Rise of Rurik

More than a hundred women captured from Britain were all stuffed into the cabin, plus Rurik's management escorts, as well as a lot of salt and fine iron seized, the Avlora was actually overcrowded.

The return journey was by no means a smooth triumph. No one worried about the obstruction of the Danish forces. It was precisely because there were too many people in the boat and the men and women were mixed, which was the biggest trouble.

If it wasn't for an order first, Rurik would have no doubt that in the quiet night, the mercenaries in the cabin would definitely take action against these women.

At least Rurik was not worried about food and fresh water, and the existing reserves were enough for the crew to consume for a month.

But the cabin was soon filled with a stench.

This is really a no-brainer, because the big ship is facing a small late autumn storm.

The sea breeze was not deadly, but the waves did get rough. Rurik noticed the large group of migrants who were rowing longboats with them. They had already approached the shore one after another, and the sailboat Balmerk led the group to drill into a small bay to take shelter from the wind.

The Avrora ignored these obstacles, and the ship went up and down between the waves, and the women who were seasick once again vomited and vomited.

It's not just them, it's just because the outdoors is really too cold, and under the haze, the world has fallen into dense snowfalls. These days lasted for just one day, and the Avrolla essentially turned into a wind and snow.

Even if the stink in the cabin is full, it is better than shivering on the deck. The deck is already very dangerous, and the sailors on duty are also wearing hemp ropes around their waists, wearing deerskin cloaks and wolfskin hats, and finely manipulating the jibs.

Rurik had no choice but to stay in the captain's cabin below the bow deck. This is a relatively spacious existence, with only him and Mary in the room.

In any era of sailing, the captain has the best room on board.

The captain's cabin of the Avlora is not luxurious, but it is furnished with some leather, so that it is not uncomfortable to lie down and rest. The climate changed abruptly, and the indoor temperature also dropped very low.

"How long are we going to float like this?" murmured Mary, who was languid by seasickness and the cold.

"At least two weeks." Rurik said casually.

"Ross... so far away?"

"It's not just far away, it's cold. But don't worry, there's more out there than you can imagine.

Even in the world of ice and snow, there is extreme warmth. "

"There...is it still the land blessed by the Lord? Are you living at the end of the world?"

Rurik stared at Mary's face and hesitated for a while: "If... if there is a greatest god, Rose will be blessed by him. Do you still have nostalgia for Mercia?"

"No!" she forced herself, "I'm just worried about the future..."

"Mo Jing, Ross is not a place ruled by the Lord you believe in." Rurik also cheered up, beating his chest, and introduced: "In the world of Vikings, heroic men have many wives and concubines, just like Odin has many wives and concubines. Numerous Valkyries. You are second in age among my wives and concubines, but you are not really noble."

"Yes..." She lowered her head silently, "Because, my identity..."

"No. You are still a noble of Mercia. You have lost your dignity, and only I can recreate your dignity. After returning to Ross, you can't feel that you are different, and you can't turn your back on me to find another man. You can only be loyal. I'm alone, otherwise..."

"Yes. If I betray, I will die. I understand." She said, under the dim light, she began to slowly pull down the leather coat, "There is no one else here, you can treat me as a servant. If it is you, I will I give everything to you."

Looking at her trembling eyes again, Rurik sighed. This woman really understands the truth that mother and child are more valuable, but that's all for later.

"You are very weak, continue to rest. The court etiquette of Mercia you learned is very useful. When you return to Rose, they will accept you."

Mary's words were really euphemistic, she actually felt that she was going to another world on this boat.

Is not it? A whole new world, the so-called home of the Vikings by the priests, a terrifying hell. Viking men can have many wives and concubines, what could be more terrifying than that?

But he is a filthy person, and the so-called father and elder brother are hypocritical hypocrites.

The cold outside almost cracked her bones, and if she didn't want to avoid making the room smell bad, she wouldn't be willing to carry the filth in the Tao Weng and go out to dump it.

Under the cloudy and snowy world, Rurik was in a bad mood, and Mary was suffering both physically and mentally.

The passengers of the entire Avlora were sullen, hoping that the storm would end soon.

The wind and snow is a good thing. The north wind has given the ship strong power, and she has successfully sailed into the broad Denmark Strait.

The snowstorm lasted for seven days. After the bleak north wind finally dissipated the warmth and the warm and humid air that filled the sea turned into snowfall, the sun finally came out lazily.

