The Song of Wessex

[Idhrendur]

Just popping in because a couple of folks have been asking me how coz1 is doing.

He's doing ok. He's just taking an extended break, watching the Braves, the Dawgs, and playing a non-PDS computer game for a change.

Thanks for the update, I was just wondering about that (while hunting down the link to recommend this to a co-worker).

 

[Nikolai]

All my best wishes for you @coz1 , take care of yourself and return when you are ready.

 

[JabberJock14]

Just popping in to note that I have finally caught up and man what a piece of work Arthur (the first one) is. He is rather deserving of the misery he has received, but sadly, others are caught in the wake of those karmic punishments. I'd say he's living up to his mythical namesake, but I would argue this England/France was never Camelot. Arthur might have imagined himself as a great and heroic king in his grandest delusions, but few seemed to play along with him. And those that did, eventually got tired of it.

I was left trying to figure out a historical analogue for Arthur, which perhaps isn't the wisest of things but I can't help myself. Yet I really couldn't settle on one. There are aspects which pull from many kings - Henry VIII with the execution of his wife for starters.

-Henry II with his ruthlessness and determination also fit, as did the "imprisonment" of his powerful wife for subverting him, though the queen was far less effective in her actions than Eleanor ever was. And Arthur's actions far more severe than Henry's, though Henry was in no position to even think about executing his wife.

-Arthur's long-standing pursuit of the HRE as the end goal strikes me as bit of John - who was also ruthless and determined to reclaim his Angevin holdings, consolidating his grasp on England at all costs to do. Though his victory was more tangible than John's complete defeat to Philipp, it still had the real effect of placing Arthur's dynastic plans in danger.

-One could also find analogues in the Edwards with their pursuit of Scotland, and of course, the loss of a well-respected heir. Arthur (the third one) seems in better shape than Richard II, just because he's not a child, but didn't the old witch say his days were numbered as well? Sadly in fiction, that pretty much means they might as well start on the tombstone now.

There's also callback to the fictional Eadward from the Wessex trilogy, whose machinations were as effective and not filled with nearly as much delusion - though I'd argue he pretty much poisoned his family anyway given his son was an outright murderer - and also had a habit of wife killing.

But I think the general summation of those analogues, is that Arthur pulls from the very worst personality traits of English kings, both real and fictional. Success tends to paper over those flaws - John was pretty similar to his father and brother after all, but he lacked their military success - and it wouldn't surprise me for Arthur to be still "hailed" when all is said and done, for his accomplishments are impressive.

However, that will not change that he is the worst of the worst as man - a true tyrant (and one in denial about such things - which makes it even worse) and deserving of all the misery he endures at the end of his life.

 

[coz1]

Apologies up front for maybe not answering every comment or question. I will do a bit of fb-fb in a moment, but wanted to say to those of you that came forward with words of comfort and warmth, thank you. A place like this doesn't exist without support and all of you have supported me from the beginning (of either your tenure or mine.) It was inevitable that I might take a break eventually after three years. This past month marked the beginning of this grand saga (such as it is) and three years is actually quite long to write and write on the same subject. I hit a couple of posts that stunted me a bit - a way to end (finally) and perhaps a larger interest (or lack thereof) by readers. Not you folks, but others looking to read about it.

For those concerned, I am fine (and thank you for inquiring) and have simply put my pursuits elsewhere for the last 2 months. Also, I have not written a word. It is easy enough in that I am mostly done with the writing of the story. That said, I have an ending to deal with and have not yet figured that out. I have some time and hope that all will be interested. For the most part, I just needed to step back and come back fresh. I'm not sure when that will be, but there is enough to post until we get there.

Now for some fb-fb:

That is not entirely an illuminating conversation. Maud is angry yes, and is taking a bit of that anger out on the good bishop (or not so good, he does deserve a certain measure of spite after all). But I don't know, she almost appears less than she has been here. I wonder if this is part of an act, an act she knows that the bishop will faithfully report to the King of England. In other words, this is an impression she wishes Arthur to have, to manipulate him.

Because when you get down to it, because of various facets of his personality, Arthur is quite easy to manipulate if you know him well.

I like this comment but more for what it means for Maud rather than Arthur. At this point, this is rather important. I won't say that Arthur is easily manipulated, but I might say that he can be swayed by what it is that he wants. When he gets his way, he can possibly be happy. When he does not...well.

Hmm. A little, but it's quite unavoidable I think with a ckii narrative AAR like this, if they go on long enough. History book? Clear progression, end point, topic changes, etc. Comedy? Ends when game stops being funny/when writer runs out of jokes.

Narrative AAR based around a dynasty? Fiendish to pull off in a long haul. After all, drama in adversity, and ckii is designed in such a way that, if you've managed to have a game with three AARs worth of material (3 rulers or more) then unless you are clawing your way through an impossible challenge as well (minor power in path of Mongol invasion. Survive without moving capital from start etc), everyone just kind of wants to skip to the end map, summary and credits after a bit.

