019

I got out of the bath, dressed in clean clothes, and Żywia and I sat down at the table.

- Tell me what happened. Someone did something to you?

- No, a while ago, when I was in Kattegat, I met a man, we met a few more times and ...

- and you fell in love?

- Yes, he said that he would come to buy me and Mira, he would free us and I would become his wife.

- An ambitious plan, but it has a serious flaw ... I'm not going to sell you ... before you say anything, tell me about him, who is he?

- He has a farm a few miles away, his name is Svein.

I had to remember who Żywia was talking about, that name was familiar to me ... the face was behind the fog ... Svein, Svein, Svein ...

- That dwarf? Well, maybe he is not a dwarf, but in order to walk under a horse he does not have to bend down.

- Not everyone is as tall as you, Lord.

- It's not that I'm tall, but I've seen dogs bigger than him, I already know who he is. Now listen to me ... His farm is very weak, poor land that requires a lot of work and does not produce a large crop. He is several years older than you and has not yet found a wife. As for character, he is the type who takes pleasure in having power over the weaker, but only when he is sure he has the support of someone stronger. That's why he follows Jarl's son like a shadow.

- He's nice and affectionate.

Trying to explain to a woman in love that she is committing a mistake, is like talking to a deaf man about music. Svein ... I knew him from the show and it was someone with no backbone. If I remember correctly he died surprised with an ax in his chest.

- Żywia, I have never lied to you, you ate and lived better than many others. I did not beat you or force you to go to bed with me. You didn't have a hard job ... are you sure you want to leave this for someone you know for a few weeks?

- I love him and I believe him, people only speak badly of him because they don't know him.

- Every man has his own path in life ... I will give you freedom, but I will also do you one more favor and I will not free Mira. Perhaps you will thank me someday... and I won't change my mind, so don't even ask.

- I would like to understand something, why you never called me to your bed? I'm not pretty?

- Believe I wanted to, you have great tits and ass ... but I am the son of a slave, my stepmother did not treat me best, which is understandable, I was a threat to her son. If we went to bed and you get pregnant ... things could happen again. I killed my father, maybe my son would like to kill me. Now it does not matter anymore, from tomorrow you will be a free woman and remember that you are not a slave, you have rights... and you don't have to worry, Mira will be safe.

The next day we went to Kattegat and there I officially released Żywia by putting a silver bracelet on her hand. Lawspeaker announced that she was no longer a slave but a free person. I said goodbye to her and wished her luck. The day before, Żywia explained the situation to Mira, and luckily there was no drama.

I decided to complete the task assigned by my future wife. I took my spears, an ax, two smaller throwing axes with me, and went deeper into the forest, to the place where I used to live in the dugout. There was a cliff and a few caves, perhaps one of them will be inhabited.

My dugout became a badger's flat, unfortunately I had to evict him ... he illegally seized my property ... there was still a lot of space in it, only it smelled much worse. In the morning, when I came out in front of the dugout, two badgers were waiting for me... he had either brought a friend or a lawyer. I decided not to pay attention to them and went to search the caves.

It is a pity that I did not have dogs with me, it would be easier and faster ... entering the cave where the bears are sleeping is not a good idea. If I had something to scare him out of his lair ...

Having no choice but to check each cave one by one ... only on the fourth, I found the bones which indicated that my target might be here. The cave had two chambers, the first one was not large, perhaps 6 meters high, 5 meters wide, and it narrowed at the entrance to the second chamber, not more than 8 meters long ... I went outside, hurriedly made torches from the rags and grease I had in my bag, and looked for resin on the trees as well.

With a lit torch in my hand, I went back to check the second chamber and there was a big beast sleeping in his lair, he didn't hear me ... I threw the torch so that it landed on him and I quickly ran outside. I stood on the right side of the entrance, where it was a bit higher, and waited for my opponent to run out ... Several seconds later, the terrified animal ran outside, only to be pierced with my spear, and to be sure I hit him in the head with my ax.

A golden glow appeared on my hands, I picked up a dead bear and started carrying it towards the Kattegat, since I killed the beasts let everyone see it ... from a distance I saw two badgers watching me.

- You didn't see anything and I know where you live.

Good thing Lagertha didn't want me to hunt a whale.