Ragnar was confused for a moment, and he was challenged by two little girls as soon as he entered the door.
He quickly figured out the situation, and then took a closer look at his children. He never imagined that the girl he had let go had grown up, and how he could settle down with the Russians in the far east was too fantastical.
The sumptuous banquet made Ragna salivate, who had been sleeping rough for several months, not to mention the delicious meal on this table exceeded his imagination.
There is an empty independent table with each meal on it. The tableware is made of silver and crystal, which is really expensive.
This position must be prepared for you? So the Russians don't want to look good on themselves.
However, it would be a bit ridiculous to apologize for the killing of the Ostara people back then.
Ragnar simply sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, holding his head high and answering in front of everyone: "As for what happened back then, how many years have passed? About ten years? We, the Stonewall tribe, were worshiped by Haf back then. Gen's order to fight, is it not just our family that attacks Ostara? I am a warrior, and it is not my intention to attack Ostara. This is an order that I must carry out."
Carlotta's moment. Holding back his blush, he said: "You have completely ignored yourself."
Ragnar immediately turned away his face, his face was full of fire, and his eyes were even threatening: "Exactly! I am a warrior ! I have my own principles, I will not kill anyone who resists. You two escaped, but my men tried to kill you but I stopped you. If another lord faced this situation, you would definitely die. "
"Absurd! Do I still need to thank you for not killing me? I think... you want to die!" Carlotta's anger increased.
Ragnar still looked righteous, just because he felt that the Russians would not kill them.
He glanced at Rurik and shouted deliberately: "My people are all in your hands, including my wife and children. They want to kill people at your convenience, so despicable and shameless It will spread quickly. Odin's warriors are not despicable people! And I also killed the leader of Ostara in an upright duel, even..."
Ragnar is not a person after all! If he wants to anger the people in this room, he needs to establish an image of a warrior with Nordic principles. If the other party is also a self-proclaimed warrior, they should respect each other.
The fact is that Ragnar himself has always practiced his own principles, but his subordinates have no principles. In Frank, he personally did not kill indiscriminately, unless it was a human sacrifice as a blood sacrifice to Odin. Killing for fun was all done by his subordinates.
Based on the current values, even if Ragnar ignores and allows his subordinates to kill, he is still a principled "Odin warrior" personally.
After all, he still has a brain mechanism. Look at the current situation. If he doesn't keep it up, these two women will pay for the assassination. They are women, so they do not have to follow the principles of warriors, and their wives and children are in the hands of the Russians, so it is easy to take revenge on their own children.
Ragnar had a plan in mind. He had forgotten many details of the battle in Ostara, butIn a duel with its leader, a crucial trophy is always in hand.
After he finished brewing his emotions, he announced in a loud voice: "The old leader of Ostara was killed by me, and I took his sword. The two hundred noble trophies will not be desecrated. It is a symbol of my honor. , is also my backup weapon. All the weapons of our Stonewall tribe have been temporarily detained by you, including this sword.”
“That’s right. Yes!"
Carlotta's heart was beating wildly: "Give it back to me immediately."
"Yes. But I will not apologize for the formal duel. La woman, have you ever fought in a one-on-one duel? What right does the family of the loser have to apologize to the winner?" This sentence actually stopped Carlotta. .
Rurik heard the secret and noticed the flaw, so he hurriedly spoke: "Unless both parties in this life-and-death duel agree. Ostara is just a fisherman and herdsman, and you Danes are attacking They are fighting undeclared. The duel between you and the old leader of Ostara is not mutually agreed upon."
It's Ragnar's turn now.
He did not expect that the image of an upright warrior he had established had a logical flaw. It was natural for Nordic warriors to duel and the loser to be killed. When he was just fifteen years old, he became famous by challenging a tall and strong neighboring leader to a battle. If he was killed at that time, his father would not be furious.
"You must apologize." Rurik continued, leaning his head.
Carlotta added: "I don't want you to apologize verbally. I want you to return my grandfather's sword and use money to compensate for my losses! Also, hand over a group of people and join my tribe. , completely disassociate with you. Also! Your people will work for us until next spring, so our hatred will be understood.”
The Principality of Ross made a condition. Na thought about it for a moment, and he was not willing to agree completely, but refusing now would be asking for death. If the Stonewall tribe can be resurrected at a relatively small price, an apology and compensation are acceptable.
At this moment, because of Rurik's remarks, Ragnar's position was indeed shaken. He even felt that his action of leading troops to assist in the war on the order of his late father was a mistake.
