"I trust everything was in order while I was away, Freya?" Ivar asked as soon as he finished his meal. They had only just returned from their long journey, and he had been famished upon arrival, heading straight to the longhall for food after witnessing some of his people mourning their fallen.
"Aye. Everything was fine," Freya replied. Then she hesitated before continuing, "Well… some have started talkin' about ye, about how ye order them around and set a strict task for them every day. They've been grumblin' about it for some time now. Some had even skimped on works now and just lazed around the settlement. I think ye should do somethin' about it."
Ivar frowned at her words and let out a slow sigh. It seemed he would have to deal with it personally, he would have to again beat and exile those who complained too much about how he ran things here. Why couldn't they simply leave his settlement if they disliked his rule? It would be far simpler. Instead, they chose to grumble, spread discontent, and complain about it everyday.
He shook his head. If nothing else, he would remind them why he was the one in charge here in this settlement. After a moment's thought, he nodded to Freya. "Don't worry about it. Now that I'm back, the grumblin' will end soon enough. Anything else?"
Freya understood what he meant and simply nodded. "Nothin'. Everythin' else was fine. No one tried to attack the settlement."
"That's good," Ivar said, rising to his feet and stretching slightly to settle the food in his stomach.
Ylva, who had been listening from the side, spoke up. "Now that ye're back… are ye done with everythin' in the south?"
Ivar gave her a wry smile before replying, "Far from it. I'll be headin' back once I've sorted things here. But I'm hopin' this'll be the last time this year as we might finally put an end to Jorund." He paused, considering his next steps. "I should trade with the Thenns again before goin' south. Is everythin' ready for that?"
"Aye," Ylva answered. "It's been ready for a while now. What about the crows? We've got plenty of black furs stocked up for them too. Should we prepare those and make more fur coats fer them?"
Ivar shook his head, his expression tightening slightly. "Nay. We'll stop tradin' furs with them. Instead, we'll stockpile 'em here and wait for a better chance to sell later. Just make sure they're in good condition. We'll still trade other goods with the crows, just not furs."
Though questions lingered in her mind, Ylva held her tongue and simply nodded, sensing that Ivar had no wish to explain further.
Seeing that their discussion had paused, Freya spoke up. "Are ye bringin' Eirik with ye to fight in the south, Ivar?"
There was a hint of concern beneath her tone. She had begun to worry that her son would gain neither respect nor standing if he remained in the settlement, hunting only now and then. If he was to make something of himself and have many wives in the future, he would have to fight, and fight alongside Ivar.
Ivar studied her expression and quickly understood her meaning. "Why? I thought ye wanted him close and out of danger. That's why I left him here to guard the settlement. Changed yer mind, have ye?"
Freya frowned. "If that's what ye think, then yer wrong. I want my son to achieve somethin' and have many wives. And I know that means fightin' with ye, not stayin' here guardin' the settlement."
Ivar realized she was serious. In truth, the arrangement had suited him just fine, and he cared little either way. Still, he raised his hands in mild surrender. "Alright, alright. I thought ye wanted him safe, so I kept him here. Now that we're clear, I'll take him south next time and have him join the fightin'. Happy?"
Freya's face brightened at once. "Aye. I am."
From the side, Ylva added, "And what of my son? Have him go with ye as well."
Ivar let out a quiet sigh but nodded. Now that he had agreed to take Eirik, there was no refusing her. "Aye. He'll go too."
Ylva smiled in satisfaction before returning her attention to the herbs she had been grinding.
Ivar and Freya spoke for a while longer about the smaller matters within the settlement before finally parting ways. Before returning to his hut, however, Ivar sought out Ulf to discuss the warriors who are still training. He told him of his plan to bring them south this time as well so they could gain real experience in battle, and Ulf readily supported the idea.
Ulf himself expressed a desire to go south, but Ivar refused, explaining that there was no one else he trusted enough to leave in charge of the settlement. Though reluctant, Ulf understood and agreed to remain behind. Ivar then instructed him to gather everyone in the clearing on the morrow, as he had an announcement to make. Ulf nodded and assured him that he would have the people assembled by sunrise.