This is why you either have to switch genres/writing styles with every new ruler (as Knud Knitling did so well) or contrast the rulers in a very interesting way (Before Plantagent springs to mind). However the latter option is more limited than the former, since once you've done a father-son feud/relationship of differing methods, what then? Do it again? Ckii demands male heirs for the most part and their preferred stats remain the same. Short of sabotaging the game by changing religion or being a commited homosexual, what variety can you add after 100 or 200 years?

In this specific case, as is the case of all games started on the islands, once the game of conquering them all is over...the game is won. It is very, very difficult to be threatened after that. It's a similar problem you'd face in an AAR narrative about stabilising Byzantium with the aim of restoring the roman empire at some point in the future. The interest is really in the former bit, with lots of challange and intrigue. When you have successfully held the empire together and properly begin pushing outwards, the interest is lost. Of course you are going to win. The interest of the challange of the game, reflected in the narrative of the first few rulers, now has to be replaced by your own personal creations of why these characters matter and are interesting.

I don't disagree with any of this, per se, but after...coz1 counts on his fingers and runs out...the number of AARs I have written and read over the years, there are two known facts. Interest in the material matters in both. Does one wish to keep working on material and is anyone interested in reading it? The first can be overcome if you gain a new wind (as you know) but the latter is harder to overcome. It took me over two years to write Into the West because I would take multiple breaks (of 3 mths or more) but I eventually came back to it. Thankfully, I had folks that wanted to read what I was writing. I can only hope that happens here as I would not have started this last chapter if it did not interest me.

I just wanted to drop in and say, that even though I do not comment, I enjoy your writing very much and am sorry that it is not bringing as much joy to you right now, as it brings to me. I don't presume to speak for any other lurkers on this thread, but I hope they agree.

I really want to thank you for this comment! I know that a lot of people read but don't comment all that much and it is truly lovely to hear how much someone enjoys the work, if no thing else. Really...thank you!!!

In some ways your prolific output is daunting. When one misses a few chapters, it can be quite hard to catch up! Many will in time (I expect to), but that does nothing for your comments now. Perhaps it might be best to drop a mention of something where I am, even I'm a good 20 chapters behind at that point.

That said, posting fewer chapters per week may not be the worst thing in the world. More times for comments to accrue (I post chapters on a weekly basis now, and sometimes I'll get two or three comments toward the end of that weekly cycle) and it's time intensive to post, so more time for other things, so less chance of burn out. It's helped me out quite a bit (along with my break).

But keep up the good work! The writing remains excellent, even the comments are fewer.

I am remiss because the same thing happened with your own work. Length, quick updates...you get behind and then? I get it. Also perhaps why I took a break. I was writing every day and wanted it out there. Yet I wasn't seeing much of a response. So you wonder...is it good? Maybe not? Hmmm? My stuff has won some awards, and that's great, but what we all really want is engagement with out stories. I'd gladly give you all the wins just to have your readership.

@coz1 , my friend, I get your despair. It's been a long road with this story. You update fast and with meat to the bone. I know only too well how hard it is to get back into a story when there's X long updates to the last page. And aaarland is a different beast than before, in many ways more divided.

But I tell you this, few stories have been told better on these forums. It's among the best made. I think, if you made a book of it, it could sell. It's that good.

Thank you, as always, @Nikolai , and thank you for being such a staunch fan of this work!

Be assured I'm really sorry. It's not easy for me to be as active as I was. Your story is quite good so it's always a pleasure to come here and read it (I had to give up on some pretty good AARs ).

As for the pace, maybe you can lower a bit. It could be easier for others to read and comment if there is a bit less update per week. I don't know if it's the right solution though.

Well, I've lowered it a bit. That said, you know I love every comment. Yours especially!

Just popping in to note that I have finally caught up and man what a piece of work Arthur (the first one) is. He is rather deserving of the misery he has received, but sadly, others are caught in the wake of those karmic punishments. I'd say he's living up to his mythical namesake, but I would argue this England/France was never Camelot. Arthur might have imagined himself as a great and heroic king in his grandest delusions, but few seemed to play along with him. And those that did, eventually got tired of it.

First of all, thank you for this comment. This is the sort of thing I hope for. Secondly, that was what caused me to write this. Turn the Arthurian legend up on itself and maybe see what was reality. The game gave me a ruler that was willing and a name to use that.

I was left trying to figure out a historical analogue for Arthur, which perhaps isn't the wisest of things but I can't help myself. Yet I really couldn't settle on one. There are aspects which pull from many kings - Henry VIII with the execution of his wife for starters.