That Hafgen is a "woman killer". In order to establish his authority without injustice, he orders indiscriminate killings. Even women who can be brought back to be the wives and concubines of his own people are also killed. It is even more ridiculous. move.
Thinking of this moment, Ragnar’s hair suddenly stood up!
It was not that he suddenly realized his conscience, but that among the people he led to flee, some women and children were actually...
If it was a gift, leave it at the last minute! Anyway, this little girl ordered herself to hand over part of her tribe to supplement the population loss of her Ostara tribe.
The Ragnar-faced Carlotta, who has figured it out, is not a tall and towering body descending.
One is destinedThe landless pirate leader, who was gasping for breath, lowered his proud knees and knelt down on one knee to the Duchess of Ostara in a warrior salute. He supported his left knee with his left hand, and covered his heart with his right hand, like a lower-level soldier saluting the chief.
"Indeed, that duel was not completely fair. I apologize to you, the female leader of Ostara." His business was deliberately very loud, and this was not meant for Carlotta. , clearly to express his attitude to Prince Ross.
Just these few words were enough to make Carlotta hide her face and cry, and Ella's face was also filled with tears.
A fool can also see that this female leader has an extremely close relationship with Prince Rus, and she must be the prince’s wife and concubine. As long as the woman is moved to tears, what reason does the prince have to kill her?
Ragnar continued to promise: "I am willing to hand over the sword, and I am willing to hand over some of my tribe to your rule. I just ask you to treat those people well. I am also willing to take my brothers with me. Do something for you Rose. Just..."
"Do you still have conditions?" Rurik asked.
"How dare I have conditions." Ragna half-knelt and turned his face, "I didn't have to come to Ross, but I accepted brother Arik's request. I heard that the prince of Ross got With God's blessing, I even recruited many Danish mercenaries. I want to try my luck and form an alliance with you."
"I just learned about this! No matter how qualified you are to negotiate terms with me, what I want is not an alliance. I want you to be my mercenary!" Rurik's words were unequivocal and were clearly a decision made after careful consideration.
Ragnar didn’t know what to say for a while.
At this embarrassing opportunity, Rurik hurriedly asked: "Carlotta, if this person is willing to pay some price, can you forgive him?"
The girl hurriedly wiped her eyes. With tears in his eyes, he said with grievance: "I want to see the results tomorrow morning, and at least hand over a group of tribesmen and my grandfather's sword."
"I am willing." Ragna said hurriedly.
Rurik was very happy that Carlotta was not a petty woman. Perhaps from her point of view, there might be little point in dwelling on past grudges in the new world.
"In that case, Ragnar! I allow you to sit down, sit with your wife, and join our Russian dinner party!"
The witty Ragnar further realized He saw that the Russian people did not want to harm him. Look at their enthusiastic attitude towards the dinner. The exquisite meal opened his eyes. His family enjoyed this attitude, and they were clearly guests of the Russian people!
In fact, what Ragnar does not know is that if he insists on refusing any concessions, the Principality of Rus will definitely impose punishment. The group of Danes who entered the country illegally will be punished with hard labor for a period of time and then be deported. . Fighting side by side to attack the Franks, the Principality of Rus's expedition to Bremen could have wiped out Ragnar and his gang. Fighting side by side was really just the whim of Commander Arik, and Ragnar was not qualified to use this matter as a way to get closer. ofcondition.
But Ragnar’s troops are valuable, aren’t they? !
The delicious meal conquered this wandering pirate. On weekdays, this guy is the leader of a clan, and he only eats burnt fish and animal meat, boiled oats, sprinkled with salt, and cooked When it comes to the creation of delicious meals, Ragnar's people are too ignorant and lack creativity.
The Jutland Peninsula and nearby island groups have limited supplies, and the rare birds and animals have long been hunted down. As a result, the Danes have to go further to explore wealth. They cannot defeat the Franks, so they Attack Sweden in the north, Pomerania in the south, and even sneak attack on Britain.
In Denmark, animal husbandry has developed fairly well, and the ruling groups of each tribe enjoy "freedom of dairy products." Butter is a common thing for Ragnar, who uses it to cook complex dishes. This was the first time Ragnar had seen him at a state banquet, not to mention the dazzling array of crystal vessels on the hardwood table in front of him.
A flammable spirit that smells fragrant after the cork is removed, causing Ragnar to call him a miracle. Rurik's "burning vodka" trick has been tried many times, and he claims that it is his own. The symbol of receiving Odin's blessing is something that no one can doubt.
Ragnar still didn’t understand, but he was greatly shocked. And when he saw Rurik perform in front of the public, smothering the burning spirits in the glass goblet, he even more directly praised his divine power.
