925-926 For the Good of the Realm
925-926 For the Good of the Realm
Nuyat came to the throne and found Yaroslavl in disarray, Virdyan had ruled for close to 40 years and no one knew what to expect from this new King. The two lowborn members of Virdyan’s Council, the Ethiopian eunuch, Tengene, who had served as the Voice of Meryan and the old warrior, Shoksha, Virdyan’s long serving War Chief, had been dismissed by the rest of the Council before Virdyan had even been laid to rest in the sacred grove. The remaining Council consisted of High Chief Pakstyan of Mochkava, who had served as Steward for the past 4 years, since the death of Nikita of Man, the Spymaster, Chief Ahvo of Belo Ozero, (the brother of a man Nuyat had murdered, though no one knew that), and the Court Diviner, High Chief Kezhay of Vologda, a man who had held Nuyat’s family all but hostage for the past 10 years.
Nuyat first thought was to fire Kezhay from the Council and use his new position as King and his strong claims on Vologda and Kostroma to revoke the titles from Kezhay. But he did not give into that initial impulse and considered the matter further. First of all, if Kezhay refused the revocation, then there would be civil war, and Kezhay still had Nuyat's two brothers and one of his sisters as potential hostages. While Nuyat now had more than enough men to defeat Vologda on its own, Nuyat was not sure whether High Chief Kezhay could get other Chiefs to join him in a war against the Tyranny of a new and unproven King. Also, when it came down to it, Nuyat didn’t really want Kostroma. He had no sentimental attachment to the place, as what life he could remember there had been one of misery and fear. And while Nuyat was unhappy with Kezhay’s treatment of his sisters, the High Chief had treated his brothers well, whatever his motive, and Nuyat had never hated him as he had hated his brother, Ovtay ‘the Cruel’. Plus, with Nuyat’s inheritance of the High Chiefdom of Merya, which came with the crown of Merya, he now held three High Chiefdoms already, which made his vassals Chiefs unhappy. Adding a fourth High Chiefdom would make that unrest worse. Finally, Kezhay was was by far the most experienced and smartest man on the Council, and possibly in the Kingdom, it would be better to use him for the good of the realm, rather than make an enemy of him.
Chief Ahvo was also a concern, if the spymaster ever learned of Nuyat’s involvement in his brother’s death, it could be a dangerous situation. But it had been over 10 years since Chief Kuuti’s death and Ahvo had never even considered Nuyat as a suspect. The only way anyone would ever know or even suspect Nuyat’s guilt is if Nuyat confessed outright. It was better to keep Ahvo close, in case he ever decided to take another look at his brother’s death.
To replace the eunuch, Nuyat decided to invite High Chief Sarak of Bjarmia to join the Council as the new Voice of Merya. Nuyat chose him not only because he was the most qualified for the job and a powerful vassal that needed to be mollified, but also because he had Nuyat’s sister, Sanal’ka, as his concubine. Nuyat wanted to get to know this man who was the father of his niece, as well as have a chance to talk to Sanal’ka and find out what he could do for her.
His choice of War Chief also had an ulterior motive. Paksyut was a bastard Kardazid, skilled in war, more than qualified to be War Chief. But the real reason Nuyat chose him was that his wife, Teken Bőgü kyzy, was Nuyat’s lover, and Nuyat wanted a reason to keep her in Yaroslavl, without raising his wife’s suspicion.
Nuyat’s wife, the new Queen of Merya, was Anava Pure, daughter of the late Chief Viryas of Mordva and sister to the current Chief of Mordva. Nuyat’s marriage to Anava, had been a major factor in King Virdyan accepting him as his heir and eventually designating him as regent in the last years of his reign. Virdyan had wanted to please Viryas by making his daughter the next Queen, the first Queen Merya has had since Virdyan’s wife, Queen Vezhav 'the Unlucky’, died 30 years ago.
Nuyat had married Anava 15 years ago, before he had claimed the High Chiefdom of Mari and Murom, when the engagement to daughter of a Chief was the best he could get based on his possible claims to a High Chiefdom. The marriage had proven fruitful, blessing them with five children, Tetyava at 14, his oldest daughter, Parush at 11, his only son, and the three younger girls, Kunyavka 5, Cherava 4, and the newborn, Anava.
Nuyat had been faithful for 15 years, though Anava had not, being seduced by Chief Malyy of Hlynov seven years into their marriage, resulting in the bastard boy Kezhedey. But Anava’s last pregnancy had been difficult, so difficult that they agreed on the name Anava if it was a daughter out of fear the elder Anava would no longer be around. But the difficult pregnancy had also meant Anava could not see to Nuyat’s needs, and so when the exotic Teken had caught his eye, he had finally strayed.
