407 Bargain Amongst Kings
The familiar feeling of darkness came, the sun had descended and the moon had taken its place. It was beautiful but this night was coming with not only blood but chaos.
This might be the night to shape their journey in Northumbria and the troops were ready.
Ragnar has been gone for quite some time and Tyr has been talking with Ecgberht for the entirety of his stay here.
No one knew what they were talking about except Alf and Alf's loyalty was to Tyr alone, not anyone else.
"It is time, General Grj?tgard," Bjorn said. Tyr knew he could easily join them but he had to hang back to make sure that these men were okay.
Thorgard was staying with him too, this should give them leadership but Salgard and the others were going to scale the wall as planned despite Ragnar being there.
This was a strange choice because they had a lot more to lose if things went south but it was exactly because the King of Vikings was within their walls that they wouldn't expect this from the Vikings.
"They are preparing for something…" Tyr muttered, he noticed the movements of the warriors.
They were a lot more active than they were during the day and something told Tyr that an attack was coming but this was an assumption.
He could not sound the alarm just yet, so he decided to let things play out.
"Tyr, will you be okay by yourself?" Bjorn asked his younger brother.
"Are you asking the man who conquered death if he would be okay?" Tyr asked with a raised brow.
"Why do I even bother," Bjorn scoffed with a grin, this was the kind of energy he expected from his body as he looked at Grj?tgard.
"Bjorn Ironside, are you ready?" Grj?tgard asked bluntly; he did not seem to share the same concern that Bjorn shared for Tyr for Thorgard.
Thorgard was glad about this, this would be his first real challenge.
Bjorn nodded and the moment he did, Tyr screamed at the top of his lungs.
Drawing everyone's attention towards him, including his enemies.
They had fire lit around their camp but it didn't cover every corner, the Christians on the other hand had their positions burning bright with fire.
This allowed Tyr to establish the perimeter and it was quite large, there was no way that Grj?tgard and co could go past them but they had established that it was possible to swim past them.
But first, they needed a worthy distraction, Tyr grabbed Ecgberht by the shoulder and yanked him to his feet before placing a sword at his neck.
Even the Vikings were surprised by this action, it was far too random and they also understood that Ecgberht was the only thing keeping them alive.
If this hostage was killed, nothing kept them at bay but this got the reaction it needed from the enemies. They all unsheathed their weapons and were ready to engage but the Vikings did the same.
Ecgbeht had no intentions of letting things escalate, there was no way they would engage when he was yet to be harmed.
"Stand down!" Ecgberht commanded them in their language and the men did just that and the Vikings followed suit after Tyr gestured for them to lower their guard.
This foolery was enough to let the others slip away.
-
King Ragnar was talking to King ?lle about how they could help each other out.
"You want land here?" King ?lle was perplexed by this request, he thought that they would want gold or something along those lines.
"That is correct, King ?lle. We want land, we wish to settle here for your lands are a lot greener than ours. You might not know this but I was once a farmer," Ragnar said proudly.
King ?lle nearly jumped from his seat because how does a farmer become King?
"Y-You? A King?" King ?lle asked, clearly confused as he looked at his translator to make sure he had translated it right.
"How does a farmer become King?" ?lle asked, intrigued by Ragnar.
"People are like crops, water them well enough and they flourish to support your survival, this is how I became King. I nourished those around me until they bloomed and people did not forget who watered them. I did not become King out of ambition, it was given to me by those around me and now I lead one of the most powerful Kingdoms in Norway but I miss farming…" Ragnar said with a cheeky smile.
King ?lle hated to admit it but Ragnar was a lot more interesting than he was.
"I like that but that is not always the case. Betrayal is in the blood of man, don't you think?" ?lle asked.
"Are you saying you are incapable of trust, King ?lle?" Ragnar retorted and a silence soon followed.
"That is correct, King Ragnar and something tells me that you are plotting something even as we speak," ?lle said but Ragnar knew this was him bluffing or at least that was what his thought process was at that moment.
"That is correct, I am a King who will put my people first and it all depends on this conversation. That will decide if we are friends or enemies," Ragnar said bluntly. Even the translator was hesitant to say these words but they had no choice.
Ragnar watched closely to see how King ?lle would react, this man didn't carry himself as a warrior and as such, Ragnar could surmise he wasn't a warrior but there had to be someone around who could wield a sword.
This Kingdom was far too big not to have faced formidable enemies and Ragnar began scanning the room.
"You amuse me, King Ragnar," King ?lle said with a chuckle, he did not know if Ragnar was stupid or if it was because he had some sort of plan in place.
Someone soon walked into the room but it was not someone clad in armor, but looked more like a messenger.
"It seems I was right, King Ragnar," King ?lle said, getting up to his feet.
"You were up to something," King ?lle muttered and everyone around Ragnar unsheathed their sword.
"It looks like you intend to take my head tonight… Just as I do yours," ?lle said for the messenger had informed him of the people heading right to the castle.
Ragnar knew it wouldn't be that easy but judging from the look on his face, he was not surprised
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