The Chancellor of Varasd

Bernard Zrinski, along with his company, has travelled through the Adriatic and most of the Aegean Sea. Constantinople was near... It was about time, too, as the Chancellor was heavily seasick. It didn't do good to him, or his reputation, to take part in such a long naval travel, but the bogumil heretics made the usual road through the Balkans way too dangerous.

He had many tasks, though, and the bogumils were none of them. That was the duty of the Church, to keep order in religious matters. His tasks were purely political in nature.

A young servant came into his cabin, interrupting his train of thoughts.
"M'lord, land ahead! Soon we're arriving!"
"About time. Signal the other ships to follow us, and ready everything. I do not want this company to look like a group of barbarians when we set foot on imperial lands. Quickly now!"

When the servant left, he was back in his thoughts in a matter of seconds. Soon, he stopped planning, as he ran through every detail, every possible problem or scenario his mind could imagine, and was ready to perform his duties.

When the Varazdin ships neared Constantinople, they were spotted by the soldiers along the sea walls that jutted out in front of the docks. A runner was sent to alert the King of this.

The King was in the midst of talking with his Council when the runner arrived, bursting into the room.

"My Lord, We have spotted Varazdin vessels. We believe it is their envoy." The runner told Varius, in and out of panting.

"send a ship to escort them into harbor, and prepare a welcome. Perikles, let's go." The King said, motioning for Perikles to follow him.

The two mounted horses once outside, and with a group of soldiers to escort them, rode out through the city towards the docks.

At the docks a ship had hastily been put into action, and now sailed out towards the Varazdin ships to escort them in.

The winds of the Aegean are even more refreshing than those in the Adriatic, Chancellor Zrinski noted for himself. Bithynian galleons were spotted soon, and after giving naval signals to each other, the small Varasdian fleet was escorted to the nearest harbor. Bernard Zrinski ordered the servant to prepare his horse, which travelled through the seas with him. A royal emissary can not travel on foot, like a common peasant, after all.

When the ships harbored, and the ramps were prepared, Bernard Zrinski slowly walked down to the end of it. Two guards were at his side, one looking like an eastern barbarian, a scythian, as the locals would call them, and the other a typical westerner, some short of young lord, gifted with the sword. They all bowed in respect, and the Chancellor greeted their hosts in latin, italian and greek as well.

"My name is Bernard Zrinski, I am count of Zagreb, and Chancellor of King Zvonimir I., of Varasd. I believe our arrival was already expected. If we were late, excuse us, and the weather, for the winds in the Adriatic did not help us the slightest bit in our journey, but in the fine Aegean sea, we tried to sail with as much haste as possible." - The Chancellor looked behind himself, at his crew, and continued, with a friendly smile - "It is good to be on land. Now, Your Highness, I must ask you a question. Should we present you our gifts now, or later?"

The Bithynian ships led the Varazdian vessels into the docks at Constantinople, passing by the sea walls which jutted out to protect the docks. The docks were similar in construction to the Thedosian Walls, but were simpler. Atop the walls soldiers patrolled, and banners flew over the bastions. Because purple dye is expensive, the banners were red, but still featured the golden two headed eagle in the center. After passing the walls the rest of the dock would come into view, where the Varazdians could see the many men rushing about in their day to day work. The cacophony of dock work was abruptly broken in the center of the docks, where the welcome party stood. The King sat on horseback in the center, with rows of soldiers at either side. At the end of the rows were soldiers carrying the standard of the Kings' Comitatenses Unit.

