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The Centirians - Season 5
Episode 1 - Vapor of Smoke
Hvitserk returned home after a long day of inspecting the rebuilding efforts around Kattegat. The city had been largely destroyed during the final battle against his brother Ivar, along with most of the region. The Centirian Allies had exhausted all their troops and resources in their final stand to oust Ivar from power, and although they had emerged victorious, it cost them nearly everything and left their lands devastated, forcing Hvitserk to return as king and lead the rebuilding and recovery effort. He had never wanted to be king, he never thought he would be the last surviving son of Ragnar and end up inheriting the crown. All he ever wanted was to live in peace with his wife and children, as far away from Kattegat and his past as possible. But after the devastation of the final civil war, Kattegat - and most of Centiria - needed a leader. In fact it had been his wife Thora who convinced him to return from seclusion and take up his father's mantle as a unifier and peacemaker. The people had welcomed Hvitserk's return, to his surprise considering he had switched sides several times over the many conflicts, but it seemed the need for a strong and decisive leader overshadowed any concerns they had about his past. It had been three years since the war had officially ended, and the recovery was moving slowly. So many had died during the fighting that the population had been nearly cut in half, and some days it felt like their civilization may never return to any sort of normalcy. But little by little things were coming along. Hvitserk entered the Great Hall, his back aching from his journey back. He was only thirty-five but on days like this he felt twice his age. He sat down on his father’s throne and rubbed his face in his hands. It would only be a short while until his new advisors would arrive for a session of their council, and Hvitserk hoped he could have a few moments of peace until then. He smiled as soft hands touched his shoulders and gently rubbed his back. Thora came out from behind the throne, her light brown curls glistening in the torchlight. She sat down in Hvitserk's lap and he pulled her in for a deep kiss.
“I've missed you, my love,” he said as they parted, brushing his fingers against her cheek.
“You were only gone for a day,” Thora said with a giggle.
Hvitserk brought her hand up to his lips. “It always feels like forever. The politics, the travel, it's all so draining. I just want to come home to you,”
“Well you're doing a great job. The city is starting to come back. And the people really respect you,”
“I hope so,” he sighed, “At least everyone is working together for once,”
A small child ran out from around the corner. Thora scooped the girl up and set her on Hvitserk's knee.
“It looks like Gida missed you too,” Thora laughed. Their youngest, named after Hvitserk's half-sister and his father's firstborn, was just learning to walk and had been exploring the great hall. Their oldest, Lagertha, followed close behind. Hvitserk played with his daughter in a rare moment of peace, until a messenger entered the hall. Hvitserk sighed as he handed Gida off to his wife. Playtime would have to wait. Again.
“My King,” the man said, bowing as he approached the throne. “Forgive the intrusion, but the Centirian Council requests your presence immediately,”
Not what Hvitserk was expecting.
The Centirian Council.
It had been some time since he had attended a meeting of the Great Council of Allies that had formed as a united force against Ivar and other threats. The Council had largely left him alone since the end of the war so he could focus on the rebuilding of Kattegat while they dealt with the more intricate matters of planetary politics. It had been about two years since he had even attended a meeting in person. Usually Hvitserk had sent his updates on the region by letter or through a representative from the city.
“They want me to come to Navarre?” He asked the messenger.
“I'm afraid so, your Grace,” the man replied, “Queen Joan herself has sent for you personally,”
Hmm. Hvitserk stroked his beard in thought. He hadn't been to Navarre in years. The last Council meeting he had attended was here in Kattegat right after the war ended. But if the Queen was asking him to come to the capital then it must be something of great importance. Hvitserk only hoped there wasn't another war on the horizon. Anything else he'd likely be able to handle. In truth he could use the distraction. Navarre was always lovely, and he could even bring Thora and the children along and make it an official state visit. They'd enjoy getting out of Kattegat for a while, he knew for sure.
“Alright,” he said, coming back from his thoughts, “Send word to the Queen that I shall prepare to leave at once,”
The messenger departed, and Hvitserk ordered that he was not to be disturbed for the rest of the evening. He would inform his own advisors later. First he needed to talk to his wife.
“If Joan wants you in Navarre it must be urgent,” Thora pondered as she swayed Gida back and forth in their chambers.
