It had been a pleasant day, one of mostly sun but still a few light showers. It would have been a bit cool for most people but not for those traipsing about in armor.

Thane Oswald Storm Bringer had been out searching for trouble again. This day near Old Sarum he had found three long ships laid up in hiding. The raiders left behind as guards had escaped in one ship but he had two of them. Two fine long ships of Viking make. Both were of an excellent size for quick inland raids. They looked to carry roughly forty men each.

Perhaps fine additions to the King’s Navy if he chose to have them, if not then Oswald could have them taken down to Exeter where some merchant trader would make use of them in cross channel trade. He thought himself far to busy to make use of them himself.

He had to await the fyrd before going on to hunt for the raiders or else they may have come back for the ships. Prizes he could ill afford to loose.

It was unusual to find such a large raiding party this early in the season. It may prove to be a busy year indeed; one of good profit for a change.

Despite what he thought of as a generous grant of land the men he had to keep to enforce the kings peace kept him near personal poverty. The price of those ships would do well to reverse his ill fortune.

The raiders wouldn’t be hard to track. It was just a matter of how much damage they did before he caught them. It didn’t matter to him that their force could be nearly as large as his or that he was beyond his own lands. The thane here would likely be grateful for the help.

His band of men was a sizable one, it usually numbered near 100. Quite a lot for just a thane. But he did not believe in half measures. The men were all mounted, which only added to the thane’s costs. The men were mostly from his local area but a few were Britons. All served him well. Some few of the men had formerly been bandit, he knew, but as long as they broke no laws & served him well he would protect & care for them.

He was still young, barely past twenty, with a mop of sandy brown hair & the vestige of a mustache he looked more like a Britton than a Seaxa, but what could he do, his beard was not ready to grow. Besides he was from the West Country were appearing Britton or Welsh sometimes proved to be of advantage.

Battle he knew intuitively, he was thinking more of how pleasant it would be when he no longer had to ride all over the countryside & could take time to take a bride. Just to have a comfortable hall & a good wife. I would be happy to leave war & power to others he thought. But on this day as every other war was his business.

He was little past being a boy but he had won fame in battle. The king had lost many thanes in fighting the Danes. Their defeat he had hoped would bring peace but it was proving to be otherwise.

He caught & dealt with one group of raiders. It seemed that they had split up. At any rate it was growing late. It was time to find some place to bed down his men. Perhaps a lager byre or better yet, an inn. It was now threatening rain.

Tomorrow he could visit Westminster & see if he could get a price for the ships. Then it might be profitable to return west by riding near the south shore. It was early in the year for raiding parties but he may catch one. Otherwise it was a bit of a ride north to see what he might win making a quick foray into Welsh lands.

Yes, he thought, Westminster perhaps an all day visit. He had not seen the King for some time. But then he did not have the luxury of lolling about the court while others did his work. He had people to look after & troops to feed.