Chapter 18

"Floki! Go and ask Sweyn something for me! "Doesn't it ever get boring always being on the winning side?""

- Thorkell

England, 1013 (イングランド－1013年－) is the 18th chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
In London, 1013, King Sweyn's armies try to take the logistically advantageous trading town of London. Askeladd, who is fighting on Denmark's side as he anticipates King Sweyn will be victorious, watches from the water with his crew. He anticipated an easy battle, but was surprised that Thorkell the Tall, who used to be a Jomsviking, joined the English. A Jomsvikings envoy ship led by Floki approaches to speak with Thorkell and try to sway him back to the Danes' side, offering twice what London is promising him. Thorkell is completely disinterested and says it's much more fun to fight against the Danes, who are always on the winning side. King Sweyn instructs Floki to continue the siege of London. Askeladd tells Thorfinn to get him Thorkell's head. Thorfinn only agrees once Askeladd promises him his usual reward, a duel. Askeladd's ship brings Thorfinn close enough to jump on the bridge before turning back. Thorkell, happy someone who looks like fun is finally coming his way, looks pleased when Thorfinn avoids his first two log swings.

Summary
The chapter begins with a brief summary of the war. In August 1013 A.D., King Sweyn leads the Danish Viking fleet to invade England up the River Humber. Five nearby towns surrender at Gainsborough and the main force marches south on land, pillaging the Mercia region on the way to Wessex, the current seat of English power. The Vikings' march was not slowed by the English fortress system, but their progress stopped at the trading town of London for a time.

In London, 1013 A.D., Askeladd and his crew observe the London bridge from their ship, noting it is more of a fortress wall. Askeladd says he expected nothing less of a town that held up against so many raids over the years. Bjorn tells him it'll be a tough fight and that he had only agreed to come along because Askeladd promised him an easy win. Askeladd replies he did not expect Thorkell the Tall to side with the defenders. Bjorn comments he is a traitor that sold them out for gold, but Askeladd replies they're all in it for the gold and that he himself only sided with Denmark because he expects King Sweyn to be the war's victor. Bjorn huffs that he himself is in it for the killing, not the money, and Askeladd says that's why he likes him. Askeladd tells him he can see why they want to get their hands on London, since it's a rich town that controls the Thames and thus a direct supply line into Wessex. Bjorn understands this means the battle is crucial for the bosses, and Askeladd comments it is a good place for those who want to get a reputation. Bjorn asks Askeladd if he has a plan, but he says no, though he does that something. Askeladd calls up to Thorfinn, who is sharpening one of his shortswords up on a spar, and tells him to go to work and get him Thorkell's head. Thorfinn glances at him and demands he promise him a reward. Askeladd guesses he wants "the usual" and tells him he ought to have learned by now that a fight he cannot win becomes an obsession, which makes him just like his father. Thorfinn throws his shortsword down, breaking the bottle Askeladd is holding. He darkly tells Askeladd not to forget that his only wish is to destroy him, as a warrior, in a proper duel. He tells him the next duel will be his last, as he will carve out his heart and offer it to his father's spirit. Askeladd throws the shortsword back up to Thorfinn, landing it into the mast behind his head. He tells Thorfinn only those who do their jobs on the battlefield get the rewards they want, and that though his head won't come cheap, he'll give Thorfinn his duel and anything else he wants if he can kill Thorkell. A man on one of Askeladd's other ships calls his attention to a Jomsvikings ship approaching the bridge. Askeladd deduces it's an envoy led by Floki, who probably thinks he can buy off Thorkell by offering him twice what he is getting from the English. Bjorn thinks it will work since Thorkell can apparently be bough, but Askeladd doesn't seem so sure. The Jomsvikings' ship approaches the bridge and Floki tells the soldiers to stop shooting arrows, since he is an envoy. He asks to speak to Thorkell. From up on the bridge, Thorkell cheerily greets Floki by name, telling him it's been a long time and that he's looking well. Floki skips past the pleasantries and delivers King Sweyn's words — that the King of England has fled to France, further resistance is pointless, and that he will guarantee Thorkell and his men their lives and belongings if they surrender. He says King Sweyn will pay Thorkell twice what he was promised by London if he returns to the fold. Floki asks Thorkell why he turned on them after the years they spent as comrades on the same side, urging him not to find himself on the wrong side of history and telling his that his brother, Chief Sigvaldi, is concerned for him as well. Thorkell, speaking in Nordic, says that the Englishmen are shockingly weak and that the Kingdom is a lost cause without the old Prince Edmund. Floki seems happy and relieved, but Thorkell goes on to say that it is much more fun to fight against him. He picks up a monstrous boulder and tells Floki to get ready for the deadly keel-buster. Floki's ship hurries off and the boulder narrowly misses them. Thorkell yells after Floki, telling him to ask King Sweyn if it ever gets boring to always be on the winning side. Back on the ground, in the royal tent nearby, Floki tells King Sweyn that Thorkell was not swayed by their offer. Floki asks what they should do and King Sweyn tells him to resume the siege of London. On the bridge, the English keep shooting arrows at dropping rocks on nearby ships. Thorkell throws a log down on a ship that had latched onto the bridge support, calling the move log-dropper. He picks up another log and admonishes King Sweyn's soldiers, saying he is disappointed and that at this point, it'll be a hundred years before London bridge falls. He spots Askeladd's approaching ship. Thorfinn stands on the spar near the top of the mast, holding a shield riddled with arrows. Thorkell is happy someone who looks like fun is finally approaching. Askeladd points out Thorkell is the big idiot holding the log, then tells Thorfinn to jump before turning the ship around to protect it from damage. Thorkell tells his own men to stay back and that he'll take Thorfinn down himself if he's foolish enough to charge him. Thorfinn runs down the spar and jumps, dodging Thorkell's log swing and landing on his feet behind him. Thorkell swings again, but Thorfinn jumps out of the way. Thorkell, smiling, tells him he's not bad.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Bjorn
 * Askeladd
 * Thorfinn
 * Floki
 * Thorkell
 * Sweyn