The year was 1192 A.D in the first months of the winter season in the kingdom of Ulyassa. The grand castle stood in mourning among cascading cliffs that hugged St. Catherine church, as bagpipes played the ancient songs of kings along the four mile wall that surrounded the Cital. War with the neighboring kingdom of Germanna ravaged the kingdom, leaving them without a King. Yet in winter there came a semi sense of relief among the mourners .Giving them a reprieve as no one wanted to starve their army, nor did they have a chance to cross the frozen fjord. While the wild game was scarce it wasn't hard to find if you knew the land . Thankfully the enemy did not, leading up to four months of peace . They were safeguarded; the only way into the kingdom meant crossing the Eerie Channel whose normally ever-changing waters now laid still in frozen sheets . A man would have to be half crazed to have an entire army march over the frozen waters. Giving the long five year war a few months pause.
The Queen Mother, known to the general public as The Valkyrie, watched from the high towers overlooking the Cital with ancient gray eyes. Tears were for the common or best left alone in private, the old matriarch told herself one too many times . Footsteps echoed along the long marbled hallways outside the Queen Mothers apartments. An echo sounded followed by shouts. Her once proud long Red hair now seasoned white with flecks of gray swayed in the wind. The sound of the player's notes picked up and she knew that the song was almost at its end. For a moment it was as if the old gods came down to lift the fallen King Richard's soul to Valhalla on the escalating winds. For a brief moment she felt almost at peace as the last note sang. A knock sounded on the Queen mothers chamber door. Valkyrie let out a small sign such a fleeting moment of inner peace that was broken by her least favorite person. The hounds of war nor age have taken me neither will the insolence of my late son's wife persuade me to roll over as well. She thought bitterly as she tried to regain some sense of peace to deal with the woman now in her private chambers.
"You're Grace the mourners are lined up and they await for us to march as we light my late Husband the King's body"
"I am aware of this Duchess Magnora." Magnora was not one of the old Queen's favorites her son could have chosen but she was his second wife, Lady Vinera being the fist. Sadly she died giving birth. It was that day Valkyrie had noticed after both mother and child that her son began to descend into madness. That was also the start of his new infatuation with Vinera's Lady in-waiting. Whom at the time was merely a newly risen lady in waiting. The woman came from nothing yet somehow had managed to get promoted far too fast in Valkyrie's eyes. The Queen Mother had watched the minx of a woman with unbothered eyes, that is until she was promoted this time to Duchess by none other than her son. Horrified slightly at the insult this would cause she recalled a period of time in which she attempted to change her son's mind. To which he'd not been pleased. In the end the Duchess Magnora won the battle at the time .But even so she would never truly win the war. The Duchess Magnora would have been described once as comely with her long black hair that once hung around the shoulders, nowadays Magnora kept it in a bun braided at the top of her head like some English crone. Not that it was bad but it was definitely an attempt to hide the start of her gray hair poking through. The petty form no longer so small replaced with a good amount of weight the only reason she was not openly scorned for was her status. Then again Valkyrie mused it could be that she held her weight effortlessly as such the royal gowns made Magnora appear just as breathtaking as any royal courtesans'. While she no longer held that youthfulness she had annoyingly transcended well. Yet with all the good qualities came the bad. Anyone with half a brain could practically smell greed that was radiating from the power hungry woman. Wanting things her station would not allow much like a child. Letting loose undignified japs at others. In truth some among those whom she mingles with would not understand her quirks for what they were. Insults , barbs and mockery. That was all the woman had left to her name. Well that and the audacity to think she would rule as regent , that alone made the old Queen mother less amused by her late son's wife. Magnora in all her power could not stop the will of the Old laws that allowed Queen Valkyrie to govern their kingdoms now that the old king was dead. If the first Queen mother was alive and any potential heir was off at war it would be the queen regent who took the throne until a time period of mourning was allowed before the crowned prince or princess could take the throne, no one whom married into the line could take the throne only offspring thus was the law made by King Lokison Odinstaine the Cunning. Who ruled Ulyassa with ruthless might, holding the tradition of Old Norse all this in the year of 827 A.D. It was a more hostile time she recalled from her many years of reading. Back then the earth was younger and more wild and free to worship in their own terms without question. Now bound by the chains of this new found religion that dictated their power and the country's people.
