Read Online Pit of Vipers (Sons of Kings Book 2) by Millie Thom - Free Book Online Page A

him. ‘You are fortunate that Sigward convinced us that your wares are worth looking at – so you may wish to thank him on your way out. But for now, I am the one you must convince of their quality.’ Startlingly blue eyes flashed and her eyelashes fluttered flirtatiously. ‘Or else your journey here will have been wasted, will it not? By the way, I cannot recall Sigward giving you a name, other than “Pedlar” – which sounds so impersonal, don’t you think?’
    Eadwulf grinned, despite the discomfiting sensation that he was being ridiculed. ‘My name is Egred, my lady,’ he supplied. ‘From Mercia.’
    ‘A stranger to Northumbria too,’ she mused, ‘though you will doubtless soon return to your home, unlike I, who will never see my beautiful Lofoten Islands again.’
    Eadwulf was unsurprised at Idona’s origins, having noted the extreme fairness of the hair not covered by her veil. ‘My friend Olaf – the owner of these fabrics – is also from the Lofotens,’ he said.
    ‘Then you must bring Olaf to meet me,’ Idona ordered, her face bright at the prospect. ‘I have not spoken with one of my own countrymen since my marriage to King Aelle two years ago.’ Her gaze swept the hall and the faces of her doting companions and she smiled. ‘But I am more than happy in Northumbria; my life has been pleasant here. Come, Egred,’ she said, eyeing the silks, ‘show us your wares.’
    It was not difficult to convince the young queen that she simply must have several gowns made from the exquisite silks. She held the delicate fabrics to her cheek, draping each alternately about her, relishing their sensuous embrace. Turning to Eadwulf, her finely shaped eyebrows arched. ‘Olaf has other designs also?’
    ‘Indeed, my lady. Perhaps tomorrow we might return with further samples?’
    ‘Until tomorrow then.’ Idona smiled as he packed away his wares. ‘You may tell Olaf that if all his silks are as beautiful as these, he can expect a good sale. And the guards will be ordered not to obstruct your entry next time. They can be quite resolute with visitors at times, but they are only following their orders, after all.
    ‘Who knows where we’d be if they just allowed anybody to walk in.’

Five
    Olaf had enjoyed a successful afternoon trading and was happy to accompany Eadwulf into the walled city the following day. Driving a small horse-drawn cart loaded with bolts of silk and barrels of Rhenish wine, they found no difficulty in securing access into the Northumbrian palace. Queen Idona was delighted with the fabrics and since her husband was present on this occasion, a good price was soon agreed for enough silk to make a number of robes.
    Eadwulf considered King Aelle to be of late middle age, his dark hair greying at the temples, his sagging stomach muscles suggesting indolence and a loathing of physical exercise. He was a foppish-looking man, who constantly adjusted the folds of his fine, blue tunic, and inspected his carefully manicured fingernails. A self-satisfied smirk seemed permanently fixed on his face. But it was apparent that Aelle doted on his young wife, who constantly smiled and flirted with him, ensuring he remained well and truly besotted. And when Aelle suggested she choose as many silks as she liked, her willowy arms latched around his neck and her well-toned body, adorned in pale yellow today, pushed against his drooping one.
    When the price-haggling for silks and wine was done, Eadwulf and Olaf were invited to share a mug of ale with the king and his wife.
    ‘You may not know it,’ Aelle said, tweaking his liberally salted dark beard and addressing them both, ‘but we hold a notorious prisoner at this very moment, a Danish raider, responsible for much loss of life in the Low Countries. He and his thieving sons have also been a thorn in the side of Charles the Bald for years, and this year he had the effrontery to sail to Northumbria to try his filthy antics!’ The conceited smirk widened.