In the core area of the Gulf of Bothnia, the dissolution of the huge ice packs formed by the ever-expanding sea ice is quietly happening on the seabed.
The ice covering the entire sea surface is slowly disintegrating, and the thickness of the sea ice is getting thinner every day.
It's just that this series of changes are still not obvious until now.
The sea water was frozen, but the ice on the great lake was still hard. Thanks to this ice, the leader of Mälaren, Olegin, finally chose early March to hold important news about the tribal alliance, and continued to inform the dispersed people through messengers.
Allied tribes in various places.
Olegin has already taken action.
The ice layer of the Great Lake is also nearly half a meter deep. No one can even think about sailing on the ice, nor should they expect to move quickly by relying on just one pair of feet.
The Mellaren tribe also raised some reindeer, but they did not develop it as an industry. Their reindeer were domesticated by a small number of small families, and they were almost always used for pulling carts when traveling.
Lake Mälaren, which must be passed through, is huge and its waterways are extremely complex. Boats are naturally the first choice for people traveling long distances on weekdays.
Reindeer can pull carts and are naturally good at pulling sleds.
If there is nothing important, who would stay outdoors for a long time?
This time, Origen summoned all the reindeer owners in the tribe in the name of the leader. He directly spent money to rent the deer, and also gave the owner of the deer some tasks-to rush to each tribe with the leader's messenger.
.
Reindeer sleighs were dispatched one after another, and Olegin's envoy rushed to the Hjelmalen tribe, the Glen tribe, the Onkras tribe, and the Uppsala tribe, carrying a document in rune written on a wooden board and an oral message.
Even some small tribes located in the north.
The residence of most of the tribes in the alliance is clear to Olegin, but the increasingly powerful Ross tribe seems to exist on the edge of the alliance system. Not only do they lack direct communication with the core Melalen,
What's more, the location of the Rus' territory is actually further north of Nordland (Northland).
It was only last year that Olegin had an unprecedented clear understanding of Roseburg's geographical location.
Just by boat, it would take three days with a favorable wind to get from Mälarenberg to Roseburg. So sending a messenger on a reindeer would definitely be an arduous and extraordinary journey.
The messengers who delivered the news returned one after another, and they brought back the promise of the local tribal leaders, that is, when the ice and snow melted, they would bring the envoys to Mälarenberg to meet the leader Olegin in person, which would usually be in April.
The simple matter was completed as a matter of course, and the envoy was sent straight to Rus. This adventure could not be delayed any longer.
An emissary named Benedick was dispatched in critical situation.
At first this guy refused. He was not stupid enough to ride a reindeer sleigh and run wildly across the frozen sea for three to four days.
Olegin asked him to think carefully about whether to implement this order and even the consequences of refusing it.
Can a tribal leader arbitrarily order a tribesman to die?
Olegin did not directly express the threat, but only revealed the meaning, which made people very worried. After nearly ten days of thinking, Benedik thought of his wife and children, and had no choice but to risk his life.
He has made the final decision to freeze to death on the ice field, and just wants his family to be safe.
The agreed last time has come.
Benedick put on his thick clothes and unexpectedly cut off half of his beard. With a rather energetic look, he walked into the towering wooden wall and half-knelt in front of the leader.
In the huge room, standing on both sides were a group of armed private soldiers. They thought the man wearing a thick bearskin coat was Olegin.
"You're here! Have you thought about everything?"
Olegin's words were not aggressive. When Benedik raised his head cautiously, he saw a golden "garland" suddenly appearing on the leader's forehead.
Yes! That is the wreath, inlaid with some red gems and translucent amber. It is really beautiful.
But is it just beautiful?
Olegin melted down some precious gold and silver coins, supplemented them with precious stones, and made himself a crown.
Ordinary people have no idea about the concept of the "golden crown" or even the symbol of power it can imply.
On the contrary, the businessmen who did business provided a lot of news about the south, and even some legends about the Frankish Kingdom.
The supreme ruler of the far south, he has a beautiful crown made of gold. It is a unique and beautiful treasure that symbolizes his power.
Olegin, who wanted to do great things in his lifetime, deliberately tried his best to gain a Viking-style glory.
Whether glory can be obtained depends on the results of the alliance.
Before that, the ambition in his heart had prompted him to create a symbol of power for himself in advance - a golden crown and the so-called noble title of "koenig (king)".
How could an ordinary man like Bernardik understand these matters of honor?
He complimented: "Chief, I have already thought about it and I am willing to go."
"Chief? Are you still calling me leader?" Olegin pretended to be displeased, but in fact he raised the corners of his mouth slightly, "Now call me koenig. This is my new title, a noble title. From now on, I will be your koenig.
"
This word is actually a noun that merchants heard from the Franks to describe a great ruler. In fact, it is a word in ancient Germanic language to describe a "unique person". It describes the status of a monarch very well.
