The Throne of Ice & Ash (The Runewar Saga #1) (PREVIEW)

6: The Jarl's Daughter

To each clan is ceded the ruling of their own, with a council of elders to determine their course.

- The Harrow Law; On Clanship

Aelthena entered the chair-room of Vigil Keep to an uncommon sight.

The elders of Oakharrow's two ruling clans sat together, the colors of ice and blood mixing in a rare union. Though the jarl's thane, Eirik Bloodaxe, was Balturg — as had been the tradition since the King of Ice ruled Baegard two centuries before — Thurdjurs and Balturgs usually conducted their affairs independently of each other. There was the occasional gathering to coordinate the mundane matters of the jarlheim's administration, but they were seldom enough that this meeting might prove significant.

It has to concern Skarl the Savage. Or perhaps the Vurg insurgency as a whole. Her anticipation rose at the thought, but she schooled herself to calm. Her father had never ruled by being quick to startle, nor did Annar. If she hoped to win the respect of these graybeards, she would have to show herself to be more than their equal in resolve.

She entered through the doors between the keepers — the guards of Vigil Keep — and the elders' eyes shifted toward her. Well aware of how unusual it was for a woman to be present at a meeting of men, she stiffened her jaw and tilted her chin higher.

Let them stare. They would grow used to her before long.

Aelthena raised her gaze to Hawk's Perch, the chair of the thane, and the man who sat upon it. Her father, Lord Bor the Bear, was bent double in the large, granite chair as he stared into an opaque crystal Yof had recently bought him. Slowly, he turned the bauble in a ray of sunshine filtering through the windows behind him, seemingly fascinated by the way the light caught and sparkled. Across his shoulders, the Winter Mantle, a cloak of silver-tinged greatbear fur, was haphazardly draped.

Uljana, ever next to him, moved to fix the Mantle, and the docile man suddenly transformed. Snarling with rage, her father tried striking at the slave. Only quick reactions saved Uljana from harm. Eyes across the room shifted toward them. Aelthena hid a wince. The thrall resumed her silent vigil next to Aelthena's father, her face smooth. Soon, the jarl settled back into his mute study of the crystal.

Fighting a sudden flush of shame, Aelthena distracted herself by observing the rest of the room. A long table had been procured and set atop a red carpet that rolled from Hawk's Perch to the doors. This table was stocked with honeywine and ale, and many mugs had been filled with them. Chairs, too, were in ample supply, though only a few of the gathered were sitting.

Asborn was one of those seated. He occupied the head of the table and looked out of place not only for his youthfulness, but also due to his obvious discomfort. Even if his narrow stature did not mark him as Thane Eirik's son, his red hair certainly did.

She headed for him and stopped next to his chair. At once, he rose, a smile smoothed away the worry lines that had creased his forehead. "So you won permission to attend."

She returned his smile with a small one of her own. "Even Annar can be reasonable."

"I've never known him to be regarding women in men's affairs."

A glimmer of resentment surfaced at his words, but Aelthena pushed it back down. Asborn was her ally as well as her betrothed and lover. There was no sense in ostracizing him, especially before the meeting, and for something that all men in Oakharrow considered to be true.

"Maybe that will soon change. I convinced him to let me attend this meeting, after all." She kept her suspicion that Annar had relented to keep her out of the decisions regarding Skarl. No need to undermine my victory yet.