Chapter Thirteen
Sven’s fleet was spotted just after midday, the yellow-and-black sail matching the egg-yolk sun spilling golden rays across the cold sea. The unseasonably good weather was an auspicious arrival for what Skadi hoped would be her saviour.
She had heard of his arrival from her flock of spies and rushed to the battlements, climbing the ladder two steps at a time to reach the top. Unfortunately, her enemy-husband had also been made aware and was currently scowling at the ships that sailed not far from the mainland.
‘Open the gates!’ snapped Skadi, slightly out of breath by the time she reached him. There was no point ordering the warriors at the gate, as they were Agnar’s men and not her own. None of the men guarding the battlements were hers and she was rattled to see so many unfamiliar faces.
‘No,’ said Agnar, scowling at the horizon and barely glancing at her as she approached. Only infuriating her further.
‘Whatever your feelings towards King Sven, he still has an alliance with Thrudheim. An important one! We sell a good portion of our silver to King Sven. In return we receive trade links, security and, most importantly, grain. Without him, we would starve… Winter is almost here. Do not be a fool!’
‘For too long you have relied on him for your safety and comfort.’
She gritted her teeth and tried to remain calm. ‘That’s because he ensures it!’
‘Not for much longer,’ Agnar grunted, turning away from her as if he were about to climb down the steps. She grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving and he stilled, but only to stare down at the way she clutched his sleeve.
‘Whatever your grievances with Sven, you cannot ignore him.’ She glanced back at the sea and squinted into the light, gesturing with her other hand in exasperation. ‘See!’
Slowly, Agnar raised his eyes from the sight of her clutching his arm to the distance, then he shrugged off her touch with a bad-tempered huff. ‘One longship is coming. The rest remain where they are. He thinks to negotiate.’
She tried to ignore the pinch of embarrassment when he shrugged her hand off.
Was she truly so awful to him? Was that the real reason he had avoided bedding her?
She bristled at her insecurities; she was no longer a young woman affected by the fickle nature of men.
Why should she care if he did not desire her?
She should be thinking about how best to get rid of him!
An unwelcome thought suddenly struck her…
What if he wished to get rid of her first?
Was that why he did not want to bed her?
In case he inadvertently killed a potential heir?
She had been so busy considering how to make herself a widow, she hadn’t thought that he might feel the same way towards her.
She’d only worried about Astra, but perhaps hurting her daughter was not his intention after all?
A young princess would be far easier to manipulate than a grown woman—she knew that well enough.
Did he want to kill Skadi and then use Astra as his puppet?
But then, why had he not killed her already? Yes, he’d needed her to open the gates of Thrudheim to his army. But after that…he could have easily killed her on their wedding night, especially when she had tried to kill him.
But he hadn’t. Am I the one at fault?
She blinked, shaking off the thought. Agnar had no right to claim her hand and kingdom. Straightening her spine and trying to appear larger, she blocked his view of Sven by moving to stand in front of him, although she wasn’t quite as tall as Agnar…few were.
Absently, she realised, he looked…better today.
His long hair had been combed, half of it pulled into a knot at the back of his head to keep it out of his eyes, the rest flowing down his leather armour like black silk.
It highlighted his square jaw and piercing green eyes, which seemed more rested than the previous day.
She bristled at her foolish thoughts. Why should she care?
‘Good,’ she said, ‘Negotiation would be the best for everyone. He might offer you a better solution than demanding Thrudheim’s throne.’
Agnar met her eyes with a bored expression. ‘We are married. Nothing can change that.’
Your death can…or mine, she thought grimly, not liking the deceitful prospect of either.
But, of course, Skadi didn’t say that, or even remind him that divorce was also a possibility.
Why bother? A king was more likely to take another wife than divorce an old one…
Would Agnar do that? She would definitely kill him then.
‘Let us welcome him with a meal and discuss what steps to take to ensure a peaceful future for all. Surely you realise Thrudheim cannot thrive in isolation and we need King Sven.’
Agnar began to climb down the ladder. ‘I will not break bread with him and he will not enter Thrudheim. I will speak with him at the gate, as I would any other aggressor who thinks to visit with a fleet.’
