Creating something new, day 48
Recuperation
We reached Borgarsandr last night, but they wisely let me rest in the cabin. I don't know how many times I've woken up after sleeping for what feels like minutes, drunken some water and tried to get back to sleep in a bed soaked in sweat. Tried to sleep away the time. Its not just the guards and sambos that are pissed off and wants revenge, its the crew too. Kari informs me that this is very serious. I could have died, and I only drank half the stop, which I confirm. Who knows what would have happened if I had emptied it? Was it competely disolved or more residue in the bottom? I guess 'spice' affects the blood circulation and oxygenation, and can mess up the heart. I've heard that is why it helps to take viagra at high altitude. If this drug even works in a similar way, what the hell do I really know? The others at the feast have probably used the drug for so long that they've to some extent built up immunity, and increased their doses. But I'm not used to it, and I've only been given a very small dose once before, and I know it affected me more than Liv thought. I know how an extremely small dose Liv gave me and it had a much greater effect than she thought. She pretty much thought of that small dose as an aphrodisiac, like eating oysters or something. Then there is also the question of how concentrated and pure the drug was. I doubt its an exact science.
Kari sent messengers to inform King Aeriksson immediately when the ship docked, and two Fjölkunniga have come on board, while Councilor Efi and a group of guards are waiting on the dock. This isn't something to hide and forget. This is an assassination attempt that might have damaged my masculinity and ability to have children due to carelessness and stupidity, and my high status and that I don't already have children makes it worse, so Radgeirrson's acquaintances or high social position can't protect him. Ciara wants bloody revenge and to slowly torture Radgeirrson by whipping him, salting his wounds, and then beating him to death with a stick, and Alith and Hillevi seem willing to do so, as they failed to protect me. Alith is really ashamed, and avoid looking me in the eye.
I know that I have to get salt, magnesium and minerals in me, so I have eaten the salted and dried meat, vegetables and bread. I also asked for some different vegetables and milk, and it was waiting for me when I woke up. I don't know what my body really need, or how much different vegetables have of it, so I try to eat a little of everything.
The two Fjölkunniga examine me, under the watchful gaze of my women and guards. I'm still weak, sore and in pain. I don't want to even imagine peeing, but I seem to be dehydrated enough that its not an issue. Yet. They tell my women to give me some other vegetables too, and praise me for already drinking water, and eating what I did. One of the women stay to continue monitoring my health, while the other leaves for the Royal Castle with Councilor Efi and his guards. Eight of Asbjörn's own guards stay to continue to protect me. We need more guards.
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At least we have the carriage with us, and they've changed it to sleepmode. I'm so happy I designed that feature, but I never even thought of it for use as a stretcher. Lying on my side is so much better than sitting, and even if the carriage has suspension and padded cushions, they drive calmly and zigzag to avoid larger holes or bumps. This trip would have been so much more unpleasant in our old carriage with hard wooden benches. Or riding.
Once we get to the farm, I'm just happy to be back and lie in my bed and stay there. Ciara has only left my side for toilet visits, and Iselin and Kari take turns being there.
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I slowly recover as time pass and the last of the drug disappears and the water and mineral reserves are built up. I can almost walk normally again, it's just tender, and significantly worse than groin chafing and abrasions from sweating while hiking. I've learned that lesson way back, but this is worse. I'm pleased how well the lead acid battery has been charged. The cells are almost balanced, so I connect them with a power resistor for a while so they even out any voltage difference, before I'll replace it with a copper conductor. Everyone think I should ignore such unimportant things until I get better, but I need to distract myself. Mostly I just lie on a blanket out in the shade in the garden. I still feel like shit, just less so. At least the cat who usually visit, appreciates that I have my hands available and plenty of time. Cats have no tact. It bothers me that they see the cat as a sign from Freja, when I've often patted the cat before and it hasn't been interpreted as somekind of omen. Confirmation Bias. At least Jane finds it slightly amusing.
