Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 41: Bread and ale(2)

The hall was quiet as Maesinius rose from his seat, his steps thundering on the wooden floor. A wolf pelt draped across his shoulders, its gaze seemed to mirror the intensity of the stares fixed upon him. Undeterred, Maesinius met the scrutiny head-on, chest thrust forward with pride as he exchanged glances with a few of the assembled nobles.Show weakness and the pack will devour you , show confidence and they will think twice before jumping.

Among the norther lord , Carl Karlsson, lord of Threefall, stood out like a towering oak in a forest of lesser trees. His emblem, a crimson tree against a backdrop of snowy white, alluded at their ancient rites long forbidden under imperial rule. It was said that before the empire's dominion, the northerners offered sacrifices to the tree, human sacrifices, now thankfully abolished.

At the opposite end of the table sat Murth Grennor, lord of Greenplains, his domain ironically devoid of its namesake hue, instead blanketed in the icy embrace of winter.As apparently that was the sense of humor of northerners.Yet his was the land with most prizes, and from which the north got the biggest source of pelt , to sell to the southern merchants.

Other figures filled the hall, each bearing their own tales and epithets. Mjorn Baker, known as 'Break Shield,' who in his youth fought twenty duels, always refusing to wield shield. Han Abelsson, mysteriously dubbed 'The Three Fucker,' who Maesinius preferred not to ask about . Lastly, there was Cregan Falkar, known simply as 'Pale Face,' his pallid countenance explaining the nickname.

As Maesinius stepped forward, the crisp scent of the cold air enveloped him, its weighty presence mingling with a delicate lightness. He paused for a moment, allowing himself to sink in the sensation, the faint crackling of torches igniting his senses before he addressed the gathered lords.

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"My esteemed lords, it has been five years since the last hut was convened, a time when Swutheld 'Flat Nose' dared to challenge the might of the North with his few tribes of 80 hundred. He hoped for pebbles , yet you proved yourselves to be boulders , and his defeat is still sung in taverns ," Maesinius began

Regret tinged his words as he continued, "Unfortunately, I was absent during that battle , a fact that I deeply regret. I can only imagine the honor it would have been to stand alongside you, to share in the bond forged through battle and triumph." His gaze swept over the assembly

"The battle raged for seven long days and nights, Swutheld's forces relentlessly assaulting our defenses with ladders and battering rams. Yet, each onslaught was met with unwavering resolve, as your warriors repelled them time and again. The one night everything changed, with swift and decisive action, our garrison launched a daring sortie, catching Swutheld's forces unprepared. Their camp was engulfed in flames, and amidst the chaos, Swutheld himself was captured.The snow of the falling man, it is called in taverns, they made a pretty little song about it "

The lords nodded in agreement, their expressions reflecting pride in their past deeds some laughed at the name of the song. "He was then quartered and his head put the gate of Bane, adorning the piece of wood for six month, before it was thrown in the wilderness , I recall'' Many of the nobles smiled at the memory of that battle.

Suddenly, a deep voice echoed from the depths of the hall,

"What a strong child we have here," the same giant of before spoke , Uther's booming voice drawing all eyes toward him. "I have fought there myself, alongside many others," he continued"We battled through the night and day, calling out to the empire for aid, but all we received were empty promises and honeyed words ."

With a disdainful snort, Uther spat on the ground, his rough hand swiping across his mouth as if to rid himself of the taste of deceit. "And now, a boy dares to commend us for a fight he did not partake in? What do you know of war?You read about battles and you style yourself as Vrivius the red?" His words were sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.

Raising a trophy of his conquest, Uther brandished a bear-hide hood , he apparently liked to tell the story of it "See this beauty," he declared, his voice heavy with the weight of his triumph. "I slew her myself, with naught but a dagger and a sword.Her name is Liliana " As he spoke, he bared his chest, revealing three deep claw marks etched into his flesh. "The maiden fought valiantly, but I claimed her head and fashioned this hood from her pelt."

His gaze shifted to the wolf perched upon the prince's shoulder, his scrutiny piercing. "And what of your pet?" Uther inquired, his voice dripping with disdain. "Did you slay it with your own hands, or did you purchase it with your jewels and gold?"

''I did not kill the wolf, if that is what you are asking , it was already dead when I got my hand on it.It was during my maiden raid, a baptism of fire admist the snow . I was Leading a scouting party of one hundred strong, we chanced upon a savage village nestled amidst the wilderness," he recounted. "We descended upon the village like a tempest unleashed, our steeds thundering beneath us as we set the world ablaze.The savage did not know what it was happening until it was too late "

As the flames licked the sky and screams pierced the air, Uther's eyes gleamed as he watched the prince . "The women were taken captive, destined for a fate beyond the Bane to bear our children ," he continued, his voice tinged with the weight of sorrow. "While the rest , met the same fate as their fathers who certainly tried to bypass the Bane —swift and merciless."

The prince gave a small smile "Among the fallen, I beheld a man adorned with the pelt I now wear. That is how came to it.That day 5 armed men fell under my hands , nothing worth talking and boasting about , I knew men that reached 20 that day.''

The response amused Uther , who said nothing just smiled and sit down. For the rest of the hut he would keep silent, just observing the boy.It was then that the prince understood , 'the nobles were seizing me up. And this was the first test' if he had made an excuse, or turned toward Harold he would have been shunned, instead he had spoke directly to the giant himself and did not back down, not many could do that, Uther after all was that scary . Yet the prince's response was well liked, as it could be seen by Uther's smile directed toward him .

No northerner will follow a boy, so he has to show himself has one of them.Not too hard, he just had to do what he always did, be himself.

''Now if no one else has anything else to add'' Harold said as he finally interjected ''let us hear my guest words, I am sure we will not be left unsatisfied.''