Chapter 150: Inflection Point

### Story Date

Saturday, 15 October, AD 1043/6552 ε.Κ/8 Rabi’ al-Awwal 435 AH/8 Yang-Yue Huangyou Era Year 1/8 Gormánuður ÅrO -1/8 Cheshvan AM 4804

## Appearances

### Locations

Berk
Constantinople
London
Selymbria
Suez
Vedrarfjord
Paris

*In most historical analyses, the Old Kingdom of Francia lasted from 843 AD, with the Treaty of Verdun which divided the Carolingian Empire into Western, Middle and Eastern Francia, to 1053 AD, with the final partitioning and annexations of Francia’s former territory into its successor states. While Francia had been politically unstable for decades, with a weak kingship and strong feudal lords competing and fighting one another over their personal fiefdoms, it was still a single polity.*

*This ended in 1043 AD, with the actions of King Henry of the Capet dynasty, and the subsequent reactions by his feudal vassals, with the duchies of Normandy and Brittany joining the Kingdom of Berk, and the Duchy of Aquitania and the County of Tolosa declaring full independence and allying with the northern Castilian kingdoms. The remainder of the kingdom limped on until being annexed by the Holy Roman Empire a decade later…*

*—A History of Old Francia, 1432, Oxford Press*

## Synopsis

* Stoick reviews the treaty he plans to offer to Henry of the Capets.
* Camilla informs Stoick that she's resigning from the position of Berk's treasurer, citing her inability to handle the stress. On Wulfhild's advice, she recommends Padraig as her replacement.
* Sigurd sees his mother Serena and his siblings Snitwit and Snotpout for the first time in years and they catch up.
* Macarius asks the monks of his monastery whether dragons have souls, which starts a debate among them.
* Sigurd informs Serena that in addition to Sophia, they are both in a polycule with Heidrun and Gunnar.
* Stoick appoints Astrid and Wulfhild co-regents while he sees Henry of the Capets and is unavailable.
* Hiccup and Sigurd have a brief encounter before Sigurd leaves, saying he cannot have their talk yet.
* Mulan's expedition arrives at the Port of Suez.
* The people of Vedrarfjord hold a farewell party for Padraig as he prepares to take the position of Berk's Treasurer.
* As Stoick and an honor guard arrive at Paris, King Henry unleashes his ambush. Several of Stoick's party are killed and the rest flee. Injured, Stoick drops the treaty they planned to offer which Henry's marshal finds and gives to him. The terms shock Henry as it proves his ambush was done against a man coming in peace and the depths of his costly error sinks in.

## Characters

### Humans

* Stoick the Vast
* Esther bat Rivkah clan Haddock
* Wulfhild of Norway
* Asta Rhonda Hiccupsdóttir
* Cami Berthasdóttir
* Eret Eretsson
* Sigurd Spiteloutsson
* Sophia Makris
* Gunnar Bræsisson
* Heidrun Hallvarsdóttir
* Theodora Porphyrogenita
* Serena Hamishsdóttir
* Ruffnut Thicknutsdóttir
* Snitwit Spiteloutsdóttir
* Snotpout Spiteloutsson
* Demetrius Pachis
* Macarius
* Brother Periklis (first appearance)
* Brother Anargyros (first appearance)
* Hiccup clan Haddock
* Dagur mac Oswald
* Boarguts Sheepwitsson
* Folarin
* Astrid Hákonsdóttir clan Haddock
* Valka Zephyr Hiccupsdóttir
* Fa Mulan
* Naphtali the Radhanite
* Li Shang
* Chien-Po
* Ling
* Malachi
* Mala
* Fintan mac Ionatan
* Pádraig mac Bran
* Éimhín mac Naomh
* Niall mac Naomh
* Treasach
* King Henry of the Capets

### Dragons

* Hookfang
* Toothless
* Serena's dragon
* Thornado (last appearance)

## Analysis

### Epigraph Tie-In

* The epigraph mentions that King Henry's actions destroyed his own kingdom. The chapter shows that that action is attacking King Stoick in an ambush on the assumption Stoick would give an insultingly poor settlement when in fact he came with a genuinely generous offer.

### Other

* King Henry provides a contrast to the other leaders who went against Berk. Harthacnut, Mac Bethad and Henry the Sinister all died believing they were in the right. Henry of the Capets however has indisputable proof that he was in the wrong and has to live with the consequences of his error.