Page 3 - SagaOfBarak2

Chapter 1

It had been two years gone now since Barak had eventually returned back to
the cold green small island of the Briton’s, this after his latest, also as thus far
planned, his last blood curdling adventure.
By the by this last mission was a long dangerous arduous quest, that the ogre
had undertaken for his good and long time friend Aulric, King of the far northern
tribes of Britain.
Far north indeed was Aulric’s holding, as here, well here was in fact the most
northerly outpost of the now very troubled and fast dwindling Roman Empire.
It was this once wild lawless far flung place, that the good and kindly King
Aulric had held firm for many years now, though if truth said this was not only
for the false pompous pride of Rome.
No, as naturally Aulric had his own local people to consider and protect, above
all else their well being to the King quite rightly was all and everything.
Anyway this place, Aulric’s own humble unassuming but happy domain, nestled
under the shadow of the long dead Emperor Hadrian’s strong and thus far
steadfast wall.
It was here where lay Aulric’s small but prosperous kingdom, stuck away
snuggly in the green pleasant untroubled hamlet of Corstopium.
Well at least it was known as Corstopium in the tongue of the latin anyway, but
to the local folk and spoken in the tongue of the Briton’s it was known as Corbridge.
No matter by whatever name this hamlet was known as, this ever growing ever
thriving well run place lay very close by to the great Salmon River.
Thankfully for trade sake, Corbridge was only a good stones throw away from
this busy watery highway.
A highway which transported all and everything from Corbridge and the small
villages which lay on either side of the river clear down to the North Sea, indeed
and all of that which lay in the great beyond.
Cattle, sheep, goats, pigs as well as horses, all of these beasts were good for
profit and trade.
All of this healthy bartering was not confined only to Europe, no as also much
of this cargo eventually arrived in even more far off and distant places.
Not only this prime livestock left the many ports of Britain, also well crafted
workings in bronze, silver and gold found their way by long boat and corsair to
countries and continents far, far away.
As a rule these vessels were sailed by Geats or Jutes, oh and of course the many
other seafaring brotherhoods, which made up the multitude of proud fierce Viking
clans.

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