Vol. 1 Chapter 15 - The new Ealdorman of Coocham

A.D. 874 Kingdom of Wessex, Coocham

/pov Aeric/

I love this village.. I love these lands.. much has changed in the village over the little less than a full year that has passed since Lord Uhtred was granted it.. the village has a beautiful smooth road passing through it made of a material Aethred came up with called 'cement' and started using it to not only lay the road passing through the village.. he also used it to build new homes for the peasants who call Coocham and its surrounding lands home..

I've been training with the house-guards this past year.. Aethred says Im still not ready.. but I'm close.. I can feel it.. Im winning more spars than Im losing now.. I'll only get better each day that passes.. I'll get stronger.. faster.. better until Aethred finally tells me I'm ready.. my twin Aestan is almost as good as me.. but I was born first.. I'll always be the best out of the two of us.. if he gets better.. I'll get better.. I'll never let up.. not till Im the best.

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/pov Aestan/

How does he do it.. these roads and buildings look like they were made by the ancient Romans or something.. thats not the only thing that can be fount around the village that doesn't make sense.. how he thought of it or who told him how to make them and do the things he does..

Aethred even taught the blacksmiths how to make the farm tools the peasants use to the equipment the guard uses.. some of the best gear I've seen so far in my life.. much better than any enemies gear I've seen..

Aeric always focuses on swordplay and battle.. Im more interested in the inventions of Aethred.. even the stories he tells sound other-worldly.. how does he come up with them.. or who tells him these stories if he didn't make them.. much to learn.. much to see.

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/pov Mildrith/

If you told me before that I would one day be married to a pagan warrior.. I would call you insane.. but thats what ended up happening.. he's not a bad man.. his ways are different yes.. but I can tell he is a good man.. I don't know how but he dealt with my families lands debt to the church that has been held over our heads my entire life.. I'll always be grateful for that..

speaking of the lands.. they look nothing like I remember growing up.. there's so many people living here now.. beautiful fields filled with more crops than I've ever seen.. we will have a good life Im sure of it.. us and the new baby thats already in my oven.. he will be named Uhtred like his father.. who was named after his father.. his brother is an enigma.. sometimes he will just show up with out making a noise.. like he just appears.. a little scary but he always asks if I'm doing okay..

he always asks if I need him to 'sort' his brother my husband out.. or help me with anything.. he's very nice.. the folk around the village always talk about him like he's a monster.. but I know he's not.. he is a protector.. the way he interacts with his children.. guiding them to make right choices.. it's funny he's pagan but his wife and all his children will be Christian.. and he's proud of the fact.. surprising for the so called 'wolf' who mothers talk about to threaten naughty children.

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/pov Uhtred/

I knew this day was coming.. the day my brother leaves to take over his own lands.. he will build a magnificent castle and port city there he says.. he will trade with the saxons, mercians, danish, hell he said he'll even welcome the Welsh and Britons if they come to trade at his city.. he says he will welcome all who abide by his laws.. he says there will be laws like no kingdom ever seen.. where the corrupt with be punished until being corrupt doesn't seem like a good idea anymore.. those who are worthy will rise in his new 'government' he calls it. He says even the lowest of peasant can become a 'noble' and own land by just being a soldier and beheading an enemy.. more enemies headers.. more lands.. damn that sounds like a good system to use..

Im glad Oxford is only a few days ride away.. if we complete the new 'cement' road we've started building leading from my lands to his.. it will only take one day for a messenger with fresh horses ready to make the round trip.. his new house-guard he recruited and trained have been working with my house-guard to clear bandits and would be invaders from the surrounding lands near our villages.. I feel between our men we could already siege BebbanBurg and take it back from our uncle.. it would cost too many lives though.. Aethred says we will return to take it when the time is right.. he has seen it he says.. if he says that it must be true.. ever since he's been responsible for me everything hes ever told me would come true.. has.. Im sure us taking back our home will be no different..

/pov Aethred/

As I look around the long table at my brothers hall looking at my family.. I notice my new twins.. Freya and Baldur.. perfect little creations they are.. surrounded by their older siblings.. I've decided it's time to march on Oxford and claim it.. need to build my growing families new home.. there will be plenty of space for my family to grow more.. after taking Oxford I plan to start looking for suitable partners among the daughters or sisters of the Ealdorman of Mercia to take as my second wife.. or as the Christian's would claim a mistress since I can only have one lawful wife.. that way Brunhilda won't have to get with pups again like she wants.. she makes me promise her.. but more pups I will have.. I need more pups to farm, build, protect, raid, trade on my lands all these things I want grown offspring to be in charge of.. Bloods only thing I can trust.. only thing I will trust.. "Aeric gather the guard.. we march on the Danes at Oxford on the morrow."