Tosra & The Auction, day 20

Radgeirrsons heritance

Its afternoon when Tingsman Jensi, who was tasked to sort out Radgeirrson's property, shows up with a servant carrying an offical looking chest. In the meetingroom and with a very official speech about his duty to the Ting, Law and infront of the Gods he gives me a sealed document tube with several pretty looking wax seals and ribbons. I offer him something to drink and we sit at the table so he can give me his official report with details, so I can decide to accept or not his decisions.

Since the decision was made that Radgeirrsons wife Aldis and children would be separated from Radgeirrson, part of her morning gift from the marriage went to her, and they has a farm to live on. Its two days travel away from the other properties and it was an easier separation with clear distance. They will be able to live well, and his sons Gunnleifr, Minr and daughter Fönna will take names after their mothers family, because most are named after the place they come from or family they belong to after some powerful ancestor. Nobody wants to be associated with Radgeirrson. One downside is that the loss of the wifes property gives me a little less total land ownage and hence voting right, but it doesn't make me come below any important voting limit in either regional or Stor Ting, and it is 'only' 6 mantal. That property also belongs to another region and Stor Ting, so it seemed to be a wise decision. I agree and I can live with loosing 6 mantal, although it is quite a lot of land, probably a square kilometer. My farm in Skiringsalr is 5 mantal and the islands are about 15. Unless I am forced too, I do not intend to demand Bloodline extermination just to get more land and wealth, and then that would include his brother and sisters land too. I can probably buy more land eventually, even if few want to sell, or build out the land I have to make it become more mantal.

Jensi informs us that Radgeirrsons wife Aldis became absolutely furious when he showed up with the Tingsmen and the Kingsmen and informed her what Radgeirrson had done and the verdict. It doesn't sound like she was grateful to me for limiting the punishment, and she seems to have preferred to be killed instead of losing her luxury life and having to live with her husbands disgrace. Jensi was absolutely right, and I thank him for thoroughly informing her, that Sejdmann Arnesson wasn't interested in her continued presence there or here as a mistress, and she will have to make do with her farm. I understand her, but such is life here in Alfheimr North in an almost feudal society.

However, it feels so ugly that such a small mistake by a man, has such enormous consequences, but ownership is extremely personal and it means that large estates can quickly change hands with just a duel or handshake, and in a way all who own one farm is their own little feudal lords. But of course, its a bit like Eddie Izzards routine 'Do you have a flag?', and regardless of who owns the land, usually a lot of the same people continue to use it regardless of who actually owns it. It is more a question of laws, how much the taxes or lease are and where goods are to be sent. And whether there is an army who is looting, or 'foraging' as I believe the polite word is.

The 'estates' I receive are his large estate 'Forsheim' 2-3 days travel south from Borgarsandr where his family lived and was their main property. Weird name, and it sounds like someone just slapped the words for 'rapids' and 'home' together, so I guess its by a river. It is a single large and old estate, farmed by paid people living in a small village and cottages with their own vegetable gardens. A man named Gunnar has taken care of the daily running of Forsheim for the Radgeirrsons, and infront of the other people there have swore to Tingsman Jensi to continue to do so for me for the time being. Such oaths are serious as hell, so I'm not worried he will try to rob it or something. Especially since he now have a powerful magician as Lord, and the rumours about me.

My next property is Radgeirrsons 'middle estate' where the feast was, which is a large merged estate consisting of many small farms and land adjacent to his main farm up against a large lake. These lands are leased and used by others, and the estate is managed by a man called Lodvig. For Jensi, it is obvious that Radgeirrson wasn't interested in farming this land as a large estate, and preferred to have a nice farm and then lease out most of the land to make people subordinate to him, while getting a profit without having to make any effort.

Several of these non-voting leases are signed for the time being for the lessee, so I can not easily cancel them without waiting until the next regional Ting. It is possible to cancel the agreements before a large Ting as the land has changed owner, but the honorable thing for me is to continue to accept the lease agreements at least until the next Stor Ting at the end of the winter while I get to know the people. In general, people move in May, between sowing and harvesting, and it would be an asshole move to kick them out just before winter, and might make it hard for me to find someone to lease the land without making it cheaper. If the agreements are terminated, I also need to take care of the land myself, so the wise and honorable decision is letting them stay for now, while getting a profit without having to make an effort. It will give me a steady income in goods and silver, even if it is not that much from some farms due to poorly written agreements. Goods can be shipped here but besides food it is impractical without large ships, so practically I should assign someone to act as my middleman who takes care of everything and sells goods I do not want, which sounds like a good idea. Lodvig have also sworn to act as my man there. However, I don't have to think about it this year because some have already been sent to Forsheim, and Tingsman Jensi on King Aerikssons and my recommendation, has taken care of it as he traveled around, and he sets pouches filled with silver infront of me. Wool as well as several barrels with grain are on his ship, and 'Forsheim' takes care of itself and has a large surplus in grain, wool, horses and silver that can be picked up when it is convenient for us to visit.

