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It was he who counseled Ragnar and it was through him that Ragnar s brothers in Britannia had agreed to arrange a royal wedding between Lida and Icenius, the descendent and heir apparent of the warrior queen, Bodaciea. The youngster needed a place to quarter and try to rebuild his forces for a new war against Rome. The druids were picking this time to make a try for power because of the internal difficulties present in Rome and on her frontiers. They claimed young Icenius was the direct descendent of the Queen of the Iceni, who had destroyed over seventy thousand Romans and their allies some 150 years ago. Even the boy didn t know any different. The druids had taken him as a boy and raised him. He knew only what Page 32 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html they had told him. His kingdom was small. It consisted of a few villages among the Scoti of Caledonia, to the north but well beyond the reach of the Pax Romana. Icenius was unaware that when his usefulness to the druids was over, he was expendable. He would live only while they had a use for him. All other offers for an alliance with him had been refused. Ragnar was their last hope. If that fell through, the boy would die. The druids of Britannia had sung the praises of Ragnar in his ear and thought that if Icenius left Britannia for the northlands, he would be able to rally forces there, using the strength of his mother s name and Ragnar s hold as an operational base. The fact that they d told him of the beauty of Ragnar s daughter had also helped some. Messengers between the two parties finally arrived at an agreement concerning the dowery, and the marriage was agreed upon. For old Ragnar s part, because of the youth of the princeling, he figured he ought to be able to control the youngster, and he himself would be the power behind the throne, that was, if the boy was successful in his attempt to regain the crown of his great-grandmother. *** But if he married the Lady Lida and failed, still Ragnar was out very little. But if the young prince won and by chance put a child into Lida s belly, and should then suffer a fatal accident, say, then the daughter of Ragnar would be queen. And that was almost as good as if he wore the crown himself. All these possibilities had been carefully explained to Ragnar by Hagdrall. On the day Ragnar was to make the mention of his daughter s upcoming wedding, Hagdrall whispered in his ear of her relationship with the Roman. Hagdrall was sore put to stop Ragnar from arresting Casca and having to the stakes at once. Ragnar finally agreed with him that it would be better to make an example of the Roman at the announcement ceremony, and it would please his new allies deliver justice to one of their hated enemies. Ragnar gave the orders to several of his trusted henchmen: bring Casca to him in that night at the feast and keep it a secret till then. No one was to know. He sent Glam and Sifrit out to the countryside on an errand that would occupy them for a couple of days. Ostensibly they were to gather up some oxen that were owed to Ragnar on a debt and bring them back to Helsfjord. By the time they returned, it would all be over, they had convinced Ragnar it would be better not to kill or punish the two Nordics if he could avoid it. They had too many friends, including Sifrit and his family, who were well connected to several other tribes. By the time they returned, justice would be done within the laws of the tribes and there would be nothing Glam or Sifrit could do but accept it. However, if they were there when it was taken, they might fight for him and that would lead to a blood feud that would defeat their purpose. After Sifrit and Glam had left on their way, Casca was summoned to the storerooms and told that he would be picking up a new issue clothing for himself and Glam as a reward for their good services. *** When he got there, the lights went out and three men jumped him and clubbed him down to his knees, quickly locking him in arm and leg irons. He was kept there until the time came for him to be brought before Ragnar for sentencing. Guests began to arrive with the setting of the sun. They had received invitations to attend the gathering, having been told only that it was for a great purpose. Not even Lida knew the true reason for the gathering, and when the opening toast and wassail was made, she sat as usual at her place next to her father. Ragnar waited until his guests had eaten and Page 33 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html drunk enough to put them in good humor. They were well pleased at the amounts of food and drink Ragnar had set his table with. It was far better than anything the cheap old bastard had laid out before. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |