Scandinavian leftovers

24

Silla send messengers to the court of Scandinavia. They handed a letter to King Arvid II, the half-brother of Brogus, he succeeded after Brogus got killed on a battlefield in Finland. Arvid II had the same likeness as his father and a similar character. Silla requested marriage between her and Arvid II. Arvid II didn't trust the Scandinavian nobles to advice him objectively on the matter. Instead he asked council from a young man at his court named Timothy. Timothy is the fifth generation from Rhaetians that migrated to Norway. He speaks Rhaetian and Norse fluently. He is also converted to a sect that follows a Hebrew Savior whom the Romans executed during the time of Emperor Tiberius. He had an excellent aura that shined everywhere he went. Arvid II requested his advice on the matter. 

''Majesty, I'm recommending you to give into the request of this noble woman from Caledoni. Your father managed to become a king. He became extremely wealthy and the richest man of northern Europe. Those riches also came with much hate, envy and homicidal rage against him and his household. He died prematurely due to plots against his life. He made a mistake by trusting upon his wives, while his wife Dagmar was the one involved with his dead. Dagmar was also filled with pain because she couldn't let go of her past. You, majesty, a son by a Norwegian mistress, are directly related to the Scandinavians. They perceive you as one of their own. But... remember, most of the time nations kill their own to keep themselves together as a nation. They tolerated your father and his half-Korean heir due to them being strangers, but when its one of their own they might withhold their mercy. If you marry a Norwegian or Scandian woman you will cause strife among the noble houses in Scandinavia. This will haunt your posterity. If you marry a stronger from another country, your household will remain distant from the local people. This will secure your household for at least a couple of generations. Do you remember that you asked me to pray for a solution for your situation? You were in debt and the debt collectors wanted to kill you. Your half-brother wanted nothing to do with you and your mother's family was only exploiting you. Now, your wicked half-brother got himself killed and the leaders entrusted the throne to you. And you now also have marriage offer. This manifestation is more glorious than I ever imagined. I only prayed for relief and compensation for you. I have the feeling - even though I cannot prove this - that Dagmar is either dead or she's still alive but dismissed by the Caledoni rulers. This noble woman is probably a Caledoni who wants a husband just to appease the Romans. You know that the Romans hate the very idea of having a woman as the head of a country. If you marry this Silvania of Caledonia, you will not only establish good diplomatic ties with the Caledoni, you will also gain respect by the Romans that govern Britain. You will become both King of Scandinavia as King of Caledonia. This will be an advantage against further expansion of Rome into Northern Europe. If you refuse her offer, it might happen that Caledonia will be completely taken over by the Romans in Britain. In that case, they might later on turn their attention to Scandinavia. And.. remember, Scandinavia has already been impoverished due to the Dacian and Parthian wars that Rome is fighting past decade. Join Scandinavia and Caledonia in a union. This will be both a compensation for you as for the people upon whom the Most High appointed you as a shepherd.''

Arvid II gave his to Timothy's advice. He sailed to Caledonia together with Scandinavian politicians and he wed Silla in Dagmar's presence. Also, Silla sailed with her husband to Scandinavia where he held a wedding. The marriage, however, was meant as a political move. Silla made that plain unto him. Silla returned to Caledonia without consummating the marriage, and Arvid remained in Scandinavia. The marriage was perceived by the Romans in Britain as a challenge against Roman rule in Caledonia. Nevertheless, because Arvid I and his son Borgus I were Roman allies, they had to behave towards Arvid II also. Silla, now called, Queen Silvana, held a big feast in Dagmar's palace. Around 1000 people attended the party and many became lewd and drunk.