To the Right of Varius, also on horseback, was Perikles. Perikles was clad in a magnificent suit of armor, a sign of his rank as the personal guard of King Varius. His chest was protected by a steel Muscle Cuirass with golden embossed designs along the breast, which almost seemed the mimic the branches of a tree. This sat atop an exquisite purple tunic with golden embroidery along the ends of the sleeves. Below this he wore a full mail hauberk, which protected his arms and neck. Finally he wore an aketon, though this was thinner than the standard aketon to account for the cuirass he wore. His legs were protected by the hauberk, thought it was mostly covered by the tunic. From the waist of the muscle cuirass were thin pteryges which came down over his tunic and hauberk. He wore leg guards made of leather strips, and similar vambraces upon his forearm. His feet were fit snugly into leather boots, which went up to about his knee. On his head Perikles wore a rounded steel helmet, with embossed designs similar to those on his cuirass. His face was protected by a faceplate, which left only some holes for breathing and rectangular eye sights open. The helmet was held in place with metal guards that protected the side of his face, with leather straps connecting them under his chin. His neck and other exposed ares of his head were protected by a mail aventail that came down from the helmet. He also wore, though not usually, a plume atop the helmet. The plume was died purple, and almost seemed to make Perikles seem to be taller than he really was. This plume he wore only on certain occasions, more specifically, when he really wanted to show off. One could be forgiven for thinking he was some kind of lord, indeed, he made many of the Bithynian generals look quite lesser in comparison.

King Varius wore a similar suit of armor, though the cuirass was coated to appear to be made of gold. Unlike Perikles, King Varius did not have his helmet on his head, but rather held it at his side.

To the left of Varius, on horseback as well, was Herodes, the son of Varius. Herodes too had the same kind of armor as the King, and also held his helmet at his side. His face was clean, and he had recently shaved, his usual goatee gone. His hair was neat and combed, and had been recently cut. Herodes enjoyed times like this when he got to be with his father in official matters, as it gave him experience and an eye into the world of politics. Sometimes he found this incredibly interesting, other times he could not help but agree with something his father had once said: "Politics is the art of talking a lot but saying very little." He hoped today would be of some interest, it certainly was something very to do with his family. He was also eager to see the people of Varasd, as it was somewhat rare that he saw anyone from the more western part of Europe, even if Varasd was by all definitions in the east of Europe.

As the envoy harbored and their ramps lowered greeting party grew silent, and previous conversations halted, and the soldiers stood even more at attention than before - if that was even possible. The three men on horseback observed the chancellor and his two guards as they came down, taking in their appearance. After they spoke, Varius came foreward and dismounted, and a soldier came up to hold his horse.

"We need not be in any rush, you may present the gifts now, but I would perhaps suggest to wait."

Varius spoke in Latin, as it was his native tongue. The Corvinus family had long ago lived in Rome, but had moved out east after some difficulties. The family was proud of its Roman heritage, and continued to name their children with roman names, as apposed to Greek. (Most of the time, at least.)

"I am sure you are hungry after your journey, if you would accept we would prepare a feast so that we may talk business with full stomachs and happy hearts. That would also present itself as a good time to present and gifts you have."

Varius turned to mount his horse once more, but remembering something turned back.

"And of course, Welcome to Constantinople! If you do not have a horse we can provide one, otherwise please do mount so that we can make way to the Great Palace."

Now he mounted his horse, and waited for response.

At this point the Varazdians would have a clear view of the city, and to someone from Europe - especially places not impacted as greatly by the Roman Empire - Constantinople would seem almost a world of its own. The white roman style architecture made the city appear bright, and the golden domes of some of the more prestigious structures gleamed in the sunlight. They may be able to catch a glimpse of the Hagia Sophia (Or as Varius would call it, the Sanctum Sophia), which dwarfed most churches across the world. But what would certainly draw their gaze the most was the massive Hippodrome, located centrally in the city. The area encompassed by this structure could easily be that of a large village, and the size of the structure made even the Hagia Sophia seem small. The city almost seemed to glow with its buildings of white and gold, and its buildings that seemed larger than life.

---

OOC: Sorry my last post was kind of crap, I wrote it in a hurry and didn't really give as much detail as I should have.

"Very well, You Majesty." The Chancellor mounted his horse, and followed the bithynians. Bernard Zrinski kept his eyes infront, but his companions were clearly in awe of the roman glory. The last memorials of the Roman Empire were but a few old roads, and some old forts in Dalmatia.

"Bring the gifts along!" ordered the Chancellor, and in matter of seconds, servants were already putting the gifts on carts, and from one of the ships, a hundred prisoners were brought forward, all of them chained together. They were all in bad shape and underfed, tired from rowing the galley they traveled in.

