Legends Never Die: Eyes on the Prize (ch. 78) (Patreon)

Without boats filled with treasure, the sail back to Norland was relatively quick even with the much slower Abbasid ships. After a quick day of sailing, we arrived at the docks to cheering applause that didn't diminish even when they learned that we came back empty handed. That, I suspected, was because we had already brought back more wealth than most people had ever seen and we could barely store it all as it was.

There was also a collective air of relief that we were done with the war. It had been a time of stress because of the army of nearly twenty five thousand men prowling at our borders. The battle fatigue built up -- first with dozens of small battles, then a large one, and no sooner than we had won that, we then fought several sieges. The spoils were a fine reward, but that exhaustion still built up all the same.

I certainly felt it as I made my way up to the longhouse, content to leave Norland to rejoice while I got a handle on things. I had just decided to do it in comfort, which was how I found myself sinking into a brass tube that we had taken from the Abbasids, which was filled with steaming hot water. A low sigh escaped me as I sank up to my chin, dozens of wounds stinging from the heat, but my muscles relaxed for the first time in weeks.

“Has Thorkell returned?” I asked, closing my eyes before I felt hands weave into my hair, undoing the braid that I kept it in. Based on the softness of her fingers, I knew it was Jill.

“Not yet,” Jill answered, combing her fingers through my hair, wetting it. “The scout ships you left us have seen some activity from the Abbasids -- they're guarding the coast. That could be why he hasn't come back yet,” Jill offered and I opened my eyes to see the wooden bath house that was attached to the longhouse. The brass tub was a new addition, but there were several wooden ones.

I wasn't exactly concerned, but I was starting to move in that direction. I had thought that Thorkell would have arrived before me. It had been two weeks and he hadn't sailed back. Had it been a mistake to leave him in enemy territory? Would I even know if he had perished? “Prince Harun and Hadi anticipated an invasion from the sea. They must have sent a message to the towns south of Acre.” I mused, considering a course of action.

I would give it a few more days before I would set sail to Acre to see if I could track down Thorkell. I wouldn't raid, and it wouldn't be an attack -- so, it wouldn't be a violation of my oath. It would expose me to attack however. I wouldn't expect the Abbasids to pass up an opportunity to kill me.

“Should we expect another attack?” Jill questioned and I shook my head, sinking deeper into the water.

“They're too out of position to attack Crete and they know it. If they use the ships they have left at all, I'd expect them to sail into Anatolia. Has there been any word?” I asked, curious how the broader war was shaping up.

“Tatzates and Michael are both marching on the Abbasid army with fifty thousand men, but if there has been a battle, word of it hasn't reached us yet.” Jill answered and I sighed again. “Jealous?”

“It would be an experience to fight in such a large battle. A hundred thousand men on a single field. Every time I think I've witnessed the largest battle in history, I hear about a larger one,” I mused, splashing water on my face. The final battle in Francia was only half as large. “But, we've gained enough. And we are spent.”

I thought I heard Jill breathe a sigh of relief behind me. “You've certainly given me enough work,” she replied, sounding amused. “I was dreading having to find more space for the loot, and doing another count,” she teased with a smile in her voice. “The thralls could pose a problem, however. After everything, the Abbasid thralls match us in numbers.”

That was a concern. With a thought, I brought up one of my standing quests from the gods.

Quest: Founding a city.

Objectives:

Population: 9,221/25,000

Wealth: 43,806/100,000

Military power: 3,674/10,000

Notable buildings: 1/5

The wealth I had gained brought me nearly halfway to my target. It almost made me regret my oath, but I knew that it would be worth it in the end. My task was to turn the wealth that I had collected into what I needed to reach the goal. My military strength, however, had taken a harsh blow. I still had more men than I started with, but over the past month, I had lost over a thousand men. Most would recover from their injuries, but they may not be in a position to continue to fight.

“We'll extend an offer to the thralls -- all but the skilled ones,” I corrected myself. “We will put them on a ship to sail back to their homeland. Or, they can remain and learn a trade from the craftsmen. That should split their numbers enough to make them manageable.” I decided, already having given the idea some thought. The younger thralls, the ones that had little hope of inheritance or finding a trade, would choose to remain behind. And the craftsmen would be more inclined to share their secrets with their own countrymen.

“Some could become merchants,” Jill ventured, following up on my idea. “It would be a shame to scrap the fleet that we gained. They're larger than our ships, so they have more space for goods. I've spoken to our merchants and there are markets beyond the Romans. There are the Umayyad Caliphate to the east, the Bulgars, a small kingdom in the region of Italy… and Francia.” To that last one, I snorted.

