Honour is All by Marianne Whiting

Author:Marianne Whiting
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Accent Press
Published: 2017-08-24T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Divided Loyalties

April 951

‘But she shall not marry a son of mine, never!’ I finished telling Ragnar about last year’s events. He had returned as winter gave way to spring and I hoped against hope that this time he would stay for good.

‘Well, Kveldulf is old enough to decide for himself,’ he said. ‘Although I suppose this is the last place he’d come looking for her so you may get your way about that after all.’

‘Do you know where he is?’ I whispered my voice choked with tears.

‘If I knew, which I don’t, I would only tell you so you could allow him to see the girl.’

‘What!’

‘He should get to know her better. He may find he doesn’t want to marry her, especially if he were allowed to. He’s his mother’s son. Ouch, don’t hit me there, it’s an old scar! Sigrid, little Shieldmaiden, don’t cry, come here.’

Eysten Mordson arrived from Keskadale with a small retinue. He had with him some fine cloth and soft skins. It was not necessary for him to bring gifts; he was an old enough friend to just visit. I sensed he had a purpose this time. And it turned out not all the gifts were for me and Ragnar.

‘Sigrid, would you permit me to gift this neck-chain to Ylva?’ Eysten stuttered red-faced. I managed to hide my surprise and smile my consent.

Eysten was long past the age when a man of wealth and good reputation should have married. His father had been a Lawman and one of the richest men in the area. Eysten was the only surviving of five brothers and the sole heir. Many an ambitious father of daughters had visited and befriended him but still he’d remained single. I reflected that he had been a frequent visitor to my booth at the Thing as well as to Becklund. So this was the reason, friendship with me and Ragnar but also Ylva. I understood his tardiness in approaching her. She was not a suitable bride at all. Apart from being a sworn warrior, she came from a humble family and had no prospect of the kind of dowry he could expect.

‘But Sigrid,’ he said, ‘I look around and see much misery from the marriages where gold and status have decided and where parents have arranged for their children. My step-mother was made to marry my father who was old enough to be her father too. I don’t, like everyone else, blame her for forming an attachment to my brother. And look at them now. He’s dead and she’s dishonoured and will never marry again. And then there’s you, you were made to marry Kjeld’s brother. With all respect, your parents did wrong and Hauk Gunnarson didn’t deserve what he got either and look how the feud continues still.’

I felt anger rising and snapped at him:

‘If this is another plea for Kveldulf and Nanna you’re wasting your breath. That is no concern of yours Eysten.’ He looked surprised.

‘Kveldulf? Odin’s balls, no, Sigrid, no. That’s not what I meant at all.

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