Thorge pulled the fur closer as he walked over the snowy estate.

His good!

After the longhouse was finished, they had quickly chosen him Jarl. He had not known how it happened when Lasse one evening asked who the new Jarl should be and his name came from all mouths and all his belongings were taken from the boat to the nave.

Naya had just smiled at him while the others swore allegiance to him.

Several weeks had passed since then.

Even before the first snow had fallen, they built more huts and he was glad for every man and woman who had accompanied him on his journey.

By now there were five more large huts and the rest would build them after the snowmelt.

His breath formed little clouds as he crossed the small estate. He was terribly tired.

They had all done a lot and Thorge had not rested. He was always the first to work and the last to come home in the evening. But now he realized it too. He was infinitely tired. His steps were slow and he was glad that no one came after him this time to solve any problem.

He saw that Finn and Yorrick were working in the smithy. The boy did not keep his eyes off Finn's lips and Finn calmly explained each step to him. He had insisted on making a leather apron for Yorrick and appointing him as his assistant.

Thorge raised his hand and walked on to Lasse's hut, which looked more like a longhouse. it was not quite finished, but you could live in it.

Softly, he knocked on the door and after a while Yall opened the door.

"Jarl Stijnsson!", He greeted him reverently.

Thorge clicked his tongue.

"What about Uncle Thorge?"

Yall grinned.

"I will soon be a man and will swear allegiance to you then. Then I can not call you uncle anymore. Where is Kjell? "

Thorge tapped his feet before entering the hut.

"The little berserker drives the women nuts!"

He heard his sister laugh.

"And you escaped, because otherwise you draw the wrath of women on you?"

Young Lasse took off his fur coat and Thorge went on to the fireplace where Jule and Lasse sat. Maer sat at her feet playing with the little wooden figures that Yorrick had carved.

Lasse got up and grasped Thorge's forearm. Jule kissed her cheek.

"No! He drives them crazy, but they love him idolatrously. I actually came here because I wanted to discuss something with Lasse. "

Jule stood up and wanted to leave her alone, but Thorge raised his hand.

"No! Stay calm. It also affects you in a way. "He sat down on a stool and ignored the chair, which was lined with furs and sat on the lasse, Yall handed him a cup of warm wine and he took a sip.

He took a deep breath.

"We are well through the winter. Jülf and I controlled the supplies today. We calculated really well and do not need to slaughter livestock. "

Lasse nodded and sat down opposite him.

"But something worries you?"

Thorge nodded.

"I do not know how long the winters are here. I have always heard that they are long. We grow the fields in the spring, but you know it will take until autumn to harvest. "

Lasse grinned.

"Raid or trade trip?"

Thorge grinned back. His uncle always had the same ideas as he did.

"I think we should first refrain from a raid. A trade trip will suffice. And I want you to take it. "

Lasse's eyes widened.

"I? Why not you?"

Thorge sighed.

"At the moment it is quiet. But in the spring I will have more work. Especially because you're going to take men with you. And I do not want to leave Naya alone for long! "

Jule nodded.

"I can understand that. Who knows when the baby is coming? "

Thorge sighed.

"I also want to let the area inquire. The forest still has a lot of wood, but until everyone has their hut and the protective fence is built, he will probably not be so big. "

Lasse laughed.

"I am glad that I am not the Jarl. By all the gods, can you even sleep with all the thoughts? "

Thorge sighed and leaned his torso against the tapestry Naya Jule had given.

"Very little. I can only be glad that I have trustworthy men around me. So, what do you mean? "

Lasse nodded.

"If my jarl orders it, of course I'll go on a trading trip."

Thorge rolled his eyes annoyed.

"You're welcome. I came here because I wanted to avoid all the jarl talk. "

Jule and Lasse both laughed.

"It's pretty hard, is not it?"

Thorge became sleepy.

"People come all day and ask me the wildest stuff. That only stops when I go to my room. And in the morning Kjell wakes me up. Even though Naya tries to keep him quiet, he only has to make a sound and I'm wide awake. And then everything starts again. "

His eyes fell to him.

He was so tired and it was so warm here. The wine had also made him sleepy.

Again and again he tried to open his eyes and follow what Lasse said, but he did not succeed. Slowly he dawns away.

"He finally fell asleep. I thought we could not do it anymore! ", He heard Lasse say softly.

Thorge wanted to fight back and claim that he had not fallen asleep at all. But he did not even open his mouth anymore.

"Did you see how bad he looked? With all the gods that the others did not notice. I'm glad that Naya is at least that reasonable. ", Jule complained." He got so skinny! "

Lasse laughed softly.

"But you also know that he will become very angry when he learns that she has sent him here and Hind has given us herbs that he can sleep at last."

He was picked up and put on a bed.

"I'm just wondering why Naya insisted he sleep here."

"Oh, Lasse. He has no peace in the nave. Now let's go so Naya can take it off. "

Oh well!

This little witch!