“My thoughts exactly,” Hvitserk agreed, again deep in thought.
“And she didn't say what it was about?”
“No, only that the Council requests my presence in the capital immediately,”
The lack of information made it even more concerning. Joan DuLauzon was one of Hvitserk and Thora's oldest friends. She wrote to them all the time about what was happening throughout the rest of Centiria. So she could have easily communicated the situation. But maybe it was something she only trusted to tell him in person. And if that was the case, it was most likely not going to be good news.
“I was thinking we could all go this time,” Hvitserk suggested, “It might be good for the royal family to make an appearance. Besides, it's been a long time since we've seen the DuLauzons,”
Thora gently set Gida down in her play area. “I'm sure the children would enjoy it, it would do them good to see the sun for a change. As long as you think it's safe,”
Hvitserk sat down on the bed and watched his daughter play. “It should be. I don't think anyone has the energy to try to cause any trouble right now. But we can take one of the smaller ships with a few soldiers so we can be more discrete,”
“Good idea,” Thora said, sitting down next to him. “I always worry whenever we leave the city. But then again I've never felt particularly safe here either,”
“I know,” Hvitserk said, pulling her close as she rested her head on his shoulder. The memories of what they both went through under Ivar and Bjorn were still so fresh in their minds, despite being over a decade ago. Living in Kattegat again was a constant reminder of those dark times, despite the progress they had both made.
“But things are different now, this land is different. For the first time maybe since my father, the people seem to feel hope,”
“Maybe you're right,” Thora said, “Maybe things are finally changing around here. I just hope whatever is going on in Navarre isn't going to set things back,”
“I guess we'll have to see when we get there,” Hvitserk said, “I'll start making the necessary preparations in the morning,”
He kissed his wife's head and hoped that the peace they had fought so hard for wasn't in danger of falling apart.
A couple days later Hvitserk, Thora, and their five children boarded a small Viking ship and set off for Navarre. It would only be about two days by sea, and Hvitserk was comfortable leaving Kattegat in the hands of his advisors in his absence, hoping they wouldn't need to be gone too long. Thora had packed enough provisions for the journey, knowing they would be well taken care of when they reached the capital. The children were excited for the voyage, it was the first time really leaving home for most of them. Ragnar and Aslaug, the twins, ran to the front of the ship and stared out at the open sea. Thora held Gida wrapped in a blanket, and Sigurd clung to Lagertha's skirts, peeking out from behind his older sister's leg. The ship hugged the coast as they made their way from the frigid north down to the sun kissed shores of southwest Centiria. They stopped about halfway to greet Hvitserk's uncle Rollo, only to discover he had departed for the capital some days earlier, having himself been summoned by the Centirian Council. So they visited briefly with Rollo's wife Princess Gisla, who furnished them with fresh supplies before sending them on their way. While Hvitserk had enjoyed seeing his aunt, the fact that Rollo had also gone to Navarre left him very concerned. His uncle hardly ever got involved with matters concerning greater Centiria. Although Rollo did have a seat on the Council, he usually kept to his own kingdom and lands, only crossing that threshold when absolutely necessary. So if he was attending this meeting personally as well, something big was definitely happening, and Hvitserk couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't going to be anything good.
After about another half day they arrived in the breathtaking capital region of Navarre. It was the complete opposite of Kattegat, with its crystal clear lakes and endless flowering meadows. As their ship drifted closer to the shore, they could see the white stone castle where Queen Joan and her family had resided since coming out of seclusion and assuming leadership of the Centirian Council. Navarre had been named the seat of the Centirian government when the kingdoms officially united to fight Ivar's reign of terror about a decade ago. The Council consisted of the leaders of all the kingdoms, all equals with Joan taking the lead for administrative purposes, since she had the most political and diplomatic experience of all the rulers. After Ivar's attempts to conquer all of Centirian land and become its sole ruler, the Council prioritized the complete independence of each kingdom, as well as the ability of the rulers to work together for the good of the continent, especially in the face of such existential threats. It had been key to defeating Ivar and the rulers had worked quite well together in the years following the war. As Hvitserk's men tied the ship to shore he could see a young woman waving to them from the dock, her white cape and long brown braid blowing in the sea breeze. Behind her stood a slightly taller man with short but thick blonde hair and wearing the same white cape. Hvitserk disembarked from the ship with a few of his men while Thora gathered the children together.
