Ivar woke up early the next morning feeling refreshed. He had spent the entire night sleeping in his own comfortable bed, even forgoing his usual cultivation to make up for the rest he had lost during the journey. Now that he felt fully rested, he wasted no time. As soon as dawn broke, he left his hut and began making his usual rounds, personally inspecting what had changed around the settlement.
The path leading from his hut down toward the neatly arranged rows of huts was wide enough for two horse-drawn carriages to pass side by side. Though, truthfully, Ivar was only estimating. He had yet to see a proper horse-drawn carriage in this world and was merely judging the width based on those he had seen in his previous life in the cultivation world. As he walked farther from his hut, he found many of his people already awake and beginning their daily routines. The orderly rows of finished huts gradually gave way to hide tents and half-built wooden structures, a clear reminder that they still lacked enough homes for their steadily growing population. Even so, the sight did not disappoint him. He had only been away for a short time, and expecting the work to be completed already would have been unrealistic.
Continuing onward, he reached the unfinished wooden wall that would eventually encircle the entire settlement. He carefully inspected the construction and nodded in satisfaction after seeing that the logs had been buried deep into the ground and aligned neatly, just as he had instructed. In the past, he had caught a few workers trying to cut corners and had punished them accordingly. Fortunately, they seemed to have learned their lesson. After finishing his inspection of the wall, he continued following the marked perimeter until he reached the small stream flowing out of the settlement. Nearby stood the newly completed latrines, lined up neatly along the lower bank. He had deliberately chosen this location so the people could draw clean water from farther upstream while the current carried the waste away downstream, preventing foul odors from lingering around the settlement. Satisfied with what he saw, he turned back toward the center of the settlement, where the longhall and mess hall stood side by side. Neither building was particularly large, each accommodating only around fifty people at a time, but they were more than adequate for the settlement's current size. Along the way, several people greeted him, and he returned each greeting with a nod. Having completed his inspection and pleased with the progress made during his absence, he headed back toward his own hut, only to find Ulf waiting quietly outside. The previous day, after his brief meeting with Freya and Ylva, he had gone straight to his own hut. He had been eager to rest in his own bed again after spending more than a fortnight sleeping out in the snow. Because of that, he had completely forgotten to ask where Ulf and the rest had been.
"Oi!" Ivar called out the moment he spotted him.
Ulf yawned before nodding in greeting. "Just came back from the bay. Heard ye were back, so I came here straight away."
"Come in." Ivar led him inside the hut, and Ulf followed without hesitation.
"So," Ivar began, "what were ye doin' there anyway? Where's Haldor? I specifically left him in charge o' watchin' the sea, not ye."
As he spoke, he sat beside the hearth and picked up the pot of hot water resting over the dying embers. He poured some into his own wooden bowl, then filled another and offered it to Ulf.
Ulf accepted it but did not drink immediately.
"Haldor's still there," he replied. "Still keepin' watch over the sea. Three days ago, though, he spotted ships. Three of 'em, sailin' farther north. Soon as I heard, I gathered scores o' our men and headed there in case they decided t' make landfall. Fortunately, they never did. But they haven't sailed south again either, so I've been stayin' there with Haldor ever since. I only came back this mornin' t' check on the settlement before returnin'. Didn't expect ye t' be back already."
Only after finishing his explanation did Ulf finally raise the bowl and take a sip of the hot water.
"Ye're sayin' there were three ships?" Ivar asked, his expression turning serious. "Ye're certain?"
Ulf nodded. "Aye. Haldor saw 'em first, and the others with him confirmed it."
"Tsk." Ivar frowned. "I thought only one ship came this way at a time."
The report forced him to reconsider everything he had been planning. He had assumed that only a single ship occasionally sailed this far north, either to trade or to capture slaves. Three ships sailing together meant far more warriors than he had anticipated, all armed and armored far better than any of his own people.
He had once considered approaching the ship that came his way, either to open trade, as he had heard some free folk had done in the past, or, if an opportunity presented itself, ambush one and seize it for himself.
Now, that idea seemed laughably unrealistic. Against three ships carrying an unknown number of warriors, his people stood little chance in a direct confrontation. Even if he fought with everything he had, he could only make sure to capture a single vessel. And he had no doubt that the crews aboard the other two ships would not simply stand by and watch one of their own be attacked.
Ulf shrugged. "Don't know if there's supposed t' be only one ship at a time."
He took another sip from his bowl before continuing. "Anyway, what d' ye want us t' do about it? Should we keep watchin' the sea?"
