The others stand beside me on the aft deck and we can see the smoke rising from the various farms, but above all from Jarl Arkanes' fortress, which is burning well. Most of it was not shoddy construction, so it was probably erosion, rot and the timber simply being old. Jane takes a few more photos of the village and the surrounding area, and us with the burning village behind us and the sunset over the hills on the other side. I have asked the nearby villages to prevent the fires from spreading, but that should not be a problem as the ground is damp and the wind is weak, and it is in their own interest to prevent it spreading. The fields have almost nothing growing on them right now anyway, and they are far too damp to burn. Many of the fields have of course been sown last autumn, but with the manpower in the village basically halved, there will be a lot for someone to harvest.

We took all the horses with us, which is a lot, and about half of the best livestock. We sold quite a bit on the spot at a discount when the villages asked, so we have only given away a quarter, but it was the least valuable but most space-consuming half, such as old cows or sheep and goats. I gave several animals to the local Fjölkunniga woman and to Symi. It is really good that Jarl Akranes had several ships, as this makes it easier to bring the animals back, especially as Knarrs and Longships are better for animals than a Cog. It was easy to find volunteers to sail those ships. Several animals were slaughtered and we have all eaten grilled meat and bread, even if it was not a feast. Just nourishing food after a long day, and a couple of animals were sacrificed to the gods.

We tried some of the hastily made fire arrows, which was educational, and Iselin and Ciara enjoyed shooting them at Jarl Arkanes' home, and so did Alith. Then we used some improvised Molotov cocktails, and they worked quite well, but it needs an available fire to light them, just like the fire arrows, as matches and BIC/Zippo lighters do not exist here. Clay pot shards are much better than glass shards and are also much cheaper. We have empty clay wine bottles, as my sambos sometimes opens a bottle or two, so we will be making more Molotov cocktails. Iselin and Ciara enjoyed throwing a few Molotov cocktails at the main building and so on. Iselin has a rather frightening devilish laugh when she really means it and enjoys herself, but I liked seeing her smile and sigh of relief afterwards when it was done and we watched the flames begin to consume everything. Arkanes body lies in the great hall of his burning fortress, decapitated and with a stake through his body. A similar end to most of the men he sent. However, they did not have their eyes gouged out, their tongues, noses and ears cut off, their fingers chopped off and their genitals cut off and stuffed into their mouths, as well as a stake forced up their butt. Iselin also defecated on his face before she and Ciara considered the body sufficiently desecrated and we added wood and lit the fire.

Arkanes committed suicide, so everyone looks down on him as a coward and someone who does not deserve to be buried with dignity, and Iselin felt better after she had taken her anger out on his body and fortress. I didn't like the desecration, but better him than his alive family. However, Iselin has told me what she wants to happen to Adallaug and Sasgaerda. Iselin wants me to 'sell' them to 'The Blushing Maiden' and for them to be given a dress with a silver collar and a mask. As long as they do a good job and are popular, they will be allowed to keep their masks and their anonymity, otherwise they will have to spend all their time 'behind the curtain', and then Madam Ranhlif will spread the word that Jarl Arkanes' beautiful wives are available for a cheap price. However, Iselin also believes that Sasgaerdas' bust and Adallaugs' height will be enough for rumours to spread quickly, even if they don't speak. If the law is actually changed about forcing slaves to sex, Iselin wants them to be sold somewhere far away and outside the kingdom. Iselin is right that I don't like her plan, but we both know that I will let her have her revenge. Her parents were killed. I have no idea if Kadlin and Nidbjorg's participation in our close protection gave Iselin the idea, or if she came up with it before.

We made radio contact with Kari and updated her on what had happened, Sasgaerda's offer, and Iselin's plans for revenge. Kari is of the opinion that we should have executed Arkanes' family, and since that was not an option due to my word, I should offer Arkanes eldest daughter Heila to become my Frilla, precisely because of the extra pressure it would put on wives, siblings, and influential relatives to never seek revenge. Especially if Iselin gets her revenge, and they ever find out who really owns 'The Blushing Maiden'. Iselin agreed, partly because Heila is not Sasgaerdas daughter, and she seems to find a perverse pleasure in Heila becoming a kind of trophy. Iselin and Kari want Heila to live and run the guest mansion north of the small lake, and I'm just glad I don't have to be reminded of her in my daily life. Jane is well aware of what would have happened to me and her if the attack had succeeded, or even not stopped as quickly as it was, so even though Jane doesn't want Heila even on the periphery of our lives, she doesn't go against Iselin and Kari, and agree that Heila can live in the guest mansion and stay out of our everyday lives, and I shouldn't have sex with Heila too often. Ciara agreed with me before I said what I thought, and no one is surprised.

