DragonChill

64- King of Wessex.

797 A.D Winter season.

Judith studied the gate as it slowly opened for their retinue, the heavy wood groaning against its iron hinges. She could hear every sound around her.

Mounted soldiers flanked their carriage at the front and rear.

she rode with her mother and brother, both trying to look brave and her father inside with his usual angry face. They sat still, close enough that their sleeves touched.

The gate continued to open.

Inch by inch.

The gap wide...

63- Expansion?

Bjorn launched another raid in 796 A.D., timing his departure for mid-July with the clear intention of extracting as much wealth as possible before returning home for the harvest season. This time, however, his strategic calculations had evolved considerably from his earlier campaigns.

He made a deliberate decision to avoid Wessex entirely. His reasoning was sound: King Ecbert was no fool, and by now would have certainly moved all valuable treasures from the vulnerable monasteries to fo...

62- Part II.

"Let's stop here." Bjorn said to his twenty huskarls, dismounting from his horse. His mount was compact, but powerful, barely reaching his chest, with a thick neck and a dun coat streaked with darker dorsal stripes. Its mane, cut short in the warrior style, stood erect, showing off the animal’s strong, muscular frame.

The men spread out behind him, some tending to the horses while others began unpacking supplies from the pack animals.

Bjorn walked to the edge of the ridge and pu...

61- New Projects. Part I

Bjorn sat hunched over the table, writing on the version of paper he had created. The surface was rough and uneven. It was ugly compared to the paper of in his past life and the smooth parchments, but it cost far less silver to produce than animal skins stretched and scraped thin.

Building anything is really costly, or maybe we are just too poor. He sat back and thought hard about what to construct first with the silver in his treasury.

The obstacle to expanding was clear: maintai...

60-A King’s Oath, A King’s Feast

"I swear before God almighty, I declare war eternal on the Northman Bjorn. I swear to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the blessed virgin..." Aella's voice trembled with a fury so deep it had turned cold. "One day I will avenge myself on him. I will bring him to justice. I will bring him to death. So help me God."

He stood there on the shore, his eyes fixed on Bjorn's ships. The vessels grew smaller with each passing moment, their sails catching the wind as they moved farther from the coas...

59- Stand-offs and King Ælle's Ransom.

"It's the ships of Silver Hair, Lord."

Gunnar turned from where he'd been watching the coastline. His man pointed toward the shallow waters ahead. Eight longships sat there. The dragon heads on their prows faced outward, toward open water.

"I can see that."

Gunnar counted the ships again. Eight. He had four. His fingers drummed once against the ship's rail, then stopped. "We'll approach slowly."

The man beside him scratched his beard uncomfortably. His hand moved to hi...

58- Bjorn The Philosopher.

Hey guys! I’m planning to release three chapters a week if i can from now on. If you notice the quality slipping, don’t hesitate to tell me.

-x-X-x-

The church door slowly swung inward. Her father's hand was on the wood, his fingers pale against the dark oak, she realized, and maybe for the first time ever.

He was using all his strength to push it, as though moving slowly enough might somehow change what was about to happen. His shoulders were rigid under his c...

57- Lord Wigea, the Greatest commander under King Aella.

Bjorn opened his eyes before anyone touched his shoulder. The dormitory remained dark, though he could hear the rustle of straw and cloth as bodies shifted on their mattresses. Someone coughed while another man's breathing changed rhythm.

He lay still, listening and counting the sounds. Some were already awake, sitting up in silence. Others still slept.

He pushed the thin blanket aside and sat up. The air was cold, though not unbearably so for him. His breath formed small clouds. ...

56- Brother Chadus. Judith. Ealswith. Archbishop.

I did my best to stay accurate, especially when it comes to Christian details, so I hope nothing feels off to anyone reading.

-x-X-x-

The gate stood open and carts rolled through in both directions, their wheels grinding against the packed earth.

Guards leaned against the walls on either side, spears held loosely. They looked tired and bored.

Smoke rose from inside the city.

The sound came next—iron hammering, animals braying and voices layered on top ...

55- Operation Holy Scalp.

796 A.D. Mid-May

Gyda was thirteen years old now, born in the depths of winter when the snow lay thick on the ground. She was the sister of a king, though that still felt strange to say aloud.

