Mikal

Distant thuds and grunts came from the other end of the corridor. Mikal frowned as he followed the sounds, until he saw two figures fighting in the distance.

"Hans, stop!" Lucian cried as Hans straddled him, pinning him to the floor. He groaned, shoving Hans off before he turned to punch him. Hans giggled as he pushed Lucian back and slammed him against the wall.

"Mikal!" Lucian called as he noticed Mikal approaching them, and Hans quickly released Lucian. "Hans was attacking me," Lucian ran at Mikal for protection.

"We are just playing," Hans defended.

"Why are you two not in the training field?" was all Mikal.

"And who will train us when you just woke up?" Hans rolled his eyes.

"Hans!" Lucian gasped at Hans's shameless sarcasm.

"Where is Vilfred?" Mikal asked, his eyes narrowed at Hans.

"Vilfred is attending council," Hans said.

"They have started council a while ago," Lucian said, a bit hesitantly. "I assumed you were there too, that was why we didn't think you or Vilfred would train us today –"

Mikal hurried away before Lucian finished speaking, scowling as he headed to the council room. What council? They had never started council without him.

Mikal shook in fury as he stood before the council room, realizing that indeed council was being held and that everyone was already present. He clenched his fists and he wore his calm indifferent face as he entered the room. But to his utmost shock, he found that in his place next to Bernard, Hilda was sitting confidently.

"Oh, here comes our sleeping beauty! Did you sleep well princess?" Hilda mocked at his late entrance.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mikal turned to Bernard, ignoring Hilda's words.

"I have appointed Hilda as my prime advisor. You may seat yourself next to Vilfred."

Mikal did all he could to contain his rage. He stood for a long moment in silence, his face a cold expressionless mask. He could notice the troubled looks on the faces before him. But no matter what was said or done, Mikal knew well enough that he was still the most powerful man in this room.

"What kind of Lord appoints a woman as his prime advisor?" Mikal asked with a cold smile. "Do you want to become the joke of Engeldom?" 

"Why would I ever become a joke? The only joke will be you when everyone learns that you gave up your place for a woman," Bernard replied coldly and Mikal narrowed his eyes. "What? Wasn't it you who offered her your place last time?" Bernard continued. "If I remember correctly, you told me I will find her advice more valuable than yours. Well, I found out you were right." 

"True my lord. In that case then, allow me to congratulate you, Lady Hilda," Mikal smiled at Hilda before he walked with unfaltering confidence to his new seat next to Vilfred. "It is a very tough position to hold. Let's see how long you can keep it."

"Thank you Sir Mikal. I am sure I will keep my position much longer than you did." 

"Don't worry," Vilfred whispered as he leaned in very close to Mikal, "we will find a solution for this." 

"Sir Vilfred, it would be a great pleasure if you share with all of us what you have to say," Hilda smiled. "I don't like secrets in my council."

"Your council?" Vilfred chuckled.

"Yes my council. Go on, tell us what you were whispering to your pretty brother." 

"Well then, I was just telling my pretty brother of your genius plan to conquer William."

"Oh that is very kind of you Sir Vilfred, but allow me the honor to tell him myself," Hilda said as she turned to Mikal. "You see Sir Mikal, when you were still sleeping, we have discussed how we can face the Vausterian forces, and we realized that we need more numbers."

"More numbers? Well that is a genius plan indeed. But I believe my dear cousin has made it quite clear that we are not recruiting humans in our armies," Mikal said as he shot Bernard a long stare. "Besides they would take ages to train, wasn't that what you said before, Lady Hilda?"

"Who ever said we are recruiting humans?" Hilda smiled slyly. "We are going to hire mercenaries."

"Mercenaries?" Mikal's eyes narrowed.

"Yes, mercenaries. We are so worried about how we are going to stand before William, and we forget that we already have a much more powerful ally on our side." 

"Ally? You can't possibly mean you want to hire Kassarathi mercenaries," Mikal stared at Hilda.

"Oh, you truly strike me with your intelligence Sir Mikal! That is exactly what I mean."

"Isn't it a brilliant suggestion Sir Mikal?" Sir Maarten said with a bit too much enthusiasm.

"No it is definitely not."

"Why not?" Sir Sigurd asked. "We won't find any better. They are fierce and well trained -"

"Have you forgotten about the treaty we signed?" Mikal said, doing all he could not to scowl. "Eastern warships are not allowed into the Northern sea. May you allow me to remind you my dear Lords, it is clearly stated in the treaty that any Kassarathi warship seen in Northern waters would be considered a war declaration, moreover that any breeching of the treaty terms will render it null, which means we would become open to Kassarathi invasions once more."

Side talks broke at once at Mikal's warning, andlooks of concern passed between the council members. 

"And who said we need their warships to enter the Northern Sea?" Hilda asked, putting the side talks back to silence.

"And how are they going to move all the way from the East and across the Northern Sea without ships?" Mikal said with a slight sneer. "Oh right, I forgot. Your books probably tell you they possess super flying powers so apparently that is not going to be a problem."

"Well I am truly impressed Sir Mikal that you've heard of such information, but now that is a complete myth! And since the Kassarathi can neither fly all that distance nor use warships, they can simply use trade ships if you are so worried about the treaty," Hilda answered with a smirk. "So apparently, there is nothing to fear my Lords," she continued confidently as she turned to the other council members. "I have thoroughly reviewed the treaty over the past couple of days to make sure we are not breaking any terms. The treaty clearly welcomes Eastern trade through the Northern Sea, and what are mercenaries but a sort of trade? As long as they sail through the Northern Sea using trade ships, and refrain from entering inland until they have passed the Red River and have become well out of Nordenland's borders, there shall be nothing to worry about."

