Lost Seasons of the Danes - A Viking AAR

[jak7139]

Irmgard was surprisingly prepared and competent. She'll definitely be a thorn in the king's side for a while. As Alfr said, everyone in the realm is in the spying business. And I'm sure many would be happy to harbor the former queen.

 

[Lord Durham]

Thorolfr was a tad callous when informed his consort was the object of an assassination plot and not him. He didn't even express a modicum of alarm over the threat to her well being. Is there something going on there?

I got a real chuckle out of "You've made your point!" I should have seen that one coming.

 

[Chac1]

Thanks to @HistoryDude , @Midnite Duke , @jak7139 & @Lord Durham for your support. As promised, revisiting the past a bit with new twists....

Good job, Irmgard! Run and hide, but end your plotting for now surviving is the only thing. Thanks

Where did Irmgard go?

Yes, @Midnite Duke I think you have her mindset down perfectly. Survival is always first.
Well, @HistoryDude that is one of the questions underlying the next few chapters but don't expect any answers immediately. We have some detours to take first.

Will the new plots reveal more about the assassination of the old king?

Who would the king do if Gyrið did turn out to be a spy? Kill her?

As you know @HistoryDude those questions regarding the assassination have propelled a few of the characters for some time. The blót was a necessary detour and also gave us more of a day-to-day view of the king and these characters. But now time to go back to one of the themes that started way back in Chapter IV.

As for Gyrið, the king is in a bit of a pickle in these conversations isn't he? He knows she's been a spy. She helped him get rid of Froði. But he can't admit that to Alfr because the truth is the king did work around him. But that was then. One of these days, I may have to get deep into the history of Gyrið. What would the king do if she was actively spying on him though? That's a tough one. I think these questions will also be resolved in the next handful of chapters.

(Only at the proper time dear Gyrið, only then.)​

Irmgard was surprisingly prepared and competent. She'll definitely be a thorn in the king's side for a while. As Alfr said, everyone in the realm is in the spying business. And I'm sure many would be happy to harbor the former queen.

She was definitely more competent than I thought too, @jak7139 . But imagine my surprise in the game when I sent my great general to capture her and she slipped through his fingers. So when writing this chapter, I knew she'd have to surprise us just like she surprised him.

Yes, Irmgard is going to haunt us a bit until we can resolve where she turns up next.

Thorolfr was a tad callous when informed his consort was the object of an assassination plot and not him. He didn't even express a modicum of alarm over the threat to her well being. Is there something going on there?

Well, this tells me I need to do more work regarding the king and his consort, or at least with our understanding of the king. I do think others have commented on the king's personality in the past and he doesn't always live up to the high expectations for royals. Maybe I've had him on good behavior for too long? If it isn't clear, the king thinks about one person mainly, and that's the king. Beyond that, the king and his consort have a partnership. At least that's how he sees it. There's really no expressive loving relationship there. Perhaps this is complicated by the king's issues with what he could and couldn't say in the previous chapter. However, I will have to ponder how to make this a bit more clear.

I got a real chuckle out of "You've made your point!" I should have seen that one coming.

Couldn't help myself. Had to get a dad-like pun in there. Glad you enjoyed that bit.

(As usual, the young King Þorolfr is a half-step behind in this conversation. Some might argue we need more jests, King Þorolfr.)​

More coming soon...

 

[Lord Durham]

Well, this tells me I need to do more work regarding the king and his consort, or at least with our understanding of the king. I do think others have commented on the king's personality in the past and he doesn't always live up to the high expectations for royals. Maybe I've had him on good behavior for too long? If it isn't clear, the king thinks about one person mainly, and that's the king. Beyond that, the king and his consort have a partnership. At least that's how he sees it. There's really no expressive loving relationship there. Perhaps this is complicated by the king's issues with what he could and couldn't say in the previous chapter. However, I will have to ponder how to make this a bit more clear.

Actually, it's quite clear. I get the relationship. Thorolfr is a textbook narcissist. But he's a narcissist that likes puppies, so I thought there may have been a small chink in that self-absorbed armour .

 

[Chac1]

Actually, it's quite clear. I get the relationship. Thorolfr is a textbook narcissist. But he's a narcissist that likes puppies, so I thought there may have been a small chink in that self-absorbed armour .

Having worked for several narcissists in my time, yes, I must confess that the king takes after some of them, but he does have a gentle side, and is far better than the folks I am using to mold him. Without that, the folks around him would easily toss in with the plotters. He also has his royal privilege working for him. Of course, I'm also messing around a bit with stereotypes. Are Viking kings supposed to like puppies?

(The young King Þorolfr sends us off with his usual greeting.)
​

Apologies that I am a day or two behind on the preview, but many items to juggle away from the Forum. We should have that for you sometime this weekend, with any luck.

 

[Chac1]

Lost Seasons of the Danes Preview​

Jalr Alfr “Irongrip” af Vendel and his newly acquired translator and assistant Hemming the Spy arrived in territories where only Arabic was spoken. Alfr found himself sharing a room with Hemming and a large African man, a guard who was armed with a scimitar. He was dressed in a long flowing white robe. The guard was at least six and a half feet tall and gave the two Norsemen a stern look.

“He’s not too happy to see us,” Hemming explained to the jarl. “I need to stay out here. The fewer men in there, the better.”

Hemming gestured to the large doors that stood behind the guard.

