A new visitor again?

This too was a snowy day, it won't make your job easier, to move with such terrible weather conditions. There is a reason the campaigning season is from spring to fall! But you won't wait that long now, the end of winter is approaching, by the time you get to the Pyrenees, it will be spring again. As the preparations to set out are being conducted and your men gather the supplies for the journey, an old folk around his 60s is standing at the entrance. Your men don't allow him to enter, sending him away, but he insists on speaking with you.

Old man: I won't be moving an inch as long as your lady hasn't spoken to me directly!

You don't want to have any new surprises, so you don't even look at the old man. When you are finally ready to go a few hours later and leave the manor, the old man is still standing at the same spot. The show is now cowering his knees too, but he still won't stand aside from the middle of the road. {if Erik = false}Robert rides forth to send the man away himself.

Robert: Out of the way old man, we have important business that cannot be delayed!

Old man: I too have important business with your lady, so the sooner she speaks to me, the sooner you may go!

Robert: We don't have time to listen to every poor soul we meet along the way, step aside, this is the last time I'll be asking you to do so! If you won't comply, I'll have to use **** to clear the road!

Old man: You are welcome to try, but don't be disappointed if you won't succeed. I wish no ****, only to share words with her.

Robert (dismounting): Alright, let's do it your way then...

Your knights are looking at each other, laughing as the old man has just challenged Robert. He grabs the man's both arms to drag him aside, but the man breaks free of Robert's hands and tosses him back, who falls on his backside. Your knights couldn't take a breath as they were seeing that happen. You are watching the whole thing from your carriage, debating whether to talk to the man or not... Robert got back on his feet, returning from the initial surprise the man had given him. He wasn't expecting him to be so muscular at his age.

Old man: Told you I wasn't going to step aside, now, let me talk to your lady!

Robert: You aren't gong to be doing anything like that! You surprised me the first time, I'll give you that, but I won't fall for it a second time!

Robert charges at him trying to punch the man, but he dodges and grabs Robert by his shoulders and sends him to the ground again. He kicks the legs of the old man in response, who kneels due to the hit. They both punch the other's face a few times, before you exit your carriage and shout out to them.

Lily: That's enough! Stand down, both of you!

Robert reluctantly stops, gets back on his legs and backs away from the man. They are both catching their breath while staring at the other's eyes.

Old man: If I were at half my age, you wouldn't have been able to land a single hit on me!

Robert: Just... Who the hell are you...?

Old man (bowing to your): My name is Harald Blondebeard! Once the champion of my tribe!

Robert (drawing his sword): A viking! Back off my lady, this one is a dangerous one!

Harald: If I wanted to, I could have killed you already! Probably a handful of those armoured weaklings on the horses too!

Lily: What business does a viking have with me? Did you just say... Blondebeard...?

Harald: Indeed, that's my name.

Lily: Are you a relative of Erik Blondebeard?!

Harald: Forgive me Lady Lily for all the commotion, but it seemed to be necessary for you all to take me seriously! I came on behalf my tribe! Yes, I'm the uncle of Erik, I heard he came to be in your service a decade ago.

Robert: My lady, we could cut him to pieces any moment, just give us the signal should you want him dead!

Lily: Be at ease Robert, there is no need for further ****! What does the uncle of Erik want from me?

Harald: The reason of my arrival is that I heard you were acquainted to a witch, called, Sofia.

Lily: Not a particular friend of mine, how do you know her?

Harald: Do you know how Erik ended up in your lands?

Lily: Yes, after his fater led a raid into the country and was killed.

Harald: That raid was the idea of a man who bares the name, Sepred. He is a northman like I am, who abandoned his old faith and chose Christ as his singular deity. Our country has adopted that faith mostly, but some of us still follow the old paths and praise the allfather instead. He used this against us and convinced your father with false promises of glory and wealth! He's the one who caused us all to lose our leader! I personally lost my brother! Erik and his siblings lost their father! When we returned home, he was gone and nobody knew where he was. Later, one of our men recognized him while trading with the Germans, he was the archbishop then, but when we got there to make him pay, he vanished again. We haven't learned of him ever since, expect that, this chaos raging around the country with all these false nuns is also his doing! He is trying to destabilize the realm and those around it, but we do not know the reason why... All we know is that we must find him. And the only way to do so is by finding that witch Sofia and make her tell us where he is. Do you know where she could be found?

Lily: No, she had been apprehended to the inquisition. She should be on her way to Roma or maybe, she is already there by now.

Harald (laughing): You haven't heard about it then!

Robert: About what...?

Harald: She escaped during the time she was taken to Roma! She is roaming freely again!

Lily: No, that daughter of a...! Wait, I have an idea where she might be going now! She had a secret convent in the Pyrenees, maybe that's where she is heading now! We were going to find that place ourselves.

Harald: A secret place huh...? In this case, our interests align. I want her found, the sooner the better. I suggest we cooperate.

Robert: What, cooperation with you Viking? Definitely not!

Lily: Don't be so rush Robert, this isn't a bad idea at all! They have the same goal and we don't have enough men to attack a well fortified place high on top of a mountain!

Robert: My lady, this is nonsense! They aren't even true believers, such pagans can never be trusted! How do we know he isn't he man who's trying to **** you?!

Lily: We don't but this might be our best chance to finally put an end to Sofia and her order and I won't let this opportunity pass me by!

Harald: Khm, I don't mean to interrupt, but... The sister of Erik, Astrid is waiting for me at the shore in our camp. If I don't get back until sunset, she will send our raiders here to find me and ravage the land. We don't have much time until that, so I suggest you hasten up your decision.

Robert: Lady Lily, don't...!

Lily: We accept your offer Harald, we'll offer you our full cooperation with this matter!

