The Northman's Last Kiss *RetitledOriginally titled 'The Northman's Bride'

Chapter 15-

Author Note: A big thanks to my friend and beta reader AnnMarie Spiby for all her help and encouragement.

Cheers to you all for reading and voting. You've given me a great first experience here on wattpad. Skål!

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Aleksi watched the axe of understanding fall across his father-in-laws misstep. At least the brother-in-law seemed to be catching on that the elder Spoleto would need to be reined in before blood was spilled.

"You are the Northman that commanded the troops that ended the siege at Renesse?" the red-faced Frankian asked.

Aleksi did not answer his wife's father. He turned to Mimi and cupped her cheek, quickly assessing her split lip. The pain and concern in her eyes crushed him. He loved her and the love from his tender touch washed away the wrath of her father's violence. "Are you alright?"

"Aye." She crushed her face into his chest and he held her tighter. It was indescribable to him, the feeling of comfort and victory of having her take shelter and protection, freely, willingly, making her position of his wife clear to all.

"I want you to go above stairs. Close our chamber doors behind you."

"I prefer to stay. I...It is my life that he...that he gave away once before and, and I do not wish to give up my say on my life again."

He lowered his head to hers and breathed in her exhale. It seemed to calm him further and he said, "As you wish, wife." He walked her across the kitchen and through the archway into the principle hall and selected the large high back chair for her to sit.

"I'd prefer to stand," she whispered to him.

"Why..." Aleksi looked her over and touched her shaking leg. "What did he do to you?"

"I said no...he was not pleased. Spare the rod, spoil the child."

He locked eyes with his wife and understood her entire meaning.

The impulse to draw his blade on the man who dared raise a hand to his wife was a hard impulse to contain. But, his years serving the Jarl in courts around the world had taught him a large measure of restraint. Revenge was for wasteful indulgence...True justice only came to the patient and the wise.

Show force when you must, but tempered wisdom was the only true way to peace, and his wife more than any living soul deserved peace. No matter what had transpired before this moment between his wife and her father, one thing was for certain, Mimi loved her family, spoke of her sisters, aunts, grandmothers and brother with much adoration. Preserving that was important to remember.

Aleksi poured a glass of the Jarl's best wine and handed a glass first to her father and brother and then to his own father who stood large, proud and silent further back at the door.

"I propose we start again, Count Spoleto. Under different circumstances I would have gladly welcomed you into my home. I am not sure you are aware, but until a few days ago, your daughter and I have been living in quarantine. After settling my affairs, I had intended to have a letter of introduction sent to Corsica, detailing your daughter's condition and return of good fortune," Aleksi said.

The Count sat down. "Good fortune," he scoffed and his chalice of wine fisted so tight in his hand it was certain to snap the thin metal stem. "Letter of introduction? You defile my daughter and intended to write me a letter over it."

"Father," the young Stephan said in pleading tone.

"Our circumstance were unusual, sir," Aleksi said with tempered restraint. "All onboard had died of poisoning but having no knowledge of that at the time, we assumed plague. We expected to live but a short while before succumbing to the pestis ourselves."