Edrich of Haluken

My sixteenth year approached rapidly. Aside from a few intrigues with avaricious shop owners and city officials and the uproar with the Reichsparliament the year had passed mostly in peace.

Valla and I would send out invitations the second week of January. I had chosen Rilla to stand with me, to no one’s surprise.

The fall harvest festival came and went with very little inclement weather. Light dustings of snow were all that we encountered. I even squeezed in one more trip to Haluken to deal with a few details.

Everything there was going well. Birge was being encouraged to run for mayor. I thought he would do quite well and he had been on the bad end of corruption and knew how to deal with it.

It would be my last Christmas living under my parents roof. I knew we would visit but we would observe Christmas at home for a while. Winter’s tide and Christmas lined up quite well. Neither was overshadowed. Many people observed both. That included me and my brothers. We exchanged stick figures and spirit bags. Herbs, wild spices and a fox or bear tooth gave them the magic that warded off evil. We burned the previous spirit bag in a ceremonial fire.

I had purchased a necklace of bear teeth from a man in Oslo. From those I made bags for my family and a few close friends. I never used wolves teeth, I didn’t want anyone to become an Ulfvargr. 

When the first day of January arrived, I sought out Valla, to celebrate.

Halkar was very happy for us. We penned the public announcement of our betrothal and posted it in the city square. There were a number of others doing the same and we all celebrated together. Silently I thanked Freya for my bounty.

Two ravens landed not far from us and I tossed them a bit of bread. I wondered if they were emissaries of Odin. Hugin and Munin watched everything and reported back to the Allfather.

I knew I would be expected to take part in my groom’s celebration. One of the customs was to take the groom’s sword and hide it, then the groom must act the part of a bride with flowers in his hair and plead for its return. The custom stems from one of the eddas where Thor is tricked by Loki and his hammer is stolen. Thor must dress as a bride to get it back. It’s all in fun, the groom usually has to sing a courting song and dance for the right to regain what is his. In some cases the groom is expected to lie with a strumpet who plays the part of a Jotun or giant woman. The Gods and the Jotun reproduced quite readily with each other. Thor himself was said to be the product of one of those marriages, except his mother was a Goddess and his father was Jotun. But there were always a lot of arguments about that. Thor was a son of Odin so I never gave it much thought. People have been interpreting Old Norse lore, the sagas and eddas for centuries. There’s bound to be few mistakes over the intervening years.

I wasn’t feeling my best the next day but I roused myself to take Ranulf, Ivy and Bolly out for treats in the market place.

I bumped into the Politi officer who had been with us at Ranulf’s old house.

“Your father has quite a bit of influence. Our commander approved the operation to smoke out the bootleg distiller. He and his gang have been charged with twenty eight counts of aggravated manslaughter. They won’t be walking free anytime soon, if ever. It is in the court’s purview to invoke hanging as a penalty. Those people weren’t the cream of society, but they were men and women, some of them left children behind as you well know. How is little Ranulf getting along?” Bjori asked.

“He thrives, as you can see he has put on a little meat on those fragile bones. In spite of what has happened to him, he is a happy little boy. I am due to be wed in a few months, then we will adopt him,” I shared.

“That is very kind of you Sir Edrich, there are not many that would offer an urchin such as him a good home. I salute you sir,” Bjori said.

“He is deserving of love and comfort, as any child is. We are working to build places where they can be safe and warm. Your chief is working with us and soon we will have a place for you to take the children of the streets for a place to stay. If they are willing, they will learn their letters and numbers and a trade that will support them and a family. I have discovered that there are more citizens that support that effort than those who oppose. I believe it is a good use of the crown purse. Those opposed to it are the same ones who opposed a national police force that can work together to protect the citizens of our land,” I told him.

“I think it’s working, we have cleared the streets of hooligans and cutpurses. We’ve even arrested a few upstanding citizens that were less than upstanding as it turns out. We are still weeding out corrupt officers but there are fewer than when we started,” Bjori added.

I watched the boys play games at the booths and listen to the musicians. We bought treats and ate street food. I’ve always loved pavliske, and I knew a cart where the best could be had.

