“Are you harmed?” Giric asked her quietly as Gunnar walked past her and toward the earl.
“I am well and will be much better when that man is removed from here.”
“Your brother will see it done and if he does not, I will.” He smiled at her, in a soft, gentle way that made the lines in his face deepen. “I give you my word,” he said as he placed his hand on the arm holding her dagger and pushed downward.
She worked to control her breathing. Her hand was still curled tightly around her dagger and the pressure where his hand touched her arm felt good, somehow helping to quell the fire raging in her body.
“Earl Einar, you have insulted my sisters and so have insulted me,” Gunnar said. “You are no longer welcome here.”
“I came in peace, and I was insulted and attacked. You will treat me with the respect my title demands, else I will strip you of your lands and take it for myself. Everyone will know your shame.”
Saga made to lift her dagger, but Giric’s hand still held her arm down. He shook his head, locking gazes with her. So much unspoken understanding rested there. If she harmed the earl, regardless of the provocation, she would be punished, perhaps even banished, which was worse than death.
She relaxed a little and only then did Giric remove his hand. Sheathing her dagger, she focused all her thoughts on controlling her breath and not letting the dishonourable wretch before her gain any hold over her.
“And will you really go away and tell everyone you were bested by a woman?” Gunnar asked with a smirk.
Saga was not insulted by the remark. Coming from her brother who regularly praised her, the comment was meant to antagonize the earl rather than demean her ability.
“Not any woman. Her reputation is well known.” Einar pointed a crooked finger in her direction.
“But a woman, nonetheless,” Gunnar said and crossed his arms over his chest.
When Saga made to insert herself back into the conversation and prove how much of a warrior she really was, Giric placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Its weight was a surprising comfort.
She turned her attention to the earl. His eyes glinted with delight. He appeared to be very much aware of how to evoke her anger. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, the Scot’s approach would likely irritate him more. Saga drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
Saga swallowed the lump that had lodged in her throat and turned back to Giric. “Thank you,” she said to Giric, quietly. Then to Vigdis she said, “Come, let us leave the plotting and scheming to the men.” She tried to make her voice sound flat.
It was then she noticed Vigdis had found her way closer to the Scot’s friend. He had further shielded her from the violence of the scene. Perhaps there was something honourable in these men after all. Either that or they were used to underestimating their women—perhaps both.
“Come, Vigdis.”
Saga took her sister’s hand and made a wide berth around the earl. When they were outside the hall, Saga touched her head discovering something sticky. She examined her fingers and couldn’t help but grin despite the pain that had begun at the base of her neck. It was not yet bad, but as in the past, once it crept from her neck to her head, she’d be in for a rough few hours. She would go to Freydis. The woman was bound to have some helpful concoction.
“You frighten me sometimes, sister.”
“I frighten myself sometimes,” Saga said with a small laugh that made her aware of the blood pulsing in her head.
It was true, sometimes her anger was such that she would lash out. She didn’t try to be so physical, but when she saw someone or something threatened, especially if the balance of power was off, she acted without consequential thought.
“I fear one of these days your temper will get you into a heap of trouble.”
“Would you have preferred I let the earl paw at you? Really, Vigdis, I understand what you are saying, but at what point would you want me to intervene?”
Vigdis sighed. “I do not know the answer, Saga. I wish we did not have to endure such behaviour.”
“That will never change and so we must be strong and correct them when they overstep.”
Saga would never stop believing this. While some men like Bjorn were harmless, there were far too many Einar’s out there who took what they wanted.
“I know you are right, but I could never do what you did back there. You knocked that man clean onto hisrumpa,” Vigdis said. She shook her head as if she didn’t believe what her own eyes had witnessed.
The thought made Saga grin. She had done that. “Ja and did you see the look on his face? It is worth the ache I suffer to see the look of surprise on him.”
Freydis was waiting in the doorway as they arrived at her hut. “It’s about time you arrived.”
“How did you know we were coming?” Vigdis asked.
