‘Why would she be speaking with a light-skirt?’
‘Perhaps, she’s getting tips on how to please you?’ Vali said with a mischievous wink, which soured under Agnar’s glare of disapproval.
‘No? Well… I suspect the girl is giving her information about us.’ Vali shrugged. ‘A lot of our men have been spending time there. A couple had the wit to notice the ladies were very interested in where we’ve come from and why.’
‘I presume they told the truth.’
Vali nodded. ‘They were under no orders to do otherwise. She will be telling your Queen that half of your army is Rus and the other are King Olaf’s men, just as I imagine you have already told her.’ He turned a little, a curious look on his face. ‘Shouldthey have said otherwise? It is not as if King Olaf wants his men returned quickly.’
‘No, King Olaf wants assurances Thrudheim is secure from Sven before I return his men,’ Agnar replied and they continued onwards, passing the Queen just as she said goodbye to the young woman.
‘Thank you, more ale would be most welcome, Bodil. Especially with the Yule festival fast approaching.’
Skadi fell into step beside him, which surprised him far more than the feigned request for more ale to be delivered. She asked quietly, ‘Who is the Rus Princess Sven mentioned?’
Agnar smiled, amused that she would be immediately threatened by Sven’s words. The man was a serpent who liked to twist and manipulate all around him. ‘Princess Irina is one of my distant cousins. She will probably marry a prince—her father wishes to strengthen his links to the Byzantine empire.’
Skadi sniffed the air, as if she smelt something foul. ‘King Sven seems to think otherwise.’
Agnar stopped walking, gripped her arm, turned her to face him and looked her in the eye. ‘Even now you trust his word over mine?’
She blinked, then jerked out of his hold. ‘Even now?When have youevergiven me cause to trust you?’
‘How about when Sven decided you were no longer Queen of Thrudheim? Did that not strike you as odd?’
She stiffened and he could tell that his words had struck true.
He began walking again and she joined him, matching him step for step. ‘He has never considered you anything more than Heimdall’s wife. Here you have the security of your bloodline and the respect and loyalty of your people.’ He tipped his head to the side, gesturing at the gates behind them. ‘But out there… Nobody respects that. They believe you are a vassal of King Sven, a puppet for his amusement. Your only purpose is to ensure the smooth delivery ofhissilver. Your alliance with him is now broken—there will be no grain, support, or security from him.’
‘You are wrong! We have dealt with Sven for many years, but I am no puppet! He will come around eventually,’ Skadi replied, the colour high on her cheeks. She was obviously struggling to accept the truth of his words.
‘You think so? When he comes to your shores with a fleet and makes it clear he disapproves of your marriage to me?’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘Idisapprove of our marriage! And how are you any different to Sven? You also want to control me, to make me your puppet! If what you say is true, then I am simply replacing one tyrant for another!’ She strode away, lifting her skirts above the muddy path and walking at quick pace up the hill towards the great hall in the distance.
Vali, always the fountain of wisdom, commented sagely, ‘She still doesn’t like you very much. Shall I ask the whore to giveyousome tips?’
Agnar almost choked on his outrage. ‘We have been friends for many years, Vali. But if you overstep like that again, I will beat you senseless.’
Vali gave an infuriatingly thoughtful nod, as if Agnar hadn’t just threatened him. ‘Ahh, so that is the way of it—you wish to break her in gently.’ Agnar was about to throttle him when he added, ‘But that might not be the wisest course. In fact, bedding her well might help her feel more secure in her position and help you gain her trust.’
Agnar stared at his friend, wondering if the man had lost all of his wits. ‘How?’
Vali gave him a sly teasing smile. ‘Well, she’s an experienced, mature woman and you are a man in his prime—if a little inexperienced in the art of love. If you please her, she might forget her grievances against you and give you peace. A happy wife leads to a happy life…or so my father used to say.’
Agnar was one step away from ripping off Vali’s head and kicking it over the battlements—their years of friendship be damned! ‘Say that again and I will rip out your tongue.’
‘And…’ Vali added cautiously, taking a couple of steps to the side so he was out of Agnar’s reach, ‘if you fill her belly with another child, she willknowshe is safe.’
Agnar rolled his eyes. ‘Idiot! She is afraid for her eldest child.’ He thought of the herbalists with all of her potions. ‘She will not give me another willingly—for fear of disinheriting the first.’
Vali spoke as if he’d not heard him, ‘Make sure you keep trying until she bears a boy. Surely, if she’d given Heimdall a son, he would have become heir over Astra.’
‘She doesn’t want any more children.’ Agnar wasn’t entirely sure why he was allowing this conversation to continue, but as they climbed the path towards the hall, he found himself desperate for guidance. He’d planned everything to ensure his successful claiming of Thrudheim, but he’d not thought much past achieving his goal.
‘Why not?’ Vali asked, confused.
‘She is ten years older than me.’
