City Titan, Ragnar's private solar
While Ragnar enjoyed this brief slice of domestic tranquility, the doors of his chamber swung open.
Gyda stepped into the room. In her hand, she held a tightly rolled parchment bearing the wax seal of the Vanguard Fleet.
"A raven just arrived from the northern blockade, bjorn sends his regards from the Scottish lochs. The Tang mutiny has reached its boiling point. Bjorn formally requests permission to accept Jiedushi Shen's head, end the siege, and initiate the mass transport of the forty thousand survivors southward to the capital."
Ragnar set the steel gear down upon his desk.
He unrolled the parchment.
He looked up at Gyda. He reached out, catching her by the waist and pulling her effortlessly onto his lap. She gasped softly but settled against his chest.
"You will draft a response to my brother immediately, my dear," Ragnar instructed,
"You will tell Bjorn that his request to end the siege is outright denied."
