A Parable of Kings

Blood Eagle

Born in the icy reaches of Norway, only a century and fifteen years after the birth of Christ, was the half-brother to the Exiled King of Norway.
Only fifteen years later, the young man took up a sword to fight for his brother's return to power. The men fought bravely for their power, but they were most all put to death. The young King's half-brother was also exiled for his treason, and sent to the barren tundra of Kiev.
In Russia, he worked as a sellsword and mercenary for Jaroslav the Wise, Grand Prince of Kiev. The young warrior soon realized that his talent of murder had a much higher price than he had been swayed to believe. He made way for Constantinople, to join the Byzantine Emperor's elite Varangian Guard.
This high-seat among nobles brought with it a heavy salary, bolstering the knight's wealth immensely. After he secured himself a position of a respected military commander, he journeyed back to his Scandinavian home to seek alliance with Svein Estrithson, who held claim to a Danish throne.
After heavy stress and consideration, Estrithson accepted the terms of the pact in an effort to overthrow King Magnus the Good, who ruled over Norway and Denmark. However, when the king offered the commander a deal to rule over the two kingdoms at his side, it was simply a deal he could not refuse.
Not a year later, King Magnus was dead, and his ruling partner inherited the throne of Norway, just as the man he betrayed, Svein Estrithson, was given control of Denmark. After ruling alongside the King, our hero was convinced that Denmark belonged to him, and that Estrithson was traitorous scum. For years they fought over Denmark, and the Norwegian forces triumphed nearly each battle.
In spite of this, the king had his eyes on larger expeditions.
A peace treaty was signed and Denmark remained under control of Svein Estrithson, and there would be no more battles between the neighboring kingdoms.
No longer having to worry about pressure from Denmark, our King was free to focus his attention on the biggest fish of all- Great Britain.
It only took two years for the launch of a full-scale invasion, the Scandinavian forces winning a bloody battle at Fulford Gate, their sheer numbers and brutal, cleaving tactics carving their way to sure victory.
However, only a mere two days later, the new King of England, Harold Godwinson, met Norway's soldiers at a bridge, where a bloody battle ensued.
Hundreds of men were slaughtered on both sides, blood spilled over the bridge forcing the river below to run red.
Despite the resilient fight put up by the Norwegians, it did not take long for their numbers to diminish. At that bridge, by the sword of King Godwinson, the last of the Great Viking Warrior Kings was slain, and his legacy ran out with his blood.
King Harald Hardada, the Hard Ruler of Norway, paved his way to riches in blood. His overblown ego from his victories blinded him from seeing that some fish are just too big to catch.