Sigrid: Spurned (Viking Guardians Book 4) Read online

  Sigrid: Spurned

  Viking Guardians Book 4

  Kaitlynn Clarkson

  Contents

  COPYRIGHT PAGE

  THANK YOU

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  Epilogue

  GLOSSARY

  Loved it? Didn’t Love it?

  Author’s Note

  Tara: Taken (Sneak Peek)

  CHAPTER 1

  MORE TITLES BY KAITLYNN CLARKSON

  CRESCENT HEAD SERIES

  ABOUT KAITLYNN CLARKSON

  COPYRIGHT PAGE

  Copyright © 2020 Kaitlynn Clarkson

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic and mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

  Disclaimer

  Although the places described in this story are real, it is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to any event, either historical or recent, or any person, living or deceased, is completely coincidental.

  Cockatoo Publishing

  PO BOX 4037

  Moorland 2443

  NSW Australia

  THANK YOU

  Thank you for choosing my book; I just want you to know that it means a lot to me. I know you had a choice … and you chose mine! (Happy dance!).

  As a special thank you to my readers, I am offering a free book when you sign up for my newsletter. It’s exclusively for my readers and is not available anywhere else! You can get it here.

  When Halvar takes his younger sister Freja to the festival of the Disting, he expects her to be on her best behavior. After all, she’s supposed to be finding a husband.

  But Freja cannot help herself. Wild and free-spirited, she is a skilled archer and a keen competitor who ignores the rules for women in her society. She finds a way to join the men-only archery competition and her talent catches the eye of a jarl, who decides he must meet her.

  Freja’s mind is as sharp as her aim and she eagerly engages in the discussions surrounding the politics of the land. The jarl has never met a woman like Freja and he cannot stop thinking about her.

  But with trouble looming in the form of a new king, the jarl must do his best to keep his people safe and he is forced to attend to political matters. When the crisis passes, the jarl’s thoughts turn to Freja. Is the difference in their social status too great? Can they be together? Or must the jarl bow to the will of the people and take a wife who will offer a political advantage?

  This sweet and clean novella is set in the days of Norway’s King Haakon the Good, a time when the Vikings left their homelands to raid and plunder; when Christianity was making tentative approaches and kings fought for the right to rule.

  CHAPTER 1

  Sigrid looked up as she walked down the road towards Leopolda’s house. She could hear someone approaching on horseback along the road that led to the south. A moment later, three strangers came into view.

  “Heill, maid of Merilant!” one of the men greeted her.

  “Heill,” she replied, the greeting of the land rolling easily off her tongue.

  “We wish to speak with the village leader,” he said. “Can you tell me where we might find him?”

  “He is my father. I will take you to where he is working,” she said.

  She led them to the field where Alfonso and her brother Farvald were planting a crop.

  “Heill!” the stranger called.

  Alfonso looked up from his work. He stopped the oxen and walked over to the men.

  “Heill,” he returned the greeting. “How may I help you?”

  “We are messengers sent by King Haakon,” the man responded. “ My name is Dag and we have come to tell you that the King has chosen Merilant to visit. He wishes to spend some time in some of the Christian villages in the realm to see how they differ from the other villages in the land. You might recall that the King is a Christian himself.”

  “Of course,” Alfonso replied, but he looked wary. “This is a great honor,” he added, lest the messengers think he was unhappy about the idea.

  “The King will arrive in a month when the moon is full,” Dag told him. “This will give you time to prepare the food and lodging suitable for the king’s needs. He will be bringing thirty armed men with him for protection.”

  “How long will he require lodging?” Alfonso asked.

  “He will stay for three days. During this time, he wishes to observe your farms, your religious practices, and the health and happiness of the village.”

  “Is he aware that we are sabbatati Christians?” Alfonso asked, holding his breath. It had been a long time since they had left their homeland of Alemannia so that they could worship as they chose, but the memories were fresh. Kings did not necessarily appreciate the way they practiced their faith.

  “He is,” said the messenger. “He wishes to attend one of your worship services so his stay will include the seventh day.”

  Alfonso looked alarmed.

  “Do not worry,” said Dag, mistaking the cause of his alarm. “The King will be satisfied with whatever hospitality you provide. He is accustomed to travelling throughout the land and he and his men often lodge in places with few luxuries.” He turned to the other men. “Our task here is done,” he said. “We will see you in a month,” he told Alfonso. Then the three of them wheeled their horses around and galloped up the road.

  Sigrid and Farvald stood gazing at their father in shock. The King? Coming here to Merilant? Such a thing was unthinkable!

  Alfonso was worried. “This is not good news,” he said, looking uneasily after the departing horses.

  “Why, Father?” asked Farvald.

