Rise of Rurik

The huge Ross fleet raised their big sails, the sails of the past years.

Two large ships with jibs formed the core of the fleet, with as many as forty freighters flanking it, followed by a large number of traditional longships.

Compared with previous years, there are far fewer other merchant ships following the Ross commercial fleet, not only that those who intend to go north have already set off a month ago, but also that Tombstone Island has become a real trade point, and a group of merchants are simply there. island trade.

However, the merchants noticed the Russ trading company that was built on the ruins in the Birka market. I am afraid that in the future, everyone will not have to venture north to Roseburg, and everyone will trade with the Rus people in Birka. As for whether to go north or do business locally, it depends on the tax status of the two places.

The fleet sailed with the wind, and they left the mouth of the lake, which is densely populated by islands, and everything suddenly became clear.

Back home, although the autumn sea breeze was bleak, Rurik wanted to return to Hong Kong as soon as he was overwhelmed by the joy of returning home.

The Avlora rides the wind and waves, and although the Gurdot is very young, the seaworthiness of the sailing is no less than that of her sister.

The wind blew Rurik's face, and he stood on the bow deck in high spirits, and everyone in the fleet could see their leader, just as they saw the old leader Otto.

It's just that Otto's ship used to be an ordinary battle ship, and Rurik's is already a giant ship.

Do not! Now Otto's ship has also undergone great changes.

"Let's go to Tombstone Island first, and then unload some supplies." Rurik casually told Gould, who was also blowing the air.

"Is this very necessary? We can get rid of Tombstone Island and go back in three or four days."

"Unload some more supplies and sell them to the brothers left behind at a fair price. When we arrive at Tombstone Island, we will come again next year when the snow and ice melt."

"Alright, you are indeed a benevolent monarch."

Rurik shrugged, it was a good feeling to be flattered.

Two imitation Caravels and all traditional Kirk diversion cargo ships, they all have jibs.

When the accompanying longboats all folded their sails and moved forward in a more traditional paddling mode, all the big boats were going retrograde on the broken line, which was even faster!

As Rurik wished it to be, Eskil, the missionary from the Cathedral of Franklands,

He did not hesitate to accept Rurik's invitation to go north on the Rus's giant ship.

It was also in the cabin of the Avlora that Esquil, with his entourage, the little priest, unexpectedly saw another priest.

After inquiring again and again, both sides were stunned that their respective languages ​​were interoperable.

"You! Are you from Britain? You are not a priest, but one who was kidnapped by them?" Esquil asked the food officer Paul.

Paul has always been in awe of the priests, even if it is a Frankish missionary, he is also a nonsense to explain everything.

Speaking Saxon to each other, Esquil was taken aback: "That young Rurik? I know your island of Lindisfarne, the monastery is famous. He destroyed the monastery with an army of barbarians, and killed at least A thousand kingdom warriors? It's terrifying."

Eskil crossed hard, scolding Rurik and Ross as demons in his heart, but on second thought, the teenager obviously knew a lot about his beliefs.

Maybe it is because of understanding that they are more savage?

Eskil asked in shock again, "Could it be that there is a stolen relic hidden in this cabin?"

Paul didn't admit or deny it. After a moment of silence, he said helplessly, "I am their slave now, and I will continue to maintain my faith. They are indeed barbaric, but they have no intention of denying our faith."

Hearing that, Esquill let out a sigh of relief.

"That's good! If they don't object, I have a chance. The Swedes in Melalen have new lambs, and I can make a breakthrough with the Rus people today."

Paul was no more than a food officer, and he introduced these things because of the boredom of the voyage and the fact that Esquill was in line with his beliefs.

Because the various Saxons conquered by the Franks still have a large number of people who do not accept the faith of the Lord.

Eskil is a Saxon man who has believed in the Lord, and he has been working in this business for twenty years now.

Throughout Reims, Bremen, and Hamburg, no one knows Denmark better than him, and now he claims to lay the first stake in his career in Ross in the extreme north, at least to increase his knowledge and allow subsequent missionaries to expand the sacred cause .

Rurik predicted Esquil's thoughts, and suddenly felt that the two boys dressed as priests who were following him were his **.

He even judged that this guy wanted to build a monastery in Ross as well. This is actually possible, but not now. In order to learn more about money in the Frankish kingdom through Eskil, it is better not to say anything.

The fleet set out in the morning, and it was not until evening that the shadows of the Åland Islands appeared in the north.

Finally night came, but there was nothing to worry about.

Of course, the risk of sailing at night is huge, as long as you aim at the fire on the shore and pierce through it.