"I'm afraid this gift is no longer a suprise." Bernard Zrinski said, while looking at the prisoners, then he looked at King Varius. "Heretics, all of them. Some leaders of their soldiers, some of them preachers. You see, my King Zvonimir has captured them, they were preparing a revolt in the southern parts of our lands. We heard that Your Majesty has a problem with the bogumils, as they call themselves, as well. Their fate is now in your hands, and my King trusts your judgement well. But let us talk politics when you decide it is time for that. Once again, thank you, Your Majesty, for welcoming us."

The Varasdian envoy then kept following the hosts to the feast, while most of the sailors and crew remained at the ships, only the guards and the servants carrying the gifts have followed as well.

The group travelled through the streets at a brisk pace, the soldiers walking alongside. At the sight of the standards and the group, people cleared the streets, looking on as the group passed. At this front Varius, Herodes, and Perikles talked quietly among themselves. The route they took was not the most direct, and had them pass beside the Hippodrome. Once they arrived at the great palace Varius dismounted and instructed the soldiers to bring the prisoners to the prison. After everyone had dismounted Varius led the group into the Great Palace.

The inside of the palace was every bit as amazing as the outside. The marble walls were covered with artwork and designs, and the ceiling appeared gold and was also covered with intricate designs and art. Varius led the group through the palace into a large dining room, with a large table in the center.

"Please have a seat, the food should be out shortly." Varius said, turning to the group, before sitting down.

Once everyone had a seat a group of servants came out with food and placed it on the table. One servant, who carried food meant for Herodes, seemed to slip and fell to the ground, the plate banging on the floor. He quickly rose to his feet and bowed to Herodes.

"F-Forgive me my Lord, I meant not to do this, I assure you." The servant spoke, quickly, and. clearly nervous.

Herodes chuckled, and replied:

"Mistakes happen, just clean up what fell, no need to be frightened. What a terrible thing it would be to punish every small mistake."

Herodes turned back to the group.

"Good thing we don't paint the floors."

The Chancellor of Varasd enjoyed the food, along with his companions. He ate with moderation, and did not drink much alcohol.
The scythian ate with much hunger, as if he never had a proper meal in his life. He knew nothing about manners, let about those in practice in Constantinople - for him, feasts were about celebration, and not protocols. When Bernard Zrinski whispered something in his ears, he nodded, and payed more attention to how the görög* behaved. The german lad didn't eat much, but he was clearly enjoying the food.

"What a wonderful feast! We truly feel honored, Your Majesty! " - Bernard spoke in latin - "Let me apologize for my bodyguard, Lehel. He grew up in a tent, after all. If it was for me, I would have brought the son of a dalmatian noble, but my Lord Zvonimir I. is bent on civilizing the nomads under his rule. " - Bernard spoke some words to Lehel, in hungarian, and the hungarian took out a golden cross on a necklace from under his robe, and began to speak in greek:

"Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς·
ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου·
ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου"*

Bernard nodded with a satisfied expression, and Lehel continued to eat.
"You see, the words of our Savior are spreading fast in their tribes. Most of them have chosen the greekish tradition."

*Görög = hungarian word for greek
*First three lines of the greek version of the Lord's Prayer

"It is always good to know more are accepting the words of our Savior." Varius said before taking a drink from his cup.

"As for the feast, the pleasure is ours. We Greeks have a long tradition of hospitality."

"I do hope you enjoy the food, and whenever you are ready, we may discuss the matters which bring you here."

"Very well, let us discuss... politics. It is probably known to you that my Lord has two beautiful daughters; Gisela is the older, now 19 of age, and Cecilia the younger, now 17. King Zvonimir is looking for a suitable spouse for them - with local barons and nobles constantly besieging him with marriage offers, he keeps rejecting. I have come here to discuss this, to inquire if your son would marry one of the daughters of King Zvonimir. " Bernard Zrinski made a small pause, while he bit into the apple he's been skinning, and continued. "If, you already have plans for Prince Herodes, you might have heard what happened in the iberian state of Thagan... Right after we came to an agreement with them, their state fell into anarchy, and the bride of Prince Stephan was killed. He now, is looking for a suitable wife as well.

Both options are perfectly suitable for us, your Highness. I believe you are already wondering what our terms are, and I am not a man who likes to rob another man of his time.