“Hvitserk!” The woman with the cape shouted as she threw her arms around his shoulders, “It's been too long, old friend!”
“Hello, Rey,” Hvitserk laughed, clapping her back, “It's so good to see you again,”
“And Thora, what a surprise!” Rey said as Thora and the kids followed behind on the dock, “And I see you two have been busy, who are these little lovelies?”
“I think you met Lagertha before, and this is Ragnar, Aslaug, Sigurd, and Gida,”
“Yes, Lagertha I remember, wow they're all so cute! You have a wonderful family,”
“Yes they definitely keep us on our toes,” Hvitserk laughed, “We thought it would be good for us to all get away and make a family visit,”
“Well I'm definitely glad you did, it's been far too long since we've all seen each other. And you remember Ser Kylo, my sworn shield,” Rey said, gesturing to the man behind her.
“You're Grace,” He said with a bow.
“Yes, of course,” Hvitserk said, “and Hvitserk, please,” He turned back to Rey.
“I was surprised to get your mother's letter asking me to come here, I can't help but think that means something’s wrong,”
“Not… wrong,” Rey said, “But things aren't exactly looking up either,”
“Do things ever look up around here?” Hvitserk sighed as they started walking towards the castle. The beautiful white stone gleamed in the sunlight while Navarrese and Centirian flags flew atop the ramparts. The seat of the Centirian government stood as a monument of peace and unity, a stark contrast to the decades of conquests and civil wars that had once plagued the continent. They reached the steps to the main entrance and walked up towards the great doors that led to the central courtyard. Thora tried to keep the children from running off in every direction as they made their way to the interior of the castle where the Council had assembled, while Hvitserk tried to get a sense of what was going on. Things didn't seem particularly somber, so he hoped maybe it was not as bad of a situation as he had feared. Of course Rey was ever the optimist, Queen Joan's daughter possessed an energy that was rarely dulled, even in the worst of circumstances, so it was hard to tell what he was really about to walk into. Kylo strode ahead to the entrance of the inner castle to announce their arrival. Rey knew Hvitserk wasn't one for all the formalities of court, but then again, neither was her mother. Hvitserk hoped they could get down to business and figure out what was going on and how to deal with it. The guards opened the doors to the castle and Rey and Kylo led the way to the Council Chamber. The castle was nearly as bright inside, with sunlight streaming in through large windows and reflecting off the identical white stone and the armor and other artifacts lined along the walls. It was far from the dark halls of Kattegat, illuminated only by the occasional torch. They arrived at the Council Chamber and as the doors opened Hvitserk was greeted by a room filled with familiar faces. The flags of each of the allied Centirian kingdoms hung behind the chairs of each member, arranged around a circular table in the center of the room. As they made their way inside Queen Joan strode across the room to greet them, her scarlet dress swishing over the stone floor.
“Hvitserk,” she said warmly, embracing her friend, “It's so good to see you again,”
Joan always had a way of putting him at ease. She had become somewhat of a mother figure to Hvitserk over the years, especially when he had been unwell and they were living in Navarre for a while. She looked older, but in better spirits than when he had seen her last. Returning to the political realm - on her own terms this time - appeared to be doing her good. She was always good at it, and seemed to enjoy being back in her element.
“Good to see you too, Joan,” Hvitserk said, clasping her hands, “I wish we'd been able to come back sooner, but with the rebuilding and all,”
“Oh yes, of course, I know you must have your hands full in Kattegat. But I'm so glad you came, we have a lot to talk about,”
Hvitserk went further into the chamber to greet the other council members while Joan talked with Thora and the children. He saw his uncle Rollo talking to Joan's husband, Templar Master Landry.
“Uncle,” Hvitserk said, clapping Rollo on the shoulder, “We stopped to see you on our way here but you had already left,”
“Yes,” Rollo said, “I received a letter from Queen Joan requesting my presence here immediately, although she didn't say why. It appears the rest of the Council got the same message,”
“Well I'm anxious to find out why we're all here, that's for sure,” Hvitserk said.