Teken was from the Tiele steppe clan, daughter of the late Khagan of the Kirghiz horde. She was older than Nuyat, but strong, beautiful and brave, and he was entranced. Unfortunately, after 20 years of marriage to Paksyut without a child, she became pregnant soon after she and Nuyat became lovers. Naturally, Paksyut was suspicious and soon discovered he was not the father and became Nuyat’s rival.
Nuyat, to avoid the situation he has created, turned his attention to the Conquest of Votyaki that Virdyan had started just before his death, and marched east to join the warriors that had gone to fight the Ashina. Votyaki and Vetluga had already been seized by Meryan warriors, and Khlynov soon followed.
In a brief skirmish at Tynea, a Pecheneg warrior named Tyrach ‘Stone Fist’ is captured. Then within a month, the villages of Tynea and Yelevo are also captured after short sieges.
The Meryan armies converge on the enemy at their main encampment at Naberezhnye and while another Meryan band wins the battle of Pil’va and Perm is captured as well.
The Battle of Naberezhnye is the critical battle of the war. In it, Nuyat comes to understand steppe warfare and is victorious. The rebel village at Naberezhnye had already been captured by the Khagan Khuterkin of Ashina, but he had left only 30 defenders to hold it and they quickly surrendered.
Meanwhile, the second Meryan army spares the Suomenusko temple at Perym, as terms are offered to Vakrim ‘the Cruel’ of the Ashina Revolt. Vakrim soon accepts. Nuyat claims Votyaki and immediately invites settlers to come and build a tribal holding and start the construction of a hillfort to secure Nuyat’s prize.
Unfortunately, the war ended too soon and Nuyat returns to Yaroslavl just in time for the birth of Teken’s son, who she has named Çortah. Nuyat reluctantly acknowledges that the boy is his, though he does not legitimze him. The news of his victory over the Ashina is overshadowed by this scandal and the displeasure of Queen Anava.
It would take three months to get back into his wife’s good graces, she would forgive him, as she was not without sin and they also needed to appear united for the good of the realm, but she would not forget, and also by that time she was pregnant again.
Nuyat came to the throne and found Yaroslavl in disarray, Virdyan had ruled for close to 40 years and no one knew what to expect from this new King. The two lowborn members of Virdyan’s Council, the Ethiopian eunuch, Tengene, who had served as the Voice of Meryan and the old warrior, Shoksha, Virdyan’s long serving War Chief, had been dismissed by the rest of the Council before Virdyan had even been laid to rest in the sacred grove. The remaining Council consisted of High Chief Pakstyan of Mochkava, who had served as Steward for the past 4 years, since the death of Nikita of Man, the Spymaster, Chief Ahvo of Belo Ozero, (the brother of a man Nuyat had murdered, though no one knew that), and the Court Diviner, High Chief Kezhay of Vologda, a man who had held Nuyat’s family all but hostage for the past 10 years.
Nuyat first thought was to fire Kezhay from the Council and use his new position as King and his strong claims on Vologda and Kostroma to revoke the titles from Kezhay. But he did not give into that initial impulse and considered the matter further. First of all, if Kezhay refused the revocation, then there would be civil war, and Kezhay still had Nuyat's two brothers and one of his sisters as potential hostages. While Nuyat now had more than enough men to defeat Vologda on its own, Nuyat was not sure whether High Chief Kezhay could get other Chiefs to join him in a war against the Tyranny of a new and unproven King. Also, when it came down to it, Nuyat didn’t really want Kostroma. He had no sentimental attachment to the place, as what life he could remember there had been one of misery and fear. And while Nuyat was unhappy with Kezhay’s treatment of his sisters, the High Chief had treated his brothers well, whatever his motive, and Nuyat had never hated him as he had hated his brother, Ovtay ‘the Cruel’. Plus, with Nuyat’s inheritance of the High Chiefdom of Merya, which came with the crown of Merya, he now held three High Chiefdoms already, which made his vassals Chiefs unhappy. Adding a fourth High Chiefdom would make that unrest worse. Finally, Kezhay was was by far the most experienced and smartest man on the Council, and possibly in the Kingdom, it would be better to use him for the good of the realm, rather than make an enemy of him.
