Tosra & The Auction, day 1
Day 88, 22 September
Autumnal Equinox. Tosra Gathering.
Ciara gently wakes me up with soft words and a kiss. The second day I wake up in my new mansion, and it has become a little more finished. This morning I can avoid sunlight as both the curtain and the blinds are in place and it's nice and dark in here, just enough light to move around in. It's somewhat entertaining that I'm lying on my stomach at the edge with my arm hanging down and I feeling Iselin against my side with her arm around me. Most of the width of the bed is unused, and sleeping like this we could have managed with a third as wide bed.
When we talked last night, of course children came up as a topic of conversation, and we talked about the fact that the overdose Radgeirrsons gave me may have affected my fertility, which everyone takes incredibly seriously, and since both Myrun and Liv already know that I am a human from Midgård, I chose to inform them about genetic compatibility as well, which cames as a bit of a shock. I confirmed that all my sambos have known about it for a while, and that there was several reasons Jane was looking for me, but to keep it a secret for now. In any case, I stopped them from sacrifice things to Freya for my sake, and proved my faith a little by saying that it is up to Freya if she wants to see me have healthy children with elvish women.
Liv had hoped I could make her pregnant in the future, and she is already 'old' and can not wait several years to see if a child is healthy. Liv have faith in Freya, and as a woman with her own business in Skiringsalr, Liv also wants to raise the child herself in Skiringsalr. So me, my sambos and Liv now have an agreement, witnessed by Myrun and Jane, where I will try to make Liv pregnant when we meet. If a child is born, the child is Livs, and I can not take the child from her if she is a good mother, regardless of the sex of the child. I will not pay anything, but if Liv dies before me, I will take care of the child, and I will educate the child when the child grows older. I get to visit when it suits me, and Liv will take the child with her when she comes near where we can meet. Liv does not mind that I act as a father on such occasions, and would be happy to continue to have a sexual relationship on occasions. Liv prefers a girl, because as Liv sees it, the child will have excellent potential to become a powerful sejd woman, blessed by Freya.
It's the wrong time of the month for Liv, but she took out the IUD and we spent about half an hour in the guest bed last night. It was a strange experience to consciously try to make her pregnant, and more like a form of social ritual or job to do, and it feels strange to realise during the act, with our sweaty bodies against each other and as she moans.
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We get dressed, quickly wash and have breakfast with our guests. Liv is in a great mood, and Jane has a hard time not smiling, and can not resist a few small 'puns' in English, which I don't translate. Both Jalida and Elvira have damp hair so I think they took advantage of shower opportunities as well, which is good. The idea is that we should all shower at least every other day, as long as there are no water problems. Myrun praises me for how practical showering is, how fast it goes if you want it, and how good it is with both cold and hot water available like that. If you want a bath, you don't have to wait for the water to get warm and a tub filled. Then there is also a sauna!
Jane points out how nice it was to be able to go to the loo early in the morning without having to get dressed and go out, and after I translated, I see a couple of nodding heads agreeing, including Liv's. Some luxury is nice to have once you have experienced it, before that it is just the way life is. Everyone has been given the basic about my idea with central heating as well, and no one seems to doubt that it will work well. Personally, I'm a little worried to get it working at all, or not work well enough. I hope I sized the boiler, pipes and radiators close enough, and there isn't some big stupid hard to fix mistake.
Today is the first day at the Tosra Gathering at its Stone Ship, and local Storman Jolfr Lum is the one who hosts the meeting and organizes. There are usually large tents set up in the field next to the Stone Ship, and the gathering is spread out with fires, food and sacrifices. Thankfully no humans - elves - will be sacrificed, but several different animals in groups of three and three will be sacrificed.
There is a Ting before noon for the residents of the region, when the shadow of a large stone points towards another. But my islands are no longer a part of the Kingdom and I don't have any right to vote in the Ting, nor do I want to intrude on that Ting the first time we are there, although some issues concern the region more than the Kingdom. I will present myself at the gathering after the Ting. A lot of residents on the islands are already at the gathering and the Ting, because there will also be some bartering and deals, and a lot of social contact and discussions between people. Marrige age daughters usually accompany their parents and cook for them outside the tents during such gatherings, to be shown off, and show that they can cook, sew and so on. Most people live mostly in isolation on their farms, as travel takes time and is cumbersome, and inconvenient when the work on the farm has to be done, so large gatherings are important. They're mostly self-sufficient so why should they travel all the time? Going to a larger village or town might happen once a week or month. For some really important gatherings like Northmen Ting, people travel far, but some only come every third years or so, and neighbors take turns traveling from the same area so they can bring back news. Thats the reason those are when they are in late winter. The frozen ground might make travel faster, and the spring farmwork won't have started yet. There is also the issue of leaving a farm unprotected, as thieves might use the occasion. Animals need someone to take care of them too.
