Thorfinn Bearaxe breathed deeply, the cold mist of late summer dawn shrouding the coast of Northumberland. His Drakkar, a sleek 20 oared raiding boat, Fjord Wraith gliding silently through the shallows of the estuary, undetected by its prey. The crew dipped their oars in well drilled unison, the keel slicing through the water using the incoming tide to float effortlessly towards the abbey and the village surrounding it.
This was a raid for riches and slaves, and Thorfinn Bearaxe had a reputation for taking both. He stood six foot three inches tall, with piercing blue eyes and dark hair that set him apart from the reds and blondes of his Norse crew. Only the greying of his beard and the lines of age gave his age away. Although he had survived for 44 summers so far, his body was taut and strong. Never afraid to take his place at the rowing bench, his hands were hard and his back broad.
He could swing his grandfather's Dane axe with ease; the same Dane axe that gave him his name when he used it to take the life of the bear that attacked his mother when he was only 13 summers old.
Thorfinn pulled his mail over his head, letting it drop over his rich red tunic, taking the weight off his shoulders by tightening the belt around his narrow waist. "Widow Maker", the intricately pattern welded sword, he had been given by his father when he killed his first enemy in battle at 17, was dropped over his shoulder to hang at his left side. Slinging his pine wood shield with its twin ravens in black on the front over his back, and settling his helm on his head he grabbed his Dane axe. Giving thanks to Aegir, the god of the Sea for a safe journey, he dropped lightly into the cold thigh-deep water of the estuary and helped beach Sea Wraith up on the bank.
Sliding up the side of a wood, the crew made their way, invisible to their victims, towards the gate in the wooden palisade. 50 yards short, on command, the men silently dropped to their stomachs. Bearaxe watched silently, as two of his men crawled up to the wall, crouching either side of the gate.
An eerie creak signified the opening of the gate. Ivar the Toothless, thrust his spear through the gap in the gate, its steel head cutting through the throat of its unsuspecting victim, leaving him gurgling on the floor, drowning in his own life blood. Quickly stepping over the body, Ivar attacked again, the bloodied silver blade cutting through the kidneys of the youth trying to run to raise the alarm.. Dragging both men through the gate, Ivar grinned his toothless grin, signalling to Bearaxe to make his way.