Page 166 of Ironling
Dropping his head to hers, he murmured against her lips, “You own me,vinya.”
He took her mouth and sealed their promises with a kiss. Around them, the crowd cried with gaiety, calling their names and well-wishes. The courtyard hummed and shook with their clapping and stomping, and Hakon could feel their deep love of Aislinn.
He understood them—he was just as lucky as the Darrowlands to have her.
Epilogue I
Six Months Later
Aislinn clapped her hands over her ears and laughed as Siggy led her rowdy family in another loud song. The home was uproarious over Aislinn’s successful deal with Chief Kennum, and Siggy was in the mood to celebrate.
Siggy needed little excuse to celebrate.
Since their first meeting shortly before for the wedding, Aislinn had taken a quick, strong liking to the loud orcess. They were opposites in nearly every way, yet they got on spectacularly.
Siggy was always singing songs, old ballads and sea shanties and new rhymes of her own making. They kept her twins, a darling set of little girls about eight years old, endlessly entertained. Her mates, Halstern and Viggo, pretended to grumble and roll their eyes, but Halstern often hummed along and Viggo bounced his leg to the tune.
Aislinn exchanged looks with Hakon, the two of them breaking out into laughter as Siggy swung her arms and sang atthe top of her lungs.
The whole of Kaldebrak would surely hear. Perhaps that was the point.
It was a grand way to cap off her successful meeting with Chieftain Kennum and their last night in the mountain city.
The visit to Kaldebrak had been months in the making. Siggy said she hadn’t forgotten the promise Hakon made her, that he’d bring his new mate home, and refused to leave Dundúran after the wedding without another promise from the both of them that they would visit within the year.
Aislinn might not have truly considered it, but she wanted to see an orcish city and more of the world outside her demesne. Her father agreed, and messages began to flow between Dundúran and Kaldebrak, negotiating an official visit.
It took time, and permission had to be sought from the crown. King Marius had written back an emphatic no, but Queen Ygraine had given her consent for Aislinn to treat with Kaldebrak on behalf of the Darrowlands. Aislinn glowed just thinking of the queen’s letter and the confidence Queen Ygraine placed in her. The two had struck up a friendship over correspondence, and she couldn’t wait to write the queen of her successes.
There had also been plenty of other business to see to while they waited for royal approval. Most importantly was the trial of Padraic Bayard. The matter had been referred up to the crown courts, as the Darrows couldn’t be impartial judges. Crown magistrates assessed the matter and oversaw the trial.
Bayard looked much changed after his months in a dungeon. Gone was his swagger and haughtiness. He begged for his life, but after hearing Aislinn’s account and testimony from multiple knights formerly in Bayard’s employ, the magistrates handed down a sentence of treason. Bayard was beheaded four days later. Aislinn and her father had attended, although she’d turnedher gaze away even before the sword fell upon his neck.
Bayard left behind no apparent heirs, although several had already emerged to claim the rich estate. Endelín was currently under the Darrows’ purview until a new baron could be decided upon.
With that matter settled, she and Hakon had finally left in midsummer, accompanied by twenty knights led by Captain Aodhan himself. The journey was slow, and Aislinn soon learned she perhaps wasn’t the best traveler. She’d never been so sore or tired, and the worst part was trying to read while in the carriage specially fitted for the trip made her nauseous.
Hakon did his best to distract her, making games for them to play and thinking of topics to get her talking. She enjoyed getting to walk with him or ride alongside him, seeing the dramatic landscapes of southern Eirea.
As agreed, they left behind the company of knights except for Aodhan and another guard when they reached the outskirts of Green-Fist territory. Although Chief Kennum had graciously offered his hospitality, Siggy wouldn’t hear of them staying anywhere else.
They were stuffed inside her home, warm and cozy, and Aislinn loved it. The accommodations were few, but she slept tucked tight to her darling mate, ate hearty orcish food, and soaked in the glorious warmth of Siggy’s home. The stone house was full to the brim with love, evident in every ceramic dish and mantelpiece bauble.
The fortnight in Kaldebrak had been some of the best days of Aislinn’s life, as she strolled the streets with Hakon. He proudly showed off his human mate, and their first few days had been crowded with curious guests. They couldn’t walk anywhere very long without being stopped. Aislinn was quickly picking up the language with so many people eager to talk with her.
When her novelty eventually faded, they were able to traversethe wide cobblestone streets of Kaldebrak in peace. Hakon showed her all his favorite places, the great market square with its ornate black marble fountain; the first vein, an ancient hole dug through the mountain that was supposedly the very first mine in Kaldebrak; the hot springs deep within the mountain, as well as the lava flows deeper down; and the summit, where you could look out across the Griegen Mountains for miles unobstructed on a clear day, with a wondrous view of thevinyaroses that sprouted along the slopes. They were in bloom in midsummer, blanketing the mountains in red and pink.
After she’d explored his city, Chief Kennum had hosted her and Hakon for several days, in which they began talks to open trading between their lands. Aislinn was well aware of the wealth of Kaldebrak and had worried what the Darrowlands could offer in return. Hakon helped her prepare her proposal, using his knowledge of both places to predict what the chieftain might be most interested in.
Although it wasn’t said in so many words—at least not ones Aislinn understood—the threat of war loomed for the great orcish stronghold. In the time Hakon had been away, Kennum had aligned himself with the ambitious southern chieftain known as Vallek Far-Sight. Other clans were holding out, however, and a Pyrrossi force was reportedly gathering along the border.
In their talks, Aislinn secured exclusive trade agreements between Kaldebrak and the Darrowlands, opening a flow of gems, iron, and finished silverworks for salt, wine, dried fish, and grain.
“The most important thing in war is to keep your warriors fed,”Kennum had told her. “And their tankards full.”
Being with Hakon had somewhat prepared her for the chieftain of Kaldebrak, but she was still taken aback by the size of him. Easily two heads taller than Hakon and wider, despitehis years and graying mane, Kennum took up all the space he was in. His hand had absolutely swallowed Aislinn’s when they shook in greeting, but he’d touched her with the utmost gentleness.
It’d been amusing to see her brave, burly mate’s ears glowing red in the presence of his chieftain, and the respect Hakon clearly had for the older orc endeared him to Aislinn more than anything else.