Strong drinks are too easy to get drunk. Ragnar usually has a good drinker. When it comes to drinking ale from a buffalo horn cup, he will only get drunk after drinking ten glasses. These were the two burning goblets. He soon became red all over. Instead of lying down drunk, he became talkative!
This is great. He explained his intention to form an alliance with Ross, his intention to settle in Gotland, and even his suggestion to join forces with Ross to attack the Danish King Horik, who was actually a lackey of the Franks. .
Rurik was drunk, but not completely drunk. He had to show Ragnar with a red face that he actually participated in the banquet. On the other hand, he also had to stay awake to ensure that Ragnar could When you tell the truth drunkenly, you will hear it clearly.
It’s just that Ragnar’s situation is deteriorating. This kid did talk endlessly at first about going on an expedition to Denmark to kill the lackeys and continuing to attack the Franks. He also flaunted himself as a principled warrior, with no innocent blood on his hands. In his life, he killed many wild beasts and birds, slave captives as sacrifices, and a large number of enemy warriors. In particular, he killed King Austria of Sweden with his own hands. The matter of Li Jin.
He was getting drunker and drunker. Rurik also wanted to take the opportunity to really talk to him about hiring all the men of the Stonewall tribe as mercenaries to continue the crusade against the King of Denmark, but Ragnar still Drunk.
"Boring, you're already drunk with just a little wine, and you dare to call yourself a great warrior? It's a shame that Olegin died in the hands of this kid." After that, the red-faced Otto drank another half of the glass. Liquor.
Rurik looked at the Grand Duke’s own father. The action of holding up the goblet with two fingers was also self-taught. It was an elegant action paired with a white beard. And half baldThe image is too inconsistent.
The strong wine and barbecue are not enough, and there is a large supply of bread slices.
Ragnar was finally dragged away by the soldiers. When he woke up, he found that his coat had been stripped off and he was lying in a rather soft and comfortable shack.
No, this is not a shack, but a wooden house. I sleep on a very high platform, which is what the Franks call a bed.
While alert, he hurriedly added a bed, stepped on his boots and walked out. As soon as he opened the door, he was intercepted by the waiting guards.
However, the waiting Vikings had prepared neatly folded clothes.
Grund, the current leader of the guard, speaks a Danish dialect of Norse, and he sounds like a family member as soon as he speaks.
"Ragnar of Stonewall, I have heard of your name, and your name of woolen pants is very famous."
"You? Who are you?" Ragnar Na's mind is a little confused.
"It doesn't matter who I am, I can only tell you that I am Danish. What is important is this dress. If you want to gain the trust of the Russians, you must put on this dress. Listen, Rose. There are a large number of immigrants from Sweden. The war you participated in killed many Swedes and made them angry. This dress can protect you from persecution."
"Okay, I'll wear it."
This is a long gown cut from fine linen, with blue cloth strips sewn on it. The shape is not much different from the group of mercenaries who claim to be Danish in front of them.
Could it be that Prince Ross’s decision to become a mercenary is now being implemented?
Ragnar's obedience satisfied Grund and his gang, so he added: "After changing these clothes, you and I will be friends. However, you must practice your own behavior today." "Commitment, come with me now."
After having a comfortable breakfast, the Stonewall tribesmen's fear of the Rus has almost dissipated.
They were all gathered together, and a large number of spear-wielding warriors began to appear around them, which made them feel anxious again.
Finally, the anxiety dissipated as Rurik himself arrived with a large entourage, and Ragnar himself brought with him.
Before this, Carlotta had found her grandfather’s sword from many seized items! Although it is an ordinary iron sword, its quality is far inferior to that of the Ross steel sword. Because of the huge amber block inlaid on the hilt, it is also very valuable. Of course, it has great political significance for Ostara. This sword should be regarded as Ostara. A symbol of Duke Tara's power.
No, Carlotta has already worn the recovered sword, her noble identity has been further confirmed, and the sword will be forged and carburized in the near future and upgraded to a steel sword.
Many people of the Stonewall Tribe looked at their leader who had changed his outfit with confusion, and because of this outfit, the leader Ragnar had clearly defected to the Rus.
Is this humiliation? Not really. The people have already had three delicious meals from the Russians, and it seems that they can continue to have delicious meals in the future., as for the price to pay for this, it is not a bad thing.
After all, the brothers have already discussed it. The people who arrived in Ross this time hope to form an alliance with Ross, and even use the strong fighting power of the Ross people to regain the tribe's power and territory in Denmark.