Time has entered October, as the so-called snowfall and cold, even if the sun shines high and the air is clear, no one dares to say a warm.

The waves finally became stable, and due to the wind and snow, the fishing boats in the entire Denmark Strait almost disappeared. Even if the sun came out, no boats were cruising.

Are they afraid of wind and cold?

Do not! They, especially the Drogba clan, who have declined in strength.

Before the wind and snow, they saw a mighty fleet pass through the waters off Jutland, and saw the blue flags on a white background fluttering on the masts, and all the fishing boats that had suffered a big loss escaped.

Then came the wind and snow, and the narrow sea was suddenly stormy. The Danes who have finished harvesting the oatmeal adhere to the tradition. The first snow of this winter comes a little earlier, which is to announce to all the Danish lords: Even if everyone is fighting for power in the warm period, everyone can spend the winter in peace now.

The Avrora was still in a no-man's land. She quickly passed the Oresund Strait, and the sea in front of her suddenly became clear.

The waves were calm, and the sails of the ships were blown up by the wind. Those women stood in Class A to get the air, but their clothes were too thin, and they had to withdraw to the stinky cabin after a while.

Rurik held Marie's shoulders, and they both changed into their furry winter clothes.

It really touched Mary, she knew he cared about her.

But the sea ahead is shocking!

Mary couldn't help trembling, it wasn't the cold, but she had never seen the sea properly for more than ten years in the essentially inland region of Tamworth in Mercia.

Cold and empty, yet so small, this big ship is also extremely small.

A boatload of people quickly saw new land, knowing that they have not had any landing rest until now from the port of Narvik.

Time is running out, the sea is freezing cold, and it is almost a step away from freezing.

The Avrora sailed in the eastern waters of Öland, the fastest route to the north after bypassing Burgundy.

She is facing the wind and running towards the northeast, which will directly pass through the east coast of Gotland, like a sword straight into the tombstone fortress in the Åland Islands!

The island of Öland was getting farther and farther, and all the navigators on board knew that they were sailing on the most correct and fast course.

But those women were full of unease. For the first time in their lives, they had seen such vast waters, and the fear in their hearts could not be described in words.

Fortunately, they are now under firm control, and they saw that the Ross people not only did not panic, but as time went on, it seemed that their fighting spirit became more and more high.

In fact, it was also a forced perk by the Rus.

A sunny day, the wind is cold and biting.

Rurik stood on the bow deck, facing the brothers on the lower deck and shouted sharply: "We are finally back! I know you are extremely tired, and the fresh water on board is also depleted! Just bear with it for a few more days, we are sailing at high speed now. I dare say we sailed through the night, and in five days I'll be at Tombstone Island. We're going to rest on the island! You'll have hot baths, greasy roasts, and non-stop wheat. We're going to Take at least two days off!"

This was the best thing everyone could hope for, and people started cheering, then screaming frantically, and even those who were hanging from the mast with the rope ladder raised their right fists.

Soon, the news was also communicated to the women in the cabin through Queen Mary.

Almost all of these women were from Mercia, and because Magnut deliberately chose them, they were not necessarily much older than Mary.

They learned of their future, almost as servants of the so-called Ross nobles, including those lucky enough to be the maids of Queen Mary. They are promised a future that is not bad, as long as they do things well, they can get food, clothing and housing.

The unease that pervaded the ship disappeared, and the ship drifted smoothly to Tombstone Island as Rurik had expected.

It was only very obvious that Rurik saw the delicate ice floes floating on the sea surface, and the world around him was always white.

Rendering that the snowfall event that started at the end of September was a heavy snowfall in the hometown of Roseburg. The world is really beautiful in silver light, but what Rurik saw is the risk of the ocean - the Gulf of Bothnia is rapidly freezing !

It shouldn't be too bad.

The return of the Avrora did not surprise the people of Tombstone Island. In fact, the large fleet escorted by Arik passed by here recently.

A batch of goods was unloaded, and the people of Tombstone Island shared the war dividends of the Ross army! Of course, the left-behind people here are by no means shameless. For example, they bought wheat according to the guide price set by the Duke of Ross, that is, ten pounds of wheat per silver coin.

The Rus and Slavic immigrants who settled here bought a batch of what they needed.

