When the two women reached the center of the village, the first thing they did was walking towards the great hall.

Peder, who was on duty, was glad to see Kassia and Helmi arrive. “Good thing you have arrived, Elin is waiting for you two in the great hall.”

“Thanks for the reminder Peder, I also want to ask you please if you meet Felipa.

Remind him that the members of the expedition are returning today, so it is important that he has all his things ready for you because in case they have suffered an injury we have to take care of them. ”

Peder looked seriously at Kassia and nodded. Entering the great room they could see the little orphans, sleeping comfortably on the floor covered by animal skins, so avoiding disturbing them, they started their way to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Elin who was sitting while drinking some tea was glad to see her two daughters-in-law in the kitchen.

“Juni, please bring the plates with breakfast, and don’t forget to bring some more tea.”

After saying those words, she got up from her chair and gave her daughters-in-law a big hug “I’m glad they arrived.”

Helmi who was enjoying her mother-in-law’s embrace enjoyed the feeling of having the love of a mother and later sat next to Kassia.

While the three women were gossiping, Juni, Ivar’s wife and slave of Einar brought to the table many food dishes, including some of them, had a little wheat with vegetables.

Which gave a variety of feelings to the food that was usually just meat.

After the women had finished their breakfast, the sound of a horn began to be heard in the great hall, and with it the small voices of the children already getting up.

“Daven! Wake up now!”

Daven, who was asleep, could only feel the jerks and hear Laura’s screams before he opened his eyes and gave her a look with which he wanted her to stop.

“I heard you, Laura, thanks for waking me up, I know we have to be awake since today is the day that Dad and the rest of the expedition members return.

I hope you brought us some gifts from the ferocious white bears that inhabit the north. ”

Laura was extremely happy. With her two small hands, she made a sign of victory, while raising both her hands with her fists clenched.

“I’m sure Dad, he will have gotten a lot of ferocious white bears. All we have to do is wait for their ships to return.”

At that moment Laura took Daven’s hand and helped him put away the animal skins that they used as blankets.

From the door of the great hall entered Lars, who carried in his hands, three packages of meat wrapped in paper.

Entering the kitchen, Lars greeted Elin and Einar’s two wives, then handed over the three packets of seals.

“Here are the meat packages of the day. The damn seal I had to hunt ran like a wretch on the beach.

But in the end, I hunted him down after throwing my Javelin. From the light taste of the meat I can tell you that it was a young seal, I am sure you will like it. ”

Elin who accepted the three packages made some signs to Juni who quickly took from a small shelf, a package of sheets which she handed over.

“Here is the packet of leaves Lars, they should be more than enough for all hunters to use to wrap their meat.

Remember that if they need more, they just have to come and ask for them. ”

“I will take care of distributing them among the hunters, also in some time one of the hunters will come to deliver the fat for the soaps.”

When they finished talking, everyone began their daily work.

In the afternoon, Felipa was accompanied by Peder, Juni, and a small group of warriors.

They were preparing everything necessary to be able to improvise a small improvised infirmary as well as a small warehouse to allow all the merchandise to be unloaded.

While everyone was working, the families of the members of the expedition, as well as the orphans, were preparing everything necessary to be able to receive their relatives.

Among the things they were preparing were a large quantity of food, herbal liquor. They were also preparing a platform that had a large stone on which Asgot would write in runes what happened in the expedition.

In the sea, Einar and Sven stood on the prow of the ship while enjoying the sea breeze that swept their faces.

“We should be very close to home, I think this expedition was something that was necessary.

Although I am very sorry that 5 of our brothers have lost their lives, or are missing.

I only hope that in spring we can find them alive, or failing that, find their corpses.

Since they do not deserve to have their bodies thrown in a place in the snow moor at the mercy of animals or anything that could lose their corpse. ”

Sven nodded as he put his arm around his son’s neck.

“We have done well Einar, dying is part of life, we cannot always have a victory without sacrificing something in return.

Furthermore, what we have achieved in that place is something that makes me proud and I am sure that if your grandfather were alive, he would be too. ”

When he finished saying those words, father and son fell silent as they enjoyed the scenery of the sea and the beautiful views of the coast.

Elin, Kassia, and Helmi, who were waiting in the port, almost screamed with excitement, when in the distance they could see a large ship approaching.

They knew that that ship was where the 23 members of the expedition had departed 12 days ago.

Not only were they happy, since in the port you could feel the joy because they knew of the danger that existed. Perhaps some of their relatives had died in the expedition.

But knowing that the ship was back, meant that the expedition had succeeded.