Viking Wolf (The Viking Series Book 1) by Dale Gina

Author:Dale, Gina [Dale, Gina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gina Dale Publishing
Published: 2021-04-19T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Four

H alfdan set up the main hall for a tactical meeting to discuss Ubba’s mission. His spies Lucas from Mercia and the merchant Keir, who plied his trade throughout the inland waterways of the country, had both arrived last night. Ubba’s men were included, as were several of Halfdan’s. Serena had not been invited as the tactics were not something she would have a part in.

Halfdan presided over the meeting and they started with Keir’s report of what he had learnt in the towns he had been trading in. His overall opinion was that the West Saxons were having to send soldiers into Devon and Cornwall to quell attacks from Norsemen on the South West Coast, which meant King Edward of Wessex would be in no position to move troops into Danelaw and head north to take on Halfdan or Ivar this year, unless the South West was securely fortified around the coast. If he left Winchester and marched north, he could risk losing Wessex if marauding Danes ganged up and took advantage of his absence. The Mercians were also suffering from sporadic attacks from the Welsh, so they would not want to commit all their troops to Edward as they needed to protect their border. He remarked that since Halfdan, Ivar and Ubba had targeted the North East, Danes were avoiding this area to avoid confrontation with their countrymen and targeting the south. A lot of Danes had targeted London and were living on the Isle of Sheppey. London was a hive for traders, from Europe right through to Russia.

Lucas then gave his report on the state of Mercia and East Anglia. Traffic from the North Sea via Repton had been less, this year, than normal. There were definitely murmurings of Edward and Aethelred of Mercia marching an army to oust the Danes, but the timing had gone somewhat awry.

Halfdan said, ‘Ubba, in light of the information we have, I think we need to change your mission from a scouting party to a trading one. Stefan and I were discussing this last night and I think you should take one of my longboats and sail down to Repton. There will be enough room to take eight horses and up to ten men. Two of my men will go to guard the boat when you leave and Harold my Saxon riverman knows the Ouse and the Trent like the back of his hand. If you change your appearance to look more like Danish traders rather than scouts, you will not attract as much attention. Using the boat as a base will give you a much quicker means of escape if you run into trouble. Your horses will be fresh, and you will have a specified route to take, which should not be more than ten miles from the river.’

Ubba replied, ‘I am honoured that you would trust me with one of your longboats and I think it is an excellent idea. We can conceal the weapons under the furs and cloth, then we have them if necessary.

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