Legends Never Die: Connections (ch. 57) (Patreon)

"Do I have to go?" Was the first thing that came out of Astrid's mouth, my wife sounding entirely disinterested with the entire affair. I didn't really blame her there. I also had absolutely zero interest in attending the party, but Jill made it abundantly clear that it wasn't an invitation that we could afford to refuse. Despite how much I would like to. In the end, she simply made too strong of an argument for it -- we would be expanding our social network, making connections, and it would be an opportunity to make a number of deals with various territories throughout the empire.

And it would reflect badly on me as a leader if I couldn't attend a party for a handful of hours for the benefit of my men.

"We do," I answered, the sigh in my voice matching her own. I stood on a stool while a man hovered around me, taking measurements. He was a tailor. One recommended to me by Michalis, who would dress me in the latest fashion of the court. A damn stupid thing, I decided, but I could admit that the silks felt soft and their colors were vibrant. Astrid sat in the corner, watching the outfit be made with some interest, her own dress already underway. "It's just for a few hours. We can leave after the mingling is done."

"As if Jill would let you," Astrid replied with a huff of amusement. To that, my lips thinned because she was more right than I cared for. Jill would be sorely disappointed if I didn't accomplish something at the party. A connection, a deal… she took her self imposed duties quite seriously and she was expecting something to work with. I approved until it started to become a pain in my ass, doubly so because she was in the right. I just didn't want to go. "You should take Jill. She's the one that wants to go," Astrid said, still trying to wiggle her way out of the engagement.

"But you are my wife. You're expected to do these things," I replied dryly, making Astrid wrinkle her nose.

"Marry Jill then," she refuted with no hesitation. Most women had greater reluctance for their husband taking a second wife.

"These are Christians. They only take one spouse," I told her, making Astrid sigh dramatically as her last hope was foiled.

"I hate these things," Astrid admitted, sinking into her seat. "I can't stand the talks where nothing is ever said or mincing my words to avoid causing offense. No one would leave me alone because of who my father was… it just wasn't… me. And at least in Norway, I could speak the language better than a child." Astrid muttered under her breath -- in the past weeks, the lessons in Greek began and Astrid was struggling with it. Jill was doing the best, Morrigan close behind as far as I've heard, with Astrid in last.

It was my first time seeing someone else learning a language and I was genuinely shocked to see how slow it was for other people. All three women were clever, but in the time it had took for me to become fluent they had barely become familiar with the basics. It was a sore spot for Astrid in particular.

"It's fine-" I started to reassure her, but she cut me off with a glare.

"It's not fine," she interjected with an annoyed hiss. "I'm your wife. To those idiots out there, I'm a reflection on you. Me looking like an idiot is you looking like an idiot, idiot," she said and I think I saw a glimpse of the issue. She felt insecure. As much as I did. I knew exactly where she was coming from too -- fear of saying the wrong thing to the wrong person and someone else, like my father, being forced to suffer the consequences for it. It wasn't that long ago when I was at the center of attention, and the greatest of my deeds was defending the farm.

I lowered my arms as the tailor took a step back, "Astrid… you won't embarrass me. Or yourself," I told her, and the reassurance was repaid with a disbelieving frown.

"Jill is better at this stuff," Astrid pointed out, crossing her arms.

"She is," I agreed, and I was glad that Astrid didn't take offense to it. "But you can do things that she can't. Fight, for one." I told her, stepping off of the stool and approaching Astrid, who still wore a frown even as she enjoyed the flattery.

"Among other things," she added with an exaggerated waggle of her eyebrows. Her meaning was clear and I fought down a flush.

"That too," I admitted. "So don't be concerned with other people's opinions. We don't know these people and they only seek to use us. I know your worth, Astrid. As should you," I continued and Astrid cooked her head to that, her frown becoming a slight grin. She stood up and planted a kiss in the corner of my mouth, surprising me.

"Charmer," she accused, seemingly satisfied with the flattery and dismissing whatever was left of her complaints. Before I could reply, the seamstress knocked at the door for Astrid to try on the first draft of her dress and I watched her go through the doors. It was a small moment, taking a seat on the stool and grabbing a scroll about Alexander the Great's trek through a land called Egypt as I waited for my clothing to be touched up.

Small moments that showed me how much things had changed.

…

Chares' manor was a sizable one in the countryside around Constantinople. I had always been uncertain how rich Chares was -- I knew he was a man of wealth, but as someone who grew rich recently, there were still divides between rich men, wealthy men, and those that couldn't spend all their money in two lifetimes of lavish spending. As we approached the estate, I saw that he was the latter. His home was a large building, both tall and wide, that was surrounded by farmland filled with toiling slaves for as far as the eye could see.

