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unawares.
    "Loose!" All eighteen of my men loosed their arrows.  The wedge formation meant that some of the arrows struck shields but at least three of the mailed warriors were felled and two of those behind.  We managed a second flight before we had to discard our bows and swing our shields around. The men of Jarl Harald Blue Eye had to descend into the water and then climb out.  While they had been in wedge formation it had helped to protect them from arrows.  The loss of the warriors and the descent into the beck meant that they no longer had a cohesive front.  They were easier to hit.
    "To the bank." My new warriors had their spears with them as did many of my other warriors.  The warriors from Orkneyjar struggled to cross the water, still icy from snow melt in the hills. They were jabbed and struck with spears. I wanted them in the beck before I committed Sigtrygg and Bjorn the Scout to the attack. Bjorn Carved Teeth and Erik Dog Bite were still able to use their bows and the warriors towards the rear were being struck as they loosed arrow after arrow at men without armour.  It bunched them in the middle as they tried to avoid the missiles. It was futile; my men were too good and many warriors fell. I saw two of the band turn and prepare to run back up the road. That was time enough for my reserves.
    "Sigtrygg, Bjorn! Now!" I waved my sword above my head as a signal.  Perhaps it was an accident but a sudden shaft of sunlight shone and lit the blade making it seem alive and afire. The first warrior who climbed the bank came directly for me. I swung Ragnar's Spirit diagonally across his neck.  He held up the shield to protect himself.  As he placed one foot on the bank I punched him with my shield and he fell backwards. He made a spectacular splash as he landed in the water, knocking over two other warriors too.  I saw that my men were now approaching.  I heard Jarl Harald Blue Eyes yell, "Back to the ship!" His trick had failed and he saw that he was surrounded.  He had always been too cautious as a jarl.  Sven Knife Tongue had nearly out manoeuvred him.
    At least a handful of his warriors shook their heads and stood their ground.  They had lost barely ten warriors and they still outnumbered us. The rest formed on their jarl and made a wedge which was able to negotiate the other, lower bank. Sigtrygg and Bjorn the Scout ran at them and there was a mighty clash of metal on wood as they met. My men were outnumbered and the men from Orkneyjar had the incentive of the safety of their ship to motivate them. Sigtrygg and Bjorn the Scout could not contain them without help from the rest of us.
    "After them!"
    Three warriors stood in the middle of the beck.  Their jarl might have had no honour but these three would go to Valhalla when they had killed some of us. Three of my new warriors ran, bravely but recklessly at them. I jumped into the water to go to their aid.  The three they fought had the death wish upon them. They were not the opponent for a novice.  The first of the new warriors, Oleg, still held his spear.  He jabbed it at the middle warrior who imperiously swept the head aside and then brought his sword around backhand to slice deep into Oleg's neck.  The beck flowed red with his blood. I pushed through the icy water.  I wanted no more of my young men to die needlessly.  These three were going nowhere.  We could finish them with arrows if we had to. As the second, Sven the Wild, died, I swung Ragnar's Spirit over my head.  The warrior who had killed Oleg held his shield above his head.  My blade made it shiver and he had to step back.  I punched with my shield as he was off balance and he had to take another step west, towards the bank.   I used my sword backhand and, this time, when he brought his shield up it was not quite quick enough and the tip of my sword sliced through some of the mail links.  He was still going backwards and his blow with his sword was weak. I pushed it aside with my