20:38 (Paris Time)
Thursday, September 29, 861 C.E.
Field camp near Melun, fifty kilometers southeast of Paris
Kingdom of Western Francia
The two Carolingian men-at-arms guarding the western extremity of the field camp formed by dozens of tents tensed up and pointed their lances at the three dark silhouettes now approaching on foot after emerging from the night.
‘’HALT! WHO GOES THERE?’’ Shouted one of the guards, eyeing nervously the tall newcomers, who seemed to be wearing some kind of suits of armor. The newcomers came to a halt about ten paces away, with the smaller silhouette then taking one extra step before speaking.
‘’My name is Ann Shelton, Representative of the Human Expansion. We are the ones who massacred the Vikings in Jeufosse…and elsewhere. I came to speak with Margrave Robert le Fort.’’
Both surprised at seeing that the leading newcomer was a woman and suddenly nervous at facing people who could massacre Vikings en masse, the two guards glanced at each other before the senior one took a decision.
‘’Wait here for a moment, Milady: I will go get a knight to guide you to Lord Robert.’’
The senior guard then left at a run, leaving his nervous comrade alone to face the three newcomers. The senior guard soon returned in the company of a fully armored bearded man who eyed cautiously the three visitors.
‘’You said that you wish to speak with Margrave Robert le Fort, Milady?’’
‘’That is correct, sire.’’
‘’And who are your two companions, if I may ask?’’
‘’Two of my bodyguards. Is Margrave Robert still up?’’
‘’He is! Please follow me.’’
The two sentries parted to let the newcomers pass and follow the knight, eyeing the big, impressive warriors wearing complicated armors who were accompanying Ann Shelton.
‘’Hell, did you see the size of those two men?’’ Said in a low voice one of the sentries once the newcomers had disappeared inside the camp. ‘’They were a good half head taller than us.’’
‘’Yeah, and wider than us as well! No wonder they were able to trounce the Vikings.’’
Robert le Fort, a still vigorous man in his forties sporting a long dropping moustache and brown hair falling to his neck, was drinking a cup of wine while sitting alone inside his command tent, trying to rest after a long day of riding. An exchange of words outside his tent between the two men guarding it and some visitor then made him look at the entrance of his tent, just before someone spoke to him through the canvas flap.
‘’Milord, a woman came to speak with you. She is escorted by two warriors and says that she is a representative of the people who destroyed the Viking camp in Jeufosse.’’
Those words were enough to make Robert jump to his feet and shout back at the sentry.
‘’Let that woman in, Karloman, but make her escort wait outside.’’
‘’Understood, Milord!’’
A tall woman soon entered the tent, which was poorly lit by a couple of oil lamps, and then stood three paces in front of Robert, both of them eyeing the other with interest. The woman wore what looked like an armored suit, complete with helmet and visor, the latter pulled up and open. That armored suit was however like nothing Robert had seen before. The woman’s face was beautiful, with green sparkling eyes and a wide smile that showed perfect white teeth. She didn’t seem to be armed, although she wore at her belt two strangely-shaped sorts of purses holding each a sizeable metal object. She nodded once her head to Robert as a salute, then spoke in an agreeable, melodious voice.
‘’Margrave Robert le Fort, my name is Ann Shelton, Representative of the Human Expansion in Francia. I came to discuss with you some important matters pertaining to the well-being of this land.’’
‘’Then, please sit, so that we could discuss at ease. Would you like a cup of wine?’’
‘’Why not?’’ Replied Ann, smiling to Robert before going to the folding chair pointed by Robert and sitting in it. The Carolingian then went to a folding table set in one corner of the tent, grabbing a pitcher of wine and filling a cup before bringing it to Ann, who gratefully took it. Grabbing back his own cup and sitting down, Robert examined with intense interest the woman.
‘’So, your people are the ones who massacred the Vikings camping on the island of Jeufosse, Lady Ann?’’
‘’Not only there, Margrave Robert: our soldiers and ships also massacred the Viking armies threatening Toulouse and roaming the Somme region. We also paid quick visits to the Vikings in Dorestad, Quentovic, Noirmoutier, Bordeaux and near Winchester, in the British Isles. The ships of our fleet are now roaming all over Europe and the British Isles, destroying the Vikings wherever they are found outside of their home countries.’’
Robert took a long moment to digest the meaning of these words, hit hard by their implications.
‘’You can travel so swiftly and so wide? Who are you and where do you come from?’’
‘’We come from the stars…and from the distant future.’’ Answered Ann, who then spoke for a few minutes, listened to by a stunned Robert le Fort, explaining where she and the Human Expansion came from. At the end, Robert shook slowly his head, shaken to the core.
‘’By the Virgin Mary, what a story! Yet, what your ships did to the Vikings cannot be denied. You just saved the kingdom from systematic looting and destruction.’’
