Page 65 of Agnarr's Jarlin

AGNARR

It had been two vikas since Piper and I had moved into our new home. We were settled. The other women visited regularly, and we stopped getting our meals delivered, instead joining the longhouse for meal times. We wanted to be present as much as possible. There were only a few days left before the double ceremony: an American wedding and the celebration of a new jarl and jarlin. We’d also extended invitations to the entire tribe, wanting everyone to feel welcome to knock on our door. Many had taken us up on the offer.

It felt again as if we were preparing for something monumental. I hoped after this last ceremony and celebration, we could end the winter quietly, with Pip and I getting to spend quiet evenings together in front of our fireplace—or in bed. I was on my way to visit Bram for a last fitting of the new tunic and pants Piper insisted I have made. Though I pretended to object, wanting her to be the focal point that day, deep down, I was touched by her thoughtfulness. In truth, I would have shown up naked if it pleased her. But I wanted the day to be about Piper, so I would dress in whatever finery she desired.

As I entered Bram’s workshop, the aging tailor smiled at me from his sewing.

“Ah, Jarl Agnarr,” he beamed.

“No, no, not yet. And not ever. I will always be just Agnarr,” I said genially. I didn’t want anyone to feel as though I held myself above them. We were all part of the same tribe. The formality of being addressed by my new title chafed at me.

“Já, já, if you insist.” Bram hardly paid attention to me as he laid out my tunic and pants.

I shucked my clothing and carefully pulled on the garments, not wanting to damage or wrinkle them. I looked at myself in the full-length mirror and was happy with the outcome. My tunic was light blue with intricate gold embroidery along the hems. My pants were fairly standard leather, but brand new and a nice warm brown. They would go well with my new boots. I held my arms in front of Bram, silently asking his opinion.

“Já, your outfit will complement Jarlin Piper’s gown perfectly. It is done,” he motioned for me to take it off.

I pulled the tunic over my head and removed the pants, handing both to him as I put my clothing back on. Bram neatly packaged the clothes before passing them to me.

“Please remind Brandr that he must also attend a last fitting?” Bram asked as I took the parcel.

I sighed, “I will try. Brandr likes finery even less than I do and doesn’t have the same interests I have in making Pip a pleased mate.”

“Oh, I am well aware,” Bram drolled. “Perhaps you could have Jarlin Piper convince him?”

I laughed, “That isn’t a bad idea. Thank you for these. I would attempt to pay you, but I don’t need to be shouted at again.”

“No, you do not.”

I waved as I exited his shop, still laughing to myself. When Piper explained the concept of a maid of honor and best man, I was slightly confused, but it didn’t take long to understand. Who wouldn’t want their best friend beside them as they made one of the most important commitments of their life? Brandr was a straightforward choice. He and I had been friends since we were orklings. It also meant I didn’t have to choose between my two brothers. Piper, unsurprisingly, picked Billie to be her maid of honor.

Adding the wedding to the ceremony was fairly simple because preparations for the transition of power were already in motion. We’d asked Astrid to officiate the ceremony. Once Piper explained what the position entailed, Astrid agreed readily. She even suggested that she wrap the wedding ceremony into the announcement of us as the new leaders. Runa had been delighted to prepare for another feast. Feeding others brought her nothing but joy. Bram had brought together some other business leaders and humans to decorate the longhouse. I knew Astrid’s love of plants would be displayed everywhere in the decor.

I meandered my way back to our house, wondering if I should stop by Brandr’s house to push him into getting fitted, but decided to let Piper have at him, or better yet, Billie. I thought Piper was stubborn. But when Billie wanted something accomplished on behalf of her best friend, she was a force of nature. Yes, Billie would be the right person to march Brandr to his fitting. Decision made, I picked up the pace, hoping to catch Piper before she headed to the longhouse for the midday meal. She and several of the women were in the house when I left this morning. Pip told me they were talking about decor as she kissed me goodbye, but they were giggling far too much to be talking about greenery and candles. I was confident they all knew far too many intimate details about our sex life.

PIPER

The wedding was three days away, and I was calm. Too calm. I was so calm about it, I was trying to come up with things to be anxious about.Thanks, anxiety.I sat in the quiet of midmorning and sipped an extra cup of baldrian tea, trying to think of something to worry about. I came up with nothing. I wondered if I would be this calm if I were having a wedding back on Earth. I nixed that as even a possibility. If I were having a wedding back on Earth, my family would be involved. Suddenly, I was delighted to have been abducted by aliens.

I sipped tea as I sat in Agnarr’s study, waiting for him to return from his fitting. I’d had my final fitting the previous day. Like everything about my life now, my wedding dress was nothing like I would have envisioned, but it was perfect. Given the winter snow and the cold, it was long-sleeved and looked almost conservative from the front. Bram embroidered the hems and sleeves with intricate gold details that shimmered in the light. But it was the back of the dress that made it stunning. I wanted to acknowledge that Agnarr and I were more than just husband and wife. We were Elska mates. I wanted to show off my mating marks.

Bram, understanding my vision, had cut an almost dangerously low back that would display my marks for all to see as I walked down the aisle. He seemed to think it odd but was happy with the outcome. I was keeping the details of the dress from Agnarr. I knew he’d get one look at it and haul me over his shoulder back to our bed.

I was staring out the window, mind adrift, when I heard our front door open. I rushed to greet Agnarr and had myself wrapped around him before he could even remove his cloak. I peppered his neck and jaw with kisses as he attempted to set down his package. Agnarr laughed and slipped out of my grasp to remove his cloak and set everything down.

“I take it you missed me?” He returned to embrace me.

“Mmm, of course, I missed you.” I looped my arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss.

“You seemed pretty happy with the women when I left. What were you all giggling about?”

“Oh, we were just discussing an American wedding tradition that I don’t think you will be very fond of,” I grinned at him. I had been explaining these traditions asAmericantraditions, even though I knew most of them spanned several countries. I was ignorant of everything non-western, so I tried to stick with what I knew.

“Was it the one where I stick my head under your dress in front of everyone? Because I thought we already agreed you didn’t want to do that one,” he grimaced.

“No, no,” I laughed, “Definitely no garter toss. I wouldn’t have done that even if we were still on Earth. It’s always weirded me out.”

Agnarr looked relieved, “Okay then, what’s this one?”

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