Gossip
“I do hope the king sends the army to help Ulfius. We need to stop those new Saxons! Why are they always so powerful when they first land? Can’t they be stopped?”
“It’s magic, dearie, magic. They have evil gods. Before they land here, they sacrifice babies and virgins to their war god, then they walk all over our armies.”
“It was good for a bit there! Saxons killing Saxons. And Welsh and Irish killing Irish and Welsh.”
“Uh huh, but how long is that going to last? Surely some of them will be killed, but all the survivors are going to be in one army afterwards. We’ve been lucky enough to hold them off this long. Once they’re united it’ll be all over.”
“Well, I’ll say they’re not really much different from us. What do you suppose King Idres is, a Frenchman? It’s just human nature for people to fight each other.”
“Listen, darlings, if she wants to be consoled by ‘human nature,’ let her.”
“Don’t you think it just keeps getting worse and worse, though? Do you think it will be better when the young count is knighted?”
News
King Nanteleod has challenged the Three Cadlews of Norgales. Both of the kingdoms in southern Cambria and also many of the mountain tribes are now under his rule. Norgales is preparing too. They are hiring any mercenary warriors who will help them, and promising a higher price than usual. (They seem desperate.) Nanteleod is hiring only experienced fighters skilled in warring in the mountains, but will probably be seeking siege troops next year.
A messenger for the counts of Hertford and Huntington visits and desperately seeks volunteers to help defend their counties “for the good of all Britain,” they say. They are certain that the Anglish horde that just overran the east will be soon coming to Hertford and Huntington. The two counts have sworn a mutual defense pact and are seeking others to help them. King Idres refuses. "Why would I bleed my army for Ulfius' allies?"
"This is why we need a king of Logres,” says the messenger. “We’d have an army then.”