[Netherlands] Operation Northern Lights

[Odinson]

"In the time I've been King, I have yet to find any other foreigner worthy of an honorary rank. Like the ceremony you were just given, I'm afraid it will not be as glamorous as it may normally be, but you don't come off as the kind of man who needs to have his ego confirmed." If Enoch got no true objection from Willem, he would then eye over to his uncle who asked the Grand Admiral to come over.

"Grand Admiral," Enoch said as he gestured towards King Willem. "Unless you have any objections, I would like to give King Willem the rank of Admiral in the Royal Navy. He would like to participate in our national day of mourning tomorrow and will attend the funeral with us at the cathedral. I'm hoping to get him in uniform by then."

Jakob Johansen could very well have thought otherwise, but his loyalty to the Crown was unquestionable. He answered without hesitation. "I have no issue with it, Your Majesty. I'm sure His Majesty will serve with valor," he said without the slightest bit of sarcasm in his voice.
Enoch then continued, "Your Majesty, I hereby appoint you to the rank of admiral in the Royal Navy. We'll have my tailor come up to get started on your uniform."

After visiting for a while longer, Enoch introduced Willem to his tailor, who took his measurements and confirmed that he would have the uniform of a Royal Navy admiral by 5AM in the morning. Enoch did his best to entertain Willem that afternoon and evening. At five, a courier from the Storting requested an audience with the King in his office. Willem invited him to follow. It turned out that law had passed the Storting which made peacetime executions illegal - and a second measure passed, which officially installed Norway into the European Treaty Organization. After carefully reviewing each, Enoch picked out a unique pen and gave his royal assent by signing both of them.

"And just like that, we're international brothers now," Enoch said to Willem as he stood up from his desk and put the pen inside of a small glass case that could easily fit in a suit pocket. "Would you mind passing this on to the President of the ETO for me? I think he might like it, even more so if you're the middle-man.." Enoch looked back down at the documents that he had just signed, "I hope this was the right decision... Most of my friends thought it would be a serious mistake..."

Ingvar joined the two kings to have dinner before Enoch's televised address. Enoch seemed to be a bit nervous, but his personality demanded that he act like it would be no problem even though he felt otherwise. Willem allowed to be one of the few in Enoch's office as he gave the live address. Luckily, the two-man camera crew for Aftenrapport didn't seem to recognize Willem. They were more focused on making sure the live address would be flawless. The time came closer and closer. Enoch was dressed in a black suit and black tie. His hair was flawless, and behind him was the Norwegian flag and the Royal Standard. His hands were folded on the desk before him. He almost looked more like an American President than a Norwegian King.

The man behind the camera gave a countdown starting from ten, and then gestured "five" and below with his left hand. On one, he pointed at King Enoch. A red light on the camera flicked on.

"...Good evening. These past months have been some of the most trying in Norway's history. My reign as King has only just begun, but the suffering I have witnessed in the past month feels like it is enough for a lifetime. Our ancient capital - standing in what is one of the few wealthiest and most fortunate nations in the world - was shrouded into darkness longer than any period of time in its modern history. The lights at the palace I address you from today, and the Storting building, fell dark when the diesel in our generators froze after temperatures fell below minus fifty-five degrees... If only discomfort was the only suffering that we faced... Instead, I regret to inform you, that over one-thousand Norwegian lives have been lost. Some were in their homes, burning whatever they could find to keep warm, others were at shelters ill-equipped to deal with this level of disaster - but the most devastating story is that of a woman and her two children, one four, and the other eight. They were found in the street, among the snow and frigid weather, only a few hundred feet from where I now address you... they were..." Enoch's voice shook as he continued, "they were in route to this palace, for refuge, as winter's wrath tore into our city. The children were huddled close to their mother, who I assume must have been doing her best to comfort them in their final minutes with us...

"They are now with God," Enoch said in a softer voice. "I can't imagine the number of stories similar to this from around Norway... But I've also been told stories of stunning generosity. Men cutting down trees in subzero temperatures to bring fuel to the elderly, soldiers leaving the comfort of their own homes and walking miles in the snow to report for duty, the poor giving when they truly could not afford to give. These stories do not surprise me in the least. What did surprise me was the help we received from our friends abroad. In the beginning, as the storm roared from the Arctic towards us, the British Royal Air Force saved the lives of Norwegian scientist on Jan Mayen without being asked. And now, when only a hollow gesture would fulfill their duty, the Dutch have mobilized their armed forces and sent hundreds of soldiers and millions of krona worth of aid to us. These countries are our friends, our brothers.

"This 'Great Winter' has brought immense suffering to Norway. Despite what others will say, I will tell you this: it was not the wrath of God or an unfortunate coincidence. For centuries we have used the Earth and its resources without considering the consequences of our actions. We have been burned countless quantities of coal and petroleum, and now we have seen a climatic disturbance like no other in modern European history. In truth, though, the struggles we will face from burning these fuels will not be a threat to Mother Earth - the threat is to the survival of mankind. No longer should we ignore what we have done. The government and myself will be working with our national industry and the other nations of the world to address this problem and do what we can to prevent further damage to our planet and ourselves.

"But I can confirm to you that as of now, transportation between Norway's major cities has been restored. In Oslo and Trondheim, the streets have been cleared of snow, and extensive repairs have begun to our electrical and communications networks. The schools will soon be reopened, and our dedicated soldiers and emergency responders will be able to return to their families. Our recovery is now underway, and every hour our situation improves. As of the beginning of this broadcast, our entire country has had power restored to every corner of it.