Myrun has already had her men set up two larger tents, even though one consists of three tents, and decorated them. The tents are usually where the important people talk, socialize more or less intimately and sleep, and will do so for the next two nights. Being able to spend the night as a guest here was an unexpectedly pleasure, and I offer them continued hospitality, which I should do according to custom, but it is impractical for them. Myrun offers me to spend the night there, so I don't have to go all the way back in the dark. In my world with its roads and cars, it would probably have only taken 20 minutes to drive back to the mansion the long way around, but here it is a couple of hours on foot in the dark, followed by a boat trip over a couple of kilometers as well. I can also imagine what she wishes would happen in that tent at night, and I thank her for the invitation, although Liv obviously hoped that I would visit her tent instead. It may be the wrong time of the month, but Liv will take every opportunity to increase the odds of pregnancy, and if it only leads to an enjoyable moment, she won't complain. I hope the pregnancy agreement doesn't lead to any rift in their or our friendship.
In the future, I will have to inviting them and others in conjunction with the gathering. I have to show my greatness, power and wealth - show that I have the right to rule. I should also set up my own camp and tents for the next gathering and spend the nights there. More things to buy and do in the future. There is also a gathering at Tosra at the spring equinox, but it is smaller and more local, and less important. It only happens one month after the Northmen Ting, and is mostly to spread information etc, and people might be busy with farmwork.
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Liv suggests that I show my sejd quite early tonight, because most people will be too drunk or drugged up on mushrooms and other substances later, and we agree on a time a bit after sunset when the sky gets darker. "One hour?" Liv asks with a small laugh and I understand that she has started to get used to saying time like that, and it's even more fun as the sundial doesn't work after sunset. Clocks. I need to make clocks.
After breakfast, Myrun and Liv thank and we part to meet later in the afternoon. It should actually be a bit interesting and maybe nice, as the gathering is more of a festival.
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I build together another oil lamp, and then modify the last two. The oil lamps I have built work poorly in wind and outdoors, and are quite unstable, which makes them unsuitable where wind can make them sway or fall over, so I use brass to make them more like a storm lantern in function. The burner part with the wick gets a hood with a slit in it where the wick burns, and most of the air from below will be led directly into the flame. But to reduce the variations in air from wind, I screen the air intake and make a couple of classic storm lantern side pipes to move the air intake to the upper part of the lamp. The point of the pipes, is that the pipes act as buffers and even out the air flow from the same intake to the same outlet. In this case, the pipes also help to hold the structure together and keep the upper 'chimney' in place. To be able to light the lamp, I make a simple screw lock so it can be lowered. I need to design a brand new storm lantern from scratch. If I could make an improvement that reduced the smell, it would also be useful.
I miss having electric light.
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As it happens, Masterbuilder Pedr has two large tents to lend us for the next few days, two of his own, because he has been living in one of the houses for weeks now and doesn't need them. He is happy to lend them to me for the next few days, as he still has a third to use when he accompanies us to the gathering, and he sends two craftsmen with us who can carry and raise the tents with the help of my guards and maids. The men have asked to go to the gathering. The workers will have time off during the Tosra gathering and feast at their camp here. Hillevi offers to stay in the mansion. She apparently looks forward to the holiday in combination with hot baths, and doesn't want to do something 'stupid' by mistake, while Gunhild hopes to use the opportunity, as she has an IUD.
We will be a fairly large group of people and cargo going to the gathering in one of the construction Knarr's; me, sambos, Jane, Caecilia, Alith, Bodil and Gunhild, Elvira and Jalida. Eleven plus Pedr, his maid and the two craftsmen who will raise and take down the tents, but are otherwise free to experience the gathering. Add said tents with its long poles, food, sleeping pelts and so on. Its a lot.
We need to get our own smaller cargo boat. Something basic like a Knarr. We live on an freaking island.
