All typing errors are mine. Sorry. Hope you enjoy!
Later in the day there was a commotion outside their house. Cathasach asked to enter and was permitted. "The giant is back," he told Ead's father. "He is outside with his man and they wish to speak with you."
Haerviu frowned but stood. Gingerly he made his way outside with Cathasach by his side. Ead followed.
The two leaders stared at one another for a moment. Then Anzo spoke and the interpreter translated. "You are this girl's father?"
Haerviu's eyes narrowed as he glanced at his middle daughter. "Yes." He acknowledged as he turned back to the two men. The translator began again. "I am Winfrid. I was taken from my village a long time ago by a tribe of warriors across the water. They treated me badly until I escaped. I was found by Arnpoor's men and brought to him and he took me into his clan., Motioning to the quiet giant, Winfrid continued, "This is Arnporr of the Cimbri. We came across the water to find a new home here. Most of our people went east and south from our home but we came west. Arnporr is weary of the constant fighting but many of his people relish it. Arnpoor and our people here seek peace, a place to settle and live quietly. We have no intention of taking what is yours but wish to settle nearby."
Ead watched as her father listened carefully and then pondered the other man's words. "What will you do when you settle? Hunt?"
Arnporr listened as Winifrid repeated the question in his conversation continued as the leaders spoke to one another through the translator. "Hunt, yes… and raise livestock. And plant. We have learned about planting. We are tired of war."
"You will need to fight to hold what is yours," Haerviu warned.
"Yes, we understand. We are not afraid to fight and we can defend ourselves. But we do not seek battle." Winifrid translated Arnporr's response.
"Alright. There is a place not far from here. It is near water and wood but there is a large clearing where you might grow food. Give me a few days and I will lead you there myself."
Anzo, or Arnporr as he was calling himself in this meeting nodded. Then he looked at Ead and spoke again through Winfrid to her father. "Your girl there… I saw her naked. I did not intend to and in fact thought she was a boy. I am sorry. I will accept whatever punishment you decide."
Haerviu's eyes shot up. "What?" His head darted to his side to stare at his daughter, who was staring at the ground.
But before either Ead or Haerviu could say more, Arnporr continued, "Among my people a man cannot see the naked form of a woman unless she is his woman. Punishment is severe for such an offense."
"But you say you didn't intend it. You meant no harm?" Haerviu questioned.
"I did not. She was wet and cold and I thought only to get her out of the wet clothes. And I did think she was a mere boy."
Haerviu looked at his daughter again and asked her, "what punishment do you require, my girl?"
Ead was surprised that her father asked. She looked from him to Anzo. The giant man seemed truly mortified. "None. He did nothing wrong."
This was translated to Anzo who looked at her astonished. "But there must be something. I have committed great disrespect."
It was Haerviu who decided upon the solution. "My daughter wishes to learn to be a great warrior. You will instruct her."
Anzo was taken aback. "But surely you see that this is… unwise."
"Why?" Ead blurted.
Anzo blinked and sighed but did not look at her but at her father. "Must I explain? You know how close training jousts can become. Do you not value your daughter? We will be together often and at times alone. I have no woman; mine died two summers ago and I miss the pleasure of a woman. I do not wish to offend you or your people. For me to be alone with her, so close to her, would lead to insult."
Ead's eyes widened at the tall man's admission. Would she really be such a temptation for him? No man had been tempted by her before; they always were more interested in her sister, Maela. It excited her to think that this man might want her. She looked at her father with pleading eyes, hoping he would have a responding argument.
Haeviu looked contemplatively at the other leader and then spared a glance at her. "Here is what I think," he said. "You have behaved with honor, helping to defend my people and when you saw her, you told me about it and did not abuse her honor. I do not believe you would cause offense. But if something were to happen, I want your word that you will respect her and marry her."
"And my punishment for not respecting her would be?"
"I have no punishment to suggest. You have demonstrated that you are an honorable man. I believe that you would find your own punishment."
Anzo's jaw muscles worked fiercely as he thought about all Haeviu had said. Then casting his blue eyes toward Ead, he nodded. "Very well, I will teach your daughter. But only if I take her as my woman now. I have been too long without a woman for such temptation and she is pleasant enough. It is better to marry and then I can teach her to be a warrior if she wishes."
Haeviu was clearly surprised. He turned to look at Ead speculatively but she was staring at the giant. Before he could ask her what she wanted, she blurted her own response. "Yes. I will be your woman," she told Anzo, staring straight at him instead of looking at her father or the translator.
Anzo seemed to understand her answer without translation. He looked shocked. "Are you certain?" He asked through the translator. "You understand what I will want from you?"
His intense stare made Ead nervous but she was determined. The man was strong, a leader, beautiful to her, and she wanted this. "I know what is expected of a wife."
He nodded his acceptance and then turned to her father."This is agreeable to you?"
Haeviu turned to his daughter. "Ead, if you do this you will go with him. You won't return to your mother or me. His people might decide to move far away and you will go with him."
"I know, Father. But I want to go with him. I... I want to be with him."
His eyes narrowed and she knew he was wondering how she could be so sure, wondering if something more had happened between them already. But finally, he nodded his assent. "Alright, if that is what you want."
Her mother cried when she was told that her daughter would leave them. And then she became angry. After all, he was a stranger her mother said. His ways were different. "You can't even talk to each other," she cried.
Edith had already thought about that. "Not at first but I will have his man teach me his language and perhaps he will even learn some of our words. Please Mama, this is what I want." Her mother wasn't convinced but began to plan for the wedding feast anyway. And at night, she would sit with Ead and talk to her about her duties as a wife.
Ead knew something of mating; her parents were only in the next room and the walls were thin. And she had seen the animals, of course. But as her mother talked, Ead became anxious. Her Mama told her it might hurt in the beginning and that was if the giant man was kind as her father was to her mother. Some men did not care about their woman's comfort, Mama explained.
As if Ead wasn't worried about such things enough, one night Mama mentioned the size of the man. "He might be quite large there," Mama said. "After all, the rest of him is large." Ead spent the rest of the night wondering why that notion both frightened and excited her.