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- Trygve has arrived with news from Jorvik. (Hirdman)

- Bring him in, we'll find out first hand how Leif is doing there. (Ulf)

A few minutes later, Trygve was already in my house ... I showed him a place to sit and ordered one of the slaves to bring mead.

- What happened that Leif sent you? I have given him free hand to manage Jorvik and the surrounding lands, he doesn't have to ask me for permission. (Ulf)

- Lord, he cannot make this decision himself. Some time ago, a messenger from King Ecbert of Wessex came to Jorvik. He offered us an alliance against the Kingdom of Mercia. In return, he offers us a third of the kingdom's territory. (Trygve)

- I understand, and how does he propose to do it? Did he give any details? (Ulf)

- As for the split, Wessex wants Sussex, Kent, Essex, East Anglia and all the lands south of Tamworth. We will get all the lands north of Tamworth... but we can always negotiate. (Trygve)

- King Ecbert has a great appetite ... and King Offa has received my word that we will not attack him ... and I did not want to organize raids or major wars this year, but I can always change my mind. If the profit is worth my attention. (Ulf)

It is a difficult decision and I have to think about it ... I was going to go to Spain next year, but maybe England will have more to offer ... not the weather for sure, nor the food, but other possibilities.

- Tomorrow I will give you an answer on this topic, but before I do, please tell me about the situation in Jorvik and England. I have news and rumors from the merchants, but they don't know everything. (Ulf)

Trygve told me about all the events, the news, the rumors, everything about England that might have been meaningful, and now all I had to do was make a decision.

The next day I was the first to wake up, Lagertha was lying next to me and Hild was lying next to her. I never understood sleeping between two women, it was inconvenient and not very practical... I got up quietly so as not to wake anyone up. I checked my offspring ... Arne, Revna and Bjorn ... were sleeping, so I was safe.

I got dressed and went downstairs. From my trunk I pulled out a map of England and Ireland, and a second map of all of Europe. Spain or England? ... The more I looked, the choice of England became more obvious, but I will have to meet King Ecbert in person.

I called Trygve over... I was preparing breakfast for the family when he arrived.

- Sit down. Are you hungry? I am doing breakfast and adding more is not a problem. (Ulf)

- No Lord, I've already eaten. (Trygve)

- It may surprise you, King cooking for his wife, children and bed slave but I assure you that there is nothing strange about it... Do you have a wife? (Ulf)

- Yes, her name is Inga, we have two sons ... (Trygve)

- You see, a wife or a lover must be happy, because only they have access to us when we are defenseless. One stab with a knife in our sleep and we're gone. Therefore, prepare breakfast from time to time for them... it's a low price to pay for the safety of our lifes. (Ulf)

- I understand... (Trygve)

- But that's not why I called you to talk about family ... You will go back to Jorvik and give Leif two messages. First, I will be visiting Jorvik in person in two or three weeks and I want to meet King Ecbert. Second message... Leif is tasked with invading Wales again. He has to burn down every settlement, every temple, every house and every field. He must capture everyone, women, children, even the elderly. He will do so long until Wales will cease to exist. (Ulf)

A few hours later, Trygve set off on his way back.

I ordered four ships to be prepared, full of crews and not a large amount of supplies, the way to England was already well known to us that it did not take more than ten days to reach the place, especially since my ship was always favored by winds.

Before my departure, I also called Ragnar to my place, I wanted to assign him a region to manage on my behalf. Erik was assigned Bergen which meant that the entire Hordaland was under his control ... of course if anyone had a different opinion Erik knew what to do.

I intended to assign Ragnar the region of Sogn, although there was no one larger settlement there, there were several smaller ones located close to each other just off the Sogndalsfjorden fjord.

Of course Ragnar's promotion had to be celebrated ... it meant another party at my house, but first I made sure my workshop was closed well. When everything was ready, all my hird arrived with their wives or partners.

- You saw Rollo's face, he was not happy when he heard that Ragnar would become Jarl. (Lagertha)

- Ragnar has more fame, a higher position ... and Rollo feels left out. As far as I know, their parents treated Ragnar better than his older brother. (Ulf)

- Brother is jealous of his brother ... do you think there will be problems with them? (Lagertha)

I looked at my wife and put my hand on her thigh.

- Are you asking about Rollo and Ragnar or Arne and Bjorn? (Ulf)

Lagertha looked at me but said nothing.

- I already explained it to you and Hild. Arne and Bjorn are brothers and nothing will change that ... just trust me ... and as for Ragnar and Rollo, sooner or later they will fight each other. (Ulf)

- What will you do then, which of them you will support? (Lagertha)

- Neither of them, and if their conflict threatens my plan ... I'll break them both. (Ulf)

After a few hours, I went out to get some fresh air, of course I headed for the workshop ... it was closed.