"This dress suits you very well, Ragnar." Rurik said proudly.
"It even fits well and is comfortable. Yesterday's banquet was a perfect feast, I seemed drunk. How are my...wife and children?"
"They are all fine, they are me Guests. Especially! Your two sons!"
Listen to this, the word "son" is emphasized, and the words of the Prince of Ross imply the threat of force, and his son is in his hands. Na really didn't dare to act rashly.
"My people are all here now. Oh! I saw the female leader of Ostara, and now she has found her sword."
"Exactly . Now, hand over a group of people," Rurik urged.
"Yes, I am willing to do this, and..." After saying that, Ragnar walked directly to Carlotta who was standing at the scene, and spoke loudly in front of everyone, reviewing a The past many years.
"On that battlefield, the old king of Denmark, Hafgen, killed all the prisoners, including a large number of women! I opposed this unconventional approach and desperately protected twenty-five young Os. Tara woman."
After hearing the news, Carlotta suddenly realized something.
Sure enough, Ragnar turned around suddenly and faced his people: "Women! Among you are women from Ostara! Now take your children and your husbands and stand. Come out! Don't worry, look at this girl with the sword, she is the female leader of Ostara. Your old tribe has been rebuilt in the east. Now, take your children home!"
This news was a great joy. The originally quiet crowd immediately became noisy. In a moment, as many as ten women rushed out with their children in hand.
One of the women asked loudly: "Who is our leader? The female leader? Is it Carlotta and Ella?"
"Do you know my name? !" Carlotta pointed at it with eyes wide open.
"You! That's Carlotta? That's..." Before she could finish her words, the woman actually fainted.
A total of fifteen women came forward. The once-abducted young girls have now given birth to many children to the Danish Stonewall tribe. Even if they died irreversibly, their children You can leave your conqueror husband on the way to escape, but you will not leave your children.
It is quite strange to say that the twenty-five Ostara women who were kidnapped before the seventh anniversary were all slaves at first. They were sold as trophies and then gradually upgraded in the conqueror's family. As a concubine. For this reason, when the women of the Stonewall tribe took up arms to resist the backstabbing and Frankish attacks of the new king of Denmark, these concubine women were naturallyPrioritize escaping with your children. After all, they are just some kind of "reproductive tools" and are not qualified to defend the Stonewall tribe. This was not cowardice at all, and no one blamed them, so most of them managed to board the escape ship. Even Ragnar, who was on the road to escape, ordered these women who were slaves to be directly upgraded to tribal women because of the tribe's massive population loss. In principle, they had the right to join the tribe's Nordic Council.
But they are not from the Stonewall tribe after all. Now that the real leader of Ostara is present, they should return with their children.
On a voluntary basis, all members of the Stonewall tribe can declare to join the Ostarans and become the people of the Principality of Rus, completely separated from Denmark.
Not many men would actually do this, but there were a few who followed their Ostara wives in announcing their immigration while scolding her.
Nearly fifty people, including men, women and children, announced on the spot that they would join Ostara.
Rurik thought that ordering Ragnar to "cut his flesh" would kill him or even force him to rebel, so he called in the army to suppress the situation. The result made him clap his legs in amazement. He didn't expect Ragnar to have such a wise operation. This cannot be explained entirely by coincidence.
What the new Ostara people lack most is population. The fifteen women who returned brought their twenty children with them, and the addition of ten Danish men added more labor force to the tribe.
At this moment, Carlotta smiled at Ragnar for the first time, and most of the deep hatred seemed to have dissipated.
She smiled. Ragnar pursued the victory just to gain more favor. He continued to recall what happened back then: "Back then, Hafgen wanted to kill all the prisoners, including ordering me to kill them all. I made these women put on men's clothes and dress up as my soldiers, so they escaped. As you can see, the tragedy you suffered back then happened to me this year. I have also experienced suffering. It seems that you Ostara people have received help from the Principality of Ross, so we..."
Ragnar felt that his hint was very clear, and Rurik answered casually: "So, I will have a good chat with you about the future, Ragnar. Now I can announce that the rest of your tribe are hired by me! The delicious meals I reward have a price. You and your people have to pay for me Logging, digging clay, burning charcoal, etc. I will pay you for wheat and warm accommodation. I officially declare that you are not enemies of the Principality of Ross, but you are not absolute friends. We are in a cooperative relationship. "Ragnar, if you want us to trust you further, it depends on your sincerity."
"Okay. As long as you are willing to pay me to tide over the difficulties, if you attack the King of Denmark in the future." and my people are willing to serve.”