The guard said something to Hemming in Arabic and Hemming quickly translated for the jarl.

“He said don’t make him come in there. If he hears anything strange, he’s going to come after you. And he warned that there are servants there who will call for help if you do anything that is unwelcome.”

Then the guard looked hard at Alfr and gave some additional orders.

“And you’ll have to leave all weapons out here.”

“Tell him not to worry,” Alfr said calmly, “I’ll follow the rules.”







What adventures await the Spymaster of Denmark and his new assistant in the next installment of Lost Seasons of the Danes?

(And now, as is our custom, sharing the suggested soundtrack for Chapter XV below: “Myrkviðr” by Gealdýr.)

(Lost Seasons of the Danes will return in about two weeks.)

ᛚᛟᛋᛏ ᛋᛖᚨᛋᛟᚾᛋ ᛟᚠ ᛏᚺᛖ ᛞᚨᚾᛖᛋ​

 

[Midnite Duke]

Where are we that speaks Arabic not Danish? thanks

 

[jak7139]

Ooh, interesting! Could this perhaps be Umayyad Spain? And will we perhaps see the return of Astrid Law-speaker?

 

[Chac1]

Where are we that speaks Arabic not Danish? thanks

Ooh, interesting! Could this perhaps be Umayyad Spain? And will we perhaps see the return of Astrid Law-speaker?

It's lovely when the readers figure out the answers together. I debated whether I should confirm this but why not? Now you can think a bit about what would unfold between the spymaster and the law-speaker. Thanks @Midnite Duke for the good question. We will send an extra cup of mead to @jak7139 for his well-reasoned answer.

Sorry, Astrid, but there will be a wait for answers. No doubt, you'll have a lot to say in the next chapter.
​

(Sorry folks that I was unable to answer the questions hanging in the air in this thread. Busy week outside of the Forum. Thanks for your understanding and patience. More to come later this month....)

 

[Bullfilter]

Took a few readings to make my way to the end: another fine chapter, as always.

I see a new portrait as the king ages. A good match to the previous one. And at least he’s managed to wipe the blood off his face!

But it was to no avail. Irmgard had eluded Sigurd and his warriors. She would make the journey across the strait to Sweden and disappear, while Sigurd and his men scoured the main island of Åland for days. Sigurd wasn’t sure how he would tell the king and Jarl Alfr of his failure.

Sigurd is definitely not a Sensitive New Viking Age Guy!

 

[Chac1]

Thanks for reading, @Bullfilter and thanks for your continued support. Hope your trip was a good one. Yes, the last chapter was long. I debated breaking it into two parts but I always like to give the reader some resolution in a chapter and saw none until the end.

I see a new portrait as the king ages. A good match to the previous one. And at least he’s managed to wipe the blood off his face!

Thanks for noticing. Other new portraits rolling out soon. Believe it or not, the original of the new portrait had blood on his face but I swapped it out for his scar! I rather liked the blood and grime on the young king's face but it did make you wonder if the Norse bathed. (And they did!)

Young King Þorolfr this is historically accurate, sir, unless you are unintentionally revealing something about your personal hygiene?!
​

Sigurd is definitely not a Sensitive New Viking Age Guy!

No. If there is a true Viking in this story it is Sigurd. He is a tough warlord and he doesn't make any bones about it.

We know you wouldn't have it any other way, Jarl Sigurd.
​

More coming in a week or so... Thanks for your patience....

 

[Bullfilter]

he doesn't make any bones about it.

Though I’m sure he also made his first bones very young!

 

[Chac1]

Chapter XVI
Searching for Answers in Alcolea
(King Þorolfr’s Partial Reign 790)

Spoiler: Soundtrack: “Lamma bada (Arab-Andalusian Traditional)” by Ensemble Constantinopla

Besides this new track, the full AAR soundtrack can be found here.

(One of the many courtyards in the palace of Sultan Abd-al-Rahman “the Lion” of the Umayyads in Alcolea of the Umayyad Caliphate as imagined by Playground AI and the Stable Diffusion XL image generator.)

>>> WARNING: This post includes coarse adult language. Please be advised before reading further. <<<​

Opulent. That was the word that described the palace, not only to Jarl Alfr “Irongrip” af Vendel, but to many who had the privilege of visiting the Grand Palace of Alcolea, or as it was referred to by the Umayyads, the Alcázar Alcolea Alkabir.

Jarl Alfr had visited Miklagard (Constantinople) but he had never been invited to the royal quarters there. So he had never seen such royal luxury on display. The grandness of the palace certainly was meant to be intimidating, and make visitors feel small. But Alfr was not intimidated. As a Norse lord, he saw it more as a beautiful gem that was crying out to be stolen. This was not the time, but Alfr thought perhaps his sons or grandsons might ransack such an impressive place in the future. For now, such an expedition would have been beyond the capabilities of the Danish and all the other Norse rulers of Scandinavia.

Alfr’s mission here was not to scout for future plunder or even really to spy, but to get some final answers. He had come to see if Astrid the Lawspeaker would give him some different information that might finally put the mystery of the assassination of King Hrœrekr II to rest.

Now that Irmgard, the former queen was in the wind, and Alfr had foiled one major assassination plot, he felt it was time to finally get some real answers or to write this off entirely as unsolvable. The information he received from Chieftess Kraka, King Hrœrekr’s former concubine, had pushed him to make this trip to the Umayyad Caliphate.