He looked around the rest of the room. Most of the members he knew, but there were a few faces he didn't recognize. Two old men in kingly garb sat at the far end of the table, next to a darker skinned woman with a graying braid. Hvitserk remembered them from some of the earlier battles with Ivar. They had been part of the original Centirian Council that had formed after the Republic established a brief presence on the planet towards the end of the Clone Wars, but they hadn't been involved in any official business for quite some time. Leaning against the back wall was a tall woman with dark curls laced with a hint of silver, a long rifle resting at her hip. Her face looked worn, with several long scars along her cheeks and forehead. Hvitserk had seen her a few times during the years he was studying at the Jedi Temple before returning to Kattegat. She had usually accompanied the Grand Master - Landry’s mentor and the man responsible for building the Jedi Temple on Centiria-7 nearly twenty years ago - but this time he was nowhere in sight. Behind Joan stood Sophie, her former handmaiden and now her right hand and most trusted confiidant. She leaned heavily on a cane, as she always had as long as Hvitserk knew her. Sophie had been beaten and tortured by Joan’s abusive first husband in an attempt to discover Joan’s whereabouts when she had first run away with Landry. But Sophie hadn’t said a word and had been rescued by the Templars some time later. The scars were still visible on her face but she had never let her condition hold her back, still accompanying Joan years later when she returned to lead the Centirian Council. A few other dignitaries from some of the smaller settlements were scattered around the chamber, having joined more recently as the continent reconstructed its governmental systems following the war. The members began heading to their seats as Joan called the meeting to order.
“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” she said, “I know it's not easy for some of you to travel here. But I felt that this matter would best be discussed with us all here in person,”
A suspenseful silence lingered over the chamber.
“As I'm sure you all know, our lands have struggled immensely in the aftermath of the last war,” Joan went on, “and it has taken longer than expected for things to return to ‘normal’. The truth is, our kingdoms simply don't have the resources they once did. Although we ultimately emerged victorious over Ivar the Boneless, the losses of population and infrastructure we've sustained over the last decade may not be reversible, at least, not on our own. It may be that the time has come for us to seek new allies,”
The Council members murmured around the table.
“New allies?” said Rollo, “Forgive me, your Grace, but I don’t think there’s anyone left who hasn’t already joined us or been wiped out by Ivar,”
Joan nodded in agreement, “Yes, that is precisely the problem, there isn’t anyone left. Which is why I have called this meeting. I believe the need has arisen for us to venture beyond our borders in search of new lands and realms who may be able to help us,”
Hvitserk’s jaw tightened, suddenly realizing what this was all about. And why he had most likely been summoned in particular.
“Your Grace,” another voice said, "We don't know if any such lands exist, and even if they did, how do we know they wouldn’t be hostile? We may well end up in a situation far worse than we are right now.”
“I agree,” Hvitserk spoke up, “No one has ever ventured beyond the western sea, not even Ragnar Lothbrok. We have no reason to believe anything even exists beyond the Centirian coast,”
Hvitserk wasn’t sure what this meeting was supposed to accomplish. While everyone on the Council had tremendous respect for Queen Joan, this was far from her usual reserved and cautious political stance. She had to be going somewhere with this.
“Actually, we do,” Joan said with a knowing smile. She looked a few seats down the table to her daughter. “I believe Princess Rey has made a discovery you will all find quite interesting,”
Rey rolled her eyes at Hvitserk as she got up from her seat to stand beside her mother. He knew she didn’t like being called Princess, especially in front of the Council. She produced a parchment from her cloak and set it on the table.
“As I’m sure my mother has explained, Ser Kylo and I have recently returned from our journey in the east, in an attempt to find the rumored Republic base that was built on Centiria-7 during the Clone Wars. While we were unsuccessful in that particular endeavor, we did find something that I think may be of use to us,”
Rey unrolled the parchment, revealing what appeared to be an ancient map of Centiria-7. Some of the council members gathered around to see. She pointed to the landmass on the right side of the map.
“This appears to be our continent, it doesn’t look exactly like our current maps, but you can recognize the western coastline where many of our kingdoms exist today. Kylo and I were traveling here in the eastern parts. We were going through the villages in this area when we found this map and a few other documents in an abandoned library,”
Rey traced her finger across the map to another continent on the other side of the ocean. In the center of the landmass was a circular insignia of what appeared to be a dragon, having three heads and a long tail that curled around the edge of the symbol.
