#arendholm

[arendholmislands]

Deep in the woods...

[mystical-evergreen]

Inspired by the lovely Ani-Bats, here are some of my favorite sims blogs that I’ve followed this past year. This is such a short list and I plan to add on the many more simblrs that I adore.

Solar Simblr has a hilarious and eventful BACC. Currently my favorite post is the elite Polycule of Emerald Pines moving in together.

Arendholm is a set of islands that has recently been settled by Anglo-Saxon’s circa 500 AD. My favorite post was the dispute between two brothers. I love Hildulf, he’s a messy guy but at least he pulls through

Sims2Golblin runs a MCC. My favorite posts are about their witch coven. I also like how they do servants. There is one large servant lot which I may steal for Veonia.

SimmingRegency has lots of good stuff on their blog. Currently they're playing a Stardew valley esque/build up the farm challenge. Lots of subtle drama that I LOVE.

Katatty has a MCC. I can't even express enough how much I liked her side story into Jiaojing. It's inspired me to create a more extensive backstory to my Asian sims and have them travel back to their home country. (They're merchants so its perfect") I just love the whole MM aesthetic.

Lilleputtu's MCC is something I reread at least once a year. I love the aesthetic and the story. A very relaxing and fun read.

[tipsypixel-sims]

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[arendholmislands]

As the men settled around the hearth fire Eoppa gestured for his maid Leofgifu to fill four jugs with ale.

„So these are your Saxons...“, the man mustered the brothers with clever, piercing blue eyes.

„Bodowin and his brother Hildulf.“, Eoppa nodded before introducing the man beside him as Aelfgar, an Ealdorman of the Angles living north of the old roman wall.

With most of the chieftains having refused to pay the agreed upon price for peace to the Goddodin, Aelfgar and his people had started to feel the repercussions. In spring the Britons had started to raid their villages, taking what they saw as theirs and leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

[arendholmislands]

Hildulf: "Well I'm sorry that you're stuck with me! But to speak the truth: I don't know what you were expecting when you lied and told everyone that I promised to marry you! I'm not a wealthy man, we don't have big ships and we live a simple life here! But you wanted this. You left me no choice but to take you for my wife!"

Esthrid: "And exactly what choice do you think I had Hildulf?!" There was a hint of anger in her voice now.

"When I started to suspect that I was with child, I knew my father would beat me unconcious when he found out that I had been so stupid as to lie with a man. And worst of all with neither promises given nor reassurances made!"

"My mother of course grew suspicious..."

"But she decided it would be best if we kept it quiet as long as possible."

"Of course my father found out sooner than later..."

"...and was furious."

"He even threatened to take our business elsewhere if chieftain Eoppa would still allow trade with you."

"I had to tell them that you made me a promise, Hildulf! Or the whole village would have regarded you and your brother as men without honor and refused to welcome or trade with you!"

"It did not make me happy to lie! But I did it to protect myself! As well as you!"

"And then when Blygh was born I knew that I would do even more to protect her!"

"So to answer your question: The only thing I expect is that you will love and care for our daughter."

Hildulf: "I.. I'm sorry Esthrid. I did not realize..."

Esthrid: "No, you did not." She smiled weakly. "But let's leave this behind us now. I'm eager to meet the rest of your family."

While Hildulf and Bodowin were unloading the ship Esthrid let her gaze wander across the shore of her new home.

[arendholmislands]

Boda: "...and on the boat uncle's daughter would not stop crying!"

Frida: "His what?!"

Frida: "I heard that I've gained a new sister and a niece in less than a sennight."

Bodowin: "I will explain everything to you, my dear."

Fria: "You sure will! But later, I have to properly greet them after all."

"Welcome to Arendholm, Esthrid. I'm Frida."

"And who do we have here?" - "This is Blygh"- "Oh, what a beautiful name!"

[arendholmislands]

When spring came the family had almost forgotten the horror of Osraed's difficult birth. Bodowin had begun to teach Fridwine what he knew about woodworking and boat building.

Much to the dismay of Deorwine, who found himself without his favorite playmate.

Osric, the third of Bodowine's sons, had grown quite a bit over winter. But despite his young age Osric showed not interest in Deorwine's games. Instead he followed Fridwine around all day long, listening to every word he said and wanting to learn everything his oldest brother knew.

As Deorwine was picking herbs for his mother he found himself almost missing his sister. Without Boda life had become more peaceful, but also kind of dull.

[arendholmislands]

With the men away, the women spent more time together. They divided chores and took turns in cooking dinner each night. Frida was expecting again, and so Esthrid tried to take on more of the workload.

Whilst Boda still looked like a girl last winter, you could clearly see the young woman in her now. She had also matured a lot in other ways.

Still as curious and rebellious at heart, she had learned when to calm her spirits and listen. Frida of course noticed this change in her daughter and found herself quite proud of he woman she was becoming.

[arendholmislands]

Children of Arendholm.

[arendholmislands]

In winter a sickness befell the livestock. Hildulf's lamb was first to show the signs and they quickly separated it from the others. But it was too late. In less than a week they had lost three of their four sheep, one of two cows and the bull.

Frida: "What is on your mind, dear? You look worried; is it because of the animals?"

