[DLV 6.2 AAR] The Danish House of Hen (Ch.17 Part 2 updated 20/08)

[Alwyn]

This sequence of events makes me wonder if the mysterious Svend can be trusted, was his note intended to direct Prince Magnus into a trap? I wonder if Magnus will prevail at Kalmar, after these events.

[Darkan]

Chapter 7 - The March

We started our march towards Kalmar uncertain. We had lost the fleet, a third of the army was gone and a perilous journey waited before us. Our four banners would have to suffice, though doubt soon started gnawing at me. When we decided to march to Kalmar we didn’t think of which way to go, as in follow the coastline or march through the woods. On one hand, marching by the coastline was safer, but we could get noticed more easily, whereas taking the woods would be harder but it would keep us concealed for longer. In the end I decided to march through the wooded areas, as the mission was too important. Time was of the essence and I drove the men hard, though not harder than I drove myself. Even so, a march through heavily forested land is more than a nightmare and a forced one even more so.

You can’t imagine what it’s like, that it could be so demanding. We spent days riding without sleep, enduring fowl weather and a general lack of supplies. On the fourth day men started disappearing, either scouts who wouldn’t return or the occasional hunter. There was no time to look for them, the mission was the priority, but this affected the men’s morale and general mood, as well as my own. Why did I have to leave Arhus, why did I have to lead these men away from their families and homes? I could almost see father’s face, disappointed and angry; I could hear his heavy words. I could see the nobles’ look on their faces, looking at their failed prince. Then I realized I wouldn’t even be returning home, that I would be dead in these damned forests, the wolves eating my corpse. What was I doing here, where was I going and for what? Unworthy, that’s the best way to describe how I was feeling. For the first time in my life I felt lost and afraid.

If it hadn’t been for Torben I would have surely gone mad, the men would have deserted me and I would have died disgraced, bringing shame to my name. If Svend’s report was accurate, it meant that Sautes was somewhere near with more troops than I had, not to mention the garrison at Kalmar. We were in a dire situation, vulnerable and we were in danger of being caught between the two enemy forces. How would I manage, what would I do if we ran into Sautes, what would I do if we didn’t?

I tried to think what father would have done had he been in my place. I remembered what he always used to say:”When a commander doesn’t know what to do next, there are only two choices; either find an answer or relinquish command.” I desperately wanted to find an answer though I didn’t even know where to look for one and to relinquish command was out of the question. Even though I was afraid, I was young and proud, too proud to admit that maybe I had been wrong, that I had chosen the wrong path. It was too late to turn back anyway. We were already in enemy territory and our only option lay forward, so we marched and marched and when we couldn’t march any more we still didn’t stop. For about a week we wandered through the forests, wary of enemy movement, soaked to the skin by the rains and chilled to the soul by the cold winds. As we neared Kalmar we followed a route closer to the coastline and I sent scouts each day to look for any signs of the fleet, maybe some ships that have escaped. Each day it was getting harder and I was isolating myself from the officers, trying to think. Then one day Torben saw the state I was in, the desperation in my eyes and talked to me away from the men.

- Milord, you need rest, he said, else there will be none that can lead us. You need to control yourself, you need to snap out of this state you are in or else we will all die. Look at the men, they have been marching without rest for days, they have barely eaten and they are starting to talk. The young ones are afraid and the older ones are getting angry. You need to take control.
- What can I do? I screamed. We are too few, we lost Jon and a third of the men, and we have no supplies and no food.
- Milord, he spoke kindly, we are with you and I am with you. You are not alone and we will stay by your side, I will make sure of that, but you must regain control of yourself.
- You are right, I said slowly, you are right my good friend. I let myself drift away but I won’t do so again. Let’s stop and make camp, I need to rest and so do the men. Tomorrow I will be myself again.

The song woke me up. We had camped near a small fresh water river and had made camp there. We wanted the men to rest for a bit; to maybe catch some fish or game, to just restore some of their morale. That song was like none I knew; it had such a peaceful melody, like the singing birds all decided to form a choir. The rain and mist made it difficult to pinpoint the location the song was coming from but I wanted to investigate. I walked around for a few moments until I saw her. Out of the mist came Otgiva, smiling, her golden hair flowing down her shoulders. She was calling me to her. “Come darling, let’s rest together”, her voice spoke in my head as she led me through the mist.

- My Lord, a distant voice echoed, where are you?
- Darling, it’s just beyond this hill, she said, we’re almost home.

I followed her but my eyes grew heavy and I couldn’t stay awake. My feet kept going but I had no control over them. Each step was more painful than the one before and all I wanted to do is fall to the ground and sleep. “Not long now, my love, and you can sleep” she spoke again, her words soothing. Then I tripped on something, something that looked like a snake, or a tail, and as I went down a strong hand grabbed me. I instinctively tried to fight back, but the grip was more than I could handle.

- My Lord, a man spoke, are you alright? Magnus?
- Who...what...what’s going on, I whispered, unable to concentrate.

There was no answer, but I could feel someone carrying me. There was more than one person, as I could make sense of some words, a conversation they were having, whoever they were, but then everything went dark. When I woke up again we were on the move and Torben was riding by my side.

- How do you feel, my Prince, he asked, have you slept well?
- I think so, but I don’t recall what happened.
- Exhaustion. You drove yourself so hard that your body gave up, he replied, but we found you and the camp healers gave you herbs.
- How long was I unconscious?
- Not long, just a couple of days, but we kept on marching. There’s still some way to go.
- Where’s Otgiva? I asked.
- Princess Otgiva? Well, I imagine she’s in Arhus, where we left her.
- No, I saw her, I spoke to her, before you came.

