December, AD 875.
Frode and Ineu formally signed the peace treaty.
For the time being, Ineu had no intention of abandoning the nomadic way of life. Frode did not force the issue. He believed that once the Jute Khanate recognized the advantages of agriculture, they would eventually make that choice themselves.
Thus, the Empire's eastern frontier was finally established.
East of the Visegrád Mountains lay eight semi-nomadic, semi-settled vassal tribes, forming the first line of defence.
The Visegrád Mountains themselves served as the second line, with mountain passes guarded by fortresses manned by the Pannonian Border Army.
On the western plains, the military camps built during the campaign were granted to lesser nobles, becoming the third defensive line.
Frode ordered stone keeps to be constructed within every camp.
Each keep possessed walls seven metres high and four metres thick.
Should the nomads ever break through the first two defensive belts, these petty lords would undoubtedly fight to the last man to protect their own lands.
Beyond the third line lay the true heartland of Pannonia:
Brno and Vindobona (Vienna).
Frode felt he had done everything that could reasonably be done.
Before returning home, Frode drafted the list of officers to be rewarded.
Although Gregor was the nominal King of Pannonia, he had yet to be crowned. The authority to bestow titles still rested entirely with the Emperor.
As long as the list reached Vig, there was a ninety percent chance it would be approved unchanged.
At that moment, Leif arrived carrying a report.
He quickly noticed his own name among the recipients.
"You're really giving me another county?"
Frode nodded.
"Pannonia has land to spare."
"Giving away a little more doesn't matter."
"The other senior officers will receive estates as well—counties, baronies, whatever they deserve."
"Father always says the mountains of Central Europe are rich in mineral deposits."
"If you're lucky, your new territory might even contain a coal mine, an iron mine, or a copper deposit."
Leif was already extremely wealthy and paid little attention to his latest estate.
Between his holdings in the Canary Islands, western Francia, and now Pannonia, he possessed three counties.
He couldn't possibly manage them all personally.
Instead, he entrusted them to subordinate vassals, collecting only a modest share of their profits.
April, AD 876.
The three defensive lines were largely complete.
Leaving part of the army to garrison the frontier, Frode led the main force home.
A year had passed.
Little had changed in East Francia.
Dense forests still lined both banks of the Elbe.
Occasionally a settlement appeared, its watchtower flying the banner of some noble family.
The inland flotilla drifted downstream until reaching Hamburg at the mouth of the Elbe.
There, the expeditionary army transferred onto seagoing vessels before sailing west along the coast.
In early May, the fleet arrived at Calais.
During a brief stop, the Crown Prince questioned the governor about local conditions.
Because of its strategic importance, Calais received close attention from the Cabinet.
Its security situation was noticeably better than that of the other nineteen directly governed counties.
Since the previous year, there had been virtually no uprisings.
The local population had gradually shifted from outright hostility to cold indifference.
Given another decade, the county would likely resemble Britain itself.
Having spent years administering government affairs, Frode knew such changes required patience.
After carefully reading reports from every town, he found everything progressing according to expectations.
10 May.
The fleet returned to the Thames.
The Cabinet celebrated the army's return with another grand triumph.
The Crown Prince's golden carriage passed beneath the recently completed Triumphal Arch.
Constructed from white marble, it was crowned by a bronze statue of the Emperor driving a victorious chariot.
Its walls were covered in relief carvings depicting every campaign of Vig's reign.
Marching behind the carriage came the soldiers...
...their trophies...
...and the wives and children of Borsho.
Following the Emperor's decision, they would live within one of the Empire's temples.
Should the new Khagan ever violate the treaty, the Empire would simply support one of Borsho's heirs and plunge the Khanate into another civil war.
The triumph continued through the capital's main avenues.
Londinium had expanded rapidly.
Its permanent population now exceeded eighty thousand, making it the second-largest city in Europe, surpassed only by Constantinople.
When the ceremony ended, Frode returned to the palace.
As expected...
His father summoned him to the study.
Vig briefly questioned him about the decisive battle.
He appeared pleased with both Frode's and Leif's decisions.
"When commanding an army, the greatest mistake is overestimating your own abilities."
"You and Leif remained cautious."
"That's enough."
"Our military is already stronger than anyone else's."
"As long as we proceed carefully, our enemies have no chance to turn the tables."
After a pause, he asked another question.
"What do you think the Empire should do over the next twenty years?"
Frode stood silently by the window for a long time before answering.
"Maintain peace."
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