It's late in the afternoon when we finally return to the ship again, after a trip to my little farm outside to greet those who lease it, and probably two laps through Borgarsandr just because my sambos wanted to use the winter carriage more and it was already too late to leave Borgarsandr today. I drop off most of my company at the ship to go up to the castle with Alith and Gunhild.

In reality, we take a detour to the B-mansion, where Frida hurries out and carefully steps into the carriage. She confirms that she carried out the assignment I gave her yesterday, and she gave the message to Fjölkunniga Vif in 'The Blushing Maiden' this morning. I don't know if Vif was at the Tosra meeting, or if Vif can read, and it was about IUDs, and that Vif can locate another Fjölkunnig who knows about it nearby. Otherwise, she can talk with Unn out on the Academy's island outside Lysesund in three weeks at the earliest, so Unn can show and explain. IUDs should be free to all the women in 'The Blushing Maiden' who wants it, and I appreciate if she collects information on how many women accept, how many times they have intercourse and what time of month it is in relation to their period, and if they become pregnant or there are any problems. But that is not a requirement. If the woman doesn't want to tell, it is acceptable. The information should be anonymous for me, and is to perhaps be able to improve IUDs and in the future know better what to expect.

"Madam Ranhlif first thought I was there to apply for a job as a 'Maiden', but I told her a bit of what happened here yesterday - and that my Lord freed all us - and that I had a message from Sejdmann Arnesson. That directly changed Madam Ranhlifs attitude and I don't want to pry, but I could plainly see fear in Madam Ranhlif. So I gave her the message, and Madam Ranhlif directly took me to see Vif and ordered her to quickly use the incredibly valuable information that Sejdmann Arnesson generously shared with them, and it will be free and so on. Of course, everyone has realised the value.

Madam Ranhlif wanted me to let my Lord know that earlier in the morning all the slaves had been freed. When I was there only one had chosen to leave, but some where thinking about it. Most will probably stay there as winter is on its way. The excuse Ranhlif gave was that she received an insight from Freya that it was the right thing to do, and let everyone know that there will be some other changes as well. The whole place is going to be improved and they were cleaning everywhere when I arrived. Ranhlif isn't young, so I heard a rumor that some people think it is because Ranhlif hopes to come to Folkvang when she dies."

Frida have said it with a bit of satisfaction clear in her voice. Frida points out the window at a young woman next to the front door.

"That woman showed up around noon and has been waiting for my Lord to return. I recognizes her; her name is Kadlin and she works as a guard in the Maiden, and she hopes to be able to thank my Lord for releasing her."

I had really hoped that Ranhlif would keep my ownership secret, but that does not seem to be the case. The again she works as a guard, so maybe she guarded the gate and understood? I didn't check if any of them were women. That was hardly in my mind when we arrived or left. Frida goes out and signal towards the waiting woman and soon Kadlin is sitting in front of me in the carriage. I understand why Frida recognizes her, as Kadlin has a large scar from her left temple to her jaw and like Bodil have white hair. A distinctive look. Kadlin wears simple worn and patched clothes with only a small leather pouch in her belt, and a 'matching' cloak to protect against the weather. If she is a newly released slave, it is probably her best clothes, and she has definitely washed herself and tried to make her hair nice. Kadlin sits so very carefully on the seat, and hardly dares to look up at me.

"Lord, I just want to thank my Lord for making me a free woman." and she gently takes my hand to kiss it, but I stop her.

"No!" Frighten she pulls back and makes herself small and cowered. Shit. "It has nothing to do with you. I am firstly a Sejdmann, not a Furst or Lord, and you wouldn't have kissed the hand of a Fjölkunnig woman. You can look at me, and try to relax. I won't hurt you even if we disagree." Her reddish-purple eyes reminds me of Disas. "How come you thank me for your release?"