Bodowin: "I'm worried the Gods are angry with me, Frida. Maybe they sent sickness to our animals to punish me."

Frida: "Why would they be angry?"

Bodowin hesitated, thinking back to his conversation with Eoppa. He had promised to not yet talk to anyone - not even his family - about what they had spoken about. But he needed to confide in someone and he knew that Frida could keep a secret.

"Last summer Lord Eoppa asked me to build ships for them. Ships for a coming war against the Britons."

"...War?", Frida paused, thinking about what a war might mean for them. "That's not good, but I don't understand. Why would that anger the Gods?", she mustered her husband questioningly.

Bodowin sighed heavily. "I told him I can't build them."

"Bodowin!", Frida exclaimed. "You swore to Eoppa that we would aid them against the Britons if he asked! You can't go back on your word!"

"I know, I know... It's just.. When I first saw these islands in my dreams, I imagined a peaceful life for us and our family. I do not wish to get involved in any wars, what if our enemies decide to retalliate? We have no men to defend our island."

"I'm afraid this is not about if you WISH to get involved in a war, dear. War is coming and it cares nothing for your wishes and it will find it's way here eventually. The only thing you can decide is if you make powerful allies by building the Angle's their ships. Allies that might in return help to defend our islands in exchange for those ships."

Frida looked at her husband. "I know you, and I know you are neither a coward nor a man who goes back on his word. And the Gods will see that as well!"

"You are right..", Bodowin, who had quietly listened to his wife, had apparently found his voice again. "Of course I am", Frida smiled.

"As soon as the weather gets warmer I will sail to Wallsend and talk to Eoppa again."

He cupped his wife's face in his hands and looked at her full of love and admiration. "Oh, what would I do without you?"

"Anger the Gods even more, probably?", Frida laughed as Bodowin started to cover her neck with thousands of little kisses.

[arendholmislands]

Boda had gotten used to living with her uncle and Esthrid a lot quicker than expected. She also found an unexpected friend in the older woman. Their morning forays to fetch water from the well or dig up some fresh clay had become Boda's favorite part of the day.

Like her uncle, Boda had expected the daughter of a merchant to be unaccustomed to physical labour. But if that was the case, Esthrid never showed it.

One of those mornings the women met Bodowin and Fridwine at the clay gathering site. Bodowin wanted to know if Boda was behaving and being the help he expected her to be. Esthrid was quick to assure him that Boda was a joy to have around and an even greater help to her.

While the adults were talking Fridwine and Boda had run off to play with a small ball made out of leather and stuffed with wool, a gift from Bodowin to his eldest son.

Fridwine: "It's kind of weird, you not living with us..."

Boda: "Why? Do you miss my stories?" Boda teased him.

Fridiwne: "Well, not the scary ones. But some of them were really fun." He paused for a moment and then cautiosly asked: "Don't you miss us? Me, Deorwine and Osric? Faeder and modor?"

Of course Boda missed them.

Sometimes, especially when she saw her mother with her youngest brother, she got this tight feeling in her chest and had to swallow to get rid of the weird lump in her throat.

But Boda ways way too proud to tell her brother that. Instead she just shrugged and mumbled something unitellegible before throwing the ball as hard as she could. It flew high above Fridwine's head, who turned around and ran after it.

[arendholmislands]

Fortunately, the summer months were less humid, providing ideal growing conditions for the barley. By the end of Weodmōnaþ the grains and most of the other crops were ready for harvest.

[arendholmislands]

While Bodowin, Frida and Boda also fell ill, their cough was gone after a few days.

Fridwine on the other hand was too weak to leave his bed for almost a sennight. Every night Frida prayed to the gods not to take her eldest son from them.

On the sixth day she sacrificed one of the hares they kept to Woden.

And when she awoke the next morning, she found her son playing catch with his siblings in the barley field. Cheeks rosy and eyes wide awake.

[arendholmislands]

Frida: "I wish your father had bought you a new dress last summer. Look at all those holes."

Boda: "Stop it! You can't even see them, modor."

Hildulf: "Stop fussing Frida, we're only introducing them to an Anglian chieftain, not a king."

Frida: "He might as well be a king, since they are our only trading partner! And you might do well to keep that in mind, Hildulf!"

"Behave yourself, my big girl."

"And come back safely..."

[arendholmislands]

Bodowin saw the smoke rising from the houses of Wallsend as his ship was approaching the shore. It was Æfterra Liða, the air was warm and dry and the sun shone brightly.

Cuthbert: "Bodowin of Arendholm. You come earlier this year, we did not expect you before Haligmōnaþ."

The old smith had aged even more over the last winter, his silver hair had become thinner and the wrinkles on his face more pronounced.

Bodowin: "It is good to see you, friend. With so many mouths to feed this winter I won't be trading much of our grain, so I thought I might as well sail while the winds were more favorable."

Cuthbert: "I will inform Lord Eoppa of your arrival. There will be things that he wishes to speak to you about."

[arendholmislands]

Frida: "Welcome home, dear. I take it everything went well?"

Bodowin: "It did.", he smiled. "I'll tell you all about it, but I should introduce you to our new friends here."