Playtime was over and now came business, everyone excused Rugalf and Grjötgard.
Rugalf's demeanor was completely different, as well as Grjötgard's.
"It is as feared, King Rugalf…" Grjötgard said and the worry that crept up on Rugalf's face was evident.
"This is bad…" Rugalf muttered under his breath.
"Ingólfur Arnarson has completely shut off Iceland from the outside world, we could not infiltrate nor get any information from the place but I fear he might not be an ally in the upcoming expedition," Grjötgard said outright.
"How do you know this?" Rugalf asked his younger brother.
"He was meeting with various people, none of which I recognized…" Grjötgard said.
"This is of concern because?" Rugalf asked, he knew there was more to it because this itself should not be a concern.
"They all wore crowns, he was meeting Kings. I do not know what he plans but I fear it is something big. He is aware of our expedition to England so he might be waiting for that time to strike…" Grjötgard said.
Rugalf heaved a frustrated sigh, the only reason this man even knew of their expedition was because Rugalf reached out so he could not help but feel it was his fault.
He knew how much his brothers hated this man but he also knew the importance he posed on the sea.
This was slowly spiraling into a bigger problem because he was meeting other Kings.
The underlying question was for what?
"I am afraid that he is growing into someone we cannot touch," Grjötgard added.
"What do you propose?" Rugalf sought the counsel of his younger brother. Since ascending the throne, what Rugalf could do in terms of battle was severely limited and this allowed his younger brother to catch up in terms of combat experience.
"I think we will have to cancel our participation in the expedition of England to prepare for a potential incursion…" Grjötgard advised but one could tell by Rugalf's that he was not in support of this.
"If we do that, we show the enemy we are weak. It might deter an attack but for how long?" Rugalf responded
"That is all we can do right now, all we can do is survive unless you are willing to request aid from King Ragnar…" Grjötgard suggested but Rugalf shook his head, asking for help was out of the question as that was one thing he had no interest in doing.
"We cannot do that. I will not cancel this expedition but I will not send you to lead them as I intended. I need you by my side if this threat is real and Salgard will stay as well…" Rugalf said, he was not going to send two of the best fighters he knew out there.
He saw how Kattegat almost fell to Birger and this was a mistake he was not ever found to make even though he trusted his men but the possibility of a bad egg existing was exponentially high.
"Who do you intend to send in my stead?" Grjötgard asked and a faint smile creased Rugalf's face.
"Tyr Ragnarsson…" Rugalf muttered but this surprised Grjötgard, Tyr was always in the plan but he never expected him to lead their expedition.
"Are you sure this is a wise choice? A Gardsson must be with him and even then, I do not think our men trust Tyr enough to lead them…" Grjötgard proposed a very good counter to this.
"Thorgard and Vegard will escort Tyr. Both are far too inexperienced to lead and with Tyr marrying my daughter, it makes him part of the family…" Rugalf clarified his younger brother's misunderstanding.
"That could work but must Vegard go? What about Frøygard?" Grjötgard asked.
Rugalf understood that Vegard was the sibling that Grjötgard liked the most and he was not comfortable sending him away when he was not there to protect him but Frøygard was a brother that he knew needed redemption and this might provide that.
"I cannot risk it. Salgard will not be there to keep him in check, this is too important as it shows our allies how we compose ourselves," Rugalf said and Grjötgard sighed in defeat.
He had no intentions of pressing the matter because he knew that Vegard would be safe.
"Do you trust Kattegat?" Grjötgard asked his older brother.
"No, I do not but King Askild will not be as stupid as to try something. Right now, he is trying to win our trust so he will be on his best behavior…" Rugalf said, resting his back on his throne.
"Things are about to get really busy…" Rugalf sounded like he was tired in advance.
-
Tyr had to go back home to take a bath, the piss had spilled on him.
He could not believe how strange this family was but something was comforting in seeing them act that way.
They acted like an actual family and he found himself giggling at the joke that they played on Salgard while in the bath.
"I like… this," Tyr muttered to himself, and Estrid, who was standing at the door, heard his laugh.
She could not help but smile because this was the first time she heard him giggle.
Estrid could not believe that this would be her husband but the thought did not repulse her as much as it did when she first heard about it.
She could see why her father saw him as the perfect match for her despite her numerous suitors but King Rugalf did not close the door to others.
Not until they were officially married as anything could happen between now and the wedding ceremony in a day and if they should somehow split, he asked his daughter to have her options open even though he had sent wedding invitations to these Kingdoms.
King Rugalf had something he wanted to test out and this was the perfect opportunity to test it out.
"We are getting married…. tomorrow…" Estrid thought but for some reason, this thought made her warm inside.
There was no denying it, these two complimented each other perfectly and Estrid could not have asked for a better match.