The Kingdom of Varasd would come to aid Bithynia if a foreign enemy attacks, and we would expect the same in return. If times are dire, we can help each other in other campaigns too, depending on the circumstances.
Also, even though your Highness controls Constantinople, and it's surrounding rich lands, many in the West do not consider you a King. We can persuade the Pope to vote in favor of recognizing your Highness as King, and make your right of Investiture solidified and rightful.
In case one of your daughters marry Prince Stephan, their offspring will not have any claim to the Throne of Bithynia, and if your son marries one of the daughters of King Zvonimir, they would not claim the Kingdom of Varasd as their own either.

Before I continue, I would like to hear what your Highness has to say so far. "

Varius listened intently to what the Chancellor said, and when the Chancellor finished, Varius spoke.

"I see no issues with this, though, I will defer to Herodes' judgement in regards to the first point. He has told me in the past he would like to wait a bit, but I will leave it to him."

Herodes thought for a moment before replying

"I would have to think it over."

Varius nodded, and then continued.

"As for the second point, I would be quite happy to accept to that. I have three daughters, Lutatia, Aemilia, and Aelia. Aelia is the youngest, at 16, and Lutatia and Aemilia are 17 and 21, respectively."

Varius stopped briefly to take a drink, finishing up all that was in his cup.

"The terms you have laid out I would agree to, and I can assure you that if Varasd were to be attacked we would honor our agreement to the letter."

Varius pause momentarily, and was about to speak again when Herodes leaned over and whispered something in his ear. Varius nodded and said something in reply, and Herodes stood up.

"Excuse me, I have a bit of a headache, and so I shall make my leave." Herodes said, before leaving the room.

Varius then spoke once more

"All in all, I see no problem with anything."

"I'm glad! Then I shall send news home that Prince Stephan will marry Aelia. As you must know, he is on a campaign in the Baltic right now, but as soon as he returns, the marriage can take place.
As far as I know, it is custom that the marriage shall be held in Constantinople. For that we must wait a little, then. The Gepidae Order is in anarchy, and nobody knows how long it will take to make order again.

However, the defensive alliance can still begin now, if you prefer it so?"

"That would be acceptable to me, no need to rush. As for the defensive alliance, I would very much like it to begin.

Allow me to propose a toast, for what the future holds."

With that Varius raised his cup.

The Varasdians raised their cups as well, saying "cheers" in croatian, german, hungarian, some in latin and greek as well - a moment that perfectly represented how the Varasdian Kingdom was sewn together from many different people.

"To our friendship and alliance! Long live the Kings!"

After the business in Constantinople was done, the Chancellor of Varasd and his companions set sail again, this time towards Azaq, to conclude business with the mongolian khan. Bernard Zrinski was a bit more nervous about this task than the past ones, as meeting a barbarian, he could never know what to expect.

He could deal with the hungarians, however, and one nomadic nation is nothing different from the other...

---

The young capital continued to be expanded, bringing about an influx of settlers and workers in order to make the city more prosperous. The Khan was truly obsessed with making a city so grand that it rivaled the Greek ones already in his possession, most notably nearby Chersonisos. The first thing to be built directly after the main palace was the docks, which had evolved from a few wooden docks to a full-fledged stone harbor that stretched out into the sea itself, providing excellent docking for the many ships that would anchor there, and even had a lighthouse. One particular dock had been sealed off for the Khan's personal use, and at the moment was reserved for the arrival of the Chancellor of Varasd, whom the Khan had been expanding. Standing out among the regular docks with the large flags that flow over it, the Khan eagerly awaited the arrival of the chancellor himself, accompanied by his faithful *kheshig.

---

*Royal Guard

As the varasdian ships arrived, Chancellor Zrinski was, once again, glad to tread on land. After finally docked, a herald came down the ramp first, carrying the Green Flag with the Silver Horse, the flag of House Konsky.

After him came Bernard Zrinski, accompanied by two young soldiers, a german, and one looking a lot alike to the azaqdens, but different somehow. He was followed by a small group of bodyguards, too.

"Greetings, People of Azaq! My name is Bernard Zrinski, the Chancellor of Varasd! I came to meet with your honourable Great Khan, to discuss matters in the name of my King, Zvonimir, First of his name, of House Konsky."