Someone put a blanket over him.

"Yall! We go to the nave. Take your sister. Tonight we sleep in Uncle Thorges's bed! "

Thorge sighed as it calmed down.

Quiet!

Finally peace!

Naya had taken Thorge out to the breaking point, which was quite difficult because her stomach was rounded. But he continued to sleep and that was a good thing.

She had noticed for a few days that he was getting paler and did not sleep well at night. As soon as Kjell moved, Thorge was awake and looking after him.

He barely ate because he was just too tired.

She had tried to talk to him about it several times, but he always refused, saying there was too much to do.

At some point she had had enough.

It could be that there was a lot to do, but that certainly did not mean the Jarl had to work himself to death.

She had sat down with the women and they had worked out a battle plan.

It had been hard to send Thorge to Lasse, but she had finally made it. Hind had herbs that made him sleep.

And now he finally lay in bed and slept soundly.

Kjell would sleep with Leya tonight and Lasse had assured her that they could stay with him as long as necessary.

She covered Thorge and stoked the fire once more.

Then she looked around.

She had never been in a house long before the time she had lived with the Gunnarssons. Of course with her mother, but at that time Naya barely remembered.

She barely remembered her mother. Her father had always spoken of her in awe.

It had only been one night that her parents had spent together and Naya was born out of it. While her father had moved on, unaware that a child was traveling, her mother stayed with the estate and kept working. She had no other choice, because she had no family.

Naya was about four years old when her mother was killed by a tree in a storm. The hut she had heard was soon used by another family and Naya had to live in a kind of barn with the other children.

When her father finally found out about her existence, another eight years passed. As a skald, he was always on the move and never in one place for long. But he came to her and got her out. And only from that point on she had a nice life. They were always on the move, but her father had loved her and taught her everything he knew. She had listened to his stories and his songs every night, and a year later she was even allowed to sing along with him. He had always been very proud of her voice and also thought that he would earn more coins if she accompanied his singing.

But they had never had a real home. If they had to spend the winter, they usually did it in barns or in cattle sheds. Only rarely had they been allowed to sleep in the nave. Her father, however, had made sure that she always learned. And if it was just weaving or spinning.

The negotiation that Thorge admired so much about her had been learned from her father.

One morning she woke up. Her father, however, not. He had died during the night. So it had been up to her to raise a grave in the middle of the forest and to lay her father to rest. She did not remember all the rituals, and she hoped that her father still had a good place to watch over her.

And she was sure that he did that, otherwise she would never have met Thorge.

Her father had told her the story of the Gunnarssons again and again, as if he had known she would meet them sometime. And he had talked about the little boy who had always sat at his feet listening to his stories. It was not until Thorge had told her about her father that she realized that her father had meant Thorge.

She looked up.

"Was that always your plan? Did you want Thorge for me as a man? "

She laughed softly.

He was not her husband yet. There had not been time to celebrate a wedding, but Naya did not care. She belonged to Thorge. Even without a ceremony.

The child struggled violently in her stomach and she giggled, because as soon as she put her hand down and began to sing, it was quiet.

"Your father definitely wants you to become a warrior, my little dwarf. Kjell is already the skald in our family! "

She heard Thorge moan in her sleep and turn to the side.

She sat down by the fireplace and sewed on the little shirt. She had to prepare so much until the baby was born.

She hummed softly to herself.

Not only was the child quiet, but Thorge did not roll around anymore.

She laughed again and stroked her stomach again.

"Even if he would never admit it, your dad is a good storyteller. And he likes to listen to my voice. But do not tell him I told you that. "

The stranger, who warmed his hands to Ingulf's fireplace, was not fond of Herdi.

He had pulled the hood deep into his face, so that one did not recognize it. He had suddenly appeared and had asked for Ingulf. He had wanted to speak to no one else, even though Herdi had assured him that she spoke for her husband when he was not there.

He had just overlooked her but accepted a mug of warm mead from one of the young women. But he had refused the food.

He wanted to talk to Ingulf first.

Herdi sat in her chair, which the stranger had acknowledged with a nasty sound. She did not know why, but she had sat down in the smaller chair.

Even though she could not recognize his face, she sensed that he did not just let himself be wrapped around his finger. He also had some authority that she knew from no man.

The cloak slipped slightly and she saw his strong arms with the tattoos that seemed familiar to her. But she did not know where she had seen her before. It was a dragon snaking around his forearm.

At last she heard the gong announcing the arrival of her husband. At last she would find out who the stranger was.

But when Ingulf came to the nave, the young woman, who had given the stranger to drink, came to him and whispered something in his ear.

Ingulf raised his head in horror and then went to the stranger. He gripped his forearm and bowed his head reverently, as if the stranger were standing over him.

Who was this man?

Herdi assumed that Ingulf would introduce him, but nothing like that happened.

But on the contrary.

The men spoke softly and Herdi did not speak a word of what they were saying. Then Ingulf led him into his chambers, ignoring Herdi.

