The Seeress

Chapter Twenty-Six

As the boat came closer to the shores, Bjorn made sure that the mercenaries did not rock the boat too hard. Six persons were heavy enough for them, with four of them wearing weaponry that added even more weight to the boat. They even had to sleep in certain positions on the boat in order to ensure it would not capsize itself easily.

"The lady goes first," Erik said firmly, as Agnetha held his hand gently. Erik helped the slender woman touch the shores. Despite the waters being rough, Harold was surprised by how gently the woman landed her feet on the stone-filled beach. There, Agnetha saw the group of men awaiting her, with the tallest one being her father. Agnetha walked gracefully to him and hugged him tightly. 

Harold saw the embrace as he entered the beach last. Even at the distance, he could see tears trickling away from her eyes. The intimidatingly tall man with a beard as red as blood cracked a smile upon seeing his daughter. Even then, Harold did not try to bring himself to be near him. 

The tall man then had Agnetha aside, as walked up to the three mercenaries. "You are the Westerners who have escorted my daughters," he said to John specifically, who looked the oldest among them. 

"Indeed, we were given great trouble in doing so," John replied bluntly. "I believe that there should be compensation for our trouble,"

Harold tensed at his uncle's words. He would never say those words towards a client who hired them, much less a chieftain. 

"You hear that, Jarl Kjartan? Those bastards always ask for more..."

"Silence," The tall man said firmly. "Indeed, it has Westerner. But you and your men accepted this task. And now, you have nowhere else to run to. As a matter of fact, my decision to keep you all is charitable, compared to the murderous desires of some of the men here,"

Harold turned to Edwin, the latter swallowed deep but succeded in hiding his emotions. All of a sudden, Harold felt a slight pain returning to his body again, as the Jarl could see him grimacing over it. "Erik! My daughter has been well protected under your watchful care?" Kjatarn said as Erik smiled while bowing his head slightly. 

"I've known my lady for all my life," Erik replied as he raised his chest up. "The gods know I won't hesitate to risk my life for hers,"

John looked at the Nords with an irritable pain. So much so that he did not mind interrupting Jarl's conversation.

"Very well, can we discuss this in a more civilized manner?" John replied, trying to remember how he used to converse with his employers before Kjartan. Mercenaries usually dealt with those with either rich merchants requesting for their wares to be returned, to even the colonialist kingdom of Nordlund to execute bandits on their behalf. But a chieftain in Nordlund was someone John did not prepare, even with a few months of being in service to the seeress. 

"A wise choice Westerner," Kjatarn spoke. "But if you were to continue with us, I need to know whether you all are worth keeping around," 

"Jarl Kjatarn, I can vouch for their usefulness and trust," Erik said. "They have proven to be good fighters since our travels, and they have been loyal since then." 

"Loyal... for the right price Erik," Kjatarn said as he turned his face to Agnetha's. "My daughter, when you first approached them, did they swear loyalty to you when you asked them? Kneel down before you? I believe not, as a matter of fact,"

"Father... they do well in our service," Agnetha answered. "I have seen with my eyes how well their swordsmanship is." 

"And yet, they would not do it without spite. You heard how their leader demands payment from me" Kjatarn replied correctly. John could obviously hear their speech from the distance. They are known for their bluntness after all, even if Agnetha can mask her words well. The Nords went quite far away from the Westerners, but John could still hear their converse.