Iselin and Asta work with the halves for a globe, and I sit and build more for the Auction. This is the last day to build before the King's visit, and thus before the Auction. And we have forgotten to stamp the goods with my mark and numbers. I remember I decided to give Asta a candle lantern for each crew house so they have some light, and decide that I might as well just give each house an oil lamp along with a jar of rapeseed oil. That should last for a few days and we have a lot more oil in the basement they can refill from. Just talk to someone on the staff. After all, it is my houses and furnitures that they only borrow as part of their employment. The rapeseed oil is a small cost, but that doesn't mean that I want them to wasted it. But it will give them more light to extend the coming short winter days. Ida will help Asta carry it and show how they work and are used.
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It is late in the afternoon when one of the crew comes running and lets us know that a faering with Fjölkunniga Unn has arrived down in the harbour with some of her packing and household stuff. I send Jalida to light the fireplace in Unn's house, while we go and meet her.
One of the people living in Lysesund has sailed her here - curious to get a closer look on the mansion, but as most people, haven't dared to disturb us, but now that he had a good excuse he quickly took it, and I tell him that he is welcome to return another day and go for a walk along the road, just don't disturb the work. I don't mind if 'neighbours' visit the islands, just don't be a bother. A couple of the workers, under Caecilia's guidance, will transport Unn's belongings to her house while we go ahead, and I send some of the crew to take the much larger Knarr to bring the rest of Unn's belongings here, as well as her horse and so on that is guarded by Unn's young apprentice Amba. There is enough daylight remaining that it shouldn't be an issue getting it all sorted tonight.
Iselin, Kari, Ciara and my shadows Alith and Bodil comes along as I show Unn her new house and she is so surprised and overjoyed when I show the little greenhouse on the south side below her common rooms window, but that is just the first surprise she will get tonight. It's kind of fun to see how she behaves like she's stepping into a holy place and I show her the rooms, and the part that can be screened off for bathing or showering and the back entrance with the toilet. Then I show and explain that she has both hot and cold water, just like the mansion, although we havn't really tested everything yet because the water pump was installed yesterday, and I forgot to do it today. Just let me know if she finds any small leak or something.
I have decided that Unn will get two oil lamps too considering her job will require good light around the clock. An oil lamp with a reflector and a double as a ceiling lamp she can move around depending on which room she needs light in. They also gives of quite a lot of heat. While I'm talking and explaining, Unn has just walked around and touched everything, looked around, and she's overjoyed.
"All this is really mine as long as I work for my Lord?"
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"When it's just us or my closest like now, it's Robert. But yes, this house with its contents in furniture and other stuff is yours as long as you work here, and in the future if you deserve it, maybe it will truly become yours, although the land probably won't come with it."
Unn just slowly move, overjoyed and taking deep breaths to calm her emotions while she inspect the fireplace and its features, and she enjoys the heat.
"This is such a wonderfully beautiful house with such incredible luxury, and more than I ever dreamed of. A large house of my own, with several rooms and beautiful walls, fine wood and stone floors and so many large beautiful glass windows. It's so bright inside! Cold and hot water from the wall. A greenhouse of my own."
Unn is crying with happiness as she look out through the window over the greenhouse and admire the view of the lake. I invite Unn and her apprentice Amba for supper after all their stuff have arrived, and Jalida will stay here and give them a lesson in how the fireplace with its cooking accessories works, and answer other questions. Then we leave and let Unn just enjoy her house, and on the way home we take a detour and sit on hill and look out over the lake and the valley and the sun that is soon to set, while I hold my sambos.
It's been a good day.
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Before supper, I show the first aid kits to Unn and Amba, and there are some things that should be changed or added. I didn't even consider that there also should be 'thread' to sew together wounds made of sheep intestines, as that dissolves in the body. Jane react at that idea, but I just ask if she has ever heard of English catgut, after Cattle Gut. In Midgård today that is probably synthetic, but it wouldn't have been just 50-70 years ago. There are other important things to tweak and stuff to add to the first aid kit, but I have counted on it. They're a work in progress. On the other hand, Unn really likes the curved needle, and the whole concept to have them ready. Most people doesn't have a Fjölkunnig near by, so they do what they can, and if it's bad the sick is brought to the Fjölkunniga or vice versa. That my Furstdome will have its own Fjölkunniga is very appreciated among the locals and workers. I'm just happy that they won't come to me with their medical issues.
During supper, I tell both Asta, Unn and Amba that the mansion and Island will receive a low-key visit from King Aeriksson and his family for a few days and that they should arrive tomorrow, which they were not prepared to hear and both get a little panicked, and Unn coughs while Amba is half shocked as she is trying to help Unn. My sambo's and Jane's looks and comments inform me that I should learn to say such things in a better way. I give Unn and Amba another little shock when I tell them about oil lamps, and explain how she can move it between the rooms and we just need to attach hooks to the ceiling beams. The oil lamps will help her especially during winter, and give a nicer life when she doesn't have patients.
Elvira offers to give Unn and Amba a lesson about oil lamps after the meal, and Hrappr will arrange more firewood from the storage down by the barns tomorrow. He has also taken care of her horse, pig, chickens and goat until enclosures can be made.
After supper we try to play my new Risk. Me, Kari, Jane and Iselin. With a larger audience. Eventually I win, and I kind of expected that, but I learn that Jane suck in understanding game dynamics. A fifth player might be suitable for better dynamics, and I may need to do a couple of tweaks, but the game works well enough that it is nice to play, and well balanced enough as I have to play it more times to be sure of changes. But I write down my thoughts for the future and then we just talk about stuff. I hug Ciara who have curled up next to me on the couch as she embroidered something, while waiting to go to bed.
This has been a good day.