The lunch is a bit delayed as the tour took time, and Asbjörn would very much like to know more about some things, which I partly tell to show the respect his position deserves and that he is a huge reason why everything has come into existence so fast. He doesn't understand all of what I say, but he understands it is important, and that not everyone will find out that information. Haera and the princesses have been given a tour of the mansion and the kitchen, which they are very fascinated by, even though they hardly cook. Wonder if they ever did?

Lunch is far to formal for my taste but I did expect that. My sambos want to show that they can behave in good company with nice table setting and cutlery. Honestly, I think we're more used to using cutlery than our guests. I explain to Asbjörn how I think the sale tomorrow should go, and that it will be an auction. We will auction off things until half has been sold, and the average price for those will be the price Asbjörn pays for his. If he doesn't want all of the rest, then more will be auctioned off. He can just signal with his fingers how many he wishes to keep, then they are set aside and the rest are auctioned off. Asbjörn agrees that it is most right according to the agreement, and it is clear and a practical way to do it.

I give him a summary of the auction items, and start with oil lamps; wall mounted, table top, reflector, doubles and finally storm lanterns. Then there are a dozen monoculars, followed by a few sundials, a bunch of candle lanterns, some deck chairs and finally 30 north arrows. The amount shocks then, but I can't really say that it's because they are so damn easy to make. Asbjörn asks if he can buy a sundial in advance, and get it set up in Lysesund tomorrow before the auction, but I choose to donate one so I have contributed something to the trading place.

I decide to send Hrappr over with it today to prepare everything, and Asbjörn will give Hrappr a written message with his seal to leave to his representative there, and a formal guard his man will recognize. Hrappr's day definitely becomes better as he gets that assignment from King Asbjörn Aeriksson. Hrappr may no longer live in the kingdom, but he grew up there and King Asbjörn Aeriksson has been an almost mythical figure just like he was for Unn and Amba, and that also gives Hrappr the possibility to brag that he was a messenger for King Aeriksson. Hrappr feels a little more important than normal does when he takes care of the animals, builds enclosures, cuts down trees, prepares firewood, makes coal, etc.

We already have a fairly good stock of wood for the winter both in the basement, in one barn and outside the barns, but the other houses also need firewood and Hrappr usually gets help and company from a couple in the crew when they are anchored. They seem to have become friends, and he sometimes helps with the fishing as well. The crew just take it for granted that they should help and work for me here when they're not sailing.

Asbjörn directs conversations to the mansion's amenities and we confirm that for the last few weeks all the inside heat has been via the heating systems radiators. The only fires used are in the steam boiler in the basement that heats the whole house, those out in the kitchen for cooking and the one in the guards day room, but it is only used because they are making miniature figures for a game and need to melt lead and tin.

That lead the talk in another direction and Asbjörn would like to see a table top miniature battle, so after lunch time is spent with Gunhild and Bodil showing how they play. They now have more than enough figures, and they have made simpler paintings on clothes and shields. The miniature I painted shows how good they can look, but they're not up to dry brushing and painting finer details yet. Not that the miniatures have those details in the mold, but a bit of paint makes a lot of difference and give that impression. Trees, buildings, walls, fences, bridges, etc, have also got a little color on them so they look good, and it is a Viking against 'enemies' game. Asbjörn looks closely on the simple small miniatures and asks quite deep questions about rules, tactics and how it works. The funny dice are also interesting. Asbjörn help Bodil throw the dice and help her play a bit before he is content and thank them for the show.

Asbjörn takes the opportunity to suggest other suitable 'enemies' figures for the future, and after some comments I understand that he means Daes. Which is understandable as his family and Daes King Magnbjorn's family have a long history of battles, wars, etc. Both try to ally with surrounding kingdoms and powerful families. There is a reason why Asbjörn and the kingdom support the construction of fortresses south of the great ridge in what I call Skåne, and that Asbjörn allows the counts there to retain their power and help them, even though they are basically feudal vassal states with their own rules of government. According to Kari, until a generation ago there have been recurring feuds over the throne in Asbjörns kingdom as well. Both between different families and within Asbjörn's family, but for the last twenty years it has been quite calm. Asbjörn's side is too powerful and he has retained power and the support of the people.

The oil lamps are lit and the whole royal entourage is very impressed with them, how bright it is and how many oil lamps there are. They are everywhere. I havn't really thought about it, and just hung up oil lamps where I think it is needed, and I have higher expectations when it comes to light levels in rooms than the average person here who is used to fireplaces, torches and tallow candles or rapeseed oil candles. Although we have electric light, we also need oil lamps, and it is sometimes practical to have more light by combining. So the mansion has nine double ceiling lamps with two in the combined meeting room and dining room. Each room and corridor has at least one standard table or wall lamp, and the simpler ones are more than twenty, and some with reflectors as work lighting. I am a little surprised at how many oil lamps there are, as I have not thought about it, and I have given some to the other houses as well.

We realise that sales of oil lamps just a few more than those we have and I've given away. We need to get more made, but tomorrows auction was a bit unplanned. It should still give me a lot of silver, maybe up to 500 ounces of silver or so if Kari's estimate is correct, which for an estate the size of the islands is unbelievably huge even as total profit in one year. Future auctions should be slightly larger on things but smaller in profit, but 500 is a hell of a lot of wealth for a small investment and amount of work. Not that I worried, but food and more plus the salaries for the guards, staff, crew adds up.

I give our guest a quick showing of other games I have made: Ludo, Chess and Risk. Risk is of particular interest to Asbjörn as it is fairly simple rules that can be quickly learned, while being very different.

So we play a game of Risk, where Kari and Iselin participate and Haera, the princesses, Ciara and the others watch and participate in the discussion around. Eventually Kari manages to win. She is a gracious though satisfied winner. Asbjörn really likes all the games. Of course there are dice games, Hnefatafl and other games for entertainment, but not in this way with tactics, dice and variation, where not least the cards change the balance and can give unpleasant surprises. That's how Kari managed to win. A good starting position and she got ten troops as reinforcement, twice in a row. Small rule changes can also make a big difference in how the game plays. Like, can you only do one attack with a force each turn, or several in a row?

Both Iselin and Kari joined me in bed, for safety sake, and we keep the bedroom door locked with the security lock. Iselin does not know why, but understands that there is a reason. We talk about marriage and they want to find out some traditions from my world, and maybe use a little bit of them, so it's not just from here. Jane seems to have told them a lot already.

I confirm that we have several different ways of getting married depending on the culture and religion the couple has, or if they come from different, and most often from where I come from, a wedding is in a church with a priest or in a town hall in front of a Tingsman, and I describe a simplified ceremony of each. There are no family names here, and most are descriptive names of different types just as it was in Midgård; Harald Fairhair, Harald Bluetooth etc, or the lineage they belong to as Folkungar, or the place someone is from or lives in as Iselin from Ackerek or Iselin from the Academy. They want us to combine as, for example, Iselin Robertsfru of Ackerek. I think it sounds weird but Iselin and Kari really like the idea of being called 'Roberts wife', and of course I won't say no; it is what they want to call themselves after marriage, and I'm honored by that. It's also a relief that Kari is obviously looking forward to being able to call herself 'Robertsfru', as insecurity is a hell of a thing.