“No, Your Highness.”
The King stroked his beard and looked thoughtful. “I have another proposition to put to you,” he said.
“What is that?” Hagen asked.
“Jarl Holger recently converted to Christianity,” he said. “He has a daughter who has become a widow.”
“What are you saying?” Hagen asked.
“I am suggesting that you make an offer of marriage for this daughter,” the King replied. “She is still young, although she has three children.”
“Why are you asking me?” Hagen asked.
“Some of the other young men have already wed and others have firm plans in place to wed. You are the one who has not been back to visit since you became betrothed.”
“You have given me many tasks, Your Highness.”
“You are one of my most reliable and ambitious men,” the King replied. “That is why I think this match would be highly advantageous for both of us.”
“Tell me more,” Hagen said.
“Good, I am glad to see that you have not dismissed the idea,” the King said. “As you know, the jarl is a powerful man who rules a large territory. With his conversion to Christianity, he will now wield a large influence in favor of our goals of turning this land into a Christian one. A match with his daughter would ensure that we are aligned in purpose and resources. In return, I would make you a jarl.”
Hagen sucked in his breath. A jarl? He’d never dared to hope that such an honor could be his.
“I have some lands in the north that require a jarl’s rulership. What do you say?”
“This is a great honor, Your Highness,” Hagen finally managed. “But what of the Merilant maid to whom I am already betrothed?”
The King waved a dismissive hand. “She will doubtless find another husband. It is not our problem, is it?”
“She is a fine woman,” Hagen said. “I was certain she would make a good wife.”
“She is only the daughter of a village leader,” the King said. “That match cannot offer you the privileges and honor that this one would.” He looked hard at Hagen. “I am giving you the choice,” he said. “Marry the Merilant wench if you wish, but in that case, I will choose another to receive the privileges I wish to bestow upon you. Think on the matter and give me your answer in the morning.”
Hagen spent a restless night as he thought of the options before him. He was torn between marrying sweet Sigrid and taking up the King’s offer. Of course, the jarl would have to agree to the match. But in his experience, few went against the King’s wishes. And what if he ended his betrothal to Sigrid? He knew that the people of his land frowned upon broken betrothals. In fact, the families of spurned girls often expressed their displeasure through violence. But he was certain that due to his beliefs, Alfonso would not take that option. Nor would anyone dare to harm a jarl appointed by the King. He thought of Sigrid, sweet, pretty Sigrid, with her beautiful blue eyes full of tears as she said goodbye to him. What would it do to her heart? He skipped over that thought, preferring not to dwell on it.
Instead, he thought of the benefits of marrying the jarl’s daughter. And he would become a jarl himself! What an honor! How could he even think about giving it up for the sake of keeping his promise to wed the daughter of a village leader? He must be crazy not to have said yes to the King right away. He only hoped that the King had not changed his mind by the morning.
Sigrid’s heart sank as she looked out the door. The summer had passed and Hagen had not come. The haust was well underway and if he did not come soon, it would be winter. But surely he would come; he had promised. She kept waiting and hoping, watching the road so often that it became a habit every time she had a spare moment.
But it was not Hagen that came calling one day. A young man rode up to their door and knocked on it. Minna answered.
“Sigrid!” she called. “There is a young man here who is asking for you.”
Sigrid went to the door, feeling uneasy. Why would a young man be asking for her?
“Heill,” the young man greeted her.
“Heill,” she replied, observing his clothing. It was well-made, the kind of clothing that the nobility wore.
“I have come with a message,” the young man said. “It is from Hagen.”
“What does he say?” Sigrid asked eagerly.
“He wishes to tell you that he has ended the betrothal between the two of you,” the young man said.
Sigrid gasped. “That cannot be right! We are to wed!”
The young man looked uncomfortable. “I am but the messenger,” he said. “That is the message that Hagen wished me to deliver.”
“But why?” Sigrid wailed.
“I know not,” the young man replied. “All I know is that Hagen no longer wishes to continue with the marriage arrangement and you are free to wed someone else.”
“That is not fair!” cried Sigrid. “He could have at least told me in person. Now I do not even know why!”
“Be thankful that he told you at all,” the young man advised. “It would have been easy to say nothing and leave you to wait in vain. He has kindness in his heart to let you know.”
Sigrid got angry. “That is not kindness!” she spat. “Kindness is coming in person or keeping your word.”
The young man stood back and held up his hands. “Do not be angry with me,” he said. “I am but the messenger. And a thankless task that is,” he added tartly.
“I am sorry,” Sigrid said. “I know that it is not your fault. Thank you for coming.”
“Peace be with you,” the young man said, turning to mount his horse.
Sigrid went inside, where bitter tears spurted from her eyes. She could not believe that Hagen would so callously betray her trust. Surely it was a mistake! Surely, he would come and tell her that he loved her and that they would be wed!
But as the days went by, Sigrid had no choice but to accept the truth of the messenger’s words. Although she had no idea why, Hagen had rejected her. And he didn’t even have the courage or the integrity to come and tell her himself, leaving it instead to a messenger to deliver the cold, impersonal message that she was no longer wanted. Surplus to his requirements. Simply a complication that he didn’t need in his busy, important life. She had never felt so angry and hurt in all her days.
