The castle hall was a cacaphony of voices, some angry, some calm but all in arguement. Off in the distance Magnus could hear some men cry for honor duels. He sat in his ancient oaken chair and put his face into his palms. Didn't these people know what was going on, didn't they understand the importance of the situation.
Magnus' mother placed her hand on his shoulder, as he looked up he saw her still dressed in all black, her face looked far older than her years would suggest but her eyes were full of youth and cunning. They smiled at each other for a moment, when suddenly Magnus' brother Olaf spoke out.
"Men! My father's body is still warm in it's crypt and yet you bicker over petty squabbles and ancient feuds. You would tear down this kingdom that he built up. You should be ashamed. Now I don't know which of us has right to be lord but, at least for the moment we must stop fighting and choose a man to lead this kingdom."
From the bback of the hall the normally quiet Orm Eilifson, count of Hdemark raised his voice, "For his wise words, I nominate Olaf son of Harald as king."
Another voice sounded, "Agreed, I would serve under Olaf."
Magnus, sat uncomfortably in his chair, he had to speak but couldn't think of the words, then he heard his mother's voice. Surely she would handle this. "I too believe my son Olaf would make a good king, though he is young in body he is old in mind. Therefore, as I have heard the final wishes of the late king Harald, I would have Olaf as king."
The floor began erupting again, this time all present seemed to be in agreement. Until one dissenting voice spoke over the rest, this one being Skofte Ogmundson, count of Giske. "What of Harald's other son? Does Magnus cast his vote too for Olaf?"
Everyone turned to Magnus and he began to feel ill. His mother's gaze met his and he became paralyzed with a fear he hadn't known for years. He struggled with himself to speak but finally muttered a wavering, "Aye."
"Then, Giske too, shall support Olaf."
Everyone erupted in cheering and rose to crown Olaf. Magnus took this chaotic oppurtunity to get up and leave the hall, he felt his knees wobble and he grabbed onto a wall with his left hand. His stomach lurched forward and he vomited in the corridor. Wiping his mouth he continued to his bedroom.
As he lay in bed his thoughts turned to the coronation and his mother. How could she lie to the nobles like that? He was there with her when his father breathed his last. His father had named him heir, because Harald had wished for an Yngling to rule after him and as Magnus was eldest it was his right. Now Olaf had stolen that right from him, but what could Magnus do, the nobles assembled had selected Olaf; nothing could be done now, but later.....
Magnus would entertain these thoughts tommorow, he needed rest now.
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When Magnus awoke he saw his brother standing over him.
"Wake up you old fool, it's past breakfast." Olaf had a friendly smirk on his face, normally Magnus would find his brother playful and full of life, now all he saw was contempt and sarcasm.
"Where's your crown, your majesty?" Magnus said rubbing his eyes, intentionally drawing attention to the majesty part.
"You know that all that noble stuff isn't for me, I always had more fun just being myself."
"Well you should have stayed yourself and not become someone you shouldn't be."
"What's your problem Magnus have gnomes been eating at your insides?" Olaf said jokingly, that same smile draped on his face.
"My problem," Magnus said as he stood up, "is that I should be king instead of you!" There was malice in Magnus' voice as he pointed his finger at Olaf's chest, he kept his finger on his brother as he continued. "Father spoke it to me on his deathbed, and our witch of a mother took that title from me without cause!" He stamped his foot at the utterance of 'cause' and made his disgust of the situation known to an unfortunate servant who was cleaning the chamberpots.
"Brother, your words offend me and I am compelled to draw my sword, do you truly mean these spiteful words that you say?"
Magnus calmed down for a moment, as he let out a breath he spoke in softer words, "Olaf, you know that I have never lied to you, and I can assure you that as I stand here I am not lying to you now."
Olaf stood there confused, thought for a moment and then spoke, "I don't see why our mother would lie to us, but I will believe you. Now Magnus, I don't wish you to feel slighted. Up north we have just liberated vast tracts of the mountain lands and I as such I have sent some nobles to guard these lands from heathens. However I need someone to guard the land from the nobles, who would have their own realms, and I need someone I can trust to guard Norway's interests. Can I trust you Magnus?"
