Roughly a third of this chapter dives into kingdom-building, but I'm trying a new style so it won't feel like dry explanations or homework. Tell me if this format works for you. And share your thoughts on the chapter overall. Your ideas are always appreciated.
-x-X-x-
If Bjorn could change one thing about Norway to accelerate his shipbuilding projects, it would be the unforgiving weather. Winter's grip froze everything solid, halting construction for months at a time.
Despite this coming natural limitation, he pushed forward with innovations designed to maximize productivity during the brief summer months when work could actually proceed.
Through careful planning and systematic improvements and crew training these past five years, Bjorn had already achieved the production of three ships per year—the traditional 25-man design, not his newer model.
This output represented only summer construction, as winter remained an impenetrable barrier to progress.
Organizational and Process Innovations
In Kattegat, Bjorn implemented sweeping changes that transformed chaotic shipyards into streamlined operations. These innovations focused on workflow efficiency and systematic production methods.
Assembly Line Production became the foundation of his new approach. Ships moved from station to station along the fjord canals, supported by roller systems on land. Each team specialized in a specific task: one crew framed the hull, the next added planking, and another handled rigging.
This station-based system eliminated wasted time by bringing materials to the ship rather than the other way around. The transition required extensive crew training as workers learned to specialize in particular skills.
Prefabrication and Modular Construction allowed winter to become productive rather than idle. Teams pre-built major components—keels, ribs, and deck sections—in indoor workshops during the frozen months after his Hall of craftsmen was built.
These prefabricated elements could then be rapidly assembled at the yard when summer arrived. Bjorn also standardized critical parts like oar ports and mast steps, making them interchangeable. This standardization meant faulty components could be swapped quickly without custom fitting.
Division of Labor and Guild Systems further enhanced efficiency. Bjorn assigned specialized roles to different teams: woodcutters, plank-shapers, and riveters each focused on their particular craft.
Using wooden templates ensured uniform cuts across all production. By organizing shifts for continuous work during the construction season, parallel tasks could proceed simultaneously rather than sequentially, dramatically reducing overall build time.
Dry Docks and Launch Ramps solved the problem of moving finished vessels. Bjorn's crews dug floodable pits and constructed ramps equipped with winches. Ships could now be built in place and simply floated out when complete, eliminating the laborious process of dragging heavy vessels to water. These reusable docks could accommodate multiple ships over a season.
Tool and Machinery Upgrades
Bjorn knows that better tools meant faster construction and introduced several mechanical innovations to reduce labor hours.
Water-Powered Sawmills harnessed river currents through wheel systems to drive saws and hammers. A single mill could process timber five to ten times faster than hand-sawing, providing enough lumber for multiple ships simultaneously. The powered hammers accelerated riveting work considerably.
Bjorn could still remember when he introduced watermill last year and how curious the people were. And their reactions wasn't any different this time towards the sawmill.
When the sawmill first groaned to life, people gathered, unsure of what they were looking at this time. Was this for grinding grain again? It was the question on everyone's mind.
The wheel turned on its own, driven by the current, and the long blade rose and fell with a steady rhythm. No one had ever seen wood cut without a man holding the saw.
Some of the farmers watched with uneasy fascination. They whispered to each other that the river itself now worked for Bjorn again, and a few wondered, again, whether it was wise to let the water do a man's task.
Others simply stared, trying to understand how a wheel turning downstream could move a blade upstream.
Carpenters and shipwrights were the most shaken. A few stood close, studying every part of the frame and the gears. Some nodded with approval when the first plank came out straight and even.
Others crossed their arms, unhappy that this thing could do in moments what had taken them hours. The older craftsmen muttered that nothing good ever came from tools that moved without a hand on them.
Blacksmiths approached next, not impressed by the woodcutting itself but by the strength of the construction. One of them said the sawmill looked like a hungry animal that needed to be fed logs, and another wondered aloud what else water could be made to power.
Warriors came and went. Most only glanced at it, uninterested until someone explained that more planks meant more ships. A few younger fighters asked whether the thing was dangerous if it broke, while the older ones joked that if Bjorn could teach water to fight, they would gladly follow it too.
Thralls kept their distance. They watched with lowered heads, afraid to be blamed if something went wrong. Some whispered that if the machine took over the hardest work, maybe the beatings would lessen. Others feared the opposite—that new machines meant new expectations.
