Chapter 20
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Freyja's POV:
I stared at Agnarr in utter shock. Did I hear him correctly? Did he really just ask me to be his wife, his consort, his lady? No surely not. Why would he want a girl like me, being in the social position that I was relative to him? I half-expected him to break into a grin and tell me this was all some sick practical joke.
Yet he didn't. Instead he stood there with a serious expression, waiting expectantly for a reply. Oh my goodness, he really was serious. My throat was dry and my palms were sweaty. What should I say to him? A part of me wanted to turn and run right there. Then I thought about Magni, and the innocent vagrants and their children, probably starving off somewhere in the woods or dying of cold or both. Maybe that fate had already befallen Magni as well. I surely hoped not. And what about the slave children, forced into a cruel life of bound servitude simply because of their bloodline? Like Loki for example, who hadn't done anything to deserve a slave's life other than to be born to the wrong mother. If I became a Jarl's wife I could do so much more to help them. I could possibly even get Magni out of exile. It was the least I could do after all the kindness he showed me (though I knew he would never demand anything in return from me, especially if it would put me in harm's way.)
Yet, was I ready to live with a man I barely knew? Was I ready to give up a chance at a normal life and possibly risking my own happiness along with it?
'Perhaps you have been put here for such a time as this?' Magni's words from all those months ago echoed in my head. All these thoughts flashed through my mind in less than a minute and in that moment, looking at Agnarr, I knew what I had to do.
"Thank you for the honor of your proposal Jarl. I accept."
Agnarr gave his typical side grin as he bent down and kissed my hand.
"It is you that does me the honor Freyja."
"There are two things I must make clear though if I am to marry you."
"And they are..."
"First, I expect you to be a faithful husband. I will not marry you if your preference is only to use me as one of many women. Second I will not engage in..."
Ugh I could not say these words. I hated having this conversation. Especially since I'd never had to have this conversation before with any man as I was never popular in the village or in England. Yet, I knew it had to be done. Looking down and tracing my foot in the dirt I continued:
"...relations until we are married and I have gotten to know you well enough. Do I have your oath on the name of Forseti?" I asked, still not looking him in the eye as I stuck out my hand.
He took it faster than I would've expected.
"You have my oath on the name of Forseti."
"That you will do what I have asked of you?" I prodded, making sure he wasn't trying to find a loophole.
"Yes I swear on the name of Forseti that I will do what you have asked of me this day."
"Then you have my hand in marriage."
We released hands and I awkwardly looked around.
"So now what do we do?"
Agnarr grinned.
"Now we go make it public."
I had no idea what making our engagment public would entail, but I had a feeling I was about to find out sooner rather than later
###
Agnarr's POV:
"You wanna do what?!" my brother-in-law Erik exclaimed. He was sitting across the firepit from me, leaning forward with an incredulous look on his face.
"You heard me" I replied, refusing to make eye contact and instead continuing to sharpen my dagger. Frida, who was standing and watching the whole thing looked equally shocked.
"Well, what of her family? Where does she come from?"
"Little is known of her background. All I know is that she's an orphan."
"Oh that's convenient" Frida scoffed. We both glanced at her.
"What?!"
"I believe what Frida is trying to say is that it is quite suspicious. A girl, with no known family or wealth wanting to marry a chieftain. How do we know she isn't working for someone? How do we know she's not just doing it in order to gain enough power to bring our family to it's knees."
"Freyja would never do that" I replied, jumping to her defense quickly enough for Erik to notice.
"Agnarr might it not be wise to at least have her speak with the counsel of elders and get their opinion of her. Do not let your affection for this girl blind you to her possible motives. Remember what happened last time."
"I remember what happened last time, and it is a mistake I don't plan on repeating. Now other than your desire for her to see the council, do you have any other objections to this girl?" I asked, standing up and glancing back and forth between him and Frida.
They were both silent for a moment. Then Erik spoke up.
"Why are you choosing her?"
"She's brave for one thing, she took on a whole pack of wolves armed only with a stick to save the village's sheep."
Erik raised his eyebrows.
"I can't deny that's impressive. What else?"
She's loyal, she's stand up for what she believes in, she's gentle, kind, modest and dare as I say almost as beautiful as Freyja herself."
Erik grinned.
"You really like her don't you?"
"What man with half a brain wouldn't? There's something... different about her but I can't quite place my finger on it."
"Good different or bad different?"
"I'm not quite sure yet. So what do you say?"
"Well, I for one absolutely object" Frida said, stepping forward.
I turned to Erik with a grin.
"Erik?"
Erik's eyes took on that mischevous glint I knew all too well from when we we re boys and were thinking of doing something naughty. He finally shook his head and chuckled.
"Odin love you Agnarr." We laughed and clasped hands and pounded each other's backs.
