We are well received at B-mansion and they were quick to arrange some food and fires in the rooms. Åsa seems overjoyed to be of service, not pushy and more that she finally gets to 'earn' her pay and do something for us, and Soma seems generally happy too. We only make a brief introduction of the two men who will upgrade the B-mansion, but we make sure the women understand that the men will sleep, eat and work here, but sexual service is not included. They are free women, and obviously we have not spread the story about their previous life.

It's been more than five weeks since I was last in Borgarsandr, and they seem to be doing well, but the last two months must have been one hell of an adjustment for them, even if they managed on their own before when Radgeirrson was on one of his other properties. It's kind of funny that there are several times more maids here, where no one is, than in the Ackerek mansion, where we all are. It feels a bit iffy considering their background, but at the same time practical to have a couple of more maids helping with the wedding feast, and that we can probably trust enough. Many wedding guests require more maids for cooking and other things that pop up. We will accommodate them in the wings attic, or in the extra servant's room that has been vacant since Caecilia moved. Damn. Even the open part of the wings attic by the water tanks is so much more luxurious than the basement here. Warmer, airier, brighter, and they have the amenities in the floor below. Their life here is now much better than before, although I understand that they think it feels empty and quiet. However, they appreciate the time to adjust to their new reality.

The new slave girl, the 'beautiful virgin bed slave' Gisela is impossible to understand, and appears to be from Frigonien. That they say where doesn't help me understand better. Housekeeper/maid Frida knows the language and helps translate, and Ciara can also talk to Gisela reasonably well.

After a lot of confusion - at least from me and Ciara - and help from Gisela we all understand that Frigones are three different languages depending on which region it is and which social class that is speaking. Because of course it is. Frida comes from the northeast, which seems to be the Netherlands-Belgium, and like everyone there speaks Frigones regardless of social class. But the language is also called East Frigonese. Gisela comes from further west, and more inland, and also speaks East Frigonese. But the rich and the nobility there speak what they call High Frigones which is considered better and is Gisela's primary language, and is what Ciara can speak reasonably well. High Frigones 'resembles a bit' modern French according to Jane, if you stick to the simplest numbers and certain words, and according to Jane it may be more like Old French or something, and then there are also dialects. South towards the Mediterranean, they speak the South Frigones, which is a completely different language and not related, which Gisela cannot speak or understand at all except for simple phrases she learned, to greet and say yes, no, etc. Then there are some difficult regional dialects and small local languages as well.

East Frigonese is the primary trade language, and especially used along the coasts, but everyone is proud of their language and in certain contexts and regions like where Gisela comes from, someone from the nobility refuses to sink to speaking the ugly common East Frigonese, and speaks High Frigonese to their servants and common people. The servants must understand High Frigonese, but must answer in East Frigonese so as not to offend those of higher status, so the nobility understand East Frigonese to understand their servants and thus merchants as well, but they will answer in High Frigonese. Which is why Gisela is fluent in both, and have now learned to answer in the same language. Holy shit.

A wicked thought strikes me that there seems to be something in the soil over there, for the Frigonese people seem as annoying and a pain in the butt as some French in Midgård. But several countries in Midgård have similar language complications so they are in good company, and add things like the Christian church used Latin and held services in that language which the common people didn't understand, and so on.

I already know that Frigonien is not a unified kingdom as I think of countries and the world, and it is many small counties and religions that are allied via marriage or alliances, and not surprisingly, it can get really complicated. Supposedly it is common with minor or major wars combined with intrigues and 'accidents' to try to rule over a larger part of Frigonien, and as far as I understood Kari's lessons about the mess, there are 3-5 major factions due to terrain, religion and family, but 'The Kingdom' actually consists of something like 20-30 divisions depending on how that counting is done and who currently inherited who or married to whom etc. Many generations ago, it was a man who succeeded in creating the 'Kingdom' of Frigonien. But King what-was-his-name had many sons who didn't get along, and add a couple of alliances and promises the sons didn't keep after their father's death, and along with other families who thought it was their turn to rule, so the kingdom was divided and hasn't been united since. Close, but fell on the finish line twice. One time due to a Viking army who had been persuaded that it was a good time to raid and loot, according to the idea that 'everyone loses, but my enemies lose more than me'. I mostly feel sorry for the common people there. Since it costs money to make war and requires warriors, there are usually attempts to ally and gather support outside the kingdom. Often through marriages or promises of land and so on. Religion in particular has been used several times because it motivates to fight for a cause, justify the actions, and costs less, but it is tricky if the enemy have the same religion. The latest information have just help to solidify Frigonien as something I won't touch with a ten foot pole.

I understand why Gisela was bought, and given that description. She claims to be 16 years old, which is probably true, with beautiful long blonde hair down to her bum, light brown-grey eyes, good teeth and a large bust. She definitely has apperance similarities to Caecilia. Gisela can read and write High Frigones and East Frigones, but 'only' knows a lot of words and a few phrases of the Norse language here that Frida has taught her, which is roughly what she should call her Master and Mistress, what things are called, praise the masculinity of her owner, that she is untouched and how much she wants to spend time in her master's bed etc. Definitely trained, and not seriously meant. Of course, the maids here haven't dropped their indoctrination in such a short time, so of course they've taught Gisela that given her 'description', and I asked them to teach each other 'useful skills'. In any case, it amuse Iselin and Jane, and Jane amuse herself by teasing Iselin for looking jealously at Gisela's breasts. Iselin also give youngest Soma enviously looks, who actually seems to have a bigger bust, but that might have to do with body proportions as well.

Anyway, Gisela is some form of low nobility if you go by her language, history and behaviour. She was kept by some powerful man in Avalune on probably the south coast of England as insurance, but when her immediate family was decimated in a war during late summer, Gisela lost her value and was sold as a 'beautiful virgin bed slave', with Gisela again repeating that she is a virgin, which I'm not going to be the one to change. She has only been a slave since the end of the summer slash early autumn, so about 3 months. Gisela shows that she has a beautiful singing voice, even if it's not really my taste in music.

If my merchant ship Nostromo heading for southwest hadn't already left, I probably would have freed Gisela and sent her back home. But she will live here at the B-mansion until the ship comes back and in the meantime Frida can help her learn the Norse language. It might be useful to have another maid in the mansion, but difficult when she doesn't know the language, although someone who speaks, reads and writes fluently High and East Frigonese might be useful in the future. But Kari, Ciara and Frida seem to be good enough, even if Ciara is alone with High Frigones, and doesn't seem to pronounce it that well. Maybe I should ask if Ciara want to practice with Gisela? I just don't want to pressure Ciara, and I know that Ciara was not the best student, nor was her education prioritized by her family. Ciara doesn't even try to learn Laitje beyond greeting phrases. Iselin and I are the biggest students of Laitje, although Alith and Kari also practice, but not as much. I have to admit I am not the best Laitje student either. I'm not exactly motivated and have so many other things to do, but it's an advantage to have a personal maid whose native language is what I'm trying to learn. Caecilia talk to me in Laitje a lot so I will learn to understand it quite well, but I just have to admit that Iselin has a hell of a lot better memory and more dedication in learning the language. Learning another language well is also a status thing for Iselin.

There is some humour in the fact that neither Kari nor Ciara have noticed that the other speak a different type of Frigones, but both were probably not present when it was spoken or a subject for discussion. I need to get Kari to look at those books that Ciara couldn't read. I also need to talk to my partners about Gisela. Maybe Gisela can articulate better than Kari and improve the translation of my math books? But will Kari feel insulted if I ask?