The Chancellor looked around, and nodded quietly, acknowledging the city the nomads were building - it was a big suprise to him, to see civilized barbarians.

Varasd wrote:As the varasdian ships arrived, Chancellor Zrinski was, once again, glad to tread on land. After finally docked, a herald came down the ramp first, carrying the Green Flag with the Silver Horse, the flag of House Konsky.

After him came Bernard Zrinski, accompanied by two young soldiers, a german, and one looking a lot alike to the azaqdens, but different somehow. He was followed by a small group of bodyguards, too.

"Greetings, People of Azaq! My name is Bernard Zrinski, the Chancellor of Varasd! I came to meet with your honourable Great Khan, to discuss matters in the name of my King, Zvonimir, First of his name, of House Konsky."

The Chancellor looked around, and nodded quietly, acknowledging the city the nomads were building - it was a big suprise to him, to see civilized barbarians.

The Khan and a man of Greek complexion approached the Chancellor, the khan's keshig behind them. The Khan was a young, built man, of large-than-average stature, with a thick mustache and goatee and clear Mongoloid facial features. He wore traditional Mongolian Khan clothing and armor, his loyal keshig donning the same. The Greek was more informally dressed, yet not enough to appear as a peasant. He was clean shaven and balding, and appeared to be in late 30s. The Khan smiled, and as he spoke in Mongolian, his Greek aid translated.

"Greetings and welcome, Chancellor Zrinski, to Azaq. I am Ganbaatar Khan, the ruler of these lands and all the people in them, be they Mongols, Turks, Greeks, or Rus'. You will find great diversity here in Azaq, not unlike your own realm, but greater perhaps in terms of religious faiths. Most here - like myself - am followers of the teachings of the Persian, Zoroaster, but you will find followers of Tengri among the Turks and Mongols, followers of Nestorius in the same demographic, much of the Rus' still follower their old gods like Perun and Jarilo, and the much of the Greeks have become partial to this new upstart church in Constantinople in light of this nasty business with the Pope in Rome. Personally I have no interest in the internal bickerings of the cross-bearers... no offense intended. I assure you that all or welcome here, aside from the Bogomil scum of course, but I'm sure you've already heard about our little... 'altercation' with them. But, you did not come here to listen to my rantings of temple-burners. Please, accompany me to my palace, and let us discuss our business over fine wine and fresh meats."

"The two realms are indeed alike, one might be surprised indeed, your Highness. Or is it your Majesty? Forgive my mistakes in manners, I must be honest with you, I never had the opportunity to meet and discuss with a Kán* before. " Chancellor Zrinski said, while going towards the palace. The hungarian bodyguard on his side raised his head when he heard the word kán, and from then on, admiration, respect and fear mixed in his eyes when looking at Ganbataar. Once there, he continued, straight off, to business.

"Let us raise our cups first, for the friendship between our Lands!" - Zrinski said, and his two companions followed.
"Before we get to business, your Highness. I was told you tell you that the Azaqden Guard perform so well, that some of them have been granted land in the Kingdom of Varasd.

Now... As you may know, the daughters of King Zvonimir are unmarried, and my King is looking for a suitable husband for them. He would seek an alliance with you, but a term is that the husband has to be christian. Whether or not he follows the Roman rites, is up to you.

What do you gain from this, you might ask? My King Zvonimir would aid you if foreign enemies threaten your lands, and we would expect you do the same. Trade will be secured between our nations, too."


*Kán is the hungarian term for Khan

Varasd wrote:"The two realms are indeed alike, one might be surprised indeed, your Highness. Or is it your Majesty? Forgive my mistakes in manners, I must be honest with you, I never had the opportunity to meet and discuss with a Kán* before. " Chancellor Zrinski said, while going towards the palace. The hungarian bodyguard on his side raised his head when he heard the word kán, and from then on, admiration, respect and fear mixed in his eyes when looking at Ganbataar. Once there, he continued, straight off, to business.

"Let us raise our cups first, for the friendship between our Lands!" - Zrinski said, and his two companions followed.
"Before we get to business, your Highness. I was told you tell you that the Azaqden Guard perform so well, that some of them have been granted land in the Kingdom of Varasd.

