Elisiv
Harald grew like Yggdrasil in these good seasons there at
court and then away at war. And took he interest in strengthening the bonds
between his homeland and this land of Yaroslav’s. Yaroslav’s young daughter,
Elisiv, was but a darling bud of nine upon the year of ‘34, and nary fit for
marriage would she be. However, Harald courted her as courtiers would do, to
woo the princess for her pretty blossom-time, when seasons come for kneeling
fools, and rings, and babes in Spring. They cloistered up in courtyard, walked
they by the compass, hand in hand through curtilage of castle court. Counseled
up his cortege to them dote upon her like her ladies waiting, but for him
report. Homage did he pay, and fair he gifted her to sway. He always did her
keep him company when he at court, and wrote her little pretties and sent gifts
back to her while he were abroad. Bench and bar did she attend and think upon
him, and ere they heady were her thoughts of him, as she approachethed turning
ten. So finally, whenceupon her birthday anniverse, he knelt and begged her
hand, and did she well agree! So trothed were Harald Sigurdsson Hardrade, and
Elisiv, she of Kiev!
She would not fit to marriage though, for still within her
pretty dotage and her childhood would shew. Harald went he on campaign and well
again took up his men, and this time went to Byzantine. And this were ’34.
For four years Harald learned the ways of Russian war. He
was a goodly student. Also did he learn the Eastern forms of Christianity and
knew then of their struggle ‘gainst the Turks. By anno domini 1034, Harald
earned the rank of Captain, even though he had not learned the Slavic tongue.
Communicated he unto his troops by whistle and by semaphore. This was the
custom of the Russian southlands where a myriad of peoples were united for the
purposes of war.
Sojourn
He and his close companions from the North decided then to
travel east to Conastantinopolis. His skill in arms and horsemanship therein
afforded him to rank of General of the new Vangarian Guardsmen, who were
personal escorts to the Emperor himself. Harald kept within his heart his
failing to protect his King, his dear half-brother, and did pledge to Jesus and
the Emperor that he would die, and not sing that refrain.
Local Byzantine soldiers had no loyalty to King, nor God,
but only to the coin. Therefore their treachery made them most worthless to the
Norseman. Called he then to Viking brothers of the North, likewise in exile, to
attend him there, within the Eastern Rome, for there was coin and glory to be
had. He built Vangary to a fearsome fighting force and ever after would the
fame of it be due to Viking warriors, the fiercest of the world.
From 1035 until 1042, Vangarians, numbered near six
thousand, did engage around the Middle Sea, in Sicily, Bulgaria, and in the
Holy Land. Harald met and slew a hundred different kinds of fighting men and
caroused he with one hundred different women. He grew rich from plunder, and
his men did love him so.
In ’39, sent he a caravan, chaperoned and bulwarked versus
any highway robber, back to Yaroslav and Elisiv, to keep it safe from Eastern
treachery. Wise Yaroslav did keep his treasure safe within the vault, for he
foresaw that Harald would return, and with him great assemblages of knights. It
was at this time Harald was first called by Hardrada, roughly said, which means
“stern council of the realm.” For ere, he rode ahead of Emperors of Byzant-way,
or after when the Emperor’s decrees were poorly-heeded. And his Vangar and his Turcopoles
would see the message through, and all resistance was defeated.
While in Constantin, he did become involved in making
Emperors. Among his people, Witan men (the wise) were always chosen to elect
the tribal king. He saw no reason not to broach this custom with the locals.
and his Vangarians would make his arguments hold true. So politics of this, the
Byzant lands, did learn Hadrade from roughly ’39 to ’42. What he learned within
those years is might and gold make difference up in dynasty succession, a
lesson he took well to in the coming years: money and aggression.
Return to Kiev
And then until 1042, he served to make and break the
Emperors of ere the Byzantines though his own sword and stately guile. Also did
he ride upon the Inland Sea of Empire Old in good Antiquity. And amassed he up
some great amount of treasure, he and of his men as well, and shipped it back
to Yaroslav and Elisiv for their good keeping fast. Eight years did he and his
good men they ride, and were the arm of Emperors of Constantine they be. Even
did some men of his take up the Moorish faith, and bring their treasures and
their wisdom back to Rus’s, when their return did made.
The Winter of late ‘42 in stately old Kiev was one of
wondrous good fortune and good promise for the people. Elisiv was given to
Prince Harald Sigurdsson in Kiev’s own Great Cathedral. Yaroslav provided up a
feast for every man and wife and child in the city and the countryside. A
village up entire carved the craftsmen out of blocks of ice, including of a
river running red with spiced wine and courtiers themselves as gondoliers! For
three full days and nights did all Kiev and Novogrod and all the people in
between then celebrate the union of Norwegian sword and Kievan sheathe.
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