"There are a number of people to watch out for," Michalis began as we rode to the estate. "Chares is a bastard's bastard, but he's a rich one, so high nobility occasionally join when they want a loan or a favorable deal. It makes Chares seem that much more prestigious." He glanced at me, his gaze flickering to my clothing. I was quite pleased with them -- they were the finest that I had ever owned, even if they were quite different from what I typically wore.

I wore a long dark red shift made of silk with gold stitching and a long gold sash over one shoulder. I wasn't sure if I cared for the attire, in all honesty -- it felt too much like a dress, even if I was wearing trousers. Still, it was a fine article of clothing. Astrid's dress was shade of blue with gold stitching, along with a few bits of jewelry and some face paint. She was beautiful, and despite her clear reluctance, I did see that she was at least interested in what a Greek celebration would look like.

"Should that be a concern?" I asked, knowing that I wasn't particularly liked by the high nobility. Or the nobility in general.

Michalis winced and that told me all that I needed to know. "There are some that wish to speak with you. Word has spread about your trading fleet and your position hunting pirates. I would expect some to approach you during the celebration. Naturally, I shall be there to introduce you." Michalis said, and I knew he was doing me a favor even if he did benefit from it.

The horses came to a stop in front of the manor where there was a veritable army of servants to greet us. "This house… I've decided that it will be mine," I voiced, earning a sharp smile from Astrid as the doors opened to the carriage. It was almost exactly what I wished for -- large, vast lands to cultivate, and close to Constantinople.

Above all else it belonged to Chares, and I had not forgotten his insults. As far as I was concerned, today was the first step in bringing him low.

Getting out of the carriage, we were led into the building and I heard music bouncing off the walls. The villa was shaped similarly to what I saw in Francia, where there was a wide open space behind the entrance, and it was there that the party gathered. There were a good couple dozen nobles that spoke amongst each other, some of them passingly familiar. I had seen some of them during my meeting with the Emperor and his mother. Astrid was by my side, and I could tell that she wasn't impressed.

Neither was I, truth be told. This could hardly be called a celebration. There were no games or contests. Just some young boys singing over music and old men talking. Well, not just old men. Like me, they brought their wives, sons, and daughters, all of whom founded their own groups.

The very moment that their eyes turned to me, I felt unwelcome. Most weren't subtle with their glances my way and with my expanded vision, I did see Michalis step away, almost as if he were avoiding to be seen with us under the guise of approaching a servant.

"Wow. What a miserable lot," Astrid remarked in Norse. "I don't think they'd know what fun was even if it killed them." I suppose I could see the advantage of speaking about people in a language that they couldn't understand. However, before I could reply, I saw someone approaching me.

Chares. "Lord Siegfried, fortunes have favored you since we last met! As they have me! I am glad you could come," he announced and Tell Spotter didn't see the words as a lie, which instantly made me more suspicious. We were not so close to receivei such a genuinely warm welcome.

"It was no trouble. Congratulations on your niece," I replied, making a token effort to keep my tone friendly, but it was an effort. Chares was dressed lavishly in silks and I was surprised he could even walk with how much gold hung off him. He wore a wide friendly smile, the same smile he wore when he insulted me to my face. I didn't like him.

"Is this the barbarian then? Look at him, trying to dress as a man. I'm shocked he knows a civilized tongue! It makes him better than a Bulgarian, at least," a man around Chares' age approached, speaking Latin.

"Ah, allow me to introduce you to a fine friend of mine, Lord Siegfried -- this is Tobias. He only speaks Latin, befitting a man of his noble stature," Chares informed while Tobias looked down at me, and now that the tension had broken, I heard more whispers reaching my ears. "He says he is glad to meet you -- your military accomplishments have already been proven worthy of legends, and it would be a fine thing to let you loose at the barbaric Bulgarians."

He was a clever liar, at least. He mixed in words that I would likely recognize in Latin in his translation to convince me that's what was being said. As if I hadn't suffered another insult.

It would almost be worth it to reveal I could speak Latin. Just to see their faces.

Almost.

"I thank him for the kind words. Perhaps, with some luck, I might find myself in Bulgaria, but the Emperor has seen fit to position me in the Mediterranean against the Abbasids," I replied, keeping my tone neutral.

The whispers erupted around us. "I thought it unwise to invite a barbarian to such an occasion, but this is fine entertainment. Go speak to him. Call him… a frog licking scum sucker. Try to get him to thank you for it." There were many more whispers as it began to dawn on me what this was.

