The Trent River flows quietly, and the farmers living along the river live their quiet and miserable lives.
The wars in recent years have been basically internal fighting among the nobles. After paying the grain tax and land rent, the peasants then paid the poll tax. In addition, they had to bring their own weapons to fight under the orders of the nobles.
But no matter what kind of war it is, the battlefield will never break out in the Earldom of Lindsay on the lower reaches of the Trent River.
The people's days are peaceful and peaceful, and all the travelers from far away have revealed that terrible pirates have sacked the villages in East Anglia and Wessex. What does this have to do with the people living in the earldom of Lindsay?
The farmer's vision is limited to the three-thirds of an acre of farmland by the river. It is obviously adjacent to the sea, but almost no one goes fishing.
Because they even forgot the skills of shipbuilding and just built some canoes to float on the Trent River.
Only this year's situation is very special.
Years ago, the King of Wessex led his troops into the country, and his king immediately swore allegiance to him, so that the farmer's family had to pay another tax to Wessex.
Wessex was weakened, and the king of Mercia was immediately restored. In the past few years, His Majesty has used troops against East Anglia, and the people's financial resources have been severely squeezed.
How long has it been peaceful? This year, the Earl took his elite armored retinue and conscripted farmers to the north to conquer Northumbria.
When will the expedition return?
The people didn't think much about it. They counted their surplus grain and actively raised chickens and sheep at the end of the warm summer, so as to alleviate their poverty.
Of course, every weekend on Sunday, people from all over the country gathered in the monasteries in various villages to receive the teachings of priests, and people from nearby Lindsay City flocked to the city.
The lack of information not only brought about their extremely limited knowledge of the outside world, but they also had no idea what Vikings were. Although there were rumors, the priests gave them unreliable explanations and described them as Satan's. The little devil of the apostle. So, how do you protect yourself from demons? That is to stay away from the sea and devoutly believe in your beliefs.
But everything happened too suddenly.
The rainy weather continued, but thanks to the protection of the cabin, the situation of the incoming fleet was not too bad.
This was of course limited to the Ross Army. The open long boats of the Balmok Army could not protect themselves from the wind and rain. They endured the discomfort all over because of their strong belief that supported their continued march.
The north wind is not serious, but the temperature is low enough. In such bad weather, the Allied troops continue to "bath", so they don't catch colds and fevers?
Although Rurik was very worried, he was helpless. He could only hope that everyone was in good health.
As a result, it became necessary to conquer Lindsay City, and everyone needed a shelter from the wind and rain.
In the rain, all the ships raised their sails, and they were blown upstream by the north wind.
Rurik called the Trent River "Lindsay" out of convenience. The waterway of this river was wider than the previous Pauuse River and the Air River. It also ran north-south, which was convenient for the fleet to take advantage of the wind to raid.
The fleet suddenly appeared under Lindsay City, which was indeed a stone city built along the river.
"Is this our target?" Arik, who was bathing in the drizzle, asked his brother with his sword.
"Who knows? We sailed so far that we saw this stone-walled city, as it should be."
"It doesn't matter. Let's break it and capture a few prisoners." Arik danced his sword eagerly.
Rurik nodded, "Then let's do it. We really need to take a break."
That being said, Rurik saw an obstacle appearing in front of the river in the drizzle.
what is that? It's clearly a bridge.
"Damn it, a wooden bridge actually blocked my march. It's time to teach the locals a lesson. If they dare to build a bridge to stop me, they should be punished!"
By now, Rurik, who should have made great achievements, has become barbaric and naturally a little arrogant.
Can a mere city protected by low stone walls stop the Ross-Balmok coalition?
Someone blew a horn, and the noise attracted the attention of the entire fleet.
The Aurora has anchored, as have all the other ships.
Rurik stood on the side railing and shouted to his cousin who had already disembarked with the soldiers: "Arik! Remember! Don't kill indiscriminately, don't attack without permission, wait until I and the shooter are ready before taking action."
"Then come down quickly." Arik shouted disdainfully.
Considering the new plan to attack Tamworth, the royal city of Mercia, Rurik prepared some ladders in advance.
The Russian troops who had disembarked were already working together to carry the long ladder unloaded from the large ship. The Balmok troops also dragged their wet bodies and gathered in the wet grassland by the river.
Looking at the city of Lindsay, a Saxon city that was expanded based on a Roman-era fortress, only a small group of garrison troops were left. They discovered that an incredible fleet had arrived at the city.
Yes, in fact, some villages along the river have long noticed this fleet going upstream. When the villagers sensed the danger, they spontaneously avoided it. It was rainy, and there was no villager who was not busy taking care of his own safety and ran fearlessly through the mud. Tell Lindsay City that danger is coming.