Peeing is so painful. So damn painful I'm literally crying, but nothing wants to come out. Ciara horrifies me when she offers to help me by sucking with her mouth, and she's so eager to do it for me, explaining that she's done it before and is used to it. I refuse, but I understand a little more what Ciara experienced under Steinnes. Bastard. What eventually comes out is lumpy, discolored with a little blood in it, and stinks.
Shit.
Are my kidneys fucked? Because thats a death sentence.
Do I just have days left to live? If I get sick, I will have to quickly marry Iselin, and Kari. But its better to not make them even more worried unless I have too. Better to give it a day or two, but if I get sick I have no choice. I prefer to give them everything, and info dump as much important information as I can.
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As expected, Jalida and Elvira have chosen to accept my offer to be freed, but to work for me for life. It might be shorter than they expect, but anyway its something positive. They swear an oath to serve and keep secrets and so on, and I warn them to only enter my room when I give permission, and I give them both a simple quick ceremony where I take off their neckrings and free them in front of the others. Their smile and joy really is rewarding.
Elvira is probably the happiest, and I allow her to hug me and give a chaste kiss on my cheek instead of kneeling and kissing my hand, which Jalida copy. Elvira tells us that Jarl Naeswulf only intended to give me Jalida, but his mistake with the feast and my impressive sejd made his wives persuade him to give me her too, which they probably liked, and Storman Maurr persuaded Naeswulf to give me the land and support those ferries. Naeswulf hasn't had sex with Elvira yet, but looked forward to taking her as his bed slave during the fall and winter, as he liked her appearance during a visit to Storman Jönis, and persuaded Storman Jönis to give them up. Naeswulf was 'saving' her for a couple of months for fun and build up expectations. He almost forced himself on her during the last night, due to frustration that he had to give her to me, but his wives stopped him from deliberately 'sullying the gift', which would be an insult compared to not giving the gift at all. The older wife's attitude towards her husband becomes more understandable.
So Elvira is extra happy that she escaped Naeswulf, escaped becoming a bed slave, and even better, she is now a free neck. Since all my women and guards confirmed or told them before I did, Elvira really believes that I will not ask them to come to my bed, do not expect or wish it, nor will I let guests do it. She promises to be the best maid we can wish for, and swears to prove that I will never regret giving her this future.
Sleep arrangements are a problem. Three more who need sleeping places. My sambos suggest we solve it by moving my old bed with Ciara into my room, and that either Iselin, Ciara or Kari sleep in my bed every night. The then vacant bed in the front room will be Janes, and Caecilia take over Jane's old bed in the living room, where Elvira and Jalida get sleeping pelts. I sure as hell don't want anything to do with sex any time soon, so it doesn't really matter if they sleep in my bedroom. It is very crowded here now, but it will only be a few more days. The Tosra meet is in a week, and we will move to the island two days before.
Damn. Caecilia also needs a room in the mansion. Together with Jane, thats two rooms I intended to have for guests or other purpose, gone. Actually, its a huge unnecessary luxury that everyone has their own room, it is absolutely not standard here or even in Europe. Here in the Alfheimr north, most people share the common room, the living room, and usually only the master of the house has his own bedroom, although some important people may have separate alcoves with or without drapers. There might also be two sharing a bed and warmth.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Jane and Gunhild were very worried when we returned to the farm. They'd only heard something about me being drugged and an attempted murder by the crewman sent to report, but that I've survived so far, even though its unknown if there will be any permanent injuries. They were both surprised by Elvira, Jalida and Caecilia, even though Gunhild apparently just shrugged and said 'of course' after the first surprise.
