125 119

I leaned over the side and watched my reflection in the surface of the water ... another scar on the face, another tooth lost ... this job will finish me.

- What are you thinking about? (One-eyed)

- Getting old ... (Ulf)

- Well, we all do. (One-eyed)

I looked at him.

- There is a difference, I get old like wine, the older the better, but you get old like milk. (Ulf)

- You're whining like an old woman. You need entertainment. Choose a slave girl and have fun. (One-eyed)

- I don't like waiting in line. (Ulf)

It was true, as we were on the ship, the atmosphere was less tense and I allowed my people a little fun. These women were new to them, exotic beauty, they could not deny themselves this pleasure.

If you think about it, gang ra.pe had a lot to do with democracy, the majority decided, but unlike elections, in the case of gang ra.pe, the majority remained content after the fact ...

- You're thinking of something stupid again ... (One-Eyed)

- Yes, old story ... when will we be Kattegat? (Ulf)

- We'll be in Jorvik in three days, and in Kattegat in two weeks at the latest. (One-eyed)

- Well. Tell the people to change the woman, this one is almost unconscious. (Ulf)

Three days later we were already in Jorvik. We had to replenish our supplies. Sell ​​redundant goods and also wanted to know if there are any new rumors or news from Wessex, Mercia and Wales.

- Something interesting happened while we were away? (Ulf)

- As we said, prisoners from Wales escaped. Besides, small skirmishes with the Scots, but nothing more. Kingdom of Mercia and Wessex silence, we have no news. Better tell me where have you been? (Leif)

- We attacked several settlements and one larger city in a country even further than the Kingdom of the Franks. Go take a look at the slaves, maybe a few will catch your eye. How did you organize the escape? (Ulf)

- It was simple, I announced that we were sending them north to work on fortifications. As if to protect us from the attacks of the Scots, I gave them a small guard, which they killed on the way, and fled. We lost twenty people, but that's a small loss. (Leif)

- In two days we go to Kattegat, most of the people stay with you ... do you need something from Norway? Do you have any topics you want to discuss? (Ulf)

- I plan to organize a few coastal raids, mainly Scottish settlements. (Leif)

- You don't have to ask me about such things, do as you please ... just try to spare women as much as possible. Men and boys, sell to this merchant who trades with Rus. (Ulf)

- Why this merchant? (Leif)

- As far as I know, Rus trades slaves with Arabs, and they always need people and pay rather well. (Ulf)

I thought Leif would have some serious plans, like Ireland. As for Scotsmen, raiding was advisable. They cross the established border of the lands and they also have to understand that we can cross it... Opening a trade route through Rus to Constantinople and further to the Arab countries will certainly help me economically, and next year I will have a lot of Anglo-Saxons for sale.

In the evening I decided to walk anonymously around Jorvik and see with my own eyes what the local life looks like. Despite the late hour, there were a lot of people in the streets. Mainly warriors, merchants, prostitutes and slaves. I stopped at one of the taverns, ordered mead and some food, and listened to people talking.

(Random POV)

- I heard that King Ulf came to town today. (Random 1)

- Yes, I have seen his ships. They were unloading the loot at the harbor, and there were over 1,000 female slaves ... all of them had darker skin than us. (Random 2)

- Darker? What color? (Random 1)

- You'll see yourself tomorrow, if you didn't drink all your silver, you might even buy one. (Random 3)

- I am not short of silver, there is a lot of it around here, you just need to take it. (Random 1)

- Pay attention only to whose silver you reach, because you can pay for it with your head. The merchants are protected by the orders of King Ulf. (Random 3)

(End POV)

After a while, a girl appeared with my order ... I was about to start eating when a drunk man burst onto my table, knocking everything over. The man fell to the ground ... but as it turned out he wasn't drunk, there was a knife in his chest.

I looked around the room and saw ... a big bastard. I was not a short person, but this man was two heads taller than me and twice as wide as I was. Big or small ... he wasted my dinner.

- You stabbed this man with a knife? (Ulf)

- Yes, and you have a problem with that? (Big Guy)

- I don't care about the corpse, but it ruined my dinner. So you will pay for it ... either voluntarily or I will force you. (Ulf)

There was silence in the inn, the giant began to laugh and slowly picked up his ax. Not much thought, I bent down and took the knife out of the man's chest, looked at the giant, and threw a knife at him with all my strength.

I hit his neck, the whole blade sunk into his body and even a bit of the hilt.

The owner of the inn ran up to me.

- He was the best and strongest fighter in Jorvik. (Owner)

- If you say so. (Ulf)

I approached the dying giant, he tried to gasp, and with a knife in his neck it is not easy ... I took his purse.

- Thank you, I thought I would have to force you, but you chose an easier solution. (Ulf)