Vikings: Nordic women

Chapter 23: Warlike and Kind

Ouni was moved by the old warrior's firm will and courage. Seeing that he was determined to sacrifice heroically, she stopped trying to dissuade him. She bowed her head gently, placed her right fist on her left chest, and paid the deepest respect to the old warrior: "May the Valkyrie watch over you!"

This is a respectable soldier who has experienced many battles and is still standing firm on the battlefield.

"Thank you, it's our honor to have you!" The old soldier immediately returned the greeting with a look of joy on his face.

The young warriors beside him looked at him enviously. Madame Yar's salute was an extremely honorable thing for them.

This feeling is just like the handshake between great leaders and ordinary people in later generations. No one can resist this sense of honor.

Ounnie stood there, looking at the faces in front of her, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

She knew that war meant death, and that there would be victims of this battle, both on her own side and on the enemy's side.

She felt deeply that she needed to be responsible for the lives of every one of her subordinates. This sense of responsibility weighed heavily on her heart and affected her every decision.

They are all living lives under her control.

But she had to do it. It was better for others to cry than for herself. She just wanted to bring back Feld's remains, and for this, she could do anything.

She also understood that a kind person could never be a good general. She had done everything she could, and now she could only pray that her decisions and actions would not bring unexpected disasters.

Thinking more about everything may help reduce casualties.

As time passed, the troops gradually joined the army. The young lords followed Ouni and reviewed the troops that were about to go into battle.

Ouni's emotions gradually became excited. She raised her whip, her adrenaline soaring, and she shouted in a trembling voice: "Woden, listen to our battle cry, grant us the power of the wilderness, and we will drink in your hall!"

"Woden!" The warriors responded. About five hundred warriors raised their weapons, beat their shields rhythmically, and shouted Woden's name loudly. The sound was deafening, full of strength and determination.

Ouni secretly regretted that she could not provide wine to cheer the soldiers on because of the disaster this year. But she knew that other territories would have enough wine to celebrate this victory.

We can only wait until the war is over.

She waved her hand, put on her helmet, and took the long sword. The army began to march, and a group of women who had won the opportunity to go to the war from Ouni also drove heavy draft horses to follow behind, while the riders dispersed to spy on the military situation.

The light cavalry was unable to fight head-on and only served as scouts in this battle, carrying out harassment and expanding the results of the battle.

When using cavalry to fight infantry, she would feel sad if one of them died.

Ouni knew that scouts were the eyes and ears of the army, and their presence was crucial. Without them, the army would be like losing its eyes and ears, unable to fight effectively and avoid possible dangers.

Ludwig rode forward and asked Eunice, "Madam, what is our battle plan for Throms Falls?"

Ouni gently lifted the donkey's belly, urged it to go faster, and answered succinctly: "Capture everyone, bring them back to the territory, and take away everything that can be eaten!"

Ludwig was stunned. He obviously didn't expect the plan to be so simple. "So simple? What if they come back and find that their territory has been destroyed? Will they seek revenge on us?"

"There are many variables on the battlefield, how can it be simple?" Ou Ni asked him back: "As for revenge, how will they retaliate? What will they use to retaliate?"

"Uh...will they raid us?" Ludwig scratched his beard, seeming a little unsure about his question.

Ouni smiled and explained, "That only works if they can avoid the surveillance of our riders. And the treasures can't be eaten. If they have nothing to eat after returning, they will collapse in two days. Then we can just go and receive the captives! You can't be unable to defeat a group of Vikings who are exhausted and hungry after returning for a few days, right? And their families are still in our hands!"

The lords who were eavesdropping with their ears perked up were shocked and looked at Eunice in surprise, as if asking: Can war be fought like this?
Isn't this too mean? Not Viking at all. Shouldn't this be a fair fight?

They put themselves in the shoes of the enemy and instantly felt how terrifying and difficult Eunice was.

Imagine if you were to go out as a Viking for a month and come back exhausted both physically and mentally, with your family and home gone and little food left on the ship.

Even if we knew who it was, when we rushed over to seek revenge, we would be faced with a group of well-rested and well-equipped enemies.

They shuddered. Facing such a rogue style of fighting, the enemy had no way to defeat them.

I can't use it even if I have the strength.

