Read Online The Viking by Marti Talbott - Free Book Online

walked to it, the stallion stood still and let him pat his neck. Stefan vowed he would not be so neglectful ever again and started that day to know exactly who and what was around him.
    *
    Jirvel fixed a banquet fit for a king with vegetables, fresh bread and the smoked salmon she preserved the day before. The men ate hearty and for hours after told stories of the northern clans, which delighted both Stefan and Kannak. Gre agor did most of the talking, telling of how he became laird, of great battles, brave men, waterfalls, sparse land, and of the giant living among them.
    “Why have ye come,” Jirvel asked her brother finally.
    “We seek wives. We have not seen a comely lass since ye left us to marry Laird…”
    Jirvel quickly interrupted, “Ye flatter me, brother, but we have few unmarried lasses in our clan.”
    Kannak was incredulous, “Ye came here to marry a laird? Which one?”
    “He died, Kannak.” Jirvel watched her brother ’s face and prayed he would not contradict her.
    But Kannak wo uld not be so easily put off, “‘Tis the first I heard o’ it.”
    Greagor smiled at the niece he had only seen a few times since her birth. “Ye will soon learn a lass keeps many things to herself. Dinnae pester yer mother, ‘tis plain to see the wound in her heart be not yet healed.” He waited to be sure the girl would ask no more questions and then stood up and turned to face his sister. “Is Macoran yet yer laird? Of course he is, I would have heard had he died and from the looks o’ things, he has not provided for ye. Yer clothes are old and patched, ye have no sheep to sheer for the wool necessary to make new, the land be unkempt and…”
    “My husband be to blame for our condition. ”
    “Aye he be, but so be Macoran. He promised he would see to yer ca re. ‘Tis time I had a talk with…”
    Jirvel started to panic. The last thing she wanted was for her brother to confront Macoran. “The fault be mine. I dinnae wish to burden our laird.”
    Greagor knew exactly what she meant. His sister wanted no part of the man who had cast her off at the last moment. “Now that yer husband be gone, come home with us, lass. We will see ye want for nothing.”
    “I am tempted, but this be my home.”
    He knew what that meant too. She still loved Macoran and although she could not be his wife, she could not leave him either. Gregor took her in his arms and held his sister tight. “Send the laddie if ye change yer mind and we will come fetch ye.”
     
     
    CHAPTER VII
     
    It was a celebration; a festival of spring not unlike those Stefan had often attended in his homeland, with a multitude of people gathered in the center of the village. Occasionally, men would size him up, but as soon as they realized Stefan was just a boy, none of them said anything about the Viking that got away.
    Kannak and Stefan enjoyed the men with painted faces who acted the part of the village idiot. The jokesters walked through the crowd, made funny faces and occasionally danced a comical jig to the music of a flute. Tables held a variety of sweet fruits and breads, ale, mead and wine to complement the plentiful assortment of berries, meats and fish. It was all free for the taking and Stefan ate his fill.
    Kannak took him to see the wide mouth of the river, the rafts and the fishing boats, most of which were moored across the river on the Clan Limond side. When they went back to the festival, he too was interested in all the items made by other clan members such as new sheepskin flasks, assorted leather pouches and weapons he would have liked taking home with them. But again he decided showing his wealth would be unwise.
    Stefan turned from the tables and began to study the people instead. The Macoran clan had more than its share of elders each of whom looked to be in their early fifties. In his homeland, many did not live that long and no one was quite certain why. A man who married late in life was not likely to see his children grown and