Page 123 of Oath of the Wolf
Brynn came to stand beside Cenric.
Ovrek bobbed his chin to her once.
Brynn bowed, not speaking.
Ovrek moved on, conversing with members of Hróarr’s crew and even a few of Cenric’s men who had once fought for him.
Hróarr approached Vana.He rested a hand on her arm, the big warrior becoming suddenly soft.“Come with us.”
Cenric exhaled, a vicarious feeling of resignation in his chest.
Vana caught Hróarr’s hand, peering up at him earnestly.“Stay with me.”
Hróarr ground his jaw in frustration, looking over his shoulder to Cenric.
Vana looked at him as well, but what was Cenric supposed to do?
They were both dear to him, precious friends from boyhood.There had been something comforting about knowing that his two dearest friends were looking after each other, but it seemed their fates had diverged.
“We’re going to Arnza.”Hróarr offered a hesitant smile.“I will dress you in the finest silks and feed you on persimmons, your favorite.”
Vana smiled back sadly, shaking her head.
“Please, Vana,” Hróarr pressed, taking her hands in his.“I want you with me.”
“Ovrek needs someone to run his household,” Vana said.
“Then he shouldn’t have dismissed his other concubines,” Hróarr growled.
Ovrek had several other concubines in his household who had been summarily dismissed as soon as they began fighting over who would take Sifma’s place.It was one of those things that no one had dared question.
“Why does it have to be you?”Hróarr pressed.
An unmarried, unrelated woman running the household of a man recently widowed?They all knew what would happen next.Either Vana would soon be in Ovrek’s bed, or she would make an arrangement with one of his household warriors.
Vana had no family, no close kin, and no inheritance.Women like her had to make do with lovers.She might have stayed as part of the household under Sifma’s governance, but without a lady of the household, becoming Ovrek’s woman was likely inevitable.
“He’s old enough to be your father,” Hróarr hissed, dropping his voice.
“He’s strong enough to fight and wealthy enough I won’t go hungry, even in spring,” Vana clipped back.“Not that it would matter if you stayed,” she added, tone softening into a plea.
Cenric had heard pieces of this argument from the two of them over the past weeks.If Hróarr stayed, Vana would remain with him.If he left, it would be over.
Vana wanted a household, somewhere to set up her spindle and loom and tend her own fire.Something she had apparently been telling Hróarr for some time now.
“I can’t stay in one place, Vana,” Hróarr said.“I’ve tried.The sea is in my blood.It always calls me.”
“The land calls me.”Vana’s face creased with sadness.“I wish it was different.”Vana was, in her bones, practical.It was why she had chosen Hróarr over Cenric all those years ago.It was why she was choosing Ovrek over Hróarr now.
Just as Cenric had not blamed her then, he did not blame her now.She knew what she wanted and Hróarr couldn’t give it.
“Vana…” Hróarr let off a slow breath.He tilted his face to the sky for a long moment, then he gathered her into his arms.
The big warrior squeezed her tight, tucking her under his chin.Vana wrapped her arms around his thick waist, burying her face against his chest.
They stayed like that for a long moment.
Cenric could feel a heaviness behind his breastbone as realization set in for everyone watching.