Ivar fell silent for a moment as he weighed their options. After thinking it over and still failing to reach a decision, he decided to put the matter aside for the time being. "We'll go there together later. I'll decide what t' do once we're there. Fer now, let's wait and have breakfast first."
"Aye," Ulf replied readily. That had been his plan from the beginning. He intended to eat first and then gather some food for Haldor and the warriors still watching the bay.
They continued talking for a while longer. In truth, it was mostly Ulf doing the talking while Ivar asked questions whenever he needed clarification. According to Ulf, they now had sixty capable archers and thirty-five warriors who could fight proficiently. Under Ulf's instruction, they had also become well practiced in the shield wall formation that Ivar had introduced. They could have fielded even more warriors if not for their shortage of weapons, but Ivar was satisfied with their current strength for the time being. They could always expand their fighting force once they acquired more weapons. For now, the men without arms were better employed building the settlement's walls and huts, so the shortage was not yet an urgent problem. Even so, he knew it was an issue he would have to solve sooner rather than later.
The situation with their archers was much the same. Their numbers could increase significantly once they produced enough bows. What they lacked was not wood but bowstrings. They still needed to hunt more game to gather enough sinew for new bows. Wood, on the other hand, was plentiful. The weirwood trees north of their settlement provided more than enough for the bows, so he had no concerns on that front.
They continued their discussion until Eirik arrived at the hut to inform them that breakfast was ready. The two men rose from their seats at the same time and headed toward the mess hall together, both clearly hungry.
After finishing their meal and once Ulf had gathered enough food for Haldor and the warriors keeping watch over the sea, they set out. The journey was pleasant enough. Along the way, they occasionally passed members of their settlement making their way toward the deeper parts of the river to begin the day's fishing. After more than two hours of walking from the settlement, they finally reached the concealed lookout they had built overlooking the sea. It was well hidden, positioned so that the light from its campfire could not be seen from the water. Even so, Ivar remained concerned about the smoke. Fortunately, Haldor and the others understood the risk. They knew to keep the fire small enough that it produced very little smoke, and whenever they spotted ships on the sea, they extinguished it altogether to avoid revealing their position.
"Ivar!" Haldor's face lit up the moment he saw him and immediately called out.
The rest of the warriors also noticed Ivar's arrival and greeted him with respectful nods. They had all witnessed him beating sense into those too stubborn to listen, so none of them dared test his patience and could only respect his strength.
Ivar returned their greetings before getting straight to the point. "I heard ye spotted ships on the horizon. They still haven't come back from the north?"
"Nay," Haldor replied. "Still no sign o' them. I couldn't help but wonder what's up there that's worth sailin' farther north. I think we should explore beyond the forest ourselves and see what's there."
Ivar narrowed his eyes and turned his gaze toward the distant sea. The thought had crossed his mind as well. Whatever had drawn three ships farther north than usual was worth investigating. Whether it was another large settlement, a trading post, a slave market, or something else entirely, it was information they could not afford to ignore.
Still, he could not act immediately. For the next few months, it would be wiser to keep both himself and his people away from that area. If news of the Thenn warriors they had killed spread, he did not want anyone tracing it back to them. It was true that they were responsible, but now was not the time to make enemies of the Thenns. Far better to remain on friendly terms with them and, if possible, establish trade in the future.
Then another thought crossed his mind. Perhaps those ships had sailed farther north to trade with the Thenns. After remaining silent for a while, he finally looked back at Haldor. "We'll go there someday, but not now."
He then gestured toward Ulf, who had already begun handing out food to the warriors. "Eat first. I'll join ye in watchin' the sea fer the rest of the day. I've got nothin' urgent t' do today anyway."
Haldor looked past Ivar and immediately spotted Ulf distributing the food. Without another word, he hurried over.
"Save me some!" he shouted.
A faint smile appeared on Ivar's face as he watched his warriors eagerly digging into their meal. After a moment, he walked to a spot beneath a nearby tree overlooking the shoreline. Leaning his back against the trunk, he settled down and quietly turned his attention toward the endless sea stretching out before him.
He silently prayed to whatever god or gods were responsible for his repeated reincarnations that a great storm would strike those ships as they sailed past this stretch of coast and wash them ashore right in front of him. He knew it was nothing more than wishful thinking, and the absurdity of the thought made him chuckle to himself.
"What are ye laughin' about?" Ulf asked as he settled down beside him.
"Nothin'," Ivar replied, glancing at Ulf for a moment before returning his gaze to the sea. "I was just prayin' t' the Old Gods that a storm would smash those ships against the shore right in front o' us. Wouldn't that be convenient? We'd have ships o' our own and could sail wherever we wanted."
