"Your Majesty, meet my wife, Lady Brooke Lionheart."
King Erik was pleased to meet the charming young woman. He was also relieved. Vikings are known for taking any wife they take a liking to, married or not. Though if meeting Sven was not enought to quite dispel this idea, meeting his wife certainly is. The happy woman showed no signs of having been plucked unwillingly from either husband or father.
"Your Majesty, we have company."
King Erik turned to find himself face to face with a pirate. He approached him and they sized each other up.
"I am King Erik Lovejoy. Welcome to the Kingdom of Grunwald."
"I am Pirate Jack Roberts. I wish to stay docked here, if it pleases you Your Majesty."
King Erik was pleased to meet the charming young woman. He was also relieved. Vikings are known for taking any wife they take a liking to, married or not. Though if meeting Sven was not enought to quite dispel this idea, meeting his wife certainly is. The happy woman showed no signs of having been plucked unwillingly from either husband or father. "Your Majesty, we have company." King Erik turned to find himself face to face with a pirate. He approached him and they sized each other up."I am King Erik Lovejoy. Welcome to the Kingdom of Grunwald."
"I am Pirate Jack Roberts. I wish to stay docked here, if it pleases you Your Majesty."
The pirate was unexpectedly well spoken.
"I would be pleased to have you join my kingdom. I'm sure we will all be quite safe with both a viking and a pirate among us."
Pirate Jack understood the meaning behind this. He was wary, yet needed something more permanent now that he had a wife aboard. He decided to agree to the king's terms. If the king did not please him, he would take his ship and go.
Pirate Jack understood the meaning behind this. He was wary, yet needed something more permanent now that he had a wife aboard. He decided to agree to the king's terms. If the king did not please him, he would take his ship and go.
"I would be most honered Your Majesty."
Pirate Jack soon greeted a wiseman and a nobleman.
Allen the Wiseman he felt he could trust right away. What had he to fear from an old man? The nobleman, this Lord Robert Locksley, he was uncertain of him. Likely they'd either become great friends or great enemies, he knew not which.
"My lovely wife, Lady Sylvia Roberts is cooking a fine meal. There's plenty for all. Please, come aboard my ship."
"My lovely wife, Lady Sylvia Roberts is cooking a fine meal. There's plenty for all. Please, come aboard my ship." Once aboard King Erik took a moment to introduce his noblemen. It was a little strange introducing a man he had only met on paper.
Now as she did her work, she looked to land.
Lord Sven observed Pirate Jack Roberts. At first he seemed like the King's guard.
Pirate Jack taught King Erik and Lord Robert a game. It consisted of kicking a brightly colored leather sack of sand. He called it kicky bag. He said it was a pirate game. No doubt soon the whole kingdom will be playing it. 
As he relaxed, Sven mostly watched his wife. He breathed easier watching her, happy, safe, with people. This seems to be good for her. Perhaps he needn't fear her among other people. If she could survive an evening aboard a pirate's ship with a smile, perhaps he was underestimating her.
Sven was not the only one observing Lady Brooke. From his corner, Allen the Wiseman watched her as well. 
They seemed to take to each other right away. Lord Robert appeared facinated with the viking. Erik couldn't blame him. He'd been wanting to see one since he was a small boy.
Fascinated would not quite be the right way to describe how Pirate Jack felt about Viking Sven. The 2 men didn't trust each other. Perhaps this will change with time.
Lady Sylvia served the men in silence.
Fascinated would not quite be the right way to describe how Pirate Jack felt about Viking Sven. The 2 men didn't trust each other. Perhaps this will change with time.
Lady Sylvia served the men in silence.
So long she had looked out to sea.
Now as she did her work, she looked to land.
Lord Sven observed Pirate Jack Roberts. At first he seemed like the King's guard. Pirate Jack seemed fairly harmless. Sven relaxed, but didn't join the frivolity.
Pirate Jack taught King Erik and Lord Robert a game. It consisted of kicking a brightly colored leather sack of sand. He called it kicky bag. He said it was a pirate game. No doubt soon the whole kingdom will be playing it. 
As he relaxed, Sven mostly watched his wife. He breathed easier watching her, happy, safe, with people. This seems to be good for her. Perhaps he needn't fear her among other people. If she could survive an evening aboard a pirate's ship with a smile, perhaps he was underestimating her.
Sven was not the only one observing Lady Brooke. From his corner, Allen the Wiseman watched her as well. 
She had not approached him. Did this mean he had upset her? She seemed content enough. Was she avoiding him? Simply busy with the other guests? Allen hoped so. He did hate to think he may have offended a lady.
Kicky bag as a pirate game. I love it!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I think Lady Brooke might well be tougher than she looks. But at the same time, I don't blame Lord Sven for being worried. If I were him, though, I'd be more worried about potential naivete than I would be about timidity.
But that's just me. :)
Ok...I also agree that the kicky bag tie in was brilliant! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm still giggling at the Viking traveling with and marrying at sea. Where did Lord Sven meet his wife? Viking women were definitely not the timid types. They actually had more power than most European women of the time including the right to divorce a husband who wasn't a good father, provider or person in general. Imagine that...the right to divorce a husband in such times? How modern!
King Erik seems to be builing a kingdom with a lot characters of questionalble breeding? Hmmm...what treats are we in store for as a result?
~*~Stephanie~*~
I may leave their meeting up to your imagination; or I may introduce that as a story that Sven or his wife thinks about, or that one is told to another.
ReplyDeleteSo far in previous chapters it is mentioned that Sven the Viking is the only person that his wife had ever met. Her family had died (or abandoned her to avoid contaminating her) due to the plague.
So the wisemen are the first people besides Sven she can ever remember meeting. These people in this chapter are the next. Lady Sylvia is the first woman she can recall seeing. Though Sylvia serving her guests in silence....it wasn't the same as if they had sat and had a conversation.