"Why have you not changed to meet the rest of us out amongst the grounds? The Procession waits for you to send Richard off."
The old Queen stared at the middle-aged Duchess with little interest before moving from the balcony ignoring the continued remarks from the widowed consort. She had lived to be seventy for a reason. Outlived three kings and became queen before one of those Kings. Fate must have thought she was needed once more, being charged to give the cursed burden onto another once more this time but holding the Regent spot until such time would occur for her Grandson to be crowned the new King of Ulyassa .
"They can wait a little longer, even the dead respect the moment of silence, child."
"I am not a child , further you are the kings mother-"
"Hand me that dress would you dear" The old queen hid her smirk at the frustrated woman in front of her whom she detested with ever fiber in her being, not waiting on a response Lady Valkyrie went behind the changing area as her annoying good-daughter continued prattling along while tossing the garment to her. Silently Lady Valkyrie mused at the many mourning dresses she'd worn over her lifetime. This time she wore a simple black mourning gown with rare white shells strung along a thin piece of leather, while it could be considered plain the special thing about this particular piece was that it was made by her late son and that recently he had carved two breathtaking wyverns to fit the necklace then proceeded to paint one of them black whilst the other one red. It was meant to be present for the princess of Ulyassa sixteenth name day. No doubt though it would mean so much more now when the time comes. Lastly came the annoying black veil and stockings. She eyed the once used corset with mirth, then covered the item with a pale sheet that lay next to it. Finally she grabbed her walking shoes before coming from behind, to meet those cobalt blue orbs belonging to Duchess Magnora.
"Were you even listening to anything I just said?" Magnora grumbled her pale hand going to her waist. The old Queen felt bad for her son if this was what he listened to before his death.
"Hold your tongue, you are forgetting yourself Duchess Magnora."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You won't receive it if you make this day of mourning about yourself. I have outlived King Yolaf Odison the fifth, my husband who was given the title King on my father's deathbed by my request, I have dealt with many hardships , yet after twenty years of retirement from this cursed throne we bury another King. My son. You were never given my titles and even still you never will. Remember your station."
"My station? I did not mean the insult-"
"That is where we leave this. You may not have meant it . yet your words are like Loki's tricks. They seem logical at the time yet to the unknowingly ill skilled they are filled with a bitter jap. You did your job producing two heirs to the throne and raising princess Alva. Your job can stop here. Why it is within my rights as acting sovereign to rid us of the burden my dear I am sure with the right persuasion amongst some of the older stock that remarriage would be a possible option for you."
"You wouldn't" Magnora gasped color draining from her already pale complexion.
"Why my dear I can if I must. Why I am sure a message to the high septon would make it to the Isle of Mann down in two days maybe three time, enough time for a contract to be signed and dealt with , considering one must go forth to inform them of our need for a high priest to crown dear Harald king"
"Please no" Lady Valkyrie knew she'd won the battle for now even if it was a bluff that was not without merit. They would need powerful allies that only marriage could bring. Thankfully they had three potential marriages that could take place four if Magnora kept irritating her.
"Then let's call this matter settled and mourn a war- king properly. Come child walk me down to the procession." Queen Valkyrie watched the other woman's pride take a heavy hit as she reluctantly took Lady Valkyrie's arm, both starting the long walk to the main entrance. The only words to be uttered were the resigned "Yes your majesty." from Duchess Magnora with a tone warning the conversion was not over.
