The Sage of Einar

Einar who was looking at the stars at night could only smile as he remembered the Christmas he had spent with Margaret in Dublin.

"The snow is exquisite, it's a shame we can only stay two more days."

Max smiled and caressed Margaret's cheek. "We can always come back in the future, plus I'm sure that next year our daughter is born. Things will be much more fun."

Margaret laughed as she covered her mouth. "It's a shame that our daughter has to be born far from my ancestral home, but I think Mexico is much more comfortable.

By the way, have you already thought of our daughter's name? "

"Erika, I really like that name."

Einar stopped remembering the past when Dreide's hand touched his shoulder. "What are you thinking about, Einar?"

"I only remembered a little of my past, but I think it is not worth talking about it because it was something that happened a long time ago.

They are just melancholic memories that sometimes I can remember, but now that I think about it, are you ready to receive Christmas tomorrow? "

Dreide nodded and looked at Einar seriously. "Do I need to wake up at 6 in the morning to hear Christmas mass?"

Einar shook her head and drank some pine tea. "That's optional. If you want to listen to it, you can do it, but if you don't want to, you are free to fall asleep.

Just go mentally preparing because you will hear many voices while I say mass at dawn.

By the way, tomorrow I will prepare pork for Christmas dinner. Although I do not have many ingredients, I will make a meal that you will love. "

While this was going on in the monastery, the abbot was making all the preparations for Christmas, one of which was checking a small vase with a green substance.

The next day at dawn, Einar together with the priest Walter prepared everything to be able to start with the early morning mass.

For that, he prepared a platform where he climbed. The Nordic Christian soldiers gathered in front of the platform to listen to the mass.

Einar then, using a metal megaphone gave his passionate speech where he recited some parts of the bible and spoke about the brotherhood between the Nordics.

The monks who were praying listened to all the speech that Einar gave and although most did not understand it, those who could understand it were surprised by that mass that Einar gave.

Well, it was something quite different from what they were used to hearing, after two hours of giving a passionate mass.

Einar concluded the mass so the Christian soldiers could enjoy a moment of freedom while Einar prepared everything.

To start the Yule festival for the Nordic soldiers of the army.

Because they were far fewer than the Christian soldiers Einar did not have the need to use the megaphone, so he simply gave his speech, addressing them in a very simple way.

After an hour and after lighting a small fire that simulated the burning pyre of the Yule log, the ceremony came to an end, so Einar prepared to make food for the entire army.

Since there was not a great variety of foods, he had to make a few recipes that will mostly include wheat, fish and barley.

In order to make all the food, he required the help of some volunteer soldiers who were in charge of being Einar's assistants.

As he prepared the food, Dreide got up from her bed and stretched out her hands as she saw that Einar's bed was empty, so she could only smile.

'I guess he's been busy since morning. I think as a leader he's a completely admirable person. I hope I can learn more about him.'

Dreide at that moment got out of bed and put on her clothes to be able to go outside, when she just left the tent and looked at the joy that was in the camp.

Unlike other times where the soldiers looked serious and went about their daily work, this time the camp was much more lively.

Well, to begin with she realized that many of the soldiers were playing some strange games that she did not recognize, from one where they moved some pieces.

Until another where they were playing with a kind of papers that had strange figures, but not only that because a group of soldiers cleaned a part of the camp of snow and played with a leather ball.

Dreide smiled because she quite liked the atmosphere that was inside the camp. It was something really nice for her since the seriousness of the camp was very gloomy many times.

After walking for a few minutes, she reached the kitchen area where she can see Einar cleaning the carcass of a pig that was open from the stomach.

Einar who was removing the pig skin looked at Dreide with a smile. "Good morning Dreide, did you rest well?"

Dreide nodded and stretched out her hands "I think I hadn't slept so peacefully in a long time."

Einar tore the skin off the pig with his hands, and with his hand pointed to the table. "You can find your breakfast on the table. I prepared wheat bread and an egg stew with pickled vegetables.

I am completely sure that you are going to love trying that food, but you must wait until the afternoon to eat the delicious food that I am preparing.

I will be in charge of spreading this pork with pepper, salt and honey so that it is cooked in a small stone oven that we prepare.

You are definitely going to enjoy it completely. "

Dreide looked fondly at Einar and went to the table for her breakfast.

In the afternoon of that same day, the monks of the monastery began their little celebration of the birth of Christ.

For this, the Abbot looked at everyone seriously, "This will be our last meal in the earthly kingdom because tomorrow we will have breakfast in heaven.

100 years ago our monastery was founded by a group of monks who simply wanted to settle in a safe place for themselves.

That is why they left a rule that all the members of this monastery have to respect, and that is when we are being threatened by pagans.

We must end our lives because it is the simplest way to guarantee our survival.

Do we all agree to respect this sacred rule or do you want to surrender to the pagans? "