“Haaaarrrr! Got you!” Sigrid cried as she hurled the rock straight into the round hole on the side of the tree. She pretended it was Hagen’s face and it felt so good to smash a rock into it. She picked up another rock and raised her arm to hurl it, intent on hitting the hole again.
“Hey, do not get me!” exclaimed a voice from the other side of the tree.
Sigrid jumped in fright as Einar appeared.
“Einar! You scared me!”
“Why are you hurling rocks so ferociously at this poor tree? Did it attack you or something?” he asked, stepping warily into full view.
“Why are you lurking behind trees?” she asked suspiciously.
“I heard noises and came to investigate,” he said.
She blushed. She had gone for a walk and had stepped off the path to find some rocks to throw. The tree had provided her with a handy target, allowing her to release some of her grief and anger where no one else would see her foolishness. It helped her to feel better. And now, Einar had caught her at it.
“Well, the noises are nothing to worry about,” she said, more tartly than she’d intended.
“I also know what it is like to feel angry and upset,” he said.
“How do you know I am angry and upset?”
“You sounded angry,” he said, very reasonably. “So I just guessed that you are.”
She sighed; she might as well own up to it. “You are right. I was angry,” she said. “You have heard the gossip, no doubt.”
He nodded. “I am sorry it did not work out as you had hoped,” he said quietly. “It must be a hard thing to bear.”
His unexpected sympathy brought tears to her eyes. “It is,” sh
e admitted. “It is not just the fact that Hagen ended our betrothal without warning. It is also the whispers and stares wherever I go. Betrothals normally do not end this way and when they do, everyone assumes that the woman has done something wrong. Something that makes her undesirable to the bridegroom.”
“That is not fair!” Einar exclaimed. “Surely everyone knows that is not the case with you. You are a virtuous woman and everyone who knows you must surely recognize that.”
She shook her head sadly. “It is not so. Some people love to gossip and there is nothing better than a scandal. Their tongues spread the word far and wide. Even people from villages far away have heard the news. It travels far and fast.”
“That is terrible news for you,” Einar said, trying to provide some comfort. “Surely in time, they will forget.”
She shook her head. “They will never forget,” she said sadly. “There will always be lingering doubts in their minds. To them, there will always be doubts over my purity and my character and they will not hesitate to speak them whenever my name is mentioned. I am as good as a widow now. No husband will want me.”
“Surely it cannot be that bad!” Einar exclaimed. “My people would not care.”
She looked resolutely at him. “Young women are expected to be virgins when they marry,” she said. “It is something that my people expect. Perhaps an older man whose wife has died would take someone such as myself for a bride; more than likely, he would want a wife to take care of his children and household. I will never find a young man who would marry me for love.”
Einar shook his head. He was sure these Christians would never cease to surprise him. “What of this forgiveness your people speak of?” he asked.
“Yes, we believe that we are forgiven. But forgiveness does not restore a woman’s reputation to what it was before. That is just the way it is.”
“And this all happens even if you have done nothing wrong?” he asked in astonishment.
“No one is accusing me of wrongdoing. But they assume that there is a reason that Hagen ended our betrothal. Therefore, they reason that I have done something to displease him, and the most likely sin is a sexual one.”
Einar blushed to hear her speak so frankly. “Our people wish our daughters to be pure when they wed also,” he said. “Courtship is a dangerous thing for us, especially on those occasions when the man has had a hand in the choice of his wife. Any slur against her virtue or honor is seen as a slur against the entire family.”
“What happens then?” Sigrid asked.
“The family may take vengeance,” Einar said. “It usually does not end well for the young man.”
“I can imagine,” she said with a shudder. “I am glad that no one usually dies in such cases among our people.”
“It seems that there is no perfect way of handling such matters,” he replied. “I hope you can regain something of what you have lost.”
She looked at him, her blue eyes full of pain and defiance. “I shall probably die without marrying,” she said. “Nothing will ever restore my reputation to what it was before. All the young men at the eindingida will look at other girls as potential wives before they will consider me.”
Einar felt pity rising in his heart as he looked at the beautiful girl before him. Through no fault of her own, the bright life of hope that she had looked forward to had evaporated, leaving her to forever bear the taint of scandal. It was simply not fair.
CHAPTER 8
“Is Torsten coming to the eindingida this year?” Sigrid asked as they packed their things to attend the annual gathering of Christians.
Frida sighed. “No, he is staying to make sure our house is ready,” she said. “Our wedding is soon after.”
“How could I forget?” Sigrid asked. “There has been so much preparation already.” She folded a blanket and added it to the pile. “At least you do not have to seek a husband this year,” she said.
Frida looked serious. “I hope you find someone,” she said.
“It depends if word has gone around about the way Hagen ended our betrothal,” she said.
“I will not breathe a word of it,” Frida promised.