I was not here as a guest.

I was here as entertainment, no different from a fool or a jester.

It was going to be a very long night, I quickly realized as I fought the urge to reach for something sharp. Or to simply start bludgeoning people with my fists. I was also extremely glad that Astrid couldn't understand a word that was being said, because if she did… I'd much rather her be bored out of her mind than have to grit her teeth and bare this. Though, I'm not even sure that she would be able to. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to either as others began to approach us.

Michalis rejoined us and jumped into the discussions. True to his word, he did introduce us to a handful of people that seemed down on their luck enough to make a deal with me. In Norse, Michalis gave me rough details of who I would be dealing with -- merchants that were clinging to their status by their fingernails. People with obscene amounts of debt. Disgraced nobility and people of esteem, usually due to the Iconoclasm issue.

And every single one of them would rather eat a cow pie than deal with me, simply because I was not a Christian. Even if they didn't harbor personal bias, they knew others would judge them harshly, so I was treated much like a poisoned chalice. For the desperate, it was worth drinking from, but unthinkable to any that had another option. All the while, nobles approached to insult me for a good laugh.

Astrid smiled politely, but I could tell that she knew something was off. I'm not sure what convinced her of it, but she seemed to understand that those that approached were not friendly faces.

"That chin. Poor lad, I hope he can grow a beard to cover that up," Astrid remarked in Norse while another noble approached, insulting my clothing, face, and status in Latin. "It's like a scared turtle retreating back into his jaw. He's not the father of the niece, right? I hope not." Astrid said with a pleased smile as Michalis choked on translating the words into Latin.

"Princess Astrid says that she adores the dress of your lovely wife and thinks you are quite the lucky man," Michalis lied, and the woman that hung off the offending noble just barely managed to not sneer. It was a near enough thing that I saw it anyway.

"Perhaps the princess would care for a drink then? Heavens above, she might be a savage but she is at least easy on the eyes. More than I can say for this one," the noble replied, inclining his head to his wife who evidently didn't speak- no. No, she did. I saw her jaw tighten but she smoothed the action away with a put on ignorant smile.

I had to take a breath to stop myself from smashing the man's head in. I had patience. I did. A great deal of it, but barely an hour into the party and I found it wearing dangerously thin. I looked to Michalis, who seemed to understand the look in my eyes, and he quickly mustered up an excuse to lead us away from the main hall that housed an increasing number of guests.

"You knew it would be like this," I accused Michalis as we stepped into a hall that led to a set of stairs. The railing overlooked the party itself and I could still hear the japes made at my expense. At the expense of my people. At my family.

Michalis had the courtesy to not deny it, at least, "I suspected it when he offered you the invitation. I'm uncertain of it, but I believe he knows about the deal you cut with me as I've found myself on the outs as well. This is how he does things. Under normal circumstances, you would never be able to show your face in court again after such a disgrace." He came to a stop at an open balcony that connected the outer wall with the inner area.

"So, they were a bunch of real bastards then? I figured," Astrid remarked, crossing her arms.

I swallowed a sigh, considering leaving now. There was the sound of applause coming from the party room and I saw that a man that seemed vaguely familiar to me was holding up a newborn baby. I didn't think it was a coincidence that the greeting happened as soon as we stepped away. The sigh that I swallowed still escaped me after a moment of holding it in, finding myself frustrated with the outcome. "I didn't expect to make friends, but I did expect better than this."

This was the wrong approach, I decided. I was trying to blend in with them, but they wouldn't let me. I'm not sure what the correct approach was yet, I just knew that this wasn't working. The people I met here were barely worth meeting and I had little doubt that most of them would turn their backs to me the moment I bailed them out of deep water.

"I-" I began, only to catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye. A familiar silhouette darting away, doing their best to remain out of sight. My eyes narrowed into slits, "Stay here. Both of you," I instructed, stepping away from them to find who I thought I saw.

Quietly, I marched forward, reaching the end of a long hall, and turning the corner. And I saw her. She was crouched down behind a statue, a piece of parchment in her hands along with a quill that she marked as she peered down into the party. Her focus wasn't so absolute that she was oblivious to her surroundings. Almost as if she sensed me, she looked up…

Morrigan's eyes looked like they were about to fall out of her head when her gaze met mine. It was the first time I saw her so startled. I would have found it funny if it wasn't for the circumstances. "What are you doing here?" I asked, approaching and my heart sank when it looked like Morrigan was about to turn on her heel and flee, like I was a guard to the manor.

