"So, tell me about the conversation you had with Astrom," Leif said casually as he sat outside the walls of Helstia. He carefully wiped the axe in his hand, treating it as if it was his child. It was off-putting for the messenger as his mouth twitched.

"Sure chief." Leif finally put down the axe and leaned back, crossing his arm.

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"Astrom, a messenger has come. He claims to be from Jarl Leif." Torsten said casually, standing by Astroms side. The man leaned over leaning on his claymore lazily as he watched the nervous messenger walk forward. His eyes squinted seeing him dap his forehead with an old cloth.

"You are before ki..." A warrior tried to call out but with a single raise of Astrom’s hand he stopped.

"Why are you here?" Astrom cut to the chase, staring daggers into the man.

The messenger wiped his forehead once more. Ever since he had arrived at the camp, the cold, hard eyes he had gotten had made him a nervous wreck and he couldn’t help but want to run off.

"The Jarl wishes to propose an alliance with the king." The messenger couldn’t believe the words came out of his own mouth. It was his enemy he spoke to and every minute that passed he wondered where Leif got the balls to even dare propose something like that.

"He hopes to marry one of the King’s daughters. In exchange, you assist in sieging Helstia." The Messanger moved forward and placed a small box in front of him. "This is a token of his sincerity.

No one moved as silence lingered. "haha." Astrom quietly chuckled breaking it as he moved back into his chair, the claymore falling onto his shoulder. "HAHAHA!" His booming laugh echoed throughout the camp as he grabbed his stomach, hearing something he couldn’t believe.

"I’m his enemy you know." He laughed once more as Torsten chuckled shaking his head. "What a cheeky bastard." Unable to control his laugh, the messenger could only stand like a statue excepting to die. Astrom wiped his eye, clearing a tear that came from it. His lazy mood was gone instead replaced with a joyful atmosphere.

"So," Torsten spoke up next. "This proposal is quite nice, but I wonder. What is stopping us from simply marching on and massacring you, your army, and pathetic Jarl." The messenger felt his stomach hurt from those words as he once again wiped the sweat on his head.

"Torsten. There’s no need." Astrom playfully spoke. It was a shock to the dwarf who rarely saw Astrom like that. "So, messenger. Whilst what my little dwarf said is true, your Jarl has piqued my interest a little. So I’ll give an alternative. Have your Jarl bend the knee. He can keep his head, and marry my daughter if he wants, but he will serve me, pledge his sword and bannermen to me. Only then will I help him, after all, you’re asking me to attack my dear wife."

Astrom looked down with squinted eyes. While he and Leif had the same goal, it was degrading to lower himself to Leif’s level. It may have been easier if he simply agreed, he was also willing to attack Leif and do it himself. The messenger wore a crooked smile hearing Astrom’s words, stammering, unable to speak.

"I will need to speak to the Jarl about this."

"Of course, of course." Astrom waved him off, "Go, talk to him, you have a day."

’You’re kidding.’ The messenger complained in his mind. It took nearly half a day to go between the two camps. But he didn’t let it show and only bowed.

"You’re in a good mood." The messenger overheard Torsten talking as he walked off.

"It’s just that I have rarely seen someone so shameless in my life." Astrom’s laugh resounded once more as the messenger saddled his horse riding off.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Leif laughed at the messenger’s words as he nodded. "I guess it is quite shameless." Leif didn’t disagree. "Ahh, whatever let’s just accept."

"Cheif?" The messenger called out as Leif shot him a cold glare.

"What. I’m not dumb enough to fight with an enemy at my back at one at my front. Fuck Sven and Oluf, they sent me out here on my own, may aswell make the most of it." Leif pushed himself up, grabbing his axe and holstering, "Besides, I got myself another wife out of it." Leif laughed playfully as he walked off. "Go, tell him I accept."

Leif didn’t care as he looked at the high walls of Helstia and grinned happily. ’Ahh. It gonna be a fun battle.’

