Rurik and Carlotta stayed outside the curtain. They watched the Mellaren army slaughter sheep, cut their skins and roast them for barbecue, watched them burn the wooden houses, and even piled the corpses together one after another, and then piled firewood to burn them.
There are also those prisoners, the names of which are now recorded, are all women among the Gotlanders, and their screams of grief and anger are endless.
At this situation, Rurik's mind was filled with helplessness. He hoped that these guys could calm down and not cause further damage even if they were cleaning the battlefield.
However, the belated friendly forces were all landing on the beach. If they missed the battle, would they set fire more wantonly to vent their dissatisfaction?
Rurik noticed Carlotta's numb expression from the corner of his eyes, he was really at a loss.
"You...this is war, this is the revenge you hope for..."
The girl was indifferent to this inquiry.
"I'm asking you something!"
"Uh-huh?"
"How is it? Your revenge? Are you satisfied?"
"I……"
"You have nothing to say?"
Carlotta still had a stern look on her face, pointing at the women who were being raped, because she subconsciously realized that this was history repeating itself.
Although Rurik was not in a good mood, his face was even hotter from the flames burning not far away. "Those are the trophies of the Malaren Army. Do you feel sorry for them?"
"Yes I am."
Carlotta no longer wanted to hide her emotions. Although the battle was won, she was on the edge of the fire and could not feel the joy of victory at all. Is the victor’s carnival joyful? What she felt was clearly fear, fear.
"But they are enemies." Rurik replied calmly: "This is the price the Gotlanders have to pay. Don't care anymore. You saw Origen and asked him for your sheep. That is the most important thing." of."
Carlotta nodded.
She and Rurik have been closely protected by elite mercenaries headed by Yevlo. As more and more friendly troops landed, among them a noble-dressed guy who was clearly the leader of the tribe appeared. Yevlo Also subconsciously increase vigilance.
Carlotta did not get the pleasure she imagined from her revenge, but most of the men, when they saw the fire rising into the sky, their spirits were as high as a rabid bull.
Undoubtedly, the craziest one was Duke Oak of the Gran people. This guy could be called a coward and fled with his clan members in an emergency. This ensured that the clansmen were named, but he also betrayed the mutual protection agreement between the two of Aosta.
"Haha! I, the Oak, are back!" He held a huge broad-bladed forest ax, pointed at the burning house, and screamed: "Brothers! The Mellaren people have taken advantage, and we can't do nothing. ! Burn down these maggot houses for me. Revenge!"
The Gran tribe sent out only fifty warriors. They were just armed herdsmen, so their combat effectiveness was naturally at a disadvantage.
If they were to fight those Danish armored warriors, it would be inevitable that they would all be killed. The most dangerous enemy is already dead. The Gran people are angry and angry at the empty enemy house. Is this called bravery?
The noise outside is getting worse.
Just as Olegin made the request, Otto opened the curtain and suddenly let the two children Rurik and Carlotta enter to discuss the matter.
At this moment, Rurik subconsciously looked into Olegin's eyes, and their eyes even stayed for five seconds!
"This kid doesn't avoid my eyes? He actually has a face as calm as water? Oh, this kid is indeed very beautiful, but it's a pity that he is not my descendant."
Origen thought for a while and didn't care about it. In fact, he was willing to take a look at Rurik's face.
After all, Rurik is about to turn ten. Any Nordic boy with a good quality of life will show a bit of masculine temperament at this age. Rurik hasn't grown a beard yet, but the hair on his lips is really thick. His face was still fair and smooth, but it was inevitably a little rough. His figure was much taller than when we first met, his face was more three-dimensional, and his eyes began to become deeper and deeper like his biological father's.
Origen waved his hand and said: "Everyone, please sit down."
Rurik immediately sat down cross-legged and pulled the somewhat dull Carlotta to sit down.
Origen still wore his crown and arrogantly recounted his victory: "Rurik, you see, our Melalen army is invincible, and I can easily wipe out a few Gotlanders."
"King, you asked me to come in just to promote your illustrious martial arts? I saw that your army is like a hero fighting with fire." Even though Rurik said beautiful flattery, his face remained calm.
These words really appealed to Origen, and he chuckled: "Let's talk about business. Your father asked you to decide a matter, and the thing is like this..."
