The Road to Princess Helga

"God Almighty, it's cold." Eliza held her sides, shivering. "It never got this cold in Toscana."

After some time out at sea, you, Eliza and your retinue of guards have reached the port in Schlestein closest to the border with Daynland. The route by sea has made what would have been a long and arduous journey short and facile. It wouldn't do to let Eliza go through that. It was already enough that she made such a journey from Toscana to Westgrenze. You were not going to risk your unborn child with Eliza. A ship was faster and less risky of a miscarriage.

The Daynland Civil War is an event you will do everything in your power to avoid. The civil war all stems from Rorik's impressive number of children. You will be no different. You still have that town full of women to impregnate and sire children with. King Rorik had about ten sons. You will have more. The root of the problem came in the primitive laws of the Northern Kingdoms with their succession laws being the main cause. When a king dies, his adults sons will each have an equal claim to their father's throne. It's tradition to fight for the right to seat upon their father's throne. An acceptable method of doing things in a time when strength decided who gets to be king. One son would simply have to raise an army numbering in the thousands and win a few battles.

It might have worked well in the past but time changes how things are done. If Princess Helga accepts your offer, you intend to change the law in her ancestor's lands. Civil wars are costly affairs and serves to only hurt the country it takes place in.

Princess Helga had fled her father's land when the war broke out. Despite not having an army of her own, she was still considered a threat by her brothers and some of her sisters. So she stayed in the castle of a distant relative of hers. An old Count by the name of Anton. The count's castle was located at the border of Schestein and Daynland. The people of northern Schlestein were Dayns.

What normally took a few weeks was shorted to a few days of travel. Your men had hastily but efficiently assembled as carriage for Eliza while you rode with your men. "Damn these northern countries and their colder snow." Otto complains while rubbing his gloved hands together for make some heat. "Your highness, are you ready?"

"For what?" You ask him, "Negotiating with Princess Helga or the war that will come after if she agrees."

"The war, your highness. This will be your first taste of combat." Your first taste of combat indeed but it wouldn't be the first time you've taken a life. You didn't like it then and you won't like it now. But it will be done.

"Let's see how this will all play out. We'll worry about the actual battles when the time comes."

After a few days on horseback, you, Eliza and your retinue have made it to Count Anton's castle. The snow was heavy and the cold it brought with it was infuriating. But luckily, there wasn't a storm that came and hampered your journey any worse. The castle was no great fortress. The lands under the count's control were small and his forces were just enough to hold a defensive engagement and wear down the enemy.