Torben said nothing and let me rest, though the more I thought about it, the more I realised it couldn’t have been Otgiva. Exhaustion, Torben had said, I had simply been tired and I had seen and heard things. After resting we resumed our march though not as hard as before. We sent out regular patrols, organized hunting parties and slowly morale grew once more. A scout patrol reported that we were five hours away from exiting the forest and that the coastline was near, which meant we hadn’t gotten lost. Also, the most important news of all, they had ridden out of the forest and Kalmar’s walls could be seen beyond some hills. We had been marching for no longer than twelve days but it felt like years. Father should have brought reinforcements by now but I had no way of knowing, as I had been marching through these forsaken woods for all this time. Still, we had reached the city without significant losses, not counting the men that were lost with Jon and the fleet. I ordered scouts to look for enemy patrols while the men set up camp and the following morning I decided to send envoys to request their surrender before “the main army, led by the King of Denmark himself, would reach the gates within the hour”. We were tired and I wanted to avoid this fight. The garrison’s answer was as straight forward as was my lie obvious.

Battle of Kalmar

Even if we were tired after the long march, I still hadn’t expected for what followed to happen. The city gates opened and hundreds of warriors poured out screaming “we surrender, but our weapons do not”. Blood raged inside me all of a sudden and without much thought I gave the order to attack them head on. I rode like a mad man in front of our spears, followed by my bodyguard retinue. I must say that in the heat of the moment I had forgotten all about strategy, defence or positioning, all I saw before me was the man I was determined to impale. Luckily, Torben ordered our archers to stay behind and launch a rain of arrows upon the enemy. The cavalry hit the raiders with a hellish clash while our spears followed closely. Once the infantry engaged with each other, I manoeuvred to the left of the enemy. We charged their unprotected flank as they were still trying to sally and later found out that their general died right there. What ensued was their total rout, with me and my bodyguards at their backs. No to mention that by the time we had gotten to the town square no man was left alive. Thus ended my first real battle, with more than two thirds of the enemy either killed or captured by me and my bodyguards.

Kalmar had been taken, Sautes had been deprived of his city and the safety this brought, at least for now. After the hardships endured on our way here, after the uncertainty regarding our fates, the men had been overwhelmed by this “heroic victory” as they called it. I had somehow managed to lead them to victory, against larger numbers. If days before they had regarded me as a fool leading them to their deaths, now they hailed me as a victor, their leader, their general.

However, I still had to decide what to do now that the city had fallen. As I understood, Sautes had been a cruel lord who often in his fits of rage would torture and kill tens of men just because they had crossed his path. For that reason, I decided not to persecute the civilians, even though many had lost fathers, brothers and sons just days before. The decision was made to peacefully occupy the town, though it was different however for many of the prisoners. I had to know where Sautes had gone and why so I too had to persuade a few prisoners to answer our questions.

The information we gathered was unreliable, often what one man said being totally opposed by another. It soon became clear that none knew Sautes’ location so I demanded the hanging and tortures be stopped. I requisitioned a manor close to the town square for both me and Torben and I stationed most of the men in a large building, also close to the square so as to be able to defend ourselves should anything unpleasant take place.

The barracks

7
Magnus' residence in Kalmar

One day, as I was passing through the streets of Kalmar in order to know its strengths and weaknesses, a soldier approached me, though by his breastplate I realized it wasn’t one of my men. The few guards I was with tried to stop him before he got to me, but I stopped them and soon found myself face to face with the man.

Svend

-Finally, I am able to see my Lord and Prince; he spoke with a tone that no ordinary soldier speaks.
- And who might you be, I inquired, as you are obviously not with the local soldiers, I said, pointing in the direction of the cemetery.
- Indeed, I am not. Permit me to humbly introduce myself. My name is Svend and I am a loyal subject of his majesty King Valdemar, therefore your loyal subject.
- Oh, so you are the one that invited me to Kalmar so graciously, I said laughing.
- Indeed, Sire. I was sent to these parts a long ago, in order to start building a spy network and assist you with information in any way I could. A task I plan to continue on doing, with your will.
- Of course, of course. It is good to have reliable people around you.

With that, Svend took his leave from me and I returned to my tasks. There were a few issues I wanted to address, the most important one being our next step. We were undermanned, the distance between Lund and Kalmar was too long and there weren’t any roads to be used and going by sea was out of the question. I summoned Torben and the other small nobles that were with me and started to debate whether to stay in Kalmar and send messengers to Lund for reinforcements or leave behind a token force and search for Sautes. We decided to send men to Lund; meanwhile we would strengthen ourselves here, recruiting what men we could.

Three days later, Torben burst through my doors, screaming like a mad man: “Jon, Jon is here, sails entering the harbour, it’s Jon.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I jumped from my desk, ran past Torben and out into the streets, heading towards the city docks. Indeed, ships were entering the harbour and leading them, was Jon’s dirty and ragged red and white banner. Moments later I saw him, on the ship’s deck, waving at me. As soon as he came ashore I hugged him as tight as I could, happy to see him again. By that time Torben had arrived there too and together we entered the first tavern we could see. Inside, all the faces turned to us and as the people recognized us, everything stopped every discussion, the music, all laughter or angry disputes. Everybody looked at us almost with fear.

- Free drinks for everyone here, I shouted, all will be paid by the Crown. Here before you, I said pointing at Jon, stands a proud son of Denmark, a son that has returned from the afterlife.

Not everybody cheered, understandably, but most people did, as they were Danish soldiers or sailors off duty; music began playing again and as the three of us headed for one of the corner tables the people made room for us.