Origen then handed over the matter of "using prisoners to pay debts" to Rurik for judgment. After hearing Origen's intention, Rurik's calm face also changed.
"Now it's your turn. If you agree, the prisoners will be yours in exchange for one hundred and fifty pounds of silver coins. If you don't, they will all be killed."
Rurik knew that what Origen said was not a joke, and he was really conflicted in his heart. Ask yourself, Rurik's humanity does not want prisoners of war to be executed indiscriminately. However, the ultimate goal of the contract signed between the Rus and the Melalen people is to obtain an astonishing amount of wheat! The purpose of obtaining wheat was to feed the growing population of the Rus' Principality. Now that we have taken in a group of prisoners of war, it means that the money to buy wheat has been severely reduced.
Wait! This matter is not simple!
Rurik neither agreed nor objected. He raised his head and asked seriously: "King! The war you lead will achieve great victory, but the eight hundred pounds of silver coins you owe us will be repaid with more and more prisoners. , this is not what we Russians want.”
"You! Good boy!" Origen wanted to angrily complain that his plan was exposed, but after thinking that he had underestimated Rurik's mind, he giggled again.
After the atmosphere calmed down, Origen asked again: "So, do you really want none of those prisoners?"
"Yes. Let them be left to your warriors. I see that your warriors are very happy now. They are just slaves who have been ruined by your men. I am afraid that they are more willing to commit suicide in the sea than to be the future of our Russian people. Wives and concubines. I don’t want this kind of woman.”
Origen was desperate and could not announce the killing for a while.
Rurik certainly requires a lot of labor, especially the collection of women. In ancient times, the number of women determined the rate of population growth of a nation or country, and a huge population was equal to the strength of an ancient country. Rurik knew this, but he also understood that he couldn't want any woman.
Rurik hopes to win over sane people as a redeemer and benefactor. Obviously those poor people who are still being abused, can they still be sane afterwards? I'm afraid that everyone will have a schizophrenia.
Origen gently dragged his chin and asked hurriedly: "If the body is innocent, do you need such a slave?"
"Exactly. I don't want Ross's warriors to marry crazy women, and I don't want their future children to be little lunatics too."
Origen was not stupid. He estimated that Rurik knew that he could not refuse completely. This boy's conditions were logical.
From the very beginning, Origen did not want to expand the war with a large number of prisoners. Although female prisoners could appease the soldiers, in the long run they would also be the source of the military's lack of morale. As for the male prisoners, they cannot be kept because they may be waiting for an opportunity to rebel and backstab. Either sell the captives immediately, or kill them directly to avoid future trouble.
After thinking about it, Origen immediately sent someone to issue an order, and the messenger hurriedly organized the actions of the soldiers, thus ensuring that some prisoners were not insulted.
The messenger had just left the tent, and Origen breathed a sigh of relief: "The order will be implemented, and you can still get a group of innocent prisoners. Are you satisfied now?"
"I accept only such prisoners, but this is the last time. King! You must have grabbed gold and silver. We Russians will not openly ask for it, but you will need to come up with silver coins afterwards, or food in the autumn. I hope you will remember it. .”
"Of course I'll keep it in mind."
"However, according to the contract." Rurik added: "You need to distribute the loot they deserve to the Ostara army."
"Ostara?" Seeing Carlotta's face, Origen suddenly realized: "Is this... really necessary? Oh, I can give Carlotta some silver coins. After all, this place is her hometown. "
Rurik and Otto suddenly felt a sense of hatred. Obviously, this guy didn't take the Ostara tribe to heart, even though the banner of this battle was to avenge them.
Carlotta has been holding her emotions in, and now she explodes!
"Give it back to me! My sheep! Give it back to me!"
"Sheep? Your sheep?" Olegin asked in surprise.
"They are all my sheep in Ostara! The Gotlanders robbed our sheep, and your people robbed the sheep again. All the sheep are mine! But you are..." As he said, Carlotta's mood finally broke.
Yes, the burning Linkoping and the burning Ostara, the battlefields are exactly the same no matter how you look at them. The sufferings of the past were still vivid in his mind. Those burned corpses made Carlotta hallucinate. He felt that his long-dead grandfather was waving to him in the fire.
Devastated, she fell on Rurik's lap, her clothes soaked with tears.
"As you can see." Rurik said calmly: "At least give her some sheep, which can be regarded as an explanation to the people of Ostara."
