“I saw the blood in your home and the dead bodies outside. Your father and Jan were there when I arrived. I had no idea anything had happened until Einar arrived, saying Brenna sent him.”
“What? No. Brenna couldn’t have sent him. She remained in the mead hall to make it look as though she wasn’t aware that Eindride and I planned to go together. She’s the one who warned Rangvald and Lorna.”
Ivar shrugged, “Maybe she saw him in the mead hall and thought he would be the best person to send to me.”
Lena’s skepticism still showed on her face, but she let the matter go. She had noticed Einar seemed to grow more scheming and manipulating. She had not liked him much when he was a child, but she always assumed it was because he wanted to be like Eindride and Ivar but was too young to keep up. Now, she suspected he resented what Ivar and Eindride had accomplished. He made her uneasy, but Ivar and Eindride trusted him and were willing to foster him as a warrior.
“What do we do now? You can’t remain here with me, and I don’t want to go back yet.” Lena looked over her shoulder to where their friends waited. “I think you have to go back.”
“I know I do, but I’m not going without you.”
Lena shook her head. “No, you need to go back, and Eindride will accompany me to Kaupang. He’s already told me he will stay long enough to be sure I’m settled with my aunt and uncle.”
“I will see you settled.” Ivar crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow, but his bravado faltered at Lena’s dismissive eye roll.
“Eindride is more like your brother than just your friend. Do you not trust him to protect me?”
“I trust him just fine. I just don’t trust anyone else. We have no way of knowing who else may be sent after you. You and Eindride can only fight so many people at once. You fought two in your home, but Rangvald and Lorna had already dealt with three others. The more people you have on your side, the more likely we are to keep you alive.”
“Well, you and Rangvald can’t stay away. You must go back to your wife, and Rangvald needs to be with his family. Lorna will go with him, I’m sure.”
“Nay, I willna,” Lorna’s voice floated through the mist until Lena and Ivar spotted the small frame. “I agree that Ivar and Rang should return, but I dinna think Lena and I should. Ulfhild and Inga will only be too glad to see the hind side of me. Neither of them likes me, so they will think they had received a boon if they’ve chased us both off. But if ye and Rang dinna return, then Thor and Jarl Soren will be forced to send warriors to bring ye back. I dinna think that will end well for anyone. It’s better if ye go back on yer own while Eindride and I travel on with Lena. Jan can come with us if he wants.”
“No!” Rangvald’s booming voice cut through Lorna’s suggestion. He, Jan, and Eindride joined the other three, moving their conversation to the trees. “Absolutely not. You are not going anywhere without me. You haven’t been here long enough for some trader not to capture and sell you. I’m not losing you because some slave trader thinks you’ll bring him a good price.”
“Ye think Eindride or Jan would let someone sell me off?”
“I think you are too beautiful for anyone’s good, and I’m in a better position as a jarl’s son to keep my bride with me.”
All heads swiveled toward Rangvald who stood with his hands on his hips. Rangvald’s brow furrowed as he took in five faces with varying degrees of surprise.
“What?” Rangvald demanded.
Lena, Ivar, Jan, and Eindride shifted their gazes to Lorna whose eyes shot sparks of anger at Rangvald.
“I don’t think Lorna appreciates your lack of confidence in her ability to defend herself,” Jan whispered.
“I believe she’s capable of defending herself, but just like Ivar would feel better with more swords arms to protect Lena, I feel the same about Lorna. And who will question my right to keep my bride even if she is foreign. I’m a jarl’s son. The son of one of the most powerful jarls in the Trondelag.”
Lena laughed and shook her head before offering Lorna a look of sympathy.
“I amnae worried aboot some slaver trying to take me away. Let them try. I’d like to go back to this business of yer bride. I didna ken ye had one, Rang.”
“Of course, I have a bride. You. Who are you talking about?”
“I wouldnae ken since nay one has asked me to marry them.”
Rangvald opened his mouth then snapped it shut before doing it once more. His bashfulness was endearing as he rocked on his heels.
“I suppose I should have asked you, but I assumed you understood. Lorna, I want you for my wife.”
“That’s nice.”
“Lorna, that’s nice? That’s all you have to say?”
“Aye. Ye told me what ye want, but I dinna recall ye asking me if that’s what I want.”
“Isn’t it?”
