Chapter 90: The Mad Charge

The endless sea and the golden coast of the Kingdom. The Navy had created a blockade across it. Although they never moved for the boats they lost, not having enough to deal with the force left behind to guard it, they made sure to watch those boats like hawks. In the distance, the great wall of men came into view. They were tired from the quick march, but eventually they arrived. They covered the beach walking East to their landing sight.

They weren’t stupid. They saw the towering warships in the distance that watched them on their journey back. They knew Alfred was behind them chasing with his own army. It was the only reason behind the desperate charge for their own ships. Quickly they loaded themselves. Those left behind to guard the warships stolen hadn’t been wasting their time. They learnt how to work them. And although they wouldn’t be as skilled as those on the battleships, they still sailed across the great lake, it was enough to return home.

It was a time-consuming process to load all the goods and food they had stolen, but plans had been made in the moments of rest to make sure it was done effectively. Most provisions were sent back routinely to be loaded so they only had to deal with the final amount brought back. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the luxury of Far Miles deep water harbour and were forced to leave their stolen ships in the sea. The provisions were placed on their own boats and sailed into the water to be picked up by a pulley system. Many hoped it was enough for their people to get through the harsh winter, but Helga didn’t really care. If some died then it was meant to be. She did make sure to organise things in a certain way, however, to ensure her and most of the good’s survival.

Four hours passed and the last of the goods were loads. The people were tired and the ever-looming threat of the Kingdom’s warships was something that weighed on their minds but also kept them going. Helga got into her boat. She was obviously going to ride the main ship home but knew that she had to wait on land with her people whilst the work was carried out. As the boat took to the water, the distance thunderous sound of three thousand men marching could be heard.

The sound got louder and louder as Alfred charged forward with his men. Helga knew that there wasn’t enough time for all the boats to get off the shore. "To those who are deeper inland, form a wall and defend the ships. You will be heroes. The ones who allowed the Great Adventures success. And when you die, The Father will open the gate and hand you a drink personally!" Her voice spread across the shore. Many of those looked at each other, and although they didn’t wish to die they knew it was for the better of their people. They also trusted in Helga’s divinity, hoping her words were true.

Taking their weapons out they formed a shield wall around the fleeing ships. Helga smiled, giving her boat one final strong push with her crew. Jumping in she turned around as the sea of soldiers charged into the shield wall. It was small, maybe 500, not even that, but they held strong not allowing one to get through, dying with glory. Looking through them she saw her target. The blond hair glowed in the sunlight. Alfred looked her away. His face contorted into the shape of a demon from his anger as he cut down the man in front of him with ease.

Helga smiled and waved at him, never taking her eyes off him as her men sailed out to the battleships. A gap in the wall opened unable to take the pressure. The Unyielding flooded in, killing anyone who was caught. Many fought to the bitter end those who didn’t were caught by the hem of their clothes and amour, being executed. Alfred was the same. He showed no mercy as he cut down those fleeing.

Helga turned around from the sight. The final stragglers were killed but she knew she had gotten away. Pulling alongside the massive warship, she and her people got in. Standing at the front of the deck, her ships charged forward. Five battleships and hundreds of smaller ones charged at the blockade of ten ships.

Sasha was in command of it. Giving the order her boat built up speed. The five Battleships charged forward ignoring the approaching ships, only letting off arrows. Her ship was fast and cut through many of the small boats. People screamed and jumped out of the way of the towering capital ship, as it tore through their small wooden boats like butter.

Her ram pierced through the side of one ship, creating a large hole in its side. It was her pride and joy her capital ship, being outfitted with a heavy ram that could incapacitate most ships in the world, and an elite crew trained expertly in navel warfare. The bridges fell to cross the ocean and ropes hooks were thrown, dragging it closer to make an easier boarding.

Helga watched as one of her ships was caught but said nothing. She knew many would die in the escape when she saw the blockade and had planned for this. As long as enough escaped then it was a good distraction. Another boat charged at hers. The boat flanking her right was already destroyed by Sasha and now the guardian on the left was to fall. With a loud explosion and the creaking of wood, the boat was incapacitated. Many more of the smaller boats were destroyed, but many more could quickly slip through the blockade unbothered.

Helga wasn’t worried about those two. Hardly any provisions were on them, and they only housed men who remained loyal to Knut or her Father still, she had planned for this, organising her escape like this. She saw it as getting rid of a problem with minimal loss. Her boat charged through. The two remaining boats took to her flanks. She had placed her loyalists on them, and although they held goods and food, it was still less than hers which carried the bulk. More importantly, it carried her.

More boats chased. They tried to ram them but it was to no avail, unable to catch them anymore. Although the Kingdom were skilled sailors and thought they would catch easy, so were Helga’s people, able to cross the sea in small rafts that could barely count as boats, let lone warships.

Alfred watched from the shore. He saw the three ships and many more small boats flee into the distance being chased and clenched his fists.’I failed?’He knew she had got away. He had to get his hands on her and he had failed. His mind went blank as he walked away, down the coast. No one stopped him, just silently following behind.

Alfred walked. He knew he was spiralling. He was being controlled by his emotions. He had slept less, been angrier, more rash and finally he had let his enemy get away. He tried to calm and collect himself but every time he did, memories he wished to forget would pop up. It was times when he wished Little Alfred in his mind would be overwhelmed with his own emotions and influence him. He tried to think of his wife and son but would feel sad and disgusted when he did. He didn’t know what to do. Everything would have been perfect if he could have caught her.

He was tired but knew he couldn’t lash out anymore. His anger, his depression. They were all things that would destroy him if he gave in to them. He had done so on the battlefield, being reckless, swinging his sword just to relieve himself. He had to control himself. How many people had he decided the fate of? How many had he ruined in his goal to achieve power? He knew what type of world this was. He knew that there would be people unchecked by morality, he had been as well so many times. Yet he still tried to deal with someone who followed a religion and culture which normalized brutality.

Stopping he took a seat and looked out into the sea. He called for the rest of his men. They had been marching and fighting all day. He looked over them and a bitter smile formed. Everything he had done was so he could keep them alive. Not out of goodwill but to keep his realm strong. He had willingly thrown himself into the lion’s den for that sole reason. But it was wrong. The wrong approach. It would never have worked without a marriage to Helga.

He dealt with thinking of his old world. He thought about the Viking invasions into France and the conquest of Normandy. He had thought of the Danelaw and the splitting of the British Isles. He assumed he could do the same here and make peace with them diplomatically, offer what they needed. But he was wrong.

Maybe it would have worked with the other leaders, but he knew they were too weak to go against Helga and Halfdan. He knew deep in his heart that it had a slim chance of working but he was stuck in his old world of thinking and did it anyway. He had tried and tested so many theories from his world that worked that he got arrogant, thinking they would all work.

The Danelaw formed from conquest and Normandy through marriage. He wasn’t willing to do either and hoped for the same results. How could it work? Did one too many successes make him think he was untouchable? His head fell into his hands. Through the gaps in his fingers, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

He had slowly started feeling depressed thinking like this and had to stop himself.’No more.’He pushed it out.’I must be better. I must be in control. She’s gone now. She will return. But not now.’He comforted himself. When she came back he would finish the job. He tried to push it to the back of his mind as best as he could. He thought about the present situation. He had a war to fight still. He had to return north again. He needed to keep moving. If he stopped he would spiral again.