My new duties included milking goats and cows, washing the slaves' laundry and anything else that would be requested of me. Milking was one of the lowest tasks, given to the most worthless beings. It was considered slightly below cleaning the latrines. And twice as hard, as I was soon to discover. It took me a lot of effort to get a cupful of milk in a bucket, that the cow wasted no time kicking upside down. I wiped my forehead and picked it up, cursing the stupid animal to hell. Mastering the proper gesture took time, and I had still to learn patience. By the end of the afternoon the whole stable was mooing desperately and the servant in charge was mad at me.
"Go away, stupid slave! Now I have to do your work or they will get ill. You'd better improve fast or you will get punished."
I scampered off, head hung low and feeling useless. How would I know? I had never worked a day in my former life.
I shivered, seized by the cold. The animal's heat kept the large building surprisingly warm. But it was the start of the winter and the weather had taken a turn for the worse. An icy rain had been falling all day and my breath came out as a cloud of steam. I hurried to the main house where I gathered a thick cloak and my bathing supplies. It was a lengthy walk to the stream and the daylight faded earlier.
I was on my way back when I met Svana. The clouds had cleared and the sunset colored the horizon in shades of yellow and pink, reflecting in the calm waters of the fjord. We stopped for a moment, admiring the sight. It was truly beautiful.
As we turned to go back she caught my arm. "Meet me here after supper. There is something I'd like to show you."
For the first time in two weeks I was ravenous. While I had been sitting all day before, I had exerted myself all afternoon and my long starved body craved food. I slipped into the longhouse through the back door and waited in the women's room, huddled in the darkest corner until the freemen had finished eating. Hiding behind a tall male thrall I joined my peers who were collecting the leftovers. I ate my portion as fast as I could and grabbed a blanket to wrap under my cloak. The night was going to be cold. There were a few lanterns stored beside the door and I lit one with an ember from the hearth. Better see were I would be going. I wondered what Svana wanted to show me, in the darkness. Maybe the reflection of the full moon on the water?
I found her at the start of the path and she guided me to the top of the cliffs. Once there we just stood in silence. I rapidly grew bored. It was cold and I was tired. I had no time for this nonsense.
"So, what was so important that you had to bring me here at such a late hour?"
"Hush and wait. It won't be long now."
I grumbled but obeyed. It had to be good or I would really get annoyed at her. Nothing happened for a while and I was out of patience. I opened my mouth to protest when Svana pointed to the sky.
"Look, right here!"
A strange line of white light had appeared in the dark sky. It began to twist slowly, bending and widening. I was fascinated. It was soon joined by a few other, glowing brighter and brighter. Progressively they turned to a bright green, with a hint of blue. They began to swirl in front of the moon, setting the surface of the fjord ablaze.
I fell to my knees, terrified. "Magic! This is witchcraft! May God protect us!"
Svana laughed. "It may be magic, but it is beyond human powers. These are the lights of the Gods, they appear only in the winter. I have watched them often, and I'm still alive. Do you like them?"
"They are magnificent! But why are we the only ones out then? Don't the others wish to see this?"
"They are scared to go out at night. They believe that elves and ghosts roam in the darkness..."
"And you don't?" I was intrigued. After all she shared their beliefs.
"My mother is Christian. She is the one who showed me this. She taught me not to fear the night."
I nodded. Us Christians had overcome the old superstitions.
We remained in awe for another while, until the light faded and vanished. I yawned. It was far past my bed time. But the location reminded me of a question I had wanted to ask for a long time, and Mildred wasn't there to prevent Svana from answering.
"Can you tell me about Lord Einarr's wife?"
She fidgeted, ill at ease. "I don't think I should..."
I had no doubt she wanted to. All she needed was a little encouragement. "I won't tell anyone. And we are far enough, no one can hear us..."
She hesitated and came closer. When she spoke, she kept her voice low. "It is a long and sad story. And it is cold. Are you sure..."
"I am. Tell me." I took her arm and we walked in circles to get warmer.
"She was the daughter of a neighboring godi. The betrothal was arranged by Einarr Godi's father, when he became ill and his son was still young. At his death, Einarr Godi was four and ten, and the she-devil eight and ten. She was a beauty and she had her mind set on another man, but her father decided to honor his promise. She was wed kicking and screaming, swearing that her husband would regret it. But what could he do? He was bound by his father's word and he needed her father's alliance. He was so young, some would have taken advantage. And he tried to make her happy, he really did. He treated her like a queen, showered her with gifts. He would have fetched the sun for her. And she? After their wedding night she refused to share his bed. But she wasn't chaste; she seduced many men and made no mystery of it. She taunted him with it, flaunted his weakness for all to see..."
I was shocked. This was no way for a wife to behave, forced or not. "Why didn't she divorce if she hated him? And why didn't he?"
"He couldn't, he would have lost her father's support, angered him even by sending her back for adultery. It is a dangerous thing to do when you are away for months at a time. He could have come back to dead bodies and ashes. And she would have displeased her family, for the same reasons. They were trapped in this cursed marriage. And then, she became with child, from one of her lovers. By Odin, it could well have been a thrall's spawn..."
I gasped. How could a noble woman stoop so low? Lying with a slave!
"Einarr Godi had been away for months in Norway when she announced it. No one able to count could believe the child was his. The following day she went for a stroll with Lady Disaelfr and two servants and she jumped from the cliff. Maybe the dishonor was too strong, even for her..."
"What did he say when he returned?"
"He was relieved of course, he was free at last. Of course he was discreet about it. Her father didn't know about the child or his daughter's faults, and he wanted to remain his ally. Lady Disaelfr had proceeded to the funeral and all that was left were ashes. It is supposed to have been an accident."
I tried to imagine how Lord Einarr must have felt, being treated so badly by a woman and unable to do anything about it. In my country he would have beaten her to a pulp, but here she would have complained to her father and started a feud. The Church's law wouldn't allow such a thing. Knowing how attached my captor was to his honor, it must have been hell for him to endure.
"How long ago was this?"
"It has been three years. They were married for five."
Five years of suffering and hatred, for both of them. Now it made sense. He thought I was like her. This was why he had rejected me.