-Henry II with his ruthlessness and determination also fit, as did the "imprisonment" of his powerful wife for subverting him, though the queen was far less effective in her actions than Eleanor ever was. And Arthur's actions far more severe than Henry's, though Henry was in no position to even think about executing his wife.

-Arthur's long-standing pursuit of the HRE as the end goal strikes me as bit of John - who was also ruthless and determined to reclaim his Angevin holdings, consolidating his grasp on England at all costs to do. Though his victory was more tangible than John's complete defeat to Philipp, it still had the real effect of placing Arthur's dynastic plans in danger.

-One could also find analogues in the Edwards with their pursuit of Scotland, and of course, the loss of a well-respected heir. Arthur (the third one) seems in better shape than Richard II, just because he's not a child, but didn't the old witch say his days were numbered as well? Sadly in fiction, that pretty much means they might as well start on the tombstone now.

I agree with you that an historical analogue is not the best way to approach it, even though I have used some precedent as I wrote. Henry II is likely the closest of guides, but there are shades of Edward I and Edward III as well. Maybe a touch of George III, in a way.

There's also callback to the fictional Eadward from the Wessex trilogy, whose machinations were as effective and not filled with nearly as much delusion - though I'd argue he pretty much poisoned his family anyway given his son was an outright murderer - and also had a habit of wife killing.

But I think the general summation of those analogues, is that Arthur pulls from the very worst personality traits of English kings, both real and fictional. Success tends to paper over those flaws - John was pretty similar to his father and brother after all, but he lacked their military success - and it wouldn't surprise me for Arthur to be still "hailed" when all is said and done, for his accomplishments are impressive.

However, that will not change that he is the worst of the worst as man - a true tyrant (and one in denial about such things - which makes it even worse) and deserving of all the misery he endures at the end of his life.

And yes...a great call back to those that came before in this timeline. Is he really a tyrant or just all powerful? Is there a difference? My Eadward IV was pretty ruthless. Is Arthur better or worse? 100+ years of time and perhaps remembrance of deeds may tell the difference. If such exists. That's the sort of thing that interests me.


To all - It's been some time, but I hope that any and all are hoping to read the next bit. This chapter is far from done and more will follow. It is written and done. I can't promise constant updates, but it is done and ready when I can. I really want to thank all of you that have kept pace with this story (as long as it is) and for supporting my work for these last many years! I've said it many times before, but I could not have done it without you. Truly...thank you!

 

[coz1]

​

The Song of Wessex​

* * *

Cardiff, Wales - August 1336​

“Please, my Lord Bishop...” Prince Arthur gestured, “...do come in. I have been expecting you.”

The aging Bishop smiled, “I was delayed to Lancaster and was then told that you had traveled to here. Was pleased to spy your wife and daughter to there but wonder why you chose now to move?”

“Merely a precaution,” the young man stated as he handed the Bishop a cup, “I did not think it would do well to hold so public a meeting.”

Bishop Ewan took a drink and then nodded, “You are then both wise and cautious.”

“One has need to be at a time like this,” Prince Arthur sat and gestured for the opposite chair, “And I take it that my mother has already given you the details?”

“Her Grace Queen Maud was quite clear,” the Bishop replied but held up a finger, “Yet...I think to ask you a question, my Lord Prince...are you certain that you have considered this fully?”

The Prince raised a brow, “What else is there to consider?”

“It is a bold step...and a dangerous one,” Bishop Ewan warned, “Many men over the years...and women too...have desired this end, yet none have found success. And those that were found out have paid for it with their heads.”

Prince Arthur smiled as he sat back, “My Lord Bishop...you have been around for quite a long time, haven’t you? Seen much in your years.”

“That much is true,” Bishop Ewan agreed.

“Were instrumental, in fact, in seeing two reigning Queens...to their ends,” the young Prince suggested.

The Bishop hesitated, “Little is known...”

“Much and more is known by my mother,” Prince Arthur interrupted, “She has told me of her perilous flight from Scotland when she was naught but a young Lady and promised to my father. And then of later when she herself witnessed the execution of your co-conspirator.”

“My Lord Prince...” the Bishop tried to argue, “...I can assure you that I had no hand in the death of your grandmother to France. That was entirely due to Queen Aveline and...”

The Prince sat tall once more with a questioning eye, “Do you deny that you and she were instrumental in the death of Queen Helen of Scotland?”

“Rumors abound,” the Bishop replied calmly, “Yet proof has never surfaced. Some say that it was your mother’s uncle when Gilbride of Scotland held wish to be King.”

“You are cagey, my Lord Bishop,” the Prince answered with a grin, “That is good. I think that is likely why you remain alive when so many others are now gone.”

Bishop Ewan returned the grin, “And more to that...if you have heard the rumors...that I have never let my talents go against the one man that rules them all. I have met your grandfather and he is most formidable. A great figure of worth with both sword and the mind and does not tend to lose whenever he bargains.”