Ouni whipped the lazy donkey under her crotch with a whip, followed the team, and ordered: "Remember, pass the order down that unless they resist, you are not allowed to kill the prisoners. They are all our future subjects!"

This war is not easy. The imaginary enemy may still have half of its troops. What she is thinking about is how to defeat and capture the enemy soldiers with low losses.

It is not difficult to kill, but it is very difficult to capture. She is actually good at the kind of annihilation war that Bai Qi fought, doing whatever she wants and using any means.

Under normal circumstances, the only way to defeat the enemy directly through strong military force, making it unable to fight back, and then capture a large number of enemy soldiers and generals. Although this method is simple and crude, it requires overwhelming resources and manpower, which she obviously does not have.

The group marched for more than 20 kilometers.

"Hoo~Woo~" At night, the howling of coyotes rose and fell in the forest. The dense footsteps passed through the forest and came to the hillside, overlooking the town in the port below.

Ouni and the territorial army finally arrived at the destination of the planned raid - the town of Throms Falls.

From a bird's eye view, the town has a waterfall from the mountains and a large stream flowing through the center of the town and into the coastline.

In terms of fresh water resources, Throms Falls is indeed much better than Skelvik, which has only one small stream and is difficult to irrigate.

All pioneers followed one principle: to determine their settlement location based on fresh water sources, so it was difficult to find settlements far away from water sources.

"Rest here for two hours, eat some dry food, and then launch a surprise attack when they are sleeping soundly!" Ou Ni ordered the lord who was also overlooking the town.

Time passed minute by minute, Ounnie chewed her fingers, her eyes fixed on the town, and she kept thinking about the places she had missed.

"Ralph?" O'Neal looked at the town in the distance below the mountain, her voice a little low.

"Ma'am?" Ralph responded immediately, waiting for further instructions.

"You lead a team and quietly go to the north of the town and hide. If anyone tries to escape, capture them. Robert, lead your team to the south. I will stay with the infantry as a reserve to prevent any emergencies. We will surround it. Remember, no one is allowed to enter the town!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Ralph replied, and obeyed the order without hesitation.

"Ludwig? Frederick?" Eunnie called out.

"Madam? Do you have any instructions?" The two small lords responded immediately.

"That is the enemy's castle of Yar. I want you to take your soldiers and rush there regardless of anything and take control of everyone inside."

"As you command, ma'am!"

"Sven? Joachim? Sigurn? Magrus?" Ouni pointed at the remaining lords and said, "Take your men and shout in the town that there is a mob rebellion. No one is allowed to go out. Anyone who goes out will be treated as a mob member and killed!"

"Okay!" Everyone responded one after another.

"Let's get started!" Eunnie waved her hand, and everyone started moving. "Remember, step lightly!"

Teams of warriors left quietly. Although they tried to lighten their steps, Ou Ni was still nervous. Those subtle sounds were amplified in her ears, like drumbeats.

"Xina?" Ounnie called softly.

"Ma'am?" Sheena responded quickly.

"Take your team and prepare to treat the wounded!" Ou Ni ordered.

"Okay!" Xina answered without hesitation.

Then, Ouni asked a thoughtful question: "How do you think we should reduce the enemy's resistance after the war?"

Xina fell silent, seemingly thinking about this complicated question.

Ouni encouraged her gently: "It's okay, take your time to think about it, and tell me when you're done. Remember, no one is born knowing how to do everything. We all learn step by step. If you fall many times, you will naturally be able to walk."

Ouni raised her hand and felt the breeze blowing across the back of her hand, gently ruffling her hair. As a militant person, war was the passion of her life.

However, there lives a compassionate Madonna in her heart, who is both cruel and kind. This contradiction and entanglement troubles her.

"Madam, do you have an answer in your mind?" Xina looked at Ouni's relaxed face and couldn't help asking curiously.

Ouni smiled, with a sly look in her eyes: "Of course!"

She turned to Hina and proposed a bold idea: "What do you think about all territories being tax-free?"

Hina looked worried, "The other Yael won't agree to that!"

"Dang, dang, dang..." At this moment, a rapid alarm bell rang from the town below, and the noisy footsteps still alarmed the enemy.

(End of this chapter)