Elders stood the farthest back. They frowned at the constant motion. A few claimed the river spirits would be angered. Most complained that the younger generation was always trying to change things that did not need changing.
Bjorn did not bother with these idiots.
The wealthier landholders observed it in silence, already thinking about who would own the lumber and who would profit. One spoke quietly to another, suggesting that if Bjorn built more of these, he would control every plank in the region.
Even visiting thrall monks, who had seen mills before, paused in surprise. They noted that Northmen now worked with the same devices as the Franks and the Saxons. One of them murmured that such machines in Viking hands could lead to trouble for Christian shores.
Floki's reaction was the strangest. He stared at the wheel as if it were a rival. He walked around it several times, touched the gears, and then stepped away, mumbling that water should flow, not work. Still Bjorn could see the admiration on Floki's face, trying to understand how did this thing work.
-x-X-x-
Steam Bending Chambers represented a significant advancement in wood shaping. These enclosed pits used controlled fire and water to steam wood, making it pliable enough to curve quickly; essential for hull planking. What once took days of soaking now required only hours, with the added benefit of fewer cracks and less rework.
Precision Tools and Lifting Equipment rounded out the improvements. Calipers (they can read numbers now) levels, and jigs; fixtures that held pieces in exact positions ensured accurate fits on the first attempt. Block-and-tackle pulley systems handled heavy lifting tasks. Together, these tools eliminated wasteful trial-and-error fitting, allowing assemblies to come together much more quickly.
Material and Design Changes
Beyond process improvements, Bjorn adapted the fundamental approach to ship construction itself.
Frame-First Construction replaced the traditional Norse shell-first method, where hull planks were laid before the internal structure. By building the skeletal ribs first and then attaching the skin, construction became faster and more suitable for larger vessels.
Author's note : This technique, proven by Venetian galley builders, allowed frames to be manufactured in batches for rapid assembly.
Improved Fasteners and Sealants reduced assembly time. Hot-forged rivets provided superior strength, while enhanced tar mixtures combining pine resin with oils created better seals. Both innovations meant faster joining and less time spent on caulking.
Supporting Infrastructure
The physical improvements required equally important backend systems to maintain their effectiveness.
Supply Chain Optimization kept materials flowing to the yards without interruption. Bjorn stockpiled pre-cut timber and iron near construction sites, supplementing local resources through raids and trade for specialty woods. Organized cart systems on corduroy roads ensured rapid delivery when needed.
Quality Control and Testing prevented expensive mistakes. Implementation of checklists and stress tests—such as loading hulls with weights to verify structural integrity—caught problems early, avoiding the need for complete rebuilds later.
Worker Training and Incentives developed the skilled labor force necessary for these advanced techniques. Apprenticeships using scale models taught new workers, while reward systems offering shares of loot to fast-performing teams motivated productivity. Over time, this investment in human capital compounded as skilled workers trained others.
Resource Constraints and Future Ambitions
While implementing these improvements, Bjorn often reflected on a story from his past life: Rome's legendary construction of 100 quinqueremes in just 60 days. That unprecedented feat, accomplished through massive worker organization, served as inspiration for what might be possible.
Yet resources remained the limiting factor. A single ship required substantial materials: 150-195 cubic meters of timber from 20-27 trees, and 500-700 kilograms of finished iron for metalwork. Deforestation concerns loomed large. The realization dawned that future expansion might require raiding specifically for oak and other quality timber.
Bjorn's immediate goal focused on steady growth toward a minimum capacity of ten ships per year. This expansion would require careful scaling—each ship would need 50-70 dedicated workers to maintain quality without descending into chaos. Additional shipyards would become necessary to distribute the work and prevent bottlenecks.
Meanwhile in Kattegat
As construction on the new ship progressed and horse training continued, more than two weeks had passed since Lagertha, Ragnar, Gyda, and Bjorn's huskarls departed for Trondelag to indirectly negotiate future alliances.
During their absence, Bjorn turned his attention to military expansion as well. Three years had passed since Alfheim's invasion of Vestfold, where both experienced warriors and young fighters had fallen.
That was sufficient time for boys to mature into men. With the improved farming methods now established and feeding the population reliably, people sought new opportunities.
The timing seemed right to expand his huskarl forces in Kattegat. Currently numbering one hundred, Bjorn decided to recruit another bunch of experienced and untrained archers—men who hunted game or possessed practical bow skills—rather than training complete novices from childhood. This would provide capable fighters more quickly.