I still feel anxious about making the youngest ones slaves, and that includes Mikkel Arkanes' youngest children. I have an idea, but I haven't dared to reveal it yet, and it's better that it happens discreetly when their mothers and the public don't know, because I'm thinking about letting the youngest daughter and son go with Heila, and maybe the last daughter too. Iselin understands this and can understand why to some extent, but I am not allowed to talk about it until their mothers and older brothers have been 'sold'. The last children are two older and grown up brothers, and apparently the second one is getting married in just a few months come spring, so they have to become slaves. We asked the eldest son's young wife if she wanted to divorce her husband, which she immediately chose to declare and was grateful that we allowed her to do so, so she has been left here to return to her family, which should reduce any problems with that family and relatives. Of course, it also relieved her former husband, but that was acceptable. I will sleep better if I avoid accumulating potential enemies, and avoiding enemies and blood feuds is something all sambos and bodyguards like.

So after the meal and before the families were loaded on board, we walked over to where the Arkarnes family was sitting and trying to accept their future. Those who saw us coming stood up and were afraid. So I took Heila's bound hands, but damn, it took a lot to offer her to become my Frilla while I looked into her frightened and worried eyes. At least I was honest about what it will mean for her: that she will not live with us in our home Thrymheim, but on a neighbouring small house I have for guests; that she will be the lowest in the ranking of my women; that she would live well and comfortably, but might be a bit lonely, even though she will be mostly free to move about my islands and accompany us on some of our travels. A certain amount of freedom with responsibility, which in the future may become much greater, both in terms of freedom and responsibility. She will receive an education at the Academy, and of course I want her to learn to read and write and become better at maths. And since sex is a legal requirement, we will have sex, but not often and not in the near future. Because I rather have sex with my sambos.

It's a hell of a choice between becoming a slave and sold somewhere, or being a kept woman by the man who killed her father and is about to enslave her family, and who is old enough to be her father. However, Heila quickly recovered from her surprise and had only one question: whether she would have to kill her family. I looked at them and replied that it would only be necessary if they did not behave themselves, so Heila stretched her bound hands towards me. So I cut the rope from her neck, wrists and legs, and repeated the offer to her in front of all the witnesses, which included her family and the local residents.

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Heila stretched out her right hand towards me, which I took in my left hand. She called out for Odin, Thor, Freya and for all the Gods to hear her words, and on her life and honour she declared loud and clear that she is my Frilla, and she will honour me and be faithful to me, in this life as well as the next, and the honour is bound. After a chaste kiss that felt far too icky, she bowed before Iselin, Ciara and Jane and promised them, on her own honour and that of her family, to honour them too. Then she took her place behind them, standing with Caecilia and Ryla, clearly marking her place as the lowest in rank. I will need to take her to bed and do the deed, but that will not be until sometime in the future, back on the island, in her new home. Heila's mother, Adallaug, thanked me and seemed proud and happy about her daughter's future, and so did the siblings, although there were of course some crying, especially from the younger children.

Would Adallaug still have thanked me if she knew what is waiting her?

Will she be grateful that it is not happening to her daughter?

After that, Jarl Arkanes' family became slaves, and somewhat ironically, we used iron rings we found in their home, and there were rings in different sizes. Iselin really enjoyed personally riveting the rings around Sasgaerda and Adallaug's necks with Ciara's help, and Iselin did so with comments that they had intended to take her and the others as slaves and kill me, so their future is better than they deserve. The family members of the raid participants also became slaves but did not have rings put on them as we did not have enough rings for that, and prioritised the wives and children of the men who killed Iselin's parents. There were 12 women and 13 children, although some of the children are 'adults'. Six of the women were so young and had children who were only a few years old - one was a baby and two were pregnant - and since they had relatives who were willing to take care of them, I sold them back, as they were unimportant people, although one was the young wife of a survivor. Those children would otherwise have been likely killed by future slave owners, because a slave woman with small children or who is pregnant is a complication. I just told the women to let their children grow up to be better persons than their fathers were, and that their innocent little children are the reason they were sold back to their relatives. Take good care of the children. The baby will apparently be named Robert, as will one of the unborn children. Or Roberta, if it is a daughter.

Then the families had 63 slaves, who are now mine. I really dislike it, but this is life in this world and culture. At least we have written down all the slaves name, age and family and where they're from as many of them already come from other places, as that information will be saved for the future. I am very pleased that my strong connection to Freya is confirmed by my behaviour as a victor, and that I do not rape my enemies' women or daughters after victory. It almost feels that way with Heila, but only Jane and I think so. As far as we have heard, there has not been the slightest word from any of the raid participants that they wanted to rape or celebrate with sex with any woman, slave or not.

