Part 3
It was early March. King Paulus was attending the war counsel he had arranged to oversee the invasion of Scotland. General Curtis was explaining the situation.
"It will take some time for our levies to get organised your grace."
"How long?" The King asked.
"A few months I expect," Curtis replied. "We must be patient, your grace. King Vernon has no allies, and the rebellion against him is getting stronger. Our army outnumbers his massively."
Henry laughed. "That is where you are wrong Mr Page!"
Curtis sighed. "Spare us one of your drug induced stories please Henry."
Henry shook his head. "I admit, whilst in Scotland I did deviate from my mission and went off into the forest to sample some of the local fungi, famed for its insightful properties and recommended to all you guys...like seriously. But I also did some spy stuff too!"
Curtis glared at Henry. Paulus was skeptical. "Are you saying you actually did something useful over there Henry?"
"Indeed I am bro. The mad king is rich, and he has hired a huge mercenary army to defend his throne."
There was a long silence as the King considered this. Boc was the first to speak up. "Your grace, Earl Henry is not the most reliable of sources. It is possible he is lying." Curtis voiced his agreement with that. Jeffrey yawned.
"We have nothing to lose by trusting him," Paulus said, "But everything to lose by ignoring him. If Vernon has hired a mercenary army, let him exhaust them fighting his civil war, whilst we wait for the perfect moment to strike."
Everyone agreed with that. Paulus looked at Henry. "Henry, you have done well. Before I sent you to Scotland I promised you would be rewarded if your mission was a success."
"Hooray!" Henry said, beaming.
"Since you lack the wits to have falsified this intel for personal gain, I hereby name you Duke of Kent. All lands and titles under the Duchy belong to you now."
"Jeffrey," Paulus contined, turning.
"Yes?" Jeff said uncertainly.
"You have done absolutely nothing, so you get nothing."
"Ok."
After this, the council was brought to a close. When outside, Curtis collared Chancellor Boc. "The king seems to take comfort in giving power to halfwits, don't you agree?"
Boc smiled wearily. "If that is so, what does it say about you and I General Curtis?"
Curtis grinned slyly. "Make no mistake, the king only tolerates us. He needs at the moment, but the day will come when people like Jeffrey and Henry will replace us!"
Boc wasn't convinced. "Paulus is an honorable man. Under his rule we shall all prosper."
Curtis sighed. "If you really believe that, you should pay more attention. Henry is now more powerful than you!"
"That is a lie," Boc said uncertainly.
"It is a fact. You are the Duke of Lancaster Boc. But half of the lords that should rightfully serve you serve the king. If you don't believe me check it out for yourself!"
Without waiting for a reply, Curtis strode off.
In Denmark, King Ninefingers was sat down in his study reading. At 48 years old, Ninefingers was a content ruler who only wanted to see out the rest of his days in peace.
In his younger days he might have been tempted to go to war when news reached him that King Paulus was preparing to invade Scotland. He had a strong claim on the English throne. But that was before he learnt the hard way that prestige and power were not worth the trouble. War was unpredictable and costly. All the king wanted to do was keep the realm prosperous during the last years of his reign. But political situations were developing which weren't going to allow it.
To the north, the young Norwegian king Bryce had married a Hungarian princess, securing an alliance along with his bride.
The Norwegian king was like Ninefingers in his younger days. Ambitious and looking for glory. Unfortunately for Ninefingers, Bryce had a claim on his throne.
The young king was a brave warrior, and posed a very real threat. But Ninefingers, with the benefit of experience, had found a possible diplomatic solution to this problem.
The Hungarian king had many daughters, and Ninefingers quickly made the arrangements for his own wedding. He had married before, but his wife had died of disease years ago.
He had vowed never to marry again since, but he didn't have any other options. If it came to war with the ambitious Norwegian king, at least the Hungarians would now have to choose whose side to take.
In Ethiopia, things were changing fast. Hupu's foreign Queen was making her presence felt. DR had barely got off the boat when she started putting her new found power to use.
"My lovely wife!" Hupu said, greeting DR with open arms. "I heard it's unrealistic for a baby to appear out of nowhere! Why don't we go and find out!"
DR waved him off. "Wonderful husband, I am tired from my long trip here! Perhaps later!"
Hupu hesitated before nodding. "Of course my queen! Take your time!"
"I aren't too tired to help you change the succession laws though!" DR said happily. Hupu looked confused.
"What is that?"
"Nothing you need to know about," she replied, handing Hupu a piece of parchment. "If you could just sign this for me husband, I would be thrilled!"
Hupu looked at it.
"I don't understand...but ok!"
Hupu signed it, smiling away.
"Thank you!" DR said, giving her husband a peck on the cheek. Hupu beamed.
"Maybe I can sign my name on more pieces of paper!" Hupu suggested. DR laughed.
"In time my husband! In time!"