As these plans took shape, Lagertha and Ragnar finally returned after nearly three weeks away.
-x-X-x-
"Well, well, well, look who's returned, Ambassador Gyda, fresh from her diplomatic mission," Bjorn said with a grin as his family settled around the central hearth in the Great Hall.
Gyda sighed dramatically, brushing dust from her cloak. "Days on the sea, then days on the road traveling from one hall to another, meeting jarls and their families, and this is the welcome I receive?" She moved past him, nudging his arm as she did. "Honestly, someone in this family needs to know how to speak politely to people."
Bjorn's smile widened. "I see the journey has refined you, you've mastered sarcasm. Time does fly. I couldn't be more proud."
Gyda just shook her head, though a small smile tugged at her lips.
After the customary embraces and inquiries about everyone's well-being, Bjorn's parents took their seats. He turned to them with genuine curiosity.
"So, how did it go?"
"About as well as could be expected," Lagertha began, settling into her chair. "The jarls weren't pleased we arrived with a hundred men, it made them nervous. Still, we met all three of them, including the one who proposed the marriage alliance." She paused, her expression souring slightly. "Didn't care for him. Neither did your father. Or your sister, for that matter."
"Exactly as Floki described; a greedy pig," Ragnar added with a dismissive gesture. "Power corrupts the best and attracts the worst, as I've told you before. He's proof enough of that. You are attracting the worst. " Then his expression shifted, a knowing smile crossing his face. "Though his daughter seemed pleasant enough... if that's what you're really curious about."
Bjorn's face remained impassive, revealing neither interest nor disappointment. "What about the other jarls? How were they?"
"One only has sons, no daughters," Lagertha replied matter-of-factly. "The other has a single daughter. His holdings are the smallest of the three, makes him the weakest politically."
"And your mother took a liking to that one's daughter," Ragnar said with a casual shrug.
"I respect her," Lagertha corrected, shooting her husband a pointed look. "She's a good girl, training to become a shieldmaiden. She'll grow into a good woman and a capable warrior."
"I liked her too," Gyda added warmly. "Mother even sparred with her, taught her some techniques."
Bjorn's eyebrows rose in surprise. Lagertha showing such respect to a young girl, particularly enough to personally train her, was unusual even by her standards.
Still, whether this girl was a shieldmaiden or not mattered little to him. Fighting was a man's domain, particularly in the brutal reality of shield walls where stamina determined survival. Women in such formations would simply become liabilities, no matter their skill in training.
"I'm sure she will grow to be quite the woman." He pushed the thought aside. "Were they receptive to... joining me? To uniting our people for a stronger and better future?"
"If by that you mean accepting you as their king, then no," Lagertha said bluntly. "The truth is, they don't need you. Your farming methods are already spreading, after all you can't hide thousands of farms. Your ships will be seen and copied. The weapons might be harder to replicate, but they know improvement is possible now. They know they can do better, and they're trying. They're raiding the western lands too, bringing back superior weapons and tools."
She leaned forward slightly. "A peaceful integration like you achieved with the inland kingdoms? That won't happen here. They're not desperate enough."
Bjorn absorbed this, nodding slowly. She was right, of course. He had thousands of farms spread across his kingdoms, concealing them all was impossible, and he hadn't bothered trying.
A single visit from a relative in another kingdom was all it took for the ideas to spread. The concepts weren't complicated; anyone observant enough could grasp the principles.
The ships though, that was different. Unless someone was an experienced shipbuilder, they'd never truly understand the complexity of what his crews were accomplishing. So Lagertha not understanding the complexity of his ship building was understandable.
'Good luck explaining hydrodynamic efficiency to them,' Bjorn thought smugly.
"Don't concern yourselves with the ships," he said confidently. "They won't replicate them, not truly. Their vessels might look like mine, sure. That's easy enough to copy. But performance? That's another matter entirely."
He leaned back in his seat. "They're artisans and they are the past. We're engineers, and we are the future. There's a vast difference between an artisan copying the appearance of a statue and an engineer building a functional machine."
They'd understand that difference soon enough, when all their efforts produced ships that merely resembled his without matching their capabilities.
"Even if you were to marry one of the jarls' daughters, I don't believe they'd accept your rule," Lagertha said, her tone carrying a note of warning. "And I don't think you should pursue marriage there for now, unless you're prepared to alienate the other jarls. Even if you chose Gunnhild."