He moved through the marble halls with his walking stick. His back had not healed and he noticed he was moving slower day by day. Part of his motivation to take this trip was he wondered if he would be able to weather such a voyage in a year. There was no putting it off. Deep down, he felt, growing older was slowing him considerably and he had to make the best of the opportunities when they came.

With his trusted companion Chief Sæmundr “the Champion” Kven leading his armies in Västergötland and his assistant Halsten still recovering from the grievous injuries he had suffered at the blót, Alfr went in search of other help. Denmark’s new chancellor, Chief Emund av Alfheim of Vingulsmark had just the man to help the jarl. His name was Hemming and not only did he provide military intelligence for Emund, but he had experience as a mercenary and man for hire who had traveled widely. Hemming spoke a broken, if passable Arabic, and he could serve as a translator for Alfr.

When the two men met, Alfr did a double-take. Looking at Hemming was like Alfr looking at his reflection in a magical stream and seeing his own face from 15 years or so in the past. Being of similar height, weight, and disposition, the men fell in together almost immediately. Alfr requisitioned three karves and about 50 warriors and scouts for their long trip from Denmark to the Mediterranean. By the end of May, they had arrived at their destination.

Officially, they were on a trade mission, and Hemming would meet with the Umayyad administrators who dealt with trade in a day or two. They had made the leisurely trip up from the port of Almería not only to meet with those representatives but also to make a special visit with a former member of the Danish government: Astrid the Lawspeaker.

Except here in Alcolea she was no longer a lawspeaker. She was merely the wife of Prince al-Qasim Umayyad.

Hemming had negotiated for a full day with the government officials who had met the Norse “trade delegation” in Almería for permission to meet with Astrid. Meeting with the wife of a high prince, especially when he was off at war, was highly irregular. However, Hemming was persistent in his explanation that Alfr was a high-ranking Danish official, which he was, and that he carried a special message for Astrid from Denmark’s king. This, of course, was a fabrication. But some silver jewelry as gifts from the jarl to the Umayyad officials had eventually smoothed over the conversation and provided them the permissions they would need.

So it was that Alfr found himself in the ante-room of Prince al-Qasim’s apartment within the palace, sharing the room with Hemming and a large African man, a guard who was armed with a scimitar and who was dressed in a long flowing white robe. The guard was at least six and a half feet tall and gave the two Norsemen a stern look.

(A guard stands in front of the apartments of Prince al-Qasim Umayyad in the Alcázar Alcolea Alkabir. This image was created with Google’s new ImageFX image generator.)

“He’s not too happy to see us,” Hemming explained to the jarl. “I need to stay out here. The fewer men in there, the better.”


Hemming gestured to the large doors that stood behind the guard.

The guard said something to Hemming in Arabic and Hemming quickly translated for the jarl.

“He said don’t make him come in there. If he hears anything strange, he’s going to come after you. And he warned that there are servants there who will call for help if you do anything that is unwelcome.”


Then the guard looked hard at Alfr and gave some additional orders.

“And you’ll have to leave all weapons out here.”

“Tell him not to worry,” Alfr said calmly, “I’ll follow the rules.”





Alfr laid his hunting knife on a low table, as Hemming translated for him. He doubted he would have to use the knife hidden inside the handle of his walking stick. However, he never considered giving that up as he needed his walking stick these days more than any knife. The guard then opened the large doors slightly and gestured for Alfr to make his way inside. The spymaster trudged into the prince’s apartment.

Alfr admired the high vaulted ceilings and the tapestries adorning the walls of the prince’s part of the palace. He walked into a huge room where Astrid was sitting upright on a daybed near a row of vaulted windows with marvelous views of the picturesque and mountainous countryside. A serving woman was pouring water for Astrid into a golden cup as the spymaster entered.

(The view through one of the vaulted windows in the Grand Palace of Alcolea as imagined by the DALL·E image generator provided via Bing.)

“I’m told you have a message from King Þorolfr,” Astrid called out as Alfr slowly closed the gap between them. Astrid was dressed in a long billowy gown that nevertheless still showed off her curvaceous form, as it was low cut. At times her breasts seemed like they were about to spill out of the top. Astrid gestured toward a chair with intricate carvings and woven, padded cushions that flanked the daybed. She sipped briefly from the golden cup and then set it on a side table between the daybed and the beautiful chair.

“I’m honored the king chose to send his message with a member of the high council.”

“It would be best if we had this conversation without the servants.”


Alfr said this as he came to sit in the decorated chair. He lowered himself slowly and found that the cushions hugged him and were quite comfortable. He leaned his walking stick up against the side table.

“Of course, the Spymaster of Denmark would make such a request.”


She had an edge of wariness in her tone.

She spoke briefly to the serving woman in Arabic and the servant scuttled from the room, through one of the many doorways that opened into this luxurious living space.

“There’s some water for you if you would like.”


Astrid pointed to a second golden cup on the side table.

“Thank you for your hospitality.”


Alfr nodded. He picked up the cup, sniffed at the water, as was his custom, and then he took a sip.

“This is perhaps the grandest palace I have ever seen. Your new marriage has rewarded you.”

“I am a pretty songbird at the court of the Lion.”


She deflected his compliment.

“Welcome to my gilded cage. Does the king send good tidings or is he sending a message to give me more pain so he can gloat over how he managed to exile me without officially doing so?”

