109

- YOU'RE CRAZY !!! You won't do it ... I won't let you do it !!! Do you want to kill our son? (Lagertha)

I looked at her ... only a thin line separates a loving wife from a wife who wants to kill you.

- Calm down and listen. Arne will be safe. King Ecbert will get Arne's older brother hostage. (Ulf)

- Are you really crazy !? Arne doesn't have an older brother. Ulf ... my love, you're delirious ... you don't know what you're saying. (Lagertha)

- Not yet, but that will change ... (Ulf)

I explained my plan to my wife... I was going to look for a boy between ten and twelve in Kattegat, but he would have to look younger and I will teach him the role he is supposed to play, of course he will also get better clothes, armor, sword, jewelry, all accessories that will make him more convincing... Of course, apart from age and young appearance, I also had other requirements. He only needed to know our language, which would make communication with him difficult, as well as our traditions and customs. Therefore, I did not take into account the slave children.

We have many families in and around Kattegat who had two or three sons and recruiting such a child will not be a problem either ... It is a great honor for the family that their son will serve the king... and I was also going to add some gold to this honor.

I also had an additional advantage over King Ecbert, he was fascinated by Rome and the Romans ... he had many scrolls in his collection which he tried to translate.

After I explained everything to my wife, she nodded her understanding ... and then she slapped me and told me not to scare her like that anymore.

I don't know why she thought that I could give Arne or any of my other babies into someone else's hands ... even if I didn't really like children, it was my blood. It was also illogical, someone who had my child could use it against me, persuading the child's mother to betray me or kill me.

- Why do you care so much about this alliance? (Lagertha)

- I don't care about the alliance. I just want Ecbert's trust ... and I only need it for a year. Then I'll attack Wessex... You should be punished for doubting your husband. (Ulf)

- Same as you punished Hild for doubting your word? (giggle) (Lagertha)

- ehmm ... I was sleepless and had a cold that day. (Ulf)

The next day, several of my people started looking for a suitable candidate for my son.

It took two days to find a boy, his name was Sten and he was the third son of a farmer family. He couldn't count on a big inheritance because of his two older brothers, he was eleven years old and rather intelligent ... he knew no other languages, lived in the Kattegat area from birth and looked no more than nine years ... he was what I wanted, well maybe a bit too skinny, but he will gain weight quickly.

Of course, I explained to him what his task would be, without unnecessary details. I taught him how to behave, to call me "father" ... I made a whole legend for him like in some spy movie. He was given new clothes, ornaments, a sword, and even something that was supposed to resemble a crown... the boy look like a prince.

Two weeks later I decided it was time to go to England ... as I had not found a suitable person to replace Erik, his position was temporarily taken over by my father-in-law and Lagertha.

- What should we do in your absence? (Arne)

- Lagertha will deal with the issuing of judgments, the announcement of penalties and taxes, and you will take care of all construction, supply, management of slaves and merchants who will come to Kattegat. (Ulf)

- When you come back? (Arne)

- A month, maybe two, but no more. I will definitely be back before winter. (Ulf)

In the evening I was lying in bed, Hild was lying next to me and she was feeding Bjorn, and Lagertha tried to catch Yrsa who was running around the room ... at one point she jumped on the bed, tripped and hit her head on my knee ... almost immediately she started to cry.

I lifted her up, I saw that nothing serious happened, she will only have a small bruise, after a while she was calmer.

- Daddy, tell me a story. (Yrsa)

Taught by previous experience ...

- I don't know any stories, I have already told you the only one I knew. (Ulf)

- Then sing something. (Yrsa)

Lagertha, Hild and Yrsa looked at me expectantly ... I knew I had lost ... I could have disappointed my daughter's expectations, but Lagertha and Hild, no ... who has tits has the power.

"I see a movie

All my whole life

I heard reloading before

I love you my dear fatherland

Somebody kills me soon

A black hole in my skull

Lime is in my mouth

Unknown, secret pit is my tomb

Auschwitz it was fun

Who is the evil?

Bear or white Eagle?

We or invaders?

We waiting for the

Comeback of our brothers

We Damned Soldiers

If you want to be free, you must fight

Dear brothers, fathers too

Children of the brave

Freedom is the long walk

We're screaming to you from the grave

Don't trust in promises

They are not fulfilled

Strong, ready and steady

Let it be the truth

God will with us

Forward!

We waiting for the

Comeback of our brothers

We Damned Soldiers

If you want to be free, you must fight."

Of course I was singing in modern English so my women didn't understand anything and I had to tell them what the song is about, but without details.