Bjorn's attention sharpened. "Gunnhild? That's her name?"
The name stirred something in his memory, though it must simply be coincidence, another woman with the same name. Right?
-x-X-x-
The name wouldn't leave him alone.
Gunnhild.
Even after Lagertha had described her from her appearence to the way she moved, the determination in her eyes, the respect she commanded despite her youth. Bjorn couldn't shake the strange recognition. Was this the same woman?
He walked slowly toward his chambers, barely aware of his surroundings. If it was her... perhaps marriage wouldn't be such a tactical decision after all. He wasn't seeking love; he'd never been foolish enough to think a king could afford that luxury. He needed someone strong. Someone respected. Someone like Lagertha.
And Gunnhild, the one from his past life, had been exactly that. Loyal. Capable. The kind of woman who commanded respect simply by entering a room.
But the politics were delicate. Too delicate actually, especially in this time. Marrying her might gain him one jarl while pushing away the other two. He needed to think this through, needed to—
Something's wrong.
The thought came a fraction of a heartbeat before the movement. Pure instinct; the kind honed through countless battles screamed danger.
Bjorn's body reacted before his mind caught up. He jerked backward, and a shield's edge cut through the space where his face had been, close enough that he felt the displacement of air against his skin.
His heart didn't race. It simply settled into that cold, familiar rhythm of combat.
An assassin? In his own chambers? And attacking me with a shield.
Bold and damn stupid.
Then his eyes adjusted to the shadows, and he saw her.
"What the fuck?" The words came out disbelieving. "Mother?"
Lagertha stood before him, shield raised, her face carved from stone. She said nothing. Offered no explanation. Instead, she drove forward again, the shield aimed straight at his face.
"Defend yourself."
The strike came fast, it would have been devastating against most warriors. But Bjorn simply swayed aside, letting it pass harmlessly. His mind was still catching up, still trying to understand why his mother was attacking him in his own room.
"What are you—"
"How dare you?"
Lagertha stopped. The pause lasted only a moment, but in that moment, Bjorn saw something in her eyes he'd rarely seen before. Hurt. Deep and personal.
"Why are you attacking me?" He kept his voice level, genuinely confused.
"Are we women not strong enough for you?" She pressed forward again, shield leading.
Bjorn stepped back, effortlessly avoiding the strike. His body moved in a motion that came from knowing that he was faster, stronger, more skilled than his opponent. Even when that opponent was Lagertha.
"Don't put words in my mouth. I never said that."
Another strike. Another easy sidestep. He wasn't even breaking his stance, just shifting his weight, letting her attacks slip past him.
"You didn't have to say it." Her voice was tight with anger. "I saw your face when I mentioned the girl was a shieldmaiden. That dismissive and condescending look. You think you hide your thoughts so well, but you forget something."
She lunged again, putting more force behind the shield this time.
Bjorn leaned back, and it missed by a hand's breadth. He could have caught it or countered. But this was his mother, and part of him still couldn't quite process what was happening.
"I carried you in my belly for nine months," Lagertha continued, circling now, searching for an opening that didn't exist. "I know what you're thinking before you think it. I know you, Bjorn."
Another strike. Bjorn moved to the left, barely a shift of his shoulders.
"I'm so angry with you."
There was pain in those words. And suddenly, Bjorn understood this wasn't about combat at all. This was about something that had been building since that moment in the hall when he'd let his thoughts show on his face. Or maybe before.
He caught the next shield strike, stopping it dead at chest level. His hand didn't even tremble from the impact. They stood close now, both gripping the wooden rim, their faces inches apart.
If they were true enemies, one of them would already be bleeding out. But they weren't enemies. Just a mother who felt betrayed and a son who'd revealed too much of what he really thought.
'She's reading too much into it', Bjorn thought. 'I don't think women are weak. I just think they're not built for certain things. Just like men are not built for certain things.'
But even as the thought formed, he knew it wouldn't matter. Lagertha was taking this personally—of course she was. She'd spent her entire life proving herself in a world of men. Every dismissal of a shieldmaiden felt like a dismissal of her.
"I don't think women are weak, Mother." He kept his voice steady, meeting her gaze directly. "And I certainly don't think you're weak."
The words should have been enough. Should have de-escalated. But he saw immediately that they weren't.