****
Prince Harald stood in his Holy Knights grab. The blue and green fine tunic overlaps his polished armor with the dark red cross front and center for all to see. His dark black hair and gray eyes, a trait all but their little sister carried came from their lineage tracing all the way back to King Lokison. Those same Gray piercing eyes grazed over the funeral procession with a guarded expression on his face. Harald noted that his younger brother Eric, who'd just celebrated his eighteenth name day, stood next to their younger sister Alva with a relaxed stance as they awaited the Queen Regent to arrive. Harlad made a note to talk to Eric about this later. Alva appeared to be trying to hold it together, she had grown since the last time he'd seen her. Her face was almost unreadable as they awaited their grandmother. While they waited, Harald took this time to think fondly of his Grandmother, the now Regent until he was crowned king thanks to their sacred laws. He remembered the first time that his Mother attempted to control his fate the first time the sickness took their father. Though she held some power to confine him to the castle, his freedom came in the form of his beloved Grandmother Lady Valkyrie. Who set his wings free instead of clipping them. Lady Valkyrie granted him leave to join the King's Crusades. Under the condition his right as King would be on Hold until he got back alive. Only upon his return would she determine the exact time for His rule to come. Unlike his mother, Harald did not mind the wait. After five years at war it was a long awaited reprieve. They would mourn his father for fourteen nights afterwards, knowing his Grandmother only then would the Coronation begin.
The bagpipes began to pick up this time their melody took on a more mournful tune. Harald found the ballad of the 'Blood of Cuchulainn' to be calming. It was only then as the last note echoed out did the large wooden doors to the castle open heavily. The sound seemed to echo across the grounds as a hushed whisper slowly enveloped the crowd. Peasants of the near and outer villages stood in their best dress to mourn their king bowing as their Queen Regent made her way with the late king's wife close behind . Lords along with their personal knights alike bowed to show respect until the wave met the royal children who soon, including Harald followed suit.
"Arise my countrymen and women. Today we start our mourning, yet in truth some of us may mourn longer than the allowed days of respect. This war took a King fitting of the old tales of our past. My people light your candles as we set out to ST. Cathines chapel and mourning our beloved King. If you choose to come after the priest has said his final rites then from there follow the royal carriages, they will take our king's body to the cliff side and we will send him off as our ancestor before us with a fury of flames and song until his soul reaches Valhalla. For he was a King of the Old Norse."
Harlad nodded that his fathers death along with his grandmother when that time came may be the last done like their Norse ancestors. Something she was for his sake readying their people for.
"Once our fourteen days are over only then will this county welcome a new era. A new King whom has assured me there is power in this Christian God, thus in turn will hopefully bring us fortune to come."
Harlad found it remarkable that even as she looked frail the aged Warrior Queen voice could move across cital grounds proudly like any war time general giving commands to the troops. In his experience this was a dying trait with the elders. Though it did not go unnoticed at the slight grudge she held over his new found love since coming back from the Crusades for the Christain faith, nor would she openly say why she opposed it. Through all that Harlad was thankful for the allowance of the faith to start spreading in their Kingdom. He had seen the wonders and the truth behind its teaching. Against his Grandmother's wishes as he had written her in his time away, he found redemption amongst the strange lands teachings, why not embrace it? He had pondered hard after all he'd fought for what he believed to be a noble cause . Freedom of the holy lands and its people. By joining the fight he knew many alliances would follow his court should his party return home victorious. Even now his grandmother knew of the strength of those new alliances. With each new letter that followed him home had brought, as such that brought foreboding news that signaled how in need their kingdom was. The state of the war torn kingdom would be on the brink of debt within the next five to six years if something was not done to salvage their resources. As much as the late king's good works had outdid his follies the old Queen Regent along with the soon to be King, knew that this was a pointless war. One that could have been avoided , yet one he himself couldn't fault his father for. Leaving feelings he would rather not think about. Sadly at this current moment it seemed Harlad could not escape those dark thoughts. They haunted him each time he looked in his beloved sister's direction. It was not her fault , yet such measures had been made to keep their family safe, as such he hated what he would be doing to her to ensure the safety of his kingdom in the coming years, Even more so now that she was of age to bear children. He would be hated by her , though even through that he would continue what their father and grandmother had done to keep the empire alive.