You're gonna have to promise me one thing though?"
"And what is that?"
"That you'll organize a family dinner and invite her over before the wedding so we can all get to meet her and tell her about you're most embarassing moments."
"And what makes you think I would do that?"
"Do you want to marry this girl or not?"
"Fine. I will ask her but I'm not guaranteeing she'll say yes" I replied, exasperated.
"Oh trust me she will" Erik said, grinning out of the side of his mouth as he inspected his new dagger.
I rolled my eyes and exited the house, heading toward's Helga's home.
###
I knocked on Helga's door, and it was Freyja who answered.
"Agnarr!" she said, slightly surprised.
"I hope I'm not interrupting."
"No of course not. Come in."
When she had closed the door behind me she explained:
"Helga's gone to visit an ill friend, so I'm afraid you find me all alone right now."
"Yes I heard, I wanted to talk to you privately."
She raised her eyebrows.
"Alright."
"May I?" I gestured to a nearby stool.
"Please."
"My family have given their approval of our engagment."
"That's good news" she said, in a tone that echoed that she still didn't see quite where this was going.
"There is a condition however."
"Which is?"
"That you go before the Elder's council so that we can both be sure of each other's character and motives upon entering this union."
She looked down at her feet. By now I realized that meant she wanted to say something but was unsure whether or not she should say it.
"What is it Freyja?"
"They suspect I'm doing it because I'm after your money or intend to harm your family's honor somehow don't they?" She lifted her eyes to me.
In the months since I'd known Freyja, the one thing that I could never stop being surprised by was her almost uncanny perceptiveness.
My silence must've told her all she needed to know because she looked down again and sighed.
"Is this what you think too?"
"If I did would I have asked for your hand?"
"No. I suppose not."
We lasped into another silence again.
"Freyja why won't you look at me?" I suddenly blurted out.
She traced her foot along the floor, which meant she was thinking of a reply.
"I suppose I'm not used to this sort of attention from men. If I have gotten any it's the wrong kind."
"Why? Did someone hurt you?" I asked, suddenly very concerned.
If someone had harmed her honor, they'd better watch their back because they might not have a head by the end of the day.
"No nothing like that. They just said things they shouldn't have, but physically I wasn't harmed."
"Well, the next time one of them comes around you let me know and I'll take care of them for you personally."
"Thanks" she said, blushing slightly and giving a shy smile.
I found her shyness was one of the many things I liked about her. It was cute and captivating all at the same time.
She was truly unlike any woman I had ever met.
"I'll go."
"What?" I asked, shaking my head and realizing I had been staring at her.
"To the Elder's council."
"Oh good. My family was wondering if you would also join us for dinner tomorrow night. They are anxious to meet you."
"Uh sure. I'd be honored to meet your family. Only you have to promise me that there won't be any flying snowballs this time."
I snorted slightly.
"I promise."
"Well, then I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."
I got up from the stool and she showed me out.
###
Freyja's POV:
Tomorrow night came quicker than I would've liked. I stared at myself in the mirror for the hundredth time that day, critiquing the dress I was currently trying on. Helga had braided my hair back, intertwining some flowers into the braid forming a sort of v-shape on the back of my head.
"I can't do this" I said nervously, my palms sweating as I crinkled the sides of my dress and jitters filled my body more and more by the second.
You've been saying that the past four hours" Helga replied.
"I mean it. I am about to walk into a house filled with one of the most powerful and influential families here. Worse still I'm about to become one of them."
Panick rose in my chest as I turned to Helga.
"What am I thinking? I don't belong there..."
"Freyja, breathe and calm yourself."
When I had taken a few deep breatha up to her satisfaction she replied:
"No don't worry about tonight. You'll do fine. Just breathe and relax and be yourself. Besides your husband-to-be is going to be arriving any moment now so it's hardly the time to turn back now is it?"
As if on cue, a firm knock came upon the door.
Helga raised her eyebrows at me and moved to open it as I smoothed my hair one last time and moved to the door. Agnarr was standing outside in the darkened street, his trademark fur cloak wrapped around his shoulders. His hair was neatly brushed as always and tonight was allowed to hang loose passed his shoulders.
I gave him what I hoped was a convincing smile as he offered me his arm. It was well muscled, probably from years of wielding a sword and surprisingly warm even in the frigid air.
Soon after Kai loped out into the night between us, rubbing against my side.
I giggled and lent down to his eye level.
"No Im sorry Kai you can't come tonight, but Ill be back soon don't you worry."
Kai had more and more often insisted upon coming along with me wherever I went, probably because he missed Magni deeply and I was his last link to him. I also sensed that he did not want to be abandoned by those whom he'd cherished, a second time.
