Knut scratches at more bandages and attempts to rewrap them as he tended to his wounds, riding at a walking pace at the lead of hrafnastali.

“Sir Knut” A weary voice speaks up to him.

“Yes Thyri” Knuts voice sounds like silk over a rasp, nearly tearing even over so few words.

“The boys and I have been talking, uh. ” The man cringes, thinking of the temper that occasionally took his commander, not wanting to be the next example of the Order of The White Star.

“What is our plan? Can… Can we win?” Thyri flinches, worried that the response may be physical.

“Stop flinching, we’ve all been beaten enough. And… I… ” Knut takes a ragged breath, flinching from the pain of broken ribs and the energy coursing through his blood. He attempts to slide steel back into his voice. “Of course we can win. We have the might of the branded on our side. This is merely an unfortunate setback. Those fafnir dogs hold no quarter even though we acted rightly”

Thyri nods and steps a further step away, marching alongside the mounted knight. “I’m scared sir. They’re going to execute us”

Knut nods, wincing again at the pain it brings . “They might. But we don’t die so easily up here. We’ll win.”

Thyri frowns and falls back into formation in front of his squad. “Of course sir. ”

Knut watches him return back to the formation and starts brushing at his eyes, he’s muttering again he realises. “Eight hundred and seven” He repeats again and again. Like a mantra.

Eight hundred seven people died due to his decisions. Karls, Levied troops, spears, men of all cultures cut down like wheat before the scythe of fafnirs violence. Brenna, the grey wolves, Torkeld.

“I’ve wasted eight hundred seven people for nothing. This allthing will be a disaster”

He curls over, taking another shuddering breath and finishes wiping his eyes one last time. His hand comes away bloodied.

“You wont take a single one more” he spits out, taking the reigns and raising his head.

He raises his voice to be heard by all the Njords who still follow him. “Soldiers, We’re off to blurtwurst, but its a temporary stop. Your families will expect us to be home soon!”