Live by the sword, die by thunder, day 4 Reaction.

There is much to be done, but volunteer warriors has quickly arrive and there is a weird somewhat excited, expectant and joyous atmosphere mixed with seriousness about what has happened. I understand that warriors show up and volunteer for different reasons. Several are simply attracted by easy silver, as most probably realise that there hopefully won't even be any real battle, and that they will probably be back in less than three days. Some want to take part in a major raid, so they can say they were there and tell the tale. Here in the north raids are quite rare these days, especially large-scale raids. Some are interested in seeing Sejdmann Arnesson and his women in battle - rumours of thunder weapons have spread. Some want to see or meet me. Some want to prove themselves. Some look forward to seeing Daesers suffer, and the idea of attacking a Daes Jarl appeals to pretty much everyone. There is plenty of bad and bloody history between the peoples here in the north, and some not happy about the peace agreement between King Asbjörn and King Magnbjorn. Most are probably attracted by a combination of everything, but some just want to use violence against other people and feel powerful.

I didn't think there were so many shield-maidens in the Borgarsandr region, but at the same time I understand that, like Alith and Bodil, many shield-maidens have had difficulty finding work as shield-maidens and have taken other jobs as ordinary workers on farms and so on, but see an opportunity when I, as a Sejdmann with my female bodyguards, organise a big raid.

Some of the older shield-maidens have brought their 'adult' warrior sons and shield-maiden daughters with them, but I understand that this is partly a matter of mothers wanting to ensure that their children's first raid and combat experience goes smoothly.

From the way Gunhild welcomes three older shield-maidens and introduces them, I understand that they are old comrades-in-arms whom she looks up to, and they are here with their adult children. I will let their 'adult' children accompany their mothers in the large flanking groups. Many of the older men seems to know and respect the women, so I guess they are really well known. Gunhild lets us know that an older man carelessly commented to one of the shield-maidens, that it apparently takes a man with Sejdmann Arnesson's reputation to lure her away from her farm, husband and children, which earned him a quick left hook to the chin that sent him stumbling backwards and almost knocking him out. He recovered, apologised and said he deserved it, and that it was nice to know that having children hadn't made her soft. His two friends who helped him up just laughed at his stupidity and commented that he still hadn't learned after all these years.

Hagan show up ready for war and with essentials in a small pack, and of course he is allowed to come along and also join our close protection. Tall, beefy Hagan, dressed in leather and chain mail armour with a decorated helmet, and with his hefty axe, a sword on his hip and a shield on his back, is an imposing sight, but nothing attracts attention like Thyra and Laug do. Hagan is surprised when he is introduced to Valkyria-maidens Thyra and Laug, and eyes the Valkyria mark under their right eyes, and immediately show them great respect and is very pleased to have them on our side. Gisela is very fascinated by Thyra and Laug, but she is far from alone. Alith has assigned Thyra to protect me, and Laug to protect Iselin, Ciara and Jane, and they seem to be totally serious all the time. No chill, which I'm not complaining about under these circumstances. However, it was a bit funny how Alith and Gunhild this morning, after getting permission, gave them a quick demonstration of their thunder weapons, as if to show off a little to the Valkyria-maidens, but they understand to keep the guns real performance and function secret. There's a good chance that Thyra and Laug will see the weapons and cannons in action during the attack, and as part of our close protection, they need to know what to expect. Many people look questioningly at the firearms we carry, and the leather covers over the flintlocks were a good idea, for more than weather protection.

Beside warriors and curious onlookers, a lot of craftsmen and craftswomen that we have given work to, have shown up just to see that we're okay. Baugeid is the most unexpected to show up, but apart from checking that we really are okay, she wants to participate in the raid in order to witness and be able to sing and tell stories about it, because it will of course be added to the epic 'The Saga of Sejdmann Robert Arnesson'. Having a dedicated 'bard' with us is something I hadn't thought of at all, but it has its advantages since I want the reaction and outcome to be known, and we actually have two bards with us, but I just don't think of Caecilia as a bard. For me, Caecilia is Caecilia.