To put it mildly, Jane wasn't happy when she heard of Caecilia and that she literally is a branded hóra - Norse hóra is pronounced close enough to English whore - but Kari has informed her, and me, that my decision to bring Caecilia was correct. Kari obviously does not like Caecilia intruding, but reluctantly admit that it is good for my status to have a personal hóra, and it will be luxurious to have someone entertain us, as there is more to being a hóra than sex. Kari also understands if I want to take Caecilia to bed, as she is young and beautiful, with her long blonde hair, nice body, big breasts and good teeth. It absolutely feels like one of those 'do as you wish' from a wife, that the man fails badly when he actually do. Neither Kari nor Iselin 'appreciate' another woman in our life, and not in our home, so Caecilia will be a guest living in the wing, until they finish the extra house by the barns.
I don't want to take Caecilia to my islands - status and entertainment can go to hell - but Caecilia says that Radgeirrson payed gold her to swear to Freya to be mine, and she will not break it. Keeping ones word and oath is very important to have honor and she has sworn to Freya - which everyone takes very seriously. I assume that Caecilia wants a comfortable party life, and I ended up as an opportunity too good to pass, not least because becoming my personal hóra is the highest social status she can attain. No hóra has ever been a Sejdmanns personal hóra, and I am also a Furst.
So we have postponed finding a solution to the Caecilia problem for the future, and she might teach at the Academy or entertain guests. This farm is King Asbjörn's and even though I can borrow it for the rest of the year, it feels wrong to burden Asbjörn with Caecilia staying here when we go to the islands, and I don't want her to do something that I get partially blamed for. Because that's another problem. As my personal hóra and woman, I'm 'responsible' for her, and it is bad for my status if I don't protect her as a man should, even if we don't have sex. All other powerful people will see her as valuable and precious.
So Iselin is correct. The simple solution is to take her with us, and for now let her stay in a room in the wing next to the maids. Kari agrees, and both have realized that having Caecilia somewhere on the island will also help keep other hóra from visiting or swearing themselfs to me. Both have begun to suspect that it was probably only a matter of time before a hóra would try to become mine, and we may have to prepare for a hóra to basically party crash any future events I attend. If I arrange a feast and it gets known, we might have to count on it. And we should appreciate it.
I get why having a personal entertainer would be precious for someone powerful in this world. They have far less options for entertainment than a normal human in Midgard. How much of our technology isn't just to entertain us? Here there is no mobiles, video or computor games, TVs, movies, music available whenever you want it, theaters and so on. There's hardly books here, and music depends on what a musician memorised and can play.
Iselin seems especially unhappy, which I understand, because I agree. It was just me and her in the beginning. Ciara wasn't on the board as anything other than a maid, and then Kari arrived with intimate plans, but she was smooth. Just when we've started to get used to it being us three, Jane with all her baggage come crashing in and scares them both, and then Caecilia who is a bigger problem.
After talking to Caecilia, I know that Radgeirrson brought her here from the south to become my hóra. Caecilia doesn't say why, but she chose to become a hóra, which includes some form of ritual in which she sacrificed her ability to have children to Freya. Caecilia says she really loves sex in all its forms and that she likes if my women join us. Caecilia is only 17 and a half years old, but she refuses to tell about her background and history, as that was before she started serving Freya. However, she seems to be educated, and she tries to lead conversations towards other subjects or distractions, including charming me, telling Sagas or singing, and I feel rude asking her. She's good at it considering how society is here - I'm just not interested. Caecilia tries to charm and gain points with Iselin, Ciara and Kari as well, so she has probably understood the dynamics around me.
Kari and Gunhild claim that Caecilia's accent indicate that she is probably from what I think of as northern Germany and is at least a lower noble in terms of her attitude, pronunciation, manner and education, but has been in the southern part of the kingdom for at least a couple of years as she know the language very well. Its more common with hóra among the rich on the other side of the sea to the south. Its also very common with prostitutes as they don't have slaves in the same way, and the religion even for those with Aesir gods is only one wife. Their explanations make me think of the prostitutes as someone who works at a tavern and earn extra, is in a pure brothel of different prize grades, or finally a professional escort or semi kept woman who mostly moves among the nobility. Everything exist there, though theres different cultures to the south. But hóra is a bit higher and very socially acceptable even there, since its not just about sex. It seems that the concept of hóra has been imported from the south.