DR was there five minutes and already she was a countess. She joined a handful of women across Europe with a title to their name. But she had only just started. At home in Norway there was a greater prize waiting for her.
In Scotland, the rebellion had gone from bad to worse to catastrophic.
Vernon had shut himself away in his chambers days ago, only allowing servants to enter with food and drink. Natalie had been ruling in his stead.
"What news do you bring of the war good sir?" Natalie asked the general of Vernon's army, one of his few supporters.
"I answer to the King, not his whore!" the man spat. Natalie laughed.
"The king is indisposed. I could have you fired from your seat on the council and banished if I so wished sir. You would do well to remember that."
The general blushed and bowed. "Sorry...my queen...the war goes...badly. The entire realm is up in arms."
Natalie looked at him calmly. "Our mercenaries will make short work of these traitors. We just have to find the money to pay for them."
"Your grace," the treasurer piped up. "About that...The few lords of the realm left who aren't rebelling have approved the harsh tax laws."
Natalie was surprised by this. "I don't recall ordering such a law to be put into action!"
The treasurer shook his head. "It was the king who ordered the law be passed."
That surprised Natalie even more. Her husband had made an uncharacteristically smart decision. The mercenaries weren't going to pay for themselves.
"Are you sure the king ordered this?"
"Certain, your grace. He ordered the law be passed before your marriage."
Before the marriage...and before the war. That was more like the mad king she knew. Imposing harsh taxes for no reason. No wonder half the realm was up in arms!
In Ireland, Leos was celebrating once more. His army won another decisive battle and were marching home.
With no army left to defend himself, the Count of Breifine surrendered.
Leos accepted. Usually, he preferred to completely annihilate his enemies, but in this case he didn't have the time. A bigger war was left to be fought. This was just the first step.
He had been so caught up in the fighting that he forgot about his marriage proposals. Leos had received two. Sophia and Kendra were there names. Both could have been his dream girl!
But the choice had been too difficult and he hadn't chosen either of them. Leos kept telling himself that there was too many wars left to fight to take a wife just now. He vowed to become the king as quickly as possible to rectify this.
Back in England, Paulus was sat having his supper. Cheryl Cole, his wife, walked in.
"Hello husband!"
Paulus sighed. "What do you want?"
"I know you are busy and you have a war to fight, but I was hoping you could help me with a project of mine!"
"A project?" Paulus asked, grimacing.
"Yes! I want to start a talent show for all the singers in the land!"
The King facepalmed. "No, I will not allow it!"
Cheryl glared. "You never let me do anything! I am a queen!"
"Leave me alone," Paulus said impatiently. "I can't stand been in your company."
"You can't talk to me like that! I am the mother of your children!"
"That's what you think!" Paulus snapped. Cheryl looked bewildered.
"I...I don't understand."
"My lovely wife, I cannot think of a single redeeming quality about you. Do you really think I would ever have had children with you? And so many too?"
"But...those nights we spent together?"
"I had a half wit from the stables visit you now and then. With the lights out you never knew the difference."
"But...the children...I gave birth to them!"
"You did give birth, but every time you got pregnant I got my mistress pregnant to account for it. Then I swapped the babies at birth..."
Cheryl gasped. "You wouldn't!"
"Well I did...I am just amazed I had to tell you. I thought you would have figured it out by now."
The queen was lost for words.
"Now get out of here," Paulus said coldly. She stormed off crying. The king frowned, then grabbed an ink quill and began writing.
Paulus had had enough. He would kill himself if he had to put up with Cheryl any longer. He sent letters out to those stupid and loyal enough, asking if they would back his plot to kill his wife. A few days later Henry replied.
Jeffrey followed shortly after, and Paulus made him Duke of Oxford as a reward. Other lords began to back him too. He would soon be rid of her.
Elsewhere in the court, Boc was still thinking about what Curtis had told him. Reading up on the subject, it seemed that past holders of the Duke of Lancaster had a lot more power than he currently had. Counts which traditionally served past Dukes were serving the king now instead. It made Boc uneasy. If Curtis was telling the truth, Paulus may not be the perfect king he had hoped for. When he learnt that Jeffrey was made Duke of Oxford later that night, it was enough to convince him that Curtis was right. He visited Curtis. Curtis greeted him with a grin on his face.
"Hello Boc! I have been expecting you!"
"You were right...the king is up to something."
Curtis patted Boc on the shoulder. "Don't worry! Together we can fix this."
"How?" Boc asked curiously.
"A king is only king so long as those who serve him allow him to be."
Boc gasped. "You are talking treason!"
"So? Who knows other than you?"
"But if we depose the king...who will replace him."
Curtis thought about that. "Somebody just...somebody brave, charming, handsome. Somebody who knows how to rule fairly and peacefully."
Then he laughed.
"What is so funny?" Boc asked.
"Oh nothing," Curtis replied. "I just listed all my best qualities that's all!"
Shortly after this visit, Curtis had his first supporter for his claim on the throne...
To be continued...
