Tyranny of Steel

Siv followed Berengar back to his ship, where she was finally able to get a good look at the monstrosity and its well illuminated interior. The girl was in a state of shock, not only from the mind-boggling wonders she witnessed on board the SMS Linde, but also the fact that she had been so swiftly taken away from her family before she even had time to react. 

The girl sat in Berengar's cabin with a blank look on her cute face, as if she was struggling to understand how she should feel at this moment. The only other person who existed in this room besides herself and the Kaiser was one of several interpreters Berengar had brought with him on this journey. 

Naturally, since the girl was in such a poor state, Berengar brewed her a pot of coffee while preparing breakfast for the two of them. This breakfast consisted of a bowl of Bauernfrühstück, along with a plate of bratwurst served on top of sauerkraut, as well as two bierocks each.

The SMS Linde was Berengar's personal battleship, and as such his quarters were more like a luxury suite, filled with all the modern luxuries one could ask for, including a small kitchen, completed with a refrigerator, a stove, an oven, and an espresso maker. 

After handing off the warm coffee to the girl, Berengar sat down in a seat across from her with a drink of his own. There was a look of compassion on his handsome face as he explained his reasons for visiting this isolated island. 

"I know this is sudden, but I have heard from a reliable source that you are the only one who can get me in touch with a group of outcasts deep within the Icelandic mountains. I hear they worship the olds gods, and I need to visit them."

Siv's expression suddenly stiffened. She gazed at Berengar, up and down, not believing a word she was hearing. The people he was asking to meet had a limited contact with the rest of Iceland, let alone the outside world. She struggled to believe that a man from across the sea had learned of their existence. Or what his intentions might be.

The girl was about to deny having any knowledge of these people when Berengar sighed and reached underneath the collar of his tunic before pulling out a white gold necklace fashioned in the style of a Mjölnir pendant. This shocked the girl even more while she listened to the words that the Kaiser spoke.

"I believe in them myself, and have come to provide protection for these people. There's not many of us left who believe in the old gods, and it is my opinion that we should stick together. I get the feeling that you follow the ways of your ancestors the same as I do. So why don't you help me out? Especially when you consider what I can provide as a reward for your assistance." 

Not willing to immediately give the man an answer, Siv sipped on her coffee, and was astonished at the flavor of such a foreign drink. She could hardly believe her taste buds as she continued to gulp down more of her coffee. Berengar simply chuckled in response to this before getting up and checking on the breakfast he was making, which was nearing completion.

Having finished cooking, Berengar turned off the stove and oven before splitting the meal in two, where he handed Siv her own portions. The scent of this food was more tempting than anything she had ever eaten previously throughout her life. She looked over at Berengar with a pleading gaze, as if begging him to share with her. This caused the man to chuckle once more while he began to dig into his own serving. 

"That's your portion, and there's more where that came from if you're still hungry afterward..."

The teenage girl was quick to accept the Kaiser's kindness and immediately tasted a whole new world of cooking she never knew existed. As a bastard of the local lord, Siv was afforded rations that were superior in taste and nutrition when compared to the common populace of Iceland, but she had always received the scraps which her family dined upon. 

Thus, having a fresh meal, cooked especially for her, was a new experience. The girl ate down the food that was provided to her as if she hadn't eaten in three whole days. While washing it down with her cup of coffee. 

Berengar found a bit of joy in her unladylike appearance, which he did not blame her for in the slightest. If he had been dining like a medieval peasant for the past thirteen years, he probably would have killed himself by now. 

After she had eaten the entire meal, Siv sat back at her end of the booth as if wholly satisfied with life. Berengar found this amusing, where he was quick to ask once more about the location he was looking for. 

"I'm going to set out when the sun rises. I need you to guide me to my destination. So are you willing to do it? Or should I just send you back to your family?"

The idea of being sent back to her father, after enjoying such kindness from a total stranger, immediately filled Siv's heart with dread. As a result, she lowered her head, too fearful to meet Berengar's gaze before speaking for the first time since they had met. 

"Please don't send me back there... I will do what you ask."

Berengar did not know what kind of existence the young girl had back in her home, but he could tell by the look on her face, and the tone in her voice, that it wasn't a pleasant one. Thus, he was quick to respond with an empathetic gaze and a voice filled with compassion.

"I promise you, when this is over, you will be paid in a level of wealth beyond your wildest dreams. If you desire, I can even have you immigrate back to my homeland as an emancipated teen. Where you can live as a free and wealthy woman in a luxurious life so profound that you can not even imagine it. 

Where I come from, even the most common citizens eat food like this every morning. So if you enjoy this, you have a lot to look forward to. Germany is a land of wealth and prosperity like no other in this world. So if you want to get away from this frigid, and cold island once and for all, I can also provide that for you."

In Siv's mind, she struggled to imagine what such a kingdom would look like. However, judging by what she had seen on this battleship, which was practically a mobile town on the sea. She could believe the words that Berengar spoke. 

She struggled to even comprehend the lights that illuminated this room, let alone the other wild technology that existed in Berengar's quarters. After several moments of contemplation, Siv spoke up once more. 

"That sounds nice... I would very much like to see this Empire of yours..."

Berengar smiled and nodded his head when he heard this before assuring the girl that such a future awaited her. Thus, he was quick to get up and pour the two of them another coffee while waiting for the sun to arise. Now that the girl had agreed to have been his guide, the Kaiser felt a lot more comfortable walking into the frozen wasteland. 

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