“I imagine King Charlemagne would be less than pleased to find my ships in one of his harbors,” I replied, chuckling. “But the idea is good. It would reduce our reliance on Michalis,” I added, finding that I liked the idea. I'm sure many thralls would seek to return home, but I imagine quite a few of them would seek to bring over their families for a better life in Norland if they felt like they had a future here.

“We should make an announcement of it during the feast,” Jill decided. “It would soothe some of the bad blood with our new arrivals and give them reason to celebrate instead of stewing in their resentment.” To that, I nodded.

A celebration was needed. To honor the gods and thank them for our victories as much as the bounty that we had received. “One of many announcements, I should think,” I said, reaching up to her hand as she continued to comb my hair. I gave it a small reassuring squeeze, the meaning behind my words clear.

I was pleased to see that Jill smiled in anticipation. Leaning down, she pressed her lips to my cheek before pulling back. “I shall await the announcement, then. Relax until then. You’ve more than earned it,” she said, kissing me on the cheek again before stepping away to leave me soaking in the water. I smiled faintly, closing my eyes once more as I leaned against the lip of the brass tub.

Now was a time of opportunity, I knew. I had an influx of wealth, skilled craftsmen, ships, and my town was experiencing a population boom. The steps I took now would shape the rest of my stay in the Mediterranean. Now was the time to learn. To make mistakes. To test the ideas that I had when it came to developing a city.

So, as I closed my eyes, I started to envision what I wanted Norland to look like. I pictured marble streets and buildings with clay roofs. I saw a temple to the gods. I saw tall walls. I saw streets of craftsmen -- streets of blacksmiths, weavers, glassmakers, painters, and more. All of them flowing into large markets near the docks that were bustling with ships from all corners of the sea. I would be getting a shipment of foreign knowledge… a library, I thought. A replacement for the Library of Alexandria that would store copies of all that I learned from the Romans and the Abbasids.

And an arena, like the Hippodrome. Or the Colosseum I had read about in texts. I would build bathhouses. And hospices for my warriors that found themselves too injured to continue fighting.

I would need to start training a garrison force, I think. Constantinople had a city watch that patrolled the streets in search of crime -- I had heard they were helplessly corrupt, but I hadn’t seen that firsthand. So, I would need to come up with something to stop corruption from taking root. Or, at the very least, make it difficult. It would also be left behind to help manage the city once I left with my army.

My head was full of ideas and I knew a great many of them were too ambitious. But, I needed to try. I needed to learn. I had to discover the best way to build roads. The best kind of houses to build in the much harsher weather in Denmark. Because, in the end, Norland was an experiment.

I must have dozed off in the tub because when one of the servants came to check on me, I awoke to tepid water. Waving off a refill to the tub, I dried myself off and got dressed, finding myself refreshed after the long soak. Jill was busying herself with preparing the feast, with help from Astrid. Choosing to leave them be, I decided to take care of some business before the feast.

Norland, despite the influx of people that were here by force, was in a festive mood. The Romans that had fought with us were celebrating, my warriors were indulging in the riches they’d earned. Odds were, there wouldn't be any work done for days, if not weeks. Which made me sincerely hope that Irene didn't send me a message to continue the fight. My men could use the rest.

Norland, even in the brief time I had been away, had undergone changes. Housing near the docks had been repurposed or rebuilt into warehouses. The second hill that Norland had expanded to was being settled with more organization now that we weren't in a mad rush with an enemy breathing down our necks. Market squares were laid out, and some buildings like taverns or inns were used as cornerstones while the areas around them were filled in as buildings were built.

The blacksmiths were hard at work, and they likely would be for some time. The Abbasid army’s arms and armor were all collected and being melted down. There was so much of it that most would end up becoming nails or tools as my warriors provided more than what they needed for a shirt of riveted mail and weapons. The extra hands would help alleviate the strain on the dozen smiths that we brought with us.

My destination was a tavern, where I found who I was looking for. Pushing the door open, I immediately felt myself become the center of attention. Garald, however, raised a toast to me with reverence in his eyes. “The Wolf-Kissed! The Raven-Feeder!” He exclaimed, and I swallowed down my discomfort of how he looked at me.

From the very start, Garald looked at me as if I were a god. Now, he looked at me with even greater fervor… because in his eyes, his faith had been rewarded. There was no shadow of a doubt that he was right to come to me from across the known world. It was in everyone's gazes as I entered the tavern.

“Rest easy. You've all earned it,” I said placatingly, but they celebrated it all the same as I made my way to Garald. The seat across from him was offered up and I took it, nodding in his direction.

I didn't feel great about this, I decided. “For now, our part in the war is done but we need to replenish our numbers-”

“I'll leave immediately,” Garald said, getting up. In that moment, I knew that it wouldn't matter if I told him to swim to Denmark. He'd get there or die trying. However, I stopped him with a hand.

