felt the eighty men in mail coats counterbalanced it.
He left Hardar for last, both to draw out the suspense and to ensure others would be distracted with their own gifts. But when he called Hardar, many paused to watch the exchange.
Hardar stirred as if he hadn't been paying attention. He looked at his wife, Ingrid, who stared blankly at him. Then he drew a breath and came forward, as if curiosity had stirred him to action. Ulfrik smirked. This is a worm tearing at your gut , Hardar, he thought. I bet you can't beat this next year .
The crowd watched as Hardar lumbered to stand before Ulfrik. He studied Hardar, trying to make his own expression open but cool. There was still the matter of Hardar's accusation, and the required apology. Ulfrik wanted to seem the better man in this conflict.
Hardar's eyes were two gray stones set into fleshy pouches, searching Ulfrik's face and betraying as little of his thoughts as possible. Ulfrik held that gaze, letting the rest of his vision turn to a blur. Hardar shifted, glancing across to Runa and Gunnar at his side. Ulfrik decided he did not like that, though did not understand why. A tiny sneer curled on Hardar's lips, his pug nose making him look like a leering pig. Finally he spoke.
"Your thoughtfulness and generosity are boundless, Lord Ulfrik. Truly you are a credit to your people." He paused, as if waiting for Ulfrik's response. Ulfrik inclined his head, but withheld his words. Hardar shrugged and continued. He raised his voice so others could hear. "I spoke rash words at the feast. Drink clouded my mind, and I was exhausted from our wrestling match. I apologize."
Ulfrik peered at him. Hardar's eyes did not meet his own but ranged about the men behind him. The words were insincere, he did not doubt. But he forced his smile. "Let us put it up to drink and forget unhappy memories."
Many men agreed, though some held their faces cold. Jarl Vermund smiled wickedly, enough to distract Ulfrik a moment. Then Hardar moved in front of him, breaking Ulfrik's sight. "Well said, Jarl Ulfrik."
"Now I have a gift prepared for you." Ulfrik reached into the box and removed a golden cloak pin. Hardar's own pin was only silver, and had two settings of which one had lost its jewel. Men who could see gasped at the value. Even Hardar stepped back in surprise.
"I cannot accept a gift so precious," he said stiffly.
"I'll not hear of it," Ulfrik said. "You are my closest neighbor, and the first in honor among us all. It is only in accordance to you station. Please accept it."
Hardar paused, regarding Ulfrik with a hard stare. Ulfrik suppressed a smile, enjoying the discomfort he inflicted on his rival. To refuse would shame him, and to accept would make reciprocating a great expense. At last he held out his hand to receive the gift. But he whispered as he did. "You haven't bought me, nor the others."
"I buy no man, but win their loyalty through my own merit," Ulfrik replied, matching the whisper.
The two men separated, and a few of the more naive in the crowd clapped. Hardar stepped away with a smile that did nothing more than show his black and yellow teeth. No warmth came from it.
Ulfrik spoke more fine words, and many of the jarls gave their own speeches. But soon the guests set sail. One by one they launched their ships into the gentle waves of the fjord. Oars poked out and dipped into the water. Hardar had the largest ship, and remained the last to depart. He assisted his wife and daughter up the gangplank and followed without a glance back. Once the ship lurched to sea, only his bright-haired daughter came to the stern to wave once more. Ulfrik and Runa both waved back.
"You've done a fine job ensuring you've made an enemy of our closest neighbor," Runa mumbled.
"He's just full of himself. Someone had to wake him up from that daydream. We're the new power in this land, wife."
The men were already breaking up under Snorri's direction. Toki had disappeared and Gunnar begged to be
He left Hardar for last, both to draw out the suspense and to ensure others would be distracted with their own gifts. But when he called Hardar, many paused to watch the exchange.
Hardar stirred as if he hadn't been paying attention. He looked at his wife, Ingrid, who stared blankly at him. Then he drew a breath and came forward, as if curiosity had stirred him to action. Ulfrik smirked. This is a worm tearing at your gut , Hardar, he thought. I bet you can't beat this next year .
The crowd watched as Hardar lumbered to stand before Ulfrik. He studied Hardar, trying to make his own expression open but cool. There was still the matter of Hardar's accusation, and the required apology. Ulfrik wanted to seem the better man in this conflict.
Hardar's eyes were two gray stones set into fleshy pouches, searching Ulfrik's face and betraying as little of his thoughts as possible. Ulfrik held that gaze, letting the rest of his vision turn to a blur. Hardar shifted, glancing across to Runa and Gunnar at his side. Ulfrik decided he did not like that, though did not understand why. A tiny sneer curled on Hardar's lips, his pug nose making him look like a leering pig. Finally he spoke.
"Your thoughtfulness and generosity are boundless, Lord Ulfrik. Truly you are a credit to your people." He paused, as if waiting for Ulfrik's response. Ulfrik inclined his head, but withheld his words. Hardar shrugged and continued. He raised his voice so others could hear. "I spoke rash words at the feast. Drink clouded my mind, and I was exhausted from our wrestling match. I apologize."
Ulfrik peered at him. Hardar's eyes did not meet his own but ranged about the men behind him. The words were insincere, he did not doubt. But he forced his smile. "Let us put it up to drink and forget unhappy memories."
Many men agreed, though some held their faces cold. Jarl Vermund smiled wickedly, enough to distract Ulfrik a moment. Then Hardar moved in front of him, breaking Ulfrik's sight. "Well said, Jarl Ulfrik."
"Now I have a gift prepared for you." Ulfrik reached into the box and removed a golden cloak pin. Hardar's own pin was only silver, and had two settings of which one had lost its jewel. Men who could see gasped at the value. Even Hardar stepped back in surprise.
"I cannot accept a gift so precious," he said stiffly.
"I'll not hear of it," Ulfrik said. "You are my closest neighbor, and the first in honor among us all. It is only in accordance to you station. Please accept it."
Hardar paused, regarding Ulfrik with a hard stare. Ulfrik suppressed a smile, enjoying the discomfort he inflicted on his rival. To refuse would shame him, and to accept would make reciprocating a great expense. At last he held out his hand to receive the gift. But he whispered as he did. "You haven't bought me, nor the others."
"I buy no man, but win their loyalty through my own merit," Ulfrik replied, matching the whisper.
The two men separated, and a few of the more naive in the crowd clapped. Hardar stepped away with a smile that did nothing more than show his black and yellow teeth. No warmth came from it.
Ulfrik spoke more fine words, and many of the jarls gave their own speeches. But soon the guests set sail. One by one they launched their ships into the gentle waves of the fjord. Oars poked out and dipped into the water. Hardar had the largest ship, and remained the last to depart. He assisted his wife and daughter up the gangplank and followed without a glance back. Once the ship lurched to sea, only his bright-haired daughter came to the stern to wave once more. Ulfrik and Runa both waved back.
"You've done a fine job ensuring you've made an enemy of our closest neighbor," Runa mumbled.
"He's just full of himself. Someone had to wake him up from that daydream. We're the new power in this land, wife."
The men were already breaking up under Snorri's direction. Toki had disappeared and Gunnar begged to be
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