novelraw Chapter 206: Political Marriage
Chapter 206: Political Marriage
Once the ceremony concluded, Rurik found Bjorn at the edge of the crowd. "Why didn't you go up to the stage and give a speech?"
Bjorn wore a solemn expression. "There is no need for that. I have finally figured things out. What my heart truly seeks is not power, but the exploration of the unknown. You all can fight over the throne however you please. My destiny lies in the magnificent and tempestuous sea."
Bjorn had no intention of fighting for the right of succession. Once the Tynemouth Shipyard perfected the design of the New Sailing Ships, he would continue his exploration westward until he reached the edge of the world.
"An explorer?"
Rurik was perplexed. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he took his leave. The five Royal Guard military officers he had recruited previously had all died in battle. Now that a rare opportunity had presented itself, he needed to hurry and recruit a new batch of officers to serve him.
It was not just Rurik. Halfdan Whiteshirt, Ubbe, and Erik Jr. were also doing their utmost to recruit these top-tier fighters. Niels alone refrained from participating.
As the former Commander of the Royal Guard, Niels was intimately familiar with all of their combat tactics. He had personally taught some of these maneuvers to the mid-level military officers, yet now these same men were using those very tactics against him. Looking back on it filled him with a bitter sense of irony.
Therefore, Niels could not be bothered to recruit these exorbitant military officers. Instead, he focused his attention on the thousands of commoners who had come to spectate.
Commoners were relatively easier to persuade. As long as he had enough time, he could train them into a formidable army. The only thing restricting him was military expenditure. 'Sigh, this cannot continue. I need to find a way to get some money.'
After a series of bargaining, the number of Royal Guards willing to follow Ubbe was the highest, simply because he had vast tracts of vacant land to his name. The others also managed to recruit a batch of Royal Guards to varying degrees, totaling over four hundred men.With royal power in decline, Oleg was powerless to stop this phenomenon. He could only force them to hand over their armor and weapons, registering these men as missing on the official roster.
In October, the wind and waves on the North Sea grew increasingly fierce. Oleg led his troops back to Londinium.
After coming ashore, he ordered his soldiers to return to their barracks while he headed alone to the Royal Court to report back. Along the way, the markets were desolate, and the populace's resentment toward the Royal Family constantly reached his ears.
'They actually dare to publicly hurl insults at the Queen Mother? These are no longer just ordinary unruly commoners.'
Filled with inner indignation, Oleg entered the main hall. He noticed that Aslaug looked utterly listless, leaning against the back of the throne in a daze.
After listening to the report on the battle situation in Northern Europe, Aslaug did not fly into a rage, nor did she pay any attention to the details of her husband's funeral. Surrounded by her maids, she simply departed.
Oleg stood dazed in the main hall. Upon inquiring with the Palace Guards, he learned that the young King had fallen ill once again. The Shaman responsible for treating him had seized an opportunity to flee, most likely out of fear of being punished by the Queen Mother.
As Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye's health deteriorated, the Kingdom's situation inevitably plummeted into the abyss. The Great Nobles refused to pay their Tribute, instead choosing to construct fortresses within their own territories and mass-produce Military Equipment to prepare for a civil war that could erupt at any moment.
At this critical juncture, the Palace Steward sought out Aslaug, advising her to make plans early.
In the Royal Palace Back Garden, Aslaug strolled alone across the lawn, occasionally tossing handfuls of wheat to feed the birds. In the face of the Palace Steward's suggestion, she appeared somewhat absent-minded.
"Palace Steward, what other solutions do you have?"
"A political marriage!" Paffis reminded the Queen Mother. He suggested marrying Princess Enya to the heir of a Powerful Noble and inviting this Powerful Noble to garrison in Londinium. Assuming Sigurd succumbed to his illness, the Queen Mother and the Palace Steward could still preserve their power.
"Hah, what nonsense are you spouting? Having Enya marry a Powerful Noble is tantamount to handing our power over to this noble and letting his family inherit the throne of Britain. The question is, how will Ragnar's remaining four children react? Will the other Nobles be willing to accept it?" Over the past half-year of her rule, Aslaug's political acumen had improved significantly, allowing her to conclude that this plan was completely unfeasible.
She recalled the faces of the domestic Great Nobles. Only the Tynemouth Family possessed the capability to contend with Ivar the Boneless, Halfdan Whiteshirt, and Ubbe. However, Wigg was cautious by nature and would never allow himself to fall into the awkward predicament of being besieged by all sides.
"Queen Mother, will you not reconsider?"
Aslaug's expression was icy. She looked down at Paffis's short, plump stature with a gaze that seemed to pierce right through his soul. "All these years, I exhausted myself competing with Sola. My sole desire was to elevate Sigurd to the throne and make him a ruler no less magnificent than Ragnar. If Sigurd survives this illness, I will still do my utmost to maintain this situation. But if he cannot pull through, why should I care about this chaotic mess? I am exhausted. Whatever happens next has nothing to do with me."
With that said, Aslaug turned and walked away.
As Sigurd's illness worsened, a profound sense of panic gripped Londinium. Many people began secretly searching for a way out, and rumors regarding a political marriage spread throughout the entirety of Britain.
Meanwhile, Wigg was currently inspecting Glasgow County. According to local reports, a small number of Gentry were suspected of plotting a rebellion.
With civil war imminent, Wigg handled the matter with the utmost severity to secure a stable rear guard. He swiftly eradicated numerous unstable elements and confiscated their estates.
Afterward, he dispatched Civilian Officials to calculate the total area of arable land. It amounted to a full forty Knight's Fiefs, perfectly suited for enfeoffing the next batch of Meritorious Officials.
"It is finally settled."
It had been eight years since the conquest of the Northern Marches. Wigg never expected to encounter a rebellion of this scale. Once the situation stabilized, he sought out the Investigator in charge of undercover agents, the Latecomer Connor, having decided to establish a specialized Intelligence Organization.
Surprisingly, Connor declined the opportunity. He pleaded with the Duke to take his many years of distinguished service into account and arrange a legitimate job for him that could see the light of day.
"Are you certain?"
Connor nodded firmly. For the past few years, he had been operating under the name of the county sheriff, constantly undertaking the dirty, grueling work of gathering intelligence. He had faced life-threatening danger countless times. The most recent incident occurred half a month ago when Connor and an informant were meeting in the wilderness, and he was nearly bitten by a venomous snake. It terrified him so much that he suffered from sleepless nights for days on end. If things continued like this, he predicted he would die of premature aging before he even reached forty.
Listening to his subordinate's tearful complaints touched Wigg slightly. He knighted the man on the spot and tossed him over to Edinburgh County to serve as the Deputy Sheriff.
"Thank you, My Lord. May the gods bless your rule."
Having successfully escaped his sea of suffering, Connor was overwhelmed with emotion. He handed over the files of his agents to Wigg and recommended a Viking-Pict half-blood named Gwen to take over his position.
After repeatedly weighing his options, Wigg promoted Gwen to serve as his Spymaster. "From now on, you will take orders directly from me. You are responsible for establishing an intelligence network. On one hand, you must put an end to any rebellions within our borders; on the other hand, you are to plant informants in Londinium, Calais, and Bergen to gather local information."
Having received his promotion, Gwen was eager to prove himself. He asked the Duke if he had any interest in the Royal Family's political marriage.
"A political marriage?" Wigg realized what he meant. "Are you talking about Princess Enya? I have no such intentions. Your primary job is to gather intelligence, so do not rush for quick success. Start by placing agents in the taverns near the ports. The waters within the Royal Court run far too deep; you cannot handle them right now."