Alfr said this in hushed tones, unsure if the servants could hear from an adjoining room or the guard, even though he was speaking Norse. He was hoping the large open space and its lush decorations would absorb the sound.

“There’s no message from the king. I’m here on other business. The king doesn’t even know I am here. At least not yet.”

“I suppose I should have expected that.”


She said this cautiously.

“Otherwise, I’d be having a conversation with Prince Magni or one of his messengers, no doubt. I was surprised that you of all people had come to visit with me. If you had not told the king of my liaisons with Froði, I might still be back in Sjælland, happily tending to my children and helping to run the kingdom.”

“Woman, you did that to yourself. I can’t fault you for your passionate lovemaking. Who could? Any man would be favored to enjoy your intimate company. But your passions, be they your strong suit in the bedchamber were your weakness in the court of our politics. I was just doing my job by reporting your liaisons to the king, and dangerous liaisons they were too.”

“And it’s a dirty business you conduct, jarl.”


She said this with distaste. She paused and took a sip of water as if to wash the thought out of her head.

“Please share, what filth has carried you this far on the sea to visit here today? Given the distance, it must be muck so deep it might drown me. But be careful, spymaster, for if it is so deep it might drown us both. And I make no promises. Perhaps I will deign to end this visit and your long trip will have been for naught.”

He pursed his lips and thought about how to proceed.

Then he fished a small, palm-sized piece of wood out of his pocket. The wood was flat and there was a woodcut carving of a woman etched into one side of its hard surface. He gave the small decorative item to Astrid. She took it and looked at it quizzically, holding it at arm’s length.

“That’s from your son, Kjartan. He carved it just for you. Said it was a picture of you. That boy is skilled with a knife, even if he does seem to favor his father, Dag.”


Astrid stared at the carving, and drew it closer, looking at all the details. Then with one hand she brought it close to her heart, pressing it close to one of her breasts. She began to weep softly.

“Thank you for this.”


She said this between sobs.

“And thank you for recognizing Dag as his father. So few people accept that. Although he had his faults, Dag worked hard. Tried hard. He was very smart. Few understand how I cared for Dag and that is what I love about Kjartan. I see Dag in him and so much more.”

(This is the woodcut carving that Jarl Alfr carried as a gift to Astrid as imagined by the DALL·E image generator provided via Bing.)

Alfr held back his own reaction to this emotional outburst. He wanted to get on with his interrogation but he realized if he lost Astrid now, he would never get her back and he had come too far to lose his chance because of his own impatience.

“Well, he’s doing well. He’s being tutored now by your daughter, Sif. She seems wise in the ways of coin and business. Who knows what awaits her there? Perhaps a marriage to a royal house.”

“And what about the others?”


She asked this with some excitement.

“What news do you have of them?”


Astrid had four more children between the ages of three and eleven, besides Sif and Kjartan. Alfr stifled his inclination to make a comment about the questions surrounding the fathers of those four children, as it was possible that they had three different fathers. And Astrid had never divulged who was Sif’s father, only admitting that she was not Dag’s. But that was before Astrid’s affair with King Hrœrekr II, so it was not of Alfr’s concern.

“I’m sorry, but I only saw Sif and Kjartan when I was in Sjælland. But I hear the others are well. And there is much other news. For instance, you referenced Prince Magni. Well, he is no longer the Chancellor of Denmark. A lot has happened in the past year.”

“But you didn’t really come here bearing news or to give me tidings from my children either.”


Astrid stifled a sob and did her best to regain her composure. She wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her cloth gown.

“No, I came to talk to you about Chieftess Kraka of Årus.”

“Kraka the Concubine? We served together for a time in Hrœrekr’s household. But it was really only for a few months and she was pregnant the whole time. She was always pleasant to me but soon enough she was shipped off to be with her lover. Of course, I knew her husband Ulfr. He was one of Hrœrekr’s drinking buddies. He had eyes for me though.”


Alfr repressed his thought to say, what able man wouldn’t, and he nodded.

“Yes, he was a good match with Kraka, no doubt.”


Alfr deflected his thoughts and then added:

“Look, before we go much further, we should agree that this conversation must stay between us. I can promise you, I won’t tell the king if you agree to be truthful with me.”

“Why? What is Kraka saying about me? What slanders is she putting forth?”


Astrid was now finding anger inside of her sadness.

“And do you really think I will fall for your false promises, spymaster? I’m not that simple to trick.”

“I do respect your understanding and intelligence.”


Alfr said this, trying to reel back control of the conversation.

“So I will share with you my concerns.”

“I suppose I am an easy target for the gossipers.”


Astrid sighed.

“When you aren’t present to protect your name, people will say the meanest things. Making up stories left and right.”

“Well, it is part of my job to sort the wheat from the chaff in those cases. But my concerns are more about the king. No doubt, you are here because of what transpired between you and Froði. This is your punishment. And I believe Froði’s punishment came when he was poisoned….”

“So you believe he was poisoned now?”


Astrid was surprised by this news.

“If he was poisoned, why weren’t you the agent of his demise?”

“That’s a good question.”


Alfr said this as he sat back in the comfortable chair and closed his eyes momentarily.

“I now believe the king worked around me because he knew my views on revenge regarding the murder of his father.”


As he said this he leaned toward Astrid and gave her a very serious look.

Astrid was listening fervently with a wide-eyed look on her face.

