The Battle For Norway

"By King Eirik's order, his skald Dag kept aside on horseback, trotting to and fro, overseeing the battle as best he was able. If he lived through it, his poems would tell the world how it went. Those inside saw only what was upon them. Otherwise, it was shapelessness, wrath, and death."
-Poul Anderson, Mother Of Kings (New York, 2002), Book Two, Chapter XXI, p. 181.

A war correspondent! (A participant in the Battle of Cable Street told me, "What did I see on the day? The backs of people's heads. How did I know that we had won? I read it in the newspaper the following day.")

Anderson presents a magnificent account of battle preparations. The levy gathers for days: on foot or on horse, carls, yeomen, hinds, landholders, with helmets, shields or leather coats, spears, axes, swords, bows or slings, jarls, lendmen, hersirs, guards, packhorses, wagons, tents, bags, blankets, fires, food. Meat sizzles. Sausages and fish fry. Horns blow. Ships are launched. Sails are unfurled. A fair wind blows. There are many two word sentences.

Back on land, at the end of the voyage, arrows, stones and spears fly. Armies clash. Dag watches. Olaf's standard goes down, comes up, goes down, stays down. Arinbjorn thrusts through and surrounds those who do not flee. Eirik bursts through and attacks from behind. The battle is won and Eirik begins to reunite Norway but his remaining opponents will appeal to England. Book Two ends.