Chapter 4: Long Talks

856 Oliefsborg: Eleven Years Later

"It must be done!" Erick's loud voice echoed across the room, slamming his cup of mead onto the table where he stood at the very end, gaining the attention of those around him.

Astrid glanced up from the linen cloth she was embroidering, located in the corner of the room, at the group of rugged men siting around the large feasting hall chattering about the upcoming raid that was being planned. Each man held a cup or a drinking horn in which they were enjoying the refreshing mead which was Astrid's responsibility to keep filled.

"You do understand, earl, that we cannot go without additional forces." Knute added, looking up at Erick, whose face was now turning a dark red from anger. "We do not know what powers they have in France. If they are powerful then we stand no chance of winning, all of your men will die. That risk cannot be taken, sire."

Knute arose from his chair that sat to the right side of Erick, turning to face him calmly.

"Sire, do you understand that." Knute's calm voice said, placing his hand upon Erick's fox fur-covered shoulder.

Erick nodded his head slightly in agreement.

"I understand, Knute." He looked over at Astrid, who was staring at them. She quickly averted her eyes away, fearing she would offend him more than he already was.

Erick turned his attention back to Knute, whose gaze never left.

"Where will we find those additional forces?" Erick questioned, raising the small wooden cup to his lips and drank a sip from it as Knute looked around, thinking of a response for the earl.

After moments of thinking Knute opened his mouth to speak. "What about your son, Bard? He has lands in Sweden." Knute proposed, watching a frown come quickly upon his face. "It is only an idea, sire."

"My son," Erick paused. "My son does not want to see me. If he had wanted to be with me, he would have returned years ago, but he did not. We will raid into the northern part of France whether or not I have allies. If you can by chance get my son to raid with us, then he is more than welcome."

Erick rushed away from the table into a side room which was separated only by a black sheer, linen curtain. Astrid closed her eyes, letting out a sigh as she pondered on if it was her duty to go after the earl. She hesitantly arose from the stool, on which she sat on in the corner of the large room, and laid her embroidery down. As she walked by the large group of men they began making obscene comments and gestures towards her. The room smelled of mead and the body odor of the drunken men, making it hard for Astrid to keep her head high as she hurriedly walked through the mess.

Once she made it to the thin curtain divider, she stood still for several seconds before entering inside. The room was where Earl Erick slept at night. It was smaller than the feasting hall but it was large enough to hold a big bed with a heavy, wooden, dark brown headboard carved with dragons and swirling patterns. In front of the bed was a small fire pit, resembling the one that was inside the hall. Beside the fire was a wicker chair that Erick was sitting in, staring intently at the orangish-yellow glow of the burning fire.

"Sire," Astrid mumbled, moving closer to the disheveled earl. "It is summer, you do not need a fire."

He looked up annoyed, arising with the means of intimidating Astrid. "I can burn a fire if I so desire. Tell me why could I not, slave?"

He turned his head around quickly, slinking around Astrid.

"You can do as you please." Astrid spoke calmly, focusing her eyes on the room's wall, away from him.

Silence befell between them, leaving only the sound of the fire cracking and men's chatter just beyond the curtain divider.

"Do you not want to see your son again? I know I would love to see my family again, if I had any left." Astrid stated bluntly, glaring over at Erick who had now sat back down.

"No." Erick shouted simply.

Astrid jumped startled at the sound of his voice. She knew now that she had angered Erick and that it was time for her to leave him to cool down.

"What do you think of Knute?" Erick asked, looking up at Astrid who had almost made it out of the room.

She stopped cold in her tracks at the question and turned to find the once cold eyes of Erick now melted and staring at her intently with each word he spoke. Silence crept in the room as Astrid hesitated to answer.

"Knute is a nice man, I suppose." Astrid said, walking back towards Erick. "I have no problems with him. Why do you ask?"

Erick raised an eyebrow up at her as he stood from his chair moving to the edge of the bed, where he plopped down. Erick patted the bed beside him, inviting Astrid to sit.

Astrid slowly lowered herself onto the bed beside him. "Sire, I do not understand what is going on." Astrid mumbled, twirling her thumbs.

Erick looked over at her with a smile and placed his large hand around hers. "Knute is thirty-three and still not married. He is like a son to me and I want to see him succeed just as good as I have. That is where you will come into play by marrying him." Erick informed Astrid.

Astrid's jaw dropped and eyes grew wide, confused and taken by surprise at the statement. "Knute deserves better than me, sire. I am no more than a slave. That is all he has known me as."

"If you agree to marry him you will be free since Knute is free." Erick shared. "In my opinion you are the perfect woman for him."

Astrid shook her head. "But sire, what about Jezebel? I cannot leave Jezebel."

Erick smiled at Astrid. "Jezebel will be fine with me." He answered with a wink.

Astrid knew of the romance that took place between Erick and Jezebel almost every night. She occasionally heard their sexual relations taking place. The knowledge of their flings made Astrid angry due to the fact Jezebel was the only person who cared for her, she thought.

"Sire before I answer anything I must know why you care so much for him." Astrid said, looking deeply at Erick who was expressionless.