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I sit in the garden with Ciara in my arms leaning against my shoulder, while Iselin and Kari try to complete a couple of kites according to my instructions. Alith's hawkeyes monitors the surroundings, and me. Bodil is more relaxed and occasionally helps with the kites. Iselin did show her Boomerang skills to Jane, who mentioned kites, which I needed to translate and explain. Among other things, I explained how in addition to play or sports, it can be used to scare away birds if the kite is made eagle or falcon shaped and attached with rope on a high pole. So now they are trying to build some kites of the classic cross type, box type and two birds. So I'm distracted by something else.
I know that once again Ciara wants nothing more than for me to get well, and I really hope so too. I sure as hell don't want to die, and it was a wise decision to not tell them about my slight anxiety for my kidneys. After two occurances, I now understand that Iselin and Kari love me and want to be my wives, but they can get used to living a life without me, and already realized they eventually will, because I'm much older than them. Ciara, on the other hand, is terribly afraid she can't, and she sure don't want too. If I leave her, via death or to Midgard, she will die, not physically but mentally and in her soul, and unfortunately both I, Iselin and Kari are convinced that if I die, Ciara will then take her own life to accompany me, regardless of why I died. Ciara said it to me as I laid there on the ship and she held me: "A life without your light isn't a life, it is a protracted pain I do not want to experience, and I follow you no matter where you travel, in this life or the next." I havn't forgotten her declaration on the previous voyage and the look she gave me. It's a hell of a thing to know, and a responsibility to be more careful about myself.
Jane comes out and sits adjacent after showing a 'simpler' painting in just a few colors. Still a good simple painting on this farm, and she is evidently concerned that I should see that she can paint and to prove herself, and she has already offered to help decorate the kites. She seems to have something on her mind, but doesn't know how or if she should, so after a while I ask;
"You seem to have something on your mind?"
"Yes. But I don't know if I should say it." With a nod I signal that it's okay.
"So, you leave here five days ago for two feasts you have been forced to attend, after avoiding feasts like the plague for months. Your third and fourth feast in this world, where Iselin was given to you on your first, and you where just visiting a Jarl friend you shagged on the second. " ... and I can already see where she's going with it, but I just nod.
"You - whom we both know doesn't want anymore women in your life, and no more sexual partners - end up being given two exotic and pretty young slave girls, as 'servants' one way or another. Then you've been forced to attend an medieval sexorgie, which you did not know it was, and show up at with your girlfriends and female guards. But you send them away, planning to leave just after, not knowing that the scantilly dressed teenager found waiting in your bed, is your own personal courtesan thats been given to you. A woman with rare special status protected by law, that have sworn an oath to be yours to the goddess of sex and love. Then you almost die after being overdosed with medieval viagra, said courtesan saves your life by having lots of sex with you, as you race through the forest on horseback to your ship and safety."
I just nod and confirm even though it hardly was a race - it would have been faster to walk if I had been normal. Jane smiles and looks at me.
"Have you angered a God? Or do Freya - the goddess of sex, love, magic, war and death - ree-eally favor you? Should I be worried being close to you?"
"Laugh it up, but the way my life is going, you will probably fall in love with me and try to needle your way in... Again."
Jane crosses her arms, defiantly points he nose to the sky and says with dramatic and overplayed British upper class style; "That's not going to happen. You had your chance. It won't be more than occasional hot steamy sex." she ends joking and laughing when she can't keep a straight face. I just sigh. Jane abruptly stops, looks at me and breaks out in roaring laughter; "You pretty much must have children! Give it a couple of years, and if your harem hasn't become pregnant, and we will shag each others brains out like some bloody rabbits, won't we!?"
The others do not understand what's been said and think that Jane is laughing at my misfortune and near death. Not appreciated, and Ciara's gaze tries to turn Jane to ashes. So I explain to them a somewhat corrected version and in the end they also giggle a bit.