TitoVillar
patreon
TWL Chapter 256: The Lion Meets the Madman
🕑 Added 2024-11-13 23:08:08 +0000 UTCLann's eyes followed the direction King Bran pointed, but instead of finding Torgeir, Lann's eyes focused on the two boxers who were drawing the attention of the people around them.
It was more of a beating than a boxing match. A boxer who was obviously taller and stronger than his opponent was punching continuously at this moment, and his opponent kept retreating. The sound of the flesh hitting each other left no doubt to the listener - even if his arms were blocking all the time, he would definitely be injured under such a heavy punch.
In fact, his opponent was almost unable to lift his arms, but Lann suspected that the big man was still holding back.
From the shouts of the onlookers, it can be heard that this warrior who obviously suppressed his opponent seems to have defeated several challengers in a row.
Lann couldn't see his face clearly because the boxer was facing away from him at the moment.
Lann was about to approach them, but King Bran's arm, resting on his shoulder, stopped him by exerting more force and redirecting his body in another direction.
"Don't worry, Torgeir will be available to meet you anytime while I'm here."
"But the other five great clans have already arrived, and it is rare to have a chance like this to see them all together. It would be best if you introduced yourself to them first."
Lann thought about it for a moment and found logic in what Bran was telling him; each matter had its importance, and one had to know how to prioritize.
"Did Eist tell you about them? Did he explain the particularities and stances of each clan?"
Lann nodded.
...
The Skellige Isles have six major islands and seven major clans.
The most powerful clan today is the Clan Tuirseach, which includes the current and former kings. Their territory is on the island of An Skellig, famous for its beautiful landscapes, its cuisine and its excellent shipbuilders.
Then there is the clan an Craite of which Crach is a member, this clan has also produced several kings. They share the island of Ard Skellig, the largest in the archipelago, with another clan. This island has the most prosperous port and the largest population.
These two clans basically occupy half of Skellige's power and are also Lann's most solid backing in the archipelago.
Following these clans comes the Clan Heymaey, led by Donar an Hindar, a respected elder. He is the jarl of the island of Hindarsfjall, the birthplace of the cult of Freyja, the goddess of fertility, love, beauty and the harvest.
The other clans have relatively similar strengths.
The Jarl of Clan Drummond, Madman Lugos rules the southern half of Ard Skellig.
The Brokvar Clan, whose jarl is Udalryk and rules the island Spikeroog, a snowy island famous for its combat arena.
The leader of the Dimun Clan, Holger Blackhand is the jarl of Faroe Islands. Holger is a formidable warrior, but his island is the most desolate and primitive of all.
Finally, there is the Tordarroch Clan, whose leader is Harald, with his territory on the island of Undvik, the second largest island until the arrival of the ice giant, the same one that Eist wishes to defeat.
These are the teachings Eist shared with Lann, along with some scattered information he still remembered from his past life.
...
After hearing Lann's answer, King Bran nodded with satisfaction. "I know it's complicated. The Skellige Isles may be small, but their entanglements are no simpler than those of your northern kingdoms."
"For now, let me give you an idea of the various jarls and then I will formally introduce them to you."
"Donar an Hindar is a relative of ours, but his clan is devoted to the goddess Freyja. If you want his support, blood ties won't be enough; faith counts too. Harald and I get along well, he won't be a problem; as for Holger Blackhand, you'll have to offer something in return; Udalryk is a bit eccentric, but he can be talked to. The only unpredictable one is Lugos, since, as his nickname suggests..."
"Your Majesty, are you okay? I seem to hear you talking about me?" A voice interrupted the conversation between King Bran and Lann. "Do you mind if I join you? I can't wait to meet the famous Lion of Cintra."
King Bran's words reached Lann's ears a second later.
"...he's a real madman."
Instead of being upset, Madman Lugos smiled as if he had been praised, since his nickname had been given to him by his enemies.
Seeing King Bran's slightly annoyed look, Lugos bowed respectfully, complying with protocol.
But, as soon as he finished the gesture, his attitude changed drastically, transforming into that of a sailor, almost like a pirate.
"The famous Lion of Cintra, is it not?" His eyes locked on Lann. "I hear you seek my fleet, my men, my support. No problem."
He fingered the dagger at his belt, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Have a duel with me, the famous Lion! If you win, you can count on my respect and friendship; the number of men I command and how the spoils are distributed will depend on your performance in the duel."
"It's a shame they don't allow axes at banquets, only daggers, those are sissy things! But we could start with a fist fight, as a warm-up."
Kolgrim, who was not far away, looked at Lugos after hearing this, his snake eyes flashing dangerously.
Lann stood thoughtfully, considering the unexpected challenge.
He never imagined that the first jarl he would meet would be the Madman Lugos, nor that the interaction would be so sudden and absurd.
As a leader, it was strange for Lugos to place the fate of his clan on some kind of childish duel. But for him, it all seemed... somehow, reasonable.
Lann was actually delighted to face Lugos in hand-to-hand combat. If Lugos kept his promise, so much the better. And if not, it would serve as revenge for his cousin Crach, who had been tormented by Lugos's madness.
King Bran looked at Lann, who returned a confident look.
"Of course, Lugos. A duel between warriors is always exciting!" Bran said, agreeing to Lugos' challenge.
"But it won't be now. What do you think about when the party starts? A fight like this should serve to give a triumphant closing, surrounded by spectators and applause."
Lugos showed a crooked smile and replied: "As you command, Your Majesty."
For King Bran, even the most rebellious jarls held a basic respect, after all, he was the monarch they had all elected.
However, that respect was limited to the king alone; others around him received little or no special treatment.
Lugos gave Lann a defiant look before walking away, licking his lips in barely contained excitement. Oddly enough, Lann was even more excited than he was.
Bran was the center of attention in the hall. The nobles who were supposed to come forward to greet him waited patiently, noticing that the king seemed to be instructing Lann.
In addition, everyone wanted to take a closer look at the foreigners from Cintra.
When Lugos approached Lann to talk, many began to wonder what had happened. Those who knew Lugos' character, seeing his expression when interacting with Lann, immediately understood what had happened.
Everyone looked at each other in anticipation, each with their own interpretation of what was coming.
King Bran took Lann and walked to the innermost position facing the door of the banquet hall, took out a pair of silver cups and a knife, and knocked them twice gently.
[Ding! Ding! Ding!]
The host of the banquet called for everyone's attention: the king was about to speak.
All eyes turned to him.
"First, thank you all for coming to today's banquet. I hope you enjoy the wines and dishes of our An Skellig."
The enthusiastic islanders responded with shouts of joy.
"It's delicious and enjoyable. Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The king's smile widened, visibly pleased.
"There are no secrets on the islands, and I'm sure you can guess why I've invited you here today. However, whatever the outcome, I hope it will not harm the unity of the islands or diminish our glory."
"And now, let us celebrate the beginning of the banquet with a glass of good wine!"
King Bran raised the goblet in his hand above his head and shouted: "For Skellige!"
The atmosphere, suddenly solemn, transformed into a vibrant cacophony.
They all raised their glasses and beat their chests loudly, shouting: "For Skellige! For Skellige! For Skellige!"
King Bran drained his goblet and, without hesitation, drew Lann towards him in a familiar and warm gesture. "Next, I wish to officially introduce someone to you, a warrior you have already heard of..."
Comments
Axell
Thanks for the chapter 😁
Peu Peu
I need more...