- Tell us what happened, I asked as we sat down, we thought we had lost you. How did you know we had taken Kalmar?
- Well, there’s not much to tell, Jon replied.
- Nonsense, Torben said, you must tell us everything.
- At first, Jon began, I was completely caught off guard and I didn’t know what to do. The enemy fleet was larger than our own. However, as we had been split into three smaller groups, we managed to slip by, under the cover of darkness. We sailed in different directions and met up in Lund. To be honest, I still don’t know how we managed to escape. I guess it’s all due to my lucky lady, Jon said.

After we left the tavern I told Jon and Torben to meet me in my private quarters as I wanted to tell them my plan.

- I want to head north and siege Stockholm, that way Sautes will have nowhere to hide, except the mountains and forests.
- But Sire, Torben spoke; it is against your father’s wishes. He told us to wait for him here or until he sends word to us to do otherwise. I imagine he must be well on his way here by now.
- Maybe, I said, but that still doesn’t change matters.
- What about Kalmar? Will you leave it without protection? Jon asked. You went through so much to capture it and now you will leave it?
- Not entirely. It became clear to me that Sautes treated the people here like his personal puppets, killing and torturing many of them. Maybe that is why we haven’t had too much trouble until now and the people seem to fare well enough, considering the circumstances. They will however be properly governed, I assure you. Will they not, Lord Torben? I trust that in your position as the new governor of Kalmar you will treat them kindly enough.
- Thank you milord, Torben said, you honour me, but I cannot leave your side when you need me most.
- You will not, as I need you here, in Kalmar, to take care of matters for me. As the Regent of Lund and commander of this campaign, I am sure your appointment will not be contested in Arhus.
- What about the men we sent to Lund for reinforcements, Torben asked.
- Now that Jon is back, we’ll send a squadron to get them.
- What is the plan then, Jon asked.
- You are to take me to Stockholm, by sea and land me there. I will take only the Norse archers with me. Then you will sail to Arhus and talk either with father or, if he has already marched against Sautes, talk to Knud and demand more troops for me. We will meet back in Kalmar after that.
- When are we to sail for Stockholm? Jon asked.
- In a couple of days, but first we’ll give your men some time to rest.

[NorseThing]

Fabulous update! I read it three times!!!

Your quote -- When a commander doesn’t know what to do next, there are only two choices; either find an answer or relinquish command.”


That got me to thinking. There must be something of sorts as a quote by every great general. I took a look at General Patten and found this which is similar -- Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.

Anyways, it was a great read, a great reread, and a...

[Alwyn]

Good chapter! I particularly liked the way that Magnus reflected on the wisdom of his father (about what commanders should do when they don't know what to do next), the surprise arrival of the 'proud son of Denmark' at the city docks and the way that you use images to illustrate places and people.

[Darkan]

Fabulous update! I read it three times!!!
Your quote -- When a commander doesn’t know what to do next, there are only two choices; either find an answer or relinquish command.”
That got me to thinking. There must be something of sorts as a quote by every great general. I took a look at General Patten and found this which is similar -- Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.
Anyways, it was a great read, a great reread, and a...

Thank you! I'm happy you've enjoyed the update three times, hopefully you found something new/interesting each time.

Good chapter! I particularly liked the way that Magnus reflected on the wisdom of his father (about what commanders should do when they don't know what to do next), the surprise arrival of the 'proud son of Denmark' at the city docks and the way that you use images to illustrate places and people.

Much obliged! In the end, Magnus has less experience than his father and he's now starting to find out what war is. Regarding the pictures, sometimes I abolutely love campaign map pics, to the point where there are instances where the campaing ttells me to do something but the story contradicts it, so I listen to the story.

[Darkan]

Chapter 8 – The Plunder

We spent about a week in Kalmar before once again we boarded the ships. We reached Stockholm and as soon as we landed, Jon pleaded that he remain and take part in the siege, saying that he couldn’t let me alone so deep in enemy territory and I agreed, giving him command over the archers. As for the battle itself, there isn’t much to tell. Three days after our arrival we moved on the city. Being so few in numbers, we managed to get close to the city walls before the garrison could react. First blood belonged to Jon’s archers, as they shot a few volleys into the spears posted on the walls.

A few moments later the garrison sallied forth and as the archers shot volley after volley at them, I ordered a full charge. I was counting on the impact of the heavy cavalry to do the work as it had previously done at Kalmar and it was indeed so.

Battle of Stockholm

With a terrible Roar, the Stockholm garrison sallies forth The Danish cavalrymen are confident As the cavalry charges, arrows rain down upon the enemy A final cavalry charge Softened by the arrow fire, the militias soon broke and we followed them into the city, either killing those that still resisted or capturing those that had laid down their weapons. Magnus is covered in the enemy's blood

After the battle ended, Jon and I were trying to figure out how to handle things, talking to some officers. They were saying that the men wanted to plunder the richest houses and my order against it made them angry. All of a sudden I heard commotion in front of the house we were in. At first I paid little attention to it but then the door opened violently and none other than Svend entered. The soldiers posted outside had tried to stop him and he had argued with them.

- What is the meaning of this, I burst, while Jon was already sword in hand, ready for a fight, as were the other captains.
- My Prince, I bring terrible news, Svend said. The King is dead.
- What do you say? I asked, unable to understand his words.
- Your father, the king, is dead.

I couldn’t believe it. I must say his words seemed to fly past me, I couldn’t truly understand their meaning. I fell back in my chair, and the room started to spin around me. I could hear Jon, as if through a dream, ordering the captains to leave us alone. I looked at Svend, then at Jon, but I couldn’t bring myself to think. My father was dead? How could that be?

