Legends Never Die: Causes for Celebration (ch. 79) (Patreon)

“The tiger is tame so long as you don't go anywhere near her. But his idea of what counts as too close changes minute by minute. Made for a really awkward ride back,” Thorkell said before tipping his head back, taking several large gulps from a horn of ale while one of our healers saw to a wound he had taken on his side. His ribs were purple and yellow, but over them was a long cut. His chainmail had saved his life. As he described it, a blade punched through the rings at an angle that cut him across the ribs rather than stabbing into them.

“Grabbing her was the easy part,” Thorkell continued, letting out a heaving sigh as he drained the horn dry, holding it out for a servant to fill. “Just like you said, the nobles snuck out of Acre and were heading to a city called Damascus. We ambushed them on the road, and they gave up pretty easily on her command. Barely had to kill more than a few of them before the Princess gave herself up to save the lives of her bodyguards.” Meaning that she had no taste for bloodshed.

I sat across from Thorkell, away from the celebrations, in the longhouse. “But, her surrender came with a few conditions. No more executing the prisoners. Which put us in a fucking bind because their guards were more than enough to be a pain in our asses. So, I made the call to take the nobility, ditch the guards, and run back to the ship.” He raised the horn up to the servant that filled it in thanks before he took another large gulp from it. “Only to find out that the ship had been found and was under guard -- a hefty one. They didn't know about the Princess then, but they were expecting us to come back.”

Thorkell winced when the stitching began. “Had to draw them out and of course the Princess saw it as a chance to escape. So, I used her as bait to pull them out of position and hammered them. But, by that time the original guards were back in the city with word that we had their Princess and they started hunting us. They cast a wide net, so for the past two weeks I've been dodging their patrols and looking for a gap in the net. Wasn't more than a couple of days ago that I found one to sail right through.” With that, he finished his horn of ale and unleashed a belch that made my eyes water. “Sorry,” he offered unapologetically.

My gaze turned to Princess Jasmine’s quarters in the longhouse. As Thorkell said, the tiger would not part with her and as soon as she could, she meekly vanished into a room. The other noble prisoners were held in what amounted to prison cells. It was too early to tell how important they were, but when I looked them over, only Princess Jasmine shone gold. “You did well, Thorkell. We both knew it wasn't going to be an easy task, and you got the job done.”

“That's what you pay me for,” Thorkell replied, lowering his arm as the final stitch was made and tied off. He poked at the wound, only for his hand to get swatted away by an annoyed healer woman. “So, what happens now?”

That was the question. A princess was an unexpected hostage, but she also wasn't one I was prepared to use. If we had captured her a little earlier then I could have used her against Prince Harun. I could have ransomed her back to him, at the very least. And, annoyingly, I wouldn't have needed to make an oath. I should have given Thorkell more support to accomplish his goal faster, even if it meant it would weaken us further when raiding.

“We add her to the letter we send Empress Dowager Irene,” I said, mulling it over for a moment. She was my prisoner, so her ransom would be mine, but I was not the one the Abbasids were at war with. I could probably get away with ransoming the lesser nobility, but a princess? I imagine Irene would be quite cross with me if I traded her away without consulting her. It would have been better to capture Prince Harun, or even both of them, as the Romans would have had a lot more leverage over the Abbasids during negotiations for a peace. “For now, she remains here as a prisoner. I suppose it really depends on how the Romans do in Anatolia.”

Reaching out I clapped Thorkell on the shoulder, “Get some rest. You've earned it.” To that, Thorkell raised up the refilled horn.

“Wake me up when the wedding happens,” he said with mirth. “You made her wait long enough.” That was too true for me to argue so I just chuckled and waved him off. The wedding itself would be in a week, on the final day of the celebration of our victory over the Abbasids. It felt like a good note to end on. Astrid and Jill were both making preparations for the wedding itself, as neither of our parents were here to shoulder the responsibility.

I scratched at my cheek, my attention drifting back to Princess Jasmine. She was a princess, so treating her as a normal prisoner wouldn't do. She would have to be treated as a… guest that couldn't leave. So, she would need to be included in the festivities. It might also give me the chance to gain some insight to Prince Harun and Hadi. I was uncertain if we would clash once more in the years I would remain here, but it would be prudent to prepare for that possibility.

