“My mate is not without prowess,” Brun informed Mirren as she finished lacing her tunic.
Mirren’s cackle flew through the room.“So I’ve heard!”
Brun rolled her eyes.“You know that’s not what I meant.”
Mirren cradled her chin in her hands, her eyes sparkling with mischief.“That doesn’t mean it isn’t true.The entire hall saw the way you couldn’t keep your eyes from one another during the feast, and I’ve never seen you willingly hold another’s hand.”
Brun shrugged.“I find I am not as opposed to our union as I once was.”
“I never thought to admit it, but women enjoy more freedom here than we did under your father’s hand.”
“I’ve noticed that as well.When a woman excels in battle, she’s simply treated as a warrior, not an aberrant example of her sex.”
"There are many men here who appreciate such a woman," Mirren assured her.
"Have you switched allegiance?"
Mirren laughed again, and covered her eyes with the back of her hand."Your husband's giant man at arms seems determined to convince me."
"He knows you aren't so inclined?"
Her friend blushed."Like I said, he's determined to convince me.He proposed a threesome with a lass of my choosing."
Brun's eyes widened."He's certainly determined.Perhaps you should indulge him before the battle."
Mirren's eyes narrowed."The battle?"
"Aye.My mate is convinced it's inevitable.His spymaster informed him that the Kraken ruler was infuriated by my escape and is set on obliterating the each uisge kingdom forever."
Her friend shot to her feet, her eyes gleaming with excitement."A true battle?"
Brun grimaced."A battle against fearsome creatures with a venomous sting.A battle against beastly mercenaries with teeth longer than your arm."
"I welcome the challenge," Mirren assured her.
"A challenge that may end in the cold ground.I advise you to take the giant up on his offer, so if you are killed you'll leave this earth with one less regret."
Mirren bounced over with shining eyes and kissed Brun on the cheek."I don't know if I'll heed your advice, but I'll be celebrating tonight!"
The marital bed had not been without its comforts that morning, and Brun had been slow to rise.It had taken several cups of hot tea to regain her bearings, and her eyelids still felt as if they'd been weighed down by coins.She squinted at the target before lowering to one knee, pulling her bowstring taut, and sending a brief prayer to Freya.She took a deep breath and let the arrow fly.
When it thunked against the wooden shield, hitting the mark slightly off center, she leapt to her feet with a whoop of victory.“Care to make another wager, husband?”
He lowered to one knee, just as she had, and gave her a cocky smirk.He loosed his arrow, his gaze on her the entire time instead of the target.It soared through the air, and hit the center of the target, quivering just below hers.“I’ll take your wager, wife.”
“You didn’t even sight the target before you took aim,” she grumbled.
He shrugged and rose to his feet.“I’ve been in too many battles that didn’t allow me the luxury of taking aim.I’ve learned to rely on my instincts to judge distance and angle because often that split second of hesitation can mean the difference between life and death.”
“Can we make it the best of three?”She asked with crossed arms.
“That depends on the stakes, Valkyrie.What boon are you willing to give me if win?”He stepped toward her.
Brun lifted her chin and held her ground.“The stakes are the same as those of our first wager.”
“Ah.If you win, you sail away, with the possibility of my seed in your womb this time, and if I win I receive a kiss freely given.”
She blushed, but nodded vigorously.She didn’t know if she had the fortitude to sail away and abandon him or this kingdom, but she liked having the knowledge she was free to do so if she needed to.“Aye.The stakes remain the same as those of our ax throwing wager.”