At present, only two shipyards could produce two-masted square-rigged ships: the Tynefort Shipyard and the Londinium Shipyard. Together, they had built twenty-seven vessels.
Of these, twenty were commissioned as warships, three were sold to the Sugar Company, three to the West Sea Fur Company, and the most recent one had been sold to Bjorn as an exploration vessel.
Even so, production capacity remained tight. To prepare for possible conflict with Flanders and to expand trade with Iberia, Vig placed an additional order for ten two-masted sailing ships. The Sugar Company also ordered five more. The production queue was already filled through the end of next year.
As for the market, orders for oared longships and cogs were distributed to the newly established Edinburgh Shipyard, with some contracts taken by noble-run yards operated by men like Ulf and Leonard.
The next morning, Vig convened a cabinet meeting. The focus was Ireland, where rebellion had once again flared up—reportedly on a large scale.
After the king finished outlining the situation, most ministers reacted calmly. Ireland erupted in unrest every few years; they were used to it.
Minister of War Bafus spoke first.
"The rebels are entrenched in the western hills. We need a large-scale campaign—mobilize over ten thousand troops to occupy western Ireland and eradicate the root of rebellion."
Ten thousand troops?
Vig did not bother responding. Duke Eamon's misrule had led to constant uprisings; it was his responsibility to deal with them.
Sensing the king's attitude, Interior Minister Mitcham added,
"If Eamon requests aid, the Crown may send troops—but only after clear terms are negotiated. Who supplies the arms and provisions? Surely His Majesty won't deploy the army and still have to foot the bill himself."
After discussion, the cabinet decided to postpone action. They would observe Eamon and his vassals and respond according to developments.
As the meeting adjourned, Goodwin reminded the king:
"Rumor has it Edmund fled to Denmark. How shall we deal with this?"
Vig was unconcerned.
"It doesn't matter. The barons, knights, and gentry closest to him have been wiped out. Even if he tries to stir rebellion, no one will follow him.
"The cabinet should ignore Edmund. Focus instead on completing the land survey in East Anglia and designate it as this year's primary settlement zone for immigrants."
Northern Europe — Aalborg, Denmark
After some time, Edmund finally saw Ubbe return from campaign. Edmund's eldest son had long maintained good relations with Ubbe, which was why Denmark had been his first choice of refuge.
Standing amid the crowded streets, Edmund rose on tiptoe and called out to the young king riding past in a crown.
"Your Majesty! It's Edmund!"
The rider turned his head. His lips were pressed thin, his eyes cold. A savage scar ran across his face from left to right, as though splitting it in two. His pale blond hair was braided in the Viking style, and he wore a black cloak over Byzantine lamellar armor.
"Uncle Edmund?"
Recognizing the ragged old noble, Ubbe nodded slightly and signaled for him to follow to the lord's longhouse—now effectively a royal palace.
Removing his cloak and tossing it to a guard, Ubbe took his seat. Edmund noticed the thick glove covering Ubbe's left hand and recalled old rumors.
After Aslaug killed Queen Thora, she had not spared Ubbe. He later recruited palace guards—some secretly bribed by Aslaug. An assassination attempt followed. Ubbe lost half of his left hand, including his ring and little fingers, and suffered a deep facial slash. From that day forward, his temperament had hardened, his brutality rivaling even his brother Halfdan's.
"Uncle Edmund, what are you thinking?"
Edmund froze, then cautiously asked for Ubbe's protection.
"Very well. I grant it," Ubbe said casually, observing the confused old man.
"You're in such a miserable state that you can't be a spy. And this is Viking land—you have no base for rebellion. You'll serve as an advisor in my council. Provide counsel on various matters."
After several quiet days, Edmund received his first assignment: travel to Gothenburg to negotiate with King Halfdan of Sweden over ownership of a sunken ship.
The previous month, a Danish cog carrying wool cloth and pig iron had sunk near Gothenburg. Ubbe wanted Edmund to settle the dispute.
Instinctively, Edmund tried to evade responsibility.
"Your Majesty, by tradition, coastal lords have the right to claim wrecked cargo found near their shores."
"No," Ubbe replied. "I suspect Halfdan is deliberately interfering."
In recent years, some lords had sabotaged buoys, extinguished lighthouses, or lit false beacon fires to mislead ships onto reefs. Once vessels wrecked, they claimed the cargo as "ownerless goods."
Ubbe insisted Edmund recover the losses. Frankly, Edmund had little value; if Halfdan executed him, Ubbe would not lose much.
Gothenburg
Perhaps the gods favored him. Edmund was not mistreated. Halfdan, burdened with other affairs, agreed to return a small portion of the pig iron and ended the dispute swiftly.
After dismissing his brother's envoy, Halfdan turned his attention to pressing creditors. After lengthy negotiations, he drafted a new repayment agreement.
His debts were not due to luxury or war. Rather, he had attempted to imitate Vig—building workshops throughout Gothenburg in hopes of enormous profits.
Two years later, Halfdan had reached a painful conclusion: he was not suited for business.
Leaving his longhouse, he wandered the marketplace. Narrow streets were lined with huts of planks and thatch. Women crowded fish stalls, inspecting shining cod and herring. Children darted like eels between adults' legs, scattering in laughter when barked at by rough-voiced men.
Thanks to expanding trade, Gothenburg had grown rapidly, with a permanent population exceeding 1,600. Halfdan's workshops did not lack labor—yet they consistently failed to turn profit.
He entered a brewery and reviewed recent account books. Vig and the Raven Speaker's new script had fully replaced the old writing system, gradually increasing literacy across the North.
"This month trade was brisk. Why did we earn so little?" Halfdan demanded. "The market is flooded with Vig's beer and whisky. Have you no shame?"
"My lord, it's not my fault," the manager replied, presenting prepared excuses:
Honey supplies were too limited—mead production suffered.
Beer required hops imported from Tyne County—too costly.
And ale? It spoiled within twenty days and could only be sold locally.
Halfdan reviewed the ledger again and issued a stern decree:
"Next month, profits must reach at least eight pounds. Or I will not be merciful."
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