Ulf snorted. "Ye dream big, Ivar. Still, it'd be mighty convenient if that actually happened. Problem is, none o' us knows how t' sail one or even steer it."
"We could always learn from the survivors," Ivar replied without missing a beat. "Then we'd practice near the shore until we got the hang o' it before venturin' farther out."
"If what ye prayed fer actually happens," Ulf pointed out with a grin.
"Aye," Ivar said with a nod. "If it actually happens."
After finishing his meal, Haldor made his way over to them and asked, "What're ye two talkin' about?"
Ulf shifted aside to make room as Haldor sat down beside him. "Ivar here was prayin' t' the Old Gods t' send those ships straight t' us, like a spearwife willingly throwin' herself into yer arms."
Haldor licked the last bits of food from his lips before letting out a snicker. "That'd really be convenient."
He paused for a moment before turning to Ivar with an almost pleading expression. "Now that yer here, can ye assign someone else t' this post instead o' me now? It's been more than a moon since I've been stationed here. Ye even allowed Torren t' hunt now but not me."
He had been stationed at the bay for well more than a moon now, keeping watch over the sea day after day. The wind, salt, and sun had taken their toll on him. His skin had become dry and weathered, and his face had darkened noticeably from spending so much time out in the open. Looking at Ivar hopefully, he could only pray that his friend would take pity on him.
After all, the whole situation had started because of Torren. If that fool had not led him to believe that Ivar and Alfyn... he never would have ended up with this assignment in the first place.
Ivar did not answer immediately. Instead, he studied Haldor for a moment. The man's sunburned face, weathered skin, and darker complexion were plain to see. Under normal circumstances, he might have felt sorry for him. But Haldor had been the one spreading those ridiculous rumors in the first place. Even so, after seeing the pleading look on his friend's face and considering how long he had already endured this punishment, Ivar decided it had been enough.
After a moment of thought, he finally nodded. "We'll wait here fer another two days and see if those ships come back. After that, we'll return t' the settlement together. I'll have Boroq and Orik take over this post in shifts. Then ye can join me when we head south t' look fer Jorund's settlement."
"Really?" Haldor's face lit up instantly, and his voice rose an octave with excitement.
"Aye." Ivar shifted his gaze on the sea as he spoke. "But make no mistake. If ye ever spread malicious rumors about me again, I'll station ye here fer the rest o' yer life... or maybe I'll just throw ye into the deepest part o' the sea."
"O' course! O' course!" Haldor nodded so vigorously it looked as though his head might fall off. "I swear! I won't even mention yer name when I'm talkin' t' others. On that, I swear."
He raised one hand in solemn promise, a habit he had picked up from Ivar years ago when they were still playing together.
"Good." Ivar gave a small nod. "Now go get some rest. I'll take the watch fer now. Ye'll relieve me an' Ulf on the next shift."
"Aye!" Grinning from ear to ear, Haldor hurried off toward the warriors who had shared watch duty with him over the past month, eager to spread the good news.
Ulf shook his head as he watched Haldor animatedly telling the others before turning back to Ivar. "That man's bound t' start spreadin' rumors about ye again once he forgets his promise. His mouth just can't stay shut."
Ivar smirked and shook his head. "Then he'll be punished again. And again, if necessary. Sooner or later, he'll learn t' keep his mouth shut and be too afraid t' even mention my name."
Ulf could not help but smirk as well.
The two of them resumed watching the sea together. The cool breeze rolling in from the water made the sunny afternoon far more pleasant than it would have been inland. They chatted from time to time, occasionally stretching their legs after sitting for too long, while the hours slowly slipped by.
By the time the sun had passed its peak and begun its slow descent toward the western horizon, Ivar was about to call Haldor over to take the next watch. The man was sleeping soundly beneath the shade of a nearby tree with a foolish grin still plastered across his face.
Just then, something caught Ivar's eye. Far out on the sea, three tiny specks appeared on the horizon. He immediately stopped moving and narrowed his eyes, focusing his enhanced vision on the distant shapes. A few moments later, he finally confirmed what they were. Ships.
"What is it?" Ulf asked as he stood up, following Ivar's gaze toward the sea.
Without taking his eyes off the horizon, Ivar raised a hand and pointed. "The ships have finally come back."
He paused before adding in a calm but firm voice, "Tell the men not t' show themselves on the shoreline. Have everyone stay hidden. The men on those ships might have something that could allow them to see from far away. We don't want to be seen fer now."
Ulf glanced at Ivar before looking back toward the sea. He searched the horizon for several moments but still could not make out anything. Even so, he trusted Ivar's eyesight far more than his own. They had hunted together for years, and not once had Ivar been mistaken about something he had spotted in the distance.