- Tell us everything you know, Jon said.
- After I left Kalmar, Svend began, I went searching for Sautes as ordered but then I heard rumours that the king had died. Of course I didn’t believe them at first, but then some of my own men kept confirming the news.
- How did it happen, I asked, barely able to pronounce the words, has Sautes defeated my father?
- Apparently not, milord, Svend continued. From what I could gather, it seems as the king was killed by Lord Erik.
- What? It cannot be, I said.
- Indeed it seems it was so, Svend said. The king marched south and it was there that Erik attacked and killed him, as well as Harald.
- Harald is dead too? It was Jon’s turn to ask.
- Indeed, Svend said.

This was unimaginable. I told them to get out; all I wanted was to be alone. It was clear by now that Svend had told the truth. How could we have left father to go see that traitor? Why hadn’t I supported Knud? My father’s praises had blinded me to the real threat this Erik posed and I imagined everything would be sorted out. My father was dead, Harald had also died and here I was, in the God forsaken north, trying to prove my worth. What did this damned town mean now? I had hoped that taking it for the kingdom would allow me to give some kind of an excuse for going against my father’s orders but now he was dead. It was my own fault, had I been there, had I reported to him after Kalmar maybe none of this would have happened. I stormed out of the house and went past Jon and Svend, I lit a torch and threw it through the nearest window, then I turned towards the captains, who were also waiting outside, and shouted at them:

- Sack the city, plunder until there is nothing left to plunder and kill those that oppose you.

I went back inside and sat down. Outside, the screams of the townsfolk, accompanied by the sound of burning houses and the harsh shouts of my soldiers seemed like a concert meant to quell the pain I felt within. I drank cup after cup of wine and each time someone would come in I would throw them out again. I drank until I couldn’t drink anymore; I drank until I couldn’t hear the uproar outside.

Morning came and with it, uncertainty. I went outside, only to be greeted by the view of the burnt town, the smell of burnt wood and charred meat in the air. As I walked around, trying to remember what exactly had happened the night before, I could see corpses everywhere. Men were lying dead all through the streets; some were soldiers but most were peasants and townsfolk. I heard crying in one of the houses and went in through the opened door. On the floor there was the body of a young woman and clinging to her was a small girl, crying and pleading her mother wake up. She saw me and turned towards me sobbing, frightened by the sudden apparition of this ironclad man.

- My mommy won’t wake up, she said faintly, and we must go to the market to sell our vegetables.

She was no more than six years old. I didn’t know what to do; I didn’t know how to even begin to tell her that her mother won’t be waking up, that there was no market…or that I was to blame. I walked out, crying and wondered through the streets. Every time I ran into groups of soldiers they would cheer, greet me, though all I could see was the death I had caused these innocent people. I then remembered Svend and his message: my father had died; I felt just like that little girl, pleading that it wouldn’t be true. I didn’t know what to do. Tired, I went and looked for Jon and I found him near the docks. Seeing as our ships had been there the other night, our soldiers spared the docks from their pillaging rampage.

- How are you, my Prince? Jon asked me with a disapproving look in his eyes.
- Worst than I thought, I said. Why did you let me order the sacking, why didn’t you try to stop me?
- It was too late. By the time I told the captains to disregard your order the men had already gotten out of hand. All I could do was send my sailors to guard the more important buildings and the people that hid inside.
- The king is dead, I said. What do we do now?
- Now your brother is King and you, milord, are the Heir. We must sail to Arhus and talk to your brother.

- Yes, Knud will know what to do.
- We can leave on the morrow; I already posted men throughout the town and told the captains that any more pillaging and disorder would be punishable by death. Everything is in place.
- What about Svend? Where is he?
- I talked to him last night, he told me what he knew and then I sent him to finish his mission and look for Sautes. I told him we would be going to Arhus and he should look for us there.
- Thank you, my friend.
- You don’t have to. We must now go to Arhus and deal with this, one way or the other, Jon said.

[NorseThing]

It seems we all have our kings dying in our after action reports now.

I actually liked how you handled this with both the dialogue and the narrative.

[Alwyn]

A powerful chapter, I like the way that you tell the story of the event which triggers the decision to sack the city, and the consequences of this involving the young child.

[Darkan]

It seems we all have our kings dying in our after action reports now.

Yes, life is uncertain in medieval Europe and perhaps even more so in the north.

I actually liked how you handled this with both the dialogue and the narrative.

A powerful chapter, I like the way that you tell the story of the event which triggers the decision to sack the city, and the consequences of this involving the young child.

Thank you! Well, Magnus is learning after all. He may not be the darkest/toughest of generals, but he isn't exactly innocent either. In a way, the girl losing her mom and Magnus losing his dad...you get the point.

[HuliganFish]

This AAR has, so far, been an amazing read!
I really appreciate the way you've presented the innerworks of the Danish nobility and the differences within the royal family.

I'm eagerly waiting for the next update!

[Darkan]

This AAR has, so far, been an amazing read!
I really appreciate the way you've presented the innerworks of the Danish nobility and the differences within the royal family.

I'm eagerly waiting for the next update!

Thank you for your kind words and welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it so far, hopefully you'll like the rest. The updates usually come once/week, at the weekend.

As a general bit of information, considering this story lurked in my copmuter for about seven years, when I decided to share it here I had to do a bit of research as to the general provinces/holdings in Denmark at the time (or thereabouts). Since Med2 has the Council missions, it was relatively natural for me to give faces to this council.