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We sail down and make land on the east side, where a large Runestone signals that we are right, if we somehow had missed all the other boats that are already here. Then it is just to carry everything up to the gathering grounds, but the craftsmen and maids will go several turns. I literally have to think about my status and not carry too much, so I just take a deck chair and my own shoulder strap bag, and Iselin, Kari, Ciara and Jane do the same. It's probably a little more than a kilometer or so to the gathering, and there's a nice wide path.
The gathering is in a beautiful open valley with a large stone ship surrounded by low wood-clad cliffs. The gathering site itself is a large field and meadows north of the stone ship, spread over perhaps 400m, and both out in the open field and inside among the trees at the forest edge. We can see around 20 larger tents that have been erected, of which 6 are really big and interesting, with dozens smaller tents and rain protection spread out around. A lot of people move around preparing things, eating and working, or sitting in groups and talking. It seems that the Ting is over. Several larger bonfires are being built. Animals are tied up or caged, and especially three groups with three of each and what I assume is the sacrificial site. Chickens, pigs and goats.
Myrun's camp is easy to spot due to her banner and it is one of those impressively large ones, and we pitch our own tents about 40m from hers, and while they do, I go over and say hello. Myrun's group are preparing a whole pig for grilling and Myrun is happy about the company and that we have arranged our own tent, even though ours is much smaller than hers and I am reminded of the invitation. I apologize and say I should probably spend some time with Liv, and make sure I am in good condition. Myrun whispers that she and Liv have talked and it is not a problem, it will be as it is, and Liv has her tent here next to hers. Myrun is pleased when I accept her invitation, as she was a little worried that we brought our own tents. She shows her really big bed, with plenty of room for two. My sambos have also been sneaky and brought a bed that can be assembled, but they will share it without me tonight. If I'm going to have sex with Liv and Myrun, I prefer that in the future it is not in our home, and not when my sambos are close by.
Myrun's main tent is actually three tents; a large triangular tent in the middle with a beautifully carved wooden frame, with two smaller tents with a meter-high straight edge set with the short sides facing the sides of the large tent in the middle. The large tent has its canvas side lying over the smaller ones, so it gives a large open area in the middle, with a larger area with high ceiling, and two 'side rooms'. Its a smart solution and is probably relatively easy to disassemble and transport, apart from the long wooden poles. Myrun quickly explains the longe poles can be split in two, and how it is possible to combine more tents in different configurations. King Asbjörn has many more connected, and several more freestanding tents, but then again, it might be a large group of people and supplies.
It's probably three hours until the sun goes down when everything is done, and we just have to relax and participate. Asta, Lifa, Adalwar, Palni and others from the crew quickly visits, and I like that they're also here. I have given them permission to visit, and made sure they understand that they have time off the next couple of days, and they are of course here to experience the gathering, be social and make contacts themselves. A few of them probably hope to hook up with someone. They bring with them some of their own small inverted V tents with only two shorter poles and guy lines. Significantly lighter and easier to carry.
At least for me, it's hard to avoid talking about what we have to arrange on the mansion, and we should hire another household staff member. A man would be good for taking care of the farm side chores, like wood cutting, the animals, the waste etc. But it wouldn't be wrong with another maid who can take care of future milking, cheese making, brewing mead and cider, tending the vegetable land and doing other farm work as just release the future chickens etc. Jalida and Elvira think the work is easy enough for now, but the amount of work will quickly increase. There is a lot to take care of here, and it is all done by hand, no machines, and the cook needs help in the kitchen. I don't want a slave to it, but I want someone who has experience of generally doing the chores that are needed on a farm, which most people have. Iselin suggests that we try to hire someone local, and start by asking on the islands, and then outside. It is good if we hire locals even if it isn't the best candidate, because it makes the residents more appreciating to us, which is an excellent idea.
We also need to buy many animals, just to get our own production of eggs, milk, cheese, meat, etc. There are no food stores here; if you want something you have to grow it or raise it. Kari and Iselin will be talking to people about buying animals during the gathering.
We need to buy a small Knarr for local transport. I think we need two boats, one that is basically a larger rowboat with sails to get to other islands, or when we don't need to transport animals, and a larger one when need too, or just transport cargo or a lot of people. I will ask Asta. A small rowboat like ship's faering would be convenient.