The King

This is a work of fiction

The King

Balance must be maintained. Acting in a single way leads to weakness.

War had been declared between the Angles and the Jutes on terms of sacrilege. Those on the northern east coast of the peninsula they called home had, during a blood feud struggle, burned the temple dedicated to the goddess Freya. The contents were taken back north to the land of the Jutes. The family, whose home was burned and temples sacked, called upon promises of old which brought many tribes of the Angles who had once sat out the struggle into it. His was one. His younger son was sent in as not to bring shame for turning on oaths given by his father to another tribe long ago. His younger son would act strongly and with bold purpose. He knew his son and in the course of the war he had repelled assault on a fortification by the Jutes, yet instead of remaining behind the walls he followed the retreating force, harried them, and been responsible for the death of a prominent Jute chief. He cut supply lines and took captives, though he put many to death without proper notification of superiors whom had been chosen by a vote of chieftains in his own clan. This was a byproduct he believed might happen due to his son’s nature.

The chieftains were still angered by the rashness of the young commander and wish his actions to be more limited as to limit  possible negative outcomes from such behavior. He counseled them on their decision and they decided to seek an alternative. The alternative came when the king asked his elder son of what to do. His elder son was a more managed man in comparison to his younger brother. He weighed on actions and thought before acting. Sometimes this was good and here it might be what the chieftains needed so a vote could be passed on what to do. With a little pushing, the elder son offered to take control of the war effort more directly and curb the impetuous actions of the younger. This seemed to resolve the case. The king returned to managing his holdings, initiating diplomacy to seek aid with some and keep others out of the conflict. He was responsible for the entirety of his city and people and not just any one thing. All had to be balanced, though what balance is might seem to others as an imbalance. In this time of war profit was moved from farms and placed behind walls and merchants were more heavily taxed. Foreigners were also given less freedom to roam his lands. 

The  events of the war effort led to an eventual struggle between the elder and the younger brother, as things tend to do. Once more the situation needed balancing. Many factors played in the debate. His younger son had won a great prize in capturing a younger son of the enemy king. The cost was insubordination and the lives of three chieftain’s sons. In the case, the elder brother took responsibility for more stable military and economic hold over the region. The younger held much of the honors that led to the capture early on and the admiration of his troops, a powerful tool. The elder held more influence and admiration with certain chieftains but the younger was more popular among their sons. One would gain and the other would lose. He needed to place a proper word with the chieftains to let his intent be known without alienating either son. A choice still had to be made.

To whom should the lands go?