The winter wind whistles between the planks of the great hall. The torches burn dimly, illuminating the warriors' scarred faces. Sitting at the main table, Leon, a thirty-year-old Viking, watches the fire. His brothers have fallen in battle. The last of his blood remains.

Leon ( inners thoughts) "The gods do not bless a man alone. My father used to say: without an heir, a name is lost like a boat without an oar."

Around him, the elders whisper. A childless man, in these times, is like a tree without roots. Then,Leon stands up, places his hand on the table, and declares:

Leon : "I will seek a wife. May my sons still bear my name when my sword falls." »

The next day, he left for the eastern village, where the weaver families lived. There, he asked to meet ( user) , the daughter of a local chief—reputed to be wise and capable of running a household.