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.

Day 5, Poor Dorestad

Dawn was bleak, for Thor shouted in the heavens. Lightening battered the sky leaving us as only mere shadows through the onslaught of rain. The gods must be smiling on us I thought. For the weather masked our approach upon Dorestad. With each flash from Thor's mighty hammer the Frisian coast grew and grew until the longboats scraped upon the muddy shores. Thirty men leaped from the side of the sodden boat and charged headlong into the unsuspecting trade center. The ground was a slick as ice but it did not seem to bother those rushing towards their wealth and glory. As the sopping mass of muscle approached the town our opposition appeared. Fifteen armor clad men formed a defensive position between us and poor Dorestad. For a split second everything stopped... *Smash!* The two parties collided with a sound that overpowered even the thunder above us. No longer did I act upon thought. Instinct took over and I plowed through the first man who stepped into my way. My sword rang out as I took on the next opponent, it flowed as if it had a mind of its own a mind thirsting for flesh and gore. He swung at me three successive times. *Ting* *ting* *whoosh* I parried twice and ducked under his desperate attempt at my neck. Now was my opportunity. He was off balance to his left and I took full advantage of it, sliding my sword into the seam between his shoulder and torso. His arm flew from his body and became a part of the mush beneath my feet. The man toppled in agony, but his screams didn't deter me from my frenzy. I rushed headlong into the next man putting my shoulder to his unprotected face, dazing him. He was easy prey for my shining appendage. Warm bloody flowed over my fist as a yanked my precious sword from his midsection. I peered around to see that not one of the defenders were left standing. We flew into the trade center like bandits, snatching anything that caught our eyes. And as quickly as we came we were gone, back towards home, safety and sanity.