Chương 19: Ch 19 Arrival
We sailed along the coast towards Kattegat which was only a few miles away and I noticed one of the slaves had died.
Floki was poking his corpse with a stick while giggling madly.
I called out. "If he's dead then toss him overboard Floki, stop playing with the corpse." I ordered and he nodded before pulling hard on the dead Monk but struggling.
Balgrud walked up and grabbed the monk like a ragdoll and hurled him overboard while the other monks trembled in fear and cold.
Theyd hardly been fed since making the trip except for Balgruds toy so they were all weak and we'd been beating them with sticks to make sure they stayed placid.
You have to break their spirits after all.
Athelstan looked at the floating corpse and spoke. "May God Rest Your Soul Brother Chernwulf...." As the other slaves cried in distress.
We continued sailing for another hour until we entered the bay of Kattegat.
Floki rode on the Dragon Shaped Prow while giggling madly to himself.
While we rowed slowly toward the docks.
People began to gather by the dozens along the shore once they realized it was us, and we had returned.
Some helped us tie our longships while the families of the men came forth to hug them tightly in glee at their safe return.
Each of my Men spoke of the treasure we brought and slaves too.
One man stepped forward and shouted. "Glory to Thenn....Sailed across the Open Sea where no Norseman has gone before!!!"
Ragnar looked befuddled while Rollo looked at me with seething envy....he wanted that Glory, he was Older than me after all but Ragnar and I always seemed to steal his thunder.
The people of Kattegat cheered me on and my men shouted my praises of how well I performed during the raid as we unloaded the Slaves and Loot, my men moved all the supplies to a Storage room which we owned....the Earl would claim the ship soon enough and we didn't want to offer any free supplies as well.
Before the Earl's bastard half brother stepped forward and Ragnar shouted out.
"Knut!!! You missed the boat!!!" And patted his shoulder.
"I came to inform you all that the Earl demands your presence!!!" Knut shouted and everyone nodded.
My men were already prepared for what might come next.
We all marched toward the Great Hall with three chests of silver and gold and bags of cheaper Brass and cooper cups and ornaments.
Balgrud carried the chest full of books for my wife while he had his favorite slave boy on a rope which he attached to his belt....
The loot we carried was more than we would get raiding the Easterlanders or Slavs but nowhere near our total haul.
I led my men into the Great Hall as we all wore our full Armor and weapons, we were known as the most fearsome warriors Kattegat had to offer and our great kit was testament to that.
We all piled in and spotted the Earl sitting upon his high chair alongside Siggy and Thyri.
Siggy had already told Thyri that I would come for her soon enough so she had a cute smile on her face while staring at me.
We set down the chests of goods and Lined up in front of the Earl as the townspeople chattered happily.
Ragnar was about to step forward to speak but I beat him to it and began to speak after I have the Earl a Bow which was reminiscent of me looking at my boot.
"My Lord, We sailed west to a land called England....we took this wealth from priests in a temple...they had no weapons and fell to our Axes like hot knife through butter."
I spoke and grabbed one of the slaves and pulled him forward.
"This is one such preist....they are strange creatures that shave the tops of their heads and never bed a woman." I spoke and slapped the bald spot on the preists head hard as he fell down and the townspeople laughed at him
"There are many such places in Britannia or as it is also known England...they are no doubt filled with great treasure for us to take, for our clan to become vastly wealthy." I spoke and the townspeople cheered me on.
"How did you find this place of great riches
when all before you had failed in crossing the Western Sea?" Earl Haraldson asked me with narrowed eyes.
"My Lord, it is quite simple....we are simply more fortunate than those who went before us." I spoke with a smirk and a few of my men shouted behind me.
"We had Thor on our side!!!"
"Odin's son cannot be killed by a Storm, his ships will never go down!!!"
"Aye, it was our Captain and Thor's guidance that sailed us across the open Sea!!!" Another man shouted.
The Earl's face soured.... He'd heard from his half brother Knut that they had a secret method but he knew it wouldn't be so easy to find it out..... He'd need to be more strategic to pry it from their hands.
"Then you all were indeed fortunate.... But you understand that all of this belongs to me,
by right along with your ship...." The Earl spoke while looking at me with a stink eye.
I bowed shallowly and spoke. "Of course it belongs to you My Lord, but for our labors we would request only a small portion of your new treasure....for our efforts...Ragnar and Floki paid for the Boat and we risked out lives on the open sea after all."
I spoke and the Earl and townspeople looked surprised that i wasn't fighting back.
My men didn't give a shit either since they had a fat juicy stack of coins and plunder waiting for them later.
they just looked at me as if I were some kind of Sage....how did I know this would happen....