  Alfonso looked at him. “You were too small to remember when we left Alemannia to come here.” He turned to Sigrid. “And you were born here. But before we left Alemannia, the rulers of the land made laws governing the way we could worship. Some of those laws conflicted with our particular beliefs. So we left Alemannia to come here, where the rulers of the land had no argument with how we practiced our faith.”

  “Yes, we have heard this story,” Farvald reminded him.

  “Sorry. I was just remembering.”

  “How does that affect us now?” Sigrid wanted to know.

  “The King is a Christian, the same as the rulers of Alemannia. I am worried that he might make the same kind of laws in this land. Laws that would prohibit us from practicing our faith as we choose.”

  Suddenly Sigrid understood why he was worried. “So, that would mean that we would have to leave this land, too?” she asked.

  “I hope it does not come to that,” he replied. “I hope the King is merely taking a friendly interest in the Christians of this land and does not intend to make laws regarding worship practices.”

  “Well, the laws would apply to everyone,” Farvald argued. “There are many more pagans than Christians in this land. The King would have to force them to submit, too. And you must remember that it
is the Thing councils that pass the laws. They must also be convinced.”

  “You are right,” Alfonso conceded. “The King would have a big job and probably a few wars on his hands if he tried to force the people of this land to change their ways.”

  “He has not the numbers to do so at this point,” Farvald said. “For now, I think we are safe, Father. Do not worry about what tomorrow will bring.”

  “You are right, Son,” Alfonso agreed. “We will face trouble when it comes instead of taking it to heart now.”

  Sigrid turned to leave. “I will tell Mother,” she said. “We will need to start making arrangements for the King’s lodging.

  Einar’s ox-cart rumbled along the road to Merilant as he took a load of sawn timber to the house Torsten was building. Soon it would be finished and his brother would wed Frida. He was happy for his brother; Frida would make a good wife and it was a love match. He looked up as they approached the village.

  “Greetings, Sigrid!” he called to Frida’s sister who was walking towards him with a basket over her arm.

  “Greetings, Einar!” she replied.

  Her long, silky blond hair hung down her back and her blue eyes wore a smile. Einar felt his heart skip a beat; she was beautiful and dainty and he felt big and clumsy beside her. But he knew she was also fierce; she had bravely protected her sister during her long fight to avoid marriage to Fritjof. He shuddered as he thought of how he’d arrived just in time to save her from being raped by Fritjof. He had never been so grateful to be in the right place at the right time.

  Since then, they had become friends; Einar wished it could be more. But Sigrid seemed content to smile and exchange friendly greetings and Einar wondered if they would ever share more personal confidences. Was it because she wished to marry a man from her own people who shared her beliefs? He could understand that. Or was it because she simply did not find him attractive? He was tall and broad-shouldered, with large hands and feet and a thick shock of fair hair that always seemed to be untidy. He knew he wasn’t the most handsome man on earth; was he too big and ugly for her?

  In truth, it was none of those things. Sigrid had seen her sister almost forced into a marriage where she would be treated badly; Fritjof had thoroughly tricked their father into an agreement that was legally binding and then had used the power of the Thing to enforce it. Since then, Sigrid had been terrified of marrying a man who didn’t love her and treat her with respect. In her mind, it was safer to remain unmarried than to endure a life of suffering and misery with the wrong man.

  Now, as she looked at the man standing before her with his ox-cart, she saw someone who had proven himself worthy of her friendship and that was where she was content to leave the matter. But she had some news for him.

  “There is news!” she said, excited to share something new.

  “What is that?” he asked.

  “The King and his men are coming to stay in Merilant!” she exclaimed.

  “That is big news!” he agreed. “When are they coming?”

  “In a month.”

  “And what is the purpose of their visit?”

  “The King is doing a tour of the Christian villages in the land. He wants to know how they fare.”

  “He is a Christian also,” Einar stated.

  “He is.” A shadow crossed her face. “But he is not of the same Christian faith as we are. Father is concerned that he might pass laws that make it difficult for us to worship as we do now.”

  Einar wanted to soothe the worried look from her face. “You forget that the Thing has greater power than the King,” he said. “The King cannot pass laws without the consent of the Thing. He is still very powerful, it is true, but he does not have the final say on the matter.”

  She looked relieved. “Perhaps Father has forgotten that fact,” she said. “I will remind him. He is worried that we might have to leave the land again as we did in Alemannia.”

  “Do not fear,” Einar said. “I am sure that King Haakon simply wants to ensure that all is well in the land.”

  “I hope you are right,” she said, then changed the subject. “Are you helping Torsten today?”

  “I am,” he said. “He wants the house to be ready for when he and Frida marry in the haust.”

  “Frida is happy now,” Sigrid said. “Torsten will make her a good husband.”

