058

The next morning, I called Itta to my bedroom for some training... I'll have to make a sacrifice to get her in practice.

Well rested, satisfied and fed I was able to go to work... If only each day would start like this.

The first thing I did was check the quality of the slaves. Of the four hundred and nineteen slaves, ninety-three were of Slavic origin. I separated them from the rest and sent them to the newly built settlement, together with them I sent all the children up to the age of three, not proving their origin ... they will be brought up believing the Slavic Gods.

My new settlement now has one hundred and twenty-four adult inhabitants and seventeen children ... in addition to providing food for Kattegat, they will also be my additional combat base.

Now I had to check the remaining three hundred and nine slaves ... of the useful people there were two shipbuilders, two carpenters, all four I sent to Floki.

There was also one blacksmith, I sent him to the forge in Kattegat. The current blacksmith has recently become a father, his daughter was born ... and now he will need an extra pair of hands to work. Especially since I have a lot of orders for him ... in Denmark, my fleet has stolen almost 300 pounds of iron, which I have ordered to turn into weapons, helmets and chain mail.

The rest of the slaves, although there were skin traders, farmers, fishermen and a few other professions, I had no use for them now ... the first task I assigned them is clearing the forest, Kattegat will need a lot of wood to rebuild houses, expand the port and build barns, pigsties, pens and toilets.

In the following weeks, work continued on many fronts, in my spare time I helped with construction sites, making weapons ... I also marked two routes for next year's raids. I was going to divide the fleet into two groups, one to attack Antwerp and the other to attack Hamburg. I have not yet chosen which one I will participate personally.

After the harvest, the training sessions I ordered began. In addition, I also introduced new tactics and tricks to the norsmen combat style.

- You create a shield wall together, stick long spears in the gaps, and the archers hidden behind you shoot at the enemy ... you don't have to shoot to kill ... An arrow in the knee is enough and the enemy is no longer a threat ...

I also taught them how to make crow's foot, frisian horses, digging wolf pits, and of course I showed them the use of stirrups and the possibilities it offers.

The village of slaves, thanks to additional help, grow to twenty houses before winter, it was not enough, but during the cold months they can easily accommodate over a hundred people. Things were slowly picking up pace, Kattegat was developing, Ragnar went to get his wife, and I waited for my baby to be born.

Of course there were also problems, a group of Danish slaves rebelled ... it was not serious in its consequences, but they had to set an example for others. I have sentenced all twenty to death ... giving them the choice of how they want to leave. They could be burned alive, impaled, drowned, torn by horses, torn by a tree ... or they could cut open their stomachs, pull out their intestines and have to wrap them around the tree...

Thanks to this I also gained my nickname, people started to call me, although at the beginning only behind my back, Ódr vargr which meant "Mad Wolf"... While it wasn't very original, just a wordplay derived from my name, it's better than being called Eysteinn Foul-Fart or Herjólfr Shriveled Testicle.

The year was 783, I was twenty-two, I was Jarl and my first child was born ... I was sitting in my Jarl's chair and holding my newborn daughter in my arms ... we named her Yrsa, which could be understood as a wild or she bear.

Lagertha is resting after childbirth, as a man I could not participate in it ... it's good that in these times women are reasonable.

I looked at my daughter, but she looked normal, Weles said that in this world I will have all the blessings from my previous life, but I wanted to make sure.

Two hours later, I took my daughter to her mother. Lagertha slept in our bed, and Siggy and Itta were in the room as well.

- Siggy, how is my wife after the delivery?

- Tired, but she'll be fine. He needs a lot of rest, in a few days she will be able to get up and walk, but will not be able to do any work.

- If there is such a need, find among the slaves a woman who has milk in her breasts ... If Lagertha had any difficulties with the food for the baby, the slave will replace her.

A few weeks later, Ragnar returned to Kattegat with his wife, Thora Borgarhjort (Town-Hart). In the evening there was a feast at my house.

- Congratulations Ragnar, your wife is a beautiful woman. Gold and silver convinced her father?

- No, Herraud locked Thora in the house, and to be sure she was guarded by a large snake. Herraud announced that whoever killed the serpent would be able to marry his daughter. Many have tried, but they are killed by snake venom.

- But you made it, but how?

- Ulf, in a clever way. I rubbed my pants with tar, then sand, soaked them in water and let them freeze overnight. The snake couldn't get its fangs through my pants ... and I managed to kill it. Herraud had no choice but to keep his word.

- Ragnar, and it wouldn't be easier to put on a few layers of pants, or wrap your legs with some thick skin? ... For the health of Ragnar and Thora ... SKÅL !!!

- SKÅL, SKÅL, SKÅL !!!

The feast lasted all night, everyone celebrated the return of Ragnar and his new wife.