The Black Dane : The Fools War

A Wasp and a Promise

After covering a few feet, they stopped and the first down knelt on the ground, hiding behind their shields. The secound rowm stood behind the first, slightly hunched overb shields held stacked above the first row. The third row followed suit, but stood at full heightb stacking their shields above the second row. Until at last the fourth row raised their shields above their heads to form a sort of roof or covering.

Skjaldborg, a shield wall, it was a hardy and deadly defense. Each man was only as strong as the warrior next to him. If one man gave in it put all in danger.

"Kill them all!" Lord Uhtred called out leading his men into a charge. However, the Shield wall held strong, with the Saxon army breaking like water on rock against it. From the hill top Beocca stood with King Aella watching the struggle below "the wall is holding" said Aella.  "Transfer all your shield and Drive!" Lord Uhtred cried out. He and his men. Rammed their shields against the wall and tried to push the Danes back.

From the rearlines Ubba smirked "ease" he ordered and the men passed it on amongst each other, taking baby steps the Danes walked as one drawing back the Shield Wall. "Keep pushing! It's working!" Called out Lord Uhtred to his men, who rallied in victory cries.

Khaana felt her stomach turn as she watched the joy and hope in the eyes of the Saxons, for they did notknow of the trap in which they were being lead.

A Dane soldier cried out in pain as a Saxon thrusted his sword through a small gap in the wall.  He fell dead at the feet of his fellows who merely stepped over him, many others fell as swords were stabbed into the gaps. "They look to be tiring, look they can't fight back." Said Beocca to Aella on the hill. "We're winning look!" One soldier cheered, "we are winning!" Cried another.

Aella drew out his sword and hollared out a battle cry before charging his men down the hill to join with Lord Uhtred, King Osbert following behind him with his own army.

Hearing the battle cries, Lord Uhtred looked back and his heart sank. "Not yet!" He called while trying to drive back the shield wall, "not yet!" He cried. But the armies charged in to close to turn back and too loyd to hear his orders.

Down in a long natural trench in the land, Guthrum lay in wait with a company of warriors hidden away, laying low. When the two Saxon armies rushed in that was their signal to charge. Their charge was silent and they went unnoticed by the loud Saxon armies, quickly lining up into four rows behind them. "Shield! Wall!" Guthrum shouted out and within seconds and second wall was formed, closing the saxon army between two walls of danes.

"Dear God, of unending mercy, n-not this!" Beocca gasped as he watch alone with the priests of Kings Aella and Osbert from the hill.  The saxon armies tried their best to break the walls, illing who they could but the gaps never stayed open long. "Kill them all!" Ragnar Ravnson shouted to thedane warriors. The danws started to thrust their swords out of the gaps between their spears stabbing the saxon soldiers.

Screams rang in Khaanacs ears, she shut her eyes and turned her head away from the slaughter, Ubba snatched up Khanna's chin and forced her to watch "you are a creature of the gods of war, you will not look away. This is ondeed a glorious sight." He sang with a grin. He gave her neck a jerk "open your eyes!" He barked.

Khaana's eyes flew open and she watched inwardly shaking her eyes darting across the scene before her. She wanted revenge against those who had wronged her, those who had taken her from her homeland and treated her like currency. But these men where not those people. "Ubba release her!" Ragnar Ragnarson yelled grasping Ubba's arm, but Ubba brushed him off.

"It is time to charge." Ubba said with a grin releasing Khaana's chin he carged his horse foreward, going around the walls and into the gathering of trapped Saxons, swinging his sword this way and that. The two Ragnars, elder and younger followed after him living the shaken Khaana alone.