“Rest, and be easy, Garald. Let us celebrate our victories,” I said and the man seemed almost sheepish that I wasn't immediately sending him. “When the feast and celebrations end, I'm sending you to Denmark and Norway with five ships heavy with treasure. There, I want you to do several things -- I want you to recruit men. As many as you can. And I want you to spread word that I have found Miklagard, and that it is a place of great riches.”

That would draw more men. I wanted to weaken Horrik in particular, sapping his strength so he couldn't strike out at my allies. Already, I had taken two thousand men from him. Ideally, I would take more.

Garald nodded eagerly and I swallowed my discomfort once more. “I also want you to meet with King Hoffer to commission the construction of fifty longships. Use the treasures that I send with you to pay for it.” I didn't want to build them here.

Our longships were much faster than any I had seen in the Mediterranean sea. That was an advantage that I was loath to give up. It was safer to build them with my people, and have them brought down to me.

“Lastly, I would have you deliver messages to my family in Norway. They will be with King Hoffer, and carry their responses back upon your return,” I said. It was a tall mission that I was giving him. And a great deal of trust. Yet, as uncomfortable as it was, I knew I could trust him with it. He wouldn't steal the treasures or the gold. He wouldn't betray me to Horrik. The thoughts wouldn't even occur to him.

The man was a zealot and I was his deity.

“It would be my highest honor, Wolf-Kissed,” Garald said, religious rapture in his gaze as if I had entrusted him with a divine mission. I… would need to pray to Odin for wisdom on how to deal with that, I decided, because I certainly had no clue how to handle it on my own.

“Take men that you trust. Weather permitting, you should be back before winter,” I said, clapping him on the shoulder as I got up to leave. It would take a few months for the longships to be constructed, especially in such volume. It was even likely that it would take more than a year to build the fifty ships. Eventually, my band of mercenaries would be replenished, if not bolstered. My fleet would nearly double in size, and that was without counting the Abbasid ships.

In a year, my position would be stronger than ever.

Leaving Garald and his men behind, who were already fighting over who would join Garald back to Denmark, I found myself thinking of the steps I would need to take. I would need to continue raiding -- mostly to train my men. Raiding the Franks or the Abbasids risked provoking a war, so I would have to turn my gaze elsewhere in the Mediterranean. It would also be a good way to sniff out talent and refine my army for the battles in Denmark -- leaders, fighters, archers, scouts, and so on.

On another note, my studies at Constantinople could continue without interruption. I had learned lessons of war well enough, but it was past time that I turned my attention to the studies I struggled with more.

The hours went by in preparation for the feast while I made plans, setting our course in the coming months. I was feeling excited for it, I decided, finding myself seated in a throne at a high table in the heart of Norland. A marketplace that was set in such a way so that my words would be able to reach everyone. At the heart of the marketplace was a large pile of logs that would soon be ignited into a bonfire. And, for hours, the servants cooked a feast with the foodstuffs that we brought from the Abbasids.

The festive mood had intensified a hundred fold. There was music playing, people dancing, singing, and friendly competitions. The newly taken thralls were less happy, but that was to be expected, and I hoped that would soon change with the news I planned to deliver.

I found myself enjoying the festivities from my seat at the high table. A weight that had been on my shoulders since we arrived on Crete was lifted -- we had won. My family sat with me at the high table, though Morrigan had chosen to go missing rather than enjoy the celebration. Beneath us were my Commanders -- Olek, Authun, Alfic, and Hoffer. All except Thorkell.

It was as the sun was beginning to set that I found myself thumping a carved horn tankard on the table, knowing that it was time for a speech. Word quickly began to spread and I rose to my feet to the marketplace falling silent. Taking in a deep breath, I raised up my cup of mead.

“First, to you, my warriors! We came to a distant land and foreign shores, chasing tales of splendor!” I began in norse, hearing translators echo out my words to my army in various languages -- Germanic, Greek, and there was even someone translating the Greek to Persian for the Thralls. Norland was named for us Norsemen, but I ruled over a truly diverse people. There was cheering going up before I continued, “We have arrived and we have earned a place for ourselves. We have found enemies and brought them low. We have found friends, and with them, great wealth! Our voyage is worthy of a saga that the skalds shall sing of for a thousand years!”

There was a louder cheer and, to my annoyance, I realized whose speech pattern I was copying. Swallowing my annoyance, I continued on, “Let these lands remember our deeds, I say. A runestone shall be erected!” I called out, and my Norse companions cheered, and so did the Germanic men when they understood what I meant. Our peoples were not so different in culture.

