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Everything went according to plan. Munsö is burnt to the ground and it is likely that Duke Gustav has perished in the flames. With his death the king loses an dangerous rival, young Sverkerätten get a beautiful widow to consolate, I gain the duchy of Uppland and you, my friend, receive the major part of the plunder, as promised, and we will see to that matter with the pope.
As few people as possible, of course, should hear of our deed. The duchess, in particular, should on no account leave the country. As long as she is in our hand we can dismiss any tale of us framing her innocent husband as the fabulations of a grieving mind. But if she was to flee back to England and convince her father that we made up these accusations to get rid of the duke, that could only spell out trouble. Remember what the mad bastard is capable.
Tolir av Roden
Roden, 5 june 1076
My dear Sven,
Please be more vigilant regarding your wife's letters to her father, king William. The last one my agents intercepted explained most eloquently that we tricked Gustav av Munsö into attacking Medelpad on the pretense of Stenkil's excommunication, while unbeknownst to him the man had already pledged himself to our king, and that the punishment we meted out on him for treason was treacherous and unfair. For the last time we do not want your father-in-law to read that. A man like you who likes so much to gloat about his martial prowess and superior cunning should know enough not to be coyed by a pair of Norman teats. Bed her if you want, and play the chivalrous savior with her if that amuses you, but do keep her more secluded, and under serious guard.
On an other note, I am glad to hear that you found this excellent foreign tutor for your children. I always said that we Swedes would gain much by adopting more of the good feudal customs from the South. You are all the more lucky that he is said to have an excellent command of our tongue, which is rare enough among foreigners, and even rarer amon Italians. I suppose you took care to verify his story ?
Tolir av Roden
Roden, 4 march 1077
Stenkil,
Whose absurd notion was it to arrange for the prince of Chernigov to pay homage to our king ? That bloody fool of Erik, obviously, puffs himself with ease and contentment, and the jarls beam to see a man of such means join their ranks. But you and I should know better, and understand the threat that he represents for all of us. Is that true that you supported this move and advised it to the king ?
Please answer immediately,
Tolir av Roden.
Roden, 19 december 1078
King Erik,
I do not understand the accusations you lever against me. I did not fail to pay what taxes you asked from me, my accounts are as clear as any of your other jarls, and I have not raised any troops in defiance of you, beside the few warriors of my housekeep. I could come to Skara and explain myself to you, if summoned, or would gladly receive you at Roden so that you can see by yourself than none of these accusations make any sense.
Tolir av Roden
Roden, 3 february 1079
King Erik,
Why did you not answer my previous letter ? The tale seems to spread thoughout the whole country that I am now traitor and atainted. As I already wrote you there is no truth whatsoever behind the accusations against me and I will prove it at your command. Without an answer from you I will ride to Skara in a fortnight to explain myself before you.
Tolir av Roden
Roden, 2 march 1079
King Erik,
As you may guess I escaped the ambush that was meant for me. What is this madness of sending Sverkerräten to deal with me ? The men who rode with me were no rebel host, as you write and as some seem to make you believe, but my guard and retinue. I understand that you are fighting in Poland and that Sven Sverkerräten has troops available. Ask him why did he not join you before, either during this war or the one against Norway, and why is he so eager to put them at your command now that it means to destroy me !
I have discovered things you ignore and must tell them to you as soon as possible. This is urgent and you are making a terrible mistake by trusting that damned duke and his slanders.
Tolir av Roden
Duke Sven,
I you read these lines it means that I am obviously dead, and that you stormed my castle of Roden. I should have seen it coming and I did. Not that it helped me escape my fate and yours. Did you even think of questioning the identity of that man who secretly plaid us against one another ? That man to whom you entrusted your own...
Ahh glorious Toulouse, jewel of the south, jewel of our people, home of the lenga d'oc!
The joys of our land are vaster than any other, the French don't have the right to rule this land, we have so little in common and yet they pretend to have rights on these lands, absurd!
The king is old and his health is failing, there lies our chance of freedom and of a glorious destiny
Toulouse shall lead the way with me Guillaume at its head
The plan worked perfectly Toulouse now stands free and ready for much more
The young weakling king of France not only recognized our newfound freedom but he also offered an alliance, gladly I took it, as I know the army of France can have its "uses", cannonfodder I say, let the French lead the charge and perish in our battle for our cause
The Duke of Aquitaine a fellow noble of our people is suffering from old age, sttubornly he refused to join me in my quest but after his death some of his counts may defect, I heard the Count of Bearn is eager to join me
Excellent, I've invested significant gold into our regions, we can now profit more and have more merchants selling our goods, the roads are also being improved allowing faster travel
Our little "crusading" voyage failed to provide what I expected but the County of Tarracona is still nonetheless a valuable addition to my growing prestige in the courts of Europe, damned be the Leonese pigs, my prize would have been much bigger if not for the Jimenez interference, at least I've secured Bearn, he now pays homage to me
Soon it shall be time to bring the flames of war to the Aragonese lands
My son has grown up to be an excellent man, I believe that he and not I will walk through the glorious path that I've paved, I like the old King and the Duke of Aquitaine will soon make my way to the afterlife, I am old and tired, stress is taking its toll on me, I need rest
But I will rest safely knowing that my legacy will live on and become even greater
My dear Constance, little bird, bleeding star of my heart, gentle flower of Normandy,
The Duke of Uppland is no more. I fought him myself over the battlements of his burning castle and, despite having been hurt twice during by his famous blade (but please, do not grieve over those wounds, however close they might have been to the heart, nor for the blood I shed in your service) and almost fallen to my death (which is not really worth mentioning, for my life is nothing compared to the love I bear you, and I would gladly die ten times over for a kiss, a smile of yours or a lock of hair). Anyway, that rake has fallen on my sword, and in his pockets I found the proof of his betrayal. It is indeed just as I had found out : he was responsible, with king Erik and the felon count of Merelpad, of the conspiracy which cost you your first husband.
Know that I will know no respite before I have avenged him and you, but will tirelessly work toward those vile men's doom. Trust about that your faithful and devoted servant, and, maybe, consider that when Gustav is avenged and can finally rest in peace, you could take again some joy in life. He would not, I am certain of that as one of his best friends, have wanted you to remain grieving and lost to the world ; he would have wanted your noble soul to blossom once again in the consolation of a new attachment. Know that my hand is, as ever, yours to command and my heart yours to tread upon.
Your faithful husband,
Erik Sverkerrätten.
Ålborg, the 31 march 1092
Count Halsten,
I hope you prosper, as all your family in Dalarna. To answer your questions, regarding Chernigov, of course I consider that Russian princeling a threat to Norway, but not as much as our current king, and chiefly because of him. You have seen how he failed to contain Denmark's army in our last war, the causes of which are as unclear to me as they are to you, and how it fell to me to boldly cross the Öresund and submit these arrogant Danes. I remained, of course, his faithful vassal, and suffered meekly his petty reproaches regarding the gains I made there. But every day since has brought a new proof of how unfit he is to rule. You know of his quarrels with the Church, of his careless and morbid behavior, of the unfair way he has treated many jarls and of the particular affections he entertains. But all that would be nothing if he did not project, as I know with some certainty, to make the Rurikovich his heir ! I, for one, will not stand for this, and as the first of Swedish jarls, I intend to contest this succession. Who would want a Russian, a schismatic, at our head ?
I therefore suggest that you back me up with all the strength and influence you can muster, as the best and actually the only good candidate to the throne of Norway.