  “He is a good brother,” Einar agreed. He looked at the sky. “I must deliver this load to him,” he said. “He does not like waiting when we have the chance to work.”

  “And I must take this bread to Leopolda,” Sigrid replied. “She was feeling poorly so my mother made her some food.”

  “You are kind neighbors,” Einar said. “Have a good day, Sigrid.”

  She smiled at him and he wished that they could spend more time together. Perhaps if he continued to be her friend she would one day share his feelings.

  Sigrid watched Einar continue on his way to deliver the building materials to Torsten. She hadn’t forgotten how he had saved her from Fritjof. Ironically, the same incident that had shown Einar to be worthy of her friendship had made her afraid of being married. Einar was large and strong and handsome, but that didn’t mean that he would make a good husband. Still, if she ever decided to marry, perhaps it would be to someone such as Einar. After all, he’d placed his own safety on the line to save her from Fritjof. She knew that if she ever chose to wed, it would be to someone who clearly loved her. She would never marry for convenience or because it suited the rest of the family. Perhaps she would find a husband at the next eindingida. The annual event would be happening again in the autumn and many of her friends had already found love with young people from other Christian villages.

  She dropped the basket at Leopolda’s house and turned to go home.

  “Mother, are you inside?” she called as she opened the door.

  “I am here,” Minna replied from the kitchen.

  “I have news, Mother,” Sigrid said.

  “What is that?”

  “The King is coming to stay here in Merilant for three days.”

  Minna gasped. “Surely, you must be joking!”

  “I am not,” Sigrid replied. “He wishes to visit the Christian villages in the land.”

  Minna wrung her hands together in a gesture that spoke of her agitation. “Entertaining a king is something we have never done,” she said. “It will take much preparation. How long do we have?”

  “The king will be here in one month. But his messengers assure us that he is not demanding and will be satisfied with our hospitality.”

  Minna paced around the kitchen, thinking aloud. “We must find the king lodging. And food. And make sure that his horses are cared for.”

  “He will be bringing thirty men with him,” Sigrid said.

  Minna gaped at her. “Thirty men?” she gasped.

  Sigrid grinned. “Come on, Mother, the village fed the refugees from Myrkvior Fjall until they could build homes of their own. There were at least thirty of them.”

  “But that was different,” Minna argued. “We cared for them because they were homeless and needed our hospitality. This is the King! We will surely fail to entertain him to the standards to which he is accustomed.”

  Sigrid rolled her eyes. “Father was fretting that the King will force us to worship his way and you are fretting about entertaining him. Parents!”

  CHAPTER 2

  Alfonso stood in the barn, looking thoughtfully at the loft above his head. It was empty; they’d used the goods they usually stored there during the winter. He had an idea. He would go tell Minna and see what she thought of it.

  “What brings you to the house in the middle of the day, Husband?” Minna asked as she made a tally of the jars of oil in the storeroom at the end of the kitchen.

  “I have an idea for when the King comes,” he told her.

  She straightened up, looking flustered. “The King’s visit is a difficult thing to manage,” she said.

  “No one in the vil
lage has offered up lodging yet, have they?”

  “No. Our house is the biggest and most accommodating. They are probably expecting us to provide lodging for the King.”

  “Well, I think we can. And we will not have to sleep beneath the sky.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “I think we can all sleep in the loft in the barn,” Alfonso replied, pleased with his bright idea.

  Minna’s face wrinkled in distaste. “The barn? It is dirty and it smells.”

  “We can clean it. We have time. Come, let us look together.”

  He led Minna to the barn and helped her to climb the ladder into the loft. She looked around the empty space.

  “I can see what you mean,” she said. “It will only be for three nights. I will clean it if you help me.”

  “I have some time free now. Shall we do some cleaning?”

  “Yes. Let us get started right away. One month is not long to prepare.”

  “We are fortunate that the animals can live outside at the moment,” Alfonso said. “We can clean the lower floor as well and then the barn will smell fresh.”

  “It is a good idea, Husband,” Minna replied.

  Sigrid dried her hands and went to the door. When she opened it, she found Einar standing there holding a bundle in his hands.

  “This is for Frida from Torsten,” he said. “Do you remember our friend Erik from Myrkvior Fjall?”

  She nodded. “He decided to become a merchant,” she said.

  “Yes. In between his travels along the coast, he lives in the longhouse with us.”

  “How is his business as a merchant going?” she asked.

  “It is thriving,” Einar answered. “He is able to stock more items and he is even getting things from foreign lands.” He handed her the bundle. “He returned from one of his trading journeys yesterday and he brought back some fine cloth. When Torsten saw it, he bought some for Frida. He says she might wish to use it to make her wedding day dress.”