The Norse Of the North

We just lost an alliance today

The feast was long and loud, but eventually, after a while, the crowd was drunk and exhausted. Tangles of people were scattered across the room in groups of four or five as they were all sleeping deeply. The king was having late-night conversations with the queen, while Sarah was back in her chair with her eyes closed and her hands touching her knees. Arne grabbed the opportunity to have a conversation with his cousin, but he didn't know how to begin or what to say. It's been years since they haven't spoken to each other, and after he used all of his arguments to convince Halfdan to join the battle, it would be very arrogant of him to approach him and demand a conversation with him. Although he was determined, he approached his cousin and took a sip of his beer.

"Long time no see Halfdan. I was thinking that after so long our differences would be put aside and we could look to each other and speak like family. I didn't commit a crime after all," he said, twisting his head at him as his elbows touched the wooden table.

Halfdan took a deep breath, trying desperately to keep his composure as his anger built. "You dare to speak of family after everything you have done. You have the audacity to look me in the eye and express any emotion toward me after your horrible actions. Instead of thanking and praising me for my participation in the Norveg battle? I became your pawn, but what am I saying? I have always been a game to you. You always treated me like the ladder that just sits and waits for someone to change its direction and climb on it. You are a horrible person, Arne."

"Halfdan, what are you talking about? I have explained this story to you a million times. I did not know that you wanted to apply for commander, but even if you did, what does my selection have to do with it? We both wanted the same thing, which is extremely common for a Viking to want to be a military commander. We both got tested and evaluated, and I happen to have a better evaluation than yours. Instead of being happy about me, you threw all of your hate on me. That is what family does to your point of view? "

"What are you talking about, Arne? You knew this; ever since I was a little boy, I have been dreaming about being in the king's army. I remember looking at the golden armor that Harald used to have in the main hall and all of the axes, spears, and arrows the warriors used to carry. Sometimes I kept dragging myself to battles; I was hiding in the corners of the small upper towers and watching the commanders coordinate their soldiers.

I spent the rest of my teenage years learning battle strategies, including physical and technical advantages, how to fight, how to win, and how to survive. And I failed," he said, looking at Arne blankly, as if he had lost something important that would never come back.

Then his eyes got filled with rage again as he kept talking. "I failed not because I wasn't capable enough but because you stole it from me. I had one moment to shine, and you snatched it from me because you hated me, like you wanted to condemn me. You almost destroyed my fate, but God has other plans in store for me."

"How many times will I have to sit down and explain to you that I didn't even know that Harald was looking for commanders?" I had no plans to destroy your so-called magnificent commander ambition. Torsten wrote my name on the application list because he thought I would fit in. He persuaded me to give it a go, and so did I. "Where is the fault in this?"

"Yes, this son of a bitch is one of the main reasons I always hated him."

"You are being hateful to everyone, Halfdan. You open your mouth, and you sow hell. It's so much easier for you to find one hundred reasons to hate and dislike someone than to think about why you don't like him and question your own actions towards them. Torsten did nothing wrong; he just happened to be in the middle and pay for it. Ever since you kept despising him, on God, you even hit him once in training, acting like it was an accident, and don't try to change my mind; it was a deliberation, not an accident."

"Quit the behavior lessons to me, Arne, you're no better than me; I'm sick and tired of being your or anyone else's pawn. Enough is enough. He moved his finger in front of his lips, silencing Arne, who was ready to complain.

"Now gather your filthy drunk king and his men and get the hell out of my kingdom. There will be one time that you will need my help and I will be the only one able to save you, and I will refuse; with all of my heart, I will condemn you to a death, but not like yours; I will condemn you to an actual death, and you will beg for mercy like I did, but mercy will not be there. LEAVE!"

With those words he left the hall, leaving Arne in disbelief. King Harald woke up from the noise and looked at Arne standing alone at the entrance as Halfdan was marching to the hallway back to his chamber.

"What happened?"

"We just lost an alliance today."