"But before we step past what has happened, I give anyone the opportunity to attend the funeral of the mother and two children I mentioned before - Misses Sunniva Dybdahl, her eight year old son, Oddvar, and her four year old daughter, Mina... I will be there, at Oslo Cathedral, and I hope that you are as well to mourn for the Dybdahl family and for Norway...

"In closing, I remind you that I am still here, the government is still here, and most importantly our country is still here... May God bless Norway... Good night..."

The broadcast ended, and the bright lights from the camera faded. Enoch sat back in his chair and looked at Ingvar, Willem, and the few others in the room. He was the one to break the silence, "...Did that go well?"

 

[Dutchy]

"You and your people have been too kind, awarding me your highest order of chivalry and now making me an honourary member of your Armed Forces. I can guarantee that one day I shall repay these honours, I don't know when, I don't know how, but I will."

Willem would casually talk with both Enoch and his tailor as he was being measured for his new Norwegian military uniform. He was also truly pleased to hear that the Norwegian parliament had passed legislation allowing it to join the European Treaty Organisation, he gave Enoch a powerful handshake, "I'll make sure he safely receives it."

Standing in the Enoch's office was a surreal moment as he watched him give a powerful speech, a speech which would certainly raise the morale of the Norwegian people. "Well done Enoch, that was amazing."

 

[Odinson]

Enoch nodded and rubbed his face, "Thank you, I hope the people agree... I'm going to need to get to sleep soon. I haven't slept that much recently, and we need to wake up tomorrow at five for the funeral. I invite you to stay here in the Palace, Willem, we can offer you a bed, or we can give you a ride to the Dutch embassy."

Enoch got up from behind his desk and guided Willem towards the door. "Come see, I'd like to show you something..."

The two of them made their way downstairs and to the first floor. At least one Royal Police officer followed from a safe distance as they made their way through the maze that was the Royal Palace. Enoch stepped next to a window and looked out, and then gestured for Willem to take a look.

If Willem took a look, what he saw was a young woman - probably in her mid or early twenties - standing outside. She was wearing her tactical gear along with warm clothing, since it was still below freezing outside. She was holding an assault rifle, and wasn't doing much else than standing around. Next to her were three coffins - two of which were disturbingly smaller than the one in the middle. Each of the coffins had a Norwegian flag draped over it.

"When I called you and told you about that mother and her two children... The Valkyries and I found them. We carried them back here to the Palace. One afternoon I stepped out back - mind you it was 40 degrees below zero - and I saw a soldier standing outside. I asked her what she was doing, and she said that they were taking turns guarding the bodies. I didn't even ask them to do it... They're going to be the pallbearers tomorrow, along with the King's Guard and the husband."

Enoch stared at the soldier who was standing out there alone, without having been ordered to do so. "We have the best here...."

After watching for a few more moments, Enoch invited Willem to join him for dinner. Then, he again asked if Willem would rather stay in the Palace or get a ride to the embassy. Either way, he promised, Willem would have his uniform in time for the funeral.

 

[Dutchy]

"I see no need to intrude on the Ambassador if you're willing to offer me accommodations, I'd love to spend more time with you my friend" Willem replied to the gracious offer as he followed Enoch down the stairs. Standing by him next to the window he looked upon the soldier standing proudly by multiple coffins of varying sizes. If the soldier was to spot them he'd offer her a honourable salute through the window.

Having accepted the offer for staying at the palace he'd join Enoch for dinner, he was eager to try some true Norwegian cuisine.

 

[Odinson]

At the dinner between Willem and Enoch, the King received a note informing him of an operation involving the Valkyries. Since it wasn't carried out, he felt that there was no chance in telling Willem.

"You might find this amusing.." Enoch said just after he finished off his starter. "About thirty Valkyries were deployed from here via helicopter today. They were somewhere over the North Sea when the High Command called your boys," he said before taking a brief sip of water.

"We were asking for permission to refuel at one of your air force bases, so that the Valkyries could then fly to England. My Foreign Minister, Jakob Vinter, is in Paris right now. We all thought this yellow vest stuff was a joke when he left, but it's just been getting worse. Anyway, the High Command wanted an opportunity to send in a rescue mission to Paris in case Jakob was unable to leave under his own power. Well, luckily Jakob leaves and gets to the airport after, so we call back the girls. I imagine they'll be getting back here soon, so if you hear a helicopter or two don't be startled. We had the gall to ask for permission to refuel..." Enoch couldn't keep himself from laughing, "We had the gall to ask if we could refuel at one of your air bases when the helicopters were about an hour outside of Dutch airspace... If they ask you who's idea that was when you get back, make sure you tell them that it wasn't me."

The other courses of the meal were brought out along with some Scotch. "I'd offer cigars," Enoch said, "but I don't think that'd be right on the eve of our national funeral."

As Enoch and Willem were sharing a drink and stories in his study, a Royal Police officer knocked and then entered the room. He looked to be a very fit young man, about Enoch's age, but he was out of breath. He couldn't speak for a few seconds, so he took out his badge and showed it to Enoch and Willem from the door frame.

"Well I hope there's not an assassin in the building, because we'll get shot before John here catches his breath," Enoch joked. An annoyed butler was standing behind the police officer.

"Your.. Your Majesty... The Queen approaches..." John the Royal Police officer decided then and there that he would quit smoking.