Hearing Rurik's words, Origen showed obvious resistance in displeasure.
Rurik quickly followed up: "King! Only by doing this, everyone will praise you for taking back the property for your allies. You are the guardian of the kingdom. Compared with the great honor, a group of sheep is nothing."
In fact, Rurik didn't even know that his theatrical flattery was just poking Origen's itchy flesh. At this age, Origen only cares about honor, because the huge honor in the world is equivalent to the absolute qualification to enter Valhalla, and he just believes in this.
Origen waved his hand: "One hundred, that's all I'll provide."
As soon as I listened to it to the sheep, a dramatic scene happened! Carlotta sat upright like a spring and hurriedly said thank you with tears in her eyes.
She did not make any more kneeling gestures, just because she knew that she could never let Rurik and Otto down again, and she could not pay tribute to Olegin without their permission.
Although Origen's promise moved her.
Apart from getting a flock of sheep, Carlotta really had no other aspirations. The rest of Ostara consisted of only women and children, although some men were added, all of whom were Rus. The tribe's revival hoped for the favor of the Russians. As the Duchess of Ostara, she could only ask for help from the Russians.
Night fell on the burning battlefield, and before the sun set, the Mellaren ships chasing Gotland's escapees returned one after another. They killed the men and took no prisoners, but brought back the empty ships.
The fire in Norrkoping showed no sign of stopping. The entire beach was filled with boats and people. Nearly four thousand people gathered on the beach in a huge manner. They set up their own camps in tribal units, lit their own bonfires, and tasted The winner's dinner - lots of roasted meat.
Most of the captured sheep were killed, and Origen kept his promise and "gave" Carlotta a hundred sheep. He also showed the side of a chicken thief. The so-called "gift" was a lot of inferior old sheep and lambs lacking meat and hair that were given to her. The really good sheep were either kept for themselves or slaughtered. .
The sheep had been delivered, and Carlotta felt suffocated and helpless.
What's the use of an old sheep? The lambs are at least a full year away from being ready for shearing.
In desperation, the Russians got Carlotta's permission, and all the old sheep were slaughtered, and the mutton was used as the best supplies for the soldiers.
The entire beach became a dining extravaganza, mixed with discord.
The Russians received the captives, and in the end Rurik was shocked to discover that it was said that they had captured more than a hundred prisoners, but only more than thirty were delivered to him. Their characteristic is that they are all young. As for other women, they are now...
They were young girls who had been horribly frightened by the sudden war, but Rurik estimated that they should have known the risks from the moment they immigrated. There are no truly good men and women in this world. If you snatch the living space from another tribe, you should think that the other tribe will take revenge.
Rurik estimated that what he could do at the moment was to bring these captives who were not mentally broken back to the ship, let them stay in the cabin, and be comforted by his group of Slavic maids. As long as they are not allowed to see their still alive tribesmen continue to be ruined by the Swedish army that landed, and they are given some food, Rurik estimates that they will quickly accept their fate, at least they will not resolutely resist or wait for an opportunity to commit suicide.
Just like the current situation, Rurik estimated that the more than thirty slaves he "purchased" were probably the only surviving Gotlanders in the entire Norrkoping settlement. He had already planned to send all these girls to New Roseburg. If they were given to the young people who immigrated to Novgorod, wouldn't it be a good story of national integration? Rurik was very realistic and felt that this move would indeed become a good story - outstanding Slavic men did not need a bride price and had the opportunity to get a young woman rewarded by the leader of Rus.
Anyway, Rurik was determined not to use any of the Gotland prisoners obtained in normal wars for his own use.
The beach was still filled with the aroma of food, and around a huge bonfire, all the dukes gathered together.
Origen could actually say that this battle was won by the Malaren army. The other troops arrived late and missed too much, and they had no right to ask for any silver coins as spoils of war.
If Kal was king at this moment, this guy would most likely make such an announcement, that is, the people of Mellaren had the right to eat alone.
But Origen has to consider the stability of the coalition. Everyone gathered here is not maintained by friendship. The only thing that can connect each other is economic interests! If he had to eat alone, countless troops in the coalition would have to go back home.
If they all run away, it would be wishful thinking to simply expect the Mellaren Army to expand the war!