Olegin just wants to be the king of the alliance. He just wants to determine the new name this year and use it from generation to generation! However, if he is the king of the alliance, is it still an alliance?
If Bernardik was a smart man, he should be able to guess some of Olegin's intentions.
"Dear King, I have thought about it. As long as you can ensure the safety of my family, as long as you can ensure that if I die in the ice and snow, I can continue to be supported by my family."
Olegin was afraid that this guy wouldn't go, and he really didn't just pick someone to assign a difficult task. There were many sayings about Benedick in the tribe. For example, this man could walk alone in the snow for a long time without freezing to death.
The so-called "Ice and Snow Warrior". Actually? That incident was clearly about this guy going on a hunting adventure in winter and getting lost in a snowstorm. He not only managed to survive but even managed to get home with his strong determination to go home to his wife and children.
Lu, he got such a name after surviving the catastrophe.
Now, he wants to take risks for the Melalen tribe for the name of "Ice Warrior".
Olegin was afraid that the man would still refuse, so he smiled and said: "Okay, you go and deliver the letter. As long as you deliver the letter, you have completed the task. If you really die, don't worry, I will take care of your wife and children."
."
Why does this sound so awkward?
Benedick hesitated for a moment and quickly said "Thank you Lord for your kindness".
Olegin no longer wanted to wait any longer, and he urged Benedick and the charioteer to take action immediately. So the day after the meeting, a sleigh pulled by two deer carried the two men, who were as swollen as polar bears.
, carrying a batch of wheat cakes and guarding the most important wooden board with carved words, rushed to Fort Ross in the far north.
Olegin was not stupid enough to let the "Ice Warrior" freeze to death, so he lent the two of them the best to keep warm, including the charioteer, the two polar bear skins Rurik gave him.
Since polar bears are not afraid of severe cold and keep their skin close to their bodies, is it possible for them to freeze to death?
The sun was shining brightly on the vast land, and the ice fields illuminated by the sun were almost blinding Benedick's eyes. They went north along the frozen sea and ran wildly for two days. Benedick never dreamed that he would encounter madness.
The ice hunter.
He intended to negotiate with the predator, and he also tightened his grip on the iron sword hidden on the side of the leather.
After all, in this sea area, one cannot trust strangers too much.
Benedick was not attacked, and because of the white bearskin coats they wore, they were respected by the seal hunters, because the seal hunters had to weigh the strength of a "polar bear hunter". Both sides were stunned.
They had to be afraid of each other, and they didn't put down their guard until they completed the preliminary negotiations.
These are actually hunters from the Ross tribe? They actually insist on hunting in winter!
The messenger was shocked by the miraculous things. After learning the identity of the messenger, he realized that the seal hunter, who was expected to get a large bounty, should continue to waste time on the ice? Anyway, the ice has become significantly thinner, and the seal hunters
The method will also change.
Originally, neither Benedick nor the charioteer knew the clear route to Fort Ross. The information he obtained said that as long as they walked along the coastline, they would be able to enter the fjord of Fort Ross. Now with Hunter Ross as their navigator, they were able to
Four days later, towards evening, we finally arrived at our destination.
At this moment, the Avrora standing on the frozen coast had just set up its mast. Rurik dismissed the strong men and allowed the shipbuilder to proceed step by step with the prefabricated wooden deck in the form of mortise and tenon joints, like Lego blocks.
on board the boat.
On the other hand, a group of women have also accepted Rurik's task. They are proficient tailors. They are using old cloth, new hemp rope, wool thread, and even old sails to work together to weave an extremely huge triangular sail.
, its surface area is more than twice that of an ordinary longship sail.
The core construction of the ship has been completed, and she is now being built more and more to perfection.
In recent days, the most exciting thing in the entire Ross tribe is building large ships. Ordinary people have seen their tribe's unprecedented achievements. While they are proud, they also admire Rurik's ability.
The leader Otto finally realized the reliability of the big ship, and he was supporting Rurik's cause in his own way. Otto made an amazing move, which was to remove the leader's flagship that had been sealed in the winter, and the dragon head sculpture on the ship was removed.
Down, it will be installed on the Aurora. And the only big sail of the flagship, which is the core of the new sail, because it is printed with huge interlaced blue stripes that represent the oars, that is
A symbol of the Russian people.
Otto used the power of the leader to designate the Aurora as the flagship of the leader of the Ross tribe.
Contributing to the Ross tribe, the leader's flagship, all those involved felt a sense of self-movement in their hearts. Their stomachs were also warm. After all, anyone who participated in building a big ship, even a woman, Liuli
Grams will also provide a little oatmeal.
The entire tribe invested huge manpower and material resources, almost mobilizing the whole tribe to speed up shipbuilding. Otto and Rurik naturally ignored some important things.
It was not until the Mellaren envoy arrived after a long journey that Rurik suddenly remembered that the edict regarding the alliance seemed to have arrived.
