Chapter 19

"Fucking madmen, every last one... what's so fun about war?!"

- Thorfinn

The Battle of London Bridge (ロンドン橋の死闘) is the 19th chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
Thorfinn and Thorkell fight one-on-one on the London bridge. Thorfinn holds his own until Thorkell grabs a hold of his hand and begins to toss him around. Askeladd observes Thorfinn's defeat from his nearby ship and orders a retreat, leaving Thorfinn for dead. When Thorkell stops to ask Thorfinn if he is dead, Thorfinn slices off two of his fingers. After calling Thorfinn a warrior and asking for his name, Thorkell recognizes Thors's name, but cannot question Thorfinn further as he jumps off the bridge and swims away. He lets him go and promises they can finish next time. At the nearby camp, King Sweyn tells Floki to instruct his main force to go west. He leaves four thousand men under the charge of his son, Prince Canute, to continue the siege of London with his attendant, Ragnar. The wounded Thorfinn reaches the marching main force. Askeladd says they are off to Wessex and will leave Thorfinn behind if he cannot keep up. Thorfinn pops his dislocated shoulder back in and marches forward.

Summary
Thorfinn fights Thorkell on London Bridge, hoping to kill him in order to earn himself a duel with Askeladd. Thorkell orders his men to stay out of it, as it is a man-to-man fight. Thorfinn thinks that Thorkell is not taking him seriously, as he bares no weapons. He dodges Thorkell's first punch and slices him on the wrist. Thorkell is quite pleased about Thorfinn's skills and claims he likes him and will make the fight worth his while. Thorfinn realizes that even barehanded, one solid blow from Thorkell could kill him. He dodges more blows from Thorkell, who successfully avoids a jab to his neck. Thorfinn observes that Thorkell's vital points, his underarms and neck, are too high for him to reach. Thorfinn aims low and Thorkell tries to kick him, but Thorfinn runs through his legs to get to his back. Thorkell to lose his balance and Thorfinn nearly lands a shortsword in his face, but Thorkell catches himself before falling. He blocks Thorfinn's attack with his right hand. As Thorfinn is holding the shortsword now stuck in Thorkell's right hand, Thorkell grabs on to both the hilt and Thorfinn's left hand. Thorfinn tries to jab at Thorkell with his other shortsword, but Thorkell, still holding on to his other hand tightly, starts to throw him around like a rag doll. Askeladd observes Thorfinn's defeat from his nearby ship and instructs his men to retreat, leaving Thorfinn for as good as dead. Still holding on to the unmoving Thorfinn, Thorkell looks at him hanging limp and asks him if he is dead. The wounded Thorfinn seizes the opportunity and slices off two of the unsuspecting Thorkell's fingers with the shortsword in his free hand, getting him to let go of him. He rolls back near the bridge's edge, shortsword still defiantly held up. Impressed he hasn't lost his will to fight, Thorkell calls him a warrior and asks for his name. Thorfinn tells him he is Thorfinn, son of Thors. Thorkell recognizes Thors's name and starts to question Thorfinn further, but Thorfinn jumps into the water below. Thorkell is disappointed Thorfinn is leaving. His men say he's getting away and ask Thorkell if they should shoot him, but Thorkell refuses, saying he can live another day. He cheerily yells after "warrior Thorfinn", tells him he enjoyed their battle and promises that they can finish it for good the next time, waving goodbye with his now three-fingered maimed right hand. At the camp on the nearby shore, the wounded Danish soldiers are being seen to. Askeladd observes one of the men, telling Bjorn that the man got one up the guts and will not last long. King Sweyn talks to Floki nearby and notes that London still stands. Floki assures him that a patient and methodical siege will along with cutting off supply lines will tire the people of London in six months to a year. King Sweyn states he cannot dedicate so much time to a single siege with autumn approaching when the entirety of England needs to be controlled. He instructs Floki to send the main force west and to leave four thousand men under the charge of his son Prince Canute to continue the siege of London, noting it will be a good opportunity to make a man out of the boy. Ragnar starts to protest. Floki tells him to hold his tongue, but King Sweyn asks him to speak. Ragnar says that the seventeen year old Canute has no experience in battle, has little chance at succeeding with one-fifth of a force that failed, and may not be able to bear the great burden. King Sweyn says Canute has grown too soft for a man of his station, perhaps due to his Christian upbringing and Ragnar's coddling as his attendant. He says Ragnar will be Canute's second in command. On the bridge, Thorkell sees the Danish soldiers are leaving. While the English soldiers cheer about their victory, the disappointed Thorkell laments the Danes' departure, taunting them, insulting them and yelling at them to come back and fight him more. Thorfinn surfaces from the water, holding his wounded shoulder. He notes his injuries, which include a dislocated shoulder, a sprained right ankle, a few broken ribs and bruises all over. He thinks back to Thorkell waving goodbye and saying he enjoyed their battle and should do it again, referring to him as an "insane, giant bastard". Limping his way back to the main force, Thorfinn happens on Askeladd, who is surprised to see Thorfinn is still alive and notes he does not look so good. He tells Thorfinn they are off to Wessex and asks him what he will do, saying they will leave him here if he cannot keep up with the march. Thorfinn says nothing, popping his shoulder back in and limping away in the same direction as the rest of the men. Askeladd watches him, smirking approvingly. Thorfinn grits his teeth, telling himself every last one of them are madmen and wondering what's so fun about war.

Characters in Order of Appearance

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