Satisfied, Ivar took his leave and headed back to his hut.
To his surprise, when he arrived, a nearly naked woman stood waiting just outside his door. She spoke softly, offering herself to him. It was clear she had abandoned any hope of stealing him over and had instead chosen to present herself outright.
Ivar shook his head and waved her away. She lingered for a moment before leaving after seeing that he was serious, her reluctance plain. He understood the temptation, but he also knew his body was still growing. Indulging himself now would only drain his strength and waste his time as he would better spend it cultivating later.
Once she was gone, he stepped inside, securing the fur door so he would know if anyone tried to enter while he slept. He stripped off his clothes, lay down on his fur bed, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Ivar woke early the next morning and immediately began cultivating until sunrise. Based on his progress, it would still take years, perhaps a decade before he could advance further, but he was in no real hurry. As things stood, there were few in this world who could truly threaten him, from dragons, to the Others, and those who wielded strange powers like the Children of the Forests. Speaking of Children of the Forests, he had already taken care to avoid such dangers. Though he did not know their exact locations, he steered clear of places with great heart trees, as he was certain they might dwell nearby. And if avoidance failed, then he would simply have to fight for his own survival.
When he finished his cultivation, he stepped out of his hut. True to his word, Ulf had already gathered everyone in the clearing in the middle of their settlement. Pleased, Ivar gave the man a firm pat on the shoulder. "Thank you."
Ulf blinked in surprise, clearly unused to hearing such words from him.
Ivar only smiled before walking toward a raised patch of ground where he could see everyone clearly. In truth, he had no grand announcement to make today. He had called them together for two reasons, to see how many people now stood under him, and to deal with those who had been stirring discontent.
As the crowd watched him, murmuring among themselves, Ivar began to count. To his surprise, his numbers had grown to five hundred and sixty. Recruitment and Haldor's relentless habit of bringing in anyone he found had paid off. Still, it was not yet enough to form the army he envisioned. Of those gathered, only about two-thirds could fight, but that was acceptable. The settlement also needed people to keep it running just like Freya and Ylva aside from having warriors.
When he finished counting, he could sense the crowd growing restless as he had yet to speak since arriving in front of them, and the murmurs were beginning to swell. In the distance, he even spotted a few troublemakers quietly stirring the others. A faint smile curled at his lips.
After a moment, he finally spoke, his voice carrying across the clearing. "I gathered ye all here because I've heard some of ye are discontent with my rule."
He paused, letting the words settle. "If that's the case, then I've a question, why stay? If ye don't like how I run things, why not leave and find a place that suits ye better? Why stir trouble and spread rumors instead?"
He let the silence stretch, watching their reactions, making sure his words struck home. When he saw that they understood, he continued. "I called ye here to settle it. Those with complaints can face me, and everyone will see how it ends."
His gaze swept across the crowd, lingering on those he knew had been stirring unrest.
"Well then…" he said calmly, "who wants to go first?"
No one stepped forward. Those he had singled out with his eyes avoided his gaze.
Ivar's smile widened at the sight. They would be fools to think they could avoid a beating simply by avoiding his gaze.
"Or better yet," he added, voice sharpening, "why not make it interestin'? All of ye who've got complaints, who think ye can lead better, ye all come at me together."
That finally stirred the crowd. A man he knew as Harald stepped forward, and it did not take long for others to follow. One by one, they emerged until six men stood before him. Still, Ivar was not satisfied. From what Freya had told him, there had been ten men stirring trouble in his absence. He intended to deal with all of them today.
His gaze swept over the crowd, settling on those who had yet to step forward. Whether they had been pushed out or came willingly to salvage their pride, the remaining men finally joined the others. Now that all ten stood before him, Ivar nodded slightly.
It was time.
