” “You don’t have to do this” Ragnor spoke stopping Ernak and pushing his hand away Ernak simply spoke, “No... it’s my choice to do it. And I don’t trust Erik’s advice!” Ragnor nodded before replying sincerely, “Just stay safe, Lagertha would hate me if you didn’t come back alive.” “Just get your forces ready!” “Don’t worry about us and Torvi don’t let him do anything stupid okay?” Torvi nodded before following behind Ernak stated, “So what’s the plan?”

“Still going through with the mad schemes I see!” Torvi stated crouching next to Ernak who saw the other army forming, “Why the detour anyhow?” he pointed to the well before stating, “Mild hallucinating toxin with a few other nasty side effects. It will kick in shortly before the battle and for those who aren’t killed by their own men or killing their men, it will cause panic amongst their ranks and to our advantage!” he studied the armoured warriors as they formed in order like a well trained army and knowing Erik was wrong started to think up of another plan, “Shit!” muttered Ernak who looking at Torvi nodded in agreement, “We can’t defeat that!” he studied the area seeing the terrain before contemplating it stated, “The poison will weaken them but not kill them and the cattle will cause chaos but nothing to harm their numbers... hmmm!” “What are you thinking?” he studied the scene a bit more before thinking out loud offered, “We wait for the the poison to take effect, then unleash the cattle, it may **** a wedge between the army and **** the right to move further right and...” “Into the river, in that armour they would drown!” “Exposing the left to the bulk of Sigurd’s forces. We will then aim for the leader... take him and without leadership they will panic!” “A sound plan if you can actually get in close and kill him!” a strangers voice called crouching next to them, hood up to cover her identity, “Who are you?” “Name’s Aife and no you can’t ask why I look like this all you need to care about is me wanting to kill the same target as you. Some more good news for you, they know I am around and will be worrying about me...” “You distract them and we will kill him!” “Good... you are smart!” he nodded before looking at her queried, “What will you do?” “Provide support until they notice me, I will get close enough for him to send as many guards as he dares; you will come from behind and land the killer blow. You will need these!” she stated plainly handing a pair of bracers with a mechanism attached, “I want these back after, you aren’t entitled to own them, one flick of the wrist like so...” she demonstrated, “Simple enough?” Ernak studied it before sliding it the other way flicked his wrist downwards to show the blade and Torvi doing the same laughed at Aife who retracted her blade hiding the missing finger, “I figured out the hard way!” their attention turned to the warriors who coughing slightly didn’t take make notice of it because standing opposite them now stood the raiders who weapons drawn stared at the opposition not phased perhaps slightly crazy to face a foe who themselves saw the “ravel” and smiled knowing their order and structure should make them prevail.

When the horn blew for war Ernak rushed to the nearby cattle heard whilst Torvi began to drop the oil in a line to herd the animals towards the army; when they rushed passed the start of the large river Ernak opened the gates shooing the animals who seeing the fire panicked as they rampaged towards armoured soldiers and began to splinter the armour in two; men panicked as they were either trampled or were **** towards the water and fell in feeling their armour grow heavy and allowing the equally surprised army of the Vikings to react and open a gap for the cattle to run through, Sigurd seeing the change of plan ordered Ragnor’s men to finish off the weakened flank whilst the others concentrated on the intact left flank who were only weakened by health, they coughed and vomited which made Sigurd laugh even more now knowing of Ernak’s “surprise” and pushing forward started to use his stronger fighters to create a larger dent through the front.

