Viking: Master of the Icy Sea

Chapter 205: The Successors

As of now, Niels and Halfdan's total military strength was eighteen hundred men, possessing six hundred suits of armor. Their power was far inferior to Oleg outside the city, and their only hope lay in reinforcements.

By August 20th, unable to withstand the repeated persuasion of his cousin Ubbe, Erik Jr. led two thousand five hundred men to reinforce them.

His troops stationed on a low hill a kilometer north of the siege camp. On the surface, they were there to mediate, but in reality, they were coordinating with those inside the city.

If Oleg attacked the city, he would strike Oleg's rear. If Oleg attacked the hill, he would lead his troops in a desperate defense, waiting for rescue from Halfdan and Niels.

After listening to Erik Jr.'s explanation, Ubbe scratched the back of his head in confusion. "Cousin, we have four thousand three hundred men, a thousand more than Oleg's forces. Why do we not take the initiative to attack?"

"Our side lacks armor. Once you experience a real battlefield, you will understand. A heavy infantryman with armor is equivalent to two to four common warriors. A knight's combat prowess is even higher. In open terrain, knights can easily crush loosely formed heavy infantry and unarmored light infantry. According to my estimates, a knight's combat power is roughly equal to two or three heavy infantrymen. Even in narrow areas where a knight's couched lance charge is inconvenient..."

Taking a sip from a small pouch of clean water, Erik Jr. looked puzzled, surprised by his cousin's ignorance in this area. "You stayed in the royal court for over a decade. What exactly did you learn?"

Ubbe stammered for a long time, his eyes slightly red. "Father had no time to teach me. He originally intended to send me to Teyne or Dyfflin to receive guidance from Wigg or my eldest brother, but Mother refused. She could not bear to see me travel far away. She personally taught me Latin, selected two knights to instruct me in horsemanship and swordsmanship respectively, had the old Prime Minister Pascal teach me administrative knowledge, and made the Minister of the Ocean, Ethelwulf, teach me the history and culture of the continental nations. She thought this arrangement was quite good."

'Why on earth did you listen to her?'

Erik Jr. slapped his forehead hard, complaining about his aunt's short-sightedness. She had actually neglected to cultivate her son's command ability. Rumor had it that whenever Wigg went out to war, he would always find time to write notes and draw maps. After fighting for over a decade, the materials that guy had accumulated could probably fill an entire bookshelf. If Ubbe had learned even half of his skills, it would have been more than enough to handle the wars in Northern Europe.Sighing at length, Erik Jr. pointed at the distant military camp of the Royal Guard. "What do you think of them?"

Ubbe answered honestly, "They look heavily fortified."

Erik Jr. nodded. "Of course. The Royal Guard are not fools. After experiencing multiple wars, some of their military officers gradually learned how to construct camps and build various siege engines from Wigg.

"Not only that, but others also learned the couched lance charge, daily equestrian training, and how to organize battle formations during a charge from Gunnar. Fortunately, the sea voyage is long, making it inconvenient to transport cavalry in bulk; otherwise, this battle would be impossible to fight.

"From Niels, some learned how to train archers, mastering the techniques of rapid fire, high-angle fire, and precision shooting. From your eldest brother, the military officers learned combat skills and infantry tactics, including the shield wall, wedge formation, and circle formation...

"Similarly, Wigg, Ivar, Gunnar, and the others have been emulating each other's strengths. This has led to this group of nobles possessing a military prowess that far exceeds that of the Angle and Frankish nobility, helping your father forge a massive kingdom encompassing Britain and Northern Europe.

"Back during the first campaign against the Franks, I personally led troops over as reinforcements, thinking I could take the opportunity to learn something. Unexpectedly, the war was already over by the time I arrived, leaving me with deep regret for a very long time.

"And you, my foolish cousin, failed to seize the time to learn how to lead troops in battle. Instead, you wasted your energy on secondary pursuits like horsemanship, swordsmanship, and Latin. Now you are leaving it to a third-rate commander like me to teach you how to wage war. Alas, my poor, short-sighted aunt."

Noticing Erik Jr.'s defensive arrangements, Oleg lost all desire to assault the city. He convened a meeting with the military officers and barons of the Royal Guard to discuss their next move.

"A forceful siege would be too difficult, and staying outside the city will only waste time. Why not negotiate?"

Instantly, Oleg's words sparked a heated debate. The barons, possessing an extremely high degree of loyalty to Ragnar, insisted on punishing Niels for his sacrilegious act. They also demanded that Halfdan relinquish the crown, personally seek an audience with Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, and swear an oath of fealty to him.