This tiny city with a permanent population of eight to nine hundred people, all of whom worked for the earl family, and whose population was reduced to only five hundred people due to the earl's expedition, was suddenly attacked by two thousand Viking troops.
There were no more than fifty armed guards loyal to the count's family. They climbed to the top of the city in the rain, and one or two of them were so frightened that they trembled all over.
However, the attack of the Russian army has arrived.
Conduct long-range strikes before starting a war. As long as an army has suitable long-range weapons, it would be foolish not to do so.
Cast-iron projectiles and javelins fell from the sky, and neither Rurik nor anyone operating the slingshot could see a clear enemy. It doesn't matter. This move is not to kill the enemy, but to create panic in the city.
At first, the women and children who were sheltering from the rain at home felt that dangerous hail was falling from the sky.
Occasionally, there will be extreme weather, and hail can smash through the wooden roofs of residential houses, causing injuries to residents, and even killing poultry in the pens.
However, this time was very different. Residents witnessed their loved ones being smashed to death!
Is that hail? It's a piece of iron! And the javelin!
They were completely baffled, so they hid in fear again.
The pellets smashed through the stone tiles of Lindsay Abbey and even the priests were hiding.
The old priest knocked on the floor with his crutch, trying to scare the little priest who was running around.
The situation was already chaotic, and soldiers covered in water broke into the monastery and shouted: "Enemies are coming out of nowhere and are attacking us. The Centurion orders you to hide quickly!"
As soon as they heard about the enemy attack, the confusion really intensified.
"Can you be considered pious like this?" The priest scolded again, threw away his crutch, picked up the large wooden cross used when celebrating mass, used it as a crutch and walked outside like a saint, and said: "Don't be afraid, the power of faith will save us. Soldiers, you go protect the countess and the prince. Others, let's go."
But the falling projectiles don’t have eyes!
Among the little priests who followed the priest anxiously, some were directly beaten to death while guarding them.
Although the pastor was shocked, adhering to his faith, he dragged his trembling feet and thought of going out of the city to have a good chat with these unauthorized killers in person.
Pedantic? Indeed, this old man who has held the position of priest of the monastery in the earldom of Lindsay has been doing this for thirty years. He boasted that he had seen a lot. Northumbrian troops arrived here a long time ago, but even so they did not cause such killings. That time, it was he who mediated and the then Earl of Lindsay defeated the Northumbrian Army, and he was gloriously proud of it for decades.
Carrying the cross, he climbed up the low stone wall. The drizzle made his mood desolate.
The priest saw an incredible number of large ships floating on the river below the city, and a huge army stood in a large area.
During this time, Rurik, who had already negotiated with Magnute and Biyoni who had disembarked from the ship, exchanged opinions and reached a consensus that the city must be conquered, and then the army entered the city to rest.
The coalition forces were already making final preparations for the attack, and suddenly a large black cross appeared on the top of the city.
"Look, it's their priest." Rurik called the priest a priest.
Magnut took a closer look and felt murderous intent in his heart.
"Rurik, my son. They do not believe in our Odin, especially the local priests. I will let them know Odin's wrath now."
"Wait!" Rurik said suddenly.
"What's going on? Our army is ready."
"No. I think they intend to negotiate with us."
"Is this necessary?" Biyongni asked disdainfully, but Arik was about to charge.
Rurik squinted his eyes. He knew that it was not his fault to look up at the obviously weak enemy in the city. The enemy should lie down and talk to him.
"Then let's attack." Rurik sighed, then he made up his mind, drew out his dagger and pointed it pointedly: "Attack!"
This is indeed Lindsay City, and its small size cannot help but make Rurik suspicious.
Of course, the attack was simple and straightforward, and victory came easily, which made his doubts even more serious.
The stone wall built in the Roman era was not further repaired. After setting up ladders, the Russian army and the Balmoq army successfully climbed to the city without encountering any decent resistance.
The last armed retinue of the Earl family, they were originally salaried thugs and had the nature of mercenaries, so their loyalty itself was psychedelic.
They were frightened, and after sending the priests off the city wall, they refused to listen to the priest's pleas to stay, and ran away with weapons!
When they fled, they didn't even notify the count's family members to evacuate. The guys who were busy escaping frantically jumped into the ditch and ran away in the mud.
Of course, some people had no time to escape and were hacked to death by the Vikings who boarded the city.
The Danish mercenary Grund was a tool man. His armor was stained with blood again, only to be washed away by the rain again. They were the first to board the city, and they also hacked to death the Mercian soldiers stationed in the city gate, and then removed all the door bolts. After the gate was opened, the main force of the coalition troops filed in.
