Bertil looked at Koval with amusement. [i]Ah yes, finally, a true warrior speaks up. I see fire in his eyes, and with sons to his name, he'll be sure to charge us all head first into the fires of war. Not today, Koval my man, not today.[/i]

"Must we look on Gothra with old eyes?" Asked Bertil, appearing as modest as he could. "Yes, there is bad blood between Norsia and they, but my friends, no nation has ever benefited from prolonged conflict. As Jarless Crowsfoot has pointed out, along with our much beloved Otrygg: War has many draw backs. Speaking from a merchant's point of view, if I may, a war with Gothra would need to be brief and brutal. Already our trade fleets are challenged by other nations, when it is we Norsians, rulers of the waves, that should have a stranglehold on the seaborne routes of commerce. A war with Gothra would deplete what we already have, and what we have, and forgive me for saying, is very little when I think upon the matter of what we [i]should[/i] have." Looking towards Henrik, and once more raising his pewter goblet he nodded, "Henrik is right to approach them with caution, as any good Norsian should when dealing with an adversary. However, if there exists a possibility for our two nations to benefit in mutual coexistence, then Norsia would stand to gain from the opening of trade links, and further deals resulting henceforth. We must not shut out the world, and approach it with sharpened axes, no. We must approach it with open arms, but keeping our eyes on the dangers that arise from our dealings."