Auvergne's court

"We know of the exploits of King Zvonimir and of his blood. An alliance between such a great dynasty and our own would be a blessing upon all of Christiandom.

However, we had already noticed about Princess Gisela lack of... interest in your enterprise. We fear that an union between her and our son will give no good fruit, if at all.

Marriages are not a minor concern. In the time of the great kings of the Holy Bible, a lord could marry the daugther of all of his vassals and allies. It didn't matter if these were fruitfull unions, it was all but politic. But today, a thousand years after the birth of Our Savior, He now frown upon such practices. Now, when a man and a woman are together before the altar, it is to become one in the eyes of Our Lord. Their hearts and their minds must be ready for such an act. If they are, then God's blessing is upon them. If they're not...

...Our Lord know our hearts. He doesn't take kindly people coming before Him to pronounce false vows and lies. Yes such an alliance will end poorly, for He will make sure nothing the liers wanted to achieve happens, and all that they feared become reals.

No we cannot allow such a parody of marriage. This is why they must both meet in person and spend some times together before we can give our final judgment. If it can happen, then it will. If not, there are other ways to conclude an alliance."

Chancellor Zrinski listened carefully and nodded and nodded over and over again to what he heard.

"Indeed, I must agree with You. However, I am not here to force the Princess on the orders of her father, but to ask your help to convince her. Of course she will not find the suitor of her desires if she spends all her days in Varazdin Castle, surrounded by knights and nobles who want nothing but prestige and power through her."

Chancellor Zrinski paused for a moment, maybe just for the dramatic effect, maybe because it was one of those rare moments when he needed some seconds to carefully select his next words.

"And so, from this grew suspicion in her towards all her suitors, even for those with a pure heart. But if she could spend time in a foreign court, her temperament and thick-headedness would surely fade as she wouldn't be so suspicious with everyone.

However, I see that King Zvonimir, You, and I are all on the same opinion about marriage. We could discuss the terms of the alliance, if You do not mind, and leave the subject of marriage to a later date."

"We will have all our time to discuss this on our way to Clermont, with our lawyers and jurists. But vows of friendships between our people is always a possibility. Depending on which matters your master might need our help or support one day, of course."

Berenger and Zrinski walked around in the garden for a while, before the king declared it was time to return to their beds and take the road tomorrow morning.

Once the sun was high enough, the Auvergnat and Varasdian escorts left the city of Arles by the western bridge, crossing the Rhone and then taking the road north-west to the mountains. On their ways, they went through the Garrigues, still called "Jaries", mazes of vegetations and forests of oak trees adapted to the mediterranean climate of the southern Gauls, where settlements of farmers raised their cattles of sheeps or goats, or tried to exploit their bit of land to grow olives or raisins, bouscatiers transformed the wood into charcoal, ruscaïres harvested the lavenders, and so on.

The land was mostly flat if with some hills and rivers flowing deep inside their crevasses. But soon, the ground started to rise up, higher and higher, until it became vast mountains covered in chestnuts trees. The Cévennes. The human settlements became much more sparse and adapted to the altitude, with terraces for grapevines, olive, chestnuts, and mulberries trees.

When the two escorts, now the size of a small armies, had to stop, it was inside valleys, establishing a camp, and buying some foods from the locals if the settlements were close enough, so to save their provisions.

Deep inside these mountains, Berenger announced that they were in the Velay, and so in his lands. The lack of population, only a few castles or monasteries with some houses around them, was evident but the whole mountain range served as a natural border for the more rich regions of the Duchy of Auvergne. Regions that, after another day of travel, they finally reached.

The Limagne plain, longer than large, followed the Alliers river. Numerous farms produced many crops, and sheeps, pigs and cows were raised. The forests, still numerous, were exploited for their wood and in the distance, some mountains could be seen with mines and quarries on their flanks. They first stoped in Brioude, the capital of the southern parts of the region. After what, and another day of travel, they finally reached Clermont, at the feet of the Puy de Dome mountain.

There the city, and Prince Robert, awaited them.

To His Majesty, King Berenger, and His Majesty, King Richard,

On behalf of the Lords of Dumnonia,
I, Duke Leofwine of Devonshire, do bid you greetings.

Your Majesties,

As fond as I am of your combined wisdom, the wealth and stability that follows yourselves, and the awe all civilised men find themselves in at the mere mention of your family, I write to you with saddening news from the lands of Dumnonia.

Let me begin bluntly.
The city of Canterbury and the lands of Kent were the first to fall to Norse raids.
The city of London, and the greater area beyond the city have also fallen.
Note that I do not mean that these Norsemen have only raided the settlements, they have taken the lands for themselves, deposing the rightful lords.

These raiders now border Dumnonia.
We, the combined Lords of Dumnonia have put our differences aside, and have mustered a sizable militia. From Wight to Cornwall, soldiers and common men have banded together to push this menace from the Isles.

Though, we are unafraid in the face of this Norseman army, we are, however, underequipped. Though, should all of England fall, who is to say that this savage army will stop there?
With the added resources, and men who will eventually submit, and join their ranks, the River Seine is a likely future target.

Whether or not you are able to assist in our plight, I implore you both, please send my message along to His Eminence, the Bishop of Rome.
It is known that His Eminence hails from your blessed realm.

We have heard that His Eminence has created an order of Knights to subdue the pagans of the north. We have written to the Grand Master of this Order already, but, should he ignore our request, perhaps a blessing of the Pope will make the Grand Master see true.

I thank you for your time, and your consideration.

Yours in service to Christ, on behalf of the Lords of Dumnonia,  
Duke Leofwine of Devonshire.