Tombstone Island did not deliberately set up a flame lighthouse, but every night on the island, the people on the island would light a bonfire to grill fish and eat.

It was a permanent settlement with a population of thousands!

Rurik's fleet did not take the more vigilant inner waterways of the archipelago, but went along the periphery of the archipelago and plunged in after seeing a lot of fire. However, the unexpected is just around the corner.

"What's going on here? Could it be that the merchants of Melalen are crowded here?" Rurik couldn't believe his eyes.

Gould was also surprised: "Shouldn't it be? There are traders here, and their ships don't have so many."

"Then..." Suddenly, Rurik thought of one thing, and then trembled with surprise, "It's Otto. The Sorgon fleet has returned, and they are also mooring here to rest."

Everything went as Rurik expected.

The north wind blew the world cold, and the clouds in the sky almost disappeared.

The world was not too dark, and Rurik gradually saw that there were rows of boats moored around the Tombstone Island. Judging from the sturdy body, it was undoubtedly a cargo ship!

Among them, a huge ship-shaped phantom, she became more and more clear.

"It's the Speros. Well, now the three Avrolla sisters are assembled."

Gould hurriedly reminded: "Sir, there must be no berth in the small bay on the island, and we must break down on the spot."

"Okay, we're going to disembark on a small boat. Tell everyone to stay on the boat, and a few of us will go ashore."

Because of the possibility of a lot of people, Rurik didn't want to let his subordinates run around. He only arranged for a cargo ship carrying household utensils to unload some cheap earthenware pots and pans ashore.

He took Noren in the boat to wait for the shore again, this time with his new woman to meet the parents.

Noren is cautious and careful, she knows that Rurik is not the leader of Ross in the full sense, and his father is still the de jure Duke of Ross.

Rurik was so young, his father was strong. It is also a strange thing that Rurik does not seem to have a living brother.

Ross' Otto may have some secrets, his own existence, what does Otto think about him, and will he be particularly fond of him because of the alliance of the two tribes?

The news of Rurik's arrival surprised Otto, who had also just arrived. It just so happened that he also had something good for his son to see.

No, Otto led a young girl and hurriedly walked to the small bay pier on the island under the escort of the soldiers.

In the dim firelight he saw his son's landing.

"Huh? This kid really brought a woman back?!"

The girl beside him immediately spoke in a very stubborn Norse language, and then said in a nasal voice, "Dad, that's Rurik, and is he a sister?"

"No, Lanna, that's her other concubine."

"Oh."

"What? Disappointed?"

"Well……"

Seeing the girl's silence, Otto patted her back casually: "You are appointed by me, you are Rurik's wife, and the boy you give birth to will inherit Ross. Go and talk to Rurik."

This is Svetlana. As Otto said at the beginning of the year, he was determined to bring this ten-year-old Slavic girl back this year. Although she was not of age for marriage, she would bring her back to live with Rurik first.

Otto was indeed a little too hasty, but he had something to hide.

Veria is dead, the mother-like old priest, the most stable ally in tribal politics. Otto was serious on the surface, but also wept behind his back.

He even felt that he was getting old too. Rurik will be twelve years old next year, and he will officially come of age and get married. And himself, the old leader of Ross is basically sixty years old.

On this Sorgon voyage, he felt his own exhaustion. He was originally blond, and this year has turned gray at an unprecedented rate.

Looking at the achievements Rurik has made in the past few years, Ross is no longer the Ross he once was, everything has changed! The old era gradually came to an end with the departure of the old guy, and now Otto has only one last obsession, that is, before the end of his life, to see Svetlana who he brought back finally give birth to a boy.

There is no regret in this life to hear the cry of Ross's true successor.

From the very beginning, Svetlana was not afraid of Otto. Her delicate face and lively temperament were the biggest reasons why she was attracted. Otto took her to his side, even seeing her as his daughter.

Although there is a better consideration for ruling the eastern world, Otto still likes this delicate cat-like little thing to accompany him.

Who hates cute little things?

What's more, this girl is only ten years old, and she is already very beautiful. Different from the more pronounced pointed chin of ordinary Nordic girls, it makes her more delicate.

Rurik saw the vicissitudes of his father's face under the flames, and Noren saw that his second father was so old?

who is that girl?

Is it her?

Rurik froze on the spot, and he let go of Noren's hand even though he was holding it.

"Is that girl with disheveled hair the right wife you said?" When Noren said this, he couldn't help but shudder.

Obviously it was me first... Obviously I was the first woman to marry him. Why must this be...