“The story is no doubt long and more complicated than I know, but recently Irmgard tried to have Gyrið, the king’s concubine, killed….”


Alfr resumed but Astrid cut him off.

“Of course, that snake Irmgard…”


Astrid spat.

“Will you let me finish….”


Alfr tried to resume but again he was cut off.

“And Gyrið is the king’s concubine now?”


Astrid asked this with some disbelief.

“It seems a lot has happened while I was gone.”

Alfr started again with a bit of annoyance.

“All three of you women were in bed with that man, Froði. I don’t know about his magical powers of seduction. But I do know the jealousies between the three of you have roiled the Kingdom of Denmark for more than the past five years and I am here to put a stop to it. I need some answers from you so I can keep the king from lashing out further and creating the need for further violent revenge.”

“I find it amusing that you would come all this way to try to stop me from anything.”


She looked away, again with a glint of sadness in her eyes.

“I am stuck in this beautiful cage where the king has placed me. I am no longer part of what troubles Denmark.”

“But you have the answers I need to stop the king in his quest of self-destruction.”

“Let him destroy himself through vengeance.”


She looked up after staring at the floor.

“Why should I help him?”

“Do it not for the son, but for the father. You loved Hrœrekr once. You still love the kingdom you built together. Help me and I can restrain the king.”

“Like you restrained him from killing Froði?”


Astrid snapped angrily at him.

“His vengeance has already wrecked the life I was building.”

“I had no idea when Hrœrekr was assassinated how deep the currents of politics and jealousy were in the complex plot that consumed him. Help me though today and I can construct a story that the king believes. And one that will ensure that your children are not wrongly punished by his need for further vengeance.”

“My children!”


Astrid gasped. She missed her children dearly but until this moment she did not think the king would stoop toward punishing them unjustly.

“There are no indications the king will move against them now. But who knows? Help me build a credible story about Irmgard and the focus will remain upon her. I believe you are right. The king thinks he has handled you, at least for now. But this new business with Irmgard has stirred all of this up again, and who knows where he will lash out next.”

“Well, I have thought long and hard about this.”


Astrid said this with a tear welling up in her eye again.

“I knew at some point I might be held accountable. But I always felt that Irmgard, not Froði, was the one who had my dear Hrœrekr murdered. And what does Kraka the Concubine have to do with any of this?”


Alfr then told Astrid the whole story about how Kraka had tried to have King Þorolfr poisoned at the blót and the after-effects on the politics of the realm.

“And now you know why Prince Magni was sacked. It remains inconclusive if he plotted with his mother. She has accepted all the blame.”

“Yes, I have missed a lot.”


Astrid shook her head and drank some water.

“And when I questioned Kraka, she told me her spies were aware you were carrying on with Froði before Hrœrekr was assassinated.”


Alfr said this, trying to flatten his tone and take any accusation out of the statement.

Astrid gulped.

“And you believe Kraka and her spies?”

“I do. What I have learned about Kraka, wrong-headed as she is, well, she wants the best for her son. She doesn’t have the best advice on how to get that, but she wants the best for him. Her spies were in the capital for other reasons, and your affair was something they turned up accidentally. And that puts a new light on how Hrœrekr was killed. At least it does for me.”

“And if I deny it?”


Astrid asked this tensely.

“Well, then the king will hear all of my suspicions.”


Alfr shrugged.

“Who knows how he will react? It’s already put you here and killed your lover. What more do you want to leave to chance?”

“So you haven’t told him this news that you received from Kraka?”

“Not yet. I knew you were the missing piece I needed to make all the facts fall into place.”

“So I’m just a pawn on your hnefatafl board, I see.”


Astrid said this acridly.

“Take it as you will, we are all just pieces on that board. But your actions will determine what piece you play and if you will survive. So will you help me or not?”

(Astrid lounging during her conversation with Jarl Alfr, as imagined by Playground AI, the Stable Diffusion XL image generator, and Playground AI’s digital editor, Canvas.)

“Your implied threats have me concerned.”


Astrid sighed and gathered herself. She swiveled on the daybed and faced Alfr directly.

“But I believe as usual there aren’t many good choices. So yes, I was bedding Froði for months before Hrœrekr died. And I even saw Froði after you and the king tumbled to our affair. He would travel to the capital and we would meet secretly at a small house that he was able to secure near his favorite ale hall. He professed his love to me. Somehow we would have found a way to be together but then the assassination and the war tore all that apart.”

“How romantic.”


Alfr said this sarcastically.

“And you believed his lies? He was getting information from you while he was bedding you.”

“Loving me. He was making love to me.”


Astrid corrected him with a note of reminiscing in her voice.

“He was the Field Marshal of Denmark. He knew all of the king’s security arrangements already. It was Irmgard who was milking him for information while she bedded him. He suspected as much. He told me so.”

“And neither of you did anything about it?”


Alfr’s voice raised a bit and he came a bit out of his chair but he calmed himself.

“Frankly, I didn’t think she had the guts nor the gold to construct such a plot. But we were all preparing for a future without Hrœrekr. I feel guilty that I lost sight of my responsibilities to the king in my infatuation with Froði in those months. Yes, I let Hrœrekr down in the end. I lose sleep over that all of the time.”

“And you don’t lose sleep over how Froði used you during the peace negotiations or to set Magni up as a puppet for an independent Noregr?”