The Rus and Balmoks who rushed into the city looted and looted everywhere wildly.
Arik really complied with his brother's request. He called on his subordinates not to kill indiscriminately, but the fact was so special that the violent warriors could not kill indiscriminately.
Because there are too many women in this city.
They controlled the women, and then they only cared about their own pleasure amidst their screams. The scene was once very chaotic.
The city had collapsed, and the menacing army rushed into the worst stone castle, killing the guards and breaking in.
The Countess hugged her youngest son with a mournful face, but her eldest son had bravely taken out a sword.
However, Biyongni, who led the team to break in, just wanted to kill as fast as he could.
"Boy, you are too young. If you dare to duel with me, then go to hell!" He yelled in Norse. Although he admired the young man, he quickly killed him.
Even the countess pulled out a meat-cutting knife to defend herself in times of crisis. It was such an act that the Balmoks present did not hesitate to regard this woman as a brave female warrior.
Not killing women? Once she picks up any form of weapon, she is a warrior and is prepared to be killed.
Especially when dealing with an armed enemy warrior, the greatest respect is to kill them all.
At this glance, Biyongni led his brothers to bloodbath the Earl of Lindsay's mansion, and really carried out the brutality to the end, followed by looting and looting of gold and silver.
As for Rurik, he still maintained his sanity in the extremely cruel battlefield.
As of now, he is no longer afraid of the red rust-smelling mud with corpses all over the ground. He ignored the chaos and carnage, as well as the woman being chased by a group of laughing Balmok warriors.
Rurik deliberately indulged the Russian soldiers, and had no right to restrain the theoretical discipline of the Balmok allies. After all, this place will be regarded as the territory of the Balmok Kingdom of York from now on. The Balmok people are raging, so why should I interfere?
Rurik led a group of cronies to the monastery, which was temporarily surrounded by a group of Russian soldiers.
Arik greeted his brother with a smile: "Look, I didn't kill indiscriminately. Many people fled to this building. This is their temple. You decide their life and death."
"Good job!" Things were far better than Rurik thought. Unexpectedly, my brother was smarter.
At the same time, more than sixty women and children and more than a dozen priests were hiding in the monastery, praying in vain, hoping that the Lord would protect the devout believers with divine power.
The pastor who had escaped had a manuscript Bible in his arms, forcing himself to sit still and busy reading scriptures, like an ostrich with his head buried in the sand.
After all, the door was knocked open.
The people in the room screamed wildly, and the priest who tried to remain calm was dumbfounded.
Several soldiers wearing white robes with blue stripes broke in. Unbelievably, the barbaric army just stood there, as if they were a guard of honor.
After a while, a short man who seemed to be thin came in.
"You! You have failed! Now declare your surrender and you will get my protection."
Rurik's words were in Latin, and the priest was shocked because this sacred language was actually spoken by a barbarian warrior.
Rurik spoke again, and the panic of the people was indeed relieved.
The pastor closed the Bible and hugged it, then cautiously walked towards the blond boy who took off his iron helmet. He subconsciously felt how different this boy was from the attackers.
The priest had to admit that this young man was really handsome and his complexion was similar to that of the locals, but the soldiers who attacked the city had special clothes.
"Who are you?" the priest asked in Latin.
"Russ! The Principality of Rus and the new Kingdom of York. Where is this?"
"It's Lindsay."
Lindsay? Such a broken city is Lindsay? Rurik shook his head, and immediately kicked the priest, knocking the old man down. The sudden scene made the whole monastery become silent and suffocating.
Rurik pointed his sword at all the stunned people: "People of Lindsay, you have been conquered! Lindsay no longer exists! Now, you are all our servants!"
The words were in Latin, so ordinary people couldn't understand them, but most priests could understand them vaguely.
Rurik gave another order, and Arik naturally misinterpreted his brother's meaning. The tying of ordinary priests turned into killing, just like what the most ordinary Viking invaders would do. The wood of the monastery The floor was stained red...
The old priest was left trembling, cursing in Latin that this young man had a demonic nature underneath his handsome appearance.
"You know sacred language, you are blaspheming. You are going to hell."
"Hell? Maybe. Your god did not protect you." Rurik shook his head, "You know Latin, you are still useful. Thank me, I will spare you, and the people of this entire monastery will be safe."
Then he ordered his brother: "Brother! Stop killing indiscriminately, tie up the others and take them away."
"Alright alright……"
Arik was a little surprised, so he wiped the blood from the sword blade, wiped it on his clothes and stuffed it back into the scabbard, signaling his obedience.
