Page 110 of My Fair Viking

Which oft leads to excesses.

Gold plate, silk robes, jewels galore,

So much food that the belly gets sore,

Horses, boats, women, slaves, and what's more,

There ne'er seems to be enough of anything,

So greed and dissipation become king.

Methinks there is much to be said

For the simple life led.

Food, shelter, fire, and wife…

That is all one really needs in life."

For once, Bolthor's saga made sense. Tykir nodded, and Adam told him how impressed he was. There was something revolting about the excess of this court. There should be a better balance between rich and poor. Strange idea, that. Who would have thought it would come from Bolthor? But then, perchance Adam had been guilty like many others of thinking Bolthor was slow-witted just because he spoke slowly.

Adam's slave girl, who had to be all of thirteen years old, had gone off to deliver a message for him to King Thorvald. She was returning now.

"Your king says to come forth. The emperor will speak with you now," she told him in her girlish voice. "You two, as well," she added, indicating Tykir and Bolthor.

Adam nodded and stood, noticing that Thorvald was doing the same, with the help of two servants, one of whom handed him his staff. If Adam wasn't so worried about Tyra, he would be concerned about the king, who was not as strong as he believed.

Within seconds, the four of them stood before the emperor and empress, whose divans were on a dais elevated slightly from the rest of the room. Romanus and Theophano—both extremely handsome people—did not rise for them. Instead, they remained half reclining on their low sofas.

The four of them were dressed in their best finery... quality cloth, exquisite embroidery, amber jewelry, silver armlets... but they looked like paupers compared to these two, and most others at the court.

"Welcome to Byzantium, Thorvald. I believe you were a friend to my father."

Thorvald nodded. "And to his son, as well."

After Thorvald introduced the three of them, Romanus said, "I understand you had a miraculous operation performed on you of late."

Here we go again with the miracle business, Adam thought.

"Yea, I did. A hole in the head."

Oh, God, please, no hole-in-the-head jests.

"This is the physician who cut into my scalp and saved my life," the king went on, waving a hand at Adam.

"Aaahh!" the emperor and empress both sighed, duly impressed, he supposed. Or bored.

"Would you care to tour my hospitiums on the morrow? I have five of them. Mayhap you can explain this head drilling to my healeis," Romanus suggested to Adam.

"I would be honored to do so… at another time. There is a more urgent matter on my mmd… our minds… first."

He could tell that the emperor was not pleased with his answer. Still, Romanus inquired, "And what would that urgent matter be?"

"My daughter," the king said. "I must see my daughter Tyra."

At the same time, Adam said, "My betrothed, Tyra."

"Your betrothed?" the empress asked with surprise.