The figure finally stepped into the candlelight, but he still could not be seen clearly beneath his dark cloak, dripping from the storm outside.
"With respect, my lord, I only wonder if you are abreast of your brother's current situation. By extension, YOUR current situation."
"I'd have to be the court jester to not know, Eardulf. Norway has made landfall in York. There is talk of The Bastard raising a few men from the south. Hardly worthy of concern."
"No?"
"Norway is too far away to be able to send a sizeable force. And who would follow a bastard? My brother Harold will make short work of them all, and then we will have peace again."
"I am relieved to hear it is so. Yet...have you not heard any news from York?"
"The invasion, you mean? I've already told you that I..."
"It's ten thousand men, my lord. Possibly more."
"Ten thousand? Harold has not had the time to solidify his hold over the Dukes. There is no way he could raise that many men. And if I am wrong about that Bastard..."
"Then the situation could be quite dire indeed. This is why I am here, my lord. I suggest that there may be...something that we could do to alleviate the problem that has arisen."
"Surely you're not suggesting that I take arms against my brother. Not now, when we must be united. Not when we need every man to fend off the invaders."
"Of course not, my lord. I would never suggest an open rebellion against the King. Indeed, I plan to lead my own men to York in the morning to fight on the King's behalf. Yet...there are other steps we could take..."
"An assassin's blade? Foolish. Even if I wished it done, and I do not, the Kingdom would be left to his young son, hardly old enough to walk, much less wield a sword. I'd be ensuring our defeat."
"Nothing so vile, my lord. I only suggest that you do what man has done since the Garden of Eden."
"Frolick naked amongst the trees and animals?"
Eardulf smiled, revealing a sickening set of teeth. "No, my lord. But perhaps the company of a woman..."
"I have other matters to attend to, Eardulf. Now is not the time to go chasing after some maiden."
"Not some maiden, my lord. THE maiden. A woman who could greatly improve the situation for all of England."
"And just who would that woman be?"
"The Princess Ingered Haraldsdatter, of Norway."
"...The invading King's daughter? For what purpose? And why would he ever agree?"
"Consider, my lord. First, she is but 20, a fine lass likely to give you many an heir. Second, her father might appreciate the opportunity to plant someone behind enemy lines, such as it is. Third...most important of all...your sons would be the only spawn able to trace their heritage directly to the Kings of both England and Norway. Whoever wins this little war, your heirs would be in high standing with the victor."
"Unless the Bastard wins."
"Well...yes. Something will have to be done about the Bastard. But first thing's first. Send Sigeric to Norway, see if he can gain an audience with the King."
"Sigeric?"
"Well, as I said, I'm leading my men to York tonight. I may be hedging our bets, but it is still my duty to defend our land," said Eardulf, Mayor of Sandwich. "Now...I wonder my lord...might I have a bit of meat and two slices of bread for the road?"
Count Leofwine of Surrey, brother of King Harold I of England, 38 years old, single...for now!
Leofwine is the Earl of Surrey, Kent, and Sussex...enough land to declare himself Duke of Kent, but he lacks the funds.
"With respect, my lord, I only wonder if you are abreast of your brother's current situation. By extension, YOUR current situation."
"I'd have to be the court jester to not know, Eardulf. Norway has made landfall in York. There is talk of The Bastard raising a few men from the south. Hardly worthy of concern."
"No?"
"Norway is too far away to be able to send a sizeable force. And who would follow a bastard? My brother Harold will make short work of them all, and then we will have peace again."
"I am relieved to hear it is so. Yet...have you not heard any news from York?"
"The invasion, you mean? I've already told you that I..."
"It's ten thousand men, my lord. Possibly more."
"Ten thousand? Harold has not had the time to solidify his hold over the Dukes. There is no way he could raise that many men. And if I am wrong about that Bastard..."
"Then the situation could be quite dire indeed. This is why I am here, my lord. I suggest that there may be...something that we could do to alleviate the problem that has arisen."
"Surely you're not suggesting that I take arms against my brother. Not now, when we must be united. Not when we need every man to fend off the invaders."
"Of course not, my lord. I would never suggest an open rebellion against the King. Indeed, I plan to lead my own men to York in the morning to fight on the King's behalf. Yet...there are other steps we could take..."
"An assassin's blade? Foolish. Even if I wished it done, and I do not, the Kingdom would be left to his young son, hardly old enough to walk, much less wield a sword. I'd be ensuring our defeat."
"Nothing so vile, my lord. I only suggest that you do what man has done since the Garden of Eden."
"Frolick naked amongst the trees and animals?"
Eardulf smiled, revealing a sickening set of teeth. "No, my lord. But perhaps the company of a woman..."
"I have other matters to attend to, Eardulf. Now is not the time to go chasing after some maiden."
"Not some maiden, my lord. THE maiden. A woman who could greatly improve the situation for all of England."
"And just who would that woman be?"
"The Princess Ingered Haraldsdatter, of Norway."
"...The invading King's daughter? For what purpose? And why would he ever agree?"
"Consider, my lord. First, she is but 20, a fine lass likely to give you many an heir. Second, her father might appreciate the opportunity to plant someone behind enemy lines, such as it is. Third...most important of all...your sons would be the only spawn able to trace their heritage directly to the Kings of both England and Norway. Whoever wins this little war, your heirs would be in high standing with the victor."
"Unless the Bastard wins."
"Well...yes. Something will have to be done about the Bastard. But first thing's first. Send Sigeric to Norway, see if he can gain an audience with the King."
"Sigeric?"
"Well, as I said, I'm leading my men to York tonight. I may be hedging our bets, but it is still my duty to defend our land," said Eardulf, Mayor of Sandwich. "Now...I wonder my lord...might I have a bit of meat and two slices of bread for the road?"
Count Leofwine of Surrey, brother of King Harold I of England, 38 years old, single...for now!
Leofwine is the Earl of Surrey, Kent, and Sussex...enough land to declare himself Duke of Kent, but he lacks the funds.