In fact, they got a big benefit. The so-called wheat harvest in Lake Melalen this year was not good. In addition, Gould of Ross was ordered to buy wheat on a large scale, so that the tribes around Lake Melalen could no longer afford much wheat transactions.

Even if there is, the price is high.

So when the loot-carrying fleet escorted by Arik came back, the Melalen merchants who wanted to spend the winter on Tombstone Island, or the meticulous work ordered to monitor Tombstone Island with the money of King Bjorn of Sweden, were all shocked by the Rus people's attention. seized.

Arik lacked the most equanimity. He professed the great victory of Duke Rurik's expedition, and even loudly shouted that two million pounds of wheat were stuffed into the fleet of the Rus army!

In fact, how many are there?

The people of the real Tombstone Island bought a lot of them, which made the guest house merchants envious and jealous.

Who would question the capture of the Rus? After the Ross fleet left, the real meticulous work hurriedly rowed back to the Birka Market on Lake Mälaren to report to King Bjorn.

On a cold afternoon, the phantom of the Avrora arrived at the Tombstone Island fortress.

Many people saw her from a distance, and the identity flying on the mast proved their identity.

On the boat, the weary people cheered, knowing that everyone was blessed with a perfect rest tonight.

Everything went according to plan, and the ship entered the archipelago and entered the safe haven in Tombstone Island.

The islanders who stayed behind gathered together, and they saw Lord Rurik's fluttering golden ponytail, as well as a whole row of uniformly dressed mercenaries standing around Class A.

People were cheering as they got off the boat along the planks.

Soon, new discussions began, as a group of women they had never met shuffled down cautiously.

They all wore headscarves and clothed themselves in a style quite different from the Rus or Slavs on the island.

I'm afraid this is the new slave that the lord took from that British island...

Rurik had a prestigious status, and his landing immediately attracted crowds of onlookers. Men and women spontaneously took out food and drinking water.

However, Rurik paid for it. He did pay some compensation, and he purchased fresh meat and fresh carrots with yellow roots from the people, as well as ordered delicious meals and wines for tomorrow.

Many people are really willing to make sacrifices to the Lord God, and the money still has to be given. Rurik took out a sum of money immediately, and everyone praised the generosity of the Lord.

Tombstone Island still has a large number of vacant buildings, and its function is to provide military accommodation when it is used as a staging ground for large troops.

The houses housed the landed mercenaries, sailors, and even the one hundred and twenty women.

That night, the island was filled with a strong smell of barbecue, and a large number of bonfires were lit on the shore to boil the hot water from the pottery urns.

Almost all of the aroma comes from the barbecue seals. These rather greasy barbecued meats are sprinkled with a lot of salt. The salty is really salty. For those who are extremely lacking in salt and oil, it is an extreme delicacy.

The wild mercenaries feasted, and the women began to chew on the oily meat. Barbecue can only be regarded as a hard dish, and the staple food is a chaotic stew of wheat and vegetables.

After the meal, the mercenaries began to wash the dirt on their bodies on the spot, and then they got into the sauna room filled with upright energy, and when they came out, everyone changed into new clothes. As for the old clothes, they are handed over to the locals to wash.

It was like going home. He sat in his palace on Tombstone Island and ate the delicious meal on the low table to himself.

Queen Mary is also sitting here. After landing on the island, she changed into a Slavic-style plaid gown and prepared a leather coat.

Prominent figures on the island were also sitting in their houses, and were ordered to report recent affairs to Rurik...

"Aric's fleet has returned, as has Gould's fleet of purchasing supplies. My father's Eastern Sorgon team returned only a few days ago. Old Eric, who was arranged to go to Heideby, Denmark, has also returned. What a series of good news."

Rurik was in a good mood, and he threw a few silver coins to report.

After reporting that he happily accepted the money, he asked slightly with a smile, "Sir. Is the woman beside you your new wife and concubine?"

"Oh? It's true, a woman with a distinguished status, but it's my own woman. You don't need to care."

"Okay..." Maybe there is still a secret here, and the interesting reporter chose to be silent.

"Go back. Tell the others that I'm going to rest here for two days, and I'll be back on the third day."

"But my lord, the sea is freezing. Brothers who are fishing say that the northern sea has frozen."

"It doesn't matter. The mere ice floes can't stop my boat. My people are so tired, and everyone is driving crazy after a month's voyage."

The messenger smiled: "I see, I will entertain them."

The messenger withdrew, and Rurik's joy was still on his face.