She didn’t have to. Sigrid soon discovered that the gossip had arrived ahead of her. Even her friends wanted to know all about it.
“Why did your betrothal end?” Aloysia wanted to know as the girls gathered to catch up after a whole year of not seeing each other.
“Who told you about that?” Sigrid asked.
Aloysia shrugged. “I do not know,” she said. “Someone who was passing through the village. Everyone knows.”
Sigrid’s face fell. “Well, that is the end of things for me,” she muttered.
“Did you do something wrong?” Aloysia persisted.
“Why does everyone assume that I did something wrong?” Sigrid said crossly.
“Hey, do not be so sensitive. You know how it is. Everyone believes that a man ends a betrothal for a reason, something that the woman has done wrong.”
“Yes. I know,” Sigrid said shortly.
“Do not be so touchy. I only asked,” Aloysia retorted.
Sigrid turned to face her, looking her squarely in the eyes. “I did nothing wrong. Ask Frida. She knows me better than anyone else. I simply went about my business at home waiting for Hagen to return as he’d promised and he never did. He sent a messenger instead to tell me that he wished to end the betrothal. If I am touchy, then you are judgmental.”
“Sorry I asked,” muttered Aloysia.
“I do not wish to fight with you or anyone else,” Sigrid said. “But please remember that I am your friend, not someone to gossip about. Even if I had done something wrong, would you not preach forgiveness and repentance?”
“Of course.”
“Then why do you assume I have done something wrong before you even speak to me?”
Aloysia hung her head. “I guess that was not fair,” she said. “The matter should be between you and God and it has nothing to do with me.”
“Do you believe that I did nothing wrong?” Sigrid asked.
“Yes, I believe you,” Aloysia replied.
“Then the best thing you can do to help me is to tell anyone who wishes to gossip that you will not spread lies about your friend.”
“I will do that,” Aloysia promised.
“It is not easy for me now,” Sigrid said. “Everywhere I go, people assume that I am guilty of some sexual sin.”
“But you are not.”
“You believed I was. Why would anyone else presume I am innocent?”
“People like to believe the worst about others. I am guilty of this also. You just showed me my blindness.”
“I shall probably never find a husband now,” Sigrid said wearily.
Aloysia looked horrified. “I had never thought of that!” she exclaimed.
“Think about it. Who is going to want a woman who is tainted with scandal?” Sigrid asked, spreading her hands wide. “You are fortunate. You are betrothed and your man intends to follow through with the marriage. He is a good man. You will never have this experience. Even if he were to die before you wed, you would not be regarded in the same way as I am.”
“I am so sorry,” Aloysia said sadly. “I am sorry I did not think of how it would be for you.”
“Each person that spreads gossip contributes to the problem,” Sigrid said. “Every word spoken against my name destroys my reputation and makes it more difficult for me to live a normal life in the future. I am certain that gossip is a sin of which God cannot approve. It is highly destructive.”
“I am sorry,” Aloysia murmured again. “I will stop anyone who speaks ill of you and remind them that it is not pleasing to God.”
“Thank you,” Sigrid said. “It is a good idea to speak out against it. But for me, it is too late. Everyone here already knows thanks to the many tongues that have been wagging.”
Aloysia looked ashamed. “I am sorry for my part in that,” she whispered. “I did not thi
nk.”
Sigrid put her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “We are all human,” she said. “We all make mistakes. I forgive you. But I hope that this experience may lead both of us to be wiser.”
Sigrid sighed with relief as they reached Merilant. It was good to be home again, away from the constant discomfort of sideways looks and half-hearted friendship. No one had been unkind to her at the eindingida, but the carefree days of friendship with her peers were over. Everywhere she went, she had sensed their tension, the questions in their minds about her virtue and character. Some of them had been polite but distant; others had avoided her, and sometimes, she had felt excluded even as they smiled at her and said kind words. Nothing would ever be the same again.
And she was angry. Hagen had ruined the life she’d known through his callous actions; she had done nothing wrong, but she was the one paying for his sins. She was a cauldron of boiling fury on the inside, even as she went about her days with a smile pasted on the outside.
Frida noticed, of course; she was unable to hide it from her sister. But with her wedding just weeks away, Frida had many other matters to occupy her attention and Sigrid found herself dealing with her grief and rage alone. She would certainly miss Frida once she and Torsten were married; even though they would be living nearby, it wouldn’t be the same. Farvald had met a young lady at the eindingida and she expected that within a year or two he would also be married and living his own life. Then she would be left alone with her parents. The thought made her feel bleak.
Soon after they returned from the eindingida, Alfonso called Farvald to him.
“I want you to take the ox-cart and pick up two sheep that I have bought from Halvar,” he said. “They are for Landwulf, to start a flock of his own, but for now, they can live with my flock.”
“Why do we not just drive them back here?” Farvald asked.
‘It will be quicker and easier if you load them into the cart rather than trying to persuade them to walk away from their friends,” Alfonso said.
“Why does Landwulf not pick them up?” Farvald grumbled. “They are his sheep!”
Sigrid: Spurned (Viking Guardians Book 4) Page 5