"Then why?" Lagertha's voice was sharp as a blade. "Why are there no women among your huskarls? Not even one woman among them or leading them?"
Bjorn opened his mouth to answer and to explain the simple reality—
Her knee shot up toward his groin with vicious intent.
He'd seen it coming before she'd even shifted her weight. His body flowed aside like smoke, and in the same motion, he twisted the shield from her grip. The move was effortless, almost contemptuous in its ease.
"Have you lost your mind?" His voice rose for the first time, anger bleeding through. "I'm your son! My bloodline is resting there. Blessed bloodline!"
"I know exactly who you are," Lagertha shot back, stepping away now, circling without her shield. Still looking for an opening, even though they both knew she wouldn't find one. "I was fighting alongside men before you were even born. I survived battles that killed hardened warriors. I earned my place. So be very careful who you dismiss as weak."
Bjorn watched her circle, saw the way she moved; still skilled. But against him? He was leagues beyond her now. Leagues beyond everyone. And they both knew it.
"I'm sorry," Bjorn said, and meant it. "But I didn't create women this way. And let's be honest about what just happened here." He gestured with the shield he'd taken. "How many hits did you land on me? If you'd been my enemy, you'd..."
He stopped himself. Saying it out loud would only make things worse. But the implication hung in the air anyway.
If you'd been my enemy, you'd be dead.
Lagertha's jaw tightened. She knew it too.
Bjorn let out a long breath, setting the shield aside carefully. When he spoke again, his voice was calmer, more measured. He needed her to understand the logic, even if she hated it.
"Mother... listen to me. In a shield wall, there are only two things that truly matter; strength and endurance. The ability to hold your position when a hundred men are pressing against you. The stamina to fight for long period of time without collapse."
He paused, choosing his words with care. "Most women will tire faster than most men. That's not an insult. And that's not me being dismissive. It's just... A fact I cannot change, no matter how I feel about it. It's, It's biology. Truth, nothing more."
He could see her wanting to argue, to point to herself as proof that women could do it. But he pressed on before she could.
"Times are changing. Warfare is evolving. The battles I'm going to fight and the wars I'm going to win; they're going to be different from anything our people have seen before. Especially the scale. And I have to build my forces based on what works, not on what makes everyone feel included."
His voice hardened slightly. "Women aren't fit for my warband. Not because they're worthless; but because I need every advantage I can get. That's my final decision."
The words landed and he watched something break in Lagertha's expression; the anger draining away, leaving only hurt. Deep, personal hurt that cut far worse than any wound from battle.
She looked at him like she was seeing a stranger.
"If you stop respecting shieldmaidens," she said quietly, each word precise and deliberate, "you will eventually stop respecting all who are weaker than you. And once you start down that path..."
She paused, and when she continued, her voice was barely above a whisper.
"That is how you become a tyrant."
The word hung between them like a curse.
Lagertha turned toward the door. Slowly. Like she was giving him one last chance to call her back, to say something that would make this right.
"I do respect them." Bjorn's voice rose despite himself, frustration and something else; guilt, maybe, bleeding through. "I respect women. I respect what you've accomplished. But that's not the point, and you know it."
She reached the doorway, her hand on the frame.
"You're leaving because you know I'm right," Bjorn called after her, hating how defensive he sounded. "About the shield wall. About the stamina. About all of it."
Lagertha stopped. For one long heartbeat, her silhouette was perfectly still in the doorway.
Then she kept walking, disappearing into the shadows of the corridor without another word.
Bjorn stood alone in his chamber. The only sound was his own breathing, steady and controlled despite the anger coiling in his chest.
He looked down at the shield on the floor where he'd set it. His mother's shield. She hadn't even bothered to take it back.
'She thinks I'm becoming a tyrant', he thought. 'Because I won't let sentiment override tactics. Because I choose victory over feelings.'
The silence pressed in around him.
After a long moment, Bjorn walked to the window, staring out at the darkness beyond Kattegat. Somewhere out there were enemies to defeat. A future to build.
His mother didn't understand, she couldn't understand. She was still thinking like a warrior; honor, respect, proving oneself in combat. But he was thinking like a king and a conqueror.
And conquest required hard choices and hard men.
His voice, when it finally came, was barely a murmur in the empty room.
"And what's so terrible about a good tyrant... if he wins?"
The words felt heavier than they should have. Like crossing some invisible line he couldn't uncross.
But he didn't take them back.