Since Rollo was still young enough to father more children, any son that would be born in the future, would become Rollo’s heir. Gisela, the daughter of King Charles of Francia, was too young to consummate the marriage arranged by her father in 911 AD. Poppa’s son, Guillaume was still the only known son of Rollo. The threat to Guillaume’s future as Rollo’s heir was minimalised. Life in Rouen went on as it had before for the young man.

Guillaume continued to learn the old ways of viking, the art of Norse and Danish warfare from his father, as well as the the adaptations to European warfare. To Guillaume’s advantage, he also learned the French ways from his mother, Poppa. Guillaume was determined to be a new type of leader, bound to not just one heritage. After all, he was also French.

When not learning the art of warfare at his father’s sode. Guillaume made many trips with his father, Rollo, travelling down the Seine, Bresle, Arques, and Somme Rivers where many of the Norse had settled. Rollo explained that some of the settlements along the Somme dated back to Guillaume’s grandfather’s early voyages. Guillaume loved hearing the stories of his grandfather, Kettil the Flatnose.

The Somme valley was the only region they visited which was not under Rollo’s command. The Somme River valley was a land that seemed to always be in turmoil with competing forces such as the Franks, the English, the Norse and the Flemish alternately claiming ownership. Wisely, Rollo ensured that he had the support of the Church whenever he entered the Somme River valley. The Church was the true ruler of the Somme.

In 925, Rollo travelled up the Somme River with four longboats, a number that would not be seen as threatening. The rest of his customary twenty longboats were left near the mouth of the river. As expected, Rollo contributed to the coffers of the various prelates along the river system. With the tolls paid, the priests offered prayers for their safe passage. Rollo still had no use for the Church despite having been baptised fifteen years earlier. Being a Christian in name was the price he paid for the backing of the Christian King of Francia.

Rollo wanted Guillaume to know that some of these people along the river were his family. He told Guillaume that he fathered children with one of the Ambiani women, a people who still lived along the river and in the surrounding forests. He hoped that Guillaume would one day add this corner of Francia to the Kingdom of Normandy. Rollo wasn’t a king, but he ruled no differently than as a king. There were too many battles left for Rollo to fight to keep what he had gained.

With a stable Normandy, Guillaume would be tasked with enlarging the Kingdom of Normandy. In Rollo’s mind, it was a kingdom, a kingdom that was more prosperous and populous than his father’s Kingdom of the Western Isles.

Rollo had learned years earlier, that his son Lugos by Derelie, had somehow survived. Lugos had returned to the village of Long to be its headman, as well as headman of Longpré. As the only surviving male descendant of his maternal grandfather who had been headman, no one dared contest his right to lead the villages. Rollo had lent his support to the claim to settle any final opposition. Rollo introduced Guillaume to his Uncle Lugos. Blood runs thick between brothers. Though the villages weren’t places of power, they were strategically placed communities.

In a few years’ time, Guillaume would be taking over as the Count of Normandy. Rollo was feeling his age and knew that the transition would go much smoother while he was still alive. For the past ten years, Guillaume had been learning at his father’s side. Guillaume often took the lead when it came to the defence of Normandy. Together, with his father, they gradually extended and consolidate the borders of Normandy.

“Papa?” Guillaume asked, once they had secured the longboat to a piling, beside the thriving market town of Longpré, “There seem to be a lot of villages with the word ‘Long’ here along the river. Why is that?”

“Well, our people here remarked that it was hard to keep up with me when I walked as my steps were so long. They soon began to nickname me Rollo de long pas, and that got shortened to Rollo du Long. That was even before this village of Longpré even existed. Of course, they couldn’t name all the towns Long. For example, here at Longpré there are sizable meadows, or ‘long’ meadows, hence the name Longpré.”

“Now, I can see why we’re always made welcome in these villages,” Guillaume grinned.

Guillaume had taken advantage of the warm welcome that had been given to them in both Longuet and Long, their last two stops.

“Ah, you mean why the young women are so willing to spread their legs with a smile.” Rollo knew that his son had an appetite for women. “Just a reminder, Guy, make sure none can make a claim on you. You don’t want a bunch of bastards running around who will grow up thinking they should be the next Count of Normandy.”