Chapter 2 - A-Viking We Shall Go
After taking the Jarldom, Orm decided that the time had come for military reforms. He was still intent on conquering the rest of Iceland and driving the Christians off the island for good, but to do so he would need both more and better troops. He raised two additional companies of Bondí and two companies of Huscarls. Such forces do not come cheap, however, and so another raid began being planned. Before the raid could get off the ground, however, gaelic raiders from the Kingdom of Alba arrived to plunder the Orkneyjar. Orm raised his forces but could not relieve the islands in time.
On the battlefield of love, however, he found much more success, conquering Asta's heart by "saving" her from a definitly-not-staged break-in.
Not a month after allowing his vassal to loot, pillage, and burn the Orkneyjar, King Causantín II MacCináed of Alba had the gall to contact Orm about arranging the kidnapping of his brother. After nearly falling over dead out of rage, the furious Orm finally decided to instruct his messengers to tell the king he accepted the offer. Then, in secret he sent another message to Áed warning him of his wicked brother's plot.
Unfortunatly, word that Orm had warned Áed got back to King Causantín, who took things rather personally, thus beginning a feud between the two rulers.
Young Styrkar, Orm's heir presumptive, ultimatly succumbed to his illness at only two years of age.
With Halla now his only living heir, Orm took the strong young girl under his wing, to teach her the art of warfare.
A mysterious woman from the far-off (and probably fictional) land of "Italy" named Ausilia arrived on Orm's doorstep, requesting asylum. Suspicious of this Christian's motives, Orm agreed to allow her to stay nevertheless. She even agreed to be his concubine in spite of her religious hesitations.
Asta would eventially give birth to a second son, Þorsteinn. Þorsteinn took after his mother and, like his sister, was prodigiously strong even from a young age. Orm prayed all the gods that this son live.
While raiding in Ireland, Orm "met" the Baroness Yrsa. He quickly took her as his concubine as well. The death of Styrkar weighed heavily on his shoulders and now all he could think about was producing as many heirs as he could to keep his line alive.
Lady Essylt of Gwent would become his third concubine.
With very little loot left in Ireland, Orm decided to turn his raiding gaze further south: he would sail further than any norseman had sailed before and bring back exotic treasures to his people.
The men of the south held powerful, unified kingdoms which Orm dared not provoke. He eventually, however, found the land of Tamasna ripe for the plunder.
Halla and Þorsteinn were joined by a new sister, Gerðr. Orm began to relax: it appeared that his line would be safe after all.
Orm was greatly impressed by the magnificent structures in the muslim lands, and the sophistication of their infrastructure. In Melilla, he decided to take many of the locals as slaves to help develop his own lands. He was finally recognized as a true Viking.
Yrsa gave birth to Orm's third son, Ragnarr, while he was away on his raids. Though the boy lacked the strength of Þorsteinn, and as the son of a concubine Ragnarr was regarded as lower than his brother, Orm was pleased with him nonetheless. The house of Væni continued to grow and strengthen.
Though he lacked Orm's natural talent, Þorsteinn was nevertheless proving to be a curious and intellectual child. Rather than train the boy in their people's martial traditions, Orm decided to raise the boy to be an astute scholar.
Ausilia too gave birth to a son, Eilif. Eilif was of remarkably pale complexion, a sign from the gods to be sure, though of what Orm did not know.
The treasures from the south had boosted Orm's reputation and confidence enough that he was able to launch his most ambitious conquest yet: He would seize the entire western half of Iceland in one fell swoop.
Orm laughed when the Christian harlot "Chieftess" Auðr, the so-called "Deep-Minded", knelt before him in submission. All this preparation and it was over in less than a year. Her witch whom his men had vouched for as a healer had failed to kill him and now he sent her and all her ilk into exile. He moved his court to the more hospitable realm of Reykjavik and began plotting his next move.
The gods blessed the newly minted Jarl of Ísland with yet another son: Hjalmar. The house of Væni now had no shortage of potential heirs and Orm could rest easily. His fear after the death of Styrkar seemed a distant memory now, though he still carried a small lock of his late son's hair as a memento.
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