A few careful glances and hesitantly with a low voice she replies: "My Lord owns 'The Blushing Maiden', and owned me. I saw my Lord arrive last night. I was the one standing guard at the door. When Madam Ranhlif sent me in, I looked through the peephole by the door, ready to charge out. I didn't hear what was said, but I saw how they fell on their knees before my Lord, and how they nodded as they received orders. I also saw when my Lord showed his power." Ah. Okay, wrong of me to assume that it was a doorman instead of a doorwoman, and of course they have peepholes. "I saw and heard when Nidbjorg pushed Madam Ranhlif against the wall and with a knife against her throat threatened Madam Ranhlif. Nidbjorg is happy for their new Lords grace and chance, and if Madam Ranhlif goes against their Lord, she will slowly bleed Madam Ranhlif, quietly and painfully, before presenting her head to their Lord when Nidbjorg asks for her Lords mercy. They didn't discover that I had seen and heard it."

I was worried that Nidbjorg would try something, but instead Nidbjorg seems to keep Ranhlif in check. But that might change at the drop of a hat.

"This morning all us slaves were freed, and Madam Ranhlif gave everyone new directives on cleaning and behavior. I understood that my Lord had ordered it, and I've also heard rumors of what Radgeirrson had been convicted of, and that my Lord have taken over his possessions. And later in the morning also Radgeirrsons comming punishment. I decided to try to seek out my Lord to thanks my Lord. Once here, Frida told me how they were freed last night, and that some of them chose to stay and work for my Lord."

Is Kadlin looking for a job?

"Thank you for telling me. How come you as a slave worked as a door guard?"

"I was sold to the Maiden as a shieldmaiden three years ago, and have worked there ever since."

I look at Alith sitting beside me, but she seems as surprised as I am, so I ask. Kadlin was born as a slave, up by Storsjön a few day trips north. Born and raised on the same farm belonging to a Storman. Three years ago, the Storman fell in disfavor with Jarl Naeswulf, and the Storman put weapons in the hands of all his slaves and gave them rudimentary training. Jarl Naeswulf attacked. They fought. The lost. She can barely remember, because she got hit in the head. Unthinkingly she caress her scar. She and a few others who survived were taken prisoner. They were sold. She claimed that she was trained as a shieldmaiden, and was sold as a guard to get more silver for her. She has worked here ever since, either guarding that door, or keeping order behind the curtain, and she has trained with the other guards. She has been tempted to try to sell her body in order to earn silver to buy her freedom, but she wanted to keep something of herself. Her scar and training have at least given her that option. As an 'ugly' slave, she would have been sent to work behind the curtain full time, and she absolutely did not want that. Kadlin intends to continue working as a guard at the Maiden until late spring and seek a new life come summer. She caress her neck and again thank me for making her a free neck. She thought it would never happen. Kadlin apologizes and gets ready to leave, but I stop her.

"Do you free necks receive a salary?"

"A coin a week." A really low salary, and only one ounce of silver per year. One twelfth of what I give Alith and Bodil. But it is still far better than what they had as a slave, even though the food and housing will certainly still be really bad, they're no longer slaves. I should probably force Ranhlif to improve it or in the future increase their salary, but I need to give Ranhlif some time to adapt.

"You know who I am, and yes, I took over the ownership from Radgeirrson. His ownership has been secret and I intend to continue to do so. As the owner, I can at least force improvements." Her nodding and gaze show that she understands and agrees. "But it would be good to have someone with ears and eyes on the inside. Until you leave; are you willing to be my eyes and ears in there, and see to it that Ranhlif, Nidbjorg, Oda and others behave and take care of the place?"

"My Lord, it would be my honor to do so!" It is cute how proud she looks by getting the offer. "Although I rarely work as a guard behind the curtain nowadays, I am friends with a couple of the women who work there, and those who work behind other and better curtains, so I can discreetly get information from them."

"Thank you. Do a good job for both the Maiden and for me, be honest with me and protect my secret, and you will earn significantly more than one coin a week. I pay those who do a good job for me. But you have to pretend that everything is normal, and let things take their time. Do not show that you are curious or gather information. Be careful and not eager. Report only if you need to, and if it is important you can talk with Frida here, or report when I or mine occasionally visit Borgarsandr - my ship will be anchored where it is now. Take a trip down to the harbor and look for the unusual looking ship with the Academy logo on a light blue flag. I will inform two of my women about you and your secret mission, Iselin and Kari. But only they and Alith here will know about you. Repeat their names."

"Miss Iselin, Miss Kari, shieldmaiden Alith or Frida." Kadlin is so serious and proud and attentively listens to every word.