‘’We eliminated one threat to the well-being of Western Francia, Margrave Robert. Unfortunately, the kingdom is still not out of its miseries yet.’’
‘’What do you mean, Lady Ann?’’
‘’Please, simply call me Ann.’’
‘’Only if you call me simply Robert.’’
‘’Very well, Robert.’’ Replied Ann, smiling briefly before becoming serious again. ‘’What I am talking about is those stupid, selfish and senseless internal fights for power between King Charles, his brothers, sons, nephews and other power-hungry nobles of the realm. The kingdom may now be rid of the Vikings, thanks to us, but it is still being exploited and bled dry by what I would call parasites who care nothing about the common good. You, however, seems to be made of a nobler mold, my dear Robert.’’
‘’Me? You flatter me, Ann, but how could you know me? We just met!’’
‘’I actually met you first a long time ago, through history books. Your destiny is an inspiring one and, at least in the history I read, you will be the origin of a long line of kings.’’
‘’What do you mean, in the history you read?’’ Asked Robert, confused by her choice of words. Ann grinned to him and bent forward.
‘’Because history is presently being rewritten by our actions, my dear Robert. As you saw by the fact that we left those chests full of gold and silver behind in Jeufosse, we are not interested in riches, nor in power per say in Western Francia, or elsewhere in the World. The only things that interests us, apart from finding ways to feed our citizens, is to see peace and order reign around the World, that and the well-being of the little people, who have been neglected and exploited mercilessly up to now for the profit of a few privileged ones. Yes, I know that you are technically part of those privileged ones, but you at the least have fought the Vikings and did your best to protect the little people. The nobles who did the same as you are unfortunately too rare, and King Charles is certainly not part of them.’’
Robert le Fort, who was no stranger to power plays, then started seeing where she was heading and nodded once his head.
‘’And you would like me to act in concert with you, is that it?’’
‘’Correct! The fact that you did not seize that treasure in Jeufosse for yourself and was bringing it back to King Charles convinced me that you were the kind of man I could work with.’’
‘’I do not want to insult you, Ann, but in this kingdom men usually do the deals and scheming, not women. How much actual authority do you have among your people?’’
‘’The political leader of our people is actually a woman and she made me her plenipotentiary envoy to the World at large, my dear Robert.’’ Replied Ann, not offended at all by his question, which was a legitimate one in this medieval context. ‘’Her directives to me were both clear and simple: first, to find and acquire foodstuff for our millions of refugees; second, to do what is needed to bring peace and order back to this World, so that it would finally become fully productive instead of being sacked and burned down by successive waves of invaders and tyrants: and third, to reestablish as much as feasible some measure of justice and fairness for all. We believe in the equality of all, irrespective of sex, race, religion or social status.’’
‘’I see! Many would call your views rather utopian, Ann, but with the kind of power your people is wielding, you could well be able to enforce those goals. I said ‘enforce’ because you certainly can expect much resistance, both overt and covert, from those you accuse of profiting from the present chaos and excesses.’’
‘’Oh, I have no illusions about that, Robert, but I am hoping to convince them to abide by my counsels. If they react really stupidly, then they will be put them back in their place, firmly, or even eliminate them if they try to use force against me, my people and my allies. So, would you like to become my latest ally, my dear Robert?’’
Robert smiled while weighing her offer.
‘’You certainly play a good game, Ann. How many allies do you have at the moment in Western Francia, if I may ask?’’
‘’Right now, to be frank, I can count firmly only on Count Raymond of Toulouse and his family. I however have a number of promising prospects across Europe that I intend to contact soon.’’
‘’And, If I accept to ally myself with you, what exactly would you expect from me? I do command a respectable number of followers, but not enough by far to openly oppose by arms King Charles.’’
‘’What I would expect from you would be to counsel King Charles to listen to me and make him understand what would happen to him if he keeps ignoring the plight of his people and keeps acting solely for his own personal profit. If King Charles and the other members of the court and of the big families prove to be resistant to reason, then I may just make them irrelevant and put some honest and dedicated leaders and administrators in their place, leaders like you. However, know that we tend to choose our leaders through merit, not bloodline. If you ever end up at the head of Western Francia, you will then keep your post only as long as you prove that you have the common good in mind.’’
Robert stared at Ann in silence for long seconds, thinking over her offer. She was in essence playing an old game in Francia: that of king-making. However, she was playing it for the right reasons for a change, with her main concern being for the common people. He finally made his mind and got up from his chair, extending his right hand.
‘’You can count on me, Ann.’’
Ann got up as well and shook hands with Robert while looking straight in his eyes, very serious.
‘’Thank you, Robert. Together, we may soon bring justice and peace back to this kingdom.’’
‘’I have no doubts about that, my friend. So, how do you intend to play things next?’’
‘’I have already a plan in mind, Robert. Here is what we will do…’’