Ragnar felt a wave of absurdity washing over him. Just a few months ago, he had been the one driving the kingdom toward conflict. He had craved a war with the people of Björn. He had meticulously laid the groundwork, even manufacturing a perfectly righteous political reason to ignite the spark.
Everything had been moving in the exact direction he wanted. He had even secured his son's engagement to the princess of the Godlings, locking in a crucial, world-shaping alliance.
But then, the world cracked open.