*Whistle* Ernak blew summoning his mount seeing Torvi follow suit drawing her bow waited for his signal whilst Aife made her appearance painfully obvious and almost like a charm brought the attention of most of his guards towards her which now allowed the target to study the situation, “Now?” Torvi queried waiting for his signal, “Four guards left, two each... closest to the head has drinks brought for them by the loser!” “You’re on!” the horses galloped past the strays of the army before drawing nearer fired their first shots at the guards to the general before taking the next two out; during this time “The General” as he was called saw the situation grabbed his axe and imbedded it in Torvi’s mount as she ventured too close and watching her fall to the ground in a thud he immediately dismounted his horse retrieving his weapon from the dead creature. Ernak seeing this turned his horse around before rushing towards Torvi who was trying to block the “General’s” strikes with her shield his attention was soon distracted by an arrow in landing in his exposed knee. “Back away from my stepsister!” Ernak growled drawing his swords to meet the enemy in direct combat allowing Torvi time to get up to fetch her shield. Ernak swung but seeing his swords did little to penetrate the armour saw Torvi creeping closer and in seeing this Ernak waited for his chance to block the axe and trap it then with a head butt caused “The general” to fall surprised back wobbly kneed and Torvi to slam her shield over his head bringing him to his knees, “Ready?” Torvi asked flicking her wrist to bare the blade, “Ready!” Ernak confirmed slamming his blade in time with Torvi through the man’s face, “We should help in the battle!” Torvi exclaimed seeing the dead behind her, “Agreed, take his horse and draw your bow, we’ll attack though the rear!”

“So much for my fathers help!” Torvi snapped before lining up her first shot behind Ernak who choosing the sword instead rod into the group hacking away at them, “Forward!” Sigurd barked charging into the remaining army who now had to worry about the horse riders hacking away from behind. Ernak came back for another strike killing three more in swings and providing the necessary distraction to allow the Sigurd’s men to make an quick kill. Doing this caused the well trained army without an chain of command to splinter into smaller groups who were isolated from the remaining bulk and was perfect for Torvi who lining her shots up simply plucked them out one at a time and Ernak to simply dismount and attack the bulk.

Ernak grew adapt to the new blade quite quickly but if Aife saw how he was using it, she would have tried to kill him for it. A lot was a simple sword to deflect the enemies strike then blade in the throat and it was effective. Five, ten, twelve all died by his hand, it was then when it happened. “Erik we need help!” Björn snapped, “Just keep swinging. We don’t need help!” it was too late however because leaping up Ernak sank his blade into the first’s throat and grabbing his dropped axe threw it into the next before grabbing his own weapons killed the next with his axe. “Need help?” Ernak grinned, “Of all the people, why does it have to be you!” Erik snapped unaware of the arrow aimed at him, “Watch out!” Ernak snapped stepping in front of the arrow before throwing his axe at the archer staggered back to study the arrow, he closed his eyes before snapping the arrow in half through gritted teeth struggled to hold his sword with the wounded shoulder, “We need help!” Sigurd called and running one armed Ernak responded burying his other axe deep inside the nearby’s skull. Ernak struggled with his weaker hand to maintain the grip of his sword but still fighting heard Sigurd bark in anger, “Ernak you are wounded, get out of here!” “Not without dragging your ass from the battlefield alive! This isn’t how you die” “Damn it. This isn’t time for one of your “I don’t care if I die” attitudes” Ernak killed the next before seeing Sigurd was unaware of the threat looming behind him pushed Sigurd out of the way as the warrior slammed his axe into Ernak’s chest and shoulder, Ernak flicked his wrist drawing the hidden blade and impaling him on it felt another sword being entered into his side used, he coughed before pulling an arrow from his quiver **** it into the warriors exposed neck before grimacing to pick the hatchet up killed the next he continued further with blooded hatchet in hand to Torvi who trying to fight off three saw Ernak bury the hatchet through the guys neck and using the hidden blade to kill the next fell back slumping against the bodies blood trickling from his wounds with Ragnor rushing to his side, “We need medical treatment! Leif! Here now!” Leif killed the remaining opposition around him before sliding to Ernak quickly removed the remaining part of the arrow, “How bad is it?” Ragnor asked covering both Leif and Ernak with his shield, aided by Torvi and now Ivar, “What does it look like?!” he felt Ernak’s hand push him away before stating, “Leave me, this is how I said I would go, this is how I will!” Leif’s hands faltered falling to his waist before grabbing Ernak’s sword went to lower it in the persons hands but Sigurd yelling at him snapped, “Don’t you dare stop treating him. He lives or all our lives aren’t worth living!” “Sigurd please!” Ernak pleaded, “You will not die here. Not today. Never! I owe you that much! You are my son and I’m not ready to lose you, any of you! Björn ride to the village, tell them we need immediate help from everyone who can help. Leif patch him up. Ernak! Ernak!” Sigurd growled but checking for a pulse Leif muttered placing his sword and bow into Ernak’s hands, “You earned your place Persephone’s side” Leif muttered, Sigurd froze in shock, “No… he” Torvi wept but dragging their attention away from the fallen member Erik yelled, “We are in a middle of a war remember!” Sigurd looked down and nodding said, “Yes… we… should mourn after. Leif bring his body back to the village” Leif nodded and being aided by Björn Sigurd muttered disheartened, “Björn go with them. Help… help Alfhild with the preparations” he nodded before hopping up snapped to Leif “Let’s get out of here.”