"Should something really important happen, which cannot wait, or you fear for your life - leave the Maiden and seek us out on Small Ackerek, which is an island outside Lysesund, a long day trip north."

I take a couple of pictures of her, without flash. Then I take my coin purse out of the side pocket and count out about an ounce of silver, half in coins and the rest as a lump of silver. An annual salary with her present salary.

"This is to show that I am serious, and you have something to help you in your work, or if you have to leave. But be careful and think before you spend any silver, because others will wonder where the silver comes from. I would recommend you to eat a little more and healthier food, such as carrots, lingonberries, and occasionally some fish, meat, etc. You can eat somewhere out on the town a couple of times a week, out of sight and witnesses." She receive the silver carefully and seriously, and listens to what I say with a growing smile. "I would also recommend that you start exercising, but start gently. Start jogging two or three times a week, and use the excuse that you are trying to become a better shieldmaiden or something, because after a while no one will react to you disappearing to jog. It will have become a routine. But it is up to you and absolutely no requirement or an order. Who should you contact?"

"My Lord, Miss Iselin, Miss Kari, Shieldmaiden Alith or Frida."

Good memory, and she will definitely start training. I open the door and she is quick to gather herself and act somewhat normal. She leaves the carriage, greets Frida and wraps her cloak around herself as she hurries away. Alith whispers that she thinks it is an excellent idea, and in the future I should hire more discreet people working in the background to keep track of whats happening on my properties, and I let Alith try to take care of that part. I would have liked to hire one of the prostituted as well, but I do want to reveal myself to them, and without doing so I cannot count on any loyalty. I can't count on it afterwards either. I certainly wouldn't be the first to pay for information, so stupid to draw attention to myself.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

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We leave the mansion but stop out of sight in the forest below, and against their wish I order Alith to stay with Gunhild. I take a couple of clay pots and a shovel and head off. Its kind of obvious that I'm going to bury them and make a cache somewhere on my land here. There were swords etc up in the mansion, and we had an extra first aid box with us.

After a while I find a suitable place. Diagonally behind the mansion, and out of sight from either the road or the mansion in a slightly denser part with thick forest, where there is no reason for anyone to move, and easy to find due to a larger rock poking up from the ground. I remove some large branches from the ground, lay out a cloth on the ground, and carefully dig away the top layer with grass tufts, before I remove some soil and lay it on the cloth. I hit bedrock about half a meter down, and put the jars there. Its just a long jar with two swords well wrapped in protective leather, two spear points and an axe and a knife. Another smaller jar have the first aid kit, knife and 5 ounces of gold and 30 ounces of silver, and a third jar with three small jars with honey. The honey jars have been washed so wild animals shouldn't smell them. Alith and Gunhild don't know about gold and silver to make the cache less interesting. Then I shovel the soil back avoid leaving a large bump, put on the tufts of grass and move a couple of branches as cover on top. Nothing should be visible. Of course I could have buried it deeper elsewhere, but I can't count on having time or tools if there is a crisis and I need to access the cache. This should only take 10 minutes with my hands if I don't care to leave traces.

Back at the carriage, I wash myself and the cloth in the stream. On another occasion, I will go for a walk and discreetly show where the cache is to either Iselin or Kari. I'm thinking of making another cache that the other one can know. So they know one each.

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We continue up to the castle. Asbjörn already knows I want a conversation with Radgeirrson, and we are shown down in to the prison. The musty smell and the stench hit me. The jailer open an iron reinforced wooden door, and in the low light I see Radgeirrson sitting chained to the floor inside the stinking cell, leaning against the wall on top of the scattered straw. He just glares at me. Gunhild stay outside as the jailer close the door behind us, and it becomes relatively quiet. Both Alith and I have our weapons, but Asbjörn want me to leave Radgeirrson alive so his torture can be extended. If, on the other hand, I want to cut him a bit, take a finger, burn him or something, that's okay. The jailer can help me with tools for that. I assume someone might listen even if Gunhild is outside the door. At the same time I won't approach and have a whispered discussion. But I walk a few steps closer, staying out of reach of both arms and legs.

"I have nothing to say to you." Radgeirrson spits at me, or at least he tries.

I turn on the camera, and say; "The Blushing Maiden."

Radgeirrson just laugh.