Rurik hummed softly. He was really struggling, but as a man, especially as a monarch, having many women is not only a privilege, but also a political necessity!

Rurik kept his mouth shut and walked forward peacefully.

What's so hard about dealing with a girl? They're all kids, just coax them.

Although Rurik was only eleven years old, he was pampered and good at sports, and his figure and physique were far superior to those of his peers.

Looking at the girl in front of her, she is indeed tall and tall, and her forehead is now reaching her chin.

"You are Svetlana?" Rurik said calmly in Slavic.

"Yes. You are my Rurik, the man of my life."

"Exactly. Let me take a good look at you."

Rurik might have been a little shy, but now it's impossible. He stretched out his hand to lift the girl's chin and stared at her face, making the girl smile knowingly.

"How old are you?" Rurik asked again.

"Ten years old."

"Indeed, very similar to Lilia."

"Of course, she's my sister." The girl pouted again mischievously, "Can you stop pinching my chin? The Duke said, I will marry you when I'm twelve years old. I will give birth to your child, Many, many children are born, the eldest son inherits the duke, and the other children become chiefs of various places."

"You're just a child, so you have such an awareness?" Rurik was shocked, and then he thought about it, it was Otto who showed her the trajectory of her life, and she clearly accepted it frankly.

Not bad, this Slavic girl will become more and more beautiful, that is...

"Let me see your arm."

"Huh?" The girl rolled up her beautiful linen sleeves in doubt, "See if I can do housework? No problem, after my sister left, I will study hard, and I will be a good woman."

"No. Just look at your arm."

Rurik was no longer vague, grabbed the girl's delicate arm and stroked it.

Sure enough, her face is indeed delicate, but the fluff is a little dense.

Rumia is different, her body hair is sparse, but she lacks a very delicate face.

Rurik endured embarrassment, most of his women were all kinds of "hairy girls".

Maybe they should be taught the authentic "violent hair removal technique," which involves smearing alcohol all over and burning off the thick hairs.

Rurik patted the girl's neck again, "You will be my wife, you are a good woman. Svetlana, I will call you Lanna from now on. You should know about my family, I have many women. You must do your best, you must become sisters with other people, you must not be jealous, you must obey my orders, and you must not be arrogant because of the status you have been given, and do your own thing well.”

Rurik spoke in a commanding tone, as if dismounting from a horse, and Svetlana, who was originally smiling, immediately calmed down.

She hooked her head and said solemnly, "I swear to God, I am your woman, and I will obey all your commands."

"Okay, enough is enough."

Rurik touched her forehead again, after all, what he wanted was a wife, not a servant.

But what Svetlana said was true. The family education she received was to be a woman who was loyal to her husband and good at housekeeping.

Since she was designated as the successor's wife by the great leader of the Rus conqueror, her parents were more than just paying attention.

Svetlana, she was forced to learn to be a good woman. She studied tailoring, learned to sing, and learned to do housework.

Under the education of his biological mother, he learns how to please men and even the mystery of fertility.

Her little head is full of "women's things", but she is now a little illiterate due to the extreme lack of cultural knowledge.

Of course, the cultural education for wives and concubines is something that Rurik likes, and he decided to do it deliberately this winter.

He continued to hold Svetlana's hand and called Noren again.

Holding two beautiful girls with long hair, he stood proudly in front of his father Otto.

"I'm back, I like Svetlana very much. Please look at this girl again." He introduced Noren, "This is Noren, daughter of Magnut, the leader of the Balmers. I'm sorry, I'm in Baal. Merck has already married her."

"Ah?" Otto was surprised and delighted when he heard it. "You! Your kid is obviously not twelve years old. You...you are in Balmerk..."

"Yes, we have made a blood alliance with Balmerk, our marriage has been concluded, and we have even gone on an expedition together, so I am only returning now."

"Oh! That's right! Tell me the details, I can't wait." The old guy Otto cheered for a while, and then he called Noren.

He asked casually, "Are you Noren? Noren, did Rurik touch you?"

"Not yet. Father, if he wants to, I...I will."

"Haha, you call me father? Good! That's really nice." Otto rubbed Noren's forehead hard, he could see that the child was as young as Svetlana, like his son Ruri Such a rational person, naturally, would not be stupid to do it now.

That kid, only when his woman grows to the "old age" of Rumia will he try to be safe and secure.

Otto said no more, and glanced at the grinning Gould again. "Come on, big businessman. All of you enter the house. I got a lot of gifts today, and you all come and tell me what you have experienced."