The Seeress

Chapter Thirty-Three

The army of Nordlund continued to advance. Ever since they waded through the waters of the Klarelva, they have yet to return up north. Knut was sure that he must effectively surround Broncaster to ensure no one can help him. Indeed, a scouting party reported that Skoravik was raided, just down south of Broncaster.

Within the army, two thousand men were led by Jarl Knut, and Jarl Fjolnir provided one thousand men while the rest made up one thousand as well. That excludes the thralls, comprising of men handpicked from their master to die with them. Harold saw the pagan army march forward, as he stayed with Agnetha at the rear. Knut was at the front, enamoured with strong mail armour that was passed down from his father. 

"You must stay close, if you do not want to be killed among them," Agnetha spoke. "I need you at my side, Harold,"

"I understand," he said. The warriors were clearly divided between which army they belonged to. The army that Knut commanded bore a black raven flying at the white flag, as the flag itself stood the tallest within all the armies combined. Harold was told that partly the reason why Westhaven conquered Nordlund was due to their division amongst themselves. But he knew that it was not the case here.

They were organized, and even if they hated each other, their resentment was reserved for Westhaven. For every soul taken during the Great War, the New army will be sure to take five more. "You should have been there, at the ceremony," Agnetha whispered closely to Harold. "Their strength has doubled, with each strike causing half their agony,"

"I do not see myself facing combat soon," Harold replied. "I am sure that with your powers... my being here is possibly meaningless. A symbolic role maybe?"

"Knut would not allow anyone in his army who is meaningless," Agnetha spoke. "Much less a Westerner. He saw something special in you, ever since that day you saved me,"

Harold knew what she was talking about. He never would have known that he would serve her one day. The woman who saw him as a friend. "And I will do so again, in gratitude to your brother. And gratitude to you, for accepting me,"

Agnetha gave a small touch to Harold's cloak. "I am glad as well Harold," she said as they marched onwards. "All I need for you is to be at my side. When I go into a trance, I would be vulnerable to physical attacks. That is where you protect me, should any of them can harm me with a blade,"

"You could not protect yourself?"

"When I use my powers, I will be in a trance Harold," Agnetha explained. "I will spend my efforts to rain fire and retain the strength of our men. With that so, I would be vulnerable to them."

"Do you suppose that they know that you could not defend yourself?" Harold asked. Agnetha pondered with her eyes, looking at Harold differently.

"One could not be too sure. Especially how our forefathers were fooled that Westhaven was weaker than Westmeria... Either way, I will have to conjure something to ensure they would not find me," Agnetha spoke. "I am sure that the commander there, would have been old enough to have met a seeress. He would know how vulnerable I would be,"

They have yet to meet any resistance on their march towards Broncaster. The only guards they found were dead, and the villages had been abandoned. As the journey continued, Harold saw that Agnetha kept mumbling to herself. A trait that Harold was used to ever since his journey with her. But it continued for days. He knew it was wise to merely leave her alone. As a touch from Harold would be seen as intruding. 

It was twenty weeks after they left the Klarelva until they saw Broncaster, the wide walls which stand firm against the invading party. Knut knew the old men had nothing but bad memories, ever since the Great War. Broncaster stood for only a few years, but it was quick to be a symbol of oppression and death for them. Knut saw closely who was at the top of those walls. Even far away, he could see that the guards were not tall of stature and that their armour was wearing them down.