Koval looked to Otrygg, and nodded to him out of respect and to accede the floor as it were. He did not however, retake his seat, instead remaining on his feet to answer questions and concerns. Turning a moment to check upon his son Koval the Lesser, then his friend and advisor Toral, he had hoped that he’d done right by them. On the journey south from Arda’Njor, Koval made it clear that he had no intention of ruling as King, but things as it seemed, changed that during the moot.

He was aware of the support that Henrik had secured for himself, most likely prior to the moot, was enough to see him crowned. But to Koval, he was honor bound to at least offer himself as an alternative, in the event that the Jarls would withdraw their support of Henrik.

His attention was then brought to the Merchant Jarl, Bertil, who spoke of opening trade with the Gothran. Koval scoffed audibly at the notion, shaking his head in absolute disgust. He couldn’t believe his ears, that someone would actually suggest something as outright ridiculous as trading with a sworn enemy, then again, Bertil wasn’t your average Jarl, and Koval reminded himself of this. To the merchant, business was business, not war. At least Koval thought, that Bertil was a man who would stick to his convictions.

Koval thought to speak again, and address the foolishness of Bertil’s suggestion, but instead he saw an old friend rise to speak, and held his words for a moment longer. The Old Hound, Zarathustra Metsamees, a man whom Koval had fought beside during the Gothran War, and man whom he’d trusted greatly. When he asked for his ear, he granted it, and saw that his son too looked upon the great man with respect.

When he’d finished his say, Otrygg again addressed the Jarlsmoot, and reaffirmed the question that he himself, and now Zarathustra had asked of Henrik.

Koval raised an eyebrow when Henrik began to speak, perhaps to address this issue finally. But when he spat out a silly misgiven jab about he himself not being a perfect leader, Koval knew that the old man from Tyr had missed the point entirely. Shaking his head, he leant forward as he pressed both of his clenched fists against the table to support himself, and he let out a deep sigh of disappointment.

When Henrik had finished his overly emphatic speech about mercy, and spoke of his grand vision of Norsia, he nearly burst into a loud laughter, stifling himself as he took a deep swig of mead from a nearby goblet.

Koval then spoke again when Henrik had finished [i]”My father had many sayings, and one comes to mind when I listen to your would be King speak…

‘Foolish is the man who heads needlessly into war, but even more foolish is the man who hides from it when it calls his name.’

…and make no mistake about it my fellow Jarls, war calls to us.”[/i]

Taking a moment to stand straight again, Koval looks to each of them before resuming. [i]“The Gothran, cannot be bartered with. They cannot be reasoned with. They understand only force, and respect only the blade. They grow stronger, even now as we enjoy this discussion. How tall will we allow the tree to grow above our home, before we cut it down?”[/i]

With that, Koval nods again out of respect to Otrygg, and Zarathustra. He then returns to his chair, and leans back, contemplating what the next move of his Jarldom will be.