It has been several 'interesting' weeks and being King isn't always easy, and apart from everything else, Sejdmann Robert Arnesson appears out of nowhere and tells about his Academy. Powerful people are always a problem, and Sejdmann is a problem without equal, but thankfully Robert Arnesson seems to lack ambitions of power, and be a much better man than most understands. It's more like he really just wants to live a good life and enjoy life while making the world better, and I don't doubt Kari's words that Sejdmann is from another world and the main character in a Saga written by Freya. It just confirms, and when I heard rumors about Sejdmann I started to get suspicious, and before Sejdmann was invited to the castle, Merchant Danr was summoned. Danr, who with a meaningful look said that Sejdmann had boarded in Hildifjoer a couple of days after Bifrost lit up the sky, and he came down from the mountains. Can feel another cold shiver down my back from that. Danr didn't say anything more detailed about his passenger beside confirming his character, but it was clear that Danr knew Sejdmann had come with Bifrost. Sejdmann must had made Danr promise to keep quiet, and Danr had made sure that the crew kept quiet about it as well. That Sejdmann doesn't want to spread that knowledge is both humble, cunning and something to respect. Only my closest and most trusted has been told.

Such a dangerous man with the gods on his side... a wise King would have tried to get him far from himself and his kingdom, for who knows what might make him angry or what the gods have planned? At the same time, I can't force him away, because who knows what the gods have planned? But there are many many stupid men who think they are powerful, abuse their power and don't understand that they have just stepped on a giant's toes. Why can't they understand my hints about how incredibly powerful his Sejd really is and that Sejdmann is cunning and wise. Just his presentation of his Academy made that clear, and the reports I have received confirm.

For example, a day with constant thunder on the beach where Sejdmann was. No lightning, just thunder at regular intervals and something striked. The slave who have carefully spied on Sejdmann had moved around to avoid being discovered. But the slave didn't dare to go closer, but instead went further away when something hit the ground not far from where he was, and the man was further away than a bow can reach. He swears he heard something whistling over his head when he got further away. He ran for his life all the way to the castle, and he no longer dared to spy on Sejdmann. He didn't even dare return to the farm. He barely dares to leave the castle. Sejdmann Robert Arnesson, a man who uses his sejd and knowledge to help others, but knows dangerous things and he can call down Thor's lightning without warning, even on a sunny day.

A man you want as a friend, not an enemy.

The Academy is a really good idea, and probably doesn't cost much. Of course I could just give the land and Robert Arnesson would surely have been happy with that. But it's better to get such a man grateful, but it must be done in a way that doesn't make people spread bad rumors. Better that rewards are given gradually as others understand better. A cheaper variant would be if Sejdmann could end up in debt to the kingdom and establish his Academy instead of being convicted to be a slave, or just sentence him to a slave and force secrets from him. At least that's what two of the morons around me think, and why they think Kari was sent there without guards. Just the kind of morons who would happily stomp a giant on the toes and mock, but they still havn't understood that the only reason they're near me is because they have influence I can exploit, and for us to be able to keep watch on them and prevent them from making big mistakes.

Morons - but useful morons.

Myrun Skiringe isn't a moron, and Kari's absolutely right I can't let Sejdmann fall in her hands.

Kari. She hasn't disappointed me. Every man should appreciate having such a woman standing next to him, and I hope that Sejdmann understands to appreciate her as his concubine and that she in the future will be more than that. Kari will work for that, and she wants to be his. I'm glad that I finally seem to have found a man who seems to deserve her, so I can do right by her, and she's getting the life she deserves. That Freya finally answered my prayers.

It has been hard to see her grow up to be the stately woman she is and to be reminded of my own short-sightedness 21 years ago, when I angrily and disappointedly sentenced an innocent child to the life she lived. My own niece, and the only thing I have left of my brother. She had become such an excellent princess. No, she would have been an excellent Queen to rule a region or country in the future. Much better than my daughters. Spoiled Sefa and Ulfarna too much. Didn't spoil Kari at all. Hardly gave her more than jewellery and cloths.