He allowed them to keep their weapons, while he remained unarmed. He would use nothing but his own hands to show them and everyone watching, just how little they stood against him.
The moment they were ready, Ivar moved.
He surged toward the nearest man. Before the man could complete his swing, Ivar struck first, driving his fingers into the man's throat. A choking sound escaped him, but Ivar had already moved on. He pivoted to the next, slamming a fist into the man's gut before he could even raise his guard.
The rest hesitated for only a heartbeat before rushing him together, but it made no difference.
Ivar dismantled them with brutal efficiency. Blow after blow, strike after strike, until all ten men lay on the ground. Some writhed in pain, others lay unconscious, and utterly defeated.
Silence fell over the clearing. The people watching could watch in silence as Ivar remained standing before them while his enemies were on the ground, defeated.
Ivar turned to face the gathered crowd, his breathing steady and his expression calm.
"I don't mind givin' a show like this every once in a while," he said evenly, his voice carrying across the clearing, "but make sure ye understand the consequences of yer actions before ye stir trouble again."
He let his words sink in before glancing at Ulf.
"Gather their families," he ordered. "Banish them from the clan. We don't need people like them."
"Aye," Ulf replied without hesitation, already moving to carry out the command.
Torren and Haldor stepped forward, hauling the unconscious men away to be cast out outside the settlement. One by one, the rest of the people began to disperse as the spectacle was now over.
Ivar exhaled slowly, the tension leaving him. Then he turned and walked toward Freya and Ylva, who had been watching from the side.
"Prepare the goods for trade with the Thenns," he said. "I'll leave on the morrow with some of our men."
"Aye," they both answered before moving to carry out his orders.
With that settled, Ivar felt a rare sense of calm. The small problem had been dealt with, and for a time at least, no one would dare challenge him again after his little show of dominance. Of that, at least, he hoped.
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The next day, Ivar set out for the Thenns' settlement, bringing with him a considerable amount of goods to trade. Hilde accompanied him, along with twenty warriors to guard the caravan and handle the horses.
They traveled north, and the journey took only four days, far quicker than before. Now that Ivar knew the route, there was no need to crisscross through the wilderness to find the Thenns again.
As they neared the settlement, they encountered a band of Thenn warriors. Fortunately, the bronze ornament the Thenn chieftain had given him during his previous visit proved its worth. The warriors did not attack, though they watched Ivar and his companions with wary eyes and hard glares.
Ivar paid them no mind. He had not come to fight, only to trade.
They continued on for several more leagues before the Thenn warriors called for them to stop and wait. Ivar complied without protest. He understood their caution; outsiders were not welcome within their settlement.
Fortunately, the wait did not last long. Before long, the Thenn leader himself arrived.
Stenn looked over the red-haired brat standing before him, then at the wagons behind him. It had been moons since their last trade, and though he did not show it, he was pleased to see the boy return with goods, hopefully with salt among them. Their collapsed salt mine had yet to be cleared and remained unusable, leaving his people without a steady supply. For now, this brat was their only reliable source of salt at the moment.
He gave a curt nod in greeting. "Took ye long enough to return, brat. Thought ye and yer clan had died already."
Ivar chuckled at the remark. "Thank ye fer wishin' me and me clan good fortune, Stenn." He gestured toward the wagons behind him. "We've brought more goods this time. Think ye can exchange all of it fer spearheads? Or perhaps we can start tradin' fer yer bronze swords?"
Stenn's interest sharpened at the mention of more goods, but his expression hardened when Ivar brought up bronze swords. He shook his head firmly. "Not possible. Spearheads, furs, and mammoth tusks, that's all we can trade with ye at the moment."
Ivar let out a small sigh but nodded in acceptance. "Fine. Have yer men inspect the goods, and we'll settle the exchange after."
At his signal, Stenn's warriors stepped forward to examine the cargo. Ivar motioned for his own men to stand aside, allowing the inspection to proceed without tension. The two leaders watched in silence for a time before Stenn spoke again.
