I am confused. Is his other daughter and the wet nurse coming with him? He said Fridis will be fostered / raised by Sigrid, but then he was followed by one of his armed free-men, Tekla, her common-law husband, their little son and Freidis.
Einnis is personally taking Freidis to Sigrid. He needs Tekla to come along because she's still nursing Freidis. And he has by now luckily developed his kindness and compassion where thralls are concerned, so where he previously (conceivably) might have taken Tekla and left her son and "husband" behind without much thought (thralls were property after all), now he knows that if he takes her, he must bring her whole family to Sigrid's. Tekla is not married with her man because thralls, who had no legal rights whatsoever, wasn't allow to marry. A marriage was a legally binding contract after all. :-/ Oh, and the armed man comes with because Einnis needs to ensure sufficient protection for his little daughter on the way south. Dangers could be lurking everywhere.
Einnis is moving on to what fate or what future we are left unsure. When word spreads to him what happened to Eoin he may have to find some way to leave his homeland once and for all. Distance is the only way at this point. I think he will choose this path so as not to harm the clan any more then it already has been harmed. With absence the rumors will eventually die out and with his two daughters so young by the time they come of age, maybe they will have a chance at making the clan's home strong again as it once was. I fear still for their lives with all of this and Ravingald is a good friend and maybe a way to help them both plus himself. Joe
They have reached a major turning point in many ways, and the future's uncertain now for all, that's for sure. I'm always happy to read your comments, Joe. Thank you!
This was a very profound and moving chapter. Eoin is injured, and will probably be laid up for a while. And Einnis seems to be on some sort of suicide mission.
Very sad, but I can see where Einnis is coming from. His honor was everything to him, and he feels that it is gone.
The scene with the offering of the ale and the feather was very moving.
I can only hope that the end of his old life will ultimately be liberating for Einnis.
Beautifully written, as always. Looking forward to where this goes next.
Thank you, Barbara. Yes, Einnis's honor is gone, the way he sees it, and he fears that the other most important part of his life, Eoin, will be harmed and gone soon too, unless he can make the powers leave Eoin be. That's the reason for his sacrifice of the feather, the symbol of his love for Eoin. It's the only thing he has left in order to bargain with fate, the way he sees it. :-/ Thank you for reading as always and for leaving such perceptive comments!
I feel I need to step a little bit to Arna's defense. She is acting the way she has been culturally conditioned to. Swift, decisive, and yes - vengefully. She did not leave her daughter starving and destitute, but with a foster mother who's taking good care of her and a father who has the means and the duty to secure her a good life. The only thing she did that was probably completely "her", and her own decisionn - going contrary to her father's advice - was sending those men after Eoin. Arna was very deeply hurt, and also completely disgusted, by what she saw Eoin and Einnis doing. At that time and place, such was the general view of homosexuality... And like Norse saga women, she is neither meek nor mild when it comes to making her own way in life. There might potentionally be an upside to all of this, though. Arna is free to find a man who cares for *her*, and Einnis does not have a wife to "hide behind" for years and years while going on in the same rut. Everything has been shaken up, and may take new directions
( ... )
Erm... I didn't mean to tell you how to read the story, Janice. Sorry if it came across that way. I only meant to say that while Arna behaves harshly, she isn't *evil*.
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he was followed by one of his armed free-men, Tekla, her common-law husband, their little son and Freidis.
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Tekla is not married with her man because thralls, who had no legal rights whatsoever, wasn't allow to marry. A marriage was a legally binding contract after all. :-/
Oh, and the armed man comes with because Einnis needs to ensure sufficient protection for his little daughter on the way south. Dangers could be lurking everywhere.
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Very sad, but I can see where Einnis is coming from. His honor was everything to him, and he feels that it is gone.
The scene with the offering of the ale and the feather was very moving.
I can only hope that the end of his old life will ultimately be liberating for Einnis.
Beautifully written, as always. Looking forward to where this goes next.
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Thank you for reading as always and for leaving such perceptive comments!
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