Chapter Thirteen #2
King Sven declared loudly, ‘Open your gates, or face retribution. It is clear Skadi has been forced into this alliance. Once I have spoken with the other petty Kings, they will join with me to take it back. Save yourself bloodshed now and surrender!’
‘My Queen asked where the rest of her ships were. Why do you not answer?’ asked Agnar with a bored expression.
King Sven shrugged. ‘Oddmund was sent to tell you of Heimdall’s death by the Usurper—it is a shame you did not heed his warnings. The rest of Heimdall’s men are with me, ready to avenge their master and liberate Thrudheim from Agnar’s clutches!’
Agnar had the audacity to chuckle. ‘It is well known that I was the one originally betrothed to Queen Skadi. It is also known that I openly challenged him for my birthright. Do you honestly think the petty Kings will support you in attacking Thrudheim now? I do not. In fact, I suspect they will be grateful to no longer have to deal with you when trading for Thrudheim silver.’
King Sven stiffened, but then his eyes narrowed. ‘King Olaf will live to regret his alliance with you, Rus scum!’
Agnar shrugged, but did not answer.
For the first time, King Sven turned towards Skadi and said coldly, ‘You should never have let him in! He will kill you and your daughter before the end of the month and replace you with a Rus princess. I am aware, Agnar, of the other match presented to you! You could have had a young and fertile Rus princess…’ he glanced at Skadi and gave a dismissive snort ‘…but instead you chose—’
Agnar stepped forward, his hand braced on the top of his throwing axe and shouted, ‘Enough!’
The guards on either side bristled and placed their hands on the pommels of their swords.
But Agnar was not done and he glared at King Sven, before snapping, ‘You have denied me for too many years as it is! I am married to Queen Skadi, I am the King of Thrudheim and I accept Princess Astra as my heir.’
King Sven’s gaze had not shifted from Skadi and she knew he saw the doubt and fear in her eyes, because his voice softened to a serpent-like persuasive tone, ‘We spoke about a betrothal for Astra. Consider her safety, as well as the upcoming winter without my grain… If she leaves with me, she will be safe.’
Skadi’s fists clenched and unclenched. She could not trust either man.
This was the first time she had heard about a Rus princess and she began to worry about what that could mean for herself and Astra.
Agnar had not denied it, but then, would Astra be safe with Sven?
She doubted it… She would be his hostage and a way for Sven to reclaim the throne of Thrudheim at a later date.
‘My daughter remains with me until it is her time to wear the crown. She will remain on this island and rule it, as I have done, and as all her ancestors have done before her.’
‘A kingdom requires a king to rule it!’
Agnar replied coldly, ‘This kingdom has one. Perhaps you should return to yours?’
King Sven gave a disgruntled huff and turned away with a parting hiss to Skadi, ‘You will regret this!’
He left with a swish of his cloak and the clatter of his armoured guards hurrying after him.
Skadi still wasn’t sure if she’d just snubbed the only man left who could possibly help her. But she could not waste time regretting her decision, so she turned on her heel and left.
Hating all men and their selfish plans.
* * *
Vali came to stand beside Agnar as he watched King Sven’s longship row out of Thrudheim’s harbour to rejoin his fleet.
‘Did you count them?’ Agnar asked quietly.
‘Yes, we outnumber him. But I will wait for the man we sent to higher ground to confirm if any were hidden from view.’
‘I doubt it. He wanted to show his fleet. He hoped to intimidate me, but King Olaf’s support has now been confirmed to him. He will not attack openly… At least not yet.’
‘What are your orders?’ Vali asked, his eyes squinting into the distance as the fleet sailed eastwards.
‘Keep a close watch on Astra and her handmaid. King Sven wants Skadi to give her up to him… Be sure she doesn’t.’
‘Do you think she will let her go to him willingly?’
Agnar shrugged, turning away and walking back through the gate, Vali following close behind. ‘I doubt it. But there may be men and women loyal to King Sven here. Keep an eye on that Oddmund, too… I do not trust anyone Sven knows by name. Especially one I have heard nothing of until now.’
They made their way through the smaller door of the gate and, with a silent nod from Agnar, it was barred and locked.
It seemed Skadi hadn’t made it that far back to the hall, as she was now speaking with a woman on the wide cart road that led to the market.
‘Who is she speaking with?’ asked Agnar curiously and Vali peered at the woman before answering.
‘Hmmm, I believe her name is Bodil and she runs the brothel. Their tavern also supplies the ale for the hall—I’ve seen her delivering it.’
‘Why would she be speaking with a light-skirt?’
‘Perhaps, she’s getting tips on how to please you?’ Vali said with a mischievous wink, which soured under Agnar’s glare of disapproval.
‘No? Well… I suspect the girl is giving her information about us.’ Vali shrugged. ‘A lot of our men have been spending time there. A couple had the wit to notice the ladies were very interested in where we’ve come from and why.’
‘I presume they told the truth.’
Vali nodded. ‘They were under no orders to do otherwise. She will be telling your Queen that half of your army is Rus and the other are King Olaf’s men, just as I imagine you have already told her.
’ He turned a little, a curious look on his face.
‘Should they have said otherwise? It is not as if King Olaf wants his men returned quickly.’
‘No, King Olaf wants assurances Thrudheim is secure from Sven before I return his men,’ Agnar replied and they continued onwards, passing the Queen just as she said goodbye to the young woman.