“This is what we would be looking for,” Rey said, tapping the dragon insignia.
“Wait,” Rollo exclaimed, startling the group, “I've seen this symbol before,”
“You have?” said Hvitserk.
Rollo pulled the map closer to examine it.
“Yes,” he said, astonishment in his voice, “Ragnar had a map like this, long ago. He had heard stories of a land across the sea filled with great kingdoms and… dragons. He always dreamt of venturing out to try to find it, but he never got the chance,”
“Dragons? That's preposterous,” one of the older men at the end of the table said, “there are no dragons on Centiria-7,”
“But the land may still exist,” Sophie said, overlooking the map, “dragons or not, if it's possible there are kingdoms out there that might be able to help us, it might be worth the risk trying to find this new land,”
“And you want me to do it, don't you,” Hvitserk finally said.
The entire Council turned towards him.
“You are the last surviving son of Ragnar,” Joan said, “You're in the best position of any of us for the task,”
“But what about Kattegat? I can't just abandon my kingdom and the rebuilding,”
“The Council will oversee the affairs of Kattegat in your absence,” Joan said, “the rebuilding will proceed as normal,”
Hvitserk stood up and ran his hands through his hair. “I don't know, can we really afford such a risky expedition when things are so dire here at home?”
“I'm afraid I must concur,” said the other older man across the table, “the Council sending one of its most powerful members out into the unknown, when we need to be displaying strong leadership over the land, I just don't know if it's worth the risk,”
“Ultimately the decision will be up to you, Hvitserk,” Joan said, “We are aware of the risks and we cannot and will not force you to do this, but it may end up being in all of our best interests, especially considering the… other situation on the horizon,”
Now what. Hvitserk thought, returning to his seat.
The Council sat in silence, on edge once again.
Joan gestured to the tall woman leaning against the back wall.
“General Kelen, the floor is yours,”
The woman steadied herself with her rifle and limped over to the table, slightly dragging her left leg. She placed a circular device in the center of the table. A holo, Hvitserk remembered. There were many such things left behind by the Republic from their presence on the planet. She tapped the device and it displayed an image of the Centirian lands.
“The Grand Master regrets not being able to attend this meeting,” the woman began, “He's been traveling throughout Centiria investigating strange disturbances in the far reaches. But he sent me to assure the Council of our continued unwavering support, and to inform you of his findings,”
She paused for a moment, her expression darkening.
“There is… unrest growing across the land,” she went on, “There are those who think the Council was too weak to deal with Ivar the Boneless, and if Centiria-7 had united behind one single leader, he would have been defeated a lot sooner and it would have prevented years of unnecessary bloodshed. And their lands wouldn't be in the state they are now,”
“That's ridiculous,” Hvitserk said, “We all fought like hell to defeat my brother. And that's exactly what he wanted, to rule all Centiria-7, the very reason this Council was formed in the first place,”
“Unfortunately some aren't seeing it that way. They think the Council couldn't do what needed to be done when it mattered. And if Centiria-7 was united under one ruler, it would have galvanized the people to get rid of Ivar long ago, before all the devastation we're dealing with today,”
“And who exactly would this ruler be?” Hvitserk asked, “everyone capable of any sort of leadership is already in this room,”
“There are rumors,” the woman said, “of someone, far off in the mountain regions, who appears to be gathering support, at least locally, for now, but with this sentiment spreading across Centiria, it may not be long before his influence reaches your own kingdoms,”
“Which is why we must demonstrate strength and stability, to reassure the people that this Council is acting in their best interests,” Joan said, “New alliances would go a long way in putting this unrest at ease and preventing future violence. The last thing we want is another Ivar terrorizing our land for years to come,”
No argument there. Hvitserk thought.