“That is just it...” the Prince answered, “...my mother and I both feel that he does not bargain so much as demand. There is much to be admired about him, and I have looked up to him ever since I was a small boy...yet recent events and the love I hold for my mother compel me to look for alternatives.”

The Bishop leaned forward with a serious eye, “Your grandmother held a similar notion...and lost her head.”

“He was younger then...and with much less to lose,” Prince Arthur countered, “Had three sons as heirs and no longer required his Queen. Now? I am what is left for him and he is so much older.”

“And has only been made stronger in his age,” Bishop Ewan continued, “He has bested the brightest minds of his time...and empire, in fact, as he builds one of his own.”

The Prince gave nod, “Indeed...and lost a son for it in the process. His last son. My father. You have not seen the King in some time, my Lord Bishop, but I think this last step has taken too much from him and he starts to grow feeble.”

“The last I recall, my Lord Prince...” Bishop Ewan calmly sat back in his chair, “...the King of England and the rest holds siege to Ireland where Aileach has already fallen to him. Two fine armies remain to the north in the highlands. He is indeed now over his three score in years, but holds a mistress hardly older than you...and is the cousin to your own mother. In short...I see not that he loses in his step. I have never thought to underestimate his abilities and neither should you.”

“I know well the risk that is taken,” Prince Arthur stood to refresh his drink, “Which is why my mother and I could think of no better man for the work. It needs must be careful...and well planned. And there are others that are disgruntled...who may be of service. When it is done, I will be King of it all and will honor my mother and Scotland. The enemies of my grandpapa are legion. I believe them to wish a fresh voice.”

“I have not yet said nay...” Bishop Ewan turned to him, “...nor will I. Only that every precaution must be taken and every notion considered in its fullness.”

The Prince looked back, “My grandpapa is called King Arthur ‘the Just’...yet my mother and I both think that just the opposite. He thinks that I love him...and I suppose that I do in some way...yet without him and his efforts, my father would still be here today. My mother would not be made to grieve and stand as vassal if anything at all. Of everything that I know of my grandpapa, one thing is certain. He takes and he takes and he takes. Now it is time for that to end.”

Bishop Ewan stood, “So you are most willful in this scheme? You find full agreement?”

“If you are standing here and listening to me speak, than that is all the answer you need,” the Prince held his head high, “What is required is answer to my question. Will you help kill the King of England?”

​

 

[Bullfilter]

Great to have you back my friend! Hope the fresh winds of rest and diversion blew away any cloying I’ll humours.

speaking of which ... dah-dah DAH! This latest development is a nasty one - I wonder if either Arthur (or Queen Maud) has ever heard the tragic tale of Darth Plagueis ‘the Wise’!

Either Master or Apprentice is in for a fall here ...

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

Does one wish to keep working on material and is anyone interested in reading it?

Indeed the main issue. The former seems to be harder, at least concerning this forum, because there rarely seems a shortage of readers when stuff is eventually produced. Writing a few thousand words for an update is tricky enough, but most also have to have images in them (and I don't edit images as much as others do, which is even more labour intensive). Often what kept an update back was not writing but those damn screenshots etc.
I suspect that everyone at various points does sort out these issues, if only for a period, steams out tons of content and then worries if it was too much in a short amount of time. But so long as it is good content, readers will catch up on it...eventually at least. That would depend on how productive you were as well, since I'm generally slow on this site and others are extremely fast and consistent...

But yeah, there doesn't seem to be a 'problem' in producing lots of stuff over a long period of time.

 

[tpmcinty]

Welcome back. It is good to once again reading the tale of Wessex.

What a return with a scheme to end King Arthur. I would have never thought his grandson would be involved. Maud yes I could see her involvement. Can't wait to see where this goes.

 

[Nikolai]

@coz1 my friend, so happy to see you return! Hope your vacation was well spent! I am so happy to finally see another chapter in this grad take; and what a turn of events!

 

[stnylan]

Oh King Arthur, you craft foes like few others since Morcar and William of distant times.

And really, I can't help get this idea out of my head that Arthur has exactly crafted this new foe, one deliberate act after one deliberate act. The final creation may not be what he thought he intended, but it is clearly of his making.

 

[Tyler96]

Nice to see you back. .

 

[JabberJock14]

Welcome back! And what an entrance to make, given the events of the story.

While one would hope this sees the old king done in by the same skulduggery that he's partaken in over his many years, his lamentful *older* age in the framing sections of the narrative suggests this plan will instead go badly for the prince, and possibly Maud. Arthur does have a spare after all, who can still inherit both England and Scotland. You have referenced Henry II being the closest analogue and this could easily go the way of Henry the Young King, at least in result, for the prince.

And yes...a great call back to those that came before in this timeline. Is he really a tyrant or just all powerful? Is there a difference? My Eadward IV was pretty ruthless. Is Arthur better or worse? 100+ years of time and perhaps remembrance of deeds may tell the difference. If such exists. That's the sort of thing that interests me.