“I attended the trial of the actual distiller and when the magistrate asked if anyone had anything to add, I spoke up.

The magistrate bade me approach and I brought Ranulf with me.

“This boy’s name is Ranulf. His parents were killed by your contaminated aquavit. As a result of your actions he nearly froze to death on the street. You have caused the deaths of twenty-eight people, I wanted to see just what you had done to this one boy. How many others are fatherless or complete orphans because of you?” I said as I pointed directly at him. The gallery agreed loudly and the magistrate called them to order.

“Thank you your lordship, the victims in this crime, may not have been the best people, but they were people and not rats to be poisoned by the likes of the accused,” The magistrate nodded to me.

The distiller Hans Briggle was convicted and given an appointment with the noose. The rest of the gang received long prison sentences.

As I left the court carrying my tired little boy a well-dressed man stepped in front of me and said, ”Lord Edrich?”

“Yes, I am Lord Edrich, how may I help you?”

In a flash he pulled open his coat and produced a pistol. I spun to protect Ranulf and heard the shot and a strange noise, I couldn’t tell which came first. I felt a sting in my upper left arm and something fell against me pushing me forward. I struggled to keep my balance and stood upright again. Bjori and an Inspector of the Politi stood over the man. Bjori held a truncheon and bent to retrieve the pistol and check for other weapons. He retrieved papers from the man’s coat but the man himself was unresponsive.

I placed Ranulf back on his feet and knelt to check the man over. The truncheon had struck in just the right place to shatter a vertebrae and sever the spinal cord. The man was dead. Bjori held up two pistols, one yet unfired.

“Everyone go back inside, Bjori commanded. The inspector spied a man looking frightened or nervous and sent an officer to detain him. The man fled and the officer gave chase, he blew his whistle and others joined him. He ran into the side of a hand cart that was being removed from the market. Officers drug him to the station and the inspector sent another to the Governor’s palace.

“It couldn’t be helped Bjori, you didn’t have much time to respond to the event,” I told him.

“He was trying to kill you my lord, I have no sympathy for him. I’m not glad he’s dead, I would have liked to interrogate him. I hope the other men had some luck chasing the second man. I suppose we’ll learn soon enough if he was involved.

“You should let me have a look at your arm, blood is seeping through your coat,” Bjori pressed.

“Yes, let’s find a room where we can do that. I need someone to watch my son. Do you think you could organize that?”

The fish monger’s wife was present and she knew Ranulf. They sat on a bench and she questioned him about his new life.

We retired to an anteroom and I produced my dagger. I was on my fourth sheath but the dagger was the same one Father had given me years before. I handed it to Bjori and asked him to slice open the sleeve. The ball had left a deep scratch in my upper arm but it had nearly stopped bleeding. Bjori’s blow had saved my life and whoever had been behind me, the ball lodged harmlessly in the ceiling. I tore some of the lining out of the jacket and had Bjori use it to tie my handkerchief in place over the wound. I would treat it properly at home.

By then there were a dozen politi, all interviewing witnesses including the magistrate. Several people said they saw the man with the pistols talking to the man who ran. One said they were both well-dressed but seemed ill at ease in their garb.

I collected Ranulf and thanked Helga for watching him.

We boarded a coach and went home.

I spoke with Ranulf about the events, I asked him to speak only to the family about it. I looked him over, but he was completely unharmed. I treated my wound and Rilla helped me bandage it. I would have to watch for infection. Many people used rancid fat on their patches to seal the bore of the pistol.

After making sure Ranulf was not unduly affected, I set out for the Politi headquarters. Ranulf had only heard the pop of the pistol  and had not seen the man after he was down.

I couldn’t believe that anyone would shoot a man who was carrying a child.

I met the Inspector at the door and he welcomed me in.

“Would you mind having a look at what we believe is the second man involved in the attempt. He ran from our officers and pitched away a knife and a pistol, but our men spotted that and caught up with him. They found him flat on his back in an alley,” the Inspector stated.

I took a close look at the man and recognized him almost immediately.

“Yes, I know who he is. His father was mixed up in the business with the former mayor. I believe his father has two years to go on his sentence. He was convicted of corruption. Obviously he must have heard that I was involved,” I told the inspector.

