I rose from my seat to leave.
‘You ask no questions, Lady Olith.’
‘No, I must go.’ I bowed. ‘My new husband is waiting.’
Chapter 12
Too Much Ale and a Man’s Heart Is Laid-Open for all to See
Arriving back in the Mead-Hall, everything was as I had left it, although a little drunker. Sigurd shouted jests over the din and laughed at their replies. He scarcely looked at me as I took my seat.
My heart, hammered. I was terrified of how he would react if I told him of my conversation with the Volva. Then, I did not believe it, but my new husband would have hung on her every word. How was I to tell a man he was to die? I sat in petrified silence, nursing a cup of honied mead and smiled at our guests until my teeth ached.
‘Do not tell me of what she said.’ He did not look at me. ‘It is for you alone.’
Was it sorcery? That he could hear my thoughts. Whatever it was, I was grateful that God had intervened and prayed that now I seemed to be in his favour he would see fit to help me steal away at the first opportunity and stop Donada’s wedding before anyone laid a hand on her.
By now, the women began to dance wildly to the beat of the drums and what resembled a lyre. Sigurd watched on, his eyes following their movements, surveying all that was his. One of the Danes stumbled to his feet and stepped forward to where the women were dancing. He grabbed one of them by the arm, pulling her to him forcefully. Before she could push him away he snatched her by her braids, forcing a kiss on her. No worse than I had seen most of my father’s men do, in fact since all they had to do was ask for God’s forgiveness, it was quite tame.
Sigurd held up his hand. The music stopped and he beckoned the woman towards us. The Mead-Hall held its breath.
‘Did you welcome his attention?’ Sigurd said.
‘No Jarl Sigurd.’ She looked to the floor.
‘Erik Nyborg, you are aware of the penalty for your unwelcome behaviour?’
‘I am, Jarl but surely there is no penalty when she asked for it?’ said Erik drunkenly.
‘Asked for it?’ Sigurd turned to me. ‘My lady Olith, did you see her ask for it?’
She had not asked for it. Just in the same way I had never asked for it. I glanced between them. She kept her eyes firmly on the floor. I felt her shame; that she had been touched by that man and he had lied about it.
‘No.’ I turned to Sigurd. ‘No, she did not.’
‘Tsk…tsk…tsk… You would lie to your Jarl, Erik Nyborg?
‘No, Jarl. I would not lie to you.’ He pointed towards me. ‘You would take the word of a Pictish woman over your men?’
‘That woman is my wife. When I am not here my wife will rule in my place and yet you would accuse her of lying?’
‘No, Jarl I-.’
‘Enough. As it is my wedding day, I want no blood spilt. You will pay a fine of five dirhams to his woman and you be her thrall for a period of six months. You may leave.’
The man, about to protest, opened his mouth but closed it again quickly.
‘I am grateful, Jarl.’ The young woman bowed her head and left through the doors that barred the entrance, with Erik Nyborg following like a chastised child.
It ended as quickly as it had begun. Soon, the music filled the space above us to the rafters. The women began dancing and the men threw harsh Norse insults before splitting almost to their belly buttons in laughter.
The hours passed slowly. I could not tell what the hulking bear of a man next to me was thinking but as the evening began to draw to a close the only thought that was going through my mind was what was about to happen in the Jarl’s bedchamber. My gaze settled on the set of six charcoal eyes that bore through me. They would be there as the Jarl undressed me. They would watch as he took me to his bed. Those eyes would drink in my nakedness.
I was terrified.
Halldora approached, I was grateful for her interference. ‘Lady Olith, it is time you met with your people.’
Sigurd nodded his approval. I do not think that my first impression was a good one. I was only nineteen and certainly, could not hold the quantity of ale that the Danes seemed to want me to drink. I tried to stop my hands from fidgeting, to make me seem less anxious looking but it did not work.