Herdi snorted, but for some time she ignored Ingulf. He did not want to say anything more about her. He behaved like a real Jarl and Herdi could be happy if he allowed her to sit next to him while eating.

He had allowed her to take his boat, but he had demanded that she take care of everything herself. He did not want to mess with the young Nordmann. By now it was clear that her three warriors would not return. She had repeatedly complained to Ingulf, but he said that neither Finn, nor the brothers or Jülf had sworn him or her an oath. Also, they had never sworn allegiance. He had shrugged his shoulders and said that nothing could be done there.

Ingulf no longer respected her and how he treated this stranger showed her that she had gone too far in his eyes.

She sneaked close to the chambers, but one of Ingulf's warriors barred her way.

"Let me through!" She demanded, but he shook his head.

"No! Ingulf demands rest. And he warned me that you would show up here. He does not wish to see you! "

Herdi wanted to stamp on her foot. What did Ingulf imagine?

Offended, she went back into the hall.

She would find out who this stranger was.

Ingulf waited until the woman who brought them the food had disappeared. And only then did the man take off his cloak.

"I never thought that I would once have a Gunnarsson guest."

Stijn Gunnarsson snorted.

"My son was with you, or did I misinterpret the rumors?"

Ingulf shook his head.

The similarity between father and son was startling, though it was always said that Thorge was not a descendant of the Gunnarssons.

"Why the stealth? And what are you doing here?"

Stijn sat down in one of the armchairs and put a piece of bread in his mouth.

"We landed on an island near you. We were well taken care of, but then we heard something that upset us a lot. "

Ingulf sat down opposite him.

"We?"

Stijn laughed mockingly and put a piece of meat in his mouth.

"My brother, his son, my son and our women. Believe me when I tell you that I've prevented the worst. "

Ingulf swallowed hard.

"The worst prevented? By the gods, what did I do to make you angry with me? "

Stijn laughed again and Ingulf got scared.

"You? Nothing! Your wife is the one who almost felt our anger. "

Ingulf let out a relieved breath and quickly drank a swig of mead.

"But you can be glad that I have brought peace to everything by saying that it is my affair. My son Sjard would have preferred to ride with me just to avenge his brothers. And even my wife, who is actually the gentleness in person, would prefer to rip out each hair of your wife individually. But first I wanted to hear your story. That is why I am here. And since I suspect that your wife lied to me from the sky, I kept my head down. I have heard of you, Ingulf. And I know that you are actually an honorable man. Except for the rumors. But I'm not particularly interested in whether you killed your brother. "

He again took a piece of bread and wiped the gravy with his fingers.

"I have treated your son with all honors."

Stijn nodded.

"I heard that. But I also heard that your wife has lost a bet and has redeemed her poorly. Or do you want to tell me that it is not true that Thorge only heard cripples and frightened women, although good men were promised to him? "

Ingulf took a deep breath.

"That's right. And I'm sorry it happened like that. However, I also felt Thorge intended. "

Stijn cursed softly.

"The damned brat and his damned mercy."

He looked at Ingulf.

"I could forgive your wife, because it would be my son's fault if he did not pay attention. But I heard that Herdi is planning a raid. And against my son! Is that true? "

Ingulf nodded.

"She gave Thorge her boat and three of her best warriors. Neither the men nor the boat have reappeared! "

Stijn laughed again mockingly.

"A small price for the shame she did to Thorge." He raised his hand as Ingulf tried to contradict him. "No, it is true that even though Thorge had accepted the men, Herdi betrayed him and the men ... is it possible that they did not want to go back? "

Ingulf sighed softly.

Then he started to tell everything. When he had finished, Stijn's face had become a stone mask.

"What kind of man are you?" He asked.

Ingulf bowed his head.

"Not a good. I know that very well. I've put up with everything from Herdi for far too long. But that has already changed. I will forbid her to plan this raid. I have already demanded of her that she grow her own men. I will ban that, too. "

Stijn shook his head.

Then he looked seriously at Ingulf.

"Is there something else about your wife?"

Now it was Ingulf who laughed mockingly.

"She put the horns on me. In my own home! She beat up women who could have caught my attention. She forbade me to take a second wife. She denied me a son because she hopes that I will die soon and she will then take over the sole rule here. And all because of this story back then. She had me in her hand, but that changes. "

Stijn listened quietly.

Then he took a sip.

"You will not tell her that we are on the way to my son. Do not mention that we will stay with him for a long time. If she gets the men together, let her go! "

He gave Ingulf a bag.

"The silver should compensate for your loss!"

Ingulf weighed the bag in his hand. He was very heavy.

"That's more than I deserve. But what about the men? I'm not comfortable with innocent men dying just because my wife ... "

Stijn got up and put his cape back on.

"Do not worry about that. If they find out who they are dealing with, they will retire! "

He pulled his hood down again.

"One more! Where can I find my son? "