My viKING

chapter 11

"Tis' good!" She exclaimed accidentally.
All of the men looked at her direction and snorted a laugh. Iona seems not to understand the humor of it but cared not to. She looked at brynjar who seems not to care a thing in the world, he shifted his position and eyed her coldly. She then averted her graze back to her food.

"You know,. It's not normal for the likes of women to express their likings that loud. Specially to the likes of you" brian commented before sipping his ale in his chalice.

She eyed him, not actually knowing what's he talking about.

"Mayhaps in her place, women are that opinionated or outspoken" the elegant woman interrupted, she smiled warmly.
"By the way, my name is astrid .. i am brynjar's  youngest sister"  she gleamed with pride upon her introduction.

Ohh so that's why they looked alike, though she looked very feminish

"Oh please, you seem to forget someone else. I'm very very very hurt sister" Brian interjected sarcastically as he gestured a fake hurtful expression.

"Oh? Oh! I almost forgot i have a lousy elder brother.. how come those people went unnoticed? " she replied with a fake questioning tone.

"Well, at least i do not look like old. Do you not know that most men mistook you as my elder sister" he replied, while containing his laughter.

"Ha HA HA! Very funny. It's my asset that i look pretty much mature"

"What?? Pretty much mature? , but sister you're not pretty. You're only mature!" He snorted and let out a painful laugh.

Astrid eyed him sharply as she shifted her position and returned her graze to iona's amused expression.

"So, may i care to know your name?  Are you my new sister in law?" She replied with a beam of desperation and happiness on her face.

Iona then looked abashed and blushed upon her question, specially when remembering their encounter earlier. When she is about to answer,
"No, she is my thrall and it's nothing of your business" brynjar interrupted with his icy cold voice. Iona looked back at him to see his expression and he just glared at her coldly before she returned her look at Astrid who is now wearing an awkward smile,

"I suppose you are irish then?" Astrid asked to cover up the awkward air.

"Aye" iona answered meekly with a warm smile

"Seriously sister? Aahhh i'm ashamed." While putting both of his hands in the air, while letting out his mischievous grin.

"What?" Astrid asked with a curious tone. "You're ashamed because of your hideous face little brother?"

"What? No! I was talking about your stupidity sister! She's obviously irish why do you have to ask?" He replied with an amused expression.

Astrid ignored his teasing and continued questioning Iona,

"i heard that your prince is quite attractive. May i ask if it's true?" Astrid asked with a mixture of giggle.
Brian rolled his eyes and bynjar just kept still as some of the high warriors began to disperse from the table. The thralls waiting for the four to do the same, for them to clean the table.

"I remembered meeting him on a trade on a summer day in scandinavia, 2 summers ago. we went into a brothel and pick out some harlots, i remember how we played hard that day. How he wrestled some of the toughest vikings and how he gulped a barrel of ale! He drinks like a horse and faucks like one too! but my impression changed when a batallion of his men went their and looked for him, that's when i realized he is the irish prince. Most of the men inside the brothel just looked at him as if to tear his flesh apart. But they let him cross through the door because at the least he earned a new found respect from them when he stayed there" His expression filled with pride "i hope walfer did not go hard this time" his expression changed into a sullen sympathy.

"Shoosh, be careful of what you utter brother., father may know it and call you a fool for not sticking your dagger into his throat. They are our enemy and walfer got lucky this time for raiding them" Astrid mentioned seriously.

"You are wrong big sister, foolishness is when you cannot distinguish enemies to foe."

Iona remembered his elder brother frederick, how she missed his comfort and reassuring look. How she missed the pasture, the kingdom and his father, how she missed her old life.

"Oh sorry, what's wrong?" Astrid asked with a voice of concern as Iona unintentionally let out a tear.she hated herself for that, she hated herself for being weak, specially infront of different people.

"Nay thers notin wrong, aye he's quite a catch" iona answered as she wiped her tear. And smiled reassuringly.

"Uhuum." They heard a loud clearing of throat as their attention went into brynjar's direction.
Brynjar coldly motioned her to stand up and she got the cue.
Brynjar held her hand and pulled her as he is headed to a room.

"Where are we goin?" Iona asked intently.