Enoch stood up, "What? Now? Is she in Oslo?"

The door creeped open again, and in walked the youthful twenty-something year-old Queen of Norway. She was dressed casually in blue jeans, her Setesdalsgenser, and her golden hair was down. A small red cut was on the upper-left part of her forehead, presumably from when she was in the car accident in Trondheim. Enoch set down his glass and walked over to Sophia.

"Husband," she said as she held her hands and smiled.
"Wife," he said back with his famous stoic restraint. John slipped out of the room and quietly shut the door behind him.

They stared at each other for a few moments before Enoch gestured over to his friend. "Sophia, I don't think you've met Willem before, the King of The Netherlands. Willem, this is Sophia, Queen of Norway"
Sophia approached Willem and offered her hand, "I've heard much about you, Your Majesty. I'm happy to meet you." Willem would clearly see a gold chain around her neck with a gold Mjolnir pendant. It wasn't very large, but it was noticeable. Sophia had probably forgotten to tuck it into her Setesdalsgenser.

Enoch budded in, "Sophia we are having drinks, please join us. Explain to me how you were able to get here without me knowing?"
Sophia sat down across from the two men and set her hands in her lap. "Without you knowing? You aren't God, you know," she said with a laugh.
Enoch raised his eyebrow, "But seriously? How did you manage? I have a handful of investigative services in Norway, not to mention the King's Guard and Royal Police. Come to think of it, it would be treason for my armed forces to keep such a secret from me."

An almost evil grin came across Sophia's face for her next retort. "I'm not sure if you remember, my love, but you placed all of the armed forces in Trondheim under my command... The Royal Air Force pilot that flew me to Oslo was under my command."
Enoch frowned, "I see... Remind me to rescind that order tomorrow afternoon."

Enoch looked over to Willem, who might be confused. "Willem, when I returned to Oslo before the storm, I was informed of the full-scope of what was going to happen. Sophia and I had gone on a vacation outside of Trondheim, and she was still staying in our cabin. The King's Guard brought her back to the city with not much time to spare. We only had time to make a phone call before the storm hit. The only thing I could do for her was give her command of our armed forces and police in Trondheim. So I did... How did Trondheim fare in the storm?"

Sophia's smile evaporated after the question and she slowly shook her head. "Oh my King... the people in the streets.. We brought people into the Palace, and when that was full the bishop gave us permission to occupy the cathedral as well. I met a man who had cracked teeth - he was outside in the worst of it, when it was 50 or 60 below. They said he had been breathing through his mouth and his teeth... they cracked like ice being dropped into a fresh glass of water... The children, the families... What I think gave everyone the will to go on was your speech over the radio..." Sophia looked down and shook her head, "We were dying up there, Enoch."

King Enoch suddenly felt dé jà vu.

"We should probably not spread any more grief than is necessary..." Enoch said. Suddenly, a grandfather clock began to chime on one of the walls. It was ten rings.
"We all need to wake up early tomorrow morning.. Willem, I will have one of our servants show you to your room. There should be something to sleep in waiting for you there. Our wake-up call will be tomorrow at five. Your uniform should be prepared by then."

If there was nothing else to be said, one of the butlers was summoned and indeed did show Willem to his room, which was a very fine and ornate guest room on the same floor as Enoch and Sophia's chamber.

"May I assist you with anything else, Your Majesty?" the butler asked from Willem's door-well.

 

[Odinson]

If Willem needed nothing else and decided to go to bed, he'd find himself in a very fine room. A bathroom was connected to the side of the guest bedroom, and it was nearly the size of the guest room itself. It had an ornate bathtub, a newly-installed shower, a walk-in closet, and heated floors. Willem would find a pair of men's pajamas laid out on the bed for him which were approximately his size, if not slightly larger, along with a Norwegian "Royal Navy" sweater. The sweater was royal blue, it had "ROYAL NAVY" written across the front in stitched gold-lettering and with an especially aesthetic font that was militaristic but still somewhat royal. Stitched into the sides of the shoulders (where a flag patch would normally go) was the naval ensign of the Royal Navy. The sweater of course was not the official part of any uniform, but was instead a comfortable item of clothing that could be worn casually or at night. On top of it was a hand-written note:

"Your Majesty,
I understand that His Majesty King Enoch thinks highly of you, and it seems to be for good reason. Thank you for allowing our warships safe harbor in The Netherlands during the worst of the Great Winter. On top of everything else, we didn't want to also lose His Majesty's fleet. I welcome you to the Royal Navy, Admiral. Upon their commissioning, all officers are gifted a sweater such as this one from the Royal Navy. I hope that you enjoy it.

-Jakob Johansen, Grand Admiral"

There was also a small bookshelf in the room with many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore. There was also a radio and television, along with a thermostat. There was even a fireplace and a telephone. The King was free to order whatever room service he desired, from alcohol to food. When he decided to finally go to sleep, he probably didn't have a hard time doing so. The bed was incredibly comfortable, along with the pillows and sheets.

After Willem fell asleep, some time around 3AM, he would awaken to a very cold chill in the room around him. Although the lights were off, he would be able to clearly see a man standing in the corner of his room next to the door. The man was old, with white hair and moustache. He was also wearing some kind of military uniform. After a moment or two of staring at him, Willem would notice that he was somewhat transparent and he appeared to be slightly... glowing? While the site of this man may have been frightening, he didn't look to be threatening. In fact, he wasn't even directly looking at Willem when he had woken up. Instead, he appeared to be checking a pocket watch. Once the man noticed Willem was awake, he motioned with his hand for Willem to follow him. The glowing, translucent man then walked through the wooden door that led to the hallway.

