Legends Never Die: Bestowing of Expectations (ch. 125)

Under normal circumstances, I would have preferred to delay my conquest of Scandinavia by at least a year. Perhaps two,  to be safe. Such a thing required more than just an army of young men willing to fight -- there were logistics to consider. Information needed to be gathered to determine which settlements were important enough to take first, which locations were suitable for battle, which locations we should avoid, the names of the local political players, and the general disposition of the villages, towns, and cities. 

The Rangers were part of how I intended to speed along preparations for the conquest. Skilled woodsmen, three hundred in total, were sent as an advanced scouting party that would investigate the land prior to the invasion in order to answer some of those questions. They were something of a mixture of a scout and a spy -- they would track whatever military force gathered in response to our arrival, commit acts of sabotage where they could, but most importantly, keep my army informed in unfamiliar territory. 

In the future, their duties would change and expand. I had spoken at length with Athrun about the ideal version of the Rangers and we had several ideas that we would like to explore with them. Morrigan was developing her network of spies within the towns and cities that we would conquer or build, as was Jasmine to a lesser extent with her network of merchants. The rest of the kingdoms that would fall to me, however, needed a different sort of network. And that, hopefully, would be the Rangers -- people that could venture from village to village, investigating rumors of bandits, poachers, and murderers as an extension of the local guard. 

It had potential. Potential that I would like to build a deeper and sturdier foundation to before we relied on them to be the eyes and ears of my army during a conquest that would define my reign. Yet, as premature as it might be, it was completely unavoidable. 

“We were too successful for our own good,” Thorkell noted, seated across from me. Between us was a compiled number of maps that were taken, both from my Rangers and by various ships that I’d had scouting the coastline of my first target. 

The Geats and the Swedes. 

“Every empty headed boy now dreams of sailing to the Mediterranean,” Olek agreed, a low note of disapproval in his voice. “The fools would swim there if they could.” 

My return to Denmark had the troubles I had long anticipated, and a few that I hadn't. The warriors that I commanded had become rich. Of the roughly ten thousand men I had commanded, excluding the five thousand men that then joined me with Krum, some six thousand had decided to retire with their spoils. They purchased land, they paid lavish bride prices for a harem of women, and they settled into their new homesteads content with their accomplishments and lots in life. Which left me a core of four thousand veterans, less than I had hoped for but within my expectations. 

I knew that their, and my, success would have a rippling effect across Denmark. And to a lesser extent, Saxony and Norway. The young, hotheaded, and hopeful would see that success and hope to replicate it. They would migrate en masse down to the Mediterranean, towards the kingdom I had left in my wake. I had no doubts that Hoffer could use the reinforcements, but so could I. Others would find that life paths that they had expected to follow were suddenly cut off for them, as I had restructured the kingdom almost from the ground up. 

That restless energy and ambition needed to be focused. Channeled. Both to quell the unrest, and to prevent a depopulation of young men looking for opportunity. The easiest solution? 

Give them opportunity. 

“We have enough for our goals, yes?” Krum spoke up in accented Norse, his arms crossed as his gaze was affixed to the maps that covered the war table between them. “Twenty thousand warriors.” 

“Unbloodied and untested,” Olek growled, the idea of the recruits seemingly almost personally offensive to him. 

“Which is why they will prove their worth against the Geats and Swedes,” Alfric, the Saxon noble who had chosen to stay with my army, replied. “As I understand, the Jarls of Norway were but a whetstone for five thousand men and the result was the crown of Norway being forged. I have little doubt that the same shall play out against them.” 

“More and less than I would expect,” I voiced, bringing all attention to me. “Norway is naturally divided by mountains. The easiest way to travel is by ship along the coast, which made each hold isolated. That is less true in Geatland and Sweden. There, they are sparsely populated across a vast stretch of land, but they can unite with far greater ease.” 

Northern Scandinavia could be divided into four great tribes, and thus regions. There was the Kingdom of Norway, which ran along the majority of the western coast. There was Geatland and the Geats, which controlled the southernmost part of the land, making it adjacent to Denmark. Beyond them were the Swedes, and further beyond them were the Sami. 

It was my intention to unify that stretch of land, the northern coast of the Baltic Sea, first. 