It was a gamble to make a deal with Astrom, but Leif was sure that the alliance between him and Helga was fragile. If their marriage ever went through it was always going to end with one of them killing the other. Their egos rejected the very concept of coexistence. It was similar to him and Sven. ’I wonder if Oluf caught on yet.’

The thought reminded him of his other ally. Leif knew Sevn was a liar. Despite that, he never told Oluf. Whilst he valued his life, it was more fun to let it play out. ’I’ll convince Astrom to kill Sven whilst I’m at.’ A cruel smile spread on his lips imagining Sven’s dead body and burnt lands as he reached for his axe.

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Astrom approached Leif’s camp with a domineering presence. Leif watched him and smiled. Going before him he put on an exaggerated display of submission, lowering himself to his knee. "I greet my lord."

Astrom scoffed at everything, but his eyes squinted in a slight delight. ’He’s quite strong.’ Everything action and move Leif made was relaxed but Astrom could see through it. The man kneeling before him was a hardened warrior, someone who had easily taken many lives.

"Rise Jarl." Leif looked up at him, seeing the slight smile. "It seems you accept my offer." Despite his mood, Astrom spoke with immense pride and arrogance at having Leif bend the knee.

"Of course. I like my life." Leif was honest as he said that, getting Astrom to laugh. Torsten, once again was shocked, seeing it. ’He rarely laughs like this, to do it twice is quite amazing.’

"You are almost as shameless as Torsten." Astrom flicked his hand to get Leif to rise. Unlike everyone else he had met, the lanky man was at his eye level. Looking passed him he saw the high walls of Helstia. "Tell me, what is the situation."

Leif spun dancing the settlement. "My men have it surrounded, but it means little right now due to the port. But as the invasion in the north rages on, eventually, the people inside will begin to starve."

"mmm." Astrom groaned. "Torsten. Any news from the defending force."

"Nothing my lord but if we assume, the splinter force we sent back should be meeting with them soon." Astrom nodded lacking his usual laziness. When it came to matters of war he always became a true King.

"Let’s assume that Helga’s kingdom has put up minimal resistance, it should take at least two to three weeks for them to arrive. We can wait a week before attacking."

"I think there is something you might like to hear," Leif spoke up with a grin. "You see on the way we found a couple bodies. Mutineers."

"Oh." Astrom smiled hearing that as he analyzed Heslstia. Torsten smiled even deeper. "We may not even need top wait a week." Astrom scratched his chin, "If we do a couple of fake assaults, and keep tensions high, let alone the people, the soldiers will become anxious."

"We could have a few sneak in." Torsten proposed. "If we can kill a few within it may speed up the process."

"I have the perfect people." Leif clapped his hands thinking of Sven’s men. Astrom looked at him not fully trusting the man but he also didn’t wish to risk his own for something that may not work.

"Fine." Astrom relented, "It’s a good chance to prove if you’re true to your words." Leif smiled at his words.

"Then I will begin." He walked off leaving Astrom and Torsten.

"I don’t trust him," Torsten spoke first getting a scoff from Astrom.

"I wonder why. Remind you of yourself." Torsten didn’t deny his words watching Leif leaving back. "But you’re right. I don’t think I want two of you."

"Shall we get rid of him?"

"No. He could be useful going forward from a distance. He’s a self-serving man after all." Torsten clicked his tongue at Astrom’s denial but didn’t push the subject.

"Ralph is there right now." Torsten moved on to the topic, this time getting a groan from Astrom.

"It’s always you and that brat. What of it?"

"I just wonder, if he has made any progress in his task."

Astrom frowned. "Seeing as how the gates aren’t open yet, you tell me."

"True. You want me to join the assault when we finally attack?" Torsten hoped Astrom would say no as he asked the question. The king looked down with a calculating eye but eventually shook his head.

"No. Not with that guy under me now. I can deal with one of you, but two, that’s a headache. Keep him in check when I return home."

"I will follow your command." Torsten respectfully bowed getting Astrom to smirk. ’He’s never so respectful unless I give him an order he likes.’