@Dutchy

 

[Dutchy]

Willem Alexander would wish Enoch a good night before stepping into his bedroom. He looked around the room and was impressed by the furnishing. He read the letter left by the Grand Admiral of the Norwegian Navy and smiled at the kind words left behind. Willem proceeded to get changed into the clothing left on the bed.

For an unknown reason Willem woke up in the middle of the night, he rubbed his eyes as he scanned the room. He was surprised at the sudden sight of a figure in the corner of the room. The man standing in the corner of the room seemed off in some way as he stepped out of bed he asked, "Hello?"

As the shadow moved away and out through the door Willem's curiosity got the better of him, he put on some shoes and opened the heavy wooden door.

 

[Odinson]

Just as King Willem Alexander opened the door, he saw the phantom turning a corner at the end of the hallway. If Willem continued down the hallway and turned the corner, he saw the phantom looking out of one of the windows quite solemnly. Willem's perception of the ghost did not change. They were still in the dark, but he had a shimmer to him. He was an older man with white hair and was in a uniform. He appeared to be softly talking to himself in Norwegian. As Willem got closer, the phantom squinted its eyes. "Henry?.... You're not Henry. Are you?"

As Willem got closer the old phantom shook his head. "Who are you? What are you doing in my home?"

 

[Odinson]

@Dutchy

 

[Dutchy]

Willem, still rubbing at his eyes followed the unknown entity. He truly wasn't sure if he was going mad due to lack of sleep in the last few weeks or if this was some kind of practical joke being played on him. He quickly ruled out the latter, not believing that Enoch had the audacity to allow such a thing to happen.

Turning the corner he saw the figure standing by one of the grand palace windows. Walking up to what he presumed was a male he was slow to reply to the man's question. "Henry? I'm sorry I don't know of anyone by the name of Henry."

He still couldn't get his head around if he was speaking to a living being or a mere figure of his imagination, Willem continued to reply, "I am Willem, Willem-Alexander. I apologise, I was invited here by His Royal Majesty Enoch."

@Odinson

 

[Odinson]

The old phantom looked like he was confused when Willem explained himself. He shook his head and looked out the window, "There are so many here that I don't recognize..." He appeared to check a pocketwatch and looked in Willem's direction.

"The brave men at Oscarsborg only bought us so much time, the Germans will be here soon. You can come with us," he said. The old man briefly took off his cap rubbed his face, "If they're coming after us, I doubt your country will be spared, Dutchman. You best prepare." The phantom looked outside the window in contemplation for a few moments, then turned around, and started walking away. He slowly faded into nothing, and Willem felt he was alone again.

The first thing Willem would see when he turned away from the window was a painting of King Haakon VII, who had a striking resemblance to the phantom.

@Dutchy

 

[Dutchy]

Willem would remain standing there speechless as the figure disappeared. He was absolutely confused at what he had just heard, but as his mind continued to delve deep into his memory fragments of his history lessons returned. He remembered the name of Oscarborg from a battle during the Invasion of Norway in the Second World War. Yet he was unable to place it in any context of this current era.

Willem meandered back to his room, his eyes still full of sleep as he crashed back onto his soft bed. Willem was unable to sleep for the remainder of the night and took an early shower to ensure he would be presentable the following morning. Dressing in his newly tailored Norwegian uniform he made his way down to where he had been told Enoch and breakfast would be waiting.

 

[Odinson]

The uniform for Willem was delivered, on time at 5AM, by the tailor. The under-butler of the Palace, Kevin Albertsen, arrived with the tailor. "Your Majesty," he said, respectfully bowing. "My name is Albertsen, I am the under-butler for the Royal Palace, I served as His Majesty's valet for some time. I have been asked to assist you with your uniform today, if you so wish."

If so, Albertson would help the King put on his Norwegian uniform. He assisted Willem in placing the Order of St. Olav properly on his uniform, as well as Norway's newest medal for participation in "The Great Winter" which all Dutch and Norwegian troops that participated would get. Albertsen instructed King Willem on proper protocol and when to wear and not wear his cap - though this was likely identical to Dutch protocol. "I'm sure His Majesty will be happy to elaborate," he said to Willem, "but if you find yourself in an awkward situation, just know that you should salute when His Majesty salutes, stand at attention when he does... he will be your guide, Your Majesty."

If Willem had no other questions, Albertsen left the King in his full uniform, ready for the funeral. Breakfast was served in the dining quarters. He ran into Sophia and Enoch in the hall way who were also ready for breakfast. Enoch was in his kingly uniform, something that he actually did not often wear except for the most somber and/or formal occasions. He smiled at Willem and gestured for him to walk in before him, "Good morning, Willem. The chef made a Norwegian specialty for us for breakfast: smoked salmon omelets with tomato slices."

Sophia followed after Enoch. She didn't say anything, but just smiled at Willem. She was wearing a spectacular yet respectful black dress along with a red sash and a tiara. Once inside, some of the footmen pulled out their chairs and breakfast was served.

"I hope you slept well, Willem?" Enoch asked as he began cutting into his eggs. It was 6AM, so it was an early day for probably all of them. Sophia ate some of her salmon and sipped on her water, but otherwise didn't touch her food.