“Which is why we will not allow them the opportunity to unify,” I continued, my gaze meeting all of my top military commanders. My chosen. “We shall commence two simultaneous invasions from four separate points, each spearheaded by a thousand of our veterans and four thousand recruits.” Reaching out, I grabbed the tokens that represented each army. 

One would invade the Geats from the south, and another from the eastern coast. Meanwhile, two other armies would invade Sweden from the east coast with the ambition of meeting in the middle. 

“From there, the forces within each territory will have three true choices -- they stand with those that fight, they surrender, or they resist as small bands of fighters. The latter is not ideal, but it can be circumvented with a swift campaign.” The campaign was designed from the ground up to find those that would stand in defiance of me and separate them from those that wouldn't. Already, the seeds had been planted and had taken root. 

The survivors of my conquest of Denmark had returned to their homelands, spreading word of my abilities and my intentions. The resolute would stand and my arrival would give way to common cause -- the Rangers would direct us to those emerging alliances, and we would crush them before they had a chance to unite in earnest. 

“Six months is our time limit,” I continued. “In those lands, winter comes faster and harsher than we experience here in Denmark or Norway. In six months, fall will arrive, and with it snowstorms and the Wild Hunt.” I continued to move tokens around until they displayed a clear picture -- the complete subjugation of the territory. By that time, I would have made headway into integrating the Geats and Swedes. Food for villages and towns over winter, followed by the same proof I showed in Denmark with rapid development in projects such as roads and towns. “Because, come spring, the lands need to be settled enough for our departure.” 

“The trouble makers and rabble rousers?” Olek questioned, drinking in the sight of my plans. 

“Disbursement,” I answered flatly. The Romans had used the tactic to great effect when incorporating territories. While my lands were not as vast as Rome, I could use the same idea to dilute the presence of certain tribes and clans. To that end, the remotest of Sweden and Geatland were perfect. And, to a lesser extent, the lands of the Sami and eventually the Fins were as well. “To that end, it is partly the reason why these territories were chosen first. It gives me time to survey the lands, find points of development, then settle those from the more populated easterlands.” 

With the conquest and my Map, I would be able to observe the territories on a level that no other ruler could claim to. In Denmark, the kingdom was quite small. In truth, it wasn't that much larger than the island of Crete. As such, valuable territory like fertile soil, hotsprings, and veins of metals or minerals were found with much greater ease. In lands such as Geatland or Sweden, that was far less true. They were vast and remote, with settlers finding the places that they knew they could survive in and sticking to them. 

I sincerely doubted that these lands would ever become as densely populated as Denmark was, even if they did inevitably boast a higher population. That was something of a benefit, however, as it allowed me to develop them how I wished. Rich veins of ore or minerals would have the bones of future towns and villages laid down upon them in the spring following my conquest. Towns and villages that I would populate with members of the Estonian tribes, or the Novigrad Rus. Away from their heartlands and away from their ancestral enemies. All for the effect of weakening them enough that any attempt at rebellion would struggle to find common cause in the initial years as many wouldn't share a language, they'd be far removed from their homes and kin, and they would find themselves living in objectively better conditions. 

“This way carries significant risk,” Krum voiced, his lips thinning. “Dividing your army like this. Should one fall in the field, or to simple trickery…” he trailed off when I nodded, agreeing with him. 

“Which is why I intended to give the commanders of my armies an additional Blessing,” I stated, and while Krum's brow furrowed, the rest of my Chosen stirred. The prospect of a second Blessing was something that I had long considered. I had amassed quite the horde of Prestige to use, but I had been indecisive on how to best use it. All the more so when I heard the news from Hispania that Hadi had managed to slay some of Charlemagne's Paladins. 

Was it better to bestow further Blessings upon my Chosen, or would it be better to expand their number? Should one of them die, either by poison, on the battlefield, or simply old age… that would be a loss of a significant investment in Prestige. It was also a question of if it would be better to have a wide variety of Blessings rather than to further enhance the ones that they already possessed.

There was already some degree of physical enhancement, and while the first Blessings for my Chosen had all been within the realm of Martial and Warfare, there was no guarantee that the next blessing they received would be related to their duties. Thorkell could end up with a Diplomacy related Blessing for all I knew. And, while I didn't doubt that the gods would grant a useful blessing, I did fear that it wouldn't be useful to my immediate goals. 