Alfr asked this, his voice laced with derision.

“Who do you think gave him the idea?”


Astrid now flashed a sly smile.

“I was the one who knew the laws. Not General Froði. I was the one who told him to prepare for Hrœrekr’s death. I knew the kingdom would be torn asunder after Hrœrekr died. What of it? Denmark can survive just fine without Noregr under its boot. My allegiance was to Hrœrekr not to Denmark. People forget I’m from Noregr. I was born in Rygjafylki. When Rygjafylki became a crown holding, I came to King Harald’s court as a teenager.”

“I had no idea.”


Alfr sat back in his chair, stunned a bit by these unexpected revelations.

“No one ever thinks about the women involved in these historic moments.”






Astrid said this with a bit of sorrow in her voice.

“I helped birth two nations. I’m just sorry to see one die in its cradle.”

“So you and Froði planned to take Prince Magni to Noregr based upon your knowledge of the succession laws but you had no idea about the murder plot?”


Alfr asked this with his voice trembling a bit. He felt like he needed this confirmation after hearing Astrid’s claims.

“If we had known the extent of Irmgard’s plans we would have stopped her.”


Astrid said this adamantly.

“Godi Þorsteinn and Froði paid for a squad of men to stay in Slesvig for months waiting for Hrœrekr to die so they could spirit Magni away to Noregr at the right time. They wouldn’t have gone to that expense if they knew the exact date Hrœrekr would die. They were waiting like everyone else. No one except Irmgard likely knew about the assassination plot. Well, and her co-conspirators.”

“And who might they have been? And did she tell Froði anything of her plot?”


Alfr asked this now with a surprisingly demanding tone.

“That’s beyond me.”


She sighed.

“All he said was he thought she was planning something. But she was always up to something. So who knows? She was my rival. I’m the last person to ask about her.”

“Which raises the question, why did you put up with sharing Froði with her?”


Alfr asked this with an edge in his voice.

“You shared Hrœrekr and Froði with her. Why put up with that?”

“She was the queen.”


Astrid shrugged and said this with a voice filled with resignation.

“She could have what she wanted. I was just happy to get what I could and Froði gave me the love and attention I needed then.”

“Well, it doesn’t make any sense to me.”


Alfr shifted around in his chair.

“What some people will do for love, or what they think is love.”

“What will you do now?”


Astrid asked this, suddenly hit with a wave of exhaustion after her confession.

“As I said, construct a story for the king, based upon what I have learned here.”


Alfr nodded.

“I believe you are telling me the truth. I know you have a bias to protect Froði, but I see it your way. His plans for Noregr were already in place. I do believe that you had set up Noregr’s independence all along with how the succession and crown laws were assembled. I have to congratulate you in pulling that off right in front of everyone without anyone calling it into question. But don’t worry. Your secrets are safe with me. I want to see this cycle of vengeance concluded.”

“I’m not sure for my children’s sake that I can put my full trust in a spymaster, but I’m also not sure you left me any choice.”


Astrid nodded. She took the pause in the conversation to recline on the daybed.

Alfr took notice of her voluptuous form in the sunlight from the large windows and he had no doubt why she had been alluring to so many men. He was still a bit amazed at how she had hypnotized them all so she could manipulate the laws of the new Kingdom of Denmark.

Just then there was the sound of a grate moving or sliding and into the room walked a man dressed in a long loose tan gown with a red sash across his waist. He strode with confidence, this man who looked to be almost Alfr’s age. He had a neatly trimmed beard and a sculpted nose that resembled the beak of a hawk. His hair was neatly trimmed, just like the beard, and the colors of both were salt and pepper, gray and black.

Astrid’s eyes grew wide with surprise.

“It’s the sultan!”


She gathered herself and stood up.


Sultan Abd-al-Rahman “the Lion” Umayyad, ruler of the Umayyad Caliphate, had actually been watching them for about five or ten minutes behind a decorated grill that just looked like it was part of the wall on the far side of the giant room. But as he did not understand Norse, eventually he grew bored as he realized they were just talking, animated as the conversation had been. He had wanted to see Astrid’s interactions with someone from her homelands. The grate helped mask a secret passageway – one of many in the palace – that had several sliding doors. The sultan had slid open the first sliding door quietly so he could watch Astrid with Alfr through the decorated grate, which also slid away, if pushed in the proper manner. The sultan had spied on Astrid many times and sometimes she knew he was watching and became performative in her actions. On this day, she had been unaware he was secretly gazing at her.

Alfr remained seated.

“Oh, that’s not your new husband?”

“Stand up and show some respect.”


Astrid said this to Alfr in low hushed tones as she forced a smile at the sultan who was striding across the large room.

Alfr grabbed his walking stick and pushed himself slowly to a standing position.

The sultan called out in Arabic to Astrid. She had learned the fundamentals of the language quickly but she still spoke in a basic, broken form.

“I am home from the north for a respite, introduce me to your friend from afar.”


The sultan said this while beaming as he joined Alfr and Astrid near the large windows.

“Praise to the great sultan.”


Astrid said this and she bowed a bit.

“He is no friend.”

“If he is harassing you, my love, then I will have him killed.”


The sultan said this, all the while smiling and nodding at Alfr.

“No, he is no threat, for now.”

“That is good. So introduce us then. I have always wanted to meet a Northman.”

“This is Sultan Abd-al-Rahman ‘the Lion’ of the Umayyads.”


