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(King Harald / Hirdman Sweyn POV)

- My Lord, we just got back from Kattegat, people are unloading loot and slaves. (Sweyn)

- Was your raid in the west profitable? Did you learn something about Ulf and his weaknesses, something that could be used against him? (King)

- Yes, in twenty-one ships we plundered over 1,000 slaves, 3,000 pounds of silver and 500 pounds of gold, our share of 80 slaves, 300 pounds of silver and 50 gold ... (Sweyn)

- How much?! Where does such wealth come from ?! (King)

- The West is a virgin and rich land ... we robbed their temples, and even Ulf killed the local King. (Sweyn)

- You know how to get there? (King)

- No, Lord. Ulf's ship was charting the course, and we were following his ship. He also chose the places we attacked ... but maybe we'll learn something from the slaves. (Sweyn)

- We will see, maybe they will be useful, and his weaknesses? (King)

I don't know if these are weaknesses ... but although he killed the King, he treated the Queen well ... spared her, did not allow us to completely rob the treasury, and even freed the slaves. During raids he avoids the company of women, he can be cruel, if he considers something an insult, he can torment someone to death, but in a very slow and painful way ... His people are loyal and obedient. Only one Hridman named Rollo shows any ambition and dissatisfaction, but lacks the support of others. (Sweyn)

- Ambitions? (King)

- Yes, Ulf is only 24 years old, Rollo is a year younger and he is jealous of the fame and respect that Ulf is held by the people of Kattegat. From a small settlement it turned into a rich trading settlement. (Sywen)

- So it will not be easy for us to free ourselves from his rule ... best for now stay close to him, get rich and look for allies ... if we spread the word that he knows the way to the west and about his wealth, many people will be interested. (King)

(End POV)

The next few days, I gave my people a rest ... then the preparations and stockpile would start, and only in three weeks they would set off to conquer and I was going to oversee coin production myself and spend some time planning the expansion and enlargement of the Kattegat... and training Hild ... a girl has to learn a lot.

(Skarde / Merchant POV)

- Greetings my friend. Were you in Kattegat as I advised you? (Skarde)

- Yes, I'm just coming back from there. Wealthy settlement when I was there they just returned from a raid ... hundreds of slaves, goods and other things. I have bought a lot of fabrics and dresses and I intend to go with them to Götaland. (Merchant)

- You think you'll make money on it? (Skarde)

- Colorful cloths, patterns and dresses that look different. Every woman wants to look better than her neighbor. You can only earn money from a woman's vanity, not lose money ... unless it is your wife. (Merchant)

- Well put ... let's drink to the health of our wives and that they don't know where we keep our money, Skål! (Skarde)

- Skål. (Merchant)

- Back to business, aside from raid loot, what is now available for purchase in Kattegat? I was there last year and I'm just going to go there. (Skarde)

- They also had a lot of salt, furniture and beer to sell ... (Merchant)

- It's good that you reminded me, I owe their Jarl three barrels of beer ... (Skarde)

- Are you going to give them back? (Merchant)

- No, I have to find a better excuse. (Skarde)

(End POV)

From the trials, 10 thousand coins could be minted from one coin die, the hammer was enough for 20 thousand strokes from 167 pounds of gold, approximately 23 thousand gold coins could be obtained, with 1000 pounds of silver it gave me 68 thousand coins ... I had to prepare 10 coin die and 5 hammers for the entire production. Calculating how many coins one person can make during the day, how many people will work, plus time to prepare the raw material ... in a month's time all my wealth will be turned into the first Scandinavian money.

(Lagertha / Seer POV)

- What do you want to (munch) assk the Godss? (Seer)

- I'd like to know my future, wise one. (Lagertha)

- (munch) Yess, I ssee your future ... Queen Lagertha ... Queen of Kattegat ... Queen ... but that's not what you're interessted in, that's not what you want to know. (Seer)

- My children? What about them? (Lagertha)

- I don't ssee their future ... it's behind the fog ... only incomprehenssible fragmentss ... The godss won't let me ssee it. (Seer)

- What does that mean, wise one? (Lagertha)

- Only the Gods have their planss and they don't want to reveal them ... but you don't have to be afraid, at leasst not the Godss ... bearss can be more dangerouss than Godss." (Seer)

(End POV)

I was holding the first copies of gold and silver coins, as for such a primitive mincer technique, it looked good ... at the moment I plan to release only silver coins into circulation, gold will wait safely closed and I will also try to get gold and silver, which is in the possession of other residents of Kattegat . If my plans succeed, I'll need more coins ... a lot more.

(King Ecbert / Ealdorman Eadric POV)

- My Lord, we got information that King Aelle is dead. (Eadric)

- How did this happen? Who is now sitting on the throne of Northumbria? (King Ecbert)

- Queen Ealhswith sat on the throne until Prince Ecgberht is of legal age ... King Aella was killed by the invaders, we don't know if they were picts or someone else, but they were certainly pagans, they destroyed some holy places. (Eadric)

- So the Kingdom of Northumbria is weakened ... one careless step and the throne may fall. Having their problems, they will not be interested in the Kingdom of Mercia, and even if they wanted to, they do not have the strength to do so. (King Ecbert)

(End POV)

In the evening, I called Hild to our bedroom for another training session and she was making progress... and her submissive personality was a great help in training.