The village stopped their activities when the cart trotted into main square and looking down Björn muttered to the body, “Back home where you belong, my friend” “Björn… what’s wrong?” Alfhild worriedly asked and looking down spat in half anger and half sadness, “Erik was wrong again. They were many more than us and more prepared… he… it hasn’t come without consequences” “What is it? Who is in the cart?” and looking down Björn replied, “Ernak!”

Alfhild felt like the carpet had been pulled out from under her. She stood there frozen and looking wide eyed at him Björn looked down as he finished, “Took them a lot of shots to finish him but he died saving Erik’s, Sigurd’s and Torvi’s life” “Ernak… is dead” Alfhild muttered still suffering from the shock, “Yes” and pointing to the two men lifting the body Björn yelled, “Careful!” Alfhild rushed to the body’s side and as she walked in with it cried like a mother does to a upset child said, “Sshh it’s okay. You gave us everything” she cried and struggling to **** out, “You’ve earned your rest in Elysium, enjoy your rest my son” she turned to Björn who pulling her into a hug heard the Freu say trying to maintain her composure as the Jarl’s wife, “We need… to tidy the wounds; fetch them healer. I… I’ll make the other arrangements and get ready to comfort Lagertha when she comes back.”

Hours later and trudging back their heads bowed with Torvi clutching onto her sister hurting equally as Lagertha, Sigurd asked his wife, “Ho… how are you doing?” she looked at him and in anger spat, “It’s all your fault. My son lays dead on his bed and you ask me how I’m doing?” Sigurd looked down and nodding said, “I… I didn’t want it to end like this. He had a life, potentially to be something great and eventually find love… now he’s dead!” “Because of you!” Torvi yelled targeting it at Erik and Sigurd, “He couldn’t have known that was what we were facing!” Ragnor retaliated but punching him Torvi shrieked, “You… you are just happy because there is no other heir. You get it all and you are happy because the better son is dead. The person we love is dead, you took his love, his hopes and now he lays dead because of your disease ridden family!” Ragnor growled before crying replied, “I didn’t want my brother to die. I never have. I didn’t want to take Lagertha but I was pressured into marriage and Lagertha was nice to me. I didn’t want it to end like this, him alone believing he had no value to the family” Alfhild weary eyed confessed, “I was going to give him everything to say how sorry I was to have failed him” they looked over to Lagertha who crying laid her head on the body’s chest as she wept, “I can’t do this without you. It shouldn’t be like this, not to you” “Lagertha…” Ragnor tried to comfort but pushing his hands away Lagertha continued, “I never even got to tell you how much I stilled love you” Sigurd tried to offer his own comfort to her but pushing him away Lagertha broke further down when she yelled, “It was your fault. You know he was pushing himself to just prove to everyone how wrong we all were. If you didn’t agree to this stupid war, if you only listened to Ernak in the first place. *pointing at Ragnor* If you didn’t pick me then he would have something to fight for. He embraced **** because he wanted it and it’s all everyone’s fault. You should all be dead not him!” Sigurd’s head dropped further as he confessed, “And I will live with this guilt with the rest of my life. We didn’t just lose the future Jarl but also the heart of our kingdom” “Father?!” Ragnar questioned and looking at him Sigurd replied, “I don’t want to hear it Ragnor l. Just don’t care.