I had deliberated over the decision for months before ultimately coming to a conclusion -- I trusted the men in this room, even Krum. In the future, I would consider expanding their number, but on the eve of a great conquest… it seemed foolish to add additional personalities into the mix. They each would receive an additional Blessing, with Krum receiving his first. It would be something of a loss when he inevitably returned to Bulgaria, but the investment would have a different kind of pay out. 

It would forever bind him to me, and through him his kingdom. And that was a very advantageous thing to have in the far future when Bulgaria would become a fast ally. 

“Thorkell? Rise,” I commanded, and the easy-going confidence of the man bled out of him, replaced with a seriousness that I rarely saw. He nodded at me, stepping forward, and I placed a hand upon his shoulder and pushed the Prestige into him. As I’d suspected, it took more to bestow the Blessing, about half again as much as the first one. Which would make a third something that I would only grant to those who had earned them, rather than needed them.

Martial: Shatter Point

Areas and units of weakness are highlighted. Shatter points may change due to real-time circumstances, such as morale, location, and individual ability. 

It was a uniquely useful Blessing, and I was very pleased with it. When used in conjunction with his other Blessing, Of One Mind, it would allow him to take full effect of the Shatter Points without disrupting the flow of battle, as his general, whether it be myself or Astrid, would be aware of those points as well. In short, it was the perfect Blessing for him to receive, all the more so when factoring in future plans. 

Thorkell nodded, standing a bit taller, and as he stepped away, I saw him testing his newfound strength. But, there were others that followed. 

Olek was next, as the second of my head commanders. 

 Martial: Stalwart

 Units that are still are planted like a stone. 25% increase in fighting effectiveness for units that are still in a defense posture. 

That was something to consider. I often fought aggressively and only rarely took the defensive. However, Stalwart paired well with Unyielding, which enabled warriors under Olek’s command to fight longer and harder with greater endurance. Stalwart invited the attack, and it would have been quite useful against Horrik, as that battle would have been an excellent use for it. 

Athrun came after that.

 Martial: Projectile Prediction

 Projectile Prediction visualizes the exact destination and path of an object

I was a bit surprised to see one of my own Perks being offered as a Blessing, though it was a pleasant surprise. The Perk was uniquely useful with Athrun’s already existing Blessing, Animal Totem, which allowed him to take on aspects of various animals for various benefits. Such as the Aspect of the Bear, which greatly enhanced his strength allowing him to shoot arrows at a much greater distance. 

It made him a uniquely deadly archer, as now Athrun could potentially kill any enemy commander on the field of battle so long as he had sight of them. 

After Athrun, it was Alfric’s turn to receive his second Blessing. 

Martial: Swift Movement

The faster the units under the bearer’s command move, the faster they go, to a limit of a 100% speed increase. 

That was a very useful perk, especially when combined with his first, Poise, which increased a unit's ability to absorb impact the faster that they were going. Considering that Alfric was in command of the cavalry division of my army… A cavalry charge was already a thing of devastation, but when combined with those two Blessings -- it wouldn’t surprise me if Alfric could cut an unprepared army in two with a good proper charge. 

Then, lastly, there was Krum. He approached with far more hesitation, a wariness in his eyes that told me he genuinely didn’t know what to expect when I placed a hand on his shoulder. His eyes widened dramatically when he felt the Prestige flow into him, granting him a Blessing. 

Martial: Ambush Tactics

The user has become an adept user of ambushes. Locations of potential ambushes are now highlighted to the user, and additionally, locations where he could ambush others and where his units would be most effective are displayed on his HUD. 

That was an interesting one, though I had no idea what a HUD could possibly be. Krum took in a sharp breath, and the blood seemed to drain from his face as she stumbled a step back, looking at me with wide, disbelieving eyes. “That was…!” 

“There's a reason why everyone is convinced that he's a god,” Thorkell replied, far better understanding what Krum was experiencing than I could. In the end, from the moment of my birth, I’d had the attention of the gods. I was the honored one. In truth, I couldn't imagine what my life would have been like without the gods guiding me since before I could even walk or talk. 

