When she arrived in her chambers, Mirren was already there.
Her friend rose to her feet when Brunhild stalked into the room, furiously wiping away her tears.She grimaced at Brunhild’s expression.
“He did not summon you to praise our raid,” she flatly observed.
The injustice of what she’d just endured, what she’d be forced to endure later, was a well of bitterness.“Nay.He is foisting me on his enemy.”
Mirren’s brow wrinkled.“As a hostage?”
Brunhild scoffed.“I’d much rather go as a hostage.I am being sent away as a bride instead.”She shoved her hands into her hair to loosen her braids and began to pace.“I have no wish to wed or be confined to the bed of one man.I wish to cleave kingdoms and bring glory to my name, not bear whelps behind the safety of stone walls.There must be a way to escape this noose.”
“Is your father using you to make a political alliance?”
“Aye.To one of those pathetic, blue paint covered barbarians who cannot defend their own shores.”
“Which one of them?”
“Their cursed king.”
Mirren snorted.“At least it isn’t one of his thralls.If you’re a queen, you’ll no longer be under your father’s eye and according to the skald, the blue-painted women to the south hold more power than us.Perhaps you’ll be able to wield your cunning and your weapons.”
Brunhild grimaced.“I find it hard to be optimistic.”
“Are your shield maidens permitted to accompany you?”
”My father did not make his wishes known, but stated I would take a fleet with me.I can only hope that means my crew will accompany me, because I do not wish to meet the Each Uisge King without you by my side.”
Mirren held out her hand and Brun clasped it.
"I vowed ten years ago that I would follow you across the waves, Brunhild Freydisdottir."
Brun was grateful for her friend's loyalty."Thank you, Mirren ___."
Chapter Two
“TheKrakenaredeterminedto destroy us.”
Toran Balthair Lir, King of the Each Uisge, glowered at the head of his council.“I’m well aware.I’ve made arrangements to thwart their plans.”
“And what would those be, Your Majesty?”
The tone adopted by the newly minted druid was slightly derisive.
“I’ve sent ravens to the Berserker Chief of the Far North, Ranulf of the White Wave.I would end our enmity and make him my ally because I was recently made aware he has a daughter of marriageable age.He has many ships and hundreds, if not thousands, of warriors.His daughter will become both my bride and a hostage of sorts to ensure his good will.”
The druids exchanged a look, and the one who'd been scoffing a moment ago leaned forward.“Your Majesty, I fear your sources have misled you.”
Toran leaned back and crossed his arms.“Go on, tell me why you think this is not a solution to our problems.”
“Well, his daughter may be of marriageable age, but she is not what we would deem a suitable prospect.If you do not find the creature who is your soulmate, and exchange sigils, your line will end.”
He didn’t openly contradict the man’s conclusion, but he raised his brow to refute it.
The head brehon crossed his wrists and shook his head.“Brunhild Ranulfsdottir is a shieldmaiden.And by all accounts that have come to our ears, she is a savage one.She leads her own fleet of ships - full of women who are just as savage as she is.The gods would never mock us by declaring her your mate.”
Toran had heard the rumors too.And though he didn’t welcome more strife in his household, he saw no other remedy.If she was as fierce as she was rumored to be, at least she was a warrior of some prowess, and his kingdom was in desperate need of warriors of her ilk.If he was to keep his kingdom safe from the invasion of the Kraken King and his horde, he must pursue this alliance.“Her father sent a raven back this very morning.He has pledged his longships in our defense if I agree to this union, and I cannot afford to refuse him.I have already readied the coffers I will deliver, and who is to say this shield maiden and I won’t grow affection for one another?”
“Your majesty, you cannot mean to go through with such a sacristy.The runes have given us no indication that she is your mate and her unworthiness of a union with the crown is obvious to anyone who has heard of her deeds.She is clearly not your soulmate and it will be an infertile union.”
