‘They would be speaking of my daughter Ingebord now, not me.’ Astrid’s lips turned up into a tired smile. ‘Always worrying about my health, Svanna. You should be thinking about getting married and having a family.’
Svanna allowed the comment to pass without remark. They both knew why she had remained unmarried. To avoid Svanna being forced to marry to install one of Drengr’s sons on the throne, Astrid had taken Svanna’s advice, and sent word to Sigmund requesting her true daughter’s return.
‘Is that all the kings?’ Svanna counted the kings who’d arrived on her fingers. ‘Where is the king of Gruinard? Surely he should be here by now, ready to swear his allegiance.’
‘Ill, apparently.’ Sigmund made an irritated noise.
‘Always one or two who would find an excuse. Jealousy. But he will fall in line once the other kings pledge their oaths and you are proclaimed the high King of Islay, Halfr,’ Astrid said with a shrug. ‘Trust a woman’s intuition for once.’
Sigmund wagged an indulgent finger at the name Astrid used, as if to remind her that they were in a public place. The late king of Agthir, Astrid’s second husband, had put a bounty on Halfr the Bold’s head which had never been fully rescinded.
Svanna shaded her eyes and looked at akarfi, a small Northern warship which had nosed into the harbour, carefully navigating between the rocks and sunken ships guarding its entrance. ‘I thought the Northmen from Dubh-Linn were not supposed to know about this.’
‘They don’t,’ Sigmund answered with a frown. ‘If anything, they think the gathering is set for next week. I did stress the importance of secrecy to all concerned.’
‘Then why has that ship entered the harbour?’ Svanna asked, fighting against the rising panic in her throat. Panicking served no one, but she couldn’t help her stomach tensing. ‘I don’t recognise the sail or the yellow and green markings on the hull.’
‘That much is obvious,’ Astrid murmured. ‘Focus on what is not, Svanna, and see if you can use that to your advantage. Which is what a trained peace-weaver like you does.’
Svanna focused on the ship and tried to spot something that might help, rather than remarking that she was unlikely to have to put her skills of peace-weaving to any meaningful use.
‘The swineherd mentioned his assistant had spotted several Northern warships anchoring in the next harbour but one,’ she said, shading her eyes and trying to pick out the motifs on the shields which still hung at the ship’s sides. ‘Could this be the start of a larger delegation from Dubh-Linn? Has news of the gathering reached Eire before Lord Sigmund wanted it to?’
‘The swineherd was always excitable as a youth. Now he has been promoted and has acquired an assistant, he is even worse,’ Sigmund said. ‘I’m sure Maer kept you entertained with tales of him and his wilder fantasies back in Agthir.’
‘He should have been askald, instead of keeping pigs,’ Astrid added. ‘The tales were impressive on our journey over.’
Sigmund shook his head. ‘I’d hoped that his new responsibilities would curb his enthusiasm for such tall tales, but my error.’
‘He was very insistent,’ Svanna said, stuffing the sense of unease back down her throat. ‘Several ships, anchored in the next harbour but one. Why would he make a mistake like that?’
‘It would be a foolish man who tried to attack us, particularly this large gathering of warriors. You worry overmuch, Svanna.’ Sigmund’s eyes crinkled as if he found her insistence amusing. ‘I made my reputation as a warrior long before you were born and I know a thing or three about the men from the North who raid. It would be foolish to attack us with this veritable army of warriors in attendance.’
‘We know which warship the swineherd has made into several,’ Astrid said.
Sigmund suddenly stiffened and cursed under his breath.
‘Have you worked out who it belongs to, Lord Sigmund?’ Svanna asked instead of giving voice to her fears about the vulnerability of the church, or indeed the hall where the celebratory feast was due to take place.
‘Relax and smile, Svanna. Halfr has all under control. Nothing will be allowed to ruin our…his day.’
Astrid and Sigmund exchanged significant looks and squeezed their hands briefly together. Svanna felt as if she was intruding on a special moment. Hope grew in her chest. A marriage between them would give her a legitimate reason to remain on Islay, where she found it easier to be herself.
‘I will go and speak to the servants, Halfr. Gently find out the mood in case the swineherd has spread his tale of gloom to the others,’ Astrid said in a quiet undertone, giving his hand another brief touch. ‘Ensure all is well-guarded in the hall, even if I think it is an unnecessary precaution.’
He nodded, accepting the assessment. ‘And your foster-daughter?’
‘I’ll wait with Lord Sigmund,’ Svanna declared. ‘Our unexpected guests should receive proper hospitality. No one will notice if I am at the church service or not.’
‘You are good, Svanna,’ Astrid murmured and Svanna knew she had said the correct thing.
Astrid always said that peace-weaving was a woman’s business much more than a man’s. Done properly, it prevented wars, but it was not celebrated in the sagas because men liked the thrill of combat instead of the hard slog of diplomacy.
‘Any luck with the shields?’ Svanna asked once Astrid had disappeared up the slope. ‘What have you seen that I have missed? Are they from Dubh-Linn or somewhere further afield? What are you keeping from my foster-mother?’
‘The shields proclaim the ship is aligned with the new high king of all Eire, Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid, rather than Dubh-Linn. If he is aware of this gathering, everyone on Eire is.’
‘Surely this Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid must think that banding together of the Gaels to stand firm against the Northern raiders is a good idea.’ Svanna stumbled slightly over the pronunciation of the King’s name. Her Gaelic had improved considerably since she’d arrived, but the complicated names could make her tongue twist.
