013

Life went on quietly... after a few weeks I began to understand the signs that Mira gives, and she and Żywia learned a bit of the local language. Their duties mainly concerned household chores, picking fruit and herbs, and the older sister also started smoking meat and dyeing fabrics, although only for domestic use. While they weren't helpful in my carpentry work, taking the burden off me from cooking, shopping, cleaning and similar things made me have more time now. Unfortunately, every weekend I had new refereeing duties, but it was not the best idea to introduce them to football ... there was no stadium yet, and there were stadium fights. I unknowingly brought the first hooligans to life, at least there were no fatalities ... yet.

Another year has passed, I was 14 years old, my business gained momentum, instead of buying new slaves, I hired subcontractors, five carpenters from the area, they made furniture, my only task was to decorate it with carvings and firing ornaments . They were bought from me by one of the merchants who came regularly to Kattegat at a lower than market price and exported them to various corners of Scandinavia and even to the east of Europe ... and my furniture did not require assembly ... Fuck you Ikea.

Thanks to the help of this merchant, I was able to obtain lime and I was able to build a stove with an oven in my new house.

Now the time has come to get to know Lagertha more closely. I couldn't go to her house and announce I want her to be my wife. Her parents were farmers in the Kattegat area, and I was a popular artisan. Although me and her family were free people, my wealthy status was better. The best solution for me will be to establish business cooperation, it will give me the opportunity to visit her home often, and her parents will also be happy to have additional money.

Unfortunately, the only thing I could buy from them was goat's milk and wheat ... things that were completely unnecessary for me. Making flour was time consuming, as was making cheese... I have to think of it as an investment in my future, now I'm gonna lose it, but over time I'll get it all back.

I decided that I would buy wheat from them, leaving little for my own use, and I would sell the rest even at a loss, so that at least some of the investment could be recovered.

The farm where Lagertha lived was about three kilometers west of Kattegat. I knew her father only by sight, he came to football matches, but he was only a fan. I got there before noon, her father was just outside and he was chopping wood ... The first meeting between future father-in-law and son-in-law, the first one holding an ax in his hand.

- You're Arne and this is your farm?

- Yes, what do you want?

- I am, Ulf, I am a carpenter, I live near Kattegat.

- I know who you are, I saw you refereeing matches, but I still don't know what you want?

- I come on business, you have a farm, you harvest each year and sell your crops in Kattegat. I would like to buy them from you.

- You're a carpenter and you want to buy wheat?

- Yes.

He invited me to his house, we sat down at the table and his wife poured us a beer and we started discussing future business. I pretended to negotiate hard and finally we agreed that I would buy half of the harvest from him, for the other half he already has a buyer with whom he has been trading for years. Wanting to show my best side, I left a down payment, in the form of silver jewelry.

- Arne, I've asked a few people for their opinions about you. To know who I'm doing business with. Everyone thought you were fair. That's why I leave a down payment, reputation is the most important thing in doing business ...

Before I could finish my sentence, a young girl ran into the house ... my future wife ... all covered in mud, I hoped it was mud. Her mother reprimanded her and said they had a guest.

- Ulf, this is my daughter Lagertha. Only problems with her.

- Arne, she is young and youth has rights.

I also greeted my future wife.

- I'm Ulf and it's nice to meet you, and do not worry about what your father says ... The ox does not remember how a calf he was.

- I know you, you make these carved furniture, you invent football and you referee matches. Why don't girls and women play football?

- I think football is not a sport for women, of course women can play, but it will never be that interesting ... but if you want, I know some games for girls. Next time I am here, I will bring them to you as a gift.

- Lagertha, leave us alone, I'm talking to Ulf about business. He will buy wheat from us.

It was a lie on the part of my future father-in-law who wanted to get rid of his daughter, we did not talk about business anymore, but about various topics and mainly drank beer. After an hour I said goodbye to him and decided to go home.

At home, hot food and a cozy atmosphere were waiting for me. Żywia and Mira sat down at the table.

- Żywia, you know herbs and plants. Maybe instead of going to the forest, make a garden next to the house. You will plant herbs and spices in it, it is a waste of time looking for them in the woods.

- All right, Lord.

After the meal, I went to work a bit, but not on furniture, but on entertainment for my future wife. There are so many possibilities like bowling, badminton, petanque or gorodki. All the items for these games were easy to make and it would take me no more than three days to get it done.