[Raptor1]

The Reign of Eanfrith II

Chapter V

...ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! *breaths*

Okay, now to get rid of him. For the time being, I appoint him as my new marshal. It is a highly dangerous occupation, as I know well from my long years as the Ducal marshal under my father and supreme commander of the King's armies. Hopefully some illiterate peasant will whack him over the head and kill him.In the meantime, he is doing is best to stalk me, saying he wants to be as successful as me. Clearly he wants that, as everyone does, but I'm sure he has much more horrible things in mind as well. Ah, get away from me!



But enough about him. It seems that we have a new King, one who goes by the name of Wihtraed. I really must try harder to keep track of who becomes the King and when, but unfortunately the mail does not often manage to reach my castle in the dark depths of Wales. It seems that they appointed somebody else to be the regent of the new child King. One Bishop Arnold, hmm. Clearly, I should be the regent, since only I know what is best for the Kingdom. God wills it.

I travel to the King's court to lodge my complaints, but, well...



...that doesn't go so well.

Ah, good news. The peasants I have sent Eanfrith Jr. to train have proven to be effective in their job, and have lopped one of his arms off. I ignore his letter of whining and his requests to be assigned somewhere else. Just as planned.



The following month, I receive even better news. Despite the clergy's prayers and my court healers' best efforts, or perhaps because of them, Eanfrith Jr. has died a maimed cripple. I order his remains to be buried somewhere far, far away from me. Justice has been served, Huzzah!



In 1160, I receive a letter from the King asking for assistance in revoking the Duchy of Meath. This is clearly not the same person that was on the throne a couple of years ago, which is rather suspicious, but he has the hat and everything, so he must be legitimate at least to some extent. I inform him that I'll help his plans; Meath has tried meddling in the Gwyneddian War and it is time that somebody made them pay for it.



In 1164, Duchess Youeanna of Lancaster, who is apparently related to me despite the fact that I've never heard of her, sends me a letter asking me to join her war to claim the crown of England. I immediately send back a reply with my refusal. If anybody is to be the King, it is me, and I'm not going to bother with - and pay for! - some Duchess' attempt to claim the throne.



Soon afterwards, I receive a letter from the court of the actual King, who is now called, erm...Sigeric. It seems that I am being appointed regent. Ha, take that, Ahnuld!



But I do not have long to enjoy my position of power in the Kingdom, for one day in 1166, I find myself dead, which is rather inconvenient. The King holds a funeral for me, and a small number of people even mourn my completely natural demise...



...Wait, what? No, you fools! It was not a natural death, I was murdered! It was Ahnuld, it must have been! I have proof! Here...oh, right, I'm dead. Oh, well, I guess that's that, then...