Now... As you may know, the daughters of King Zvonimir are unmarried, and my King is looking for a suitable husband for them. He would seek an alliance with you, but a term is that the husband has to be christian. Whether or not he follows the Roman rites, is up to you.

What do you gain from this, you might ask? My King Zvonimir would aid you if foreign enemies threaten your lands, and we would expect you do the same. Trade will be secured between our nations, too."


*Kán is the hungarian term for Khan

"I am glad to hear my men are performing so well. I made sure to choose some of the best I had, and Markörgis is certainly one of my best leaders as well. I try to make it a habit of showing all exactly what it is we are capable of, so as to remind any and all that might seek our ire as to how wise it would be to reconsider creating hostilities where none exist yet."

The Khan chuckled a bit.

"I am aware of your king's husband-less brides, and a true alliance between our two nations would be beneficial to both, I assure you. It just so happens I have a son who had fallen sway to the teachings of Nestorius many years ago and still remains so. I have offered him the hands of many beautiful women I have discovered, but he has refused them all on the grounds that they are not Christians. I do not understand this mentality of marrying only those of the same faith myself, when my father converted to Zoroastrianism my mother did not, and remained a devout follower of Tengri. They never separated, and continued to love each other until their deaths despite their religious differences. Likewise, my wife is also a Tengri follower and was before I married her."

The Khan shrugged and laughed.

"Ah well, not all minds think alike I suppose. And you did not come here to debate marriage and religion, I am sure. I am also sure you are eager to return to your king, and that you shall. If you will permit my Nestorian son the hand of your Catholic princess, I think our business is settled. I should warn you, if you did not know already, that he is the youngest of my sons, being only 18 at the moment, and is not heir to the khanate itself. In fact, he is fourth in line to be precise. However he will not be landless and will inherit the city of Theodosia, and all the lands to the east of it, ensuring him a good deal of land."

The khan thought for a moment.

"Before you leave, I should let you know. My son, the one we're speaking of, Tolui, is not the only one of my children to have been seduced by Nestorius' teachings. I also have a younger daughter, Börte, only 17, who has taken an interest in this slowly dying branch of Christianity. She, like Tolui, has refused any hand that is not of Christian faith, and so finding her a suitable husband has been difficult as well. Would you, by and chance, have a spare prince whose hand she could take? If not, would you happen to know of any Christian rulers that might have a hand free - either their own or a relatives - so that I may put her stubbornness to bed once and for all?"

"I suggest then, that the youngest daughter of my King, Cecilia, marries to Tolui. Once I arrive home, she shall depart to your realm. We're glad to have such great allies in the East.
Prince Stephan will marry from the Byzantine realm, so House Konsky can not offer any prince for the hands of your daughter. However, my King has good friendships with the rulers of Europe, if you wish so, Börte can come to our court to Varazdin, where she could meet a suitable one for herself. Of course, after counseling with you, first.
"

Bernard Zrinski thought for a moment, and then, he spoke:

"Now that our two nations are allies, your Highness, may I ask another question? As you may know, Prince Stephan is currently at the Baltic, trying to restore order to the Gepidae Kingdom.

Do you plan to intervene in the Gepidaen Civil War?"

Varasd wrote:

"I suggest then, that the youngest daughter of my King, Cecilia, marries to Tolui. Once I arrive home, she shall depart to your realm. We're glad to have such great allies in the East.
Prince Stephan will marry from the Byzantine realm, so House Konsky can not offer any prince for the hands of your daughter. However, my King has good friendships with the rulers of Europe, if you wish so, Börte can come to our court to Varazdin, where she could meet a suitable one for herself. Of course, after counseling with you, first.
"

Bernard Zrinski thought for a moment, and then, he spoke:

"Now that our two nations are allies, your Highness, may I ask another question? As you may know, Prince Stephan is currently at the Baltic, trying to restore order to the Gepidae Kingdom.

Do you plan to intervene in the Gepidaen Civil War?"

The Khan listened eagerly, but was disappointed with what the Chancellor had to say.

