Champion for the people

[ash]

Ragnar

He wasn't fully healed. It lingered in the small pain in his chest, a twinge that came when he overexerted himself. But he was the king. He was born the prince, grew up under the rule of a queen who let others fight for her. That very thing had put him to the throne. But he, he put his people before his own life. An thus, after he had suggested a final conclave to happen, he had been the one to throw his own name into the ring. Azgeda, the clan with the reputation of cruelty under his mother, would be a prime target. If he was to die for his people so be it. But the thing was: Could he win under those circumstances? He doubted it. His room, even now, was only for selected people to enter. Among them his most trusted advisor. Ragnar. The most skilled Azgeda warrior he knew.

"I am willing to die for our people." He said. "I will give my life for them, spill my blood so they may survive. I want this to be done with honor." that was the one thing he had to insist on. Most had forgone honor under his mother and there was no way to bring it back. There was next to no warrior he could even send into this battle. "I'm not fully healed, Ragnar. Chances are I will die on this battlefield tomorrow. If I do, it will be on you to keep Azgeda in line. Make sure we accept my fall with honor, our fate with honor and absolute dignity. We will go out with pride and honor in our hearts, if we have to. And if we make it, the bunker will not only be for our clan. We won't abandon children of other clans or mothers."

[Ragnar]

Ragnar stood near the entrance to the king's room, his hands folded over the hilt of his long sword, its tip resting on the floor. He listened to Roan's little speech and his eyes kept being drawn to the king's hand as it rested on his side where he'd been injured. From the moment the king had suggested the final conclave, Ragnar had known that Roan wanted to fight for his people and he'd also known that he wouldn't let him go through with it. His steel blue eyes followed the royal as he kept talking about honor, something as important to Ragnar as any other Azgeda fighter but this just seemed ridiculous somehow, even though he would never say that this bluntly to the king's face.

„With all due respect your majesty, but this is very unwise. Fighting with your injuries will bring you and our people no honor, it's simply suicide.“, he stated very matter-of-factly and stepped forward, holding his sword up with the blade resting on his raised hands.
„As one of your closest advisors and honestly one of Azgeda's best fighters, I'll gladly go into battle for my king and our people.“, Ragnar offered with that trademark soft smirk on his face.

Tag: ash

[ash]

He was right. Voicing his his concern was literally what Roan asked him to do not too long before. He needed this. He had needed someone at his side who would strengthen his position in the eyes of the people. They needed this sort of networking. In a court laced with traitors and spys - and turncoats who embodied both - the stability was needed, stability Ragnar could help him bring as a balance to the traitor he could not get rid of in his court so easily - yet whom he rarely entrusted with truly important tasks. He needed someone he could actually trust with those. If this was about not risking trusted people, he'd know who he'd send into this battle, but this was grander than himself. This was one of the purest fights of survivals, one he refused to pawn of to others. And yet, it seemed like he no longer had to. 

Volunteering was something else entirely. And he was right. In this state, Ragnars chances of survival were so much higher. And he was perhaps the most honorable fighter Roan knew. If anyone could win this, not only for their people, it was Ragnar.

"You are absolutely right. But you also know why I wouldn't appoint someone as my mother would have done. However I gladly accept you volunteering. You are the better warrior out of the two of us, I admit that without shame. And you are without injuries." Even the healing kind. This way he could make sure this was done more honorable than it would have been done when his mother ruled. Perhaps if they went down with Ragnar as their champion they could wash some of his mothers dishonor away from their people. 

"Ragnar, Azgedas champion and hopefully the man who secures our future for us!"

Ragnar

[Ragnar]

One of the king's greatest concerns was that his people would perceive him as the same kind of ruler as his mother. Azgeda's former queen had searched to overthrow the other clans and had tortured and killed every individual crossing her path that didn't want to bend to her will, no matter if it was a member of her own people or a stranger. Ragnar knew that their new king was very different from such a dictatorship. He certainly wasn't so naive as to not know that he had to keep his people in line, but he was a wise and fair ruler in Ragnar's opinion.

Ragnar lowered his head in a very discreet bow and slid his sword back into its sheath, standing up straight. „I understand your concerns with your mother's legacy, but trust me, anyone with a sound mind can see that you are nothing like her.“, he said and briefly touched his king's shoulder.
The warrior crossed the distance to a nearby table and picked up the cup he'd left there a few moments ago and draining it of its potent contents, letting out a pleased sigh as the liquid slightly burned his asophagus.

„It will be a great honour to fight for you and our people and I'll do my best not to disappoint. I trust we have enough armor and weapons to chose from so I can prepare myself?“, he conitnued, raising his eyebrows questioningly at Roan. He tore a piece off the loaf of bread sitting on the table and threw a chunk of it into his mouth as he waited for the king's reply.

Tag: ash