Magnus hopped back up onto the wharf and looked down at Yrsa. She was pretty enough, but her penchant for causing trouble was more than Magnus could bear. He’d been close to falling for her advances once and thanked the gods he’d resisted.
When he made to walk past her, she jumped in front of him. “Maybe you could take me out in your galley sometime.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Yrsa.” He made to walk past her, but she got ahead of him again and placed her hands on his chest.
“Please, Magnus. You’re all I think about.”
“Is that so? And so you must think a lot, because I understand you’ve told Roland and Jagger the same thing.”
Her cheeks flushed a crimson red. “How dare you make me into a loose woman!”
Magnus was about to lose the one shred of patience he had left. He leaned in close. “We both know you flirt, Yrsa. I respect you because ofyour brother, but if you approach me like this again, I will bring your activity to the attention ofmybrother.”
Yrsa stepped back, her jaw dropping. “You would ruin me?”
“I have done nothing to ruin you that you have not done to yourself.”
“Yrsa!” Bjorn’s voice boomed loud enough to be heard across the inlet.
Magnus looked around at the high cliffs as her name echoed. “Nice to see you, Yrsa. Remember what I said.”
As Magnus walked away from Yrsa, he met up with Bjorn. The man was more than a friend; he was a brother and strong ally. They’d learned to fight together and had been close until Bjorn developed an attachment to Magnus’ sister, Saga. Now that she was married to a Scot and living on the mainland, Bjorn appeared a little lost.
“Is my sister bothering you again?”
“I’m telling you, Bjorn, find that girl a husband and do it soon.”
“That’s what I’ve been telling Fader, but he is adamant she will marry a nobleman from the mainland too.”
“I suggest he speak to my brother. That is the flavour of all his conversations of late.”
“He has, but Gunnar wants to speak to Yrsa himself first. He says he will not force her into a marriage she does not want.”
Magnus shook his head. As chief, Gunnar could make arrangements for any of them, but instead he insisted on making sure all parties were in agreement. That was except for when it came to his own brother. Magnus was not opposed to marriage in the least, but he had not yet proved his worth to his clan, much less settle down with a wife. Since the Scots had landed in Islay several weeks ago, Gunnar was determined to play matchmaker whether his people were interested or not. And Magnus was decidedly not.
“Have fun meeting with Gunnar. I need to get out of here for a while, but the galley is jammed in too tight.”
“Target practice?”
“Why not? I have nothing else to do at the moment but avoid Gunnar.”
“I’ll see ye later for a horn,” Bjorn said and grinned as he walked past him and on toward his sister. “You’ve been summoned to see the chief,” he said.
Magnus didn’t stick around to listen to her response. No doubt she’d create a scene and he was in no mood for anyone’s drama this day.
He made his way through the well beaten paths leading to the tannery and armoury. He’d been getting fitted for new trews and the tanner had them nearly ready. Their blacksmith was also working on a new broadsword for him, and he was anxious to see the progress on both.
“Have ye heard the news, Magnus?” the blacksmith asked as he pulled out the new sword for Magnus’s inspection.
“What news?” he asked while taking the weapon into his hand and testing it for weight and balance. He twirled it in his right hand and then his left, then swung it over his head and spun around slashing at an imaginary foe. It felt good. More than good. It was like an extension of his hand, there being no separation between metal and man. This was a blade meant for battle. And mayhap that was at the heart of his issue. He wanted excitement in his life, not to settle down and marry. He’d been pestering Gunnar about sailing to Iceland and Gunnar had refused, saying it was a dangerous time to leave the village with Earl Einar and Snorri Short-Beard still plotting against them from the other side of the island. Never mind the looming war with the English.
“Your brother has invited more Scots to join us before the snow falls.”
“More Scots! Surely you jest. We are not long rid of the last lot. Who now?” And how did the blacksmith know this when Magnus did not?
“Word has spread about your sister’s marriage and other nobles have an interest in making peace with your brother.”
That made sense, but why had Gunnar not told him about it? Perhaps because of how each conversation ended lately between them. All of Gunnar’s insistence over the past few days now made sense. He was setting Magnus up for a wife right now, not in the near future, but now.
