“You condemned me long ago. After years of loyalty—after delivering countless tenants’ children, healing the broken bodies of your soldiers with my own hands, this is the courtesy I’m shown? Do as you must,blood of my blood.Cut off my hands and feet and bury me alive as you have done countless times to your enemies. Whatever you choose, be quick about it.”
Hopelessness and despair filled Noelle’s heart. The memory of her own mother picked away at her thoughts and she tried toforget. It didn’t work.I never had the privilege of knowing my mother and I mourn her loss every day.She wished with all her heart she was bold enough to speak out and encourage her spouse to make peace with his mother before he punished her. Forgiveness… But the Norse rarely exercised mercy.
Good sense must prevail.
Randvior must have sensed her discomfort and leaned closer.
“Have you anything to add?” he asked.
Noelle wrung her hands and stared at Lauga. A shred of kindness from the woman would motivate her to intervene. Just as the Lord showed mercy in Nineveh, if Lauga repented, she would shield her from Randvior’s wrath.
But a face as hard and bloodless as stone stared back at her. The scarlet shade of Lauga’s gown accentuated the delicate color of her face. With her hair pulled high, she appeared years younger.Anyman would be easily tempted.
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, and even a deadly spider has her charms.Noelle’s face hardened—she refused to be a victim any longer.
“Why?” she blurted out. Lauga did not answer, only stared back.
“Answer the lady of Steingard,” he commanded.
Lauga laughed mockingly. “Steingard? How very charming. Only the filthy English give pet names to sticks and stones.”
Lines marred Randvior’s face. “I believe my wife asked you a question. But let me rephrase it since you seem so unwilling to answer. Why did you hire assassins to kill me, pay for Brian Sinclair to travel from England to murder my wife, and consort with Christians in a place where Odin’s law is the heart of the people?”
The question upset the crowd.
“Killyou?” Lauga faltered. “I did no such thing—they were supposed to killher.” The affirmation burst from her lips, seemingly involuntarily. She gasped and covered her mouth.
“Thrice you have attempted murder on my wife.”
Sickened by her demeanor, Noelle shot up and interrupted her husband.
“I strove to win your respect from the moment I met you. In obedience to my husband, I made peace with these women and accepted what small role you were willing to assign me. If we had settled our differences, even agreed to exist side-by-side with mutual tolerance, I would have been satisfied. There is always hope where God reigns true.”
Without warning, Lauga charged the dais with a knife.
Randvior blocked his mother’s path; she screamed as his massive hand closed around her throat.
Men below pulled their swords and attempted to shove their way through the crowd. But Aud and his men stopped the attack. Three men collapsed on the floor after the brief conflict ended. Noelle rushed to Anundr’s side; he quickly grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her behind his chair.
“Stay by me.” He pulled a long knife from his belt.
She wanted to close her eyes and will this nightmare away. But Lauga had tried to kill her—again! Not even her Christian upbringing could overshadow the fury she felt in that moment. Herbs and powders, magic spells, and consorting with witches, all offenses punishable by death in Christian lands. Eighteen men were marched to the front of the room. Lauga was still caught in Randvior’s unforgiving grasp. Her knife lay on the floor. Aud scooped it up and placed it on his weapon belt for safekeeping.
“Silence!” Randvior commanded.
All the excitement upset Noelle’s stomach again and a burning pain spread across her chest.
Anundr narrowed his eyes. “What ails you?”
Not wishing to alert him to her delicate condition, she scooted away from him and found Unnr, who encouraged her to sit and recline on her chair while she gently blotted sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.
“Violence can give anyone serious indigestion. And while you’re pregnant, expect it even more. This too will pass.”
Knowing what would happen next as her husband confronted the men who tried to attack him, Noelle could hardly keep her mind focused on one thing. She watched as Aud whispered something in her husband’s ear.
Randvior exploded. “Insurrection is punishable by death, take them away.”
The muscles on his face flexed as he stared at her, as if he were making sure she was listening. “Hang them until they’re dead,” he told Aud. “Leave their bodies in the forest so the beasts can pick their bones clean.”