For me it's harder to compare Arthur to his non-narrative Wessex counterparts - we get a sense of his thoughts and delusions whereas for them, we don't. Ruthlessness can be bad. But a cold, calculating king can sometimes be easier to stomach than one who attempts to justify his behavior through weak lies, at least for me.

For example, Arthur's actions toward his wife were particularly reprehensible - even for the time period. Favoring one son with a split succession of England/France is certainly a page out of the Eleanor of Aquitaine playbook, but it's more of annoyance than a capital crime, since Aveline's influence was limited. Arthur wanted to be rid of her, so he used an excuse to do it. In a narrative, we see that Arthur ginned up the charges of plotting murder, and it makes him look worse. Especially since, for all his complaints, he and she worked together to achieve their ends.

Is it worse than other figures in actual result? Maybe not. But it is harder to stomach, which makes it also harder to justify.

I am remiss because the same thing happened with your own work. Length, quick updates...you get behind and then? I get it. Also perhaps why I took a break. I was writing every day and wanted it out there. Yet I wasn't seeing much of a response. So you wonder...is it good? Maybe not? Hmmm? My stuff has won some awards, and that's great, but what we all really want is engagement with out stories. I'd gladly give you all the wins just to have your readership.

Yeah, I know it happened a bit with my story. While I was certainly proud at the rate I turned out chapters... it was stressful and difficult. Given a choice of trying to power through and risk burn out or slow down, I chose the latter - with a break mixed in.

And I certainly understand the doubts over work quality. I feel like any good writer will have them - if not for the quality of the written word then over the subject matter. I'm no stranger to them. And fewer comments only amplifies that feeling - I always wonder if less comments means bad chapter. I imagine the truth is a bit more complicated.

I still have those fears, but I've managed to calm them slightly by adding my wife to the process. She is subjected to hearing my chapters prior to my posting now and I ask her feedback. It doesn't remove my fears completely - I still worry about unlikable characters since she's not a fan of my current main character - but she'll tell me if the writing isn't particularly good in a chapter, or if an idea doesn't come across right. So at least my nerves are calmed somewhat.

As for fear over interest... obviously that can be harder to deal with. I guess, just trust in your own personal interest in the narrative. If you still are interested in the subject matter, then write for yourself. It might sound hollow, but it's probably all anyone can do. Tell the story you want to tell and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Bullfilter]

@coz1 and @JabberJock14 : neither of you should take these self-doubts too seriously, imvho! Both of your works are quality and hold a special place in the hearts of your readership (I’m sure that goes for dedicated commentAARs and quiet readAARs alike).

Self-awareness is a good thing, but as with most good things, not if indulged in to excess! Same with the writing itself: if it becomes a chore or there’s too much self-imposed pressure, one can easily gain the Stressed trait!

Part of the periodic drop-off in apparent support I’m sure can be stressed readers and commenters trying to keep up with so many watched works, then falling behind for RL reasons (including bulging bookcases of works, many of them gifts, that gather guilty dust as well). A gentler but still steady pace can in such circumstances be a blessing for both reader and writer alike.

But you guys don’t need to worry (you will anyway, I know - you just don’t need to ).

Welcome back (again) to the House of Wessex and it’s conflicted ruler - a dream to some; a nightmare to others!

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

It is true that for the time period, this is a properly big and powerful kingdom to give to one person. Personal unions generally led to chaos further down the line but for the person who brought them together or managed to make it work, the paired crowns tended to be remarkably strong (which for neighbouring realms makes sense, given that they can stop fighting each other and go after everyone else. Everyone brings up England and Scotland, and various Spanish realms, but Prussia started off doing this too and China is arguably a four thousand year old one). So is this going to work? Well, probably not. The channel at this time cuts off communication too much, or rather slows it down to the point a monarch has to chose one realm over the other...and because these two realms can exist perfectly well without each other, they aren't going to like that.

My advice to the future king's of this series would be either figure out which kingdom they want Tom keep and bleed the other dry before bailing at the first sign of trouble there or, if they are feeling lucky, try to hold down both courts at the same time by combining the nobility into one and cross contaminating so Irish dukes rule in Toulouse and Flanders also rules Northumbria. That way even if there is a split in the realm at some point, the two kingdoms are so interconnected that you're either going to conquer them both again or take the nobility with you...

 

[Idhrendur]

Welcome back! And matters have finally begun to come to a head. This will end some degree of poorly no matter how it goes, but that is how events have been driven for so long.

 

[coz1]

Fb-fb:

Great to have you back my friend! Hope the fresh winds of rest and diversion blew away any cloying I’ll humours.

speaking of which ... dah-dah DAH! This latest development is a nasty one - I wonder if either Arthur (or Queen Maud) has ever heard the tragic tale of Darth Plagueis ‘the Wise’!