@Dutchy

 

[Dutchy]

Willem-Alexander walked down to the dining quarters, joining the table alongside Enoch and Sophia who he both greeted warmly, "Good morning."

"To be honest Enoch, I don't really think I can answer that question. I'm probably just a bit overwhelmed by the last few days.......but I truly believe I saw a ghost of some kind last night. Ghost in the sense of a person able to walk through doors and walls, I really have no idea what to make of it." He'd take a sip of water before continuing with a smile, "I'm sure I'll be fine when I get to sleep back in my own bed."

 

[Odinson]

Enoch frowned, and Sophia smiled. There were several moments of probably awkward silence that passed by before Sophia finally broke the ice. "Enoch doesn't believe in ghosts..."

Enoch glared at his wife, "I just... don't exactly know how to rationalize their... existence is all. But if you say you saw something, I believe you... Was it a man, or a woman?"

After that question was asked, there was a light knock on the door. A Royal Police Officer entered and said, "I beg your pardon, Your Majesties. I was told to bring this at once," he said before handing Enoch a note. The officer had been waiting outside the door for an opportune time to enter, preferably when none of them were talking. Enoch opened the note, which only had a few words on it, and then turned his attention back to Willem. The officer left as quickly as he had entered.

"Sorry about that... now back to what it looked like? And where, exactly?" Enoch said.

@Dutchy

 

[Dutchy]

""Well madam, to be honest neither do I. However I just didn't have any other way to describe what I saw." Looking to Enoch he replied, ""I can certainly not rationalise their existence."

""The.....figure was male and elderly and I believe Norwegian." He paused with the interruption of the officer from the Royal Police. While he wasn't able to read what the note said it did peak his curiosity.

"Well, I awoke to it's presence, so I do not know where it came from. It eventually left my room and continued down the hall, stood in front one of the windows and then disapeared.....or merged into a painting."

 

[Odinson]

Enoch finished his breakfast. He sat back in his chair and carefully sipped on his water as he listened to his relatively new friend tell him about his experience. Sophia glanced at Enoch for a few moments, who returned the glance, and then they both looked back at Willem. The Queen had tested her husband enough that morning, so she decided not to jab at him again. To her surprise, though, Enoch continued the conversation - briefly, at least.

"Willem... There's a number of us that have seen things in these halls before.. They've never done us any harm. Sometimes they've done nothing but made confusing statements, while other times they've been of great aid.."
Enoch wiped his mouth and folded his dinner cloth. "I'm sorry that you went through that experience... it's never happened to an outsider. I hope that you will visit us again, Willem."

Sophia, perhaps wanting to change the subject, pushed the note to Willem so that he could read it. It was of course in Norwegian. Enoch let Willem make an attempt and then explained to him, "It says, 'All is Quiet on The Eastern Front'... It's code, from Mister Holt. I submitted a formal request to him that all vehicular traffic, public and private, be suspended this morning in honor of our fallen people. It appears that he has managed to make this work, even on such short notice.. We're going to walk down Karl Johans Gate and then turn left on Kirkegata. Shortly thereafter we'll turn right and walk into Oslo Cathedral. We'll be escorting the caskets I showed you the other day, which will be on a horse-drawn carriage directly behind us. Flanking us will be the King's Guard and, by request, some Valkyries will flank the carriage itself. Numerous soldiers from the armed forces will participate. The Royal Police and the King's Guard will protect us..."

"I will be walking with Sophia to my right. You will walk behind me, and to your right will be my uncle, Prince Ingvar, who is the Chief of Defense. Behind you will be Prime Minister Holt and his wife. Uncle Ingvar will call you 'King Willem' instead of 'Your Majesty' or 'sir' or 'Willem' - he's met you once already so now that makes things different in his mind, I can't entirely explain the logic. Please don't take that as an insult... Hm what else," he pondered.

Sophia took the opportunity to chime in, "Don't be afraid to have conversation with Uncle Ingvar - just do not smile or laugh. This entire process of walking should be simple. Basically, the entire time you will be directly behind Enoch, do as he does. When we get to the cathedral...." she went on to explain exactly what they would do and how they would do it. Most of it was simple, and Enoch, Sophia, and Ingvar would be there to make sure that Willem wasn't lost.

After they were finished with their meal, Enoch stood up and Sophia stepped up to him to affectionately straighten his tie. "It's going to mean a lot to everyone that you are here for us. You're a true friend, Willem."

Downstairs, they met with Prime Minister Holt, who was wearing a black suit and black tie, and Prince Ingvar, who was wearing his full-dress military uniform along with many of the most prestigious medals that he had won as a general and as acts of bravery. The polite and friendly man in his 70s, with a full head of white hair, was perhaps the most brilliant military tactician in Scandinavia, and certainly the most honored. He was also known for being both witty and humble. The latter was shown when he bowed to Willem and said, "King Willem-Alexander, thank you for coming to Norway to pay your respects to her people. We are very grateful for you to be here." Ingvar's respect for the Norwegian monarchy and the other monarchies of Europe was without any doubt. He only shook Willem's hand if the King offered to shake.

The Prime Minister and his wife, both in black, greeted the monarchs and Prince Ingvar.
"It's been some time that we've had a funeral on this scale..." Prime Minister Holt said as diplomatically as possible, not wanting to bring bad thoughts back to Enoch's mind. "I want to remind you all - with your permission, Your Majesty - that it is going to be eerily silent at some parts of this walk. People will be crying, little children will be waving miniature flags, and you four will be giving the deceased Misses Dybdahl and her two children the highest honor any Norwegian commoner has ever received in the history of this country. All of Scandinavia will be watching this, along with much of Europe... I just thought that needed to be said."