“These Blessings will enable you to better lead during the conquest,” I continued, seeing the wariness shine in Krum's eyes. It was different for him, I imagine. We all worshiped the same gods, even if some of us called them by different names. Krum… didn't. I'm unsure what gods or god he believed in, but I suppose this counted as a very strong argument for the power of the Aesir. At the very least, their existence would be far more difficult for him to deny. “I have made the proclamation and word has spread, but most may not yet believe it. It is why we must succeed with these invasions, as they will be evidence for arguments that shall spread across Scandinavia. That we can do this. That we are coming. And that when we arrive, we will win.” 

My Chosen nodded, and even Krum managed to swallow his unease enough to do the same. They understood. 

The beginning of the conquest would set the tone. If we were bogged down or suffered a stinging defeat, then the inevitability of the conquest would be lost. We would be seen as fallible. That would invite resistance that I didn't want to inspire, as the goal of the conquest was to preserve as much of Scandinavia's fighting strength as possible. Some would fight, as was their right, but most wouldn't if they felt the battle was lost before it began. 

“How shall we be divided?” Thorkell questioned, and that was a prudent question. I had held off on making any solid plans until I knew what Blessings they would receive. Now that they had them… 

Not everyone was prepared to be a general. Athrun, for one, desired to remain as the head of my archers and scouts. And now my Rangers, which suited him fine. Alfric was another, though he desired more, his Blessings made him too perfect for the position of cavalry commander. 

“I shall command one of the armies,” I began, as that was obvious. “My wife, Queen Astrid, shall lead another. Thorkell, you will join her.” Thorkell nodded, accepting the role of support. Their Blessings paired quite well, in the end -- Of One Mind and Shatter Point would feed into Astrid's ability to look over a battlefield from on high while that information would also inform Thorkell. “Olek shall command the third army, supported by Alfric. The last army will go to Krum, as he will lead the majority of the Bulgarians. Athrun will support him.” 

There was a flicker of annoyance in Alfric's gaze, but he knew better than to challenge the decision. Nor could he provide a suitable argument to contest that Krum should be in charge of his own countrymen. 

Satisfied that they all understood, I settled into my chair, “Come spring, we will be at war for the next three years. Our conquest will be swift and absolute. It will not be easy, but by the time it is done… we will have united our divided people and made ourselves stronger than any of us could have conceived of being before. This is merely the first step of the long journey ahead, and we cannot stumble here.” 

The words were as much for myself as they were for them. 

…

“Father,” Ragnar announced his presence as he entered my study -- it was half a library and half a workshop, with numerous projects in various stages of completion, from maps, to plans, to statues. My eldest son's voice was as serious as I had ever heard it, and he carried himself with a familiar gait. He was mimicking me when he saw me conducting myself as a king. Which made it very hard to not break out into a smile and laugh. Instead, I schooled my expression and waited for him to approach. “I wish to… negotiate.” 

“Hm. It seems to be a matter of great importance,” I replied, and Ragnar nodded with a severe gravity. He wasn't a babe anymore. It always seemed to catch me off guard in moments like these, but he was growing up so fast. His dark red hair brushed against the nape of his neck, Astrid's bright blue eyes staring back at me with a childlike intensity. Year by year, he seemed to look more like me and his mother both, the best of our features melding together in him. 

“It is, Father,” Ragnar continued, “I should go with you when you go to war. So, I can learn about it. It's important to my…” there was a brief note of panic in his eyes as he forgot a word and his expression became one pleading for help. 

“Education,” I supplied the answer and his expression morphed into one of relief. He was too free with his emotions, I knew. Too expressive. That was a habit that needed tempering, but that could come later. He was a prince of the realm, but he was still so very young…

“It would be important to my education," he repeated. “I could learn a lot about war and fighting and… stuff.” It seemed he ran out of examples. “And it would let me ingarte… make friends with our vassals. So they would have a positive disposition of me.” He was trying to sound like me, adopting my speech patterns. It softened my heart to hear it and brought forth memories of me copying my own father. 

However, it didn't soften my heart enough that I was willing to indulge him in his request. “Did your mother help you with your proposal?” 

Ragnar nodded without shame or hesitation. “Yeah. She said negotiation is meeting in the middle. So, I get a little of what I want and you get a little of what you want. And I want to come with you and mother!” 