"Last night, in the Maidens courtyard and in front of Asbjörn, I told Ranhlif, Oda and Nidbjorg that I know, and that lightning comes before you hear the thunder. Then I snapped my fingers and completely silent lightning lit up the Maidens courtyard. They were blinded and panicked and fell to the ground in front of me. Nidbjorg threw her sword on the ground before going down on all fours. I left before they regained their sight." Radgeirrsons mocking grin have disappeared. "Freya has sent word that Nidbjorg have threatened Ranhlif with a slow painful death if she doesn't follow my orders."

Radgeirrson continues to be silent and just stares at me, but he straightens himself up a bit against the wall, getting as far away from me as possible.

"Reiekrône. Tell me."

Radgeirrson stay silent and just stares.

"Your family lives on the small farm inland, although Aldis would rather have been killed instead of living with the shame. Tell me about the Reiekrône if you do not want me to see to it that you endure weeks of torture, and I ask Nidbjorg if she wants to deliver a message to Aldis, Gunnleifr, Fönna and Minr."

Radgeirrson stares at me, but continue saying nothing. However, he reacts to my threat. I don't want to torture him, nor let Alith do it, but Nidbjorg could probably be persuaded to harm his family. I had hoped that the fear would make him speak but apparently not. I turn around, and Radgeirrson starts to talk.

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My thoughts wander, but I have the recording and can think about it later. Asbjörn and Haera is waiting in the courtyard. Asbjörn and Haera are pleased to be offered to borrow the carriage for a couple of days, and accompany me to drop us off at my ship. We have only come halfway when it becomes apparent that they will order a similar carriage. Passengers avoid rain, wind and it will be warmer, and everyone will 'know' who is traveling, and it is clear proof of wealth. Asbjörn seems to keep few secrets from Haera, because she obviously knows about the Maiden and last nights lightning. I wonder what they really think of me.

We talk a bit about carriages, as there will be other models and versions in the future, and not just carriages and wagons for different uses. Jane seems to have the goal of introducing parts of Victorian England here, and that it is the wrong time, need and population doesn't matter, because she really wants to see classical horse drawn carriages here. I could probably get something built, and set up a way station from the merchant empire and some other place in the city, but most people won't pay for a ride. They're used to walking or have their own horses. Borgarsandr is a bit scattered but I don't think the town is big enough or there is a demand for two wheel taxi buggies. Most won't have the silver as a lot of trade is barter. An eight of a coin is still quite a lot.

The ship is loaded up and we're ready for departure, so we will just spend the night on the ship to set sail with the morning light. Caecilia and Kari had probably wanted to stay another day, but have understood that I do not like what is going to happen to Radgeirrson. I wonder how Ranhlif reacted to the news of Radgeirrsons new punishment. I suspect she's associates it with my visit here, and should take it as an additional warning.

After I update the diary log, I look at the ownership documents Radgeirrson had hidden. Very official and flashy. Then I write what Radgeirrson said after I promised not to even mention his family to Nidbjorg. He don't believe I would harm his family, but he know that Nidbjorg would do it. I don't trust his opinion, or trust Nidbjorg, but according to him, the position she took on all four was more than just disarming. Its a sign that she see me as her master to serve.

Radgeirrson has liked Reiekrône and the Queendom from the first time he visited, and took inspiration for masks and other things from the Queendom and introduced it here. The Blushing Maiden was partly inspired by a feast hall there, only better and bigger.

Radgeirrson bought Klaahof outside of Reiekrône at a special auction for the rich and powerful - invitation only - and the Title of Graef was his if he proved willing to fulfill the duties that came with the Title, and he would receive the Title next time there. Radgeirrson has equipped a dozen knights with horses, armor and weapons to meet his 'Knight fee'. They are at Queen Adella Dammans service, but they live at and guard Klaahof while they train. Radgeirrson didn't want to tell anyone, especially not Asbjörn, because his loyalty could be questioned. Radgeirrson understood that it would probably be best if he left the country if his hobbies were discovered, but he had thought that he could leave the country without any problems. But the plan was also to lay the foundation for an alliance against Daes King Magnbjorn via Radgeirrson, and he hoped that his son Gunnleifr might marry the Queens third daughter princess Mynka. When King Magnbjorn attacks, Queen Damman could attack him from the back by land and conquer the southern parts of the Daes kingdom with her knights. When Asbjörns allies from the northern coast arrive, instead of reinforcing in the south, they could attack and conquer the Daes Kingdoms north.