Astrid said this, switching back to Norse.

Alfr bowed a bit.

“I am pleased to make the acquaintance of the sultan.”


Now, the spymaster also gave a wry smile in return.

“This is Jarl Alfr ‘Irongrip’ af Vendel of Svíþjóð, a member of the high council of Denmark. He said he likes meeting you.”

“Of course, he does. Who doesn’t?”


The sultan chuckled.

“Tell him I thought all Northmen were giants, but he is not so much taller than me.”


The sultan stood at five feet and ten inches, which was quite tall for someone who had been born in Damascus.

“He wants to know why you are so short. He thought Norsemen were giants.”


Alfr, who was the tallest person in the room, got a bemused look on his face.

“Tell him I have shrunk because I am an old graybeard, and I am glad to see he has constructed a beautiful palace with tall ceilings that will accommodate our young warriors when they come to visit. But also ask him why he thought we were giants.”

“He said you have a beautiful palace that even giants would love. But he wants to know why you thought the Northmen were giants.”

“Tell him if all the women of the North have big bountiful breasts like you Astrid then the men are bound to grow to be giants as they suckle unceasingly from such glories.”


The sultan laughed heartily.

“I am not going to tell him that. You are teasing and flirting with me in front of him.”


Astrid chuckled now a bit too.

“Tell him.”

“The sultan says that the women of the North are so beautiful they are bound to birth only strong giants.”

“And just where is your husband, Astrid?”


Alfr asked this with a knowing tone.

“I don’t know what you are insinuating. He was with the sultan at the front, in Asturias, fighting the Visigoths. But the sultan has returned early and unexpectedly.”

“I wonder why?”


Alfr asked this and leered a bit.

“What is he saying? Did he not like my joke? He’s not laughing.”

“This one might not be that smart. But he does like gazing at my breasts.”

“Well, those are only for me and my son.”


The sultan chuckled again.

“Send him away now, so we can have some private time. I am glad to have met a Northman, but they have no humor. They don’t understand my subtle jokes. They may be great warriors, yes, but I think perhaps their dullard ways are the secret to their success in battle. They can’t see the world beyond the fight. What a pity.”

“The sultan says it is unfortunate, but he must consult with me now about important matters of state. He wishes you well in your travels and his steward will dine with you to discuss trade matters, later. He hopes you enjoy your stay in the palace.”

“I see you have found another king to counsel.”


Alfr bowed to the sultan and then to Astrid.

“I sincerely hope your consultations go well.”


At this, Alfr chuckled a bit too. He began to walk off and out to the entrance where he knew the guard awaited. Then he called over his shoulder:

“Thank you for your honesty in helping me unravel the mystery.”

“Keep my secrets, jarl, as you have promised.”


The sultan and Astrid both watched and waited as Alfr hobbled out of the room.

“In the end, I think he finally got your joke. And I think he knows about us, my love.”

Astrid said this softly and grabbed the sultan’s hand holding it tightly.

“Perhaps that Northman wasn’t as thick as I thought. But what does it matter if he knows.”



The sultan laughed deeply as he grabbed Astrid by the waist with his free hand. They swung together in rhythm almost like they were dancing without music for a moment until they embraced in a passionate kiss.

Later, after the dinner with Aharon of Meir, the Steward of the Umayyad Caliphate (who also happened to be a Sephardic Jew), Alfr finally felt at ease to discuss the day with Hemming. He had put off Hemming’s inquiries earlier, not trusting that someone would figure out what they were discussing even if they were speaking a language very few knew in the caliphate. They had their discussion in their guest quarters in another wing of the palace, far away from the apartments where Astrid stayed.

“Was she helpful?”

“It seems we came a long way for not much.”


Alfr sighed as he lied.

“She denied my suspicions.”

“Did you try to use the trick we discussed?”

“Yes. I gave her that carving we bought at the market in Vingulsmark. That did get her talking but she said nothing illuminating.”

“Shame.”


Hemming shook his head.

“I thought that would unlock her heart for you.”

“She did give me a bit more about Irmgard and what Irmgard told Froði. That will be useful. I now firmly believe the former queen was the mastermind behind the plot against Hrœrekr. She used Froði to find the right men in his forces who could become turncoats when given enough gold. I chased one of them in Miklagard years ago and he almost gave up Irmgard then. But that’s all we have to show from this gambit. So perhaps your trade talks will bear more fruit and all those weeks at sea will not be wasted.”

“Well, these Arabs have everything it seems. Not much to sell them. But they always need more slaves and servants and we are good at catching those. We will strike a deal to get access to some of their markets.”

“Whatever can be done to cover the tracks of my mission would be appreciated.”

“You were in with her for quite a while. Seems like a long conversation for not much.”

“I got to meet the sultan, the Lion.”


Alfr said this and laughed a bit.

“And I learned Astrid is up to her old tricks.”

“How’s that?”

“She’s fucking the old geezer.”


Alfr laughed more.

“She certainly has a knack for seducing kings.”

“Well, from what I’ve heard, she’s built for it.”







Hemming joined Alfr in laughing as he made motions with his hands approximating Astrid’s curves.

When they had stopped laughing, Hemming noted:

“Well, at least you will have some news for the king, even if Irmgard has disappeared.”

Alfr shook his head, but inside he vowed he would share very little of this trip with the king and he felt that was the just decision.

