The Hermit Herbalist

Chapter 12 - Accountability

Ogen returned to the house almost an hour later with the other elders of the village.  Ragnar was among them, and his dour expression betrayed his feelings on the current state of affairs.  Clint was still in Ogen's chamber when Gyda came in with a bowl of steaming broth.  "Master Barton?  The elders and Master Ogen have returned.  They are requesting your presence," Gyda said.

"Thank you, Gyda.  Please make sure she eats that entirely," Clint said and Gyda gave him a slight curtsy.  He left the room and went to the dining room of the house where he recalled pleasant meals and conversations.  Now, when he entered, he found himself face to face with all the distinguished gentry of the village.  Ogen sat at the head as the master of the house, and he indicated for Clint to sit beside him in an empty chair.  The archer took it and waited for all the older men to start speaking.  

"Masters, thank you for coming on such short notice; but we are dealing with a serious crime.  Master Barton, as you know, was supposed to leave to return to his own world, but had a change of heart."  Ogen spared Clint a quick and warm smile at this before he returned to the matter at hand.  "When he came back, he found our sweet Ikol molested in her own house!"  All the men started blustering and exclaiming at the thought of Loki beaten in her own home.

"The outrage!"

"This is a scandal!"

"Who would commit such an affront?!"

"Master Barton was swift in bringing her to my home where Gyda and myself treated her injuries.  She is comfortably resting in my chamber as we speak.  Here is the report Gyda wrote up for you elders to examine," Ogen said as he passed the sheet of parchment to the man sitting on the opposite side of him.  They read and muttered over the list of Loki's wounds.  Clint just sat there, listening to all of them talk.  Ogen glanced at him and gave him a slight smile.  Finally, the paper made its way around the table and back to Clint.  He shoved the paper away, having seen Loki's condition first hand.  

"Who is the guilty party?  Does our Ikol know the name of her attacker?" Ragnar asked.

"Kael Bjornsen.  She said it was Kael," Clint said from between gritted teeth.  Everyone became quiet.

"Where is the bastard?  Send the hunters and the hounds after him!  Bring him back to suffer the consequences of his actions!" Elder Njal bellowed, slamming his fist on the table.  

"I challenge him to a duel."  Clint's firm sentence made everyone turn to stare at him.  "I challenge him for Ikol's honor has been damaged in this attack, and I take it personally."

"But, your honor has not been damaged, Barton?  The only way this would affect you is if-"

"I marry her.  Is that what you're going to say?  The only way this offends my honor is if Ikol is my wife and therefore under my protection," Clint said in a serious tone of voice.  All the elders at the table looked at him, some with concern, and some with hope.  "But this is an offense against me, gentlemen.  I will marry Lo- ahem!  Ikol if that what's it takes to get her justice.  Make no mistake, sirs, I do care for her and will treat her with the utmost respect."  Clint felt his heart hammering in his chest.  He was consenting to marry Loki!  How would she react when she awoke and found out her freedom was gone.  All because Clint wanted to kill Kael with his bare hands.  She would not take kindly to the imposition he would truly be now.

"You sure?  You will marry Ikol?" Ogen asked him seriously.  Clint nodded.

"I am a hunter like your young men.  I can provide for her and she can assist with her herbal remedies.  We will be a couple that will contribute to this village," Clint assured them.  The older men all whispered amongst themselves.  Clint waited for the decision with bated breath, his heart threatening to burst free from his rib cage.  Finally, after several minutes they turned back to Clint and nodded.

"Clinton Barton, if you swear on your soul that you will honor and care for Ikol Nomansdottir, we will sanction your binding to her.  Once she is well, we will hand fast you," Ogen said to him.  Clint breathed out and almost fainted, but was caught by Ogen and Hagan.  

"Sorry," he said.  "Marriage is a serious affair."  

"Verily, it is," Ogen whispered to him and patted his shoulder.  "Thank you, Barton."  Clint nodded and inhaled and exhaled before he left the room.  The elders watched him go and figured that he was going to see his future wife.  Clint walked to Ogen's chamber and rapped on the door.

"Enter," Gyda's quiet voice answered.  Clint opened the door and she looked up, smiling at him.  "She awoke for about ten minutes.  She ate all the broth and went back to sleep after I gave her some ale." 

"Thank you, Gyda.  I'll stay with her for a while," Clint informed the maid.  Gyda nodded, curtsied, and left them alone.  Clint walked over and sat down on the mattress.  He reached out and brushed several curly strands of Loki's hair off her forehead.  "Loki... um... I've got some news for her."  He brought his legs up and lay down beside her, placing her hand on his stomach.  "I can't avenge you unless you're my wife.  I proposed to you in front of the council.  I know.  Not very romantic or gentlemanly of me.  But... I can't let this go.  I can't let Kael go free after he hurt you like this."  Clint nuzzled close to Loki and lightly brushed his lips against her forehead.  This was the closest physical contact he had with her, bar holding her in his arms.  "I don't know when it happened, but... along the way... I started to... love you."  Loki did not awake or give him any sign she heard him.  Clint's lips found her forehead again, then her cheek, and finally, her lips.  That was when he felt her give a little.  Her mouth opened of her own fruition and Clint probed her tongue with his.  Finally, he broke apart from her and he found her green eyes open and staring at him.

"So, husband," Loki whispered, her voice barely audible.  

"You heard me?" he asked.  She nodded and her fingers went out to grab his hand.  She looked at his thick and scarred fingers.

"Although if you had made that proposal on bended knee to me, I would have preferred it."  Clint blinked a couple of times as he realized that Loki was not angry with him for taking her freedom through marriage.  Her hand touched his cheek.  "Clinton Francis Barton, I accept your marriage proposal with a willing heart," Loki told him.  

"Really?  You do?  You're not mad?" Clint queried.  Loki grinned and pinched his nose between two of her fingers.  "I guess that answers my question," he said in a pulse nasily tone of voice.  

"I'm not angry.  But you do realize how this will affect your future on a grand scale," she reminded.

"Yeah, I know.  It affects yours too," Clint said and Loki nodded.  She curled up closer to him, wincing when it sent a jolt of pain through her body.  "Sorry."  

"It's alright," Loki tiredly responded, her eyes closing as she drifted back to sleep.  Clint ran his fingers through her hair, happy that she was content with the turn of events.  Of course, that also sparked the question in his mind.

How long has she been having feelings for me?