Magnus looked down at the floor as a scolded child and let out a weak, "Aye."
"Then I shall make you Duke of Trøndelag."
Magnus' mother placed her hand on his shoulder, as he looked up he saw her still dressed in all black, her face looked far older than her years would suggest but her eyes were full of youth and cunning. They smiled at each other for a moment, when suddenly Magnus' brother Olaf spoke out.
"Men! My father's body is still warm in it's crypt and yet you bicker over petty squabbles and ancient feuds. You would tear down this kingdom that he built up. You should be ashamed. Now I don't know which of us has right to be lord but, at least for the moment we must stop fighting and choose a man to lead this kingdom."
From the bback of the hall the normally quiet Orm Eilifson, count of Hdemark raised his voice, "For his wise words, I nominate Olaf son of Harald as king."
Another voice sounded, "Agreed, I would serve under Olaf."
Magnus, sat uncomfortably in his chair, he had to speak but couldn't think of the words, then he heard his mother's voice. Surely she would handle this. "I too believe my son Olaf would make a good king, though he is young in body he is old in mind. Therefore, as I have heard the final wishes of the late king Harald, I would have Olaf as king."
The floor began erupting again, this time all present seemed to be in agreement. Until one dissenting voice spoke over the rest, this one being Skofte Ogmundson, count of Giske. "What of Harald's other son? Does Magnus cast his vote too for Olaf?"
Everyone turned to Magnus and he began to feel ill. His mother's gaze met his and he became paralyzed with a fear he hadn't known for years. He struggled with himself to speak but finally muttered a wavering, "Aye."
"Then, Giske too, shall support Olaf."
Everyone erupted in cheering and rose to crown Olaf. Magnus took this chaotic oppurtunity to get up and leave the hall, he felt his knees wobble and he grabbed onto a wall with his left hand. His stomach lurched forward and he vomited in the corridor. Wiping his mouth he continued to his bedroom.
As he lay in bed his thoughts turned to the coronation and his mother. How could she lie to the nobles like that? He was there with her when his father breathed his last. His father had named him heir, because Harald had wished for an Yngling to rule after him and as Magnus was eldest it was his right. Now Olaf had stolen that right from him, but what could Magnus do, the nobles assembled had selected Olaf; nothing could be done now, but later.....
Magnus would entertain these thoughts tommorow, he needed rest now.
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When Magnus awoke he saw his brother standing over him.
"Wake up you old fool, it's past breakfast." Olaf had a friendly smirk on his face, normally Magnus would find his brother playful and full of life, now all he saw was contempt and sarcasm.
"Where's your crown, your majesty?" Magnus said rubbing his eyes, intentionally drawing attention to the majesty part.
"You know that all that noble stuff isn't for me, I always had more fun just being myself."
"Well you should have stayed yourself and not become someone you shouldn't be."
"What's your problem Magnus have gnomes been eating at your insides?" Olaf said jokingly, that same smile draped on his face.
"My problem," Magnus said as he stood up, "is that I should be king instead of you!" There was malice in Magnus' voice as he pointed his finger at Olaf's chest, he kept his finger on his brother as he continued. "Father spoke it to me on his deathbed, and our witch of a mother took that title from me without cause!" He stamped his foot at the utterance of 'cause' and made his disgust of the situation known to an unfortunate servant who was cleaning the chamberpots.
"Brother, your words offend me and I am compelled to draw my sword, do you truly mean these spiteful words that you say?"
Magnus calmed down for a moment, as he let out a breath he spoke in softer words, "Olaf, you know that I have never lied to you, and I can assure you that as I stand here I am not lying to you now."
Olaf stood there confused, thought for a moment and then spoke, "I don't see why our mother would lie to us, but I will believe you. Now Magnus, I don't wish you to feel slighted. Up north we have just liberated vast tracts of the mountain lands and I as such I have sent some nobles to guard these lands from heathens. However I need someone to guard the land from the nobles, who would have their own realms, and I need someone I can trust to guard Norway's interests. Can I trust you Magnus?"
Magnus looked down at the floor as a scolded child and let out a weak, "Aye."
"Then I shall make you Duke of Trøndelag."