[The British Isles, Northumbria, York, April of 793]
"Hold."
Striding through the gatehouse was Ealdorman Wulfgar. He was accompanied by two formidable figures, each towering and as commanding as William himself.
One was a man in black armor, the other a woman in masterfully crafted white armor.
Wulfgar paid the guards and the reeve no mind, his gaze fixed on William. He stopped a few feet away, taking in the foreign armor and the heavy hammer.
"Reeve, this man is with me," Wulfgar announced, his voice carrying the finality of a king's decree. "He is to be allowed entry to Eoforwic, and he is to be allowed to hunt in any forest he pleases. The toll for his kill is waived. He is under my protection."
The reeve stammered, his outrage deflating into confusion. "But... my lord, he speaks treason. He poaches the king's boar!"
"He speaks what he believes, and he is now under my banner," Wulfgar replied, the words a dismissal. He gestured to William with his gloved hand. "Come, I have a hall and an offer of work. Your beliefs are of no concern to me, only your purpose. And I suspect your purpose and mine are about to align."
The reeve and the guards looked at each other in confusion before the guards lowered their weapons and stepped aside, giving space for William and Harold to finally enter the city.
William went to push the cart since the peasants escaped, then Wulfgar's voice sounded again: "Leave the cart; I will buy the boar from you. Walk with me; if God wills it, you won't have to hunt boars for a living ever again."
William frowned but complied, falling in behind Wulfgar while keeping a cautious distance. He felt uncomfortable around other players, especially when outnumbered.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ealdorman Wulfgar of Dunholm and the acting regent of King Æthelred, and I trust you recognize your own kin," he said, gesturing toward the two players behind him.
"Hey dude, I'm Jonathon," the man in black armor said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "And this is my girlfriend, Amy."
"Hi guys, my name is William. Nice to meet you." William extended his hand in greeting.
"Hi, I'm Amy," she added. "Is this little guy your brother?"
"No, he's an NPC, actually; he is my page. Say 'Hi, Harold'?"
"Hello, my lord and lady," said Harold, hiding behind William's leg.
"Ohhhh, it's so cute; he is like a little pet," Amy gushed.
"So you guys work for him?" William asked, pointing toward Wulfgar.
"Yeah, man, it's better than running around like legless chickens. The pay is very good, and the jobs are simple for us. We also get food and very good housing."
"You mean headless chickens?" William corrected.
"Uhhh, no. How's a chicken supposed to run around without a head?"
"How does it run around without feet?"
"Shut up, Jonathon. The Ealdorman is waiting. Sorry, William, we'll get to know each other later. Let's get going now?"
"Sure, let's go."
They caught up with the Ealdorman, who was waiting by his carriage.
"I trust you got enough time to get to know each other. I was lucky enough to hire the two of them for my service. I began enjoying the comfort of peaceful sleep again after so long."
"Thank you for interceding for me, sir; we are in your debt, sir. My name is Gwyndolin Blackfyre, and this boy here is my page, Harold," William said, gently nudging the boy forward, feeling more comfortable around the players and the eldorman.
"Grett...greetings, sir. Thank you for helping us; the name is Harold at your service," stammered Harold, reciting the basic greeting William had taught him.
"And why would a man like yourself have trouble sleeping, if you don't mind me asking, sir?" William asked.
"The kingdom is in very troubling times. Just this year, more than six thegns were killed, three by the king himself, and three others died under mysterious circumstances with their families. Before my new retainers came into my service, I had many restless and sleepless nights. and not only I,I have many friends who are having sleeples nights but unlike me, they don't have powerful retainers to put their minds into rest and so for your debt, don't worry about it; you already paid me ten times over."
"Sir?" asked William, confused.
"Come with me." He turned toward the carriage, and the group followed in silence.
They traveled through the winding, narrow streets of Eoforwic, past bustling timber-framed markets and ancient Roman stone towers that still formed the city's sturdy defenses.
The carriage rattled over cobbled roads, eventually turning down a wide thoroughfare that led to the city's heart: the royal demesne.
The King's Estate was less a fortified castle, as one might imagine, and more an expansive, bustling administrative complex built within the original Roman fortress walls.
A strong palisade of new-cut oak separated the compound from the rest of the city. Wulfgar's carriage did not stop at the outer gate; the guards recognized his crest and snapped to attention, pulling the heavy gate open with practiced efficiency.
Inside, the estate was a hive of activity. Servants scurried with burdens of laundry or foodstuffs. Stable hands shouted while exercising horses in a large muddy yard.
Several guards, wearing the plain, serviceable tunics and conical helmets of the king's housecarls, nodded respectfully to Wulfgar as the carriage slowed to a halt before the great hall.
The hall itself was an impressive structure: a long building made of massive oak timbers, its thatched roof high enough to suggest a smoky, vast interior.
A nervous young servant rushed to help Wulfgar descend from the carriage.
"See that my guest is escorted directly to the high table room."
Wulfgar instructed the servant, gesturing for William and Harold to disembark. He then turned to William. "We are expected. The Ealdorman of Bernicia is waiting, and he is a man under considerable duress."
The servant, wide-eyed at the imposing presence of William, bowed awkwardly and led them to the great hall.
The interior of the hall was dim and thick with the smell of old smoke, damp wool, and stale ale. They passed the main feasting area, a vast space with long, empty tables, before the servant pushed open a heavy internal door that led to a smaller, private chamber adjacent to the dais.
Inside this private hall, the air was tense. A single older man, clearly a noble of high rank, was pacing furiously back and forth, running a hand through his graying hair. He was extremely stressed
Ealdorman Beornwulf of Bernicia POV
Ealdorman Beornwulf paced the private chamber, a knot of pure anxiety tightening in his gut. The situation was dire. The Picts, emboldened by Northumbria's endless civil wars, were boldly consuming his lands in Bernicia.
Raids struck with agonizing regularity; he had long lost count of the families enslaved and dragged back across the borders.
Just days ago, he had nearly been captured himself. The Picts had somehow bypassed his outer defenses, deep into his own territory, cutting down a score of his men.
Had it not been for Wulfgar's timely intervention, all would have been lost. Wulfgar's two new retainers, those giants in black and white armor, had arrived just in time.
They were demons on the battlefield, slaughtering the raiders and escorting Beornwulf and his family to the tenuous safety of the king's estate under Wulfgar's protection.
His lands had fallen to anarchy, and he desperately needed strength to restore order. With the kingdom in such turmoil, the Pictish raids would never cease unless he could secure a force as formidable as Wulfgar's own retinue.
He had witnessed their power firsthand. They were fearless in battle. Two dozen Pictish warriors had been utterly routed by just that one man and one woman. They stood no chance. If Beornwulf could secure just one such warrior, he might finally stand a chance of securing his borders and keeping his people safe.
He stopped his pacing as Wulfgar entered the room, followed by the imposing figures he now relied upon. Beornwulf's gaze settled immediately on the newcomers, a desperate glimmer of hope overriding his constant dread.