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Chapter Twenty-One
Last Updated:
2022-06-01 15:20:51
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The Bartered Princess Chapter Twenty-Two
The army amassed by Ketil, though not vast, was at least skilled judging by the practice sessions. She was no expert, of course, but Daphne said the men seemed more than competent. Quite how she knew that was open to question, but it was what Miriam wanted to hear, so she gave little thought to how easily the mercenaries had been overcome when taken by surprise. Their leader had seemed to be able to come and go as he pleased, though even he had been careless enough to leave himself unprotected a time or two.She had some thinking to do regarding the Norseman. Had she given herself to him initially to avoid being sent away? It was hard to say. Normally, she was not that bold or cynical, but circumstances dictated everyone’s behaviour, didn’t they? Daphne was a prime example of that, though still impossible to fathom. Irrespective of that, Miriam felt bound to him now. Yet, if it came to a choice between him and her people she did not know how she would make it. The kingdom needed a man
Last Updated : 2022-06-02The Bartered Princess Chapter Twenty-Three
The waiting was the worst part. At least, she thought it was initially. Countless women must have stayed behind wondering if their husbands, brothers and sons – in some cases, their fathers – would return unscathed from a battle. Miriam had never experienced such a thing and it was setting her teeth on edge. No, her sister was doing that all by herself.For some reason she had suggested a dancing competition. Sassa was willing but not Ruth.“Let us show Jenna how it’s done. How else will she persuade someone of higher rank to wed her?”Tactful, as usual, that was Daphne.“They are very happy together. And Orm is not related to Ketil and Magnus. Can you not see they love each other?”“What a naïve girl you are, sister dear. Why don’t you wear the green costume, if Ruth isn’t participating? It matches your eyes.”In order to keep the peace, Miriam went along with it, though it was a pain to be wrapped up in the many separate veils. She quite liked the one covering her face. Sassa had to
Last Updated : 2022-06-02The Bartered Princess Chapter Twenty-Four
The element of surprise had not been enough. Hand-to-hand combat soon showed Ketil how inexperienced his new recruits were, but they lacked nothing in valiance and soon secured vital areas before he and Sigurd made their way to the Great Hall. The Masked King was not seated on the throne. In fact, he was nowhere to be found in this particular wing. They caught up with him in the mirrored room, a bejewelled lovely on his lap while yet another was chained to the wall naked and awaiting whatever punishment The Lizard chose to bestow. Sigurd wasted no time in knocking him out with one blow from his mailed fist. The courtesan seemed to be drugged, and barely reacted, but the other woman began to scream. “Be quiet,” Ketil urged, going up to her and freeing her from her bonds with the key he’d located around her tormentor’s waist. She promptly fainted, and he realised he should have removed his helm. Even Miriam seemed wary of it. There was little to be done after that. The dungeons were
Last Updated : 2022-06-03The Bartered Princess Chapter Twenty-Five
Miriam found she needed to swat away troublesome flies more often than wandering hands. She had been dismayed when they were forced to get into a small riverboat. This would eat up the distance quicker than anyone following them. She glared at each man in turn, mentally comparing them to Ketil and deciding they didn’t measure up.Beards didn’t make the man; the man wore the beard. These were straggly and not particularly clean. The same applied to their clothing, patched and torn in places. Their black eyes showed only avarice or lust, while she was hoping for surprise followed by concern at the advent of strangers.She nudged her sister. “Which one is yours, do you think?”Daphne was in another of her huffs and refused to speak.Miriam had tried to leave signs along the way, breaking off twigs where possible and even dropping a diaphanous veil. Her hairpins she assumed she might need for protection. But here on the water, it was harder. Maybe another veil? Modesty would not help her
Last Updated : 2022-06-03The Bartered Princess Chapter Twenty-Six