The military officers held a milder stance and supported their commander-in-chief's proposal. "According to the populace of Schleswig, Niels did not desecrate the coffin. He merely built some mysterious broken chair. Such actions have no precedent, making it difficult to definitively judge it as a sacrilegious act.

"As for Halfdan, he defied the royal testament to proclaim himself king and rightfully should abandon the throne, but we should not push him too far."

In summary, the military officers merely demanded that Halfdan abandon the throne and not interfere with Ragnar's funeral. The barons, however, refused to indulge such wicked deeds, leading to a bitter stalemate. That night, rumors ran rampant through the army. Instigated by those with ulterior motives, the fifteen hundred conscripted militia scraped together by the minor nobles staged a mass mutiny. Holding torches aloft, they surrounded Oleg's tent, demanding that he reach an agreement with the rebel army so their brothers could go home as soon as possible.

"Calm down, everyone. I understand your difficulties. I will send envoys to negotiate with Halfdan tomorrow," Oleg declared.

Oleg glanced at the seventeen barons and numerous knights, whose expressions flickered with uncertainty, before pacifying the crowd's emotions and persuading them to return to their tents to rest.

Using the mutiny as leverage, Oleg forced the minor nobles of the crown lands into a compromise. Early the next morning, he dispatched messengers to deliver letters to Gothenburg and the northern hill, suggesting they resolve the issue through negotiation.

Upon receiving the news, Niels and Erik Jr. agreed. Ubbe had no say in the matter. Only Halfdan harbored feelings of resistance. After weighing his options repeatedly, he decided to temporarily give up the crown. Once the civil war broke out in Britain, no one would be able to stop him from proclaiming himself king.

Ultimately, everyone took a step back. They agreed to jointly officiate Ragnar's funeral and released word inviting the populace of the entire Viking world to come and observe.

Regarding the layout of the royal tomb, the five men each held their own opinions. After consulting the shamans of Uppsala, they discussed and settled on a fairly conventional plan:

Inside the burial chamber, a Viking longship would be placed, carrying the late king's coffin. Above the chamber, a towering earthen burial mound would be piled up. Furthermore, Niels proposed transporting massive boulders to construct a megalithic stone circle in front of the royal tomb, a suggestion that received the tacit approval of the majority.

"I am worried we will not have enough time," Oleg stated.

Niels patted his chest in a solemn guarantee. "We have plenty of time afterward. It will be finished one day."

Keeping busy until mid-September, over two hundred Viking chieftains converged on Gothenburg. This included Rurik from Eastern Europe, who arrived travel-worn and weary with a small guard squad. He discovered that Wigg, Ivar, Gunnar, and the others had not attended, merely sending envoys to be present at the funeral.

"They dare not leave their respective territories. Has the situation in Britain truly descended into such chaos?"

On September 25th, Bjorn Ironside sailed all the way from distant Greenland. Upon learning of the various upheavals that had transpired during this period, he said nothing more. He simply stood at the edge of the crowd, silently bidding farewell to his father.

As the funeral commenced, facing the numerous Viking chieftains, Oleg, Halfdan, Ubbe, Niels, and Erik Jr. took turns delivering speeches. They used this precious opportunity to elevate their reputations and propagate their respective ideologies.

Oleg's speech was standard and properly constrained. He called upon everyone to respect Ragnar's royal testament and pledge loyalty to the new king, Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye.

Halfdan stripped off his chainmail, donning nothing but a bearskin coat to show off his martial valor to the outside world. He urged the populace to uphold their martial traditions and avoid being corrupted by the weak Angles and Franks.

Ubbe was still quite young. Feigning composure, he delivered a speech proclaiming himself the undisputed Duke of Denmark, taking the chance to recount the injustices his biological mother had suffered. The populace, thoroughly captivated by this convoluted and complex royal court secret, began whistling and jeering, severely ruining the solemn atmosphere of the funeral.

Having been warned by everyone beforehand, Niels was unable to bring out his gilded chair, causing the impact of his speech to be significantly diminished.

Erik Jr. was the last to take the stage. His command ability and personal combat prowess were far too poor to attract any followers from the crowd, and the contents of his speech were bland and uninspiring. First, he recounted the years of friendship between his father and Ragnar, as well as the blood ties connecting their two royal families. Then, he announced plans to develop commerce, intending to build Oslo and Bergen into the most prosperous trade centers in Northern Europe.