Four Fjölkunniga women have appeared, offering to come along and take care of the injured. They don't even want payment, but of course they will be paid and receive a bonus, because it's a good idea and I should have thought of it myself. I recognise a couple of them from the Tosra Gathering four months ago, and one of them is Vif, the Fjölkunniga and sejd woman from The Blushing Maiden. IUD has been very much appreciated, and she has compiled information that I ask her to share with Unn. The feast hall women have talked about their IUD's, and the information has spread to the other feast halls and similar establishments in Borgarsandr, and IUD's has made Vif the one that all the feast hall women in Borgarsandr seek out, as well as an increasing number of common women or slave women.

Both of my merchant ships are ready for departure and are loaded with food and water for a few days, as well as barrels of arrows and other supplies we might need. The crews are very business-like but eager, and they appreciate being able to participate, and that they receive silver just like everyone else, which makes them like us more. They are paid and registered as warriors and not just sailors. Several captains have showed up and offer their ships and crews, but we cannot have too many, or pay for them, and around 300 warriors should be enough without being too unwieldly. The captains talk, and apart from Asta, most of them know where we are going, and a couple make similar descriptive hand gestures when describing Jarl Arkanes' wives. At least they can describe the coast and the village. A simple, rough terrain model is being made on the ground and improved with their help, but Jane has also painted it on a 2 by 2 meter wooden board.

Each participant-warrior is registered and must provide their name, age, occupation, home village/farm and its approximate location, and I also want the names of their parents and siblings, so that we can notify them if they die or such. We also note each warrior's eye colour, hair colour, height and distinguishing features, scars and any tattoos, to make it easier to identify them if they fall in battle. Almost everyone seems proud that we do it this thoroughly, and that no-one is treated as unimportant or worth less, and proudly and a bit too loudly state their information. My sambos help to write down all the information to speed up the process. I make the same promise to all of them:

Stolen novel; please report.

Those who fight for me will have their names written down. Those who die for me will have their names carved into a memorial stone at Ackerek.

I refuse those who are too young, regardless of what they or their fathers think, and offering to participate without being paid isn't an option, to remove discussions about that or someone greed and such. Everyone gets paid. I allow some who are 'adults' but still, in my opinion, too young to come along, but they will have to stay and guard the ships and watch from a distance, and there are only one per ship. I cannot allow too many taking up space someone more capable could use, which everyone understands. On ordinary ships, everyone must do their share of the work and row, and on warships, space is limited and requirements much stricter.

One of the shield-maidens is really old by Alfheimr standards, and she has quite old grandchildren, but she can still move well. She just wants one last chance to fight for Freya, hoping to reach Valhalla or Folkvang to join her friends. I'm not going to deny her that wish. There are so many shield-maidens, and we turn down quite a few, just like we do with many more men, but we still end up with forty-seven shield-maidens and female warriors. Two who get to come along are Kadlin and Nidbjorg from 'The Blushing Maiden'. It will probably make it easier for Kadlin to get a job in the future, while Nidbjorg seems to be mostly interested in violence and blood, and when else will she get a chance to go on a raid?

I believe we can hire some of the best guards in the future, but loyalty and trustworthy are more important than the best skills or equipment, so maybe I should offer Kadlin a job after? Even if it's just guarding Borgheim?

We could have hired many more, but it feels unnecessary, and we must leave tonight, so we stop at 204 warriors, not counting the crews or ourselves, because Asbjörn has let us know there will be seven ships with 90 warriors from him and a couple of councillors, five of which are longships. All the captains are here, as are some of the warriors.

