2 Dinner

Bjorn

The meal with the local lord is adequate, it lacks flavor and any real entertainment. He has invited every eligible maid to feast with us. So far, the only one that has piqued my curiosity is the widow with the young daughter. The widow has agreed with me that her daughter is too young, but she herself is experienced and willing.

She even told me that she would be staying here tonight, and told me which room she is in. When I glanced at Magnus, the widow moved closer and whispered that I should bring him too. As she walks away, I indicate that we have an invitation for later tonight. He grins, but I see that he senses the same thing that I do.

Our beasts are restless. There is something that they are sensing. It’s not strong enough that we are able to sense it. Whatever it is, it’s driving them crazy.

It has not taken long for word to make it around the villages that I am looking for a wife. Every village that we have visited, the maids have been paraded before me. My closest friend, Magnus, is amused until he realizes that I am not finding my mate among any of these offerings.

All the young women here are vying for my attention. Beautiful ones. Tall ones. Skinny ones. Short and plump ones. But not a single one here holds my attention for very long. If they even capture my attention.

Finally, the meal ends and we move to the other room for drinks. Magnus catches my eye as the women move to the other room. Smiling at the blonde wearing a pink dress that is standing in front of me, I assure her that I will speak with her father. Just not about her hand, or any other part of her.

I watch as she tries hard not to look at the scars around my eye. She tries not to flinch, and when she reaches out to touch my arm as she flirts, she hesitates. Her smile falters a few times, but she holds it. I can only wonder how many hours she practices holding that perfect smile.

“This is the last village in your lands,” Magnus tells me quietly as we trail the other men.

“Believe me,” I assure him, “I know.”

“If you return without a bride, your stepmother will force one of her daughters on you.”

“Aren’t you just full of sunshine?” I growl.

“My job is not to be full of sunshine,” he reminds me. “My job is to make sure your ass doesn’t make stupid decisions. Like marrying one of your stepsisters.”

I chuckle as we enter the room behind the rest of the men, “If that becomes my only option, I will marry you, Magnus.”

“Bjorn, I appreciate the offer. However, I do not think that your stepmother or society will accept our union.” He says with a straight face. “Sharing a woman would be easier if we shared a chamber, something to consider.”

“Always looking for the upside.” I smile as two men approach us.

Three hours later, I nurse yet another glass of whiskey, missing my own drink from home. I had spoken with just about every father, brother, and uncle in attendance. The only woman that I had not received a report on was the beautiful blonde in pink.

Father and daughter both had soft gold-blond hair that caught the firelight. His was shoulder length with wavy curls while hers had been half-braided, hanging to the middle of her back. Her eyes mirror his—clear grey-blue, steady, calculating. Her skin is fair with a dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks indicating time spent in the sun.

Magnus had commented on how her freckles were perfectly mirrored on each side. Her hands were soft and had never seen a day of work. I have no issue with women who led a life of luxury. I just prefer that they do not lie about it.

The man sits down in the chair across from me and smiles. I take a sip of the weak whiskey and look at him over the glass. He makes a general hand motion to the cards that are on the table.

“I’ve seen you shuffle the cards but not actually play anything.”

Observant, I thought, as I sat the glass on the table. “Do you play?”

“I like a good game.”

Lies. It’s obvious with the greed that shines in his eyes. I watch him as I pick up the deck and start to shuffle the cards. He’s trying to track the cards, but these are my cards. What he saw as shuffling them was something that he would never understand. They vibrate in my hand, and I shuffle them once more before dealing the cards.

“My daughter is quite taken with you.” It’s a comment that is said offhand. He’s trying to gauge my interest. I should tell him that I am not interested, but I’m bored and this could be entertaining.

“Is she?” Of course she is. She saw the title and heard the rumors about my wealth. He’s already told her that she can ignore the scars.

I’ve been nice and kind during the meal. While on this tour of my lands, I’ve kept my temper in check. The restlessness of the beast has me needing… I don’t know if I need to feed or breed. Hopefully the widow between me and Magnus later tonight will expel this energy.

To be honest, I’m tired of being the dignified lord. Let me go out and be a warrior like my ancestors. It’s time to go a-Viking and remind everyone why my ancestors were chosen to guard Asgard.

He discards two cards and I deal out two more for him before taking three for myself. He’s going to win the first few hands. The cards will make sure of it. When his confidence is high, that is when they will change.

“Where I live, the winters are long, the days are short, and life is hard.”

He nods and I can see him calculating his options. Not just the cards, but there is something else that he is considering. The beast at the back of my mind stirs and again I wonder what he can sense that I cannot.

“I have another daughter, Isla. She is Gretta’s twin sister. Strong and hardy but painfully shy.”

The beast purrs and the low rumbles cause Magnus to look over at me. I give a small shake of my head, and he cocks an eyebrow at me. We are surrounded by humans, the beasts within us need to stay controlled. But I know that I should listen when my beast rears his head.

I watch the cards and how the backs change as he handles them. It’s nothing that he would notice as a human, Magnus however is seeing the same thing that I see. Our beasts and the cards know something, and it would be nice if they would share the information.

Smiling at the man, I encourage him, “Tell me about your daughter. The painfully shy one.”

“Yes, my lord. Her name is Isla.”

Watching the cards, I know that this is the last true statement that he makes. As he speaks of her, the beast in my mind becomes more and more restless. Looking at Magnus, I can tell that he is having the same problem.

Our beasts bellow out their frustrations. Whatever they were sensing has been lost to them. They want to hunt, and they want to hunt what they can sense. What is now lost to them. Our beasts may try to flush it out of hiding later when we are closer to each other again.

All I can wonder is what it is that the beasts could sense that we cannot…