[Darkan]

Chapter 9 – The King’s Death

We set sail the next day, planning to stop in Kalmar first and talk to Torben, tell him what had happened and ask him to stay back and also keep an eye on Stockholm. As we approached Kalmar, we spotted pirate ships and Jon prepared for combat.

The strait between Kalmar and Visby was blocked by a pirate fleet

There were three pirate ships versus our smaller, yet more manoeuvrable longboats.

Though equal in number of ships, the pirates had a slight advantage

We sent volley after volley of fire arrows at the pirates, trying to set their sails ablaze. Jon shouted precise orders and the sailors completed them fast and efficiently. In the end we managed to sink all three of the ships.

After the battle I congratulated Jon, though he seemed more worried about the men he had lost.

- These were the pirates that attacked me when we were first going to Kalmar, remember?
- Those you managed to escape from, correct?
- The very same, Jon said. They are harboured across the channel, in Gotland. The waters here are not safe and we cannot afford to lose men and trade.
- We will deal with them, I told him, but first we must reach Arhus.
- So we won’t stop in Kalmar then?
- No, send a boat to tell Torben the news. He’ll be in charge of Stockholm as well.

The voyage to Arhus was very tiresome for me. I spent most of the time in my cabin and only Jon came by from time to time, though mostly he was caught up with his own duties. I now had enough time to think back about the last events that passed over us like tumultuous waters pass over the mightiest cliff. I had successfully taken both Kalmar and Stockholm, though the latter had been against my father’s wishes and also the worst of my decisions. I had not only gone too far north, I had also let hundreds of innocent men die only because I had been too blinded by rage. They hadn’t been responsible for my father’s death but they suffered for it nonetheless. From time to time I still dreamt that little girl, clenching her mother’s hands and crying next to her. She haunted my nights but I felt I deserved it for having behaved the way I did. Other moments were slightly better, especially those when my thoughts would turn to Otgiva, to the fact that I would soon see her and be able to hold her. Then I would go back into my own pain, letting it embrace me. How could Otgiva, so fair and pure, love the man I felt I was becoming? How could she understand that I had caused the death of thousands of people, soldiers and civilians alike? She had told me she would wait for me, but now, I wasn’t so sure. Our wedding was scheduled to be in no more than two weeks, though now it hardly seemed appropriate. Then there was also Knud, my brother, now the King of Denmark. I had no doubt he would be one of the great kings and that he would accomplish great things and I was ready to aid him however I could. Unfortunately, all I knew was how to be a soldier. Early on our father, seeing that Knud will not follow in his soldiering footsteps, had me learn the tactics and strategies needed in time of war and I must confess I enjoyed every moment of it. I practiced riding and sword fighting with as much enthusiasm as one could have, though only now, after Stockholm, do I understand what it means to go to war…and here I am headed straight into one larger than I could imagine.

Harald also came to mind. He had been a close friend of my father’s and a pious and devout cardinal and he had always treated those beneath him with kindness and understanding, though he never had any doubts in opposing those that wanted too much for themselves. Had he known what I let happen in Stockholm, he would have reprimanded me regardless of being a prince. He had also been very close to Knud, teaching him and aiding him with his gubernatorial duties and calming my father whenever he burst against Knud. I couldn’t even imagine what his loss meant for my brother. No doubt he would want to take action against the traitorous Erik as soon as possible, my only hope was that I would reach Arhus in time to be a part of it. Even so, Knud was not entirely alone as many capable nobles were by his side, most notably Lord Otto Falk and Lord Mikkel Gedde, the Lolland High Chieftain, men whose influence and advice would prove very helpful in these dire times.

Close to the end of our voyage I called Jon, worried that my army was now split between Lund, Kalmar and Stockholm. I didn’t worry too much about Kalmar, as Torben was there managing things and not even about Lund, as the garrison was enough to withstand a direct assault, not to mention that Lord Finn was nearby in his castle. My main concerns were Stockholm and the fact that we had virtually no troops with us, should any be needed to march against Erik. Admiral Jon eased my mind as Knud would have no doubt managed to levy enough troops by now.

- Upon hearing that their King has been so wretchedly murdered, the common folk will have no trouble in flocking under the new King’s banners, Jon told me and besides, we could always summon troops from Lund should there be any need of them. Get ready milord, we will enter Arhus shortly.

Within the hour the city’s towers were in sight and as we approached the harbour, the churches’ bells chimed the sad, lonely song of a King’s funeral.

The Docks District was bursting with people. Apart from the ones that had their businesses in this area and the warehouse workers and sailors, people from all over the nearby region were seeking passage aboard the ships. There were more soldiers than usual as they were trying to keep some resemblance of order. I had came ashore accompanied only by Jon and as nobody was expecting us, we managed to get through all those people without much delay. We were very surprised when we realised that not only the Docks District was teeming with people, but all of Arhus itself. There were even more soldiers spread through the entire city and never before had I seen this many troops in one place. There had to be more than four thousand men throughout and the civilians were even more.

- This is good, I turned to Jon, it seems we have arrived in time. Let’s go to the palace and see Knud.

When we reached the palace, I saw a few nobles I recognized so we approached them, wanting to get a few facts before we entered. They looked tense but after seeing us, they changed colours immediately.

- My Liege, one of them spoke; it is such a relief to see you. Chaos is everywhere and after the death of the King messengers were sent but none managed to find you.
- Yes, I was further north than planned, I said. What’s going on? Why do you talk of chaos?
- The people are fleeing the city; others come here from all over the villages seeing shelter every day.
- Tell us what’s happened, Jon spoke angrily, you’re not making any sense.

Just as he was about to speak Lord Otto Falk came from the palace and called us inside. We still had no idea about what was going on and I only wanted to see Knud.