"Very well let it be known that I am a generous Lord....Here's what I've decided to do....Each one of you can take one thing from this haul." He spoke aloud and I agreed.
"Of course my Lord, I will take the Books...my Wife requested some new ones after all." I spoke and took the heavy chest of books from Balgrud.
The Earl spoke again. "I said one thing Thenn, one book only...." He spoke Angrily.
"I OFFER MY ONE TREASURE SO THENNS WIFE CAN HAVE ANOTHER BOOK...." Balgrud spoke aloud and untied his slave boy from his belt and pushed him toward the others.
"As do I..."
"And I.."
"Me as well, it's the least I can do for my Captain."
"I will do the same, as a gift for all the wealth you have brought my family Captain...." my men one by one gave up their treasure until all the books were accounted for.
Then I spoke.
"I choose to take this boy monk and gift him to Balgrud since he was the first to offer, I will not forget the sacrifices of each of you..." I spoke and I saw a tear and a smile run down the giants face while the young Monk trembled.
Ragnar walked forward and grabbed Athelstan.
"My Lord may I choose this slave priest?" Ragnar asked with a low bow.
"Granted." Was all Earl Haraldson said while glaring into my eyes.... He wished for me to become upset so he could charge me with something, instead I just became even more popular....
My men gave up gold and treasure up for me, none of his men showed anywhere near the same loyalty....
Soon after we all funneled out of the Great Hall after I sent Thyri one final glance, I had already given her an enchanted ring and placed a Talisman on her....she was already mine no matter what.
We all moved out and Thyri scurried off to her room while her parents and Svein stayed in the Hall.
Svein walked up and spoke with the Earl. "The Mercenaries have been hired my Lord....they await at Bergen for your order to move....they can be here within two days at your command." Svein spoke and the Earl nodded.
"What of their quality? Will they be enough, Thenn is a monster of a man even if he is ambushed when alone." Earl Haraldson spoke.
"They are about the same in equipment and training as Svens personal crew, in other words they are the best that the City of Bergen can offer since your price was so generous...." Svein spoke with a malicious smile on his face.
"Good, I don't want to take risks...I will order Thenn and his warband to raid once more, I wish to get the most out of him until it is time to kill him....once he is killed I will be able to bring his two brothers to heel." Earl Haraldson spoke and Svein bowed and scurried away
Siggy walked to the chests and sat one the edge of one while feeling the coins in her hands and imagining Thenn Ravaging her soon enough while still covered in the blood of her idiot husband....
"You know what you just did Husband?" Siggy asked with a big grin on her face.
"I took what is rightfully mine, those are my coins and that is my ship....once Thenn brings me another boat full of Coin I will get rid of him once and for all....that is what I did." He spoke and drank some Mead.
"What you did was the best decision you've made in years, I'm so glad you chose this..." Siggy spoke while lifting a gold engraved cross out of one chest and looking at it closely.
She set it down and looked over at Earl Haraldson...she didn't see him on the high chair though, Siggy had a vision of the future....Her new master would take up that vaunted seat soon enough.
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(Elsewhere)
The one monk I left alive was now walking into King Aelle's Castle Alongside the Lord of Felwick, a portly fellow who ruled the closest lands near the Holy Isle of Lindsfarne.
The Fat Lord looked over at the trembling monk and patted his shoulder.
"Calm down Brother Hal, those evil men you saw are no longer here to haunt you.." the Lord spoke softly but the Monk turned and shouted.
"IT WAS NO MAN!!!....It were a Giant Demon leading his band of Evil Godforsaken Men..." Brother Hal spoke and his entire body trembled in fear.
They were soon admitted entry into the hall chamber of King Aelle who sat beside his wife.
Queen Ealhswith was the perfect Medieval Queen, Pretty, Quiet, and Modest.... If Thenn we're here his mouth would be watering.
Beside them was the Princess Judith, sixteen this year and was nearing the age to be married off.
There was also Ecgberht the young son of King Aelle, only five this year, the young princess Blaeja was too young for court at only four so she remained in her quarters.
Along the walls were many nobles and men of the Kings retinue who always joined at court.
They watched the Fat minor Lord of Felwick walk in along with a few men at arms and the trembling Monk.
They all kneeled and the King spoke.
"I heard you have something of urgency to discuss Lord Astor, please speak so all may hear." King Aelle spoke aloud.
"My King, the Holy island of Lindsfarne has been raided....all the Monks save for Hal here were killed, I thought it of importance to notify you in person." Lord Astor spoke and all the nobles present gasped, someone was mad enough to kill monks....
"What bandits would be bold enough to raid the Monastery, why are you not searching for them!!!" King Aelle shouted angrily.
The one who responded was the Monk, Brother Hal.