Everyone stared at Hilda in awe, apparently quite impressed by her words and her intelligence, except for Mikal who was still staring coldly at her.

"There is everything to worry about," Mikal insisted. "You can't simply let Kassarathi warriors through the Northern Sea, trade ships or not."

"Sir Mikal, you should be grateful that I am able to find a way to compensate for losing the support of almost half of the Northern Lords, which was basically the result of the little disruption you caused during high council when you suggested using humans."

Mikal clenched his fists at this unexpected accusation, struggling to keep his patience, before he turned to Bernard with slightly narrowed eyes. "If I remember correctly, I was not the one who asked half the Northern Lords to leave if they didn't agree to risk their men."

"Enough," Bernard scowled. "It is already decided. We will set out for the East to hire the mercenaries," Bernard stated, while Mikal stared at him for a long moment in silent fury.

"I am afraid you are all missing something very important," Mikal said, drawing everybody's attention. "Mercenaries don't come for free. As a matter of fact, they come at quite a high price."

"I believe this is very basic information," Hilda said.

"It is indeed. And it surprises me that you haven't mentioned anything about who is going to afford such a price?"

"Why, my father of course! He doesn't own Engeldom's largest gold mines for nothing." 

"Allow me to correct you, in fact, it is William who owns them now," Mikal said.

"When our eastern allies restore Grytia, we will have all our gold back, and we will generously pay everyone who helped us."

"How would you know if the Kassarathi would agree to join us knowing we don't actually have the gold in our hands?" Mikal asked.

"I have already told you but it seems you have trouble understanding," Hilda said, pushing the limits too far. "We shall have the gold after they restore Grytia."

"What if they fail?" Mikal insisted.

"Then they will probably just end up killing you and doing us all a favor!" Hilda said in exasperation.

"Hilda!" Frederik gasped. But Hilda ignoring her father only turned to Bernard with a sweet smile. 

"My Lord, I suggest we sail East as soon as we can in order to negotiate with King Serenus," she said, and Mikal could not keep himself from scowling at her. How could she hold control over all the men this way?

"I agree, Lady Hilda," Bernard smiled. "We set out East, and we worry about the payment negotiations when we get there." 

"Great," Lord Frederik smiled. "Then we must announce the engagement before we set sail." 

"Who's engagement?" Hilda turned to look at her father with dangerously narrowed eyes. 

"You and Mikal of course," Frederik said, and Mikal too turned to stare at him blankly. That certainly escalated quickly. 

"But I did not say yes!" Hilda suddenly rose off her seat, and Mikal was bit surprised as he noticed the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Hilda, sit down," Frederik ordered.

"No!" Hilda snapped. "You cannot force me." Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes as she turned to scowl at Mikal. "I would rather be cursed into a gargoyle than marry your pretty ass!" And the next moment Hilda angrily turned and strode out of the room, leaving everyone speechless with shock.

Despite his deep resentment at being forced to marry such an unpleasant creature, he couldn't hide his wide smile of amusement as Hilda left the room. 

"Quite the perfect prime advisor, isn't she? That's why you shouldn't put a woman in a leading position," Mikal smirked before he gracefully rose off his seat. "If that will be all for today, allow me to go train my boys. It seems we have a big war coming soon." He looked down at Bernard with the faintest hint of a sneer before he turned and left the room. 

"Mikal, wait," Vilfred called behind Mikal, following him outside. "Don't worry, I'll find a way to get you out of this mess," he said in a low voice as he reached Mikal's side.

"Just shut up Vilfred," Mikal muttered as he continued to walk away.

"You're welcome!" Vilfred said, apparently hurt. Mikal sighed irritably. Well, he couldn't help it. He was furious and Vilfred should know better than to talk to him now.

They both continued to walk silently through the passageway that led away from the council room, when they heard a small voice calling Mikal's name. They both stopped walking, and they noticed a shadow behind one of the pillars ahead.

"Mikal?" the voice called softly, and a small form came out before them. It was Kaya, smiling hesitantly as she looked at Mikal.

Mikal's face darkened at once, and without thinking he found himself storming towards her. He could tell by the sudden horror that fell on her face that he must have looked like a demon as he closed upon her, grabbing her by the neckline and shoving her back behind the pillar. 

"Mikal!" Vilfred gasped as he hurried behind them.

"What are you doing here?" Mikal hissed as he slammed her back against the hard wall. She started crying. 

"Mikal, stop," Vilfred had barely touched his shoulder and Mikal turned to him with a dangerous glare.

"You stay out of this!" Mikal snapped at Vilfred before he turned back to Kaya who was shaking terribly within his grasp. "If you don't pack and leave at once I swear I will tear this dress off you and drag you naked through the whole castle myself."

"So it's true!" Kaya cried through quivering lips. "You love her. You love Lord Bernard's wife!"

The next moment Mikal grabbed her neck and closed his hands around it.

"Say that again, and I will kill you without asecond thought," Mikal hissed darkly while his hands squeezed her neck.Kaya squirmed and squealed. "I swear, if you are not gone from here, Iwill kill you with my own hands. And if you just try and think of gettinganywhere near her again, I will shove your face into the nearest hearth. And Ido not make idle threats. Do you understand that?" 

Kaya neither able to nod nor speak, could only squirm helplessly as Mikal continued to squeeze her neck and glare into her horrified blue eyes. 

"Mikal, enough please," Vilfred whispered. "The council seems to be over and they will be coming this way soon." 

Hearing the distant chattering, Mikal let go off Kaya where she sank to her knees with a sharp gasp. He walked out from behind the pillar and left without looking back, followed by Vilfred.

*********************************