Miss Schainke will have told Queen Damman that he has been convicted, and that I have taken over ownership of Radgeirrsons property here. But Queen Damman considers blood ties to be most important, and the Queen is the law there. Period. Either Queen Damman will let me become the owner of the feast hall and the mansion, or she won't. Had Radgeirrsons eldest child been a daughter, the Queen would probably have let her inherit, but she might let Radgeirrsons eldest son Gunnleifr inherit Klaahof and the Title, if she havn't already given it to someone else. She got her knights. Who knows, maybe Miss Schainke has become Graefin Schainke.

Miss Schainke is an impressive and stately woman Radgeirrson thinks is around 27 years old and she have no children. She may be educated and give a good impression, but she lacks both humor and other emotions. Which means something when it is Radgeirrsons opinion. Everyone not born of noble blood are hardly worth anything in Miss Schainkes eyes, and slaves are just slightly more intelligent animals, who only understands pain. Queen Damman has indicated that she protected Schainkes family from disgrace about a decade ago, and it was a nice bonus that Schainke swore her life and allegiance to the Queen, as Schainke is completely loyal to her and probably 'secretly' in love with her, but Queen Damman has no interest in taking her to bed.

Queen Adella Damman is married and has four children, three daughters and a son, but she also has three mistresses. Two of them live in a wing of the castle and attend large parties, and Eloise is her private hóra. Queen Damman was a woman with a great appetite for life in her youth, but since she had her third daughter, everything stopped as she made sure to raise her children. She was crowned a year later and has stuck to her mistresses ever since. Queen Damman has a great interest in entertainment, music, parties, art and the like, and she don't like being bored. She has a reputation for being a good Queen.

For a couple of generations, the sitting Queen has been arranging a spring masquerade that has inspired the year round use of masks and cloaks in the Reiekrône, and it is now part of Reiekrônes culture. Enough so that some special masks have become an extension of certain families heraldic shields. The Foxes, the Owls, the Lilies, the Roses and so on. It inspired the use of masks and cloaks here in 'The Blushing Maiden'.

The feast hall in Reiekrône is translated as 'Red Maiden', and it too have a woman in charge, Madam Hilda, but her husband Belfag is the one who keeps the order together with some guards, and more than a dozen maids and prostitutes take care of guests. Red Maiden has been extended to have a more luxurious inn and bath establishment in nordic style. However, the entire feast hall has been altered to resemble 'The Blushing Maiden' in structure. The law and culture there are different. Slaves are legal but uncommon, as it is far more common with serfs who are 'free' elves but they are not allowed to leave the property without permission from the landowner. Prostitution is much more common in different price ranges, and luxury brothels have been 'in fashion' for the rich for a couple of generations. In the Queendom, it is socially acceptable to use the services of prostitutes as it is the woman who controls sex, it is just not a respectful profession to be a prostitute, unless the woman belongs to the highest class of prostitues at a luxury brothel or is a hóra. Among the rich and powerful, an evening in a brothel is common, for both men and women, but it includes music, dancing, games and drinking in addition to more or less sex. The general public go to a feast hall and maybe have sex with prostitutes. The rich go to feast halls or brothels.

The Red Maiden are several buildings in a U shape between two streets. A feast hall with prostitutes for the better class of common man, with entrances on the short sides from two different streets. Then a luxury brothel for the rich on one street, and an inn for travelers who do not want to stay in a brothel on the other street. In between there is a bathing establishment and a small garden, with a few statues. The entrances may be towards different streets with the bathing facility in between, but the buildings connect and if you don't want to go via the feast hall, then it is only a short walk on a covered path to go from the Inn directly to the Brothel. The Brothel and the Inn have their own stables, but the stables share a courtyard.

I should go to the Reiekrône and try to talk to Queen Damman and Madam Hilda, but I simply won't have time before my own auction on the first of November. It will probably take at least two weeks back and forth with a couple of days there, and I have things to build before the Auction, and I need to finish the steam boiler and many other things before winter is here.