Erick glanced down at his hands, tracing his fingers on his golden arm band. "His family was murdered when he was six. My wife, Bertha, found the child down by the water and returned with him. He and Bard were the same age so they were friends right off, you know." Erick shrugged his shoulders. "Bertha insisted on him to stay until he got old enough to go out on his own but she left before she saw him reach that age. She felt the need to leave with Bard when they were only fifteen."

Astrid shut her eyes when she seen the tears began falling from his eyes, knowing she would cry also if she watched him.

"Did she give you a reason of why she left?" Astrid asked, knowing that she probably shouldn't, opening her eyes.

Erick shook his head and stood up. "She had an affair with my brother. When he took rule in Sweden she left with him and gave Bard the option to stay with me or go with her." He rubbed his forehead as the tears fell freely down his hot cheeks. "And when he went with her it killed me. First it was my brother that betrayed me but then my own son wanted her more!" Erick's voice grew progressively louder. "That is why Knute is like a son to me. He was there when nobody else was and also that is why I want him to go far, farther than my own son."

Astrid placed her hand onto his back, calming his disturbed mind. "I am sorry to hear this but forcing Knute to marry me will not allow him to prosper. If anything marrying a slave will only hurt him."

Erick turned to face her, holding up his index finger. "See that is where you are wrong. You are beautiful and strong and everything that Bard would want." He leant down beside her ear. "And that is what I want for my son, Knute." Erick whispered, his hot breath sending a shiver down Astrid's spine before he left her alone beside the hot fire, which Astrid soon put out.

She closed her eyes, placed her hands over her red-hot, embarrassed face. Outside of the room she heard Erick tell some men to go into Sweden and send word to his son. She dropped her hands down back to her sides. It was time for her to toughen up once again and make the right decision- the decision in which she had to ponder.

The day ticked away quickly and night was coming soon. Astrid had done all of the work that was needed outside and all of the inside work. She worked her fingers in and out of the loom where they were weaving together a blanket. Thoughts flooded her mind as she worked in silence alongside Jezebel.

"What is ailing you?" Jezebel spoke, breaking the silence.

Astrid stopped her work and looked over at Jezebel.

"Erick insisted I marry Knute." Astrid shared, continuing her work.

Jezebel agreed with a nod.

"I could see that." A smile cam onto Jezebel's face. "You know he is not that bad of a man. In fact, he is a good man for you."

"But I do not under-" Astrid began to say before being cut off by Erick.

"Jezebel!" Erick called out, standing beside the entrance of his chamber.

Astrid let out a sigh as Jezebel turned, making her way to Erick.

"We will finish this talk tonight." Jezebel insured, patting Astrid on the back before departing.

Astrid watched her as Jezebel went inside of the room, disgusted by them. She stomped her foot annoyed at the world. She quickly put all of the bad thoughts into the back of her mind, filling it with the most positive thoughts she could roust up.

The door creaked open, in walked Knute and Gustavo carrying a pile of swords and shields. Astrid glanced up at them but paid them no attention, instead she continued her work silently and efficiently.

"Where is the Earl?" Knute asked, approaching Astrid.

Astrid glanced up, pointing a finger to his bed chamber. "He is in there, sire, with Jezebel."

Gustavo and Knute began talking amongst themselves, pondering on what to do with the supplies that they had brought to Erick. Whatever was spoken made Gustavo exit the house hastily and aggressive, throwing the stack of shields in which he held onto the ground. Astrid turned to face Knute who was looking at the ground. She knew something was bothering him, but dared to ask.

"Do you know when he will be done?" Knute asked, dragging a chair over beside Astrid.

She shook her head. "No sire. You can wait here or I can give him a message."

No response came from him. He sat perfectly still, leaning forward with his arms resting upon his legs. Astrid studied his features for the first time since they had arrived. He hadn't changed much. His dark brown hair was cut short, along with his well-trimmed beard, which was the same dark brown as his hair. He wore a gray, short sleeved tunic, designed with herringbone stitches along the neckline. His soft blue eyes mixed into the rest of his facial features. Astrid noticed a small scar over his right eyebrow which was something she had never seen.

"The messenger has been sent into his son's lands. A response will come in a few days." Knute informed. "But I see that Erick does not care what happens all he cares is about his sexual pleasures!"

Astrid felt there was no reason to respond. He was annoyed the same as she was but he was free to speak what he felt whereas, she could not without being punished.

"Astrid," Knute whispered, touching Astrid's knee, forcing her to look up at him. "I have been informed that the Earl is expecting you to marry his son."

"But you are not his son." Astrid stated confused.

He furrowed his brows. "What have you heard?" He questioned, standing to fill a cup of water.

Astrid followed after him. "Erick told me I was to marry you, not Bard. Quite frankly, I do not wish to marry anyone, life as a slave is working just fine for me."

Knute looked at her then around the room before pulling her into a passionate kiss.

"What was that?" Astrid questioned, breaking away from the embrace.

Knute shrugged his shoulders. "A kiss, I suppose. I should be on my way now." He said, rushing outside.

Astrid leaned up against the wall, confused at what was happening in her life. What was happening was something she had no control over. She knew each day she had to take if a step at a time if she wanted to leave peacefully. But how long would peacefully last?

-Please vote & comment!! I really am sorry for how poorly written this is and the delay of updating, I have had a lot going on. I have also had bad writer's block lately. Anyways, thanks for reading! You all make my day and writing this story worthwhile. 😊😊 God bless!