Vikings: Lords of the Ice Sea

Chapter 276 Varangian Guard

After landing, five hundred mercenaries went to the camp to register, while Nils was taken to a mansion by a senior eunuch who taught him the etiquette for formal audiences.

"First, take off these filthy clothes and armor, and give yourself a thorough wash. You stink worse than livestock that have been rolling around in a pigsty."

The eunuch covered his mouth and nose, and gestured to four low-ranking servants to remove Nils' black cloak, chainmail, and long-unwashed undergarments.

Amid Niels's discontented complaints, he was pushed into a steamy bathroom, where servants repeatedly scrubbed his body with brushes until his skin turned red, like a boiled shrimp.

After an unknown amount of time, he left the stifling bathroom wearing a bathrobe. Outside the door, two young eunuchs were holding a brand-new set of expensive lamellar armor, a crimson cloak, and a single-edged longsword called "Romfaya," with a gold-inlaid hilt.

Dressed neatly, Nils followed the eunuch to learn various precautions, the core of which was the kneeling ceremony, which required prostrating oneself on the ground three times in succession, touching the ground with one's forehead, and kissing the tip of the emperor's boots.

"Don't make that face. This is an opportunity that ordinary people crave for a lifetime. Do it now! Ever since Emperor Diocletian (reigned 284-305 AD) invented this ritual, it has been used for hundreds of years. Countless nobles and generals have followed this procedure. You are not an exception."

Left with no other choice, Nils endured the humiliation and imitated the eunuch's posture repeatedly before moving on to the next step.

"Remember, after the audience, you need to back away. Pay attention to the details. Walk like I do, keeping your eyes lowered and never looking directly at the emperor."

Evening was still a busy day for Nils. After a hurried dinner, the eunuch taught him some common Greek hymns, correcting his intonation from time to time.

"You're being too loud. Do you think this is a war? Start over."

"The word order is mixed up, let's try again!"

"You mispronounced the last syllable. Forget your rough Nordic pronunciation habits. You should pronounce it like this, with a slightly higher intonation, but not too shrill, and also not too hoarse or low-pitched."

Working late into the night, Niels mastered the entire audience procedure and hymns thanks to his outstanding intelligence and perseverance. It was more exhausting than fighting a war.

"More than 20 years ago, my companions and I were summoned to the hunting grounds in the countryside. There weren't so many rules back then."

Upon learning the details of what happened, the eunuch explained, "Back then, you were just outsiders, as lowly as weeds, and had no right to perform this audience ceremony. Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow morning you will have an audience with the emperor. Whether you can take over as the commander of the guard depends entirely on your performance tomorrow."

At dawn, Nils was awakened by his servants. After rehearsing the etiquette once more, he rode in a carriage to the palace.

Looking out the window, the streets are lined with densely packed multi-story apartment buildings, with shops on the ground floor and residential houses on the second and third floors. Occasionally, one passes by magnificent public buildings, such as bathhouses and racetracks, far exceeding the scale of Londinium's imitations.

Upon entering the outer area of ​​the palace, Nils underwent a thorough body search and followed the eunuchs inside. Every so often, they encountered several richly dressed mid- to high-ranking officials with lengthy and difficult-to-remember Greek titles, such as: Logothetes tou stratiotikou (military treasurer) and Logariastes tes Aules (palace treasurer).

At this moment, the eunuch leading the way skillfully struck up a conversation with the stranger behind him, introducing his background.

Feeling the many curious gazes, Nils was quite embarrassed, as if he had become a circus animal. Gradually, he passed through many courtyards and corridors, becoming dizzy and completely disoriented, only knowing that he was following the eunuch, and finally arrived at a lavishly decorated hall.

After a lengthy ceremony, Nils entered the hall with his head bowed and began the worship ceremony. As he approached the throne, the mechanical birds on the golden tree beside him suddenly chirped, and the golden lion sculptures on the left and right sides roared in response.

Following the eunuch's instructions from the previous day, Nils remained kneeling and continued with the audience.

After a long while, a question suddenly came from the throne in Greek, which the translator solemnly relayed: "Varyag, His Majesty commands you to raise your head."

Is there such a procedure?

Niels glanced at the eunuch kneeling beside him, who quickly gave him a look, signaling him to obey the emperor's orders.

Taking a deep breath, Niels raised his head and looked directly at Michael III.

The emperor was draped in elaborate jewels and a precious purple robe. He was tall and well-proportioned, with dark, Mediterranean-style curly hair, a youthful and smooth face, a short beard on his chin, a lively gaze, and a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth.

Niels thought to himself, "Flirtatious and frivolous, is this the person I'm about to serve?"

The next moment, the translator relayed the emperor's question, "It is said that a cruel and tyrannical Viking ruler rose up in Western Europe, nicknamed 'The Serpent of the North,' do you remember him?"

Niels replied calmly, “I know him. His name is Vig Tynburg. Twenty-one years ago, Ivar, Bjorn, myself, Vig, Gunnar, Om, Rurik, and others went to Constantinople for trade. During our trip, we were summoned to the hunting grounds on the outskirts of the city. At the behest of the Queen Mother and Baldas, Vig was forced to engage in a duel before the emperor.”

Suddenly, the emperor laughed and looked at the attendant beside him. "I remember now, Basil, it was the duel you lost back then."

The attendant replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."

When the topic turned to past memories, the emperor became interested and asked Nils to recount his experiences over the years in detail. During the conversation, he had a map of Western Europe brought out and occasionally expressed his admiration.

Finally, he had a eunuch pour a cup of wine for this experienced Varangian man, saying, "According to you, you are skilled in commanding battles and archery, making you the best candidate for the commander of the guard?"

Niels: “Apart from King Vig of Britain and Duke Gunnar of Normandy, my command ability is second to none among the Vikings. Last year, I defeated the army of the King of East Frankish, annihilated their heavy cavalry, and captured a royal banner known as ‘The White Raven of Gnutz.’ If you do not believe me, have your officials inquire in the Viking quarters of the city.”

"No need. I'm going to watch the chariot race later, so I don't have much time to waste." The emperor looked down on the Frankish barbarians, and defeating them was not a feat worth boasting about.

He stroked his short beard and had a servant bring him a dozen or so bows and arrows. “Prove your archery skills, and the position of Akolouthos (commander of the guard) will be yours.”

This test posed no challenge to Nils. He picked up a purple bow and, following the emperor's instructions, shot several wine cups placed in the courtyard, remaining calm and composed throughout, as if it were as easy as eating and drinking.

"Very good, Niels, you are officially appointed commander of the Varangian Guard effective immediately."

Perhaps eager to watch the carriage race, Michael hastily announced the appointments, instructed a servant to draft the edict, and then quickly walked away.

(End of this chapter)