"Now go back inside with Helga and I'll see you when I get back, I promise." I gestured to the house and said "Inni" (Inside). Kai dutifully followed my command and lept back into the house with Helga, who I knew would take excellent care of him while I was gone. With one last knowing wink she closed to the door, leaving Agnarr and I alone.
I took his arm again and we started down the darkened street.
The first few moments were spent in contemplative silence before Agnarr spoke up.
"That dog of yours seems to have become your shadow."
"Yes I suppose he has. I suppose after Magni..." I stopped for a moment, fearing that I had a dug up an unwelcome past event for both of us. Thankfully Agnarr didn't seemed too troubled.
"There's no need to explain. I understand."
We walked a few more steps in silence for a moment before I ventured to ask him a question
"Do you ever wonder about him? Where he is? How he's doing? Whether or not he's even still alive?"
"I wonder everyday."
"As do I."
Finally we approached a longhouse that was the largest I'd seen yet. It was easily at least 250 feet long!
"This is your home?" I asked stopping for a moment to take in the sheer magnitude of it. I briefly wondered if the inside was just as impressive.h
He merely nodded and led me inside.
The minute we entered we were bombarded five eager boys, including Bryn.
"Uncle! Torsten says he's better than me at archery. Which one do you think is better?" the second eldest asked.
"I think you're both so good I couldn't possibly decide. Now" he continued, clapping his hands together and closing the conversation on who was the superior archer and said "There's someone I want you to meet." He gestured to me.
"Boys this is Freyja my bride-to-be, Freyja these are my nephews Torsten, Erik, Bjorn, and I believe you already know Alvis" he said, pointing them out oldest to youngest.
"It's nice to finally meet you all properly. Not that I mind a good snowball fight now and then" I joked warmly.
Alvi, head down, shuffled forward, producing a rock with something scratched on it and I realized it was a drawing of two smiling adult stick figures holding hands and several smiling children on their right side.
"We made this for you. Its you and Uncle and all of us." My heart warmed at their thougtfulness.
"Why thank you Alvi and all of you that's very sweet." Alvi nodded and scurried back to the group as I took the rock which was perfectly rounded. I wondered if it had been carved that way or if the boys had found it naturally.
"Its round because a circle represents something that never ends. Uncle says that family is forever. Now you'll be in the circle too" Torsten explained further, gesturing to the stone. I almost wanted to cry at their thoughtfulness. It had been so long since I had been a part of family. I mean I had Magni but, after my Father was killed, it was hard for me to think of him as anything more than my warden, which he'd respected.
It was then that I noticed a girl probably about my age, maybe slightly older, gazing at me with a hard expression. She had red hair with green eyes that gazed at me intensely like a snake looking at it's prey.
Agnarr noticed me looking and was quick to break her intimidating silence.
"Ah yes and this is my cousin Aslaug. Aslaug this my bride-to-be Freyja."
"Pleasure to meet you" she said curtly, making it clear that meeting me was anything but.
"Nice to meet you as well" I responded, keeping my tone neutral and polite.
Aslaug grinned at me as if I were a dog that had just done a trick for her pleasure.
"Freyja" said a feminine voice. I turned to see Frida enter the room, a smile that couldn't be more fake plastered all over her face.
"Nice to see you again."
"You as well Frida."
"Frida have you seen Erik?" Agnarr asked.
"Oh I'm afraid he was delayed dear brother. Business."
"Funny. He never mentioned anything to me." A note of suspicion rang in Agnarr's voice.
"Well in the meantime we shouldn't sit here starving. Erik will be back soon I am sure" Frida said, leading the way further into the house where a table had been set up with an assortment of bread, cheese vegetables and grain.
As we sat down at the table, a man burst through the door, breathing heavily.
"Oh good I'm not late" he remarked, quickly composing himself.
"Father!" the boys called in delight, scrambling from their places at the table and rushing forward to embrace him.
"Oh my boys" he exclaimed, grinning and giving each one a kiss upon the head. They were obviously very close to this man whom I assumed to be Erik. Agnarr confirmed it a moment later.
"Freyja this is my brother-in-law Erik."
Erik came over to my side of the table and kissed my hand.
"Pleasure to meet you" he said, being the first adult I'd met tonight to actually say it sincerely. He seemed friendly and jovial unlike his wife and Aslaug, and there was a certain light-heartedness and jokster air about him.
At the very least he would probably be better company at the dinner table than the two solemn females.
"You as well."
He then gazed at Frida.
"Frida. There was no emergency with my old friend the blacksmith."
"Oh my mistake" Frida said, in a tone implying that she had done it on purpose. There was silence for a second or two as tension filled the air. Erik then spoke up again.
Let's eat!"
I couldn't have thought of a better suggestion for this moment.