“Well, it wasn’t exactly a secret. I suspect he held you responsible for his father’s incarceration and the collapse of their business. Let’s go in and chat with him, I have invited Emil from the Governor General’s office to join us and conduct the interrogation,” Inspector Andersen revealed.

“Are you comfortable?” Emil inquired of Simca Hubel.

“No, I am decidedly uncomfortable. You have me chained to a table and these manacles hurt my wrists,” Simca complained.

“Well then, the sooner you tell us what your part in this lunacy was, the sooner you can relax in a nice quiet cell,” Emil said with just a hint of a wicked smile.

Simca was near the breaking point.

“Why did you run from the officers?”

“I thought they were thugs, I thought I’d be robbed!” Simca grumbled.

“Did you not here them shouting “Stoppe politiet?” Emil continued. “And what were they going to rob you of? You have no wallet and no papers, you do not even have pin for your tie, what did you expect them to take. Was it your weapons you feared would be stolen? Well, have no fear of that, we have recovered them for you, would you like to see them?”

What? No! I never had a knife or a pistol….” Simca began and realized he had said too much.

“Did I mention a knife and  pistol? I don’t believe I did, did I inspector?” Emil inquired.

“No, I don’t believe you did. Perhaps Simca can clarify that point for us,” the inspector replied politely.

Simca looked trapped, he knew he had tripped himself and now the vultures would tear out his liver.

“Perhaps you can tell me what the papers we took from your cohort are in regard to? You’re mentioned quite prominently in the instructions. Oh by the way, we found the brake you were meant to escape in. You’ll be happy to know the horse has been fed and cared for and the brake will be returned to its owner. You left the coach tag in the window. That would have been clever if not for all of your other mistakes,” Emil informed him.

Simca was done, he had nothing left, and he knew it.

“I suppose I will hang but I will not be alone. The whole thing was suggested by one of lord Longlund’s lackeys. He gave us the money for the clothes and brake and also for the guns and such. I was only meant to identify you. Kobel was meant to join me and make our way to Ingall’s. Then we would hide for a while and take a boat to Copenhagen later. I have not seen Kobel since we parted before the trial,” Simca Hubel sighed.

“Kobel was your partner in this then? I should tell you, he will not join you on the gallows. He is already dead. A blow meant to subdue him turned fatal. He died attempting to assassinate a member of the peerage and a king’s man. The outcome would have been the same in any case,” Emil told him in a calm voice.

“I believe we can allow Herr Hubel to retire to his cell and contemplate his actions. Check him on the quarter hour and take his clothes. I don’t want him cheating the hangman out of his fee,” The inspector sneered.

I finally realized how Emil worked, he didn’t torture information out of people, at least physically. He let their own mind do all the work, as he asked seemingly innocent questions. I was very impressed and would discuss it with him at the earliest convenience. He played the part of malevolent imp very well, it tended to unnerve people to the point where they dropped their guard about other issues. It didn’t hurt that he had the warm ingratiating smile, of a wolverine.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t close enough to intervene before he fired, but I saw what you did. You were ready to sacrifice yourself for that child. He is a lucky lad indeed to have you as his father,” Bjori said quietly.

“I am sorry you were saddled with dealing with him. But it was his choice to make the attempt. I am lucky you were there to cause him to miss. It’s difficult to regulate the force you employ in the madness of the moment. I came very near to killing a man who imagined himself to be Valla’s intended husband. I was able to dodge his blade but my driver would have crushed his skull with a club if I had not disarmed him. I’m sure it was the fire of the moment and not your intent, I’m sure the inspector sees it that way also,” I counselled him.

“Yes, I suppose you are right, but still I wish he was available for interrogation. Longlund will have the attention of the Marshalls. I wish to keep Herr Hubel in good health so that he can testify against the man.

I returned home after that and Emil and I chatted about his technique of interrogation.

“There are times when physical encouragement is needed due to the urgency of a situation. Usually a kind word mismatched with a threatening presence can loosen a tongue, more effectively than a beating. If you allow someone to contemplate the price of his own actions, his own mind often compels him to speak when he should remain mute for his own benefit.

