Chapter 6: Wherein The Stonehenge is Built, and the Society Changed
Yngvild walked into the Swedish district, sometimes called Stockholm, with his mind turned to the past rather than the present. He thought of nights of starvation and frigid weather, of Norsemen who would take most of what the Swedes had left after their taxes. Then he thought of the past two years. How he had spent the time to become familiar with many of the cattle, that one night where a flood had killed all of the other ninety-nine workers who had come to create the Pasture. Then of his recent investment, a small grassland to the east, and the exclusive rights to settle a new city further east. But, of course, his thoughts were interrupted by the “Stonehenge” of Frey that was being built, Yngvild was more than a little surprised at it’s location, in the center of Stockholm, and that all of the workers were… Swedish. There was not a Norseman in sight, and all though this was a shock to Yngvild, nothing was more shocking than seeing King Frey laboring with the common Swedes.
The day before, when Yngvild had been purchasing these land-rights, he did it with a drunken Norse oaf who seemed to care more about his cut than about Yngvild’s proposition. However seeing the clean-shave form of the King, dressed in the clothes of his peasants, restored his faith in all of humanity. As Yngvild cautiously approached the men pushing the great chariots filled with stones, he heard his King.
“This will be a great monument Gustav!” Frey said to one of the Swedes. “And in each of the stones, we shall carve the names of each of our people who worked on this! Think about it, you and all the Swedes immortalized in a wonder that men and women all around the world will seek!”
“Well Frey, it will be excellent sure, but what about…” Gustav’s thoughts were derailed upon seeing Yngvild, whom had achieved quite the level of notoriety in the past two years. “Is that the man who bought that land?”
Yngvild spoke up, before the men decided that he wasn’t. “Yes, I suppose that I am.” Not the best reply he could have come up with, but most certainly not the worst.
“Oh! YOU’RE YNGVILD!!!” The King screeched as if he was an eagle. “Leif told me all about you! How you had come in and negotiated until you got the deal that you wanted. He boasted of your natural ability!”
“You mean the drunk who said; ‘Just take what you want for a fair price?” Yngvild asked, his curiosity piqued.
“Ha!” Frey laughed a good hearty laugh, before turning deadly serious. “No One, not even you Swede talks about anyone of my advisors that way… at least if they want to live in Nidaros.”
Yngvild decided to not say anything further, and went to see what was happening elsewhere.
When Frey returned to his Hall that night, he was glad to cast off the personality he used as a way to inspire the commoners. He absolutely loathed physical labor, and would rather have spent his time trying to create a weapon just like Ragnar’s War-Axe. He had just gotten the system set up to melt the metal, when a timid servant knocked on his door.
“Sir,” squeked the servant, tumbling over his words “The Foreman wants to let you know that they have created that Quarry that you wanted to the Northeast.”
“Tell him,” Frey replied, having spent all of his diplomacy for the day on the Swedish. “That he is not to rear his ugly head in Nidaros until Stonehenge is completed.”
The servant was visibly distraught, and fled to whatever corner of the earth that he had come from. Frey just hoped that his work would outclass his father’s, and that nothing was screwed up.
Several months later, the center of Stockholm was busier than it had been in years, and Yngvild was there to see the reason. He thought that it was only fair that he and the Swedes, who had chosen him as their leader and had decided to leave the city to create their own, see the work that was the reason why Frey had needed them to labor. And even Yngvild had to admit, Stonehenge was amazing. Circles of stones within each other, and the names of all the Swedes who had worked featured prominently. But of course the speech was the reason everyone was there. When Frey walked into the center, the great crowd hushed, everyone straining to hear the words.
“Today, the great work of the Norsemen is recognized, for the Stonehenge was our idea.” Frey started, causing many Swedes to hiss out how they had assembled it, and the third minority, the Danish, to cry out how they had quarried the stones. “For the amazing brilliance has shown us what the Norse can accomplish, with the help of the other people. Yes it is so clear that the Norse are so supreme, that the rest might as well be our property.” The boos rang down, and quickly Yngvild gathered his people and left the city, hoping to solicit the supplies from travellers to the outside, in their efforts to found a city. So, of course, no Swede was there when that one fateful announcement was made. Which Frey said almost emotionlessly.
“As of today, all Swedes and Danes found inside the City of Nidaros, are able to be claimed as the property of the first Norseman who claims him.
Yngvild and the others leave with chaos at their backs, as random buildings in Nidaros were set on fire by the remaining Danes and Swedes, fighting for their freedom.
The Man with the Flaming Beard was now leading a small tribe of warriors, preparing them for an invasion that would lead to his confrontation with Frey. As his peoples created spears, he smiled cruelly towards the stars.
"Hear me now Aesir" said the Man. "In the last world I killed Frey, and I shall do so in this world too. And with that one victory, I shall assert my claim above all the other immortals, and create a new world in MY image."
With that, the man went into the tent that his tribe had set up for him, and dreamed he was back in Niflheim.
Author's Note: Obviously Grabbed Bronze Working, was getting sick of writing sub-stories for every tech, besides, you all know the Tech Tree Right? Right.