Either Master or Apprentice is in for a fall here ...

Well, it was at least a long time ago...

Indeed the main issue. The former seems to be harder, at least concerning this forum, because there rarely seems a shortage of readers when stuff is eventually produced. Writing a few thousand words for an update is tricky enough, but most also have to have images in them (and I don't edit images as much as others do, which is even more labour intensive). Often what kept an update back was not writing but those damn screenshots etc.
I suspect that everyone at various points does sort out these issues, if only for a period, steams out tons of content and then worries if it was too much in a short amount of time. But so long as it is good content, readers will catch up on it...eventually at least. That would depend on how productive you were as well, since I'm generally slow on this site and others are extremely fast and consistent...

But yeah, there doesn't seem to be a 'problem' in producing lots of stuff over a long period of time.

I don't deny that the screenshot work is tedious at times. I know some people tend to skim and rely on them (shame!) but for the most part I like to add them for color and a little assistance.

Welcome back. It is good to once again reading the tale of Wessex.

What a return with a scheme to end King Arthur. I would have never thought his grandson would be involved. Maud yes I could see her involvement. Can't wait to see where this goes.

I thought long and hard about including the grandson, but it seemed to fit his character (and especially with his relationship with Maud.)

@coz1 my friend, so happy to see you return! Hope your vacation was well spent! I am so happy to finally see another chapter in this grad take; and what a turn of events!

Thank you, sir! Great to back at it.

Oh King Arthur, you craft foes like few others since Morcar and William of distant times.

And really, I can't help get this idea out of my head that Arthur has exactly crafted this new foe, one deliberate act after one deliberate act. The final creation may not be what he thought he intended, but it is clearly of his making.

I think that last might be apt. He meant for something, but not this.

Nice to see you back. .

Thank you!

Welcome back! And what an entrance to make, given the events of the story.

While one would hope this sees the old king done in by the same skulduggery that he's partaken in over his many years, his lamentful *older* age in the framing sections of the narrative suggests this plan will instead go badly for the prince, and possibly Maud. Arthur does have a spare after all, who can still inherit both England and Scotland. You have referenced Henry II being the closest analogue and this could easily go the way of Henry the Young King, at least in result, for the prince.

Obviously, I can't say one way or the other at the moment, but Arthur has pulled off some amazing things over the years.

For me it's harder to compare Arthur to his non-narrative Wessex counterparts - we get a sense of his thoughts and delusions whereas for them, we don't. Ruthlessness can be bad. But a cold, calculating king can sometimes be easier to stomach than one who attempts to justify his behavior through weak lies, at least for me.

For example, Arthur's actions toward his wife were particularly reprehensible - even for the time period. Favoring one son with a split succession of England/France is certainly a page out of the Eleanor of Aquitaine playbook, but it's more of annoyance than a capital crime, since Aveline's influence was limited. Arthur wanted to be rid of her, so he used an excuse to do it. In a narrative, we see that Arthur ginned up the charges of plotting murder, and it makes him look worse. Especially since, for all his complaints, he and she worked together to achieve their ends.

Is it worse than other figures in actual result? Maybe not. But it is harder to stomach, which makes it also harder to justify.

I never shy away from showing the darker aspects of certain characters which helps the reader (even if they don't like them) but not so much the other characters that don't have the same knowledge. There has never been a one to one analogue throughout the series, but there are shades aplenty.

Yeah, I know it happened a bit with my story. While I was certainly proud at the rate I turned out chapters... it was stressful and difficult. Given a choice of trying to power through and risk burn out or slow down, I chose the latter - with a break mixed in.

And I certainly understand the doubts over work quality. I feel like any good writer will have them - if not for the quality of the written word then over the subject matter. I'm no stranger to them. And fewer comments only amplifies that feeling - I always wonder if less comments means bad chapter. I imagine the truth is a bit more complicated.

I still have those fears, but I've managed to calm them slightly by adding my wife to the process. She is subjected to hearing my chapters prior to my posting now and I ask her feedback. It doesn't remove my fears completely - I still worry about unlikable characters since she's not a fan of my current main character - but she'll tell me if the writing isn't particularly good in a chapter, or if an idea doesn't come across right. So at least my nerves are calmed somewhat.

As for fear over interest... obviously that can be harder to deal with. I guess, just trust in your own personal interest in the narrative. If you still are interested in the subject matter, then write for yourself. It might sound hollow, but it's probably all anyone can do. Tell the story you want to tell and let the chips fall where they may.

That last bit is good advice to anybody. I will admit that sometimes I do wonder if the prose has not become a bit stale or repetitive. I know that I'll never be the equal to my writing idol Nabokov, but I can say (with some pride) that I've never really worried about it being bad prose. But perhaps uninteresting compared to other works. That said, I'm not about to start creating conflict just for the sake of it to stew things up or including anachronistic elements to excite the fanboys. I've always written what I'd like to read and hopefully what others want as well. Sometimes...it gets a little too quiet for my tastes.

