Chapter 2
Magni's Pov
The Jarl had stormed out of his own feast and had been gone for several minutes. This couldn't be good. I had been sitting at one of the tables lining the wall and watched him as he left, the look on his face could've terrified Thor himself.
"What do you think could've upset him so?" my long time friend Aki whispered.
"Don't know, but I suppose we'll find out soon enough."
The Jarl soon strode back in, his eyes showing a mischevous glint. Oh no.
After calling for silence, he stood at the head of the table.
"Friends, brothers you are now witness to the fact that my marriage to Valdis is no more. For her disobedience I declare that my marriage to her is null and void." Then he swept out of the room, and the chattering among his guests rose to pitch level.
Without thinking I got up from my chair and followed after him. .
"Where are you going?" Aki called after me, his words slightly slurred from the drink.
"I'll be back and don't eat my roast" I waggled a finger accusingly at him. He threw his hands up in mock surrender before I left through the large oak doors. The Jarl was down at the beach, skipping stones across the water, and watching as it made ripples on the surface in the night.
"I know your there Magni" he called. I stepped out from where I had been standing the shadows.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Valdis happened." Without warning he took one of his dagger and flung it into a nearby tree and it hit dead center. He was probably imagining it as Valdis's head.
"You can't let a woman go at the first sign of trouble" I remarked quietly.
"What would you have me do Magni?! It is done." Magni was well aware of the Jarls hot temper and intolerance of any disobedience.
"Find a new woman to take Valdis's place" I whispered.
Agnarr's POV
I turned then from my short-lived distraction and scowled at Magni, which didn't seem to frighten him in the least. He knew me too well. I'd met all the eligible ladies and not one of them had any sense of duty or loyalty to anything other than gaining a position at my arm to reap the benefits. Valdis was the exception when it came to duty, until now.
"I've met them all and not one of them could be at my side."
"What if I told you there was one such lady?"
I paused.
"I know her Jarl, she is as lovely as a morning star, not to mention intelligent, and above all loyal to those she cares about."
"And how did you come to know this lady may I ask?"
"I recently took her in as my ward."
"She's an orphan?"
"Yes, her parents died when she was very young." I sensed that Magni was concealing something from me, but like me he was a stubborn man and wouldn't reveal anything unless he was ready.
I mulled the idea around in my head. To have to choose a new wife was inevitable, to secure an heir if nothing else, and though I would never tell him, I trusted Magni's judgement to a high degree.
Finally I came to a decision.
"Bring her to the mead hall tomorrow, but tell no one she is meeting me there. They'll think I'm courting her." Courting was the most dangerous pastime for a Northmen male. If he didn't propose marriage to a woman, but instead prolonged seeing her, her family would be offended and liable to take blood vengeance.
Magni nodded.
"I shall instruct her to do as you say."