The Son Of Ragnar

404  The Plan To Take Northumbria!

The Vikings settled down at the shore, and the Christians kept an eye on them but that was all they could do right now.

Tyr had called Bjorn, Ragnar, and Grjötgard to the side to discuss their next course of action, Salgard tagged along considering he was just as respected as his older brother.

This could be what one would call a family plan as they were all related as of this moment.

"Why did you not use force?" Grjötgard asked the young warrior and Bjorn opted to speak on his brother's behalf.

"We have been to England and had contact with less formidable men, they will not yield so easily," Bjorn said and this was true, the monks kept their mouths shut even when Uttredus was being skinned alive by Tyr.

Tyr understood that these men were not defenceless and had every intention to fight back and should be forced to.

Right now, they held the upper hand and that was fear, the warriors did not know how to approach the threat that the Pagans posed as they were willing for a dialogue but these boys were all missing a crucial factor.

"We have enemies at the sea, should they turn back while we are waiting for the King to respond, what then?" Ragnar asked Tyr and for the first time, Tyr did not give a reply immediately.

"I hope for the gods, and I hope for the swift response of the King of Northumbria," Tyr said but Tyr had forgotten that things would most likely not go according to plan.

He could formulate plans and strategies based on information but these people were an unknown variable. The strategy he would otherwise use for Vikings, he could not use it here.

"You encroached on their lands and the first thing you ask is for negotiation? That shows weakness, if I were King, I would assemble an army to kill us…" Grjötgard said, offering a different perspective to the situation.

"We are invaders… But more so, we are Vikings, words are not our way," Salgard said.

Tyr was blank, he thought he knew what he was doing but they were right.

This might very well be suicide but he had to stick with his guts, it was foolish for him to act on his own without seeking advice from the more experienced warriors.

Ragnar did not rely on his son as he understood that Tyr lacked the experience to lead them.

This was why Ragnar instructed Baard's partner to track the men down; she did something interesting as she plunged into the water and swam away from this populated area.

She managed to come out of the water but she was far from where the initial forces landed.

"I have taken measures to make sure that this conquest is a success," Ragnar understood that Tyr took this method as they didn't know where the Kingdom was but he did not know the strengths of those around him or he would have devised a better plan surrounding it.

The lady that Ragnar had instructed was exceptionally good at swimming, this was one of her fortes and Ragnar was going to exploit it.

Ragnar knew the longer they waited, the more dire their situation would become.

Ragnar informed everyone of this and they were surprised that Ragnar was personally getting involved but then remembered just who this man was.

Ragnar was one of the greatest Vikings right now and they were getting so carried away with his sons that they began to overlook him.

Ragnar was taking over and Tyr knew it was time to learn a thing or two from the man deemed the greatest Viking.

"We will have to attack the moment the location of the Kingdom is known, we cannot wait for their King as we have established with the other one that these Christians are not as honest as their God it seems. We will have to lay siege to the Kingdom," Ragnar said and Grjötgard grinned the moment he heard this.

It was refreshing seeing someone put Tyr in his place, he was getting a bit too cocky.

"General Grjötgard, I have heard about your exploits as well as Salgard. I will need us to split our forces, you will take a small company alongside your brother and circle the Kingdom…" Ragnar said; he was devising a plan on the spot as he had the most experience when it came to things like this.

"We will put on a show at the front, we will make sure all their attention is focused on us so you guys will have easier access to the Kingdom…" Ragnar said.

"And what happens if there is no gate at the back?" Salgard gestured and Ragnar reached into a bag by his side to reveal a grapple.

"The plan was never to use any gate, you need to climb the wall to induce that element of surprise, they cannot know you have breached their walls," Ragnar said.

Ragnar proceeded to inscribe something into the soil, it was a drawing that showed their placement to give a more accurate representation.

The plan was sound and everyone there was happy about it but the question was, how will the split affect them?

"You will take Salgard and a small number of warriors of your choosing, they cannot exceed ten in number but Tyr and Thorgard will stay here with me. Something tells me that they will be looking for him on the battlefield, he spilt the first blood here and I wish to have a brother of King Rugalf by my side to keep your men at ease," Ragnar said bluntly and Grjötgard had no problems with his request, it was sound.

"I would like to see the strength of Bjorn Ironside in person," Grjötgard said and Bjorn agreed to this because they needed their best warriors to do this.

"What do we do after we get in?" Salgard asked but this was a test, he wanted to see how far Ragnar was willing to go.

"You need to find a way to spread them thin so you can open the gates from within to let us in, that is where the real battle will commence. How you do so, I will let you decide that amongst yourselves," Ragnar said in a very suggestive tone, this was his way of allowing any atrocities that these people intended to do.

"We do not even know if we can breach the gate…" Bjorn said.

"That is where I come in," A voice said behind the young man.

"Hello, I am Hagen and I will make sure you get those gates down,"