Alfr slept soundly that night, not troubled by the nightmares he often had. Instead, he dreamed of his teenage concubine Gyla as if she had spent the night with him entwined intimately in the huge bed he slept in here in the Grand Palace of Alcolea.

Spoiler: Image Credits

(The images included in this chapter are all from accounts linked to @Chac1 where he holds the copyright. They are primarily from Playground AI, but some are from ImageFX and from Bing, including the Lost Seasons of the Danes logo. The LunaPic image editor was used to alter some images.)

(Lost Seasons of the Danes will return soon.)

ᛚᛟᛋᛏ ᛋᛖᚨᛋᛟᚾᛋ ᛟᚠ ᛏᚺᛖ ᛞᚨᚾᛖᛋ​

 

[Lord Durham]

Nice post. Quite revealing. As always, watching Alfr at work is a highlight.

Hemming and Alfr sure look like they're cut from the same bolt of cloth. Should double check that family tree .

 

[Midnite Duke]

Wonderful Post, thank you for sharing with us. Will Denmark soon need a new spymaster? Can you imagine a child of Astrid being milk-intolerant? The Sultan is raiding his son's dairy! Many men have been distracted by Astrid's curves and failed to see the cunning mind.

 

[Chac1]

Thanks to @Lord Durham and @Midnite Duke for your support. Thanks to the silent readers too. Glad you both liked this chapter as it was something very different from our usual.

Wonderful Post, thank you for sharing with us. Will Denmark soon need a new spymaster?

Whatever gives you that idea, @Midnite Duke ? The jarl is just trying to solve a mystery that's been hovering over this AAR since Chapter 3.

Can you imagine a child of Astrid being milk-intolerant? The Sultan is raiding his son's dairy! Many men have been distracted by Astrid's curves and failed to see the cunning mind.

Indeed. She's a favorite of many readers, at least that's what I glean from the comments. I'm almost convinced that I should write a spin-off of Astrid's adventures in the caliphate. It's amazing what her game character has done, really. Going back into the game saves certainly unearthed a lot that informed this chapter and so much more.

Nice post. Quite revealing. As always, watching Alfr at work is a highlight.

Hemming and Alfr sure look like they're cut from the same bolt of cloth. Should double check that family tree .

I do have a lot of fun with Jarl Alfr. Just like my thoughts on Astrid, I think a spin-off with him might be entertaining.

(As long as you are agreeable to more adventures and travels, Jarl Alfr.)​

As for Hemming and Alfr, that's my own inside joke about CK2 character art. You may recall that sometimes you swear an image for one character is strikingly like another character. In the game, Hemming (he is in the game too) looks just like Alfr, so I had to carry that over to the AAR.

Thanks for reading. More coming in a bit....

 

[Midnite Duke]

The aging of Alfr is noticeable (how old is he) and now dreaming of happier times seems to be a foretelling. Hemming is even a ready replacement. I prefer Maryanne (Gyrid, king's concubine) to Ginger (Astrid).

 

[HistoryDude]

That spinoff is a good idea. Astrid is certainly doing well for herself. Does the son know about her affair with his father?

Actually, does Astrid's new husband have any other wives?

Also, is that some foreshadowing of the Viking Age that I see?

 

[Chac1]

Thanks for joining the commenting crew @HistoryDude . Always good to see you here.

The aging of Alfr is noticeable (how old is he) and now dreaming of happier times seems to be a foretelling. Hemming is even a ready replacement.

Jarl Alfr is the oldest of the characters and is 60 years old. Indeed, when a character gets to that age in this game, you have to be concerned about them.

I prefer Maryanne (Gyrid, king's concubine) to Ginger (Astrid).

One of the life lessons I have learned is it is better to stay with Mary Ann than go roaming off with Ginger. Not all of the characters in this AAR would pay attention to that advice, however. I have also learned Mary Ann will often surprise you pleasantly.

Well, Astrid (Ginger) I've met a few like you in my time, and I've learned to handle with care.​

I also have to credit @HistoryDude with asking many good questions about Astrid a long time ago to spark some ideas for this chapter.

That spinoff is a good idea. Astrid is certainly doing well for herself. Does the son know about her affair with his father?

Actually, does Astrid's new husband have any other wives?

Both your question @HistoryDude and some of the observations from @Midnite Duke had me checking back in old files for reference. The prince (Astrid's husband) has no other wives. Astrid is his second wife after his first wife died. The son has no clue about his father's affair with Astrid. Definitely a good plot. Plus The Lion not only has other wives but other lovers too. He is quite the busy ruler.

For those who don't know, the Lion is a historical figure, so he'd be fun to have as a main character in an AAR, although no doubt he will be controversial.

Also, is that some foreshadowing of the Viking Age that I see?

Yes, definitely some foreshadowing of various events in this chapter. However, at this stage the Viking Age is still years away. In my play-through it arrives after the historic date. In my game, the Danes actually have no fleet at this stage. I only talk about the Danish fleet because historically they must have had something in 790 CE. The small in-story Danish fleet and non-existent Danish fleet in the play-through will factor into the next few chapters.

Indeed, we shall Jarl Alfr. Yes, indeed.​

More coming in a bit....

 

[Lord Durham]

Mary Ann and Ginger. Cute. Does that make Alfr the Professor and Thorolfr the Skipper? And half-brother, he's my half-brother, Gilligan?