With that thought in mind, I turned my attention to finding Jill and Astrid. The festivities were in full swing with all of the announcements made, so our constant presence wasn't required. Everyone was enjoying themselves, even the thralls that were welcomed at the feast when they learned that their freedom was in their grasp. Morrigan was still off doing her own self-appointed tasks, and all I knew of it was that she left a message with Jill saying that she would be gone for a few days. I was curious what exactly she was doing, but I knew to trust her.

I found my wife and my soon to be second wife together, overlooking the feast but not quite a part of it. They both looked up as I approached, “How would you two feel about being accompanied by a princess?” I asked and Astrid cocked an eyebrow. “I've never captured royalty before,” I offered with a shrug.

“It would be a good idea to make a good impression. As much as we can after kidnapping her,” Jill replied with a small nod. “When this war is over, we could find ports in the Caliphate open to us.”

To that, Astrid snorted, “I imagine they'd be sore about us selling their stuff back to them.”

“It expands our importance as a trading hub on the Mediterranean. I've checked the prices against Constantinople’s markets -- the spices, silks, and more sell quite highly. More so now, with the war.” Jill said, offering a ghost of a smile. “But it would be best to avoid overwhelming her. And the tiger. Mostly the tiger,” Jill amended. I found the argument agreeable and the three of us retreated into a more private hall.

A servant went to fetch the princess, and I found myself quite curious about her. It was hardly my first time meeting royalty, but it was the first time under these circumstances. It didn't take long for me to hear the low creak of the floorboards before I saw the creature that made them. The tiger rounded the corner with Princess Jasmine’s hand lightly resting between his two massive shoulder blades. Every time the tiger took a step, I saw flexing muscle underneath the orange striped hide while the cat-like pupil was trained on me.

Princess Jasmine wore a king's ransom in gold, silks, and gemstones with a thin light blue silk veil on her face. Her dark eyes flickered around nervously before also settling on me and she gripped down on the tiger reflexively, then the tiger growled at me for scaring the princess with my mere presence. However, the two weren't alone. They were joined by one other, and he was a familiar face.

“Please stop capturing me,” Alim requested in a soft, almost gentle voice. My eyebrows climbed high, not at the request but because of the language he spoke it in.

Alim just spoke flawless Norse.

“Would it help if I said it wasn't on purpose?” I offered, crossing my arms, my thumb lightly brushing against the gold armband near my elbow.

Alim seemed to think about it for a moment before shaking his head. He had cleaned up a good bit since I last saw him, before I used him to help Zafir escape so I could lure the Abbasid fleet into a trap. His hair was cut, he was cleaner, his close finer… I felt compelled to ask, “You've learned Norse?”

To that, Alim nodded. “I figured it out. I got the missing pieces after Thorkell captured us.” That was… a little off? I wasn't one to throw stones -- I also had the ability to learn languages unnaturally fast, but I also had a give from the gods that helped me do it. “Can I go back to Zafir? He’ll be worried…” And there was that odd relationship that Morrigan told me about. Zafir was loyal to Alim.

It was an odd puzzle but not the one I sought to figure out at the moment. “I have no reason to keep you separated from your vassal,” I said, just to test the waters. I got a much stronger reaction than I expected. Alim’s face froze with the kind of panic that I only saw when I drew steel on someone. Then he wiped it away. I pretended to not notice, “You can be returned to him when we return the thralls to the Abbasids. For now, could you serve as a translator?”

Despite my thoughts, I was curious about Alim. That was a strong reaction to the word vassal. Was he perhaps nobility? Disgraced nobility, given his living conditions.

Alim seemed eager to distract me, so he quickly nodded. With that, I turned my attention to Princess Jasmine, who seemed vaguely alarmed by Alim's alarm. “My apologies for not greeting you before, Princess Jasmine,” I said in Arabic, making her eyes widen while Alim translated my words into Norse to Jill and Astrid. “I am Siegfried Erikson, ruler of this city. This is my wife, Astrid and my betrothed Jill.” I said, introducing them both.

The introductions, or perhaps it was the fact that I was being polite, seemed to put her at ease. Well, ease was probably the wrong word. She was less likely to sic her tiger upon me at least.