"M....m...My King....It was no...B...Bandits...It was a huge Demon....and his band of forsaken souls...H..he took my eye...just as he is blind in one....." The Monk spoke with a trembling voice as tears fell from his eyes and he collapsed onto the ground sobbing.
Everyone looked on in shock at seeing the holy man break down.
Lord Astor stepped forward and spoke.
"My King, my men and I found hundreds of monks hanging from meat hooks which were inserted into their backs, their hands were crushed so they couldn't free themselves....many had their hearts ripped out of their chests and their ribs splayed open...we found the head Priest, Father Cuthbert Cut into two halves....Hal here said it was their leader who did so with his axe..."
Astor spoke and two ladies of the court fainted while the Queen gasped and covered her ears while The child prince Ecgberht was taken out of the hall by a Sargeant.
Princess Judith's eyes widened at the words she was hearing....it was like a horror story from when Bouddica rampaged against the Romans and cooked people alive and impaled women onto spikes....she felt her hands tremble in fear but she powered through and listened closely.
The King was furious and his entire face was Red as he shouted at the Monk.
"WHO DID THIS MONK!!! TELL ME NOW!!!" The King shouted and the Monk screamed for a moment and Lord Astor patted his shoulder and wiped his face with a rag while speaking in his ear.
"Tell the King what he wants to know.....there is no other way to defeat that monster you speak of..." Astor spoke gently and Brother Hal nodded and stood with a trembling body.
"H....H....He called himself T...Th.....Thenn Odinson.....he was twice the height of a normal man....he split father Cuthbert in half with a swing of his Evil Axe My King....I saw him ripping out the hearts of fifty of my fellow brothers and feasting on them raw as they cried for God's mercy.....he was no man.....a one eyed Demon from hell come to reap our souls for our wicked deeds..."
The Monk spoke with tears streaming down his eyes then he curled up and began sobbing into Astor's chest as the Fat Lord patted his back, Astor had to deal with this for days so he knew what to do.
"My King, earlier in our journey brother Hal spoke that they came on a Dragon ship from the Sea, this Thenn he speaks that Thenn ripped out his eye and told him that it was a mercy....." Lord Astor spoke and the King nodded grimly while stroking his beard in contemplation
"Court is Adjourned....Lord Astor and Brother Hal please join me in my study." King Aelle spoke and walked away.
Most nobles present began saying prayers after they heard of the Demons who attacked the holy isle.
Before long word began to spread throughout the Castle of what had happened....with every telling the name Thenn Odinson The One Eyed Demon grew more gruesome and more dreadful.
King Aelle spent hours along with his commander and two advisors speaking with Lord Astor and Brother Hal to extract every peice of information from the both of them.
Toward the end Kind Aelle asked the Monk to draw this Thenn with charcoal on some parchment..... the King didn't like what he saw.
It was distorted through the fear and dread from the Monk but the one dead eye made a chill run down the King's back.
Soon enough he had enough of this debacle and gave Lord Astor and Brother Hal rooms rest in.
He returned to his room and sat on his bed as he seethed inwardly....his wife knocked on the door soon after.
"Come in." He ordered.
Queen Ealhswith walked in with a jug of spiced wine for the Fat King.
She sat down beside him and served him a cup of the hot drink. "Here husband, to calm you down...." She spoke in her sweet voice and he took the cup and downed it in one go.
"Another." He ordered and she poured another cup which he sipped on.
She looked to him and spoke. "If you have anything causing you issue I would be more than happy to listen..." She spoke meekly as she saw the snarl on his face.
"I don't want to believe it....but the story of both of them is proof enough.....Hundreds of holy men hanged like animals on hooks....the leader of the perpetrators is supposedly a giant who can split people in half with one swing and rips out hearts with his bare hands and feasts on them like a wolf....." He complained and downed another cup angrily.
"What do you make of it Husband?" The Queen asked and poured him yet another cup.
"Maybe it is a Demon....but I don't know, even Lord Astor was terrified when recounting his story along with his men at arms who saw the slaughter as well...only time will tell what will happen but I don't feel like it will go well." King Aelle spoke and rubbed his face with his hands.
"Do you wish for me to accompany you for the night? To relieve your stress?" The Queen asked meekly while rubbing his back.
"NO...AWAY WITH YOU, IM NOT IN THE MOOD." The King spoke aggressively and she nodded and quickly left the room.
It had been years since he had sex because his cock didn't work anymore, although he was too ashamed to say it outright....he would just tell his wife he wasn't in the mood.....he felt impotent both in the bedroom and as a king.
His nobles were unruly cunts who barely listened to him and now he had supposed Demons commiting massacres on holy Monasteries.....God seemed to test his piety more and more with every day that passed....
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