Day 12, Happily ever after

Finally after months of waiting we were offered a ship out of Greenland, it was headed to Iceland but, after the amount of ice I had seen it didn't matter where the boat went. Again the travel was rough but we made it safely to the shores of Iceland. Life became simple again. I grew old with no need for my weapons, in a town where everyone kept to themselves. It was quiet and calm, and fears and worries about my early life had all but left my mind. I was to grow old and live my life fully and happily ever after.

Day 11, An ironic name

I had no reason for living. My happiness had been killed by unknown attackers and somehow I felt that it was connected to the concerned look that Asta gave me before we were attacked. There was only one way to know. I had heard that there was a woman of Peel who could tell the future. It was probably a rumor but anything to ease my pain would be a welcome gift. I traveled the long road to Peel and it went uneventfully. When I arrived I found a very small village that still had pagan pieces of art around and I realized that it was most likely the right place. I asked around and was pointed to the edge of the village. When I approached the house a diminuitive cloaked woman appeared. She leaned upon an iron rod and she spoke my name as I approached. This was proof enough that she was the witch, for I never told anyone my name. We sat on the ground around the fire, she chanted and spoke in tongues that were unrecognizable. Suddenly she broke from her trance and told me something that would haunt me the rest of my life. "Life will end by your own hand in the land of ice." I needed to leave, the memory of Asta haunted me in this place and I couldn't go to Iceland because it you be the end of my life. I had heard of a place called Greenland and it sounded to me like a place where I could avoid my memories and the forsight of icely death. Although it was hard to find a boat across an very infamous Viking, Erik the Red had boats traveling to Greenland. I was lucky enough to get a ride. I became distraught as the voyage continued for as we continued North more and more ice became apparent. After losing many of the boats we came ashore. Immediatley I wanted to leave, but to my dismay we were stuck there the ice and wouldnt be able to leave for quite some time.

Day 10, Short lived love

Headed north for the Isles near Sand Hills. Every moment spent with my Asta was perfect, in fact it was beyond perfection, it was like a dream. I gave her two brooches my mother had given me years earlier they were as gold as her hair and fit lovely with her garb. My happiness with Asta was to be short lived for once again my love started to look worried and before I asked what was wrong we were attacked by a group of unknown bandits. The fight we fervorent and swift. Four rushed in on horseback and they quickly caught up to us. Two rode towards me and two for Asta. Before either of my persuers had drawn swords they were on their backs with my throwing knives protruding from their foreheads right between thier now lifeless eyes. I turned to intercept the other two attackers both of which had already drawn swords. I unsheathed my prized sword and attacked my closest opponent with a rage I had never experienced. He was no match. I ducked under his first swing and brought my sword across he thigh. Red quickly poured from the wound, but the man swung again. I parried, forcing all of my wieght to his right throwing him off balance. I quickly changed directions and the man fell quickly to the ground. He scrambled for his sword but only met mine right through his back quickly ending any misery he had been feeling. I turned to my last opponent but he had fled leaving Asta wounded on the ground. She waas gone... I buried her in Sand Hills alonmg with the brooches I had given her, it was the saddest day I would ever experience.

Day 9, Asta concerned

I kept in touch with my fairest lady through messages though it was very unreliable. I learned her name, Asta. It stuck in my head and was one of the most beautiful names I had ever heard. I also learned of the death of her late husband, and as dismal as it sounded it excited me for now she was free to choose her partner. She spoke of moving to the British Isles to settle and make a life of her own. It sounded wonderful! I immediatley wrote back telling her to meet me there. After grueling months of waiting I finally recieved word. She would be waiting for me in Dublin. Dublin had become quite a bustling area for my kin of late and I had been interested in seeing it for my own eyes. As I had served my lord of Byzantium well, he granted me one last favor. A ship to Dublin. We left early on a warm morning and I had a feeling this would be my last sea voyage, but a joyous as the sun that shined upon us. As I had expected the journey went smoothly and I landed in Dublin without trouble. Asta was as beautiful as I remembered but she looked worried and it troubled me greatly. She wouldn't tell me of her concerned look and faked a smile. She seemed to rush out of the city and we headed Northwest by horse back to a town where her parents and gone the year before.