Her gaze, interestingly, lingered on Astrid. “I am Princess Jasmine, daughter of Caliph Al-Mhadi,” she introduced herself tersely. Her gaze flickered to me. “Your reputation precedes you, Lord Wolf-Kissed. Might I ask a question of you?” She asked, and I noticed that her tone was one of polite friendliness.

I nodded, “If I have an answer, I'll give it-”

“Does my brother still live?” Princess Jasmine interrupted me, her tone more urgent.

“He does,” I answered quickly and I saw tension ease out of her. “He and that bastard Hadi beat me to Antioch, where we came to terms. I suspect that he is already marching to join your father in Anatolia,” I offered. I had no proof of it, but it seemed the likely course.

There was a spark of amusement entering her dark eyes now that her immediate fear was addressed, “Sheikh Hadi speaks of you much in the same way.” I could see that she was also filing away what I said about his movements.

“Good,” I grunted. I was still sore about my burnt ships.

It was then that Astrid spoke up, “The tiger. Can I know how she got one? He's a beautiful animal,” She questioned, appearing tempted to approach, but knew better than to try. The tiger was on high alert, and even if he was mostly glowering at me, I expected that he would lash out if anyone came too close.

I let Alim translated the words into Arabic and found that he translated the words perfectly. As well as I could have. Princess Jasmine seemed to be lowering her guard. As much as one could from high alert to simply alert. “Rajah was originally part of a circus that came to celebrate my birthday. He managed to sneak out of his cage, and into the palace, and I found him playing in the gardens,” she answered and beneath the veil, I saw her smiling at the memory.

Interestingly, I saw Rajah relax as well. He was like a well trained hound -- when his master was afraid or angry, he would growl and bark. When she was relaxed, he struck me as a rather large house cat. “I was convinced that he was a gift from my mother at first, but when my parents tried to separate us, I locked myself in my room and refused to come out for a full week. They relented after that, but they've laid a few traps for us to argue that he's too dangerous to keep as a pet. Rajah has never fallen for them, though. He's my friend. My greatest friend in the world.”

I was struck by how lonely she sounded as she uttered the words. And she only seemed to realize that she uttered them outloud a second later, making her dusky skin darken further with a flush.

“Could I pet him? His fur looks so soft,” Astrid said, and Princess Jasmine blinked in surprise while I tensed.

“You may? He won't attack anyone. Unless I command it,” she said, casting a less than subtle glance at me. Astrid got up and Jasmine looked down at her swelling belly, rubbing calming circles into Rajah's back. I kept myself still, trying to not alarm the tiger.

I imagine that Princess Jasmine would be far less forthcoming if I killed her tiger. But I would. If it so much as bared a tooth at my wife and child, I'd kill it without remorse or mercy. Astrid seemed to sense my unease and offered a playful wink at me, approaching the tiger without fear. She crouched down to eye level with the tiger, offering a hand for him to sniff. Rajah seemed almost human when he glanced up at Princess Jasmine for guidance. The princess smiled and nodded, and Astrid reached out to pet the tiger-

She gasped and I nearly flung myself across the room to tackle the animal and break its neck. “His fur is so soft! Jill! You have to pet him,” Astrid urged, taking an inch and running a mile with Rajah’s permission to pet him. She used both hands, giving the tiger chin scratches while Jill hesitantly got up to join.

And I watched with a faint sense of amusement that the fearsome tiger adopted the appearance of a large house cat, soaking up the attention with a royal expectation.

It was as good of an first impression as I could expect.

…

The festivities continued for days. Jill and Astrid pulled Princess Jasmine into their group, but I was firmly kept out of it. The Princess felt uneasy around me, which led to Rajah feeling uneasy. I kept a few guards around them just in case, but after a week, my opinion of Princess Jasmine was that she was quite soft-hearted. I didn't think she had it in her to order Rajah to attack anyone.

It was a week later that I found myself dressing in my wedding clothes -- a second pair. The first had been woven by my mother and sisters. The second pair was made by tailors. Silks and fine cloths that were embroidered around my sleeves, neck, and hem. My hair was braided, my beard trimmed in the style that Jill had suggested with my neck shaven. I was clean and wore the scent of an expensive perfume from Constantinople.