- Lord Otto, I said, what is wrong with everybody? Where is Knud?
- In the cathedral. The King has been killed by the traitor Erik.
- Is his body not laid to rest yet? Is that why Knud is there?

Otto was racing through the corridors and Jon and I raced after him. To our many questions he remained silent; a fact that made us wonder even more about what had gone wrong. All over the palace corridors and chambers we went through, the noblemen and noblewomen stepped aside, making room for us. It was as if they knew where we were headed, as if all knew it except me and Jon. Finally I realized we were headed towards the Council Chambers and I imagined all the members would be there, as well as Knud. This is good, I thought, it seems Knud doesn’t waste time. When we entered where the Council of Nobles would usually meet, however, there was nobody there. I looked at Jon in astonishment. Otto then led us into his private office and shut the door behind us.

- What is this, where is everybody? Jon asked.
- And where is Knud? I seconded him.
- The King has been killed, as I’ve said, Otto replied and sat down behind his desk.
- We know, I said, he travelled south and Erik killed him. That is why I want to see Knud.

With that I stood up from my seat, determined to go directly to Knud’s private quarters.

- It is King Knud I am talking about, Otto said.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

This was more than I was expecting, more than I could imagine. I remained there, standing, looking from Otto to Jon and backwards. Jon was also shocked and we both looked at Otto with disbelief. I sat down slowly, afraid not to fall down on the carpet covered stone tiles.

- How can this be? I asked Otto. I…I do not believe it. We had just found out a few days ago that father had died; it isn’t possible that Knud has also died. I demand to see him right now.
- He is at the cathedral, he has been there ever since he was brought back, Otto said.
- No, I shouted, I demand to see him now, alive. Go get him, I turned to Jon, we will wait here.
- Milord, I…I don’t know…, Jon babbled, if Otto…if the King …
- Lord Otto, I turned to Otto once more, I demand you send for him right now.
- My Lords, Otto spoke slowly, King Valdemar was devilishly murdered by Erik, as was Harald and King Knud fell in battle against the same man.
- When was this?
- Two weeks ago, Otto replied. After the death of your beloved father and Harald, king Knud assembled the Council of Nobles.

Otto started telling us everything that had happened after we had left for Lund. Some things we knew, others were maddeningly new to our ears. First he told us what he had found out about my father’s death. The King and Harald travelled south, despite everyone’s advice not to do so, accompanied only by his Royal Guards. “I trust these few men more than I trust these so-called nobles that sit on their asses each day and get fatter and fatter” he had told them.

Erik then attacked them and as they fought, more men surrounded the entire group.

King Valdemar ambushed


King Valdemar's moment of death

They had been slaughtered to a man and the news and account of what had happened came from a handful of deserters from Erik’s army.

- What happened to these men, I want to question them again, I said, determined to cut out every word from their throats myself.
- They were imprisoned and later killed by King Knud’s orders, Otto told us. We tortured them before that so we have no doubt that their testimonies were real.

I listened to Otto’s story with half deafened ears, trying to rid my mind of the images of both my father and Knud dead, killed by Erik. His very name made my blood boil with rage. After my father’s death, Knud had summoned the Council and it had been agreed that a royal army must be raised and messengers were sent to all villages to recruit new men and levy troops. They had also sent messengers to Lund to find me and deliver the news but they hadn’t been able to reach me before I left for Kalmar and then Stockholm. They had been several steps behind me. Knud had been determined to avenge our father and kill Lord Erik, Otto continued with his story, and he hadn’t had the patience to wait for myself or the recruitment to be done.

- I told him we should wait for you and the forces you would bring but he was determined to march. “I will make Erik pay for what he has done and by doing so I will prove I am also a capable general”, he kept telling us. Of course I had to agree and then we marched south.

King Knud led our forces south

Account of the Battle of Jutland

We were at a disadvantage, having new recruits and militia banners We attacked Erik and Knud gave the order to advance to all of our forces. The two lines crashed one against the other and soon there was almost no way of discerning friend from foe. Our troops however, were no match for Erik’s more experienced soldiers and they soon started to rout one banner at a time, while the enemy archers fired volley after volley of fire arrows. I started to shout at the men and tried to make them regroup near our own archer line. But to no avail, as they too fled, the cowards that they were. Knud rode alone to meet Erik in single combat. But he fell to Erik’s sword. We were defeated, losing more than half of our army and our King.

- So, the soldiers we have seen all over Arhus are remnants of the army? Jon asked.
- No, Otto replied, the survivors fled all over the region, deserting their King and only a handful returned to Arhus.
- And you were one of those few, I spat angrily. You weren’t able to defend your Kings and ran like a coward to hide behind the walls.
- It is as you say, but I had to oversee what was left of the army and complete the recruitment. At the time your whereabouts were unknown to us and only the Council of Nobles remained to face Erik, but now I am ready to serve you, my King, Otto said, and I am at your disposal, as are all my resources.

His words hit me like a heavy stone. I was not a Prince anymore; I was King of Denmark.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

These words lingered in my head as I tried to comprehend the position I was in. I never wanted the Crown, I never even for an instant thought about it. Ever since I was a child I knew I would be a prince of the realm and it was enough. To my mind, Knud would be the king, followed by his sons and I would try and do my best to help him. I had trained all my life to become a general, a warrior like my father before me and it had been enough, until now. All of a sudden I was King when I shouldn’t have been. Unlike others who become kings after countless years of battles or those that follow their fathers after they die of old age, I became King within a year, without any warning, after I had lost both my father and brother to the same man, one assassinated for being too trusting, the other killed in battle. I then remembered where I was and more importantly, that there were others with me.

