Eclipsim

Chapter 4 "Dinner strategy"

"I melted into the dream as if I had always been there. I knew where I had come from; I knew where I was going."

The great hall was full of strange faces. The men and women were looking dangerous and unfriendly. Josephine for the first time in a long time felt scared. "What do they want?" she wondered while standing next to her sister, who was sitting on a wooden throne.
"Welcome to France, my beloved nephew. I am honoured to accept you in my home."
Said Rollo to a tall but skinny boy. He looked to be around twenty years old and didn't look like a Viking.
"Uncle Rollo, Princess Gisela...." he's eyes laid on Josephine for a moment but he quickly turned them towards Rollo once again "I have an important matter to discuss. We haven't come here to attack, or to ask you for safe passage but Ivar and me, we need your help."
"In what matter?"
"I believe we should discuss this privately"
"Very well. Hvitserek you will dine with us today, we will discuss everything then, each of your warriors will be given a chamber for the time you are here, tomorrow we will feast together all of us. Today allow them to rest."
Hvitserek so this is his name.
"Of course uncle. What time do you wish to see me?"
"I will send a servant to your chamber. Now go and have a rest, you had a long journey."
Every single person started to leave the room and when everyone left, Rollo spoke to Josephine.
"I would like for you to join us too."
"Why?"
"It would be nice for Hvitserek to have someone close to his age, someone, he can talk to and maybe spend some time with while he's here."
"Isn't that inappropriate?"
"Not in my culture and i don't think you care about what is inappropriate or not."
He said with a small smile on his face.
"Very well I'll see you later and now if you allow me I would like to return to sewing lesson."
She didn't want to return to the lesson but Josephine didn't want to stay here either. Rollo nodded his head allowing her to leave.
After Josephine left the great hall she returned to her lessons. However, she couldn't focus on them. Her mind wandered to Vikings, to Hvitserek and to this Ivar who's looks and personality were a mystery to her but somehow this name felt familiar. When she was thinking about this unknown human being Josephine felt warm. Stranger.
She was so focused on thinking that she haven't notice how fast the time passed by. Also she almost had heart attack when she heard Charlotte speaking.
"My lady it's time to get you ready for dinner. How would you like to look?"
"I have no idea. How do you want to make me look."
"Well we have a guest so let's make you look gorgeous my lady. Let's make the visitor remember you when he leaves."
Josephine smiled to her mirror self.
"Do it."
Charlotte didn't need another word and started getting to work.
***
Josephine had to admit, she looked gorgeous. Her black hair was made into curls, the dress she was wearing was a red silk with not too long sleeves.
"Charlotte is my dress not inappropriate?"
"Forgive me for asking my lady but since when do you wonder what is and what's not appropriate?"
"Yes you right I don't."
Said Josephine smiling a litle bit to her reflection in a mirror.
"My lady do you want me to walk you to your sister's bedchambers?"
"So the dinner will take place there?"
"yes my lady."
"it is alright Charlotte I will make the way myself thank you for your concern and you can leave now. If you want you can go home I'll prepare myself to bed later".
Charlotte only nodded her head and left Josephine's chamber.
She was looking at her reflection for a while and then stood up.
Well, it's time to make a show.
Josephine thought and left her chamber.
She made her way to Gisela's and Rollo's bedchamber. The talk is going to be important if the dinner is taking place there. As Gisela once said to Josephine
"this is the only place in the whole castle where walls don't have ears and doors don't have eyes".
Josephine wondered what she meant by it. Maybe they had spies all over the castle? It's not really impossible looking at the fact that in medieval ages there was too many spies and being born in the court meant being exposed to them in every single occasion.
When Josephine reached the door to Gisela's bedchambers, she took a quick and deep breath before knocking.
"come in!"
She heard Rollo's strong voice call out.
Slowly Josephine opened the door and entered the room.
"Dear sister you are finally here"
"Did you waited for a long time?"
Josephine made her voice sound apologetic.
"No we haven't Hvitserek just got here as well, lets us sit down for a dinner."
Rollo made Josephine sit next to Hvitserek, which made her feel really uncomfortable because she didn't know a damn thing about the boy.
Hvitserek smiled at her and said.
"Nice to meet you I'm Hvitserek and you are..."
"Josephine."
"Jospehine it's a really lovely name for a lovely girl."
For fuck sake this stupid pick up line is that old?
"If you are ,trying to impress me it's sadly not working"
She said in a low voice.
"Jospehine be nice to our guests."
She was scolded by her sister.
"I'm sorry please forgive me my blantlenss"
Josephine said with fake apologetic voice. Which Hvitserek quickly catch up on and only smirked to himself.
"Hvitserek what did you wanted to talk about?"
Asked Rollo.
"Ivar needs your help."
"Help with what?"
"Well we are trying to take over Kattegat from Largetha and we don't really have an army. You said that when I'll need your help you will send us one."
"Yes I remember I promised you this. But what will I get in return."
"Whatever you need."
"i need to think about this..."
"I'm sorry for interrupting but where exactly is Kattegat located?"
Said Josephine gaining attention of everyone in the room.
"Oh well if you are interested it is a city, more likely fortress at the sea."
"So people there are living from fishing, trading and let me guess farming?"
"Yes indeed they do." said Rollo
"Josephine what are you..."
Said Gisela but was interrupted by Josephine.
"What if in exchange of our army we will open a trading way between France and Kattegat. Imagine the products we can get from there and what different herbs and other plants we can give in exchange."
"Thats an amazing idea. Did you came up with it now?"
Asked impressed and surprised Hvitserek.
"Yes also imagine how powerful our army can become if our knights will get training from Vikings who are known to be great warriors."
Everyone was looking at her impressed and shocked.
"Alright uncle where were you hiding her all this time?She wasn't there last time I came."
"that's because she was all the way in Paris rebelling against her father. When we attacked Paris for the first time she was just five years old. Just like Ivar."
"Well I don't know about you uncle but her idea is amazing. We just need Ivar to agree to it. After all, he's going to be the king."
"I will help you but I have one condition."
"Which is?"
"Don't kill Bjorn."
"It will do I don't want to kill my brother."
"Good. Now lets us eat. Everyone looks hungry."
After servants served food everyone started eating. Will I ever get used to eating with my hands. No.
Majority of conversation was Rollo catching up with Hvitserek. Suddenly the young Viking focused on Josephine and tried to get her into the conversation.
"Josephine, did you always had such ideas?"
"About?"
"Well have you ever planned something like that?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
Hvitserek asked her surprised, the awkward situation was saved by Gisela.
"You see Hvitserek, my dear sister recently got into the accident. The ice broke under her and she fell into cold water. After that the shock made her forget the majority of her memories."
"Oh I see but you are recovering?"
"Yes, I do they say I will soon be myself again."
"So Hvitserek when are you planning on coming back to Norway?"
Asked Rollo.
Why is Gisela not talking much? Wandered Josephine.
"Day after tomorrow. The journey is not long but we need to come back really quickly. Ivar is really impatient."
"I know something about that."
Laughed Rollo.
"Pardon me for asking but who is Ivar?"
Asked Josephine confused about who was this Ivar they all were talking about. No one really was surprised at her question.
"Ivar is my younger brother. He has this an amazing ability to plan battles, of choosing great battlefields and Ivar will also become a king after we take over Kattegat."
"Why will he became a king when he's younger?"
"Well beautiful Josephine Ivar has something I don't."
"Which is?"
"An ability to rule, also he's way smarter than I am. I have to give this to him. There's this one tiny thing about him that makes him way different from any other Viking."
"What is it?"
"He's a cripple"
***
Two more chapters and she's meeting Ivar (squikkk)