After Ana and Yrsa dressed and left the bathhouse to retrieve her wedding garment, Katarina turned to the old woman. “What did you do to me? What spell did you cast?”
A kindly smile crossed over Gerda’s face. “Accept Freya’s gift and the man given to you.”
“But the oil…I don’t—I can’t—” The words spilled out of her, and she crossed her arms over her aching bare breasts. Between her legs, she felt moisture blooming, her body swollen with need.
“Your new husband will soothe you,” Gerda said.
But Katarina bit her lip hard. “I cannot lie with him,MóðirGerda. Not…so soon.” The old woman knew nothing of her attack, but it almost seemed that she sensed the reason for Katarina’s reluctance.
Thevolvashrugged. “It is your choice. But it will take many hours before the effects wear off. Why would you not want to let him pleasure you?”
“I hardly know him.”
At that, the old woman laughed. “You know his soul, and he knows yours. You were meant to be together, for however short a time.”
Her heart clenched at that. “You said that before, but you never answered me when I asked what you meant.”
Thevolvasobered. “He was brought back from death to fulfill a purpose. To grant you a child. And when it is done, he will return from whence he came.”
He’s going to die,Katarina realized. And though she wanted to deny it, she feared the old woman was right. There was no means of knowing when death might befall Arik, but the thought troubled her deeply.
“Will you take him as your husband, even knowing this?” Gerda asked.
The instinct to refuse came to her lips. But she could not voice it. It did seem that Fate had drawn her to this man, now more than ever. Despite all that had happened, he was still the man she’d wanted.
“I will take him.”
When Eric saw Katarina, the women had replaced her silver circlet with an elaborate golden crown set with rock crystals. Green and red silken cords were tied to it, and her long hair fell in waves to her waist. It was still damp from her bathing.
His father had guided him to the bath house to complete the same ritual cleansing, and after it was done, Valdr had given him an ancient iron sword.
It looked as if the weapon had been forged hundreds of years earlier, and the moment he held it, he sensed a trace of power.
“This sword belonged to yourÁi,” he explained. Eric did not understand the word at first, but when the man began reciting the names of his father and the father before him, he took it to mean great-grandfather. Though he did not know the purpose of the sword, he had no qualms about following their traditions.
He wore the clothes they selected for him, and seven witnesses were named. It became clear that when the witnesses were dead, the marriage would no longer be valid in the eyes of the law. Valdr gave him a hammer to wear at his waist, and then he joined them outside where they walked in a procession toward the shoreline. Most of the tribe was waiting, but there was no sign of Leif, thankfully. Thejarlhad ordered that the man be held captive for one day and night until after the wedding.
A small longboat was tied to a wooden pier, and Arik suspected that they would later travel by boat toward the northern settlement Valdr had spoken of.
One of the men led a sow by means of a rope tied around the animal’s neck. Eric wasn’t certain whether the swine was meant as a bridal gift, but when they reached the edge of the rocks that jutted above the shore, he was startled to realize the animal would be sacrificed to the gods.
It was done swiftly, and a bowl was used to catch the animal’s blood. Thevolvacame forward with a fir twig and dipped it in the bowl, sprinkling both Katarina and him with the blood. Then she blessed the witnesses, sprinkling them, too, with blood.
A hint of amusement crossed his face as Eric imagined a lady of the ton enduring such a violent wedding. She would have lost her breakfast or fallen into a swoon. Katarina, however, remained intent upon the ceremony. He gave her the ancient sword, and she, in turn, gave him a sword from her brother.
It was a symbol of protection, he realized. A promise to guard her, one given with complete sincerity. And a trace of unrest slid within him, at the knowledge that he was unprepared to use a sword to guard this woman. He had to learn quickly, in order to keep this promise.
Valdr placed a gold ring upon the hilt, to give to Katarina. She slid the ring onto her finger and then did the same for him. Then, with the rings on their fingers, they both placed their hands upon the hilt of the sword and recited vows.
He found himself caught up in her blue eyes, noting the anxiety within them. She was deeply afraid, and undoubtedly she had not wanted this wedding. But it would protect her, and he sensed that it was the right thing to do. He had no ties to any other woman, so what did it matter? There was no need to consummate the wedding when they were alone.
After the vows had finished, he leaned in to her and kissed her mouth softly. Though he did not know if it was a Viking custom, it did not seem right to leave his bride unkissed.
Her startled smile made him glad he’d done so, and a cheer rose up from the people. He sheathed the sword and took her hand, turning to face them.
But Katarina pulled him by the hand and began running. He had no idea why, but apparently it was another custom. She hurried with him back toward Valdr’s house, but paused before the door.
“Shall I carry you over the threshold?” he guessed, and she nodded.