‘Thank you, more ale would be most welcome, Bodil. Especially with the Yule festival fast approaching.’
Skadi fell into step beside him, which surprised him far more than the feigned request for more ale to be delivered. She asked quietly, ‘Who is the Rus Princess Sven mentioned?’
Agnar smiled, amused that she would be immediately threatened by Sven’s words. The man was a serpent who liked to twist and manipulate all around him. ‘Princess Irina is one of my distant cousins. She will probably marry a prince—her father wishes to strengthen his links to the Byzantine empire.’
Skadi sniffed the air, as if she smelt something foul. ‘King Sven seems to think otherwise.’
Agnar stopped walking, gripped her arm, turned her to face him and looked her in the eye. ‘Even now you trust his word over mine?’
She blinked, then jerked out of his hold. ‘Even now? When have you ever given me cause to trust you?’
‘How about when Sven decided you were no longer Queen of Thrudheim? Did that not strike you as odd?’
She stiffened and he could tell that his words had struck true.
He began walking again and she joined him, matching him step for step.
‘He has never considered you anything more than Heimdall’s wife.
Here you have the security of your bloodline and the respect and loyalty of your people.
’ He tipped his head to the side, gesturing at the gates behind them.
‘But out there… Nobody respects that. They believe you are a vassal of King Sven, a puppet for his amusement. Your only purpose is to ensure the smooth delivery of his silver. Your alliance with him is now broken—there will be no grain, support, or security from him.’
‘You are wrong! We have dealt with Sven for many years, but I am no puppet! He will come around eventually,’ Skadi replied, the colour high on her cheeks. She was obviously struggling to accept the truth of his words.
‘You think so? When he comes to your shores with a fleet and makes it clear he disapproves of your marriage to me?’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘I disapprove of our marriage! And how are you any different to Sven? You also want to control me, to make me your puppet! If what you say is true, then I am simply replacing one tyrant for another!’ She strode away, lifting her skirts above the muddy path and walking at quick pace up the hill towards the great hall in the distance.
Vali, always the fountain of wisdom, commented sagely, ‘She still doesn’t like you very much. Shall I ask the whore to give you some tips?’
Agnar almost choked on his outrage. ‘We have been friends for many years, Vali. But if you overstep like that again, I will beat you senseless.’
Vali gave an infuriatingly thoughtful nod, as if Agnar hadn’t just threatened him.
‘Ahh, so that is the way of it—you wish to break her in gently.’ Agnar was about to throttle him when he added, ‘But that might not be the wisest course. In fact, bedding her well might help her feel more secure in her position and help you gain her trust.’
Agnar stared at his friend, wondering if the man had lost all of his wits. ‘How?’
Vali gave him a sly teasing smile. ‘Well, she’s an experienced, mature woman and you are a man in his prime—if a little inexperienced in the art of love.
If you please her, she might forget her grievances against you and give you peace.
A happy wife leads to a happy life…or so my father used to say. ’
Agnar was one step away from ripping off Vali’s head and kicking it over the battlements—their years of friendship be damned! ‘Say that again and I will rip out your tongue.’
‘And…’ Vali added cautiously, taking a couple of steps to the side so he was out of Agnar’s reach, ‘if you fill her belly with another child, she will know she is safe.’
Agnar rolled his eyes. ‘Idiot! She is afraid for her eldest child.’ He thought of the herbalists with all of her potions. ‘She will not give me another willingly—for fear of disinheriting the first.’
Vali spoke as if he’d not heard him, ‘Make sure you keep trying until she bears a boy. Surely, if she’d given Heimdall a son, he would have become heir over Astra.’
‘She doesn’t want any more children.’ Agnar wasn’t entirely sure why he was allowing this conversation to continue, but as they climbed the path towards the hall, he found himself desperate for guidance.
He’d planned everything to ensure his successful claiming of Thrudheim, but he’d not thought much past achieving his goal.
‘Why not?’ Vali asked, confused.
‘She is ten years older than me.’
‘Is she? She doesn’t look it,’ said Vali. ‘I mean…you look older than her.’
Agnar couldn’t argue with that. ‘Unlike me, she has lived a pampered life. She knows nothing of true hardship.’
Vali for once didn’t tease or laugh at him. ‘I remember when you first came to Aldeigja, my father presumed you were escaped thralls at first, you looked so wretched and wild… At least until your mother spoke to him.’
‘And?’ asked Agnar, confused as to why Vali would mention it. Vali’s father had been the chieftain of the Rus trading town. A man sworn to his mother’s royal family.
‘You must have thought I was pampered,’ said Vali thoughtfully. ‘The third son, without a scratch or hair on his chin. And, there you were, with your wolf cloak and wild ways.’
His wild ways were an understatement—Agnar had been almost feral by the time they’d reached Aldeigja.
After struggling to survive for so long, he’d learned to hunt and move like a wolf.
The journey back to his mother’s homeland had been brutal and his mother had been so broken by it that she’d died shortly after their arrival.
Agnar gave a guttural huff of acknowledgement. ‘I remember you following me around like a noisy shadow, scaring all the prey away… What of it?’
Vali shrugged. ‘Only that some things are beyond our control. Both the good and the bad. I saw how you were and I knew that, if I followed you, I would find adventure and excitement—which I did.’
‘And?’
‘Sometimes happiness is a choice. You should try being happy.’
Agnar stared at his friend, then thumped him in the arm. ‘You are an idiot!’
Vali grinned. ‘But I am a happy idiot!’