"I-" Morrigan cut herself off, as uncertain as I had ever seen her. However, at the very least, she did manage to gather herself. "My intended task. I'm learning who these people are and their web of connections and allegiances." She answered, and I suppose that was the answer to the question, but it wasn't the answer I was looking for. This was our first conversation in the better part of a month and a half. I gave her space. I gave her time.

"You've been avoiding me," I said, the words coming out as an accusation more than I intended. "Why? What did I do?" I asked, taking a step forward and Mortigan cringed, her lips thinning as she looked away. If I didn't know any better I'd say she looked ashamed.

Morrigan's lips thinned, "T'is not the time nor the place to discuss it."

She was still trying to run. "Are you saying you won't avoid me after the party?" I questioned bluntly, and she winced ever so slightly. I had never seen her like this before. It was completely unlike her. The Morrigan I knew was proud to a fault and unapologetic about that fact. And I knew my answer when she looked away sharply. "Morrigan, I'm at my wits end here. I can't fix whatever-"

"Astrid is pregnant," Morrigan interjected and I…

I did not expect that.

I rocked back on my heels and I would have been less shocked if she slapped me. I at least could have seen that coming. "What? H-how-"

"Please don't tell me that I must explain the logistics to you," Morrigan replied dryly, and as much as I had missed her wit, I couldn't say I much appreciated it at the moment. Astrid was pregnant?

"How do you know?" I asked, wrapping my head around it after a moment. It was expected, I suppose. I knew eventually we would have a child, but I never imagined it would be so soon. Then again, given our… well, I suppose it shouldn't be a surprise at all. I should have seen it coming from a mile away.

"This… blessing that you gave me. It revealed the child to me. It was faint at first, but time has proven the bond stronger," Morrigan explained and I nodded slowly. I was going to be a father. I was going to be a father and my child would be raised in this strange land surrounded by enemies. My heart clenched at the idea and I could feel my plans and priorities changing.

Astrid carrying my child changed everything. Crete needed to be secured and I would need far greater land grants than I had planned on asking for. I'd turn the island into a fortress and at the heart of the island would be my child, surrounded by an army and walls taller than mountains. I- well… maybe that might be a bit much, but it seemed reasonable to me.

I wasn't even sure if it was worth staying in the Roman Empire. I wasn't welcomed here. Our people weren't welcome here. It would be better to go back to Norway where the child could be- I was getting distracted.

I forced myself to focus, but it was a struggle. "That doesn't explain why you've been avoiding me, Morrigan. Is it about the blessing itself?"

Her lips pursed, "Partly. I suspected that you were not a normal man, but I had thought the claims of you being a demigod were exaggerations. Now… I am less sure, but that… that is not why I have avoided you," she began, tilting her head as if she were considering me for a moment.

Then she kissed me.

Hard.

There was little lead up to it, and I'm pretty sure that she split my lip from the force of the kiss, her hands cupping my cheeks. It was different from Jill or Astrid -- kisses with Jill were soft. Shy, even. Astrid was passionate and fierce. If I had to describe the short kiss with Mortigan, the only word that came to mind was hungry. Like someone who hasn't eaten all winter and saw a chance to feast. And all too quickly, Morrigan pulled herself back and stepped away from me, her expression telling me that even she was shocked with her boldness.

And, for a moment, we simply stared at one another, both of us feeling the shift in our relationship with the simple kiss. I opened my mouth to say something -- what, I'm not entirely sure, but I was cut off by the sound of a shout. My head whipped around, and with my expanded vision, I saw Morrigan slink away. I felt a rush of frustration that she was still trying to flee, but I was forced to swallow it down. I zeroed in on where the shout came from and it was where I left both Michalis and Astrid.

'Astrid is pregnant.' The words rang in my head like a bell as I rounded the corner again to see the scene. Astrid wore a barely concealed snarl directed at Chares and the man that had been holding the baby. Chares seemed alarmed while the younger man was starting to approach Astrid, one of his cheeks bright red. Michalis seemed panicked and became far more so when he saw me approach.

"Lord Siegfried! Please, there was a slight-" Michalis began as I marched forward, the younger man turning to look at me. He roughly shoved away the hand that Michalis used to keep himself between him and Astrid to take a dangerous step toward me.

Astrid was pregnant.

He said something, but I couldn't hear it over the blood roaring in my ears. I suppose it didn't matter in the end.

I didn't manage to punch every single tooth out of his head with the first hit…

But I'm pretty sure I got them all with the second.