Father joined us after a while and we all chatted together before Emil returned to the palace.

“I am very glad Ranulf slept through the attack, he’s too young to deal with that sort of thing. I feared I might lose him one way or another,” I told Father.

“I am glad it turned out the way it did. You are a wonderful father Peng, for you to shield Ranulf at your own expense was truly brave. You will be or rather, you are a great father and will be so for all your children. Ranulf has grown in so many ways under your care, he is a leader at school even though other boys his age are larger. They follow the strength of his will. He commands good conduct of his friends and the fear of his enemies,” Father told me.

“I only follow the example you have set for us. It is because of your patience and example that we are all striving to be good men,” I responded.

“You give me too much credit, I saw good character in each of you, I simply gave you the reinforcement to help you maintain it. You have all been a good influence and an example for Ivy and now Ranulf to follow,” Father praised.

I thanked him and we sat together for a while, each in our own thoughts.

Up until Christian received Halkar’s message concerning the attempted assassination, Lord Longlund was on house arrest at his own home. It was surrounded by Politi and royal guard but he lived in comparative luxury. He had been allowed to have visitors and his assistants were free to come and go. But now Longlund languished in a regulation cell in the cellar of the magistrate’s court of Copenhagen. It would likely be his last home. Christian had informed him personally of the failed attempt on myself. His surviving coconspirators would testify against him. He would share Simca’s fate but it would be a different gallows. He could be thankful that drawing and quartering had gone out of style.

I found Ranulf and Ivy on the hearth rug looking through a new picture book of the New World. Some of the scenes depicted were breath taking. Huge waterfalls and great mountains leapt from every page. Pictures of forts and settlements were plentiful as were depictions of the residents. They laughed at the strange costumes of the puritan professors. The red Indians were brightly dressed in leather and beaded belts. They were shown carrying huge war clubs . Their faces were painted in wild color and they looked fierce. I left them to their pleasure and went to my office to complete year end paperwork. The next day would be the last of the year. I would be an adult the day after. It had snowed but the streets were clear so I walked. It was brisk but not uncomfortable. I even engaged in a snowball fight with a few boys for a short while. I got in a few hits but ultimately they won the day. I bowed and retreated.

On the way I bought a pail of soup and kept it warm on my stove as I sorted and filed. My assistant would do the actual filing but I organized things so that he could. The soup and some tea helped me see the job through and I returned home dropping the pail at the café where I bought it.

Our celebration was traditionally quiet and aside from a few birthday wishes it remained that way. We celebrated at the palace with Halkar, Iris and Valla. There were others and the children danced through the halls singing Det nye året kommer, The New Year comes. It was a rollicking carol and the children danced and skipped while holding hands in a long line. They sang other songs but eventually even children get tired.

One boy had received a set of buckskin clothes all the way from America, they weren’t much different from the ones I made and wore. Except for the fringe and the cat-flap. It allowed the wearer to use the toilet without lowering the trousers. It was covered by a brightly woven flap of cloth. Little Sigried enjoyed lifting the flap to flash the other children.

The tolling hour came and though most of the children were asleep, Ranulf and Ivy joined me to ring our bells and welcomed the new year, calling out “Godt nytt år”. I kissed them and Valla, then all of my brothers and my parents. Eventually we boarded our coaches for home. It had been a wonderful evening and I was now an adult in the eyes of the law. I could enter contracts without Father’s signature. I had already purchased a signet ring, with which to seal documents. I didn’t really feel any different but things had changed.

As soon as it was practical I would be summoned to Copenhagen for my installation as Viscount. That would probably be in March. I had a great deal to do before that time. Most of it was in Freyanhjem and there were things to be done in Haluken and at the mine. I wanted to make sure the men were wintering well. The assayer had determined that the copper ore was sufficient to warrant another mine. Several rich seams had been found after the removal of some brush. The copper was in higher demand than the gold so we would concentrate on that until we needed to put more gold on the market.

I had acquired a few Fjord horses for winter trips, several actually. I had them taken to Freyanhjem as well as keeping four in Halla.

I had waited quite a while for them to be available. They had broad hooves and grew long shaggy coats in winter. They were trimmed in spring so they would not suffer in the heat.