Day 8, Home away from home

After many days of vigorous Varangian Gaurd training I was sent on leave, told to go anywhere I pleased. A few other men from my company said they were headed north-west in search of Rus treasurey. I had no other place to go, so I followed. We rode horses many a day and night into the north traveling beneath the stars on solid ground. This was very different for me and a longing for the sea was never far from my mind. But I put it aside for I had found something new to take me away from the mundane life of a farmer. As we entered Kiev I realized that many of the villagers wore Swedish style tunics and jewlery. This place was the closest thing to home that I had seen in months. I cherished those three days we spent in Kiev and met a woman I could never forget.

Day 7, City of Gold

Our recent retreat from Anglesey left my need for action still salivating and hungering. So we sailed south along the coast towards warmer more temperate waters. I had heard rumors and stories of a great city of knowledge and wealth to the east of these southern waters. So we sailed east still following the coast not wanting to lose our way in the rough sea. After many days upon dark waters one of the men shouted that he spotted a city as bright as the sun to the east. It must be the place of legends and the anticipation grew inside me. We beached our longboat and headed inland towards a city made for Gods. Domes, pinnacles and walls as high as the heavens towered above us as approached the maingate. We were questioned by men doned in glorious metal-work, but we didnt understand anything that left there pursed lips. Our answer was obviously sufficient for they took us to someone who dressed much like ourselves. When the man spoke I was relieved to hear him speak in old norse "Welcome to Byzantium" he greeted and again the questioning continued. We were asked many questions, where we had come from, where we were headed and for what reasons. Each man answered differently for each mans needs were different. When our host confronted me, he seemed shocked by the simplicity of my answer. I was here for action, glory and wealth, the simplicites any man needs. He then took me aside and said he had a job for me if I was interested. I was intrigued so I met him later that day. When I entered the huge collesseum I wondered if I had mistaken the man's kind gesture for I was suddenly attacked without warning. Two men from the left wearing mere leather tunics charged recklessly towards me, while another group of men maybe ten-fold glared towards my back as I faced the headlong charge. Both struck towrds me simultaneously but a few quick backsteps and a roll to the right thrust me far from their strikes. Again they charged but this time I knew what to expect. I unsheathed my weapon and parried each strike rapidly pushing their swords out wards and off balance. Their swords came in again sweeping wildly, these men had little experience with a blade. I ended their poor attack suddenly ducking with a sweeping kick knocking both fools to the ground. Claps resounded behind me and as I turned the man who greeted us at the gate ran towards me congratulating me. I was then offered the position as gaurd to his majesty, king of Byzantium. I gladly accepted and now wore proudly the title Varangian Gaurd.

Day 6, Ingimund's March

Apparently our recent success over Dorestad and been heard afar, for a stout man named Ingimund had called upon us to persue glory in Odin's name. He planned to invade the island of Anglesey. No small feat, for it was very heavily defended. But I yearned for battle, for it had been many a seasons since last I had felt the surge and frenzy within my muscles. Myself and 14 other men volunteered our weapons in search of glory. We sailed a single longboat towards the isle where Ingimund had said to meet. Along the journey we met with seven other vessels each with more men than ours. But we would need many more to over power a place such as Anglesey. Over the next couple of days a few more boats pulled up on the shore. But we were still short. At dawn we gathered our forces and marched upon the fortress at Anglesy. As the viking forces approached the stone walls Ingjmund realized something grave for he called off the assault. We had all boarded our longboats before Ingimund spoke of his unsuspecting retreat. He explained that he noticed English flags flying at Anglesey. The English had been known to help the Welsh when it suited their own needs. But I owed my life to Ingimunds keen eye for if we had attacked we would have opposed both Welsh and English forces and would have been slaughtered. We sailed home thanking the Gods.