No, Olegin pointed to the two boxes of silver coins next to him and said loudly: "This is the most important loot: two boxes of silver coins. I decided to distribute them fairly according to the number of our troops, except for the Russians. What do you think?"
After hearing this, everyone hurriedly whispered to each other and started studying.
At this time, someone was still making trouble. Modsen, the leader of Yermalen, questioned Origen's gift of a hundred sheep to the Ostara girl: "Sheep are also trophies, and you should distribute them according to the number of troops. Since many sheep have been eaten If it falls off, then distribute the sheepskin! What you gave Carlotta the sheep is very unreasonable, what is your reason?"
In fact, Carlotta was here, but she felt that she had no role to speak, and the trustworthy Rurik was not suitable to participate in the meeting according to the rules, so she had to rely on Otto.
Origen said bluntly: "Actually, all sheep are originally the property of the Ostara people. So..."
Moderson is not the Lord of Greed. He stretched out his right hand and understood it himself.
However, Ungrif of Unclas attacked again: "What about the women? Those are prisoners! I found that you gave the Russians a group of prisoners. Didn't you agree that they would not participate in the battle, but would be our transport team? Why? Can we still get prisoners?"
Otto's explanation was unhurried, and the explanation given by Rurik was strange: "Ungreave, do you know what kind of women I want? They are just children who will serve as maids." , nothing more.”
"Oh! I hope you won't give your Rurik a bunch of brothers." Angreev said maliciously.
This remark made everyone burst into laughter, and some people sneered that Otto was too old and had long since lost that strength.
"Shut up!" The angry Otto suddenly drew his sword, and the sharp point almost cut the throat of Oak, the man from Gran who was laughing the most happily. His eyes widened with anger, shocking Angreev to shut up on the spot.
The sudden turn of events frightened everyone into silence, but Origen quickly acted as the peacemaker: "Everyone, don't hurt the peace, and don't make too many jokes."
Otto sheathed his sword, but Oak remained sluggish.
But a new question did arise - what to do with the women.
"My opinion is kill! Your people have had enough fun, kill them all tomorrow morning. Listen, we want to expand the results of the battle without any burdens."
Olegin felt that his decision was very beneficial, but he knew that it was unanimously opposed by the dukes.
"Then give it to me! I want slaves, women, alive, nothing else matters." Modsen of Yermalen, he really doesn't care about the situation of women. For the future of his tribe, he just needs fresh food from outside. Blood is used as a supplement, even if it is a woman whose spirit has been played crazy, and he is hungry and has no choice but to eat, it really doesn't matter.
Someone started, and others made similar requests.
Origen let out a sigh of relief: "Okay! It's up to you."
He made a compromise and began to formulate the next battle plan: "In this battle, we only destroyed a small enemy stronghold. I decided to rest for a whole day tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow we will leave here and run south along the coastline. . As long as we encounter any fishing boat or any settlement, we will immediately launch an attack. We Melalen people have suffered certain losses in this battle. You will be the vanguard in the next battle. Some of you say that I have hidden the loot? It doesn’t matter, in the next battle You focus on the attack, and we will distribute the loot afterwards. I trust you will not take the treasure privately."
Are the coalition forces united? Their one mind is based on the same interests and interests, and they really start to divide the spoils, and it is normal for them to start fighting among themselves.
Everyone actually appreciated continuing to go south, especially the attack on the legendary Kalmar in Denmark, which seemed to have a silver mountain. A powerful raid would make all tribes rich overnight, and everyone's eyes would be on fire - their corneas actually reflecting the flames of a bonfire.
But who would have thought that Otto would back out.
"No! I have to send a ship back."
"Why?" Olegin asked in surprise.
Otto pretended to smile bitterly: "As your Majesty said, prisoners are a burden. I will send a ship to transport the prisoners and sheep back. We Russians are a transport team. I don't even need to bring many ships with me. I have no intention of competing with you for the spoils.”
No one stood up to object. The fact that the Russians did not land for combat in this battle proved that the Russians had abided by the agreement held at the meeting before the war. They did not participate in the war, and presumably as long as they showed up symbolically in the fleet, no one would complain about the Russians betraying their alliance. What's more, they did not take the initiative to ask for the spoils. Although this is incredible, it has to be said that since there is no apparent stake, who would hold a grudge?
Of course, what each Duke saw was only the surface.
