Ealasaid rose and crossed in front of the jarls. “None of you were there. In attempt to settle this before the fighting started, I spoke with Diarmaid and Eoghann. Diarmaid was not of the mind to listen. He refused, but Eoghann heard my words. He wanted nothing more than our father’s homelands. You can’t fault him.”
“He brought an army here. They outnumbered us, and it’s thanks to merciful gods Freysteinn still stands and Solstad isn’t under the control of our enemies.” The first jarl slammed his fist against the arm of his chair. “Death!”
The crowd cheered.
“He swore fealty to me. If he’s allowed to live, he will never be permitted to leave Solstad without accompaniment.” Hella stood beside Ealasaid. “If not for him, your queen would also have perished. It takes courage to change convictions in the midst of battle. Courage is a quality we admire, do we not?”
Sparse applause rose from the crowd amid unhappy faces.
The third jarl, an older man, rose from his seat. “How do you plan to assure he doesn’t run back to Ironfist’s lands as soon as you set him free? Surely you do not plan to keep him bound forever.”
Hella shook his head. “Eoghann has proclaimed he’s well versed in craftsmanship with precious metals. He would take work and be married to one of our women. His oath to me is the first step, but by binding him to our lineage, he will become one of us.”
“He cannot be trusted,” the second jarl said. “He’ll murder any woman foolish enough to marry him and run for the north.”
“I wouldn’t, my lord.” Eoghann stepped forward, but he kept his gaze averted. “There is nothing for me there. Cuthberht Ironfist said if we could not defeat the vikingrs, we were not to return. He would put us to death himself for making him look like a fool. Refuge here among my sister’s people is my only hope for survival. I would gladly marry and learn to love a Norsewoman if it meant saving my neck.”
The jarls laughed. “There’s not a Norsewoman here who wouldn’t rather wed a pig than you.”
Eoghann’s face reddened.
The third jarl reclaimed his seat. “If he can find a wife, one bold enough to handle a foreigner, I cast my vote for his continued existence.”
Ealasaid curled her hand around Hella’s.
He nodded. “I agree.”
“I’ll stand for that,” Erik said. The patch over his wound made a dark contrast against his face. “His brother took my eye, but I witnessed his actions on the battlefield. Diarmaid was the only man he killed. He could have allowed his worthless prick of a brother to murder our queen, but he didn’t.”
“Let him live,” Bjorn said. “It’s a more fitting punishment than death.”
Eoghann’s chains rattled as his hands shook. He met Ealasaid’s gaze. Forgive me, he mouthed.
A small women with a bundle in her arms moved through the crowd and clambered up to the seats placed in a semi-circle for the jarls. Idunna faced them, her expression tight and eyes wide.
“I’ll do it. I’ve been looking after him since Hella brought him here to wait for the judgment. My husband died in the battle and I have no man to care for me now. If marriage is all it takes to spare a life after all this death, then I will marry Eoghann Kentigern.”
Eoghann’s mouth opened and his flushed face grew darker.
Hella gazed at Ealasaid and she nodded.
“Idunna is a good woman, and she will teach Eoghann our ways.” She forced a smile at her friend. “I hope you’ll take her offer into consideration.”
Hella nodded. “I would be agreeable to such a union. My wife thinks highly of Idunna Fundinsdottir.”
The two jarls in favor of Eoghann’s death stood.
The second one glared at Eoghann. “Have it your way, but don’t be surprised if he plots against us in the future. Let’s end this and find our way to the hall.”
Idunna inclined her head as they passed. “You have my thanks, good jarls.”
“Pray you don’t regret coming to a hasty decision, woman.” The third jarl shook his head and followed the rest.
Eoghann’s shoulders slumped, and the chains rattled again. He closed his eyes tight, but a tear escaped and rolled down his cheek.
“Do not betray us, or we’ll find the most creative ways to torture you before we let you die.” Hella gestured for the blacksmith, who brought his hammer and tools to snap the links holding the chains together.
“I will not, my king,” Eoghann whispered.
Idunna bounced the baby while they waited for the blacksmith to finish. “I have a small amount of money from my dowry to support us. I can’t stand any more death. If something so simple could save a man, I couldn’t let him die.”
“He’ll go to work immediately,” Hella said. “You will wed this Frigg’s Day and you may remain in Solstad Hall until the weather is fit to build a house.”
“Your kindness is appreciated, my king.” Idunna bowed. “I shall see to it you have a full cup all evening when we return to the hall.”