Ketil became concerned that the trail had gone cold until he spotted the sign. The twig was only small, covered in thorns, and from a gooseberry bush but he found it significant. In truth, he and Sigurd had not tracked anyone for a while and certainly not with as vested an interest as this. “We will get them back, Sig,” he said, with more confidence than he felt. “And what if Asti finds her own trouble along the way?” “All the more reason to hurry.” The ground was soft in places, swamp-like, and he guessed they must be close to a main tributary of the river, perhaps one which led to the sea. Having spent a lot of time on land recently, he was having to re-acquire old skills while appeasing his morose companion. Being in charge wasn’t always easy, but he wouldn’t have it any other way, especially where she was concerned. A soft breeze caressed his scarred cheek, reminding him of Miriam as did the soft scents from honeysuckle and lovage. She’d picked some of the latter when Queen El
Last Updated : 2022-06-04The Bartered Princess Chapter Twenty-Seven
A cart was waiting for them on the other bank of the river. The woman driver was a veritable termagant, middle-aged, wearing a long dress and ordering their two captors about to the disgust of Cedric, in particular.“When I was plying my trade as a sailor there was a reason it was considered unlucky to have a female aboard,” he remarked to his mate, “and we ended up with three of them. Now this.” He spat over the side.“I don’t need to cast a die to forecast you’ll be seeing the ship of the desert very soon,” the hag said as they concealed the boat as best they could.“That is where I come in, “Sayed said.Miriam wondered what they were talking about.“Which one is the Princess?”“I am,” Daphne said.“Not as beautiful as I had been led to believe.”“That’s because you’re looking at the wrong one,” Cedric pointed out. “We brought her since she was available, nothing more.”“And this half-drowned creature?”“Another bonus, you might say. She spent some time in the harem if you know what
Last Updated : 2022-06-04The Bartered Princess Chapter Twenty-Eight
“This is getting us nowhere,” Ketil said, hunkering down to check yet another false sign. “Any ideas? Because I’m fresh out of them.” Sigurd thought for a moment. “Why did Asti follow them?” “You know why. She’s fiercely loyal, and Miriam was kind to her.” “Aside from that?” It was Ketil’s turn to think it through. “Astrid thought she could take them on, the men.” “And she did not give up, even when they took to the river.” “Our sister is a good swimmer. Sorry,” he said, holding up a hand. “I may be tired, but that is no excuse.” “You owe me one.” Sigurd grinned, to show there were no hard feelings. “More than that,” he acknowledged. “You did your best to look after Miriam when I could not. Why did you stay and pretend you wanted to take their coin?” “We needed a man on the inside. And I wanted to help Magnus and Orm.” He had been staring out across the water but now he looked down. “I should have thanked Jenna for doing what I could not.” “You had your hands full,” he pointe
Last Updated : 2022-06-05The Bartered Princess Chapter Twenty-Nine
“If it please my lord, my sister is ill,” she blurted, without raising her head.“Silence!” the guard roared.“She will be punished, Your Highness,” Sayed said, saving his own skin.“My men have gone without women for long days and nights. Perhaps she can entertain them.”“No! If it please you, my lord, I will see to their easement.”Miriam had to blink back tears. Astrid didn’t have to do that – unless it was as much for Ketil as it was for her?“I will do it,” said a muffled voice from the corner. “After all, it is my duty.”“You may rise,” the Emir said. His hand strayed to the curved scimitar in the hand of his bodyguard. Was he going to give the order for a beheading? If so, who? All three of them had spoken out of turn.“Please, do not punish others for my error,” she begged.“Look at me, girl.”Miriam forced herself to meet his gaze. His eyes were blue, like the ocean beyond the far mountains. She used to ride there from the age of eleven until she was deprived of that pleasure
Last Updated : 2022-06-05
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The Bartered Princess Chapter Eighty-Two
