Haakon tried his best to ignore the shakes, but it was near to hopeless. The best he could ask for is that none of his men saw him. He was supposed to be a leader and a strong warrior, but he had absolutely no combat experience. He was trained well, but nothing can prepare you for the thunder and fire of battle. 

He kept these thoughts to himself as the boat crunched on the rocky beach and his men departed. Haakon took his thirty men secured their beachhead, making sure that there wasn't an ambush waiting for them. Satisfied, Haakon ordered his men to immediately start for the castle fort on the top of the nearby cliff.

Haakon marched with Snorri, who shouldered his two-handed axe. That axe, along with his brute strength and even more brute face earned Snorri the nickname of "Troll". The older man embraced it, and occasionally teased the small children of Runheim. 

"You were wise to move us now, my lord. If we are lucky, whoever holds that tower won't mobilize before we are on top of him." said Snorri. The older man trained both Haakon and his brother in the warrior arts, and considered both of them to be his children. 

Haakon only nodded. He could feel the hour of battle drawing nearer, and it unsettled him immensely. Snorri a conciliatory hand on Haakon's shoulder. "It is good that you are afraid. Fear makes you sharp, and I know of many "brave" men who sleep on the red snow." The jarl nodded. "I just don't want to make a fool of myself on my first outing." 

Snorri laughed. "I think you will do fine, lad. You are your father's son, and you won't-" The pair were interrupted when one of Haakon's scouts ran up to the both of them. "Riders from the fort, with armed men behind! I count at least sixty, maybe more!" the raider told his Jarl.

"So much for luck holding out." said Haakon. "We can't fight that many. We can make them regret it if they try to attack us, but it would be inevitable." Snorri spit at the ground and spoke. "There are too many people at home depending on us for us to throw our lives away. Maybe we can negotiate." 

Haakon halted his men in a field, while Snorri and himself walked a few dozen paces away. They were well within bow shot, and Haakon's men could charge in if there was trouble. For now, though, the pair waited for their host to show himself.