Without another word, Ulf turned and hurried off to relay the order to the others.
Not long afterward, every warrior in their hideout was lying low among the bushes and beneath the trees, carefully concealing themselves while keeping their eyes fixed on the sea. Ivar did the same.
Nearly an hour passed before Ulf and the others finally spotted the ships. The three vessels sailed directly past their position, returning from the north.
Ulf squinted as hard as he could, trying to make out the people aboard, but the ships were still too far away for him to distinguish anything beyond their silhouettes. Eventually, he gave up and turned to Ivar. "What can ye see? Are there many people aboard?"
"Aye," Ivar replied without taking his eyes off the ships. With his enhanced eyesight, he could clearly make out the figures moving across their decks. Among them were groups of free folk bound in chains. Some were being shoved around by armed men, while others were struck with whips for reasons he could not tell.
So they're slaving ships. The thought settled heavily in his mind.
"Are we really thinkin' o' stealin' one o' those ships, Ivar?" Haldor asked quietly. "They look imposin'."
"O' course," Ivar answered calmly. "But not these three. We'll wait until we see a single ship sailin' alone. Then ye'll lure it ashore, draw it deep into the river, and attack it there."
"Me?" Haldor blurted out, his eyes widening as he looked at Ivar.
"Aye." Ivar glanced at him with a faint smile. "What? It's easy enough. All ye've got t' do is light a big fire and make sure there's plenty o' smoke, as if we're cookin' a feast. Don't worry. Ye won't be alone. Plenty o' our warriors'll be with ye." He shook his head slightly. "Besides, we're not doin' it now. It might happen moons from now or a year or two. There's still plenty o' time t' prepare."
He turned his attention back to the ships. If he could seize even a single vessel, it would open countless possibilities. Should his plans for heading south of the wall ever fail, having a ship would give him another path forward instead of leaving him and his men trapped beyond the Wall. The more options he had, the better. Now all that remained was to see whether taking at least one ship was truly possible.
Haldor fell silent. He knew that once Ivar had made up his mind, arguing was pointless. Besides, after years of hunting together, he trusted that Ivar would never send him into needless danger.
The men remained hidden, quietly watching as the three ships continued southward until they finally disappeared beyond the horizon.
With the ships gone, there was little reason to remain at the lookout any longer. Ivar decided it was time to return to the settlement. The group packed up their belongings and began following the river inland. By then, the sky had already begun to darken, but the journey was easy enough. They were now thoroughly familiar with the route, and a well-worn footpath had gradually formed from the constant travel between the settlement and the bay.
Along the way, they passed several of their people who were still determined to catch as many fish as possible before nightfall. Ivar simply nodded to them and continued on without interrupting their work.
By the time they finally reached the settlement, night had fully settled over the valley. They headed straight for the mess hall, where Freya and Ylva had already kept their evening meal warm in anticipation of their return. Earlier, after deciding to bring all of his warriors back, Ivar had sent a runner ahead to inform them that they would be back that night and to have supper prepared. Ivar and the men ate until they were full, chatting quietly about the day's events before eventually retiring to their huts for a well-earned night's rest.
The following days settled into a steady routine. At first light each morning, Ivar was already outside, working alongside everyone else instead of merely issuing orders. With an axe in hand, he helped fell trees in the nearby forest before dragging the logs back to the settlement with the aid of his beast companions. Once enough timber had been gathered, he joined the others in raising the defensive wall, personally ensuring that every post was buried deep enough into the ground and aligned properly. Whenever he spotted someone trying to rush the work or cut corners, he corrected them immediately before making them redo the task. Of course, the punishment comes later after they finish redoing the task.
The construction of new huts also progressed steadily. Under Freya and Ylva's supervision, the women prepared hides, ropes, and food for the workers, while the men shaped logs and erected sturdy frames. Even many of the strugglers Ivar had brought from the south eagerly volunteered to help, hoping to prove their worth and earn a place within the settlement.
By the end of each day, another section of the wall stood completed, while several more huts became ready for occupation. Watching the settlement slowly transform into a fortified village filled Ivar with quiet satisfaction. He had already decided that he would not leave until the walls had been completed and properly reinforced. And completed they were.
It took more than a sennight of relentless labor, but the wooden palisade finally encircled the entire settlement. Though there was still room for improvement in the future, the walls were now sturdy enough to repel raiders from launching a direct assault.
Only then did Ivar feel at ease. He could finally leave the settlement for a fortnight, or even more than a moon, without constantly worrying about the safety of his people.