Chief Ahvo was also a concern, if the spymaster ever learned of Nuyat’s involvement in his brother’s death, it could be a dangerous situation. But it had been over 10 years since Chief Kuuti’s death and Ahvo had never even considered Nuyat as a suspect. The only way anyone would ever know or even suspect Nuyat’s guilt is if Nuyat confessed outright. It was better to keep Ahvo close, in case he ever decided to take another look at his brother’s death.
To replace the eunuch, Nuyat decided to invite High Chief Sarak of Bjarmia to join the Council as the new Voice of Merya. Nuyat chose him not only because he was the most qualified for the job and a powerful vassal that needed to be mollified, but also because he had Nuyat’s sister, Sanal’ka, as his concubine. Nuyat wanted to get to know this man who was the father of his niece, as well as have a chance to talk to Sanal’ka and find out what he could do for her.
His choice of War Chief also had an ulterior motive. Paksyut was a bastard Kardazid, skilled in war, more than qualified to be War Chief. But the real reason Nuyat chose him was that his wife, Teken Bőgü kyzy, was Nuyat’s lover, and Nuyat wanted a reason to keep her in Yaroslavl, without raising his wife’s suspicion.
Nuyat’s wife, the new Queen of Merya, was Anava Pure, daughter of the late Chief Viryas of Mordva and sister to the current Chief of Mordva. Nuyat’s marriage to Anava, had been a major factor in King Virdyan accepting him as his heir and eventually designating him as regent in the last years of his reign. Virdyan had wanted to please Viryas by making his daughter the next Queen, the first Queen Merya has had since Virdyan’s wife, Queen Vezhav 'the Unlucky’, died 30 years ago.
Nuyat had married Anava 15 years ago, before he had claimed the High Chiefdom of Mari and Murom, when the engagement to daughter of a Chief was the best he could get based on his possible claims to a High Chiefdom. The marriage had proven fruitful, blessing them with five children, Tetyava at 14, his oldest daughter, Parush at 11, his only son, and the three younger girls, Kunyavka 5, Cherava 4, and the newborn, Anava.
Nuyat had been faithful for 15 years, though Anava had not, being seduced by Chief Malyy of Hlynov seven years into their marriage, resulting in the bastard boy Kezhedey. But Anava’s last pregnancy had been difficult, so difficult that they agreed on the name Anava if it was a daughter out of fear the elder Anava would no longer be around. But the difficult pregnancy had also meant Anava could not see to Nuyat’s needs, and so when the exotic Teken had caught his eye, he had finally strayed.
Teken was from the Tiele steppe clan, daughter of the late Khagan of the Kirghiz horde. She was older than Nuyat, but strong, beautiful and brave, and he was entranced. Unfortunately, after 20 years of marriage to Paksyut without a child, she became pregnant soon after she and Nuyat became lovers. Naturally, Paksyut was suspicious and soon discovered he was not the father and became Nuyat’s rival.
Nuyat, to avoid the situation he has created, turned his attention to the Conquest of Votyaki that Virdyan had started just before his death, and marched east to join the warriors that had gone to fight the Ashina. Votyaki and Vetluga had already been seized by Meryan warriors, and Khlynov soon followed.
In a brief skirmish at Tynea, a Pecheneg warrior named Tyrach ‘Stone Fist’ is captured. Then within a month, the villages of Tynea and Yelevo are also captured after short sieges.
The Meryan armies converge on the enemy at their main encampment at Naberezhnye and while another Meryan band wins the battle of Pil’va and Perm is captured as well.
The Battle of Naberezhnye is the critical battle of the war. In it, Nuyat comes to understand steppe warfare and is victorious. The rebel village at Naberezhnye had already been captured by the Khagan Khuterkin of Ashina, but he had left only 30 defenders to hold it and they quickly surrendered.
Meanwhile, the second Meryan army spares the Suomenusko temple at Perym, as terms are offered to Vakrim ‘the Cruel’ of the Ashina Revolt. Vakrim soon accepts. Nuyat claims Votyaki and immediately invites settlers to come and build a tribal holding and start the construction of a hillfort to secure Nuyat’s prize.
Unfortunately, the war ended too soon and Nuyat returns to Yaroslavl just in time for the birth of Teken’s son, who she has named Çortah. Nuyat reluctantly acknowledges that the boy is his, though he does not legitimze him. The news of his victory over the Ashina is overshadowed by this scandal and the displeasure of Queen Anava.
It would take three months to get back into his wife’s good graces, she would forgive him, as she was not without sin and they also needed to appear united for the good of the realm, but she would not forget, and also by that time she was pregnant again.
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