novelraw Chapter 261: Abandonment
Chapter 261: Abandonment
Fleeing to the river, Niels's longships became the primary target for the archers of Magdeburg. Fire arrows ignited the sails and masts. Amidst the chaos, the men desperately rowed toward the nearest shore on the East Bank of the Elbe River.
Across the hundred-meter-wide river, Niels gazed at the camp where Ubbe was stationed. The soldiers were boarding their ships and evacuating in an orderly fashion, clearly having anticipated this outcome.
"Did they collude with the Franks?"
Shocked and furious, Niels watched the galleys depart one after another. He never imagined that Ubbe would go to such extremes just to suppress a vassal.
'This is bad. I must hurry back to southern Denmark!'
Over the following days, Niels led his twenty surviving personal guards through the forest. After paying the price of five more lives, they finally commandeered a small fishing boat from local fishermen, wobbling their way downstream.
Along the way, he occasionally encountered scattered Viking raiders. The looks in their eyes were no longer filled with reverence, replaced instead by undisguised greed and murderous intent.
"What did Ubbe say?"
The chieftain of the raiders weighed the strength of both sides and reluctantly curbed his greed. "Ubbe announced your crimes. First, you haven't sought an audience in years, failing to fulfill your obligations as a vassal. Second, you have abused witchcraft, using that wicked gilded chair to bewitch the minds of the people and desecrate Ragnar's name. Third, your greedy and reckless advance plunged the army into a desperate situation.
"Therefore, Ubbe has stripped you of your title as a lord in the name of the king, permanently exiling you from Denmark. According to private rumors, he is willing to pay a heavy bounty for your head."Hearing the chieftain's words, Niels froze in place. He had achieved monumental feats in Gnutz, yet all it earned him was slander and betrayal?
After parting ways with these minor village-plundering thugs, Niels's boat reached the middle reaches of the Elbe River. Halfdan's army had long since evacuated, leaving behind nothing but an empty camp.
Prior to the incident, Halfdan had been entirely unaware of Ubbe's plans. When he learned the details from his younger brother, his first reaction was anger, followed by shame, and finally, a deep sense of helplessness.
With the situation escalating to this point, the feud between his younger brother and Niels was irreconcilable. At best, Halfdan could remain neutral; it was impossible for him to help Niels against his own blood.
Moreover, deep down, Halfdan also feared Niels's military prowess. The man was undeniably a fierce warrior who made no secret of his desire to proclaim himself king. If his younger brother managed to eliminate him this time, the future landscape of Northern Europe would be much more stable.
Returning to the border at the Danevirke defense line, Niels saw a new banner fluttering above the earthen ramparts, a clear sign that southern Denmark had a new lord.
Without a moment's hesitation, he changed course and headed for Pomerania.
Regrettably, the local West Slavic tribes no longer recognized his rule. Despite Niels's outstanding achievements, the populace yearned to enjoy their hard-won peace and refused to continue fighting.
"Is this your answer?"
"Yes," the tribal chieftains replied in unison. Among them was Niels's own father-in-law.
The West Slavs who had been willing to follow Niels had died in Magdeburg. The vast majority of those remaining were neutral, along with a small fraction of dissenters.
As the crowd dispersed, his father-in-law stayed behind to offer a warning. "There are ships at the port. You are no longer fit to stay here. Flee quickly, and never return."
With that, the old chieftain spurred his horse and dashed into the woods, leaving only Niels and his nine remaining guards.
Plummeting from the pinnacle of his life to rock bottom, Niels felt his spirit turn to ash. He drew the scabbard sword from his waist and tossed it to the ground. "Does anyone need silver? Cut off my head and deliver it to Ubbe. It will be enough to sustain you for the rest of your lives."
No one answered.
After a long while, five of the guards left without a word. The remaining four insisted on staying by their lord's side, suggesting he take a ship to Britain or Normandy. Picking up his sword and returning it to its scabbard, Niels walked silently toward the north. Judging from the current situation, the odds of Gunnar successfully invading Britain were too low; he would be better suited serving Wigg.
A day later, he arrived at the coastal town of Rierdorf. As the busiest market in the vicinity, it attracted numerous merchants who came to purchase furs, amber, and slaves. The settlement was enclosed by wooden palisades, and ships could sail directly into the adjacent lagoon to anchor.
The docks were awash with a mix of true and false information. The populace was deep in discussion, spreading rumors that included tales of Ubbe colluding with the Franks.
"Did you hear? Ubbe secretly put out the word that he's buying Niels's head for a hundred pounds of silver."
"A hundred pounds? The news I received was fifty pounds and a knightly title."
Knowing the situation was critical, Niels boarded a Knarr ship preparing to set sail and requested passage to Britain.
"You're too late. Two British merchant ships left here yesterday." The captain, his face flushed with the lingering effects of alcohol, pointed to another Knarr ship not far away. "That British ship just arrived. It will take at least two weeks to procure its cargo."
Two weeks?
Niels didn't want to stay in this wretched place for a single second longer. "Where are you heading? Normandy? Anywhere in the west will do."
"No," the captain shook his head, stating a destination in the exact opposite direction. "To the east. The Neva River estuary."
Feeling the restless danger permeating the air, Niels had no other choice. He fished out his last stack of silver coins from his waist. "Fine. To the east it is!"
With Niels's departure, the Viking-East Francia war came to an anticlimactic end.
In this war, the nobles of central and southern Denmark suffered heavy casualties. Ubbe also took the opportunity to eliminate his biggest threat, Niels, thereby strengthening his control over the entire country.
Although numerous vicious rumors circulated among the populace, he couldn't care less. The nobles capable of rebellion had been entirely wiped out, and there was no one left in the country who could threaten his throne.
On the other side, East Francia had three princes: Carloman, Louis III "the Younger", and Charles III "the Fat". King Louis had been missing for some time, and they had gathered in the church of Magdeburg to divide his inheritance.
The second son, Louis III, staunchly opposed the distribution plan proposed by his elder brother:
"Dividing the territory equally among the sons has always been the tradition of the Franks. On what grounds do you get to claim the most? Is occupying Bavaria and the Eastern March not enough? Do you want Lotharingia as well?"
Carloman stared coldly at his two younger brothers. "Because I repelled the Vikings. I made the greatest contribution. Furthermore, many nobles have agreed to support me in inheriting our father's legacy."
Louis III cast his gaze over the nobles and clergy. "You merely defeated Niels. What is so remarkable about that? At first glance, one might have thought you killed Ragnar or Wigg.
"You want to compare contributions? Fine. Let's see whose is greater.
"In 848, the Bohemians rebelled. The situation was dire, but Father was unwilling to risk his eldest son, so he tossed me, his fourteen-year-old second son, over to quell the uprising. I handled it.
"In 854, the nobles of Agder conspired against Charles 'the Bald', inviting Father to intervene. In order to gain the support of those nobles, Father made me an envoy—which was practically acting as a hostage. Fortunately, I was clever enough; otherwise, I would never have returned."