"Very well then, I will send her with you, but my approval is not necessary so long as he is young, landed, and can give her children. Let her marry whoever it is she chooses, she is a smart girl, I am sure she will pick wisely. Of course I will send her personal servant, Tsetseg, with her. They are close friends and have been since they both little girls, practically inseparable. I won't have them lose such a strong bond of friendship. You won't have to worry about her, she's a well-behaved girl and will do as she is told."

The Khan paused for a moment, and took a deep breath.

"I was not aware your king's heir was in the crusader lands, no. I suppose it is good that I learned this now, however, as I had - when this civil war started - sent a small group of my loyal troop to buy the loyalty of a local Balts, fund him in a war against the other participants, and wreak havoc upon the land so that it may be softened for an impending invasion of mine. However, since your Prince Stephen is involved in this conflict, that changes everything. I will send word to my men in Gepidae that there has been a change in plans. I am thinking... perhaps I will have them manipulate the Romuva leader into removing the others who are vying for power, send my own forces up there discreetly, and then remove the Romuva leader and his army once he and your Prince come to meet each other at last, ensuring your Prince can march north virtually unopposed. In fact, because you're willing to help my daughter find a suitor, I will even make this offer free of charge... so long as you allow my men to pillage what they wish from the defeated Baltics, you know, weapons, gold, armor... women. Whatever they wish, really. I'll make sure to instruct them not to pillage any churches or desecrate any Christian objects if it please you."

"The plunder shall be yours, but we have more than that to offer. The Duchy of Aland, would be way too far for the young Prince to control. If you wish, that duchy can be yours.

In return of your generous offer, I could offer the following. The merchants of Azaq approved by you shall be exempt from paying the taces.for border crossing. Howver, the other taxes and duties would still apply for them.

The lands of Zvoninir are rich in ores, if you lack them, we would be glad to let our merchants trade with you.

For your daughter, she can have the quarters of Princess Cecilia, as she will depart as soon as we reach Varazdin."

Varasd wrote:"The plunder shall be yours, but we have more than that to offer. The Duchy of Aland, would be way too far for the young Prince to control. If you wish, that duchy can be yours.

In return of your generous offer, I could offer the following. The merchants of Azaq approved by you shall be exempt from paying the taces.for border crossing. Howver, the other taxes and duties would still apply for them.

The lands of Zvoninir are rich in ores, if you lack them, we would be glad to let our merchants trade with you.

For your daughter, she can have the quarters of Princess Cecilia, as she will depart as soon as we reach Varazdin."

"I have no interest in Aland. The territory there is too cold, too wet, and too far. It is not worth my time, to be honest. I have heard that this 'Jalo' will swear loyalty to whomever becomes ruler of Gepidae. If that is your Prince, then he may get the duchy whether he wants it or not. My point is that I cannot send my men so far north, it would stretch my forces too thin and my trade routes would be in danger of regular Rus' attack."

The Khan thought for a moment.

"I will, however, accept your offer of ores and special status for our merchants. I will go and fetch my daughter and her servant, and prepare them for their trip. You may make leave as soon as you and they are both ready. I am glad we could arrange this meeting, and I hope that it's results shall be beneficial for both our realms."

"Thank you, your Highness. I am very glad to be of service to both you and my King. One more question before I get ready to leave. Or a small favour, if I may.

Though the road takes longer like that, I would be delighted to travel on land, instead of through the Black Sea and upstream of the Danube. So, if you'd prepare your daughter for land travel, I would be truly in debt. I must admit that I am quite sick of traveling on the seas. Surely your people would understand."

Varasd wrote:"Thank you, your Highness. I am very glad to be of service to both you and my King. One more question before I get ready to leave. Or a small favour, if I may.

Though the road takes longer like that, I would be delighted to travel on land, instead of through the Black Sea and upstream of the Danube. So, if you'd prepare your daughter for land travel, I would be truly in debt. I must admit that I am quite sick of traveling on the seas. Surely your people would understand."

The Khan contemplated the Chancellor's request.

"We do. Very well then, since you will be going by land I will provide you with an escort - do not argue otherwise - you are traveling with my daughter after all, and as a father it is my duty to make sure my children are safe at all times. Surely you yourself understand?"