Harald (bowing): Thank you for your deep wisdom my lady, you won't regret your decision! Come, I'll show you the way to our camp.

{endif}

{if Erik = true}Erik rides forth to send the man away himself.

Erik: Out of the way old man, we have important business that cannot be delayed!

Old man: I too have important business with your lady, so the sooner she speaks to me, the sooner you may go!

Erik: We don't have time to listen to every poor soul we meet along the way, step aside, this is the last time I'll be asking you to do so! If you won't comply, I'll have to use **** to clear the road!

Old man: You are welcome to try, but don't be disappointed if you won't succeed. I wish no ****, only to share words with her.

Erik (dismounting): Alright, let's do it your way then...

Your knights are looking at each other, laughing as the old man has just challenged Erik. He grabs the man's both arms to drag him aside, but the man breaks free of Erik's hands and tosses him back, who falls on his backside. Your knights couldn't take a breath as they were seeing that happen. You are watching the whole thing from your carriage, debating whether to talk to the man or not... Erik got back on his feet, returning from the initial surprise the man had given him. He wasn't expecting him to be so muscular at his age.

Old man: Told you I wasn't going to step aside, now, let me talk to your lady!

Erik: You aren't gong to be doing anything like that! You surprised me the first time, I'll give you that, but I won't fall for it a second time!

Erik charges at him trying to punch the man, but he dodges and grabs Robert by his shoulders and sends him to the ground again. He kicks the legs of the old man in response, who kneels due to the hit. They both punch the other's face a few times, before you exit your carriage and shout out to them.

Lily: That's enough! Stand down, both of you!

Erik reluctantly stops, gets back on his legs and backs away from the man. They are both catching their breath while staring at the other's eyes.

Old man: If I were at half my age, you wouldn't have been able to land a single hit on me!

Erik (noticing a Viking tattoo on his shoulder): Just... Who the hell are you...?

Old man (bowing to your): My name is Harald Blondebeard! Once the champion of my tribe!

Erik: What...?! No, that's impossible! The man has been dead for a decade now! You are dishouring my uncle's name!

Harald: If I wanted to, I could have killed you already, isn't that enough proof, my dear nephew? Probably a handful of those armoured weaklings on the horses too!

Lily: What business does a viking have with me? Are you truly a relative of Erik?!

Harald: Forgive me Lady Lily for all the commotion, but it seemed to be necessary for you all to take me seriously! I came on behalf my tribe! Yes, I'm the uncle of Erik, I heard he came to be in your service a decade ago. Didn't improve much since I last saw him, if I may say!

Erik: Prove me you are Harald! Show me the family tattoo on your wrist!

Harald (showing him the tattoo): Haven't you recognized me so far nephew? It's either my aging face or your worsening eyesight that's responsible for it!

Erik: This cannot be! But! You died when Sigfried had...!

Harald: No, I survived, alongside your sister, Astrid! But more about that later. The reason of my arrival is that I heard you, Lady Lily were acquainted to a witch, called, Sofia.

Lily: Not a particular friend of mine, how do you know her?

Harald: Erik, did you tell her how you got here?

Erik: Yes, I told her, after fater led a raid into the country and was killed... Where I thought you too were killed!

Harald: That raid was the idea of a man who bares the name, Sepred. He is a northman like I am, who abandoned his old faith and chose Christ as his singular deity. Our country has adopted that faith mostly, but some of us still follow the old paths and praise the allfather instead. He used this against us and convinced your father with false promises of glory and wealth! He's the one who caused us all to lose our leader! I personally lost my brother! Erik and his siblings lost their father! When we returned home, he was gone and nobody knew where he was. Later, one of our men recognized him while trading with the Germans, he was the archbishop then, but when we got there to make him pay, he vanished again. We haven't learned of him ever since, expect that, this chaos raging around the country with all these false nuns is also his doing! He is trying to destabilize the realm and those around it, but we do not know the reason why... All we know is that we must find him. And the only way to do so is by finding that witch Sofia and make her tell us where he is. Do you know where she could be found?

Lily: No, she had been apprehended to the inquisition. She should be on her way to Roma or maybe, she is already there by now.

Harald (laughing): You haven't heard about it then!

Robert (from his horse next to your carriage): About what...?

Harald: She escaped during the time she was taken to Roma! She is roaming freely again!

Lily: No, that daughter of a...! Wait, I have an idea where she might be going now! She had a secret convent in the Pyrenees, maybe that's where she is heading now! We were going to find that place ourselves.

Harald: A secret place huh...? In this case, our interests align. I want her found, the sooner the better. I suggest we cooperate.

Robert: What, cooperation with you Vikings? Definitely not!

Lily: Don't be so rush Robert, this isn't a bad idea at all! They have the same goal and we don't have enough men to attack a well fortified place high on top of a mountain!

Robert: My lady, this is nonsense! They aren't even true believers, such pagans can never be trusted! How do we know he isn't he man who's trying to **** you?!

Lily: We don't but this might be our best chance to finally put an end to Sofia and her order and I won't let this opportunity pass me by!

Erik: I'm not a christian either, yet I would never betray the trust of my lady! One's faith determines nothing!

Harald: Khm, I don't mean to interrupt, but... The sister of Erik, Astrid is waiting for me at the shore in our camp. If I don't get back until sunset, she will send our raiders here to find me and ravage the land. We don't have much time until that, so I suggest you hasten up your decision.

Erik: Astrid is here...? Oh my, I haven't seen her since...! My lady, please, we must hurry there right away!

Robert: Lady Lily, don't...!

Lily: We accept your offer Harald, we'll offer you our full cooperation with this matter!

Harald (bowing): Thank you for your deep wisdom my lady, you won't regret your decision! Come, I'll show you the way to our camp.

{endif}