@coz1 and @JabberJock14 : neither of you should take these self-doubts too seriously, imvho! Both of your works are quality and hold a special place in the hearts of your readership (I’m sure that goes for dedicated commentAARs and quiet readAARs alike).

Self-awareness is a good thing, but as with most good things, not if indulged in to excess! Same with the writing itself: if it becomes a chore or there’s too much self-imposed pressure, one can easily gain the Stressed trait!

Part of the periodic drop-off in apparent support I’m sure can be stressed readers and commenters trying to keep up with so many watched works, then falling behind for RL reasons (including bulging bookcases of works, many of them gifts, that gather guilty dust as well). A gentler but still steady pace can in such circumstances be a blessing for both reader and writer alike.

But you guys don’t need to worry (you will anyway, I know - you just don’t need to ).

Welcome back (again) to the House of Wessex and it’s conflicted ruler - a dream to some; a nightmare to others!

This place is a bit of a double edged sword. In the one corner is the awesome ability to write and see instant feedback on the work. In the other is the ebbs and flows of the seasons/schedules/etc. in which you may not see such instant feedback as much, especially when the output is high. It is a tightrope to walk, but I would never trade one for the other. Thank God for this forum!

It is true that for the time period, this is a properly big and powerful kingdom to give to one person. Personal unions generally led to chaos further down the line but for the person who brought them together or managed to make it work, the paired crowns tended to be remarkably strong (which for neighbouring realms makes sense, given that they can stop fighting each other and go after everyone else. Everyone brings up England and Scotland, and various Spanish realms, but Prussia started off doing this too and China is arguably a four thousand year old one). So is this going to work? Well, probably not. The channel at this time cuts off communication too much, or rather slows it down to the point a monarch has to chose one realm over the other...and because these two realms can exist perfectly well without each other, they aren't going to like that.

My advice to the future king's of this series would be either figure out which kingdom they want Tom keep and bleed the other dry before bailing at the first sign of trouble there or, if they are feeling lucky, try to hold down both courts at the same time by combining the nobility into one and cross contaminating so Irish dukes rule in Toulouse and Flanders also rules Northumbria. That way even if there is a split in the realm at some point, the two kingdoms are so interconnected that you're either going to conquer them both again or take the nobility with you...

Just wait...

Welcome back! And matters have finally begun to come to a head. This will end some degree of poorly no matter how it goes, but that is how events have been driven for so long.

Thanks and you might be surprised how events turn. I devised an interesting little twist.


To all - So very wonderful to see so many of you back and interested in the story after some time away. That you recall the events and story, the characters...all of it. It means a lot to me. I did not mean to take the break right at this juncture, but it does provide an interesting moment to get going again (think of it as the season premiere of a longstanding drama.) However, we are mid-chapter here and it ends with a bang. It just may not be what you think even if I have teased this and that for a time. The next scene is ready (as are many after) and will follow directly. And thank you again for your always excellent comments and readership. Three years and nearly three hundred in game time...there is a lot of good water under that bridge.

 

[coz1]

​

The Song of Wessex​

* * *

Heysham, England – November 1336​

The Earl of Gwent had lived both a charmed and depressing life. The son of the former Lord Chancellor, he was given the same name and himself had served on council for King Arthur as master of spies. Yet like his father before him, Lord Randolph had been sacked and sent home in disgrace. Somehow that idiot Earl Edward remained to council even when it was he more than anyone else that had pressed for war with the Empire. Randolph had always tried to play close to the vest, but the death of the King’s last son was too much from which to recover. None of the victories from the war could save him from the King’s wrath and so he was forced to return to his country life and pick up the pieces.

So it was a surprise to him when he received the letter from the Earl of Gwynedd. Cryptic and saying little, it did call Randolph to the King’s side in Derry, Ireland. Was it to be a command? Randolph was no great martial mind. Yet King Arthur had never cared that his leaders be great Lords...Dukes and the like. He would have Dukes, Earls...even Lord Mayors serve him both at war and on council. What the King desired most was loyalty. If chance to serve the King once more was upon him, Earl Randolph was determined to fulfill whatever role was given to him.

That was in September and now here he was some many weeks later skimming the docks for a now familiar face. She was never particularly comely, but the whore came cheap. More to that, she served a very particular client. His past connections had served him well in this quest, and to be truthful, Earl John of Gwynedd had proved a shrewd mind. Having already sussed it out, the two Lords worked well together to move in closer and closer. When he’d found Helena...that is when the fateful events came together.

A whistle alerted him in the night and Randolph turned to see Helena grinning at him as she approached, “Don’t know why we can never meet inside, milord. Tis a cold night.”

