025

The following weeks passed rather calm, work and training with Mira took most of my time. Apart from physical training or the use of a weapon, I taught her, but only in theory, how to make people confess the truth. In addition to Lagerth's daily visits, I was sometimes visited by Ragnar or Leif with the rest of the gang.

As the son of a shipbuilder, Floki was interested in my carpentry work. He was already dreaming of building the best ship in the world, but my shipbuilding knowledge was minimal, the only thing I could help Floki with were the tools. I made my own chisels, planes, saws in various sizes, I even promised Floki to make him a set similar to mine.

The only event that was more interesting was the visit of Siggy. I was sitting outside, focused on carving a delicate rosette in wood, when I heard a woman's voice behind me.

The Chisel that I was holding in my hand slid aside and two hours of my work went down the drain. I was about to say something unpleasant, but I bit my tongue. I turned around and saw Siggy standing there.

- You're Ulf, supposedly the best carpenter in the area.

- That's right, how can I help? Currently I am not accepting new orders.

- My name is Siggy and I am the wife of the future Jarl.

- I know who you are, but I have a lot of work ... of course I can change my mind if you can convince me.

- I want you to make a cradle for my baby and I'll pay, but I won't be fooled.

- Well, I have an idea. I will tell you what the sex of the child will be, if I am right you will pay twice the price, if I am wrong you will get a cradle for free.

- Even the seer couldn't tell if it would be a boy or a girl, he only said it would be my husband's last child. By Freja, I agree, just don't regret it.

I didn't risk much, I knew that her third child would be a girl, Siggy had two sons so far and she wanted a daughter, her wish would come true.

- To find out if it's a boy or a girl, I have to put my hand on your breast and belly.

With a hesitant, but she nodded her head. I put my hand on her left breast ... wonderful to the touch, full of milk, only the dress was in the way, and after a few seconds I put my hand on her stomach.

- You want a daughter, and it'll be a daughter. I'll start making a cradle for her.

- How do you know that? If you tell the truth you will get more than you wanted.

- Prepare the payment, I will apply for it in three months ... and how I know is my secret.

I turned and went back to repairing the rosette. Siggy stood for a few more moments ... but when I turned, she was already heading towards Kattegat. Not only will she pay me, she got me groped and I will also get thanks ... I'm a genius. It will not take more than a week to make a cradle, along with decorations and coloring of the elements. I had three months for it, but I decided to do it right now ... according to the rule, what are you supposed to do in three months, do it today because you won't have any free time anyway. Unfortunately being overzealous is worse than fascism, making a cradle for Siggy so early was a bad idea. When after a week I took the cradle from the workshop and took it home, Lagertha saw it ... She threw herself on my neck and started to say that I am so forward-looking and already thinking about our children ... and now I had to make a second cradle.

Siggy gave birth less than three months after our meeting and it was a daughter named Thyri, which I delivered a cradle two days after giving birth. Of course, she liked it very much, and the payment would be enough for five such cradles, in addition, probably as a tip, I got a small copper ring, nicely engraved, but not too much value.

With my newly earned wealth, all I had to do now was wait for the slave boat to arrive and buy out Bojan, if he was alive. The first boats arrived a month later, but he was gone, the next ones arrived two weeks later and I was lucky here, the more that Bojna was cheap. I went from merchant to merchant and asked the slaves for their names and where they came from, and that's how I managed to find him, paid the price the merchant demanded and took him to my old house.

- You know that I will run away, I will not be your slave. So you better kill me now, because if I have a chance, I will kill you.

- Bojan, someone asked me to buy you and free you and that's what I'm going to do. But how did you travel from Rus to Arkona?

- I am a wołchw (priest / shaman) and traveled through the lands of Gods until I reached the Temple in Arkona, there, unfortunately, I was taken captive.

- You're free, you can go wherever you want and do whatever you want, but you'd better go back east. It will be safer this way, and I will not always be able to help you.

- Who told you to buy me out, you even knew my name?

- Your grandpa.

- I don't have a family, I've been living alone since I was a child.

- The fact that you do not know about him, does not mean that he does not know about you ... you have a bracelet here as a sign that you are free and tomorrow we will do it officially by a law speaker.