All hail the Frostsverð!
The ting was over. The coronation of the new Arl was made. The bronze crown had been destroyed by Alföðr's rage but now the frozen sword was the proof of his false legitimacy. He called for the attention of his steward.
- "Ulfr, what have I done? I am not noble by birth, I have no right to lead these people"
- "Sire, these people gave you that right. If you did not have it you would not sit on the throne." the gray old man responded with soft words.
Alföðr scratched his beard worrying over his new responsibilities. He was already feeling the weight, a much heavier one than leading men to battle. Families trusting in that his decisions shall make his life just a little better. He glanced over to his twin children warming themselves in-front of the fireplace. Usually happy, now in morning of their big-sister... Every memory of her ached trough his entire body.
- "Sire?" Ulfr asked him and touched him on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry but we have pressing matters to attend to."
- "Yes, let's hear He said after collecting himself.
- "First you have to choose your thanes and then we have an envoy from the Golden City
Alföðr knew exactly who he wanted as his closest housecarls. Those two had been his mentors, too old to be fighters but they had served the realm well and still do. Most of the younglings in the army still would not be able to best them.
- "Grímnir Hávi and Týr Váfuðr deserve the titles, if I could give them more I would"
- "Very well sire, it shall be so." He waved to a thrall and told him to fetch them.
- "What was the message from the shiverers?" he asked with a smile on the face, the weakness of outsiders to the cold of The Pale had always amused him.
Ulfr explained that they had requested the presence of late Arl Thormund in the Assembly of the Imperial Palace. Apparently a plague brought forth by underlings of dökk was terrorizing the lands. More than that he did not know, the envoy had died by the cold before he could tell them anything else. Anything concerning Myrkrieinn, or The Dark One in the common language, was always of great concerns. The ancient Ahtaer fought him after they so foolishly destroyed the only thing protecting them, The Faðir, in the quest for power. Now every mortal is tasked with protecting life. Alföðr took a sip from his mead and looked at the reflection of the fire in the bronze goblet. He imagined the whole city engulfed in flames of war and his people for the slaughter, the last solitude of the proud Pale ones finally destroyed. On one side he has the tribesmen and on the other side he has aggressive Arl's looking to expand their realm. Then beyond that there is the Myrkrieinn set on eating the world. For a moment he played with the thought that maybe he should have swallowed his sorrow and accepted his liege crime so he could have been let go of this weight.
The doors to the longhouse opens up and in comes Grímnir and Týr with full gear for border patrol duty. poor thrall that had to run out in the cold after them. He leans over to the steward
- "Leave us..." he tells him
"... and make sure the thrall is given a pelt to warm himself. If he's so determined to run after them in this cold he is worth keeping"
- "Yes mi'arl." he bows and walks out of the longhouse leaving the Arl and the new Thane's.
Alföðr stands up with an open gesture towards to the two old men in-front of him
- "My old friends! Would you do me the honour to join me in the Assembly of the Imperial Tower as my Thanes and Chancellors?" he yelled out in happiness of seeing them
"I would really appreciate your wisdom."
They agreed, the very next day they headed to the Golden City by longboat trough the rivers, making the journey fairly quick. three dozen enormous pale housecarls exited the boat first then the Arl and his trusted Thanes, one on each side. They all wore white dire wolf pelts. The local populace were stunned by the vision. Alföðr has been here before as the personal guard of previous Arl's, he well knew his way to the assembly.
While walking the streets he saw everything he detested, the nobles lived separated from the people of the city, the very notion that the people should serve the lords is not what he believed in. The lords were the servants, everything they did was for the furthering of his people, even if at his own expense. This is what The Pale Ones always have believed. While walking trough simply The Harbour he saw people he wanted to help, but not the means to do so. This corrupt society have fallen upon itself, and soon to be forgotten. His eye catches something in an alley, a small critter scavenging for food. He walks closer to notice a malnourished baby hedgehog. At least this being he can help for now he tells himself and walks closer to it, scared it curls into a spiky ball. He squats down beside it, reach inside his pelt cloak and pulls out some grilled salmon and waves it in-front of the scared poor thing. Smelling the wonderful meat she slowly peaks out. She eventually grabs it and starts eating. He continues his walk towards the Imperial Palace.
When entering the nobles quarters Grímnir pats on his back and tells him:
- "Seems like you have gotten another companion, friend." he points on a dark little shadow approaching them carefully. She had followed them the whole way from the Harbour. A little light started to burn inside of Alföðr, his small act of kindness had a difference. Gave the little creature some more salmon then put her in a pocket of the pelt cloak where she fell soundly asleep. Probably the first time in her life she felt safe. A little proof that in this world where the Myrkrieinn rules, there is still place for something better.
With the determination he needs, he entered the assembly. Determined to make everything right, to save the world, in the memory of Gudrun.
(( I'm still going by the lore, just replacing like names to fit the culture of my realm. Ahtaer = The Saints, though worshipped as gods. The Faðir is the creator. ))