I'm a little worried about what Hagthorn will do when I die and he inherits the throne. His newlywed wife Sunnifa isn't the sharpest knife; but beautiful, loyal and good for tying stronger ties to the family in the East. Panicked a bit when Hagthorn a few years ago wanted Kari as his concubine, unaware that they're cousins. It's good that he saw her value and not just her appearance, but they've seen each other all their lives. Kari had been excellent at Hagthorn's side in helping to rule the kingdom - but they're cousins. A disgrace to both, and bad for the blood.

I took Kari's name and future from her. Kari Arildsdotter. Daughter of my brother Arild and Arild's secret mistress Iona. But Iona and her father were snakes and my brother was stupid. Tried to poison me and take the throne, and Iona had ruled with her father Skarde as counselor. Discovered it. Stopped it. Was angry and short-sighted. Got my own brother poisoned so he died of 'illness'. Forced Storman Skarde to kill his only son with the same poison they would use on me, and with his bare hands strangle his daughter in a 'riding accident', after I forced Storman Skarde to sign a confession. A confession in which he give his word to not have any more children, and grow old alone without descendants to inherit him, and to give the me his property when he dies. Prohibited all contact with his only grandchild Kari. Young and stupid, I told her future to Skarde; that she would never find out who her parents were or what they had done, and he would live knowing that his granddaughter and only heir would be given away to some unpleasant disgusting man as his punishment. So his bloodline and legacy ended.

Angry and short-sighted.

With Haera's help, I eventually learned to control my anger. Learning from my mistakes, although there were more mistakes. Taught me to think before acting.

But Kari grew up near me. She was an innocent child, not even a year old, and how can a man hate an innocent child for what her parents did? She's still my niece. Of my blood. She was such a beautiful child, and has become such a magnificent woman. Wish I had done things differently 21 years ago and let Arild live with his daughter, after he completely renounced his claim to the throne before the Northmen Ting. That would have been the smart move. The good move. Less angst. I should have changed Kari's future when she was still a child, when I started to regret it, instead of letting the years go by until it was too late. In the end, it just became agonizing to see her as she lost her joy more and more as she realized her future, and it hurt to be constantly reminded of my own stupidity. I'll never forget her birthdays, and everytime she swears loyalty to me, its like a knife slowly gutting my soul. At least it helped me learn. Only me, Haera and Skarde knows what really happened. Who Kari really is. The rest have died - naturally, or less naturally. Skarde should have died years ago, but that grumpy evil old bastard is too stubborn to die. Even Hel doesn't want him.

It has been so difficult to find a good husband for Kari, because she deserves a good happy life as a replacement for the future I took, but I wanted Skarde to die with the uncertainty, but the years have passed. Several of my advisers have become more emphatic that Kari should be given to someone, preferably them, as she's starting to become too old. Morons, and they don't deserve Kari. I really hope Robert Arnesson is as good a man as Kari seems to believe. I need her to be happy, but if a man dedicated to Freya can't give her the love she deserves, then no one can.

Feels like a proud father about how well she has maneuvered as soon as she got some options, but it's tragic that she thinks so low about me. I can at least try to make Sejdmann really value her, and maybe make her rethink her opinion about me. It would have been better if Skarde had been dead, but that may be why the Gods kept him alive, so that Kari could be given to Sejdmann. Perhaps Freya was tired of feuds and suffering, tired of hearing women's prayers about their husbands and sons, and she chose to sacrifice Arild so that I could learn to be a better King. To teach Hagthorn to be a better King. So that the kingdom became better, more stable and more secure. An end to feuds over the throne, and Freya brought Sejdmann here to make the kingdom better, and a more secure future and life for everyone. That seems to be Sejdmann's goal. And Freya made sure that Kari wasn't sacrificed - but educated, trained and shaped to be what Sejdmann needed, and he was rewarded with her, while Kari was rewarded with becoming Sejdmann's woman!

That's a plan worthy of Freya!

No point in draging out the time. Kari has already let me know that Sejdmann finished the job a few days ago, and the decision is a given.