Page 7 of Chosen

Chapter Five

Truth

I was given lands and titles, even a dowry of silver, but none of it compared to the gift of knowledge. In a matter of a few years, I’d mastered the language, both written and spoken. I excelled at history. I was like a sponge according to Sir Marcus.

“Countess, I must say. You are a vision,” Marcus purred.

He was a notorious flirt, if one didn’t know him, they’d have never known that he didn’t enjoy the company of women. He was witty and handsome with red hair and honey-brown eyes.

“I thank you,” I inclined my head and smiled.

“Truth,” Gisla exclaimed, coming up behind me.

She gave my shoulders a squeeze that turned into a hug. I hadn’t seen her in at least ten years. She’d been with Enzo in Ramir. I stared at the woman who had changed my life. There was so much I wanted to say to her, but instead I simply pulled her in for a second hug and clung to her like my life depended on it.

“Are you terrified?” she whispered

“To the bone,” I stressed.

Gisla gave a hearty laugh.

“Of a wee bairn?”

“He isn’t a babe any longer. He is a grown man. A man who will be arriving any moment. Only the Gods know what Sven has told him of me. What if he cannot stand the sight of me? What if he is cruel and quick-tempered?”

“Like his father, you mean?” Gisla asked, with a smile in her eyes.

“Sven was an asshole. He was rough, but never outright cruel,” I carefully recollected.

I’d learned the art of holding my tongue and I didn’t want to risk offending my old friend.

“Sigurd is a free spirit. A young man with a strong, intelligent mind. A true Viking.” Gisla sounded like she was reading off a report, and I realized she only knew what had been conveyed to her on paper.

“What if his mother has corrupted his mind against me?” I laid out my last concern.

“The king!” a page bellowed, causing everyone to stand up a little straighter. The sea of people parted and sure enough, there stood Sven in all his glory. The years had been kind to him. He still carried a lot of his muscle tone, and his eyes were sharp. Beside him, Queen Ava stood tight-lipped and glaring. She scanned the crowd until her gaze locked on me. I could have sworn I read a curse on her lips. Sven followed her line of sight and smirked at me. My heart did a flip while I braced for confrontation. Instead, they made their way past like I wasn’t even there.

“Where is he?” I panicked.

“I’m not sure,” Gisla looked around.

“I would play a game,” Sven called, once he reached his throne. He sank down into it, leaving Ava to stand beside him. She looked miserable and might have even rolled her eyes a time or two. It was hard to tell exactly from where I stood.

“Countess Truth, come forward,” Sven continued. “Approach, woman.”

He was staring at me, but speaking as if he didn’t see me in the crowd. I stepped forward, my brown and blue dress scraping the floor as I made my way toward the front. I didn’t want Ava to think that I was flirting with her husband, so I didn’t bother avoiding his gaze. I looked directly at him and saluted him with my chin.

“Yes, Majesty?” I kept my tone polite and my expression light.

“You will guess which man is your intended. If you are correct, I will give your first child a gift. His weight in gold.”

I wanted to ask him what he would give if it were a girl child, but I kept my mouth shut and merely bowed.

He clapped his hands, and the guards came forward with three men between them. One was tall with a tunic that bared one of his shoulders in a Ramir style. He didn’t have much muscle tone, but he did have a fool’s smile. It was clear by the way his eyes roamed that he’d never been in a castle, let alone a throne room. The second man had impressive arms. He’d swung plenty of axes in his day. His hair was sandy-brown, and his eyes were green. My attention shifted to the man at the end of the line. The one that was tall with broad shoulders and long, blond hair. He had striking blue eyes that were drinking in the sight of me. He was studying my every move, judging me just as I judged him.

I’d stared into those same eyes a hundred times before. They were Sven’s eyes. I knew how men were. Sven wanted entertainment, so I walked to the man in the middle, holding his gaze the entire time that I gravitated his way. When I reached him, I glanced toward Sven and then back to the man again. I knew Sven well. He’d owned me for a few years when I was a slave. He needed to unwind. To laugh. So, without thinking, I grabbed the man’s crotch and shook my head. The room around me erupted with gasps, but Siggy and Sven both roared with laughter.

“It must be the other one,” I announced, before bringing myself to stand before Siggy.

The corners of his eyes tightened with a smile that didn’t meet his lips. He was definitely Sven’s son. The room grew quiet. Sven let me stand there for a moment. His wife looked at me like I was something disgusting she had stepped in before Sven finally started to clap.

“Skol!” He applauded some more and looked around the room, “The happy couple has been united. Now let us feast!”

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