- I welcome your assistance Lord Otto. You must know that your words are comforting, even though they remind me of the loss I suffered, the loss all Danish sons and daughters suffered.
- I am your servant, Otto replied.
- As am I, my King, Jon said bowing before me and kissing my hand.
- There is no need for this, I said, putting my hands around Jon’s shoulders, lifting him to his feet. I will leave you now, I wish to be alone. Tomorrow morning have the Council assemble so we can decide what our course of action is. I am counting on you both, I am counting on everybody, I said and left the room.

I had lied to them; I didn’t want to be alone and I already knew what I would do. I would march against Erik with all the men in Arhus or alone if need be and I would kill him with my own hand. Though for now, I only wanted one thing; I wanted to see Otgiva so I walked through the empty halls and corridors, exited the palace grounds and turned towards Lord Bundgaard’s estate. As I arrived there, I was glad to see that Lord Alwin van Vosselen was still in Arhus. He saw me and greeted me warmly.

- Prince, I am most happy to see you, he said. Also, receive my sincerest condolences and my full support.
- I thank you, kind Sir. How fares Lady Otgiva, I inquired, hoping for the first good news in weeks.
- She is well milord, though very worried. She kept asking about you ever since your father died at the hands of that vile man. We all know what happened. Seeing that nobody knew where you were, she grew more worried by the day but will undoubtedly be happy to see you.
- Can I see her now?
- Indeed you can, Lord Alwin said and we started walking towards the door. Oh, my sincerest apologies milord, I had previously addressed you as Prince but in fact you are now King.
- Indeed I am, though I would happily give the Crown for my father and brother’s lives.

The look on Lord Alwin’s face suddenly changed, realizing he had struck a sensitive chord and he didn’t say anything until we reached Otgiva’s quarters. He opened the doors and entered, then, after a few moments he came out and told me I could now see Otgiva. I smiled, probably one of the saddest smiles, took a deep breath and entered.

[NorseThing]

I know from experience attack is better than defend with the longboats versus the mercenary squadrons, but this was still an act of courage versus flight. I applaud the admiral. I would never have attempted it at such odds though if flight were an option that. The option of flight does not look realistic since the pirates are south of the squadrons and the passage is narrow. Of course the previous encounter did not go well. The pirates needed to be neutralized eventually.

[Axis Sunsoar]

I apologize for being so delinquent in catching up, I've been a bit too busy to stay up to date on my TWC reading lately, but I'm glad I finally got around to it. Your last few chapters have been gripping, I especially liked the reunion with Jon and how you worked those traits in to his story, and then the sudden turnaround of the death of the king. This is a situation that particular highlights the efficacy of the 1st person narrative style, because as readers we had no idea it was coming because we did not even know the king would be riding against the rebels. Then tying that in to Magnus' mental state and ordering the sack of Stockholm was exceptional work!

[Alwyn]

As NorseThing said, the admiral was a brave one! Magnus is learning indeed, and it sounds like he'll need to continue to learn - as well as dealing with his inner turmoil over recent events. As Axis said, your first-person narrative works well, as we only know what Magnus knows at each stage.

[HuliganFish]

What a turn of events!
This chapter hits hard and is probably my favorite one yet. Magnus is thrown from a greenhorn commander to the king of Denmark through loss and catastrophy, which in no doubt make him an interesting monarch to explore.

I also liked how much time you dedicated to Jon's arc and how he became a key figure in the story!

Keep up the good work!

[Darkan]

Thank you all for your praise and encouragement!

I know from experience attack is better than defend with the longboats versus the mercenary squadrons, but this was still an act of courage versus flight. I applaud the admiral. I would never have attempted it at such odds though if flight were an option that. The option of flight does not look realistic since the pirates are south of the squadrons and the passage is narrow. Of course the previous encounter did not go well. The pirates needed to be neutralized eventually.

I think in the (older) DLV mod the player's navies are stronger than in SS, though I couldn't say for sure. Throught many campaigns I've won naval battles that I thought lost.

I apologize for being so delinquent in catching up, I've been a bit too busy to stay up to date on my TWC reading lately, but I'm glad I finally got around to it. Your last few chapters have been gripping, I especially liked the reunion with Jon and how you worked those traits in to his story, and then the sudden turnaround of the death of the king. This is a situation that particular highlights the efficacy of the 1st person narrative style, because as readers we had no idea it was coming because we did not even know the king would be riding against the rebels. Then tying that in to Magnus' mental state and ordering the sack of Stockholm was exceptional work!

No worries, the story's here and you shouldn't feel pressured in reading it just because. Since this is more of a roleplay campaign, it made sense to include traits in the story. This also means that gameplay is slightly conditioned by what you want to achieve or by how the story evolves. Thank you for the praise, first person narrative also keeps things simpler for me, in general. Years ago, before I started writing, I was thinking between first person or several characters' point of view, but this was better for a first try. Regarding the sacking, it was done purely for story (again, story conditioning gameplay).

As NorseThing said, the admiral was a brave one! Magnus is learning indeed, and it sounds like he'll need to continue to learn - as well as dealing with his inner turmoil over recent events. As Axis said, your first-person narrative works well, as we only know what Magnus knows at each stage.

You know what they say, we never stop learning. I have to confess that it was always a strnage feeling for me to know more than the characters (and readers), and while writing, I sometimes have to remind myself "no, they don't know that, can't talk about it yet." Even more so when this is the first thing I wrote that other people have read (barring the occasional ideas sent to friends or family).

