Alfred looked at the letter in his hand. It was from William giving an update on the situation. His reinforcements from the Eastern border had arrived and his position was strong. Although Nasr began to move, he had made sure to take up defence in a vital region for the Safrid nation forcing the Sultan to take a more cautious approach. All that was expected. He trusted William to be smart enough in his absence. What was surprising was a note about the Safrid traitor. Alfred knew of his existence from Esmond and although he didn't trust him Esmond told him to trust the man's hate for the current royal family.
The traitor had taken supreme control of the Capital and was now Nasr's lifeline. Once given the word he would cut all support, in return for ensuring his survival. Alfred didn't know the man, not even his name, but he was impressed. He knew how the Safrid council worked, picking those with the greatest ability. To destroy his rivals so effortlessly in war and take command was impressive, especially with the existence of an organisation like the dancers.
Burning the note with Chris's arrival, he waited for the man to speak. "Your guest has arrived again." Alfred knew instantly what it meant and gave a nod. Being led in, the small hooded man recreated the setting of when he first arrived at his door, only being replaced by a tent.
"I would love to say it is good to see you again King." Halfdan gave a small polite bow. "How many times has it been, three."
"Yes. And yet you have only followed through on one promise." Alfred said with a suspicious tone.
"I believe your feelings are unwarranted. If it was so easy, I would have already taken control of the entire force. If you suspect me so much, why do you still allow my visit?" His words got an annoyed huff from the Young King, but Halfdan didn't take offence, Alfred was right to be so distrustful of anyone in his camp. "That being said, I didn't come to gloat about my victory, but to tell you that our meeting will become harder. Knut's death has made Helga a bit paranoid. She has people watching me and Frode most times of the day. If you wish to continue our little meetings you're gonna have to trust me."
Alfred looked at the man with an uncertain gaze. On the one hand, he had followed through on getting a Knut killed, but on the other hand, he was sure that the plans were already in motion before ever coming to Alfred. "I'll trust you if you do one more thing for me." Halfdan smiled, expecting this. Alfred held all the cards right now and he had to work his way up.
"Frode. Kill him. His men from what you have explained are troublesome. Irrelevant for our future plans," Handing a dagger over to Halfdan, the man lifted it up into the light. Its metalwork was too fine for anything his people could create. "Slit his throat, stab his heart, I don't care. When I eventually attack, I want his people to not wish to surrender to me." Alfred said with a cold voice. Halfdan already knew what that meant for Frode's followers and he couldn't help but feel sorry for them.
Halfdan gave a nod, however. He had his plans to kill Frode and although they were much different, he didn't mind the Kingdom taking the blame for his assassination. "I will find your man after the deed is done. He will tell you where to meet me." Alfred gave a nod.
Before he could leave, Alfred stopped him. "Why such a gruesome death for Knut? I know you people are a bunch of savages but it seems too much for someone named King."
Halfdan stopped himself. He had to think about it for a minute. "I can't presume to read the queen's mind. Calling herself God and all that nonsense has been a guise to tap into her most deranged fantasies without incurring the fury of our people. That being said she loves them being terrified of her, and the way they look at her when they are. So she either did it to be seen as terrifying or she just wished to enjoy the moment she broke a prideful king and forced him to scream."
Halfdan said with indifference. He stashed the knife away and pulled his hood up, leaving the tent. Alfred chuckled at the insanity that was his enemy's camp and thanked Sol that he did not accept the offer of marriage.
Halfdan rode through the night. He had his own men watch him as he rode, creating the illusion of the queen having eyes on him. He rode quickly, rubbing the new dagger he had been given. To say it was marvellous was an understatement. It was the greatest dagger he had ever seen. The new world was something he found great joy in. How high he could ascend here. Far Mile had been the greatest structure they had ever seen. Their boats towered over theirs, threatening to block out the sun. If it was called the land of giants, he wouldn't disagree.
That being said, what intrigued him the most was Alfred. He looked at the young man who tried to play the calm and collected monarch. But Halfdan could see deeper, he had always been able to. There was a madness or obsession inside of him. One that rivaled Helga's own. It wasn't built on the self-deluded belief in God like Helga nor the lust for violence. No, it was something that burnt and kept the boy going. He called them savages but he was sure that the young man was willing to become just like Helga if he had to; he was already willing to work with them after all. But he had it tamed. Something that he refused to allow to consume him.
Halfdan rarely felt anything. Anger was the only thing he did regularly feel and he despised the emotion but failed to control it in the instances it sprung about, his one flaw he felt. Other than this he could see emotions and pretend to feel them perfectly, but rarely did he ever. He hadn't since a child. His parent called him cursed and abandoned him. He stole, killed and tricked anyone to claw his way up, eventually becoming a Jarl. It was only this that caused a stir of emotion in him. Only when he sat in his great hall for the first time, looking at his bannerman. Violence, no matter what end of it he was on didn't satisfy him. No woman or man could. Gold stacked to the roof couldn't. Only power. He never lied when he said he wished to secure the future for his future children, but it was only so he could have it first. He was happy enough to give it to his dynasty when he died, but he wished to experience it first.
It was why Alfred was strange. The same with Helga. He eventually knew why Helga intrigued him so much and allowed him to feel some emotion. She was someone so devoid of humanity that she shouldn't exist. Every ritual. Every Sacrifice. She let her mind slip. That once-contained madness inside of her was allowed to flourish and she savoured it, embraced it. Her eyes would roll back in ecstasy every time she ate a person. Her smile would widen every time she cut into someone. It was unchecked madness and Halfdan was willing to let it bloom if he could get some enjoyment out of it.
He wanted to see how far it would go. She had committed every sin under the sun and Halfdan wished to see what happened next. He debated. Was he as bad as her? He thought and finally decided. No. He endorsed the violence. He wanted her to surprise him with each action. Flaying Knut was something he would never expect and he was sure that it had turned into a sexual pleasure for her now. It was a long debate he had with himself but ultimately he denied it. She was worse than him. He took no joy in torture only seeing it as a means. If Helga didn't intrigue him so much he would have told her to tone it down. It wasn't good for a stable rule.
His mind then thought of the other person who invoked some sort of emotion. It wasn't like Helga whose lack of humanity caused it. Alfred had his. He could see. He may be able to give it up easily but he definitely had it still. He had believed that it was the checked madness in him. How someone with such a deep-rooted madness or obsession could act so collected? But it wasn't. Having control over himself, whilst impressive wasn't anything special. Helga was like that before but he only cared once it was set free.
It had been his second meeting when he realised. Alfred was a gateway. A gateway to more power, a gateway to the new world. If he followed Alfred he would ascend higher than he could imagine. See things that he never would before. It was his dilemma. Helga and Alfred. They were two people who made him feel such strong emotions. He tried to decide on one or the other, but he couldn't. So instead he wanted both.
It was immoral and betrayed every principle Alfred had when it came to his wife and marriage, but if it meant that he could have the two at once then he was willing. He would continue to fill Helga's head with delusions about her and Alfred's future no matter how forced she made it, and he would build Alfred's trust to let this happen. So long as he could continue to feel.