Skadi hurried down the ladder, half-afraid that he would leave without her.
‘He had the same number of ships with him when he stopped here on his way to raid the Saxons. It is hardly an act of aggression, simply a friend and neighbour checking to see that I am well. I will remind you that I did not open my gates or agree to marry you willingly! Of course, he will be concerned about Thrudheim, as am I!’
She’d had to use her longest and quickest strides to keep pace with him and she was startled when he stopped walking to face her. ‘You should not come with me.’
Crossing her arms, she said firmly, ‘I will! Do you think Sven will be appeased without seeing that I am safe and well?’
‘I do not care whether he is appeased or not.’
Fury swept through her like a wave of flames and she lifted her chin higher before declaring, ‘I will join you, or you will have to drag me away by force!’
With a roll of his eyes, he continued on and she was pleased when he didn’t argue with her further. She was even a little pleased with herself when she was able to match him step for step towards the huge gates.
Oddmund began to walk a few steps behind her and she was glad of his support, although she’d not seen him since the night of the attack and wondered if he’d been kept from her by Agnar and his men. She would not have been surprised if he had.
Agnar nodded to his men and they unbarred the smaller door set into the huge oak doors. He strode through seemingly unconcerned and she quickly followed with a small guard, all of whom were Agnar’s men, apart from Oddmund.
King Sven’s ship had rowed up to one of the jetties and a gangplank lowered on to the wooden boards with a bang.
King Sven strode from his longship like a barrel on stick legs.
He had dirty-blond hair that he lightened with lye, which was pulled back at the top into a short braid and shaven beneath.
The gold crown encircling his head shone brightly in the light, as did his silk-trimmed tunic and fur-lined cloak that seemed to swamp his thin lower body.
She’d always found the Danish King a peculiarly shaped man, but she composed her features to greet him in her usual polite and friendly manner. It was strange to think that the wolf beside her was related to him—the only likeness between them was the intelligent green eyes of their father.
King Sven wasn’t known for his skills as a warrior, although he was a strong sailor and he was unmatched as a tactician.
He’d won most of his battles from the safety of his war tent.
He was followed by several burly warriors who, in contrast, looked as if they’d fought in many wars and lived to tell the tale.
‘Greetings, King Sven, I hope your raids were a success,’ she called out, hoping to slow the King who was striding towards them with a severe expression on his face.
Agnar and Sven looked at her as if she had decided to lift her skirts and dance in front of them. But it was King Sven who spoke first.
‘What is the meaning of this, Agnar?’
‘King Agnar,’ barked Vali, from the side.
Skadi had learned the redheaded warrior’s name from Brenna, who still held a deep and understandable dislike of Agnar’s second.
Skadi didn’t like him, either, he was Agnar’s most obedient dog.
She wondered how best to remove him as a threat…
perhaps Bodil’s butterflies could help? Most men had a weakness…
She stared at King Sven as he approached. She had always known his weakness…greed. But she had been able to manage it in the past, had even used it to her advantage at times.
King Sven didn’t even blink at Agnar’s title, so their marriage had not come as a surprise.
A prick of awareness ran down her spine, although she wasn’t sure why. After Agnar’s attack on Heimdall, it was obvious that he would seek Thrudheim’s crown and the easiest way to do that would be through marrying her.
Still…why had Sven not come to her defence earlier?
King Sven’s top lip curled with disgust. ‘Marrying the man who killed your husband is unseemly of you, Skadi.’
Skadi clenched her fists. Was that all he had to say to her? A condemnation?
‘Queen Skadi,’ Agnar interrupted with a deadly expression that made King Sven grit his teeth.
It surprised her to hear Agnar defend her honour. But perhaps it was only to assert his authority as Thrudheim’s ruler? She had no idea what Agnar’s weakness was and that frightened her.
‘I had very little choice in the matter,’ Skadi said, all smiles gone. ‘Especially without my men or further aid. Oddmund tells me only one of Heimdall’s ships could return. Why is that?’
King Sven pointedly ignored her, his eyes fixed on Agnar, and she remembered how often he had spoken to Heimdall over her as well. She’d always thought it was because they were friends, but now she realised the truth of it. He had never respected her in the same way.