Enoch nodded, "Yes, Mister Holt, thank you. That was well-said. I think we should keep that in mind, and try to keep it together for the sake of the people..." Enoch turned to the two King's Guard standing by the doors to the palace and nodded to them. They opened the towering doors, allowing chilly air and snow into the building. Everyone lined up, with Enoch and Sophia in the front, and then following in the order previously described. Sophia took Enoch's arm after she put on her coat, and they walked outside. In the distance, outside of the palace grounds, they could see thousands of people dressed in black watching and waiting. Before them was a black carriage. Inside the carriage was a beautiful black coffin in the center, with two small white coffins on either side of it. A Norwegian flag was draped over each coffin. An assemble of military soldiers were waiting, at attention, for the six of them. They walked past the carriage and took their place in front of it. The King's Guard took their place beside them, the Valkyries and King's Guard took their place beside the carriage, and soldiers from the other various services of Enoch's armed forces took their place. Two King's Guard were each holding a flag - one was the Royal Standard, and the other was the Norwegian flag.

The entire Royal Police had been recalled to Oslo for this funeral procession. Dozens of agents were walking with the procession, while dozens more were randomly dispersed throughout the crowd. Special agents with Kripos were also distributed throughout the crowd, mostly in black suits to match the crowd and not make their identities known. All of the police and agents were armed with their loaded sidearms. The King's Guard Battle Group was mobilized to provide sniper cover on top of several buildings, along with Kripos and the Royal Police. Metal interlocked gates were placed along the route, and uniformed Oslo Police were standing guard, watching for anyone out of site. Home Guard Rapid Reaction Forces were standing by in case anything happened, however unlikely it may be.

The soldiers, of all the branches, saluted all of them as they walked past and assumed their positions. Then, they waited for about thirty seconds until a corporal in the King's Guard marched East and then turned a quarter, and then turned a quarter again so that he was directly facing Enoch. The King's Guardsman rendered a salute, which Enoch returned. The soldier then waited for his orders.
"Corporal, forward march," Enoch ordered.

The corporal saluted Enoch again, turned several quarters, walked, and addressed the entire procession with the King's order to the soldiers, which technically included Willem. In a loud and military fashion, he shouted in Norwegian, "FORWARD MARCH!" Enoch started to walk at a comfortable yet steady pace, allowing everyone else and the carriage to follow. It took a couple of minutes for them to clear the palace gates. Once they did is when it began - the death knell. The city was so quiet that they could hear the sound of a single bell ringing from Oslo Cathedral, once every seven seconds. It slowly grew louder as they approached. Outside of the palace gates was the truly incredible site of thousands upon thousands of the people of Oslo dressed in their mourning clothes. Some were crying, others were holding small Norwegian flags, while others simply watched. Karl Johans Gate had recently had its snow removed, but since it started snowing again, there was perhaps one centimeter of it on the street now. Rarely, something was said loud enough for the six leaders to hear. Among these were: "Long live the King!", "Alt for Norge!", "We're still here, Your Majesty!". All three were in Norwegian. The third was a reference to the King's speech, specifically when he said, "I am still here." The fourth and final was in Dutch, "Lang leve de Koning!", showing that Willem was not alone in this foreign land.

As they continued down the road, men took off their hats and retired veterans in their old uniforms saluted the proceeding as it marched by. Sophia squeezed Enoch's arm as he escorted her, needing all of her strength to keep it together. Toward the end it was too much, and she started to cry as they continued to walk. At the time, everyone in the procession probably felt it was unfortunate that Sophia couldn't contain her emotions, but the site of their beautiful 22 year old Queen crying into their King's chest as they continued to march to the cathedral probably sent more of a message than the procession itself would have on its own. "The Hearts of Millions Dropped" is what the front page of Aftenposten would say that evening, with a charismatic picture of Enoch comforting Sophia on it.

As they walked through the heart of Oslo, the lack of vehicles became utterly apparent. It was here that the silence became almost overwhelming. They mustered on until they finally took a left on the road that shortly led to Oslo Cathedral. They then turned to Oslo Cathedral, which had the Preses of the Church of Norway (the head bishop, who was only outranked by the Crown), along with the Bishop of Oslo and a number of priests and alter boys. At a distance, the clergy were also guarded by Royal Police. They approached the clergy, and the procession finally stopped. Enoch briefly greeted the Preses as they unloaded the coffins. Willem would notice that Enoch firmly shook the hand of a man, dressed in a black suit, who only Willem could see from his angle had gripped Enoch's hand unusually, which appeared to momentarily surprise Enoch. "Brother Dybdahl, we are at your service," Enoch said in a gentle voice to the man. He then shook the hand of the young boy in his own small suit who appeared to be about five years old. The little boy saluted Enoch, and Enoch did the same back to him, which once again made a very powerful photo. Sophia greeted them both as well, and hugged the little boy.

Enoch, Willem, and Ingvar stood to the left of the entrance to the cathedral, while Sophia, the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister's wife stood to the right. Enoch quietly told Willem that himself, Willem, and Ingvar would render a salute and keep it until all three coffins, draped in the flag of Norway, passed them. The King's Guard and the Valkyries, with swift and perfect motions, became the pallbearers. Mister Dybdahl was the lead pallbearer for his wife's coffin - he was doing his best not to cry as he supported it with his strength. They all then entered the cathedral, which was already full of people. Key members of the Storting, local officials, military leaders, judges and justices, the influential, and commoners were all amongst the crowd, all of them Norwegian except for King Willem.

