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Unfortunately Yrsa was stubborn and persistent ... She knew that I didn't finish the story and she tormented me for so long until I gave up and it didn't matter that it was her fault ... She even complained about me to Lagertha.

I was sitting in an armchair, Yrsa was sitting on my lap, and on the other armchair was Lagertha who said that she wanted to hear the story too ... and now I couldn't get out of it.

"... The boy decided to find the flower. On the Midsummer Night, when all the inhabitants of his home village were celebrating by the fire and singing happy songs, Michał imperceptibly left the village and headed towards the forest. He searched for a long time for a beautiful flower among hundreds of ferns, but found nothing. As he was about to give up, his eyes saw a tiny light that turned out to be tiny petals of a fern flower. The flower was so bright that even against the black, impenetrable night it shone like a diamond. The boy watched this miraculous phenomenon, the flower began to grow and change colors, just as he had imagined before. Michał was about to pick a flower, when suddenly some dark figures began to emerge from the darkness of the forest, a strong wind blew. When the boy woke up in his bed in the morning, he couldn't remember if it all happened for real or if it was just his dream.

Michał couldn't stop thinking about it, he was thinking about this beautiful flower all year long. He did not tell anyone about his night trip and he was waiting with great excitement for the next Midsummer Night, the boy was dragging on his days. Months passed, autumn came, then harsh winter, finally green spring, the days grew longer and warmer, the trees were covered with green leaves, the birds chirped joyfully, all nature announced that another summer was approaching. The expected shortest night of the year finally arrived and Michał, as he had planned for a year, set off again in search of the fern flower. Everything repeated exactly as the year before, the boy found the flower and was almost plucking it when the secret powers shielded it again and the boy's dream did not come true.

However, Michał was stubborn, he decided to try again next year, "up to three times". His stubbornness and determination made the next summer successful! He plucked the flower and knew it was not a dream. From then on, nothing was as it used to be, now he had everything he wanted, a beautiful palace, riches, treasures, he lacked nothing. However, as the days and weeks passed, the boy ceased to enjoy treasures and delicious dishes. Michał felt very lonely, he had no one to talk to, he could not share his joy with anyone, he was getting sadder and sadder.

So the boy returned to his native village, found his family home, but his parents did not recognize him. Desperate, he locked himself in his palace. When he returned home a year later, his father was dead, and the sick mother did not recognize her son again. The boy wasted away, he never smiled anymore, he didn't want to see his beautiful palace or his valuables anymore. When he visited his family home again, it turned out that his mother was also dead. An enormous emptiness appeared in his heart, so great that he could not bear it, he wanted not to see this world anymore. As soon as he thought this, the ground collapsed beneath him, and a fern flower grew where he stood... End"

- Dad, do you know any more stories? (Yrsa)

- No, it's the only one I know ... and now go play with your mum a bit, dad is busy. (Ulf)

I had several children in my life and I was not sure if I would prefer a daughter or sons ... one thing was certain, I was glad that I had no children in my first life ... then the decision would be more difficult ... son, daughter, transsexual transvestite from transylvania or the other eighty genders... well, life in the 8th or 17th century had its advantages.

The days and weeks passed, Floki worked on the ships, Kattegat was in constant expansion, as was my Slavic village ... the merchants brought another three hundred slaves. The overland road to Bergen, Jarl Erik's new headquarters, was slowly being built, but progress in its construction was not great due to dense forests.

Everything seemed to be on the right track ... My kingdom was slowly developing, from the news that I received Ragnar dealt with the opposition and I became the mother of the year.

(King Ecbert / Ealdorman Eadric POV)

- Did our spies in Jorvik find out anything useful about these heathens? (King Ecbert)

- My Lord, no, we know that their ships can cross the open sea and they do just as well on rivers, we know a little about their false gods, we also have some silver and gold coins that they use ... unfortunately they do not speak our language well, but our people try learn it. (Ealdorman Eadric)

- Too bad, and do we know anything about Jorvik itself? (King Ecbert)

- We know that from 500 to 800 people are stationed in the city, it is difficult to give exact numbers because some of them are always on various types of expeditions, mainly attacking settlements and abbeys. They have recently attacked Wales and have had several skirmishes with the Scots. Their commander is a man named Leif, apparently a friend of their king. (Ealdorman Eadric)

- Local people? (King Ecbert)

- They are being forced to work, our people reported that several men and women were crucified for attempted rebellion. Unfortunately, although they hate these pagans, they are too afraid of them to do anything. (Ealdorman Eadric)

- So we do not know much ... I heard that the case with the prince's soldier is already closed? (King Ecbert)

- Yes, Lord. This soldier fell drunk into the river, the body was found the next day. (Ealdorman Eadric)

- Misfortune ... As for these pagans, you will go to Jorvik on my behalf, as my messenger. We must have friendly relations with them, perhaps we will attack the Kingdom of Mercia together. (King Ecbert)

(End POV)

(Leif / Trygve POV)

- A messenger has come from King Ecbert of Wessex, he wants to see you. (Trygve)

- You saw him? (Leif)

- Yes, it's a snake, not a wolf. He doesn't look like a warrior ... he looks a bit like Svein ... he looks like a coward. (Trygve)

- Take him to the church, and we'll have a feast there on the occasion of his arrival. His cup must be full all the time, let the servants take care of it. (Leif)

- Do you want to get him drunk? (Trygve)

- Drunken are more talkative and more honest... and you yourself said that he is a snake. (Leif)

(End POV)