In addition to barrels, bundles and sacks of food, drink, salt, clothes and luxury goods, I have chests containing various valuable items besides silver and gold. It was an incredibly thorough plunder, specifically because the farms were to be burned down and we had time to do it. We even pried away some iron hinges, and a lot of hay that is in the Cog. I am quite happy that we found some books and scrolls as well, which the warriors we brought along understood to be precious and I would want it. All but one of the books are in runes, although I have not looked closely. Since Heila is now my kept woman and she is really tall, I let Heila have her own belongings back, clothes, furs and jewellery, and have given her one of her mother's finest necklaces and earrings. Fine jewellery shows that Heila is important, but at the same time she has no jewellery of the kind that my sambos have. Apparently her mother smiled a little when she saw it as she tearfully said goodbye to her daughter, and so did her siblings. I avoided looking and listening. I already have enough memories for lots of nightmares.

The incident report has been written, at least by me. The bodyguards understand why the reports have to be written, and why I want future officers and soldiers to write reports, but that doesn't mean they like it. Being a war leader is not just about prestige and power, and that much is clear from the outset.

Gunhild was absolutely right about how experienced Valkyria-maiden Thyra and Laug are. Thyra is 32 years old and swore allegiance to Freya when she was 15. Laug is 29 years old and swore allegiance when she was 14. They have trained and fought together for the last 15 years, and from their brief description and skills in different languages, they seem to have been around Europe a few times in the last 9-10 years. The problem is mostly that female warriors are looked down upon in many cultures, but it is still prestigious to have exotic guards for an important woman, and many mothers and fathers naturally feel safer if it is women who guard their teenage daughters.

A couple of months ago, Thyra and Laug finished their latest assignment and asked Freya for guidance. Just three days later, they heard rumours about me, so they followed the rumours north and 'home'. They learned more about me as time went on and understood that Freya wanted them to protect me. They arrived in Borgarsandr four days before joining us. They have, of course, spoken to my companions and others. My actions since I came here to Alfheimr, and how I behaved during the raid etc, have convinced them that Freya guided them here to protect me and mine. They feel very guilty and believe that they have failed Freya's call because they did not hurry and even stayed a few days in Borgarsandr, as they could have easily reached Ackerek Islands and Thrymheim before the attack, which must have been Freya's intention.

So they will serve me for the time being.

What I think about it is pretty irrelevant because I am a Sejdmann in Freya's service, so practically speaking, I had no choice but to accept. It is quite obvious why Norse people and Aesir believers in general are happy to help Valkyria-maidens with accommodation, food, etc, because everyone wants to go to Valhalla or Folkvang, and it is Valkyria who bring the dead souls to those places. The help from the Aesir believing population in the North is apparently one reason why Thyra and Laug headed south, to be more challenged and better deserve to become Valkyrias, and then there is more war and conflict going on over there. They do not accept a higher wage than one coin per day, and only for the days they have actually guarded, and even that wage is not a requirement. As long as I provide them with food and lodging - even if it is water, dry bread and simple shelter from the wind and rain - they will serve and protect me and mine until they die, or until Freya orders them to move on. They obviously don't hesitate to help with other things that need to be done, and the wages are only so that they can get to where Freya guides them. They can only be rewarded for honourable conduct in battle, or for loyal service, and only with things such as clothes, weapons or the like. Apparently, their armour and helmets were gifts for rescuing a princess from an ambush they stumbled into a few years ago.

I'm not entirely happy to have Thyra and Laug in our lives, but it feels silly to complain. The fact that two such experienced Valkyria-maidens were sent by Freya from afar to protect me and mine - perhaps the two most experienced and well-armoured Valkyria-maidens in the world - Heila takes as further proof that her family really did go against the Gods and condemned themselves.

We made radio contact and updated Kari and Raneigh on what had happened, and they are happy that we are on our way back and that everything went well. Kari is so glad that radio exists. But it has been a long day and it is time to sleep. To try to sleep. Dreading to fall asleep and nightmares don't help.

The boat is rocking quite a lot, so I lie in the hammock and Ciara wants us to take advantage of it, because she is in a brilliant mood. I don't really feel like sex, but she thinks I need cheering up and it's a sexy erotic tradition we like and my body is willing, and it might help against nightmares, so I give in, and she manages to cheer me up a bit. Especially afterwards when I hold her resting on top of me. The whole revenge raid seems to be ending as well as I could have hoped, especially here in the hammock with my wonderful cuddly Ciara.

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