The six of them walked to the front of the cathedral, where Mister Dybdahl was standing by the coffin. The six of them paid their respects. Shortly after, they took their seats in the front pew. In a breach of protocol, Enoch asked that Mister Dybdahl be given the first seat in the pew, followed by: Enoch, Sophia, Willem, Ingvar, Holt, and Holt's wife. Willem would be able to note that while everyone in the room did not know each other, it felt as if everyone was mourning together, as if they'd known each other for ten-thousand years. Seated in the first sets of pews on the left side of the cathedral were the entire Dybdahl family, along with friends. The Preses, the Bishop of Oslo, and other clergy preceded down the aisle. Everyone stood for them, and the service began. At some point, towards the end of the short service, Enoch was invited to give the eulogy. This was all being televised, with cameras having been pre-installed into the cathedral for the event. Enoch almost gave the eulogy stoically. Keep in mind that this is not just for the Dybdahl family, but for the entire kingdom.

"We've suffered greatly..." he began, pausing for a moment. "Over one-thousand Norwegians - all civilians - have perished in these past weeks.

"We have lost relatives and friends - in one case, we lost an entire village to this storm. Despite our best efforts and the growing might of our armies, we could not fight off the frost or its bitter grip on our lives... As I've suffered my own losses, and as I'm sure you mourn for me, I mourn for you, all of you... I personally don't know why this happened, be it an act of God or an explainable phenomena, but if it can be prevented, I know that we will muster on. In the days of yore, we were faced with disunity, hostility to outsiders, and an ignorance of the outside world. Through conquest and new wisdom, we united and reformed ourselves. We began to perfect ourselves, only to be cut off by the dogs of war, ever so eager to strangle our progress. Through our undying faith and hope, we carried on the struggle. We gave no quarter to our enemies, who wished us harm, and in the end we came out victorious. Our reformations continued, and our society improved. The great struggle carries on.

"The incredible majesties of our modern time failed under the intense pressure of this winter. A period of time existed, which I myself experienced in the most secure building in this kingdom, in which no forms of electrical or radio communication were taking place. It was at that time, in those darkest hours, that the entire world looked north and asked, 'Are we alone now?'...

"As the skies began to clear, and the Dutch braved the treacherous seas, we answered the question. We are here, and so shall we remain..."

Enoch looked over the crowded cathedral, and finally rested his eyes on Mister Dybdahl. "Our resolve is still questioned by this..." he said, as he held out his hands towards the coffins.

"The most tragic story of this winter... Mister Dybdahl and Master Dybdahl, you honor Norway by allowing us to pay respect to your family, and the kingdom at the same time. We will forever remember them: Misses Sunniva Dybdahl, Oddvar Dybdahl, Mina Dybdahl, and the other thousand lives lost. Their story..." It took everything Enoch had to not apologize. The guilt he felt... it simply couldn't be described.

"Their story on Earth ended in tragedy... but their story continues in heaven, among God and his angels... For the fallen people of Norway, and for the Dybdahl family, let's offer the lord's prayer..." Enoch led the cathedral in the Lord's Prayer. He then concluded afterwards.

"I know not what is in store for us now, but I do know that we are beyond this storm. The only silver-lining this winter can have is what we make of it. When you question taking part in an act of kindness, remember this storm. When you default to judgement on your neighbor, remember this storm. When you consider gossiping about your friend, remember this storm... Incredible acts, beyond anything I ever saw, were brought forth by this winter. I love Norway with all my heart... this was the Norway I know..." Enoch was starting to crack up at this point. He gripped the pulpit before him tightly and looked down momentarily to hide his face, it was obvious he was on the verge of crying. He looked back up, just able to control his emotions, "I beg of you not to forget it."

He walked back down to the first pew, and sat next to Sophia. They grabbed each other's hands, and he squeezed hers tightly as he tried to control himself. The service went on for ten more minutes until it was concluded. The bodies of Misses Dybdahl and her two children were permitted to lay-in-state in the Cathedral, and were to be guarded by the King's Guard and the Valkyries. A picture later leaked that night of Mister Dybdahl sleeping on the ground with a blanket and pillow next to his family's coffins, refusing to leave their side.

Enoch and Sophia, both emotionally drained, left the cathedral after everyone else did. They only stopped to console Mister Dybdahl and his only remaining son again. Despite his loss, Mister Dybdahl was incredibly gracious and thankful for such an honor for his family - he indeed was one of the last people on the planet that deserved such a fate. After learning that he was only a carpenter, Enoch later ordered that the Royal Treasury cover the costs of the final funeral and burials, wherever they may be.

With the funeral being concluded, Enoch, Sophia, and Willem took the King's motorcade back to the Royal Palace. With what remained of the King's humor, Enoch said, "Maybe we should take a rest and reconvene for lunch.." as they disembarked at the palace. Ingvar was happy to keep Willem company, or he was permitted to go rest in his chambers as well and perhaps change back into his military fatigues for his journey home. After lunch, Enoch, Sophia, and Ingvar bid Willem farewlle; Enoch with a thankful handshake, and Sophia with a warm embrace, and Ingvar with a respectful bow. Be it clever political maneuvering or a true act of respect, one could not question the incredible geopolitical impact Willem's presence had in Norway those two days. Before he left for the airport, Enoch handed Willem a small envelope that had a wax royal seal on it.