“Thank you, Idunna, but I suspect you will be busy preparing for your wedding while we acclimate the groom to Norse marriage customs.”
Eoghann inclined his head to Idunna. “You have my eternal thanks, my lady.”
“You have a lot to prove among these men. Save your words and show us how grateful you are by becoming one of us.” Idunna gestured for him. “Come along. I help the thralls cook meals, and you look dead on your feet. There’s no use standing about when there’s work to do.”
Eoghann followed without another word.
Ealasaid curled her hand around Hella’s arm. “Will they suit as a married couple?”
He shrugged. “I hope he understands the mercy he’s been shown. I’ll sponsor a better dowry for Idunna. She’s risking a lot by taking Eoghann as her husband.”
The crowd dispersed and went back to their work and homes. Under the weak autumn sunshine, Ealasaid wrapped her arms around Hella’s waist. For now, things were settled. The weight of her worry slid away when he pulled her closer.
He kissed her forehead. “Shall we return to the hall, my queen, and see what trouble our son is getting up to?”
“No more trouble than his kingly father ever did, I’m sure. We have much to do before Frigg’s Day. Idunna will need all manner of help. I’ll drag her away from the cooking fires to get started, even if she does think she’s needed there.”
“You’re looking for an excuse to get away from the jarls,” he grumbled. “I’ll deserve a reward for every moment I suffer their squabbling.”
“You’ll forget it quickly once you’ve drawn the curtain across our chamber door, m’lord. Don’t fear.”
He rubbed his hand across his forehead. “I fear the night may grow long before I see our bed again.”
“I doubt anyone would miss us for a while.” She tugged his hand. “Ulrika will care for Birgir and Fulla. I think it’s time I cared for my husband, the poor overworked king. A queen knows her duties.”
He followed her to the hall, and they slipped into their bedchamber. Ealasaid pulled the curtain as Hella dropped onto the furs. She joined him on the bed and laughed when he snared her waist, pulling her close.
“We’re safe now for a while, aren’t we?” She ran her fingers through his hair. “From enemies and dark plots.”
He pressed his finger to her lips. “Enough. Your vikingr captor demands your full attention.” Hella growled playfully. “You’re about to be taken. I’ll give no quarter.”
“Alas, what shall I do?”
“Give up.” He pulled at her skirt. “Give in to me.”
She twisted a strand of his hair around her finger. “I see I have no choice. I surrender, m’lord.”
“What do you surrender, aos si?”
She slid her fingers free of his hair and took his hand, placing it above her left breast. “My heart.”
Pronunciation Guide
Ealasaid – Ee-lah-said
Eoghann - Owen
Birgir – Bee
r-grr
Idunna – E-thoo-na
Cairbre – Kahr-bra
Suibhne – Siv-na
sheehy – shee-he
aos si – ees shee
Author’s Note
I’ve taken some liberties with history to write this novel. The truth is we can’t know everything that everyone in the past has accomplished—in some cases, such as creative fiction, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to embellish a little.
Many of the names you read in the book are variations of Scottish Gaelic. They would have been passed down from the early days when the people inhabiting England were descendants of Romano-British following the downfall of the Roman reign. After the 5th century, Germanic culture took over. If I designed a family tree for Ealasaid’s people, it would include Roman and German ancestry, plus some Picts to make things interesting. Her family would be deeply rooted in Briton history.
While I’ve tried to keep the day-to-day life of the Vikings as accurate as possible, the settlements of Suibhne and Solstad are entirely fictional. The position of the settlements is also farther north in what would eventually become Scotland than evidence of Viking life shows us. I decided to make them both far enough north that it would be unlikely anyone would challenge Hella and his kin as kings of the area. Feel free to imagine several bloody battles that might have ensued between the people who lived there—the declining tribes of Picts and struggling Anglo-Saxons—and the Vikings who decided they wanted to settle upriver from the North Sea.
There are many reasons for the Norse expansion into Briton. Their decision to explore the world included growing populations in their home countries, the search for fertile farmland, and trading with other tribes and races. In a few cases Norse warriors were employed as highly valued bodyguards and mercenaries in other countries.
As you can gather from reading Her Heart’s Surrender, Ingvar was of the school where trading would bring him great riches and respect, but his real motivation was destruction. Looting was a quick way to get rich easily, although as the years passed, the Vikings realized the real value of opening trade routes and new settlements everywhere they explored. Many of the place and personal names in the United Kingdom and in Russia bear the influence of the Norse people.
Happy reading,
Allison Merritt
Her Heart's Surrender Page 17