"Stop looking! Keep driving the reindeer, and I will take you to the leader's mansion." the sealer urged.
Benedick came to Fort Ross for the first time in his life. He could not believe that there was such a large-scale settlement in the far north. Even though the world was still covered with ice and snow, he saw docks, ship masts, and even behemoths.
New ship.
How could he not look at the ship?
"Hey! Hunter, that thing over there is a boat?!"
"Yes! It's our Aurora, the glory of us Russian people. She will be launched into the water soon. How about it, can you Mellaren people do it?"
"This...can't be done, it really can't be done." Benedik didn't want to have any verbal disputes. He truly admired the Russians' ability.
Actually? Isn’t the ability to build large ships still owned by the Melalen people? It means that the shipbuilders of Melalen are capable of building the Avlora, but her chief designer is Rurik himself. In a sense, Avrora
The Flora can be said to have been built jointly by the Russians and the Mellarens.
"We're here." The sealer's sled stopped: "I can't get any closer to the area of the leader's residence ahead. You will be questioned by the leader's mercenaries. Envoys from afar, show your document board,
They won't make things difficult for you."
In this way, like a polar bear, Benardick had already attracted the attention of a large number of people in Fort Ross. When he wanted to see the leader, he was quickly unarmed by the cautious mercenaries, even wearing a bearskin.
At this moment, the sky is beginning to darken, and the brilliance of the setting sun shines on the frozen fjord, bringing a sense of tragic beauty to the coldness of the whole world.
The wanderers went home one after another, spending time in the blacksmith shop, Klavasen, and Kawei. Rurik, who was chatting and laughing, had to temporarily put down the half-carved "design drawings" in his hands, and hurried back to his home to meet Yuandao.
The coming messenger.
When Rurik came back, Otto was already talking seriously to the pile.
Rurik came in a hurry. He trotted across the steps and pushed open the closed wooden door. In an instant, warm air rushed to his body.
"You're back! Rurik!" Otto said casually, looking up.
Hearing this, Bernardik was so startled that he had goosebumps all over his body, and he quickly turned his head.
"Ah, I'm back. The messenger of Melalen...is...you?!"
Rurik suddenly looked into Benedick's eyes, then calmly took off his velvet hat, flicked his neck, and his golden ponytail also swung.
At this scene, Bernardik was startled again. Could it be that the child in front of him was a girl? No! He was a boy, a very delicate and beautiful boy, an innocent boy.
This is Rurik? Bernardik had never seen Rurik when he was in Mälaren, even though Rurik and his men once showed off in the local area. He has heard too many legends, and some recent legends describe Rurik.
Rick's appearance, a handsome boy.
"Hey, let me ask you something. Are you a messenger?!"
Benedik accidentally saw Rurik's gapped teeth, and thought to himself that this beautiful boy had reached the age of losing his teeth, so he would only have a few years to grow into a man.
He saw from Rurik's seemingly frail figure what true nobility was and what a promising future was.
He felt that if Olegin needed to use a gold crown and a title invented by the Franks to show his nobility, then Rurik was the real nobleman.
"Yes! I am the messenger...I...I am the Melalen messenger. I brought the order from the leader of the alliance."
"Are you stuttering?" Rurik asked with a serious face.
"I... I'm just nervous." Benedik's eyes widened, "Are you really Rurik?"
"certainly."
"Ah! Those legends are true. You are indeed a god. Your purity shocks me. Please...please accept my worship."
Which song is this singing? Rurik couldn't help but be surprised when he saw the guy kneeling in front of him. Otto was also surprised.
"Get up. Since you are the messenger, we will get down to business quickly."
"Yes." Benedick quickly sat down, but his body was shaking unconsciously.
Rurik sat cross-legged next to his father. At this moment, there were only three people in the huge living room of the mansion, which was lit with oil lamps and firewood. There was no other person. It was Otto. He needed a quiet meeting. That's all.
.
But from Benedik's point of view, he felt that he had gained the respect of the Russian people. The leader and his son would actually meet him, a low-class person. He also felt that he would be like other messengers, only worthy of submitting wooden documents, and there was no need at all.
Quan met the leader himself (to a certain extent, it was also out of distrust of the leader of Melalen, because that man did not rescue the Ostara tribe that was attacked).
Rurik, who was seated, continued to ask: "What's your name?"
"I...Benedikt of Mälaren."
"Okay, Benedick, let's talk business now!"
Bernardik composed himself. He was about to speak when he suddenly realized that Otto, the leader of Russia, had been silent since Rurik entered the house. All his words were ignored by the handsome Rurik.
Having said that, it seems like Rurik is the leader.
He estimated that in the future transfer of power from the Rus, Rurik would definitely inherit the power. Just like the leader of Mälaren, Olegin, would hand over the power to his only son, Karl.
Carl is a lustful and arrogant guy, not a reliable person.