"Open it once you're flying," Enoch quietly ordered to his new admiral.

The Royal Police and King's Guard, fully armed and equipped for virtually any security scenario, took Willem in one of Enoch's motorcades to Oslo International Airport so that King Willem could fly his aircraft home. Once at the airport, Willem was safely brought to a terminal that was entirely closed off to just him and those guarding him. His co-pilot was preparing his aircraft to fly back, which would be ready in twenty minutes. During this time, two men in grey suits approached the first layer of security and made it through. The Royal Police Officer who had been assigned to be Willem's body-man (meaning that he was to take a bullet for the King, if necessary) heard a clear transmission over his radio and said, "What?" in Norwegian.

The two men in grey suits walked up to King Willem and the Royal Police Officer. One was older, with greying hair and a lightly wrinkled face, while the other was younger, perhaps in his mid-thirties.

"Your Majesty," the older one said. They both bowed momentarily. Afterwards, the older of the two pulled out a beautiful golden badge that had a detailed lighthouse on it, with a beam shining forward. It had Norwegian writings on it, with some mention of a lighthouse. The younger man, instead of just showing a badge, also showed his I.D. which indicated that he was a Norwegian special agent.

The older one spoke up. "I am special agent Herman Norgard, and this is special agent Torstein Olsen. We're with the Royal Lighthouse Authority. I understand that you've had a long week, sir. We have an ongoing investigation, and we thought that there might be a slight chance that you may be able to help. If you could spare a few minutes, sir, His Majesty's government would greatly appreciate it."

Willem's Royal Police Officer, who had been assigned as his body-man, got into a short argument in Norwegian with the two. Finally, the younger special agent spoke up and said to Willem in Dutch. "Your Majesty, it will take ten minutes at most."

::::::::::::::::::::

If Willem agreed, the two agents in grey suits escorted the King to a nearby private meeting room. The older of the two made sure that he and his apparent apprentice only sat after the King did. "I will do my best to keep this brief as promised, Your Majesty. Everything you tell us here will be top secret, and will only be recorded by what we write down. Agent Olsen and I have an ongoing investigation taking place in downtown Oslo. We have suspicions that our investigation should go further, into His Majesty's Palace, but we wouldn't want to bother the King or Queen if it isn't necessary... Sir, we understand that you stayed the night at the Royal Palace. Could you tell us if you saw or heard or even felt anything unusual at all? Even... even if it's something that you can't explain?"

They both waited for an answer. Agent Olsen would do his best to transcribe anything said by the King, while Agent Norgard seemed to be more interested with looking the King in the eye.

@Dutchy

 

[Dutchy]

"Don't worry about it, it's probably just me hallucinating," Willem said with a smile as he responded to Enoch. He listened carefully as the Norwegian pair began explaining to him the protocol of the day. Most Willem was already antiquated with as the monarch who had to lead the remembrance of those who had died during the Dutch Civil War and those who died following the Iranian attack on Rotterdam.

He followed the pair downstairs where he greeted both Prime Minister Holt, who he congratulated on his electoral victory, and Prince Ingvar with a firm handshake. He then followed to take his place within the group as they began moving outside. The entire service felt like a flash to Willem. He felt so much from the people around him, Willem remained silent and played his role in the ceremony as a foreign friend who came to pay his respects.

As his time in Norway had come to an end he took his time to say his goodbye's to the many new friends he had made during his stay. Taking the letter he would pocket it for safekeeping, being sure to make a mental reminder to open it in the future. He reserved his final farewell for Enoch himself, "stay safe my good friend, and until next time where I hope to welcome you to my home."

::::::::::::::::::::

His two Royal Guardsman took back the task of protecting Willem from the Norwegian authorities as they escorted him back to the airport where this adventure had all began. Willem looked up with a hint of curiosity on his face to the two men who stood in front of him. Willem replied in Dutch, "I don't know how I could help you, but I have a few minutes to spare." He gestured for them to lead the way as he followed the two men with his own Guardsmen flanking his side.

"Well, yes I did spend the night at the Royal Palace as a gracious guest to His Majesty. However, I don't believe I have any information in regards to lighthouses. What exactly are you gentlemen investigating?"

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@Odinson​

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[Odinson]

Agent Olsen looked at Agent Norgand who briefly considered what he was going to say. "The Royal Lighthouse Authority does investigate crimes done at lighthouses, offshore, and Ministry of Coastal Affairs properties... Officially, that is all that we investigate.. Unofficially, we also investigate various cold-cases and unexplained.. phenomena. Anything from mass-disappearances or lost civilians in our national parks, to unexplainable sightings of.. things around the country. This specific case has to do with an uptick of sightings, or possibly hallucinations, of... apparitions. Regardless of the likelihood of that, our job is to see if any leads can be found. We were wondering if you, in particular, saw anything unusual last night or early this morning?"

@Dutchy

 

[Dutchy]

"I wasn't aware that Norway had an agency which had the mandate to investigate such occurrences." He proceeded hesitantly, "I do however have one occurrence which you might be interested in. While residing at the Royal Palace I experienced something I haven't experienced before."

"I awoke at night and I can only explain it as if I saw a hallucination, a figure stood before me before though said nothing before leaving the room through the door, and when I say through I mean through like a ghost. I can't really explain it any further as I simply don't understand it myself."

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@Odinson​

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