Scandinavian leftovers

16

The next day the prime minister was poisoned and he died within two hours. Both senates decreed a week of mourning for the slain leader. They kept quiet that he was killed. They didn't want to cause unnecessary drama in society. Two days after the assassination, the senate in Norway appointed Queen Dagmar as the queen regnant in replacement of her husband. She was assisted by several senators. Dagmar kept her word. In return, the conspirators shipped many cattle, horses, grain and crystals to her court. Dagmar send a letter to her co-wife. 

''Dear Josephine, I have received much tribute from Norway. The death of the prime minister was no accident. More I cannot say about it. Our husband will arrive within a week, or less than a week. I think its important for us to wait on him at the court. Please, return to the court. You can leave your servants over there.''

Josephine replied:

''Dear Dagmar. I'm glad you've received tribute. Make good use of it. This response will reach you the same day that I received your message. I will be there within two days.''

After two days both consorts meet and drink wine at Arvid's desk. At the same time, there was an attack in the Scandian capital. Two Cimbrians committed an attack on four civilians in order to protest against the Scandinavian polity. The two men were arrested. The authorities hid the fact that they were CImbrians. The security for the rival wives of Arvid was increased by the senators. They were not permitted to leave the court at all. They were  permitted to have each only one servants to assist them. Their daily supplies would be delivered by senatorial slaves. The tribute to Dagmar was also placed within the court. The livestock was gathered on a small farm managed by the state. That same evening diplomats arrived at the court of the Cimbrian leaders in order to seek peace. The death of the former prime minister relieved the Cimbrian elite. They saw a chance for a better future now their enemy was gone. The Cimbrians high priests didn't reveal to their own people that they, in agreement with the high priests in Norway, were behind the assassination plot. The Cimbrians were not informed about the treaty between Scandinavia and Rome. They were not even aware that King Arvid's fleet was at the Cimbrian shore the moment they held their meeting. 

The King of Cimbria still remembered the confederation treaty between the Norwegian nobles and the Cimbrian leaders during the early reign of Emperor Tiberius that was established by Blasius the Younger. The treaty was still valid, which made Cimbria a vassal state of Norway. The unification of Norway and Scandia into one country automatically merged Cimbria into a union with Scandinavia. King Arvid, however, permitted Cimbria to have full domestic autonomy. The senators in Scandia perceived the resistance of the Cimbrians as a form of treason. The King of Cimbria made plain that he wanted to remain into the union with Norway, even if it means losing some territory. The King of Cimbria was afraid to become a client state of Rome. He and his people were already claustrophobic towards the presence of a Roman legion in their country. The Blasius treaty was meant to form a strong economy with Norway in order to prevent economic infiltration by the Roman Senators. Blasius III, the grandson of Blasius the Younger, is the current king of Cimbria. His father died four years into his reign. He was assassinated by Frisian warlords who looted the Cimbrian shores. Blasius III managed to fight off the Frisian pirates and establish strong fortifications at the western shores of Cimbria. Blasius III's mother is a Norwegian princess of a chiefdom near Oslo. Blasius III is not popular amongst his people. This because his father took the throne by conquest and deceit. Not only that, the population grew towards 800.000 people. And the lack of housing bred enmity between the clans of Cimbria. Furthermore, Blasius III's lack of action against the Baltic pirates also infuriated many at the court. Blasius III realises that he might be assassinated soon or overthrown by a rebel. He also realises that if either of those outcomes occur, the Roman legion will use it as an excuse to annex Cimbria into the administration of Gaul. Blasius III, also called Henk, is only 21 years old. He has been reigning since he was 17. Despite that, most people falsely think that he is 40. He often wears fake beards and dyes his hair white in order to appear older than he is. His age hoax has been invented by the clan leaders in order to maintain social order. Henk needs a distraction to cement his people. He requests advice of the wizards at court. The wizards advice him to stir up a small army and to attack the land of the Angli tribe. This suggestion troubled Henk. The Angli were lesser in population and they never attacked Cimbri before. But due to his desperation, he agreed with the plan. His commander in chief, Teutonus, agreed to invade and occupy the Angli with 7000 men. 

When the Angli were invaded and occupied, Arvid arrived at his court in the capital of Scandia. When he arrived he noticed the tensions in the city. One of the guards explained to him all that occured while he was gone. 

''Are Queen Dagmar and Queen Josephine all right?''

''Yes, Sir! They are residing in the palace. They are guarded day and night by the guards.''

''Good! And don't let anyone know that I've arrived!''

Arvid entered the palace unknowingly and he sneaked into the room of Dagmar. When he entered in he found another man laying with his wife.