It was as I was dressing myself that some anticipated news was delivered to me. “The Romans and the Abbasids clashed in Anatolia. I've heard rumors that the Romans both won and lost, telling me that it was either a poor victory or a close defeat.” Thorkell informed me, looking right as rain after healing from his injuries. “What I do know for certain is that Prince Harun, and Hadi, played a part in the battle.”

I inspected my reflection in a piece of polished copper before adjusting my tunic. “Do we know how?” I asked, finding myself unsurprised with the news.

“Word is that the battle had been fought for a good three days. The Romans were getting the better of the Abbasids before Prince Harun showed up with ten to twenty thousand men. From there, he either attacked the Roman flank and drove them off or the Romans drove off the Abbasids at a bloody cost.” Thorkell answered and I mulled that over. We would need to wait until more news reached us, but given what I knew about Prince Harun and Hadi, I was more inclined to believe that the Romans had been defeated.

“Another thing I heard -- the Abbasid Prince Hadi- not the bastard Hadi,” Thorkell corrected when I sharply glanced at him. “The crown prince and Harun's older brother. He was killed in the fighting, making Harun the crowned prince.” That was…

Annoying.

If things played out a little differently then I could have had the Abbasid crown prince as my prisoner. And I knew exactly who to blame for the fact that I didn't.

That bastard.

“... it would be best to hold that news until after the wedding,” I decided, thinking of Jasmine. Jill told me that she was quite close with Harun and her mother, Al-Khayzuran, but she said nothing of Prince Hadi. But, he was still kin to her and it would be best to not taint the wedding with news of death.

“What happens now?” Thorkell questioned and I took a moment to think about it. If the Romans had been defeated, but not so totally that they could not regroup… we had royal hostages. I had killed twenty thousand soldiers. I had sacked a number of their coastal cities and stole a number of ships, leading them to believe a sea invasion was coming. If it had been a decisive defeat for the Romans, I could see the Abbasids feeling comfortable with continuing the invasion, but a close defeat?

“I suspect we'll see peace talks soon,” I ventured with a small shrug. Likewise, the Romans, had they won the battle, would be willing to continue to counter invade the Abbasids. However, with a stinging defeat, they would understand how dangerous their position was and they would seek peace while they were still ahead. I might be expected to join the peace talks, but I didn't anticipate that I would receive such an invitation.

“And us?” Thorkell prompted and I turned around to face him, an easy smile on my face.

“For now? I get married again,” I answered, earning a chuckle before Thorkell clapped me on the shoulder before ushering me forward. Leaving my room in the longhouse, I made my trek to where the wedding would be taking place and I chose where I would be placing the runestone.

The groundwork for it was already being laid out -- the gardens were planted, the layout planned, but most notably of all was the large slab of marble that I had brought over from Constantinople. It stood twice my height, and that was with a good portion of it buried in the dirt to make sure it didn't tip over in case of a storm. The carvings had yet to begin, but they would soon.

It was before the marble slab that I waited as the guests gathered up. The commanders of my army. Merchants of note that heard about the affair. I couldn't quite tell if it was a snub by Michalis when sent word that he could not attend, but I cared little. And, to my pleasure, Alexios, my teacher, had chosen to attend and he seemed quite excited for it.

Music played as Jill approached. She had no family to give her away, nor did I, so it wasn't quite a traditional wedding. She looked radiant, however -- she wore a white dress that was tailored for her, and a crown of flowers tucked into her dark brown hair. In her hands was an axe. One of fine make with a large bearded edge while on the other side, there was a pointed wedge. Beside her, Astrid walked with Jill in place of her family. A statement that Astrid welcomed Jill as my second wife.

Jill's gaze met mine as she approached, a slight smile on her face growing a fraction. She practically seemed to glow with a radiant joy. I found myself smiling back as she came to a stop across from me and I gently reached out, cupping her hands in mine.

“You're beautiful,” I told her in a low whisper.

Her gaze softened and I was barely aware of the goði speaking, starting the wedding. “It's been a long time coming, hm?” Jill noted quietly, her hand in mine.

To that, I could only chuckle.

We said the words, becoming husband and wife… but the truth of the matter was that we had been together since that day in Denmark. The words just made it official.