Asta will lead the way, and the weather and wind direction are favourable with a good enough moon, so we will sail through the night to attack at dawn. Unfortunately, sunrise is fairly late this time of the year, as the day have less than 9 hours of sunlight, so people will be up and about before sunrise, taking care of animals and such, so ideally we need to navigate to the correct locations in the dark, and arrive there latest as the sky starts to become bright. Then warriors have to act fast while quietly. We have good navigational maps even if the captains don't need them. Most of them have never navigated by using a map, which is one reason Asta leads the way. Uncommon wind direction from the East are of course taken as a positive sign from the gods, for we are heading west. So that all the ships can see each other during the night, they will have lanterns to hang from the mast and at the stern. The Millennium Eagle will have a more powerful oil lantern that shines with a normal lantern a bit below it, so that everyone can find us more easily. Asta is actually mostly concerned about accidentally sailing away from them, as she can take advantage of wind directions more easily and effectively than most ships, and is used to that, but stern wind helps. To facilitate navigation, I lend a north arrow to each captain. We have plenty of north arrows, because I have made a hundred to be sold by my merchant empire. Technically, others have done the forging, while Ciara has magnetised most of them.

With the help of the on-the-ground model and the wooden board, we create a battle plan that every leader understands and agrees on. We will divide ourselves into five forces of about 60 warriors each, two forces on each flank and one force in the middle with the Eagle and another large ship that will dock outside the harbour, where I am and will attract attention. There are also a few horse mounted riders on each flank acting as messengers and quick scouts. It would have been very useful to have some form of tactical radio for these forces and ships, so I should really look into a tactical spark gap radio system in the future, and I might as well send someone to the copper guild to place another order for the finest copper wire, and some steel wire for the cores.

The fact that I am in the middle with the villages harbour and the Jarls fortified farm-mansion, also means that we can use the cannons and firearms from a safe distance, and if necessary even from the ship, although bobbing around on the sea is hardly an optimal firing position. But me in the middle should draw attention to myself and the ships, and I get the best overview and security for my companions. So the ships are divided up, each force gets a Captain who knows the area and is responsible for the navigation and landing, and each force gets a Force Leader, and some are assigned to stay and guard the ships. Each Force Leader is lent a north arrow and a spyglass telescope, and maps with their objective and responsibility. We have written lists of names with descriptions of those we are looking for, which are distributed with descriptions of where the farms are and what they can expect. They should tie up everyone on these farms, and the wanted families and children separately.

Gisela is very impressed that an older shield-maiden has been elected as a Force Leader, and that there are so many shield-maidens and women in the forces, and that this is accepted by the men.

All Captains and Force Leaders have been informed that I want a written action report, but we will assign someone to help them write it if they are unable or unwilling to do so. But they should keep in mind that I actually want a written report of what happened, what they did and why, etc. I have at least been able to explain that this is a way to ensure that people's actions, both good and bad, are not forgotten, and so that others in the future can learn more effectively from what has happened.

We make plans with some horn signals, what different ones mean, and backup plans for how regrouping or retreating should take place. I repeat the directives on what they should do, what they should not do, and the consequences if they break the rules. I also repeat that they will surely hear loud bangs like distant thunder, and might see smoke from my position, and know that it is me and mine that have begun to attack Jarl Arkanes' fortress, or the village if things have gone badly.

Now it is time to go over the same orders with the whole force of warriors in briefings divided for each force, so that everyone has heard the overall plan and knows the signals and their responsibility and objectives, etc. I am not the least surprised by how this raid has been planned and organised, and how I have a map and go over the orders etc, is very different from how it is generally done here.

We see Asbjörn, Sefa and Ulfarna standing in front of their carriage, watching as the retaliation force sails away. I just stand here looking out over the water, the ships and the islands we are slowly sailing past, hoping that everything will go well, that not many people will die, especially not innocent people from nearby farms. Or we. Whatever happens tomorrow, I am responsible, because I have gathered this force or warriors and given orders. The warriors are there because of me. Iselin is standing by the railing looking out over the ships like I do, so I hug her from behind, and we look back at the ships following us as we sail out through the archipelago. It feels absurd when Iselin starts chanting "Ooh oah ooh" in a low voice and soon Alith joins in, and I have to admit it is kind of fitting with Sabaton's "Swedish Pagans". Caecilia starts to really play the music and sing the Alfheimr version, and more join in and so does drumming on suitable surfaces. Baugeid listens attentively.

The chanting begins again, and now with more people singing along, not least Hagan, but I leave for my cabin. I'm going to need all the sleep I can get, but before we go to bed, I need to update Kari via radio about what has happened and how things are going.

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