“And I want you to be safe, Ragnar,” I said, standing up from my workbench to approach my son. “The battlefield is no place for a boy. It is a place of death and danger that doesn't care if you're too young or too old or if you have too much to live for -- it will claim your life all the same,” I said, kneeling before him and his expression began to twist. “There will be a time when you will be expected to be on that field. You'll be expected to fight… to kill… and perhaps, even to die. But I will not send any child of mine there before he is ready, and you are not yet ready.” 

“Mother says that the Norns decide our fate. So… if they don’t decide to cut my thread, I'll be fine,” Ragnar argued. 

“That is true,” I replied with a nod. “But the easiest way to avoid your life thread being cut by the Norns is to avoid situations when they might cut it.” That got his expression to twist, sensing that the negotiations were turning against him and he didn't know what to do about it. He was struggling to contain his frustration, but I saw it building within him. 

“I don't want you to go,” Ragnar pleaded. 

“I know,” I admitted to him. “I don't want to go either,” I confessed. 

There was part of me that felt I was taking the Geats and Swedes too lightly. That I was in danger of being too arrogant, and that the gods would punish my hubris with a stinging defeat. But the other part of me knew my victory was all but guaranteed. 

The Geats and the Swedes would be no different than the Norwegians, and I had conquered Norway in months with a tenth of the men, a third of the experience, and with only Thorkell possessing a Blessing.

“But, I must,” I continued, dashing his hopes that I would change my mind. “Do you know why?” 

“Because a king must lead,” he echoed my words back at me. And I smiled before reaching out and effortlessly picking him up, though I noted it wasn't as easy as before. Ragnar was proving to be big for his age, and he was growing up. He’d just turned five years old. 

“A king must lead,” I said, hugging him close and standing up. “A king is a rallying point, and in our culture, a king is most useful when we can be observed rather than as a distant authority.” All the more so when I was so new to the authority that I wielded. 

If I truly wished for it, I could send forth my generals to conquer the Geats and Swedes. I'm sure that they would manage it, even if it might not be as clean. I could stay here, continuing to rule and being there for my children. But I had only been king for a year, and while those that followed me from the Mediterranean knew what I was capable of, those in Denmark, and soon all of Scandinavia, would need proof of my claims. The conquest needed to be mine, rather than just in my name.

“But… that's not… a compromise. I'm supposed to get something I want,” Ragnar pointed out, and I chuckled warmly as we moved through the halls of my palace. 

“In that case,” I began, making him perk up, “When you're seven, I'll bring you with me, but not a day before then.” 

“But- that-! That's two years! That's forever!” He protested, and I just laughed at his indignant outrage. There was a point that I would have agreed with him that two years was an incredible length of time, but the older I got, the faster time seemed to move. This past year flew by to the point that it felt like I blinked and we were once more waiting for spring. 

“True, but it isn't like you won't have any responsibilities, Ragnar. Who do you think I'll look to to protect your siblings? Especially Bjorn and Radahn?” I asked him, and that earned a serious frown from him. 

“... So you need me here?” He asked, sounding like he was about to accept a sacred duty based on the seriousness of his tone. 

“I do,” I answered. And I suppose that was convincing enough because Ragnar immediately wiggled out of my grasp, nearly falling until I deposited him on the floor.

Without looking back, he took off and shouted, “I'll start protecting them now!” He exclaimed, and I watched him go towards the nursery. 

“That was easier than I expected,” I remarked out loud, and through the door that we had been heading  to, I saw Astrid emerge with a cheeky grin. 

“I suppose all the wrangling of kings and jarls prepared you for dealing with children,” She remarked, opening the door fully to reveal a parlor, and inside it I saw the others -- Jill, Jasmine, and even Morrigan. “We're just… enjoying the time we have together,” she added, grabbing me by the hand. 

Jill glanced up and finished the thought, “It will be at least a year before we're all in the same room again. If not longer.” 

“If at all,” Morrigan added, her tone morose. She stood apart from the others, her golden eyes narrowed into a glare that didn't seem to be directed at anyone in particular. I had to wipe my smile from my face, else I'd give her a target for her ire, but I understood her feelings well. 

