‘The man I am now loves you, Svanna, with all his heart. The youth I once was, maybe he would have grown to love you in that garden. I don’t know. My carefree youth vanished that night in Agthir and what is left of me is scarred, but I want to be with you for ever. Not because it makes sense for either of our countries, but I want to start my day with your head next to mine on the pillow and end it with our lips pressed together.’ He paused and ran his hands through his hair. ‘Sigmund may have called me a silver-tongue, but my tongue is tied where you are concerned. Will you have me?’
‘You love me?’ She shook her head in wonderment. He wanted her for herself? ‘But you said your heart was buried. You told me not to expect or hope for anything other than simple regard.’
‘I’ve said many stupid things in my time, but none as foolish as that. How the angels, saints and even the Norns of my youth must have laughed at my words.’ He caught her hand and raised it to his lips. ‘I want to live fully, Svanna, but to do that, I must know that you want this sort of marriage as much as I do. You need that choice because no one else has given you one.’
‘A long time ago, you were a fantasy, something that I clung to in times of trouble, but then you came into my life, and I discovered that the reality of you was much better.’ She cupped his face with her hands. ‘I love your daughter, Rand, as if she were mine but, most of all, I love you. You make my heart soar. You give me hope for tomorrow. Yes, I want a true marriage with you.’
‘We agree. Good.’
‘Sometimes, Rand, you talk too much.’ She lifted her mouth to meet his and for a long time neither spoke.
‘Excuse me?’ a quarrelsome voice sounded behind them. ‘Why is no one paying me any attention?’
Svanna jumped and saw a dishevelled woman leading a horse with a body slung over its back. A man leaning on a stick was walking a few steps behind. Her heart sank. Rand and she seemed destined to be interrupted. She pasted her best smile on her face and stepped out of Rand’s arms. ‘You must be the missing Rhiannon. How wonderful that you are finally here.’
The younger woman wrinkled her nose as if to say Svanna was beneath her notice and ignored her outstretched hand. ‘Did you tell your new wife, Rand, that we were bringing a valuable hostage for ensuring peace? One of the fabled sons of Drengr.’
‘Never be rude to my wife again.’
Rhiannon blinked her eyes slowly several times. ‘I’ve travelled a long way.’
‘Svanna will tell you that the only hostages worth anything are the ones who are alive.’ Rand inclined his head. ‘Turgeis and his other brother are now in our custody, waiting for your father’s judgement.’
Rhiannon opened and shut her mouth. ‘When my father hears of this… You forced me to bring this corpse.’
‘Go in and speak to him now.’
‘He is here?’ Rhiannon shrank back. ‘Thorarinn…he’s here.’
Thorarinn turned pale, but he attempted to stand straighter. ‘We will face him together, Rhiannon.’
‘Take your husband to the priest. He’ll heal him,’ Svanna said, taking pity on them both. ‘Then go into the hall. Your father longs to greet you. Beg his forgiveness. He came here because he was worried and is a romantic at heart.’
‘You are truly generous. It’s far more than we deserve, Rhiannon,’ Thorarinn said. ‘Let’s take her advice.’
‘You must do what you like,’ Rand said. ‘But my wife and I will leave you here.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I am taking her to bed, where she can have a well-deserved rest, away from other people’s demands. Someone must look after the weaver of the peace as she refuses to.’ Without waiting for an answer, he bent down and picked Svanna up. ‘We are most definitely not to be disturbed for a long time.’
Svanna put her hands about his neck. ‘One of your better ideas.’
‘You wait, my lady fair, I have many more where that one came from,’ Rand said against her ear in a voice full of promise.
Islay. Eight weeks later
‘Our mother looks the loveliest bride of all,’ Maer said, linking her arm with Svanna’s as the cacophony of getting the bridegroom settled with the bride resounded. ‘It appears the entire island has turned out for the wedding.’
‘Thankfully, our mother knows how to plan a feast.’
‘I think she had some help from you…’
Svanna inclined her head, acknowledging the fact.
Svanna and Rand, along with Birdie, had arrived over a week ago on the island in preparation for Astrid and Sigmund’s wedding, but Maer, her husband and two young children, had only arrived on the tide before the wedding. Maer looked more serene than ever. Being Queen suited her. And she and her husband appeared to be very much in love.
Maer had genuinely been delighted to see Rand again. They’d both agreed that they had had a lucky escape from each other.