So this was how her last night with Ketil was going to be spent, with them both miserable and not even a loving kiss to temper her heartache. There was no going back now. In true Norse fashion she really had burned her boats. Miriam turned over, hugging the pillow. Once she had taken such a thing for granted. Yet the time spent without one had been so much more – enlightening. “Please say you will come for a visit when the snows melt.” “No.” It was an unfamiliar growl. “Ketil, this is hard enough without you behaving like this.” “Did your vows mean so little, Miriam?” That stung. “You know how to wound.” She wiped away a stray tear, determined to show no weakness. Her resolve was already crumbling, but he wasn’t to know that. “Go to sleep,” he said. “You will need all your strength tomorrow.” Something in his voice set her wondering. Miriam supposed she was merely clutching at straws. “You do not command me,” she told him, her eyes wide open. Moving onto her back in a huff
The Bartered Princess Chapter Eighty-One
It was the hardest conversation yet but somehow she came through it, feeling virtuous and heartsick at the same time.“You know I am right, Ketil,” she said. “I was born to do this.”She could tell he didn’t like it.“Why now, Miriam?” he ground out. “Do you tire of me and wish for another? That noble husband I once promised to help you find.”“No, my love. There has only ever been you and I wish for no other. But King Hubert is losing public opinion. The people want a Feltspar. I owe it to Queen Eleanor.”“Well, that’s something at least,” he grumbled. “No debt of gratitude is owed to King Gregory, by any of us.”“I have to set right some of the wrongs he did. For her sake.”“You may think that, but I’m not so sure the King would welcome interference.”“He has already stated his approval.”“You sounded him out first? Miriam, sometimes I could strangle you.”“I – I didn’t want you to change my mind for me before I told him of my proposal,” she faltered, hating the fact that the old st
The Bartered Princess Chapter Eighty
The fight was already under way when the two of them emerged into the light. Something was off about her husband’s stance and yet he was more than holding his own against a man who had spent his life pampered and indulged. It almost seemed as if Ketil were toying with him. That couldn’t be right. This was important.“Aunt Astrid’s brilliant, isn’t she? Better than half the men.”Trust Tyr to decipher what she could not. And where then was he, the love of her life? Not with Ragnar, who was giving a slow handclap. The gloves were new and she guessed he was becoming self-conscious about his deformity these days.Miriam held up her hand and asked for them to cease their duel.“There is no need now Tyr is free.”Expecting her cousin to back her, she was surprised to hear him say, “This matter needs to be put before the court.”She supposed it was only right that justice be served.“Will this take long? If a jury is to be sought then it could take weeks and we need to set sail for home befo
The Bartered Princess Chapter Seventy-Nine
It was so much colder down in the dungeon. Miriam was concentrating so hard on not falling off the steps – the rope handrails had long since rotted away – that some of the fear for her first-born went unexamined. She longed for Ketil to scoop her up in his arms and carry her, even though she knew it would not be seemly. Even in the royal court long ago he had afforded her the dignity of walking.What had Mistress Ford said? Things were not as black as she had foreseen. Then why had Beyla experienced false pain? They had always been a close family. Her own legs were trembling and one look at her husband’s set face had shown her he was not himself.“What’s happening? I got here as soon as I could.”Sigurd. Just hearing his voice brought her a measure of relief. They had shared so much that was bad in the past. Surely she could come through this, as well?“It’s the King,” Njord told him. “It appears he has gone mad.”Thank God for that sensible, calm and competent young man. Whatever his
The Bartered Princess Chapter Seventy-Eight
When they reached the palace as quickly as it was possible to do, Beyla feared that Njord would tell her to go to her room and bar herself in, admitting no-one. Instead he sought out her father with her in tow only for them to receive the worst kind of news. It seemed her brother was missing.The last possible sighting appeared to have been of him heading towards the edge of the cliff.“Tyr wouldn’t jump,” she said. “Not even if a thousand Celias changed their mind about marrying him.”“It was her family who objected to the match,” the Jarl corrected. “I thought all such prejudice was over and done with. Apparently not.”“Can you be certain it was him? I mean, Tyr’s a skilful climber. He might just have wanted some breathing space.”“That’s just it, Njord. One moment he was there, a speck on the horizon, the next he had vanished. I – I fear the worst.”Impulsively, Beyla hugged her mother. “If anything had happened to him, we would know.” She put a hand to her chest. “In here.”The ha
