Homelands
Chapter Twenty Five: Land of Snow and Ice
Part 1
Prelude:
As the Kieven Rus dissolved into history, Russia was known less as "Russia" and more as either "Mordvia", for the Mordvin and pagan regions; or "Ladusia", for the Prussian controlled regions. Ladusia comes from the Prussian ladusjá meaning "land of ice". The definition of Russia was also changing. Where once it was a large, massive region between Poland and the Volga, it was now a desolate northern expanse outside of Prussian control but not inhabited by ethnic Mordvins. As Mordvin settlement in the north increased Russia shrank. Eventually it shrank to the region between Pskov and Tver where the last of the true Russians lived. There was still, however, a title associated with the Rus: the King of Russia. Of all the Eastern titles, this was believed to be a divine one. Karnak believed that this title was rightfully his. In the mid 1240's the Mordvin Empire was straining slightly, the Russian people were in revolt. Prussia, seeking to use this opportunity to wage to small border wars with Mordvia, first aimed at the Tver region and the second at a small strip of land to the East. All of this would lead to the eventual end of the Narva dynasty in the 1270's. They would be replaced by the Wolgast dynasty who would move the capital north to Novgorod. It would be a decade of war and revolt. Some of the consequences would take years to be fulfilled, and it was all started out of greed and envy for a land of snow and ice.
The popular definition of "Russia" in 1100 in Red and the 1250 definition of "Ladusia" in Green. There is overlap around Tver and Novgorod.
September 22nd, 1244
Karnak sipped a strong honey wine while sitting on the porch of his autumnal palace in Keæv. He was quiet and still, trying to enjoy the call of birds and the calls of small children. It was a relaxibg place he had chosen as his favorite palace. He could tell that two men stood behind him, he had started paying more attention after the attempt at his life. "Can I help you, gentlemen?" the King asked.
"Your majesty, Serlo Dormandy is here as requested," the guard said.
"Good, show him in," Karnak commanded.
"I am already here, your majesty," said the distinctive voice of Sich Serlo, commander of the Asowian Hosts. He stepped forth as the guard left the balcony, "Your letter made the need of my presents seem very urgent. How may I be of assistance?"
"I am planning to go to war, Serlo, and I believe that the chosen field of battle is a perfect place for you and the Host," Karnak said with an added flare. He placed his drink on the table, stood up and turned to face the commander of his armies. "What do you say, Serlo?"
"I would first ask who are you planning on attacking, then I would ask when do you want it done."
"It is Tver, to the north... I want to campaign to start as soon as possible as I fear Mordvia might recapture the city soon."
"You will risk an all-out war with Mordvia over a trivial border city? Forgive me, sir, but I don't believe that is the wisest choice at this time. Prussia has become lazy, her soldiers fat. We would need time to rearm the nation and prepare her for war."
"That is why I asked you to do it, Serlo, you and the Host," Karnak said. "I trust you can do it."
"Sir, I think you misinterpret the Host's ability. We are light riders... Nothing more than raiders really. I do not have an intimate knowledge of sieging cities. More over I do not have the correct troops or equipment for it. We would need another army. On top of that we would need to watch the Mordvins carefully. The Host cannot possibly be expected to defend the entire frontier of Prussia, your majesty."
"Then I shall join you with the Guardsmen at Tver. The Guard is never out of practice."
"Don't you have a young son, my lord? I believe that the heir to the Kingdom needs the attention he deserves. I cannot put my lord at risk. A war in Russia would mean deathly cold nights... I wouldn't be able to guarantee your safety."
"So you will not command the Host to Tver, then?" Karnak asked skeptically.
Serlo was silent, carefully choosing his words in his head. "If you need ground forces, I am your loyal servant... but we Asowians are not known for our ability to take fortified cities. Tver is a fortress, massive. I've seen it during my journeys on the Volga, sir."
"I guess it would be hard to scale a wall on horseback," Karnak joked.
"That it is, sir." Karnak paced around, his hand to his chin. He didn't like being told no, but he guessed that it was better to be told no then to have to hear excuses for not achieving victory. Serlo was right, however, the armies were becoming lazy. Years of peace had done that. But peace is what made the Prussia around him.
"Well, Serlo? Can you think of anything else?"
"What sort of siege equipment do we have the capability of building?" Serlo asked, "Breaching those walls is paramount for victory. We cannot scale them easily."
"Well, I can have the engineers prepare trebuchets, but you seem to have a different plan," Karnak said.
"Have the engineers prepare trebuchets, drill the troops, leave the Guard... I fear they become too powerful. I am headed to Toledo, I shall try to be back before the thaw. I have heard from my men inside Persia of something of the Toledeans that might be able to help. Though I don't expect it to come cheaply..."
"If you trust it can help, I will sponsor such a voyage, you shall leave from Mocárgrád as soon as possible."
"Thank you, my liege."
"Don't let me down, Serlo. I have a lot of faith in you."
"Thank you, hopefully what the Persians have been talking about is not just fantasy." Karnak dismissed Serlo and the rider left the palace to go home and gather a strong guard to watch the payment for the mission. It was risky, but it had to be tried. Shock and awe, that was Serlo's plan. If Karnak could bring down the walls of Tver quickly and easily, the population would simply surrender. This was the shadow he was chasing, a weapon of true destruction. Persians spoke that the Caliph of Toledo had forged a weapon that would bring down walls with fire and iron, a weapon they planned to turn toward Christian Europe, Serlo wanted to turn it toward Pagan Russia.