The runestone would be the second notable building I constructed. It would be the greatest one my people had ever carved. And it would be how I hid a temple to the gods. The runestone would be carved on four sides, each telling the story of our arrival and deeds in a different language -- Norse, Greek, Frankish, and Arabic. There would be room left for more adventures while I remained in this land, but to start with would detail our war with the Abbasids and the victory in the valley.

The runestone would be located in a grove that I would construct. I would ask for a seedling from the great tree in Verdun to plant in the grove. I would not live to see it, but one day the descendant of Yggdrasil would stand proud in the grove. Amongst the flowers and herbs would be carved statues of the gods where the faithful could speak to them. To those uneducated in our ways, they would merely seem to be stone guardians.

“However, I did not accomplish these deeds worthy of a runestone alone. It was with your bravery, valor, and skill that we managed to defeat the Abbasids!” More cheering, and my gaze drifted amongst the crowd. There, I saw men and women, all looking up at me, hanging off of every word. My gaze lingered on a man, holding up a cup of ale, a long scar taking one of his eyes and he had bloody rags on a stump of a hand. “Nor shall I forget the sacrifice such victories cost. Some paid with their bodies. Others, their lives. They sup in Valhalla with the gods, yet their families remain.”

I could tell people were uncertain where I was going with this, so I quickly arrived at the destination. “I will not allow the families of the brave warriors who sailed with me to go hungry. Nor will I allow warriors who paid for victory with their bodies and limbs to suffer destitution. A half share, coming from my share of any loot taken, will go to them and to you.”

My men were already loyal. Half of them mistook me for a god. Yet, the thunderous cheering as my words sunk in rivaled that of what I heard in the Hippodrome. My men were already rich, they likely wouldn't need the extra wealth, but they took heart simply because I showed that I would not abandon them. Yet, the reaction I received was more pronounced than I expected. More… intense. I half worried I would be mobbed, not because they hated me, but because they loved me.

It took a full ten minutes for things to quiet down enough that even the shouts to settle down could be heard. It was partly a spur of the moment decision on my part -- With how wealth was distributed, I saw two shares of the whole lot taken. After sacking three cities back to back, I had truly mind-boggling amounts of wealth. Even with the diminishment of half a share, I don't think I would even notice the loss of wealth.

It was five minutes more before things settled enough for me to take Jill’s hand and gently pull her to her feet. A smile curled at her lips, her hair and clothes immaculate, wanting to appear perfect for this moment and she was stunning. “A final announcement. On the final day of this celebration, there shall be a marriage. Long have I been betrothed to Gunjill Horrikdottir, and in the time since, she has served me faithfully and without reservation. Before the eyes of you and the eyes of the gods, I shall take her to be my second wife.”

You'd think that they were the ones getting married, I thought. Or that I was marrying them. Jill smiled beautifully, basking in a moment I knew I made her wait too long for. I should have married her in Norway. She deserved it then. Though, maybe that wouldn't have been the wisest decision, I thought seeing a flicker of a scowl come from Hoffer, even as his sister cheered as loud as anyone else, even sweeping Jill into a hug.

And it was only then that I saw a familiar face standing above the crowd that cheered for my incoming union. My heart unclenched when I saw Thorkell striding through the crowd, which parted for him with puzzling ease. It was only when he arrived at the front of the crowd that I saw why. An orange striped cat the size of a small horse was pushing his way through the crowd, his lips pulled back to reveal large fangs. I had never seen such a beast before, but I think I knew what it was -- a tiger.

Next to the tiger, who clung to him like a life line, was a woman. She wore light green silks and gold, and even with a veil over her face couldn’t hide her apprehension. They came to a stop, and I saw that Thorkell was joined by others -- the warriors I left with him, though fewer in number, and more prisoners than I expected.

The beast and the girl were interesting, but I was far more interested in Thorkell. He looked tired, was my first thought. And his skin had a paleness that I knew indicated some bloodloss, but he still seemed strong. He nodded at me, coming to a stop at the front of the crowd, whose cheers had died off out of curiosity.

“I’m glad to see you back in one piece, Thorkell. You had me worried,” I admitted, earning a tired smile.

“Things got a little… complicated. But, I come bearing good news and a tale to tell. First, let me introduce my guest,” Thorkell said, gesturing to the girl, and the tiger growled at him when a hand came a little too close to her. Thorkell took a large step to the side to put a little more distance between them. “Princess Jasmine, first daughter to the Caliph. Or so I’m told.”

A princess? I hadn’t expected that, I thought, turning to Jasmine. Her dark eyes met mine, fear and uncertainty shining in them as she pressed herself closer to the tiger who glowered up at me.

Quite a prize indeed.