Alder nodded and turned to leave, but Rurik’s voice stayed him. ‘Send food. The lady and I will take our meal in our chamber before leaving.’
‘As you wish, my lord.’ The peculiar tone Alder gave the words was unmistakable. Rurik knew that it would be an uphill battle to gain the respect of the men who had so recently taken him captive, but it was a fight he was prepared to win.
Closing the door, he turned to find his wife staring at him from the bed, the coverlet pulled up loosely to her chest. She was dishevelled and sleepy and infinitely attractive. She looked well tumbled and a certain part of his body noticed.
‘What did he say?’ she asked, her eyes wide with concern.
He relayed the brief conversation all the while stalking towards her and calculating how fast he could have her again before the world would intervene. If she was as responsive as she had been last night, it would be easily possible.
‘I ordered our meal to be brought here, so we needn’t rush to the hall...yet.’ As he sat on the bed, he brushed the hair back from her shoulder and replaced it with a kiss.
‘Good,’ she said, disappointing him by not acknowledging his kiss. ‘We must eat fast so that we can discuss strategy with Cedric and Wilfrid.’
When she would have risen to dress, he grabbed her hand and tugged her down to his lap. She let out a surprised gasp and braced herself on his shoulders.
‘Must we rush?’ he asked.
‘Rurik.’ She was smiling, but the concern had not left her eyes.
He placed a kiss on her neck, working his way up to her lips as he spoke. ‘Last night was not enough time with you. I need you again.’
‘But it is daytime.’
‘My need for you does not know time, nor does it care.’
She giggled at that and took his face between her hands. He loved that things were easy between them again. ‘But Jarl Eirik is coming. We must prepare ourselves to face him. I cannot do this with you while having a lump in my stomach.’
‘Why do you have a lump in your stomach? Are you afraid of him?’
Shaking her head, she said, ‘I cannot explain it. I am not afraid of him. I know that he would not hurt me, but I confess to being afraid of what he might do with you.’ Her eyes dipped and he gently tipped her chin upwards so that she would meet his gaze. ‘What might happen to us.’
Understanding dawned and he relented. He would not have her again this morning, but he would have her before the night was over. ‘We are married now. No man can come between us, not even the Jarl himself. You are mine and I am yours.’ A sense of breathlessness followed that statement. No one had ever belonged to him before. It pleased him greatly that she was the one who did.
One of her hands fell to rest above his heartbeat. He stilled at the implication of the innocent touch. ‘Last night was not what I thought it would be.’ Her voice was soft and when her gaze met his again, it held. ‘I believe that we might be able to have what you want. A true marriage. I am only afraid that we won’t get the chance.’
Tenderness made his chest feel tight. Closing his arms around her, he held her against him and spoke against her temple. ‘You are my wife, Annis. Jarl Eirik will not change that.’
She took a hesitant breath before pulling back enough to meet his gaze. ‘What did you say last night...during...?’ Her glance drifted to the bed behind him.
He couldn’t stop the smile that curved his lips as he closed the slight distance and kissed her. She was always so certain of herself, but in this they were both in new territory. Keeping his voice low, he explained, ‘That I take you as my wife, making us one in body and spirit. I pledged my protection to you even at the cost of my life. I meant every word of it. You are mine and I am yours and nothing that happens today will change that.’
She stared back at him, her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the words. A knock on the door signalled that their breakfast had arrived, effectively ending the moment.
‘Tonight, then,’ he said.
Regaining herself, Annis nodded and climbed off his lap.
Nearly two hours later, Annis stood next to her husband in the hall as they waited for Jarl Eirik to walk through the open doors. The thunder of a small army of hooves had rumbled through their peaceful home only moments ago as he and his men had filed through the gates, filling their small courtyard with unease and tension. While everyone knew that he had not arrived with death and destruction at his heels, a small army of Danes was never an easy thing to accept.
As strange as she might have found it days ago, she was glad to have Rurik at her side. His quiet strength was a source of reassurance that she needed more than she had known. While shouldering the bulk of responsibility for Glannoventa over the years had been a burden she had gladly borne, she was coming to believe that sharing it with him might not be as dreadful as she had feared. Their marriage was still very new, but so far he seemed willing to shoulder it with her rather than take it over completely.
The doors of their home opened, the heavy scrape of the wood echoing down the corridor. Rurik’s strong hand found the small of her back in silent assurance. From the corner of her eye, she saw his jaw work as he clenched his teeth. Whether he was worried about the confrontation to come or simply steadying himself for it, she could not