The Bartered Princess Chapter Seventy-Seven
The day started out poorly and soon deteriorated with one exception. Miriam had begun to pack her things together but the idea was unappealing somehow. She felt restless and desired to be outdoors. Something was telling her there was a price still to be paid. Happiness was always costly in one way or another.Reassuring herself that Ketil was still on the mend brought its own unlooked for rewards and she lost herself in the bliss of their lovemaking for a while. Even so, she was on high alert like a mother hen for her chicks when the fox came to the henhouse. The notion that it was already here, once lodged in her head, would not go away.Was Beyla still under threat? Surely not Tyr? Could there be trouble back home in Eggsor? Magnus would have sent word if so and she didn’t mean the new King of Svedland.Considering Celia, who was seldom far from her thoughts if truth be known, Miriam realised how little she knew about her future daughter-in-law. Her first-born son loved her wholehea
The Bartered Princess Chapter Seventy-Six
Two whole days had passed and she was eager to be going home. Her mother had grilled her thoroughly about her ordeal and Beyla had been keen to emphasise that perhaps Kaan hadn’t done too much wrong. That had led Aunt Astrid to let out an oath and pretend to look out of the window slit.“I don’t have a silly crush on him,” she said. “He’s not my type.”That was when she realised there was someone behind her and she whirled, only to find herself wrapped in her father’s welcome embrace.“Our child has become a woman without us noticing, Miriam.”“You, maybe. I knew a while ago,” her lady mother retorted.As usual, she didn’t understand the wordless look which passed between them and heated those plumper than ever cheeks. Would she gain weight when she reached that ripe old age? Hopefully not. Njord would have nothing to do with her then. He might even fall out of love with her.She was seeing him later by the stables, though no-one knew. How they felt about each other was scarcely a sec
The Bartered Princess Chapter Seventy-Five
When Miriam sought an audience with the King, Ruth was already prostrated before him. She didn’t have to cudgel her brains too hard to work out the reason why. Her own mission was on similar lines, but she wasn’t about to cut in given the impressive nature of this heartfelt plea.She felt pleased, too, that Jenna had sought to inform her in advance of her fellow housekeeper’s plan, even if Ketil had grumbled about the intrusion into their personal time.King Hubert’s face was impassive, though she thought she saw a softening as he looked down at the housekeeper. Her hard work was a byword, she had never given a moment’s trouble and it wasn’t as if her husband’s fatal attack on the Prince was unprovoked.“Get up, Mistress Olafsson,” he said, after a time. “I am sure those flagstones are cold and uncomfortable.”“I care naught for that, Your Majesty,” she replied.“Then I fear I must make it a command,” he told her, beckoning to Miriam with a crook of his fingers.For some reason she th
The Bartered Princess Chapter Seventy-Four
It was Kaan who stood there, an imposing figure in his long robe. The fact that his curved scimitar was exposed was not lost on either Beyla or her tormentor.“What is the meaning of this intrusion?”The bluster cut no ice with the Emperor of the Desert.“This farce has gone far enough,” he said.Beyla’s head was whirling. Had he sold her, or not?“Please, help me,” she begged, just to be on the safe side.“Has he hurt you, little one?”“No, but he was going to make me do humiliating things,” she said, trying her best to cover her body.If only she had more than one pair of hands!“Come here, Beyla. The sale’s off,” he said to the bewildered would-be purchaser.“By whose authority?”When he gave his full name and title the man in question beat a hasty retreat.“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she dared, backing away.Just then, there was a commotion further down the passage. When the door burst open to reveal a stocky man with ice-blue eyes, Beyla believed she was dreaming.“What’s
