by Njord Kane
As these thoughts of uncertainty raced around in his mind, the Jarl called out to one of his guards.
"Someone fetch Gwenda Helgasdottir, the blacksmith's widow. She is the one that owns this thrall. She needs to be here. Get her at once!"
One of the guards in the back of the Hall called out, "I shall get her, my Lord" and swiftly exited out the door.
It wasn't very long until Gwenda arrived with the guard. Although the wait seemed even longer to Rowan as his mind ran through different scenarios as to what his fate was going to be. He was now regretting ever going off into the forest and slaying the creature at this point.
As Gwenda walked through the Hall to the Jarl's throne, the men in Hall hushed as they pondered what was to happen next. Rowan wasn't the only one curious as to what was going to happen next.
The Jarl called for a chair to be brought for her and was met with immediate compliance by one of the guards that set down a chair on the other side of Rowan, opposite of the old lawspeaker. When she got to where they were seated, she noticed the head on the floor and immediately cowered from it, openly repulsed.
"My pardons lady for not having that put up before you entered." the Jarl said apologetically.
Without needing the Jarl's instruction to do so, Rowan stepped up and put the head back in the bucket. A guard appeared with a cloth and used it to cover the bucket so she wouldn't be forced to look upon it.
She thanked the guard and the Jarl for their consideration. Secretly, the Jarl was glad for her arrival and for having an excuse to cover the repulsive thing.
"That head belongs to the beast that is responsible for slaying your son and husband." Jarl Erling explained.
"Thank you, my lord, for reaping vengeance on behalf of my family." she replied.
Standing up and facing the men within the Hall, she graciously announced to them all.
"My greatest gratitude to the Hero of our Folk who has slayed this beast and rid our people of any further harm from it."
She looked around the Hall to see who would come forward to state they were the one that slayed the creature, but nobody did.
"Please hero, show yourself. My family owes you the greatest of our gratitude." she plead.
Jarl Erling stood up and approached Gwenda and put his hands on her shoulders. "My fair lady, your hero is your very own thrall." he said as he pointed to Rowan, whom was still knelling and looking down upon the ground, not sure what to do or say.
She was taken back upon hearing this and replied with a surprised, "my thrall?"
"Lady, did you send your thrall out to slay the creature?"
"No, my lord. I didn't even know he had left to do such a thing." she replied. "We were out trading all day and I wasn't even aware our thrall was missing until we came home to find him missing."
At this point, Rowan's heart sank. Just what he needed, to be accused of trying to escape again. That was a punishable offense. Even by death if his master or mistress so desired.
Jarl Erling stood up and addressed the hall.
"The thrall named Rowan, without permission from his mistress nor with the intent of collecting the bounty for slaying the dead walker that was plaguing our village, took it upon himself to go out alone and kill the wretched thing with no plan for compensation or reward. He did this for the better of the people of this village and has achieved alone what none of our best men could achieve. This is a selfless and heroic act that must be recognized!"
There were cheers of approval within the Hall. This announcement startled Rowan, who just a moment ago was expecting the worse and was even starting to regret killing the beast.
Jarl Erling stepped in front of Rowan and commanded, "Rise Thrall!"
Rowan nervously rose to his feet, still unsure as to what was about to happen.
"The bounty I made for the slaying of the beast was 500 silver pieces. Because of this thrall's selfless act of bravery, he is no longer worthy of being that of a mere thrall. That would be a disgrace. With the bounty, I pay his mistress the weregeld value of a useful thrall of 60 silver pieces."
A guard was standing next to the Jarl at this point holding a fine leather bag, obviously full of silver pieces.
Jarl Erling counted out 60 pieces of silver from it and handed it to Gwenda, whom sat there bewildered with an uncertain look on her face. She was relieved to have the deaths of her son and husband revenged, but she didn't expect to lose her thrall. This was a problem, but she knew she could not speak up against the Jarl's decision.
"Having paid for ownership of the thrall as property of my own, I announce before everyone that he is no longer a thrall, but a freeman." Jarl Erling announced to the hall.
There was much talk in the Hall as voices grew louder. Some cheering Rowan and the Jarl, others protesting because they didn't like the thrall being freed.
"Not only do I make him a new freeman, I make him a Karl. Because he is to be regarded as a hero, braver than any man I have seen in my realm as of yet. He will not have the short status of a newly free'd thrall who is only above a thrall in status, but still below freemen and karls until three generations of freedmen descended from him as is customary with our folk. He is to have the status of Karl and be regarded as a hero."
"He's not a Karl," grumbled one man.
"He's a mere thrall and is being freed and given a status higher than the rest of the men of this village. How is that fair to our folk?" grumbled another man.
This last statement caused some uproar in the Hall. Jarl Erling immediately put an end to it.
"I have seen not one man do what this man has done. He has earned the status and the right and no man will argue it, lest he disgrace himself and the people of this realm." Jarl Erling then pointed at Rowan. "Have his neck ring removed at once, he is no longer a thrall! We will celebrate his honor!"
Rowan stood there, still in shock of what had just happened. Jarl Erling handed Rowan the sack of silver and placed it in his hand.
"The remaining reward bounty is yours."
Rowan took hold of the small bag of silver, stunned as he'd never had money before. The Jarl turned and returned to his throne. A few men stepped forward and patted Rowan on the back, congratulating him. It was a strange feeling to Rowan. He had never been treated as an equal or even acknowledged him as a human being. Now they were treating him as one of their own.
One man came in with tools and removed the pin from Rowan's neck ring. He pulled the neck ring off and handed it to Gwenda whom was still sitting her chair flabbergasted. She took the neck ring and quietly left.
Rowan, still looking down at the bag of silver and feeling unusually 'naked' due to no longer wearing his neck ring, was handed a drinking horn personally by the Jarl.
He looked up and accepted the Jarl's offer of mead. The Jarl satisfied, turned towards the rest of the men in the Hall and said, "drink up everyone and feast at my table."
He turned back towards Rowan and pointed at the main table in the Hall which had various meats.
"Eat and be merry as my guest, Hero Rowan. Tomorrow, you will swear your allegiance to me and receive your arm ring."
Rowan looked around the Hall at his strange new World through the eyes of a freeman. Things were different now. He was going to have to learn how to live as a Karl and make a life for himself.
But tonight, he was drinking from the Jarl's cup. A thrall brought Rowan and chunk of meat and some bread. The meat was one of the best cuts, something Rowan never had before. He savored it.
Up on the rafters above in a dark corner, unnoticed by anyone in Hall, quietly sat the wee Tom Tay. Quite pleased with himself, as he watched as his plan played itself out successfully.
There was still much to do. But the time was finally coming. Tom would make sure Rowan took the right path to fulfill his destiny. And every now and then, make things happen to speed things along smoothly.
* The End of the Beginning*
, The Thrall (The Viking Hero Series Book 1)