I also own five merchant ships that are part of my own little trading empire, where most are away and don't yet know about the change of ownership. Most of the crew are freemen getting paid, but there is a few slaves. Radgeirrson have let these ships and the organization take care of themselves because they have competent merchants, and he wasn't really interested in the day to day work. These are also suitable to continue letting them take care of themselves, and just continue to reap the benefits of the silver and the goods they bring in, and getting first pick. The man who runs the trading empire, Ovdhon, will inform all the ships and crew, but some will sail here to swear allegiance to me, but that should earliest be in a couple of weeks.

In addition, in Borgarsandr I also own a mansion and farm, and two smaller properties. A large mansion up on a hill about the same size as the mansion here, made in stone with a wall surrounding it. This I already found out that I own, even though I didn't know it was made of stone and it sounds quite impressive. Then a yard in the harbor which is the trading empires office, and it is a two-storey main house with two large barns that give the yard a U shape with an open space behind, and it is managed by Ovdhon and his wife. With the description that Jensi gives, I think we have shopped from there?

Ah! 'I can get you one of those!' Cool.

Apparently I also own the part of the harbor where the trading empire is located, with its jetty, which is logical. Of course, Radgeirrson wanted to own the harbor outside his trading empire, and be able to have his ships anchored there. Or charge if others use 'his harbor'.

The smaller properties are a basket weavers house in Borgarsandr, and a small farm on the outskirts with a few fields and forest of 4 mantals. Both are leased. 4 mantal isn't really small, but it depends on viewpoint.

The mansion in Borgarsandr was the place where Radgeirrson spent most of his time as he was often in Borgarsandr close to the King, and he let his wife take care of Forsheim to the south. Radgeirrson spent most of his time away from family, a month or two at a time. Jensi grimaces when he says that the mansion in Borgarsandr has a surplus of 'maids' and I can hear the quotes. 14 of them, all slaves between 11 to 24 years, who apparently spent a lot of their time as 'company' for Radgeirrson and his guests. All the youngest were at the feast.

Bad news, and it makes me releaved that I didn't actually bother to visit the mansion there last time in Borgarsandr. I thank Tingsman Jensi for all his work, and that he have collected silver etc for me. I ask Jalida to show him to the little guest room where he can spend the night, and to show him the bathroom and explain, and to offer to wash his clothes. I, Iselin and Ciara need to talk.

Of course Radgeirrson would like them young too! I saw the girl he ate his meal from, and several of the 'maids' in the feast hall, and here sex with children isn't illegal even if doing it with young people under 12 is looked down on as nothing an honorable adult man should do, but slaves doesn't count according to the law, and isn't that looked down upon. There is also that belief about restoring a mans vitality, and a lot of people sadly see slaves as intelligent cattle, and having sex with a sheep or goat seems to happen in the hills or country side where feasthalls with prostitues are less available.

I need to talk about that and all the properties with my sambos, especially Kari when she returns. Neither of us know what to do with all the slave girls and women in Borgarsandr, but their services are no longer needed, especially not as 'company' to me or guests. Considering that several of them probably saw how I left the feast and a couple of them should have heard my speech to Radgeirrson, and know the outcome of Radgeirrson's stupidity etc, I think some already understand. I hope so anyway.

I can keep the properties for now, and just let the trading empire be and take advantage of it. Beside knowing where to anchor when we're in Borgarsandr, its damn useful to be able to send orders to buy certain things or goods on longer trade voyages, and if I sell Academy goods via my own traders, I earn more and have more control. We need to travel to Borgarsandr and visit the properties, and find out how much it costs per year to keep the large mansion there. It will rarely be used and may not be worth keeping. Its not that far to Borgarsandr from here, and I can probably build a nicer modern small townhouse on the trading empires ground.

We're sitting in the sofas and talking, when the doors open and Kari with Jane and Gunhild tailing behind comes in. Kari is straight-backed and gives an impression of the winner returning from a glorious battlefield. Given that she carries a modern backpack over her shoulder that isn't Janes, they must have had some success. Thoughts are pushed aside, especially when Kari just lays her backpack on the table, and gracefully sits on my lap and starts kissing me, which quickly becomes very intense and hungry. Oof! I have missed her, and her dexterous tongue. Kari loves tongue kissing after I showed her, but have learned to not push her tongue too deep down in my mouth.

After a couple of minutes when Kari lets me breathe, and contentedly rests her head on my shoulder with a sigh, I see Jane fanning her face while saying she needs to sit down after being near that. It feels like Kari has really missed me, and I have missed her too. This has been the longest time we've been apart since she appeared in my life. We stay sitting but Kari adjust her position in my lap so we can continue having our arms around each other, and her fingers finds mine to play with as she begins to tell their tale.