What a turn of events!
This chapter hits hard and is probably my favorite one yet. Magnus is thrown from a greenhorn commander to the king of Denmark through loss and catastrophy, which in no doubt make him an interesting monarch to explore.

I also liked how much time you dedicated to Jon's arc and how he became a key figure in the story!

Keep up the good work!

It's one of my favourites as well, though I sometimes thought that the reveal of King Valdemar and King Knud's death were too close together. Still, loss and catastrophy makes for great reading (and writing). *thinking of characters* Sorry Magnus! Jon is quite close to Magnus and now, a type of mentor as well. It's not really a promise but my (very serious) intention is to finish this AAR.

[Darkan]

Intermezzo

There she was, sitting on a chair close to one of the large windows. She was more beautiful than I remembered. Seeing her seemed awkward though, it felt as if I were dreaming, as if I was still somewhere in the Scandinavian forests, marching or sleeping in the cabin of a ship, it was surreal. She smiled as I approached her, a most divine smile and I couldn’t take it anymore. I fell on my knees, at her feet; I burst into tears and put my head in her lap. It must have frightened her, as for an instant she hadn’t reacted; but then, slowly, she put her small hand on my head and caressed my hair. It took me a few minutes to recover, everything I had learnt since coming back, every news and fact, had struck at me over and over again and she had been the only good thing to look forward to. I got up, ashamed of myself and sat down next to her.

- I am sorry, I said, please accept my deepest apologies.
- You need not worry Your Majesty!

She was nervous, I could tell by her whispered words, by her eyes that looked everywhere but into mine, by her hands, resting in her lap. I didn’t know what to say, yet there were so many things I wanted to tell her. I wanted to tell her how much I longed to see her again, to apologise for having had her wait for me too long, I wanted to cry in her arms.

- You need not address me formally, I finally spoke, at least not when there’s nobody else around. Please call me Magnus.
- If it pleases Your Majesty, she said, I will do so...Magnus.
- I am sorry, I kept apologizing, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. It is just that so many things have happened so fast, I wasn’t at all prepared for them.
- I understand, she said, and I thank you for taking the time to come visit me, I know you must have many things to attend to.

I kept looking into her eyes, mesmerised. Finally I decided to tell her everything.

- It was you I wanted to see all along, I said, ever since I had to leave Arhus. I kept you in my thoughts, longing for the moment we would see each other again, though I had never imagined it would be under these circumstances. Now I am here, though I must once more depart and I do not know for how long.
- What is important is that we are here now, she said. I am sorry for your loss, it is terrible to lose so much in such a short time, but know that I am here for you.
- I thank you for your kind words, I said, taking her hand into mine. I imagined this moment in a different manner, I continued. I was supposed to come back with father and then we were supposed to have celebrated our wedding. I wanted to make Lund a worthy residence for you and we would have spent our time together there or here, in Arhus. Now, nothing is certain anymore.
- I am certain, she said, of your feelings and also my own. We do not have to get married straight away; besides, we cannot as your entire kingdom has to mourn the passing of its Kings. I understand this. I also understand you have to travel this road you were forced to take but rest assured I will be here when you come back.

I was amazed by her words, by her intuition and her ability to understand matters that I hadn’t shared with anyone else. It was as if she could see inside my heart, know what I felt, understand my struggles.

- Are you sure you can manage, I asked her, are you sure this will not upset your family, your countrymen and more importantly, are you sure it will not upset you?
- Our union has been approved already, I was to become a Princess of Denmark at your side, a brave Prince, but it seems fate decided you would be King and I your Queen. I do not mind waiting.

She had transformed completely. She was no longer a shy, timid girl, before my very eyes she had turned into a driven and brave woman. We spent the next hours talking as after all, we barely knew each other. We ordered dinner to be brought in for the two of us, we drank wine and then, as the moon appeared, we went walking in the same garden we had walked the night before my departure. The more time we talked about things, the more I understood that she was the one for me, that she would be my Queen. I promised her that we would get married after I had defeated Erik and she blushed, turning into the young, shy girl that I had seen before. The hours I spent with her made me forget the devastating news, the hard times myself and the kingdom went through and I somehow felt renewed. I gave her one of my rings and she gave me one of hers, thus tightening our love and union. There would be nothing that would keep me from returning to her; to the woman I fell in love with in an instant, at a banquet. Even I didn’t truly understand how that had happened, more than that, how she had also fallen in love with me. It became clear that we were united by more than an agreement between our fathers. Our night came to an end when one of Otgiva’s maids approached us.

- Your Majesty, there is a man waiting for you at the garden’s entrance, she said to me, bowed and quickly retired.
- It seems our night ends here, my love.
- Indeed it seems, she replied, but I await the time when we can be together again, however long it may take.

I escorted her back towards her quarters’ entrance and then headed where the maid had told me I was expected. The man that waited for me was in fact Jon.

- My friend, I said smiling, what is it?
- You left so hastily milord, I just wanted to make sure you were all right.
- I am now, I said, turning my head towards Otgiva’s window. I am now.

We started to walk towards the main palace entrance, enjoying the night air and the cool breeze.

- I’m happy for you, Your Majesty, as happy as I can be considering…
- I know and I thank you for this. Is everything prepared for tomorrow?
- It is, Jon said, Otto and I have already sent word to have the nobles assemble at first light.

Good, now let’s go to sleep my friend, we will need all the rest for the days ahead.

[HuliganFish]

A great update!
I really like how Magnus' road is rife with pitfalls, and you make an amazing job at emphasizing his humanity and feelings.

I have mixed feelings about the new queen of Denmark, as things just seem to go very easily in her favor

[NorseThing]

As HuliganFish mentioned, a great update.