"King Harald's daughter has returned! Open the gates!" Although it wasn't the largest, nor the most impressive city that they had ever seen, Adora, Bow and Glimmer couldn't help but stare in awe at the City of Ulversby, the architecture of the buildings were similar to the town that had been raided, but were fare more detailed, and on a hill in the center of the city was a massive building shaped like an upturned ship. A few guards approached the carts that the four of them had been driving and one approached Catra. "Decided to go raiding while you were out Princess?"
Catra shook her head as she got off of the cart she had been driving and motioned for the three of them to do the same. "I need you guys to take inventory of the materials and supplies in these carts, I need to talk to my father." As she talked she walked around to the back of the cart, looking for a moment before picking up the helmet she had taken from Hillevi's corpse. When Adora had asked her why she took it off of Hillevi's body, Catra had simply responded that it would serve as both proof of her kill and a gift to her father. As she began to walk away, motioning for them to follow her, one of the guards spoke up.
"Will we see you for drinks later Freyja-Blessed?"
Catra smirked and nodded her head as the four of them walked away. Adora looked at her best friend and raised an eyebrow. "Why'd he call you Freyja-Blessed?" The only thing she had heard Catra referred to as so far was 'the King's Daughter' or 'Harald's Daughter'.
Catra waved her hand as if to say it wasn't a big deal. "One of their Goddesses, Freyja, supposedly rides in a chariot pulled by cats of all things." A smirk spread across her face as they began to ascend the stairs that led to what she had called a 'longhouse' during the trip to Ulversby. "And not large cats either, it's pulled by housecats. Anyway, the people of the the Northern Tribes tend to refer to each other by nicknames, and since I look like a cat..." Adora nodded in understanding as they reached the entrance of the longhouse and Catra pushed open the doors.
Against the far wall was a throne, and seated in that throne was a muscular, bearded man who appeared to be in his fifties. He appeared to be talking to a man wearing fine green robes. "Fayyaad, should you be willing to swear fealty to me, I would gladly see you crowned." The man in robes nodded and the man sitting on the throne turned his attention to the four of them. "Catra, my child. You have returned, am I correct to assume that these are the representatives of the Princess Alliance?"
"They are father, but we have more pressing issues at the moment. As I was waiting for them to arrive at Vinterhvete, the Sawhorn Tribe attacked." The man in green robes took a sharp breath and looked at the man in the throne, who simply frowned and leaned forward. "The raid leader was Hillevi, daughter of King Fritjof." Catra kneeled, something that Adora had never expected to see, and held out Hillevi's helmet. "I offer her helmet as both tribute and proof of my kill." The man on the throne, that Adora assumed was Catra's 'father' at this point, reached out and took the helmet before handing it to the man in green robes.
"It would seem that your niece lies dead Fayyaad, and that you are now next in line for the crown of the Sawhorn." The man in green robes looked at the helmet with a look of pity before looking at King Harald.
"Indeed it does." He turned his gaze to Catra and lowered the helmet. "Did you give her a good death?"
"I did."
The man nodded. "Then I hold no grudge. As her uncle, I must thank you for allowing her entrance to Valhalla." The man looked back at the helmet and shook his head. "Hillevi, you stupid girl." He turned his attention to King Harald. "King Harald, I assume you would wish to speak to your daughter and the representatives of this 'Princess Alliance'. I will take my leave."
"You may go." Harald waved him away and turned his attention back towards Glimmer, Bow, and Adora while Catra moved to stand by his right side. "Now, my daughter tells me that you wish to speak with me, so what is it that brings the leader of the Princess Alliance before the High King of the Northern Tribes?" The three let out a simultaneous gulp as Glimmer stepped forward and kneeled like Catra had told her to.
"High King Harald, I am Princess Glimmer of Bright Moon, I come on behalf of the Princess Alliance to ask for your aid in the fight against the Horde."
"My daughter has told me of this Horde and asked that she be allowed to fight along side you, this request I granted seeing as it was a mater of honor to her. At the moment however, this Horde is a far distant threat to both me and my Kingdom, so I can not give you aide at this time, not when there are threats far closer to my home." Glimmer was about to speak up when Harald raised a hand. "But if you were to assist me in unifying the tribes, you would have the axes of the greatest of Etheria's warriors on your side."
Glimmer gulped. "What exactly would that entail?"
Harald stood and motioned for them to follow him, towards the room at the far end of the longhouse. "Twenty four tribes and twenty four kings, eight of which have sworn fealty to me." As they entered the room Adora's eyes were drawn to the massive map on the center table, twenty four intricately carved figures settled at different points of the map. "Should you help us bring unity to the North, we would gladly give you aid."