With these animals I was able to continue my trips as far as Oslo, the horses were poor swimmers. Father didn’t waste any time having me join him to take over my seat on the board of the mining enterprise. I read report after report about mine business and soon I was current with the goings on.

More sluices and races would need to be built for the new copper smelter. A water drive conveyor would lift the ore to the site and copper ingots would be brought down by wagon. But people were always thinking and it was decided to try a slide for the copper ingots. Taking heavy loads downhill was dangerous and hard on both animals and wagons. The slide would save time and manpower. The idea came from a man who used to slide bags of grain from a loft to a wagon using a canvas chute. I was anxious to see it in action.

I was gradually taking command of my own financial holdings. This meant long meetings with attorneys and accountants. They could belabor a point almost as much as the clergy. I was actually shocked by how much capital I had on hand. Father had put me into a backing position for a new bank. I suggested that they open branches in Freyanhjem and Haluken and I would back those as well. All banking institutions were under the control of the Stadt Bank. Most common people didn’t use banks. They were mistrustful of handing over their money to strangers. I would stress the security of using checks to transfer money to vendors instead of risking cash on the road to make payments. Bank Checks were worthless unless accompanied by the bank seal. A mail service had been established between Oslo, Halla and Bergen. All points along the road were delivered to. There was an agent in each small village who was usually a storekeeper. Now mail from Svalbard could be sent to Bergen in a week’s time. From there it could go to Oslo by boat or wagon by way of Halla, Freyanhjem and Haluken. That was the Governor’s idea and it was gaining popularity. Companies had sprung up to perform the same service as the government dispatch riders, but for ordinary citizens.

I spent much of the winter in Freyanhjem dealing with details and making a plot for the bank building. I slept in the lumbermill barracks and ate with the men.

On my way to Haluken one day I was met with an obstacle. A tree had fallen across the road and blocked the way. I found two waggoners on the other side and they could go no further. I instructed them to back their wagons up and unhitch their teams. I rode back to Freyanhjem for more men and axes.

It wasn’t possible to ride around the tree because there was a steep drop-off on either side. Four men and myself swung axes and cut the tree into manageable pieces and used the teams to pull the trunks out of the way and sent them down the slope. It took the afternoon and I invited all concerned to stay at my home for the night. The road is no place to be on a winter’s night. We ate well and told stories into the night. Though some rooms were fully furnished it was cots and bedrolls for my guests. We built a fire in the main hall and that kept us warm. I moved on to Haluken the next morning. The quarry was closed until spring. The mine was back to maintenance duty although the mine itself was pleasantly warm below ground. Men went down for inspections every day, to head off problems.

As the days passed, I took over more and more of the mine’s business. It was quite a lot to absorb and now I knew how much of Father’s time had been dedicated to guarding our concerns. Ours was not the only gold mine in Norway, but the government gold reserves were in considerably better shape.

Although we put money into grain and other commodities, it was watched carefully. I had been well educated about the Dutch Tulip fiasco of 1636. It was the first time common citizens engaged in financial speculation. Many lost everything as a result of ridiculously inflated values placed on tulip bulbs. Some made a packet and then withdrew. Carpenters, Blacksmiths and the like made huge sums and then lost it all when the market for tulips crashed in 1637. The event had a chilling effect on investment for decades. Father had competent brokers in harness for dispensing of the gold and would add copper to the mix once it was available in quantity.

Our Noaidi were predicting an early spring. They were usually very accurate in their forecasts. The farmers in Freyanhjem took them at their word and began their preparations for planting early.

In March the roads to Oslo were quite clear there had been rain but no more snow as temperatures remained moderate.

My entire family joined me on a trip to Oslo to make the journey to Copenhagen. Halkar, Iris and Valla joined us. It was a beautiful trip. Snow covered peaks and lush greenery greeted us at every turn. The trip to Oslo was without problem, although the voyage to Copenhagen was a trifle rough. Fortunately it was a short voyage and we arrived intact.

Copenhagen was a dream, it was a storybook city with beautiful architecture. Most people seemed kind and helpful, but that may have been due to our manner of dress. Their styles were slightly different but similar to our own. Our entire train was housed at the palace. Christian noted that we had the smallest retinue he'd ever seen.

