Growing increasingly impatient, Bertil raised a hand. "Fealty," he spoke softly, his goatee riding high around his beaming smile. 

Pulling himself from his chair with elaborated effort, he dislodged a bejewelled ring from his finger and held it to the light of the hearth. It sparkled a rainbow of colours, and to the keen eyed observer, there was the worn engraving of a single sailed longship stretching across its golden shank. With careful and humble steps, he walked the length of the table, bowed deeply and presented the ring to Henrik. 

"Long has this bauble been in the possession of my family. My great grandfather had it crafted to celebrate the christening of his first ship, before he sailed the coasts of the continent searching for riches. It signifies prosperity, as may be obvious, and long has it served as my inspiration - perhaps to no one's surprise. Many see me as a greedy man, a gawking merchant with no steel in his veins, and maybe they are right to see me in that light," he said sullenly. "However, I believe that it is easy for those of this land, who are all too eager to bleed their neighbours, to see a man such as myself as weak and dishonest. I do not hold this against them, it has always been this way."

Placing the ring onto the table in front of Henrik, and looking the ageing Jarl in the eyes with steadfast conviction, he spoke further. "I believe that honesty and loyalty are essential in a merchant, and in me you will find plenty of those qualities. Just as a Jarl cannot trust devious Thanes, a patron cannot trust devious shopkeeps." Pausing briefly to smile gleefully, he continued, "the world is changing. Norsia will be left behind if it does not embrace the qualities of others. My name is well known in every major trading junction from Galadriel to the lands of the Saxons. Should you ever need an ambassador to carry your righteous council to foreign ears, then you will find no better than myself. This I promise you." 

Taking three measured steps back with head bowed, Bertil stood straight, "The ring I give to you, as a token of my loyalty, and of my honour. It is my hopes that you will find within me more metal than most give me credit for. I am yours, my King. Though the crowning is yet to take place, I am from this moment, at your call. Anything you command of me, I will endeavour to see it done." 

Respectfully, Bertil returned to his chair, shooting Jarless Eyildr a very brief, but very hard stare. [i]We will see what Henrik prefers, hag. Your archaic wisdom? Or my modern rationale? Time will tell, but if I were a gambling man...[/i].