December 12, 869 AD
Bjorn, wearing his heavy chainmail armor and a fur cloak to block the freezing wind, stepped off the main transport ship and placed his leather boots firmly on the pathway of the harbor.
Behind him, hundreds of armed foot soldiers marched slowly off the ships. Bjorn had arrived at the port of Wessex with his army.
Of the men who had sailed with him originally, about 90 men had been killed. They died from enemy arrows, dehydration, and the sharp blades of rival cavalry units. Despite these losses, his military force had actually increased in total numbers.
He now had 600 men with him, although he had set out with only 500.
The remaining 190 men were either Arab knights who had sworn loyalty to Bjorn's leadership, wealthy merchants who sought the protection of the Iron King's trade routes, or even highly intelligent people such as mapmakers and scholars.