It would be a rapid campaign considering the scope of my ambitions, but it would be years at least before we were all together like this again. Astrid would be with me during the wars, but Jill would remain in the capital as Regent. Jasmine and Morrigan would need to come and go to set up their trade and spy networks across the kingdoms as part of their integration. 

In the end, the conquest was the easy part. It'd be ten years at least before the foundation of the Empire was settled. 

“Maybe,” I agreed, closing the door behind me. “But we've been preparing for this for quite some time. We're as ready as we can be.” 

“It's not the preparations that I'm worried about. Radahn is so fussy… he'd be so lonely without us,” Jasmine muttered, her lips turning into a frown at the mere thought. “And if anything happened to him- to any of our children…” 

That was the concern. My plans would earn me plenty of enemies, and if they could not strike at me, then they would look to other targets. But, it was also why I was leaving behind a prepared guard and… 

“Morrigan has everything well in hand,” I reassured, and Jasmine offered a thankful look at her, which Morrigan was entirely uncomfortable with. “But there is one more thing that I could do to ensure their protection.” 

That made Astrid stir, “A Blessing?” She already guessed it -- we had spoken at length about the possibilities, but decided to keep them in reserve. My generals would lead the way for the conquest, but domestically… I would be leaving behind a kingdom that was still new to my rule. I had handpicked the jarls and thegns, but I’d learned to never underestimate the depths of foolishness ambition could make people sink to. 

Jasmine wasn’t surprised, per se, but her eyes narrowed with a degree of caution. It wasn’t a secret to her, but I could see that she was apprehensive about the prospect of receiving such a Blessing. After all, she did not follow our gods. 

“I have enough in me for two more,” I confirmed with a nod as my eyes slid to Jill. Morrigan couldn’t receive a third, else I’d only be able to grant her alone a Blessing. One could go to either Jill or Astrid, and I would have enough to bestow Jasmine her first. Or I could do both Jill and Astrid, which would leave me completely tapped until the conquest ended. “One of them should be you, Jill. You’ll be ruling in my name here for a time. Your Blessing makes it easy to calm hot tempers, but…”

Jill offered a sharp nod, “I accept. I… was hoping that you would offer,” she admitted. So, I did, offering a hand and she grasped it lightly. Once more, I felt the Prestige flowing out of me and into her, granting her a second Blessing. 

Diplomacy: Stat Window

Allows the remote viewing of a target’s stat window. 

Diplomacy

Martial

Stewardship

Intrique

Learning

Prowess

Terrible: 0–5

Poor: 6–10

Average: 11–24

Good: 25–49

Excellent: 50-75

Expert: 76-89

Master: 90-100

That was… not quite what I had been hoping for for Jill, if I was being completely honest, but it was a uniquely useful Blessing. To be able to glance at someone and identify the areas that they were most competent in and place them accordingly? To ensure that those most able and deserving were in the positions where they would be most effective? It was a dream. Almost to the point that I was jealous that she had it and I didn’t. 

“Hm,” Jill hummed, taking her Blessing in stride. “I… can use this,” she said, and I could already see her getting ideas. I was curious what she saw when she looked at me, because I saw a faint widening of her eyes that made me certain she had used her Blessing already. But, now wasn’t the time for it.

Instead, I turned my gaze to Jasmine, offering my hand once more. Her gaze lingered on it for a moment, and I could see that she was truly wrestling with herself about it. I gave her the time she needed, and what managed to convince her… only she knew. Tentatively, she accepted my hand and gasped when the Prestige flowed into her. When the Blessing took hold, I found that I felt… strangely empty. 

Diplomacy: Know Thy Enemy 

A person is defined by the traits that they embody. With this Perk, the user can tell the three most prominent traits a person possesses with merely a glance.

That had been the kind of Blessing that I’d hoped Jill would receive, and between the two, Jill and Jasmine would make a formidable team. All the more so with Morrigan’s help, though she would grate at the idea of being part of a team. It was a perfect arrangement with me and Astrid leaving for the conquest. 

I felt much more reassured with the idea, now. As did Jasmine, who smiled tentatively up at me as she held my hand. 

This was a quiet moment, I knew. The last of the preparations before we set out to accomplish my ambition. But, with them at my side…

Anything felt possible.