She sat near the edge of the hall, watching Ubbe toddle across the floor. He was almost two years old now, chubby-legged and curious about everything. Her mother's belly had grown round again with another child. The seer had already told them it would be a boy. They had chosen the name Hvits...

54- Part II. The most powerful King in Norway.

The Alfheim elite looked genuinely alarmed now.

One chieftain leaned toward his companion. "What just happened?"

The other man's face was grim. "He turned their voices into one, and pulled everyone into his side." His friend grimly responded.

"How?"

The man sighed. "Hope." He paused then repeated the same word again. "Hope."

He added. "And he did it without claiming he deserves to rule them."

The first chieftain shook his head slowly. "That makes him more d...

53- Onward and Upward. Winter is Coming! Part 1

This chapter had +7000 words so i divided it into two parts.

Don’t forget to share what you think.

-x-X-x-

Every karl and bondi who claimed land, every elder and holder of status, had to be present. Women and thralls did not speak, though their voices reached the ears of powerful men through whispered counsel at night. Men without standing could watch, but they could not vote.

The hill smelled of peat smoke and damp wool. Men shifted on rough-hewn benches, their weig...

52- Easy Invasion, funeral, And the upcoming thing.

Bjorn squinted through the river mist as the settlement gradually became clearer ahead of them. The wooden palisades rose from the muddy banks - nothing impressive, just the same vertical logs and rope bindings he had seen at dozens of other settlements throughout the Norse lands.

There were no chains stretched across the water to block their ships, which left the place vulnerable despite the wall around it.

He could break through those defenses without much trouble. A few well-pl...

51- The young man who would be king.

Bjorn left his men to tend the bodies scattered across the muddy ground outside.

The great hall of Tunsberg reeked of sweat, blood, and fear when Bjorn entered. His own blood-soaked byrnie clung to his chest, and gore matted his silver hair. The two huskarls flanking the oak doors barely glanced at him—their spear-points dipped in acknowledgment, nothing more. They had seen enough carnage this day.

Inside, wounded men lay sprawled on wolf pelts and deer hides. Some moaned...

Open Discussion!

Hey everyone! 👋

Here’s what I’m curious about:

• Are there parts of the story you’re especially curious about?

• Are there characters you want to see more of, or moments you think deserve more attention?

• Is there anything you feel is missing or hasn’t been explored yet?

• Any plot twists, settings, or events you’d like to see in future chapters?

Your feedback doesn’t have to be in a specific format, just...

50-Part II. Duel.

Bjorn led his eighty huskarls deeper into Tunsberg's winding streets. The settlement had grown organically over decades, with longhouses and workshops squeezed wherever space allowed. Alleys barely fit ten men side by side, maybe even less.

Every corner could hide an ambush. Every doorway might conceal archers. Bjorn's men moved with caution, shields half-raised and eyes constantly scanning. They were Bjorn's veterans.

The sounds of fighting grew louder. Steel ringing against stee...

49- Raid on Tunsberg. Part I

Helsing dropped to one knee on the rocky ridge and surveyed what remained of his force. He could barely call them a warband anymore. When he'd left home, they had been united under a single purpose: to make his father and therefore he himself king of another realm. That dream felt distant now.

He had believed the gods favored him. With his own eyes, he had watched King Halfdan fall alongside eight other kings at Uppsala. Then he had seen his own son cut down before he could deliver the ...

48- Aftermath of the raid, and Trygve, The trustworthy.

When a side character gets focus in a scene, they're either about to meet their end or join Bjorn.

-x-X-x-

Helsing stared at the destruction before him, his jaw clenched tight. Six longships lay burning on the beach, their hulls cracking and splintering in the flames. The bodies of his men were scattered across the sand, their blood already soaking into the shore. The acrid smoke stung his eyes, but he did not blink.

His warriors stood in complete silence behind him...

47- Bjorn: Professional Problem-Maker

Somewhere a little distance from the shipyard camp of Borre, two men were patrolling the shoreline, watching the fjord for any signs of approaching ships. The spring air still carried winter's cold, though patches of snow were melting into muddy rivulets that trickled toward the dark waters.

"Another damp night," the first scout muttered, pulling his cloak closer as a cool breeze cut across the fjord. "This spring cold gets into your bones worse than winter sometimes. At least then you ...