“Sweet Helly,” Randolph wasted no time in handing her a purse, “You know that I care for you for your mind and not your body.”

The whore rolled her eyes, “The horny old priest! You can find him to my bed over the tavern. He put back a few and talked me bloody ears off as he stuck it to me. And he snores! Vestments or no...he’s just a dirty old man.”

“Everything he’s said...” Randolph smiled to her, “...has been invaluable.”

She held the purse in her hand to feel the weight and smirked, “It’s good on ye, milord. Thems thats powerful...they do help the little folk from time to time.”

“There’s more where that came from, Helly,” Randolph suggested, “Just keep your ears open and your mouth closed.”

Helena laughed, “Hard to do when there’s a cock danglin’ in your face!”

She then pointed to the tavern and turned, whistling as she walked away. The Earl smiled after her and then made his way through the dark street. When he arrived, the tavern remained crowded and loud. That was good. He had dressed down for the occasion and there was little reason for anyone to recognize him. Nothing but sailors and whores, one awaiting supplies to take to Ireland and the other waiting for coin to take to their beds. Slipping past a noisy bar wench, Randolph took the stairs slowly. He reached the top and found the room. He knew it well and Helena had already given him a key.

When he entered, a stinky candle still burned and to the bed rested none other than the Bishop of St. Andrews. In the flesh...quite literally. Randolph could not help but grin when he made point to loudly shut the door.

“What?!” the Bishop sat up in bed with a shock, “Who goes there?! Helena??”

Randolph stood to block the door and smiled, “I think it time for you to put back on your robes, my Lord Bishop. It is cold out this night. You may catch a chill.”

Bishop Ewan squinted in the brief light, “Who is that? What do you want?!”

“I’d say what we all want, sir...” Randolph answered, “...advancement. Mayhap even someday to sit at the hand of God the Father.”

The aged Bishop pulled a dirty sheet around him to cover his naked form, “Is that you, Randolph of Gwent? What in blazes are you doing to Lancaster?!”

“I could ask you the same question,” Randolph replied, “For your parish is quite a long way from here...and in Scotland.”

“Why are you to this room?!” Ewan pressed with irritation.

Randolph pulled a stool to him and sat in front of the door, “Get me not wrong, my Lord Bishop...I know a man has many earthly delights. But a whore in a dock town? That does seem a bit below your station.”

“I merely come from my Queen,” the Bishop replied in certainty, “Come to give a message to her son the Prince. And he has asked me kindly to relay another to his grandfather in Ireland. I was to take ship on the morrow.”

The Earl crossed a leg and leaned forward, “I think I have notion of what that message was.”

“I have no time for you, my Lord,” Ewan waved a dismissive hand, “The ship leaves at dawn and I require rest.”

“After such a busy night...or nights...” Randolph grinned, “...I imagine that you do. However...I wonder why you did not come to me? Did you think that I would not be helpful in your quest?”

The Bishop dismissed him again, “I’ve no idea what you mean!”

“Come now, my Lord Bishop,” Randolph leaned closer with a knowing eye, “For some months now you have been playing at a dangerous game. You would know that I am disgruntled...have been disgraced. Yet I do maintain my spies...and I think that some of them may be yours as well.”

“I felt no reason to seek you out,” Ewan answered, “As you say...disgraced. What use have you to me?”

Randolph sat taller, “I am not totally disgraced. I could once more gain closeness with the King. Is that not a thing to desire?”

“You speak in riddles, sir!” Bishop Ewan stood and held the sheet to his waist, “And this entire conversation is beneath me!”

The Earl matched him and stepped closer, “I know what you intend to do. A soldier in your employ...someone trusted...find way to sneak into the King’s camp? Get past his very own Lord Marshal? He must be paid handsomely indeed.”

“Did you drink your fill below, sir?!” the Bishop asked with haughtiness, “Or are you simply a madman?!”

Randolph held to the hilt of a dagger at his side, “I am a man who knows things and I know that you seek to kill my King. You would tell me who is behind it?”

“If you know so much, then you would know your answer already!” Ewan raised his head in defiance.

The Earl stepped closer, “And who is your man that holds the heavy purse?”

“It matters not...” Bishop Ewan held strong, “...for he is gone already. His ship left yesterday and he should be there in a fortnight. Faster than your men can fly!”

“And you pray not to God!” Randolph’s hand moved swiftly through the air from his hip. The dirty sheet grew bloody as the dagger was plunged deep into the Bishop’s heart and the Earl held him close with a sneer, “You have done me a service, sir...and I thank you.”

 

[Bullfilter]

Well that’s pretty dramatic: short and sharp; very sharp! I like it - and the cliffhanger.

 

[Nikolai]

Oh how the mighty fall. What a lowly end for the bishop.

I like it.

 

[stnylan]

Quite poetic really. Though he really should have kept his mouth shut.