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Four ships and three hundred followers accompanied me on my trip to England. It was a routine trip for me, but not for my heir ...

- Have you ever traveled on a ship on the high seas? (Ulf)

- No Lord, it's my first time ... (Sten)

I looked at my new son and hit him on the head, though not too hard ... I didn't want to hurt him or make him a retard.

- Father... remember not King or Lord but "Father". (Ulf)

- I'm sorry ... I have never sailed on the high seas, Father, sometimes I was fishing, but it was in a much smaller boat and close to the shore. (Sten)

- You need to be more confident, you are now the son of the King. Remember that if you make a mistake it can cost you your life ... your and many others. (Ulf)

- I understand. Will it rock the boat like this all the time, Father? I'm feeling strange. (Sten)

- Yes, if you want to puke, eat something ... I don't know if it will help, but at least you'll have something to puke up. (Ulf)

I left the boy alone and went to talk to One-Eye and Torstein.

- How do you like my new son? (Ulf)

- Well, if he doesn't die, he'll live. (Torstein)

- You have no reason to be ashamed, but you also have nothing to brag about ... how long will he have to stay at Wessex? (One-eyed)

- A year, maybe a little longer. During this time, we will deal with King Offa and then attack Wessex. (Ulf)

- You said King Ecbert can get help from Charlemagne? (One-eyed)

- Charlemagne will have many problems of his own, after the negotiations with King Ecbert are over, we will go further west. (Ulf)

- What are you going to do? (Torstein)

- Save Christians from persecution. (Ulf)

Suddenly I heard one of the crew members sing "My Mother Told Me" ... Fuck, it's going to be a long journey.

It took us ten days to get to Jorvik... ten long days... my son endured the trip like a real man, he was throwing up the first three days and the other seven complained about the monotonous sight.

The city itself turned into a fortress, Leif rebuilt the walls and fortifications. He dug a moat, but he did not fill it with water ... in place of the cleared forest, many farmlands and pastures for sheep appeared. I was a bit surprised ... Leif always seemed to me a better commander than administrator, but apparently he inherited something from his father. I was very happy about it, I have many good fighters, but not many who can think on a larger scale.

Of course, there was a feast ... and alcohol and women ... that is everything that I tried to keep away ... the women were tired and the beer was weak.

- How were your attacks on Wales? (Ulf)

- We did not encounter much resistance, but there are still places where we did not manage to reach, with the help of three hundred warriors who came with you, it will change quickly ... we also took a few nobles into captivity. (Leif)

- Tomorrow I will want to meet them. Did you send a messenger to King Ecbert? (Ulf)

- He is notified of your arrival and wants to meet you too ... although I believe him less than a harlot who talks about love. Do you have a plan to attack the Kingdom of Mercia? (Leif)

- Attack them? No, I gave my word. We will defend ourselves. Wessex will attack them first, and we will use forward defense tactics for fear of King Ecbert. We'll simply take half of Mercia's lands as our defense. (Ulf)

- Do you think it will work? (Leif)

- We can also pretend that some nobleman from Mercia attacked us first, but my first plan suits me better. King Offa will send most of his troops south after King Ecbert's attack ... and we are in the north. (Ulf)

Of course, I explained to Leif the plans for my "son" and what I was going to do next. The next morning, after a light breakfast, I met the nobles captured in Wales.

- Maybe you are wondering why you were brought here. Of course, the reason is money, gold, silver ... King Ecbert of Wessex hired us to weaken and devastate Wales, and we almost did. We were going to kill you or sell you as slaves, but apparently you are from noble houses ... maybe your families will pay a ransom? (Ulf)

- Our families are in captivity or dead ... and they died by your hand. (Nobleman)

I got up from my chair, took my sword from its scabbard, and approached the nobleman.

- If it were up to me, I would not destroy Wales. I would have made you pay me a tribute, but King Ecbert's offer was too tempting ... for the right amount we became his sword, his tool ... (Ulf)

I looked the nobleman in the eye and stabbed him with my sword ... the rest of his companions were terrified, a few people uttered muffled shouts.

- ...It is not a sword that kills, but the hand that holds it ... the sword is only a tool. If you can't pay, go back to the dungeon, maybe someday we'll figure something out. (Ulf)

After the prisoners were taken out, Leif who had seen the whole show came to me.

- I do not understand what you want to achieve with this? (Leif)

- You'll find out in a few weeks. When I come back from Wessex I'll tell you everything. For now, prepare 50 soldiers on horseback, wearing the best armor, wearing the best clothes. They will be my and my son's personal guard. (Ulf)

- When are you leaving? (Leif)

- The day after tomorrow ... oh, and let the blacksmiths prepare me a few small blades that can be easily hidden. (Ulf)