“We tend to do largely for ourselves,” I told him. We boys help the servants with chores whenever we can and our staff are happy to remain with us. Valla has a similar attitude. We simply don’t require people waiting on us hand and foot. We’ve even changed the way laundry is done. We have a closed in washing house so that the washer woman doesn’t have to bend over a fire in winter and it opens up so she doesn’t roast in the summer. I know of one house that keeps twenty servants to wait on two people. It seems a ridiculous waste, but who am I to judge how people spend their money.

“Did you really turn a mansion in Oslo into flats for government workers?” Christian inquired.

“Yes, I did. The house was available through an auction. I had no need of it personally and then I had the notion that several people could live there in individual flats. A bit like the tenements but considerably more comfortable. My thoughts were junior officials and families could be much closer to the government house instead of riding long distances from their homes in the west. Others have followed suit and now there are more mansions being converted for multiple families to use. Eventually those tenants will rise in the ranks and seek more suitable digs as reflect their status. At least, that is my hope,” I told Christian.

“Are you doing the same in Halla?” Christian asked.

“No, but my brothers are. They have converted a number of older mansions to flats and followed my model with the same results. Those houses I acquire in Halla are being used to house indigent families and get them back on their feet. My experience with Ranulf has led me to establish more children’s homes. In the coming year I plan to build a campus where orphans and street children can receive education and training for a trade. Some I hope, will go on to higher learning,” I explained.

“And are these policies spreading to Freyanhjem and Haluken?” Christian inquired.

“Yes, of course. They need to be tailored to the populace but Haluken has transformed from a sleepy village under monastic rule to a vibrant city. Building is rampant and new schools will be needed to handle the increase in population. The citizens are self-governing at a local level as are those of Freyanhjem. The program to encourage new farms on virgin soil has been well received. More and more of the clans are embracing agriculture. With the help of hardier crops, they are doing quite well with more on the way,” I replied.

“And this Lord Longlund business has not discouraged you?” Christian asked.

“No Sire, that was based on avarice, it has only strengthened my dislike of corruption. Father’s Marshalls will root it out wherever it is hiding.

“You are an unusual young man Edrich, most people with your wealth would make their own lives comfortable with little thought for others. You use your wealth to benefit the people of your country. I will enjoy confirming your installation as Viscount of Haluken. I have counselled the priest to keep his remarks brief. We’ll see if it has any effect,” Christian chuckled.

The ceremony was on our second day in Copenhagen. It was considerably shorter than the first. The priest was still somewhat windy, but Christian reigned him in with coughs and stern looks. “They just can’t help themselves,” he told me afterward.

And that was done, I was confirmed as Viscount and could assume all my duties. I planned to only become involved if needed.

My family and Halkar’s toured the city for another few days and then it was time to return to Oslo. But father and I took a tour of our own. We visited the magistrate’s court and spoke with Lord Longlund. He was somewhat less sanctimonious than the last time we had met.

“So, you are now enshrined as savior to your people, how lovely for you. It must fill your soul with such an air of superiority over mere mortals such as I,” Longlund sneered.

“I do what I can for my people and Norway. I follow my father’s example of rectitude and caring. You could have chosen that path, but instead you chose to pursue treason as your vehicle of change. For that you will hang. I will forgive your actions against me, but not those against my son. He was in my arms when your assassin made his attempt. That man paid with his life as you will. It is within my rights to pursue your estate for monetary compensation. But I will not put your family on the street. They mightn’t live as well as they have but they will be comfortable. It is my hope that King Christian gives you ample time to contemplate your actions. I hope you go to your next life with a cleansed spirit,” I told him.

“Bah, who are you to counsel me in matters of this sort. I will stand on the gallows with the same contempt I feel for you and the king at this moment. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I wish to have a nap,” Longlund spat.

“As you wish lord. I will trouble you no more,” I said as father and I rose to leave.

“You and your king will lead our country to ruin, I hope that you live to see it,” Longlund sneered again.

“Well, that was a pleasant visit,” I chuckled to Father.

“Yes, quite the gracious host is Lord Longlund,” Father quipped back.