When he saw Mary, he noticed that the girl was still staring at him.

"what's wrong with you?"

"You...with two sticks...you have really nimble hands."

"Oh. It's just a kind of tableware, you should learn it too. In Rose, as my woman, you need to learn this." After that, he handed the chopsticks, which were actually two freshly cut wooden sticks, to Mary.

The two sides already have a very close relationship, and Mary is not shy.

Although she made a fuss about fiddling with chopsticks all of a sudden, Rurik saw her focused look.

"It seems that there are no cutlery in Mercia's court." Rurik teased casually.

"Yes. We all use our hands, only spoons for soup. Sometimes men use knives to cut meat."

"Not elegant. In Ross, we have spoons, knives, forks, and these two little sticks. Women, especially, can't reach for food."

"I want to learn." She looked a little shy and determined.

"Yes. You still have a lot to learn. For example, you need to go to a special place to use the toilet, and you must wash your hands afterward. Eat quickly, it means that I will soak in hot water to feel comfortable. You also come together."

"Soaking in hot water? Baptism?!" She probed warily.

"No, just bathing. It's Roman enjoyment! Woman, you and I speak Roman Latin now. What's wrong with some Roman enjoyment."

"It's... well. I find it a little odd."

"That's how we live, we're tougher than bears in battle, and we know how to live in peace."

"It's... well."

After a while, Rurik was immersed in the hot water, and the floral-scented signature soap washed himself clean again.

Then, Queen Mary also came for the cleanest wash I can remember in my life. She blamed herself for being unclean, so there was no taboo to be wiped by Rurik. Yes, why should you be shy? Only this Viking nobleman considers himself a real woman.

In Mercia, she couldn't have a chance, and now, when she found that she could rub a lot of mud on her skin, she simply called herself unclean.

Rurik didn't give her a chance to rest, so he closed his eyes, and frantically began scrubbing her cut short brown hair again. Rurik's movements were indeed violent, but he was actually afraid that she might have flea eggs on her body.

After soaking in comfort, Rurik was in the steam room again, enjoying a serious Finnish sauna. However, this extreme "post-war rest" came to an end when Mary was directly steamed into a coma.

Mary fell asleep, and it was the next morning when she woke up. She felt that everything was a dream, and only when she patted her face did she realize that this was the reality and that she was already in the new world. Seeing the clothes she just got neatly folded aside, she couldn't help but smile. She quickly changed her clothes, puffed her nose and sniffed, looking for the scent of wheat and approached the noisy dining room of Duke Ross' Palace.

It was also here that Rurik was already feasting on his elite guards, as well as the Rus and Slav elites who stayed on Tombstone Island.

There is indeed a Slavic population here, numbering more than two hundred. They are all from Novgorod and established a traditional farm here. However, the soil and climate of this archipelago are not suitable for growing wheat. Apart from diligently growing carrots and onions, they become fishermen, just like the real Rus. Fish for a living. They are already calling themselves Rus.

Seeing that Mary Shanshan was late, the woman was also pulled over.

A large oak cup slammed in front of it, and then looked at the people here, and entered the barbarian Colosseum by himself.

Just when she was overwhelmed and shivered, a red-faced strong man with a savage face shouted rudely in Norse: "Mercia woman, you must know our rules when you join us. Drink!"

Mary was really a little scared, but Rurik also urged uncharacteristically with a hint of drunkenness.

Helpless, Mary drank the craft beer with her hands on the glass.

The majority of the soldiers collectively began to clap the table and applaud.

mess? It was a messy lunch, but it was also very lively.

Two roasted lambs were brought in, and the soldiers cut their meat one by one with steel swords and placed them on the dinner plate. Soon, new oak barrels full of ale (purchased from a guest wine merchant in Melalen) were sent in. Barbecue seems to be just an appetizer, including cooked wheat as a topping. Today's feast is the main purpose.

Poor Mary, she has just woken up. She is incapable of drinking and drinking for the first time in her life. A big glass of ale made her drunk again, but she was pulled back to the bedroom to rest again.

It was rare for Rurik to get drunk the last time, but fortunately, this body quickly recovered from the hangover.

This pure Viking carnival was accompanied by gluttony, and the joy continued into the night. The islanders piled up huge mountains of firewood and lit a violent torch like a lighthouse, which was their tribute to Rurik, Duke of Ross.