Vikings: Lords of the Ice Sea

Chapter 29 Land
More than two hours later, the atmosphere in the hall became increasingly intense, with some nobles even drawing their longswords to intimidate others, almost sparking a bloody fight.

Before the situation deteriorated completely, the three returned to the hall. Feeling the many expectant gazes, Ragnar cleared his throat.

"After this largest expedition in history, we have achieved unprecedented success. As the initiator of the raid, I feel genuinely proud and deeply grateful for your contributions."

Having said that, he raised his wine glass and led everyone in a round of drinks, then had Pascal unfurl a parchment scroll on which were marked the various settlements in Northumbria.

“My dear brothers, I will not keep this honor to myself. Please feel free to make any requests you may have.”

“Wait a minute,” Leonard called out, raising a crucial question, “Your Majesty, who exactly are you referring to as brothers? Besides us, have any new members joined?”

Leonard's words enlightened the other six nobles.

The more new people there are, the less benefit the old ones receive. After some thought, they decided to temporarily unite and put pressure on the new monarch.

Ragnar took a small sip of wine, his smile stiff. "Yes, some of them have done a lot of work, and I plan to bestow noble titles upon them."

The next moment, Ivar walked to the center of the hall under everyone's gaze, his face calm and composed. "In the Battle of Manchuni, I captured the royal banner of Northumbria. In the sieges of Leeds and York, I was the first to scale the walls twice, and I even personally killed King Elrod and his queen. Are these achievements enough to warrant recognition?"

After he finished speaking, the mid-level leaders at the banquet shouted the name "The Boneless One" in unison, banging their wine glasses on the table to acknowledge the legendary figure's contribution.

After Ivar, Vig walked to the center of the hall. Feeling dozens of eyes focused on him, he remained unusually calm.

"In the Battle of Mancini, my tactics helped the army turn the tide of battle and severely damage Ellaud's palace guard. In the subsequent Siege of York, I was responsible for building various siege weapons and orchestrated an ambush that forced nearly three thousand militiamen to surrender. Gentlemen, without catapults and towers, could York have been captured? Even if traditional ladders were used to breach the walls, how many soldiers would have died?"

"The Chosen One!"

"The Chosen One!"

The crowd chanted Vig's name in unison, acknowledging his right to be a member of the noble class, though their shouts were slightly less enthusiastic than Ivar's. After all, Viking society revered bravery, and Vig lacked the merit of slaying generals and capturing flags, ultimately falling short.

Even so, he eventually passed the test. From a lowly peasant in the Gothenburg countryside, he overcame countless hardships and obstacles to finally shed the stigma of his past and become a member of the ruling class.

"Having accomplished the affairs of the king and the world, I have won fame both before and after my death. From this day forward, I finally have the right to sit at the table and eat. Ah, all of this has truly been hard-won."

Looking back on everything, Vig was filled with mixed emotions. If he hadn't been knighted this time, he was already prepared to go to Eastern Europe to join Rurik, or go to Constantinople to work as a mercenary. He had plenty of options; he certainly wouldn't stay in Britain and work for free.

Bjorn then recounted his own achievement—the killing of two Anglo-Saxon nobles. Unfortunately, this feat failed to impress the crowd, and few voices responded.

The seven nobles whispered among themselves, rejecting Bjorn's request based on the principle of limiting the monarch's power.

Now that Ragnar is king and occupies the most important city of York, with Ivar and Viggo as his confidants, if a few more loyalists were to become powerful nobles, Leonard and his ilk would not have an easy time.

Enraged, Bjorn stormed off, and Nils stepped forward, forcing a smile. "In the Battle of Mancuni, I led the archers to wound King Ellaud, forcing the enemy to retreat. In the Battle of York, I also led the archers to kill the defenders on the walls." "It was Vig's idea to have the archers concentrate their fire," Ulf said expressionlessly, enunciating each word clearly. "As for killing enemy soldiers, that's merely an archer's duty. Without outstanding achievements, you cannot be a powerful nobleman."

The Vikings revered heavily armored warriors who broke through enemy lines, and held a subtle disdain for archers. Ulf flatly rejected Nils and asked if there was anyone else.

Afterwards, Gunnar and Om each took credit, but unsurprisingly, their claims were rejected.

Limiting royal power is an instinct of the nobility. If it weren't for the outstanding achievements of Ivar and Vig, many of Ragnar's confidants might not have even gotten a single spot.

Sensing that Ragnar's sanity was nearing its limit, Eric was secretly pleased, but outwardly maintained a neutral stance.

"Rewarding merit is a tradition passed down from our ancestors. Now that the number of nobles has been determined, let Pascal give a detailed introduction to the situation in each region so that everyone can make their selections."

As a newly appointed nobleman with no background, Vig knew his strength was weak and was too lazy to compete with others for the rich southern region. He took the initiative to ask for Tyneburg as his fiefdom.

Figure

This land is located on the northeast coast of Northumbria, further north of which lies Pictish territory, which later became known as Scotland.

Golden horns, silver edges and grass belly.

According to Vigé's idea, Tyneburg is adjacent to the border, which is suitable for future development to the north, and it can also avoid retaliation from countries such as Mercia and Wessex in the south, which can be described as the best of both worlds.

"Have you thought it through?" Ragnar couldn't help but urge his trusted aide to reconsider after discovering that he had chosen an unremarkable territory, but Vig insisted on choosing Tyneburg.

Seeing that his persuasion was ineffective, Ragnar nodded wearily, "As you wish."

Subsequently, Ivar demanded a piece of barren land—Derwent, located on the northwest coast, also close to the northern border, at a similar latitude to Tyneburg, which surprised everyone.

"I can't compete with you guys, so I'll just pick any empty spot. No objections, right?"

The request was approved. Ivar glanced at Vig beside him, and the two, understanding each other perfectly, couldn't help but smile knowingly.

Their ideas were similar: Vig coveted the lands of northern Scotland, while Ivar set his sights on Ireland to the west.

In Ivar's mind, the island was scattered with various forces, large and small, loosely connected and easy to conquer. Moreover, the island had exquisite precious metal processing techniques, producing valuable jewelry such as necklaces, brooches, and cups.

For example, the large and ornate wine glass that Ragnar holds is made of silver, with a band of gold inlaid around the body, and decorated with enamel, malachite, amber, mica and other ornaments, woven with animals, birds and geometric patterns, making it a truly unique treasure.

"A mere earl's title is nothing but a beginning for me. Only the crown is worthy of my status." Ivar's eyes gleamed, clearly aiming for the title of King of Ireland.

(End of this chapter)