"Have ye seen or heard anything of our people who went missin' long ago?"
Ivar shook his head without hesitation. "Nay. We asked in the settlements we passed on our last journey, and again this time. No one's seen them." He offered a reassuring smile. "Mayhaps they'll return soon. This land is vast, easy to get lost in if ye don't know it well."
He kept his tone calm, betraying nothing. He would never admit the truth, not when their trade and growing relationship benefited him so greatly. He had already warned Hilde and the others who knew about it to keep silent. All he could do now was trust that no one would speak out of turn.
Stenn was clearly dissatisfied, but he let the matter drop. There was little he could do but wait and hope. He had already sent his men to look for his daughter and the others who went missing but each time they came back with nothing. Still, he did not lose hope yet and still his men to look for them.
When the inspection was complete, the two began negotiating. They haggled over quantities, how many spearheads, furs, and tusks would be exchanged for Ivar's goods. Stenn had to admit, though only to himself, that the brat was a difficult trader. In the end, he parted with a considerable portion of his stock.
Still, he did not dwell on it. In a few moons, the salt mine might be operational again. When that happened, he would no longer need to rely on this boy, at least not for salt.
With the deal struck, Ivar wasted no time. Once the goods were exchanged and loaded, he gave his farewells to Stenn and departed.
A day's journey from the Thenns' settlement, he reached a campsite where he had previously left one of his wagons. From there, he began trading with the smaller, scattered settlements along his route. They had fewer valuable goods than the Thenns, but they were still useful partners, and Ivar made sure to do business with them as well.
By the time he finished stopping at every settlement along the way back, his journey had taken nearly twice as long as the trip north. Yet Ivar did not mind in the slightest. The gains were well worth it.
As he looked over what he had acquired, a thought crossed his mind. When the day came that he could trade with the lands south of the Wall, or even across the sea to the east, he would be swimming in gold then.
In fact, he realized that he had not even handled gold since arriving in this world. But he figured that would change soon enough.
Once he arrived at his settlement, he immediately convened a meeting with Freya, Ylva, Ulf, Torren, Haldor, Hilde, and the rest of his close confidants. They discussed who would remain behind and who would accompany him on the next campaign against either Jorund or Sylas. Since Ivar had already spoken with Ulf beforehand, the man did not argue when the matter arose and accepted the fact that he would stay behind.
The others, however, were eager to join the expedition. Ivar understood their enthusiasm, but he could not leave Ulf without capable support, especially with the constant threat of slavers coming from the sea. After only a moment of consideration, he decided that Hilde would remain as well, assisting Ulf in guarding the settlement. The decision angered her and even refused to speak to him after that, but Ivar did not waver in the slightest. He let her frustration pass, trusting that she would not do anything to undermine the safety of their settlement and would follow his orders.
Torren, Haldor, along with Freya's son and Ylva's son, were delighted to be chosen. Beyond them, Ivar intended to bring a larger force this time. After further discussion with Ulf, they settled on a total of one hundred fifty warriors: fifty archers, fifty spearmen equipped with shortswords and axes as sidearms, and fifty shield-bearers armed with swords and axes.
Ivar would have preferred to take even more men, but he could not risk leaving the settlement undermanned. Once the numbers were finalized, he went over everything again with Freya and Ylva, ensuring that no detail had been overlooked, checking their defenses, reinforcing watch rotations, and assigning men to monitor the sea both day and night.
He also instructed Ylva to oversee the construction of a canal that would cut through the settlement, channeling water from the upper stream down toward the lower streams near the sea. In the event of a siege, it would ensure a steady supply of water for moons. This was also in preparation for the expansion of their settlement soon when their numbers increased.
With all preparations complete and his orders given, Ivar finally set out once more, this time at the head of one hundred fifty warriors. Among them were seasoned fighters hardened by recent battles, as well as greenhorns eager to prove themselves in blood.
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A/N: Please don't forget to rate and review the story after reading. And if you want to read ahead. You know where to look.