46-Aftermath of Kaupang.

Bjorn's lips curved into a smile as the news of Helsing's attack on Kaupang settled in his mind. The flickering firelight in the great hall cast dancing shadows across his face, highlighting the calculating gleam in his eyes.

"The gods have really abandoned them, haven't they?" Rollo's laughter boomed through the hall, echoing off the wooden beams above. He slapped his knee with amusement, his hands making a crack against his leather-clad thigh.

Bjorn shot him a sideways glance. E...

45- War is Coming.

The familiar sight of Kattegat's defenses emerged from the winter mist—tall wooden towers rising every twenty to thirty meters along the settlement's perimeter, connected by a sturdy palisade of sharpened logs.

The main gate stood open in the pale February light, but Bjorn could see guards positioned both there and in the nearest watchtowers, their eyes scanning the approaches as they had been trained.

His frame cut through the bitter winds as he approached, his hood drawn up a...

44- Bjorn also wants Berserkers in his force.

Guthrum's chest burned with each ragged breath as he surveyed his dying men. The poison had gutted his force. All the men were now pissing themselves and choking on their own vomit. The proud retinue had become a parade of corpses.

His nephew Harald lay curled against a tree, shaking like a fever-wracked child. The boy's face was the color of old ash, his lips cracked and bleeding. Every few minutes he would retch nothing but bile and blood.

"Uncle," Harald whispered through chatt...

43- Bjorn the Schemer, Harald The Last Heir, Helsing The Berserker.

Harald, once a prince of two kingdoms, now soon to be king, struggled to breathe. Smoke from the burning temple clawed at his throat, forcing out ragged coughs. Each one left a taste on his tongue, metallic and bitter. Blood, maybe. Or maybe just the taste of fear.

His father lay ten feet away with his face down in the dirt with the other eight kings. Just an hour ago, King Halfdan had been arguing with some others kings and jarls about trades.

Now he was gone. Just like Harald’...

42- Part III, Chaos Is A Ladder

Throughout the sprawling camps, Kings and Jarls and their retinues stirred beneath wool blankets and fur cloaks, the restless energy of the final day was prickling through the settlement.

Nine days of sacrifice had led to this, the culmination of offerings that would seal their fate for the coming years.

Gyda's small fingers fumbled with the bronze clasp of her cloak as she emerged from their tent, her breath was forming small clouds in the crisp air. At twelve winters, she still ...

41- Part II, A Smile, And The Blood of Nine

Mid to late January. 795 A.D

"You shall camp here." The priest indicated a prime position mere paces from the temple's shadow. "Among the kings and great jarls, as befits one who honors the Æsir so richly."

"Thank you," Bjorn said, his tone carrying the formal courtesy due to one who served the gods, though his eyes already swept the area with tactical precision.

Rollo stepped forward, his massive frame casting a shadow over the priest. The sight of the gia...

40- The Last Sacrifice Starts The Fall of The Old Order, Part I

Gyda's arms ached from doing the same movement for a while now, as another villager approached. The contributions grew heavier with each offering, silver and amber, grains... weighing down the sacred container that would journey to Uppsala.

"Shouldn't you be the one handling this?" she asked when Bjorn passed by, carrying his own preparations.

He paused, glancing at the line that still stretched beyond the longhouse doors. "Says who?"

"You're the earl." The words came out sh...

39-Bjorn, The Unusual neighbor, and the events of 794.

The trader shifted on his feet while glancing around the hall before continuing with a nervous smile on his face. A nervous habit Bjorn had noticed among many who brought sensitive news.

"Was it confirmed who killed him?" Bjorn pressed, his voice carrying the weight of authority that had grown stronger since his return from his first west before winter.

The trader's eyes darted briefly to Rollo, then back to Bjorn. "The news are not entirely true, but from what I've heard from my ...

How Strong do you want Bjorn to be?

(He will achieve this at 16)

• Peak Human Strength + Above-Human Reflexes

  • Strength at the absolute limit of what a human body can achieve (not naturally, but in theory).

  • Still needs proper leverage to break shields or push heavy doors, can’t just ragdoll people with one hand.

  • Reflexes far beyond normal, he sees and reacts to threats almost instantly.

• Above Human Limit (choo...

  2025-08-14 21:56:10 +0000 UTC View Post