“Unfortunately the unrest on Centiria-7 is an example of what's happening in the galaxy at large, and we are facing many similar threats of instability right now,” the woman said, "The Centirian Jedi Temple and our allies here are key to preserving peace in the region,”
“Alright,” Hvitserk said after taking it all in, “Queen Thora and I will think about it, but I must ensure the stability of my own kingdom first, if I were to go off and do something like this,”
“Of course,” Joan said, “take whatever time you need. I only ask that you keep the Council informed of your decision,”
The meeting concluded after a few smaller matters were discussed, and Hvitserk went to look for his wife. Thora had taken the children to another part of the castle while the meeting was going on. Hvitserk's head was still spinning after everything he had just heard in there. He didn't know what to make of any of it. He walked through the halls until he found Thora in a sitting room talking to a blonde woman with a small boy in her lap. The children were playing on the other side of the room. Hvitserk went to greet them.
“How did it go? Is everything alright?” Thora asked.
“Yes and no,” Hvitserk said, still trying to make sense of it himself, “We have a lot to talk about,” he sighed, turning to the other woman, “Hello, Freydis, we were hoping we'd see you here. How have you been?”
It had been about three years since he had last seen his sister-in-law, Ivar's widow. Not since the three of them secretly buried Ivar when he and Thora had returned at the end of the war. Hvitserk couldn't bring himself to let his brother's corpse rot on the battlefield, or worse, be taken by vengeful soldiers as some sort of trophy. So they laid Ivar to rest in a remote area outside Kattegat, with Freydis carrying his child. She moved to Navarre shortly after giving birth, not wanting to raise her son in Kattegat in the shadow of his father.
“Go, Baldur, play with your cousins,” Freydis said sweetly, as the boy ran off to join Lagertha and the others. She stood to embrace Hvitserk.
“I'm so glad you came,” she said, “We've been well, everything is so peaceful here, but it's been… lonely sometimes,”
“You know you could have stayed,” said Hvitserk, “We would have protected you, you both would have been safe,”
“I know,” Freydis sighed, “sometimes I wish we had. Ivar was the love of my life, but… I don't want my boy to become his father. I feel like he'll be better off growing up away from all of that,”
“Well just know that you always have a home with us back in Kattegat,” Thora said, “We're family, nothing will change that,”
“I will, thank you, Thora. It's a great comfort to know you two are looking out for us,” Freydis sighed, watching her son play with his cousins, “Well I'll let you two catch up, I know you have a lot to discuss,”
Freydis stood and went over to where the children were playing, and Hvitserk and Thora walked into the hallway and out towards the courtyard. He started telling her about everything that happened during the meeting, and what the Council was asking him to do. His wife had always supported him, but he wasn't sure how she would feel about this. He still wasn't sure how he felt about it himself.
“It's certainly a lot to take in,” Thora finally said, after Hvitserk had finished and they had walked in silence for several minutes. “The Council has a point, our lands don't appear to be heading in a prosperous direction as of late. But to leave Kattegat, leave the continent, in the hope of finding a place that may or may not exist, that's a lot to ask of any man, let alone a king,”
“It's just that we've survived so much,” Hvitserk said, “War, torture, exile… We're finally in a good place. It may not be the life we dreamed of, but we're making it work. Our children have been able to grow up in peace. I'm not sure if I'm willing to jeopardize that for something that might not be real,”
“Yes… But what if… What if that's not the end of our story,” Thora said as they strolled. “What if you were meant for greater things than even being king of Kattegat. I've always said that from the moment I met you, all those years ago, I knew you were destined for great things, chosen by the gods, or the Force, or whatever is out there. Maybe this is what you were meant to do, discover this land of dragons and fulfill your father's greatest dream. What if your true destiny has only just begun?”
It wasn't exactly the answer Hvitserk had been expecting, but then again, his wife had often talked of such things throughout the years. Even if it was hard for him to believe it most of the time. But Hvitserk thought something like this was more of a delusion than part of some grand destiny. And yet… Thora's encouragement had never steered him wrong. Perhaps she was right. Maybe he was meant for this.
“So, you think I should do it?”
“Only if you truly want to, but in all honesty, Hvitserk? Yes. I do.”
They talked for a while longer as they
strode around the castle grounds and Hvitserk continued putting the pieces together in his mind. Even after so many years, he didn't know where he would be without Thora at his side. Every decision, every obstacle, his wife was there through all of it. Hvitserk knew by now she was the key, the only reason he'd survived until now. So if he was going to do this, there was only one thing that really mattered.
“Come with me.”