Chapter 29: Chapter Eight

ADA

Hours later, a servant woke me up and helped me dress for dinner. The dress seemed specially made for pregnancy, as it was tightened around my bust and then fell loosely around my growing stomach.

I wondered who it had belonged to before me. Maybe Muireann herself? It was a dark green with fur around the collar.

Muireann had even provided new boots for me to wear throughout the winter, ones that would keep me warm. They were much more durable than the ones I had worn for the past several years.

The slave asked me how I would like to wear my hair, a question I wasn’t used to. I hadn’t tried many different styles in my life.

She braided just the front part of my hair, leaving the rest of my curls to fall down my back. Even though I’d only a small mirror in my room, I felt attractive.

I carried a new sense of confidence inside of me. Being able to wash and dress in new clothes had helped wash away some of the worries from the other night.

I followed the slave the short distance to the hall, where I could hear singing and laughter as we neared. I took a deep breath before we entered, knowing many judging eyes would be following me.

The hall was large enough to fit several long tables. Where I’d expected to find only men, I was surprised to find a mixture of men, women, and even some children.

In the center of the room was a huge firepit, almost triple the size of the one in our house, with meat roasting in it. Muireann sat on a great chair all the way at the other end of the hall.

Her husband’s chair was presently empty. I spotted Cayden and Padriac near her. With the voices quieting in the room, Cayden looked over in my direction and immediately made his way toward me.

“How are you feeling?” he said, greeting me. The room was still quiet and I suddenly felt self-conscious about every part of me.

“...~Nervous~,” I whispered. He winked at me and led me by my hand to the front of the hall. I almost felt disappointed that he had not been more enraptured by my looks.

I attributed it to his usual reserved demeanor, purposely dismissing the tension still between us.

“Now you look like the future wife of Cayden Barrason,” Muireann greeted me. I kissed her hand and bowed as respectfully as I could, something I observed another person do a few moments ago.

“Thank you for the clothes and shoes. Never have I had anything so beautiful in my life.”

“Neither have I,” Cayden added, surprisingly. I felt my cheeks turn red at his remark. Those were the words I’d so longed to hear.

“You two nauseate me,” Padriac said, rolling his eyes and taking a swig of his ale. “Can we sit and eat now?”

“We might as well. It’ll be sunrise by the time Kyra makes her way here,” Cayden joked. I noticed Padriac’s manner change at the mention of Kyra’s name.

He straightened himself and glanced around the crowded room. “So, she’s returned from her journey then?”

“Yes, a few hours ago. Come on, let’s sit,” Cayden said. Muireann nodded and gestured for the rest of the hall to take their seats.

I was comforted that Padriac and Gosta both joined us at the table; I did not feel so out of place.

We were served large plates filled with foods I had only heard about, and more ale than I have ever seen. Muireann stood up and the room fell silent.

“I wish to welcome my son and his bride-to-be home to Dundalk,” she picked up her cup, gesturing it toward us. “Tonight, we feast in your honor.”

Her speech was followed by many cheers. It was reassuring to know that not ~everyone~ was upset by my presence. We began by eating roasted pig and potatoes.

It was so delicious; I could feel the baby kicking as my stomach filled. It was the first time I had felt any movement, and a sense of euphoria came over me.

I no longer cared about whatever issues were between us; I moved Cayden’s hand to my stomach for him to feel. The look on his face was cautious, dumbfounded, and then full of happiness.

He pulled me in for a long, deep kiss—one I never wished to break away from. Padriac brought us back to the present time. “Seriously, you two, I’m trying to eat here.”

“Yes, I do not wish to see my older brother kissing anyone either.” A young woman appeared at the end of the table. She was wearing a dark blue dress and stood a few inches taller than myself.

Her hair was pulled into a long braid that rested on her right shoulder. It was easy to figure out that this woman was Kyra, since she looked just like a younger version of Muireann.

Cayden jumped up and embraced her, a level of affection I had only seen him use with me. I smiled at the siblings sharing a hug and glanced over at Padriac.

He was holding a turkey leg in his hand, gawking at her, and I kicked him under the table to wake him up from his stupor.

“Kyra, I’d like you to meet Ada,” Cayden said. I rose up from my seat and she excitedly gave me a hug.

Her reception was not one I’d anticipated. I had feared Muireann and Kyra would’ve been reluctant to accept me as Cayden’s bride.

“Watch out! The baby, Kyra,” Cayden exclaimed and peeled her off of me.

“A sister and a baby! You have been busy, brother. Very busy indeed,” she teased. “I’m so happy. Mother and I have been waiting for the day when either you or Sayer would marry.

“It’s about time… We will have to spend tomorrow getting to know one another, Ada. We’ll be sisters, after all!”

“I would like that,” I said. Kyra was exactly what I had expected from Cayden’s description of her. She was full of giddiness and complete kindness. I glanced over at Padriac, whose eyes were still fixed on her.

Kyra must have noticed too, because she looked over at Gosta first and greeted him. Cayden gave a jovial and protective shove as his friend tried to hug her.

When she came to Padriac, I noticed she blushed as she spoke to him. “Will you join us? I think if Padriac moves down the bench, there will be just enough room for you next to him,” I offered.

I watched the two of them closely as they continued to smile at each other. Cayden was unaware of the whole interaction as he helped me sit back down on the bench.

As we settled in, he kept talking and talking, as if any of us were listening. Gosta was the only one responding to him at the table.

I laughed at the thought that the all-knowing Viking warrior could not even recognize the attraction between his best friend and sister.

I hoped if Padriac and Kyra were not a pair already, I could help bring them together.

After we finished our meal, people began mingling about the hall. Many of them came up to me to offer their best wishes for our marriage and child.

I could tell that a few of the women were not quite happy for me, as I expected. I could see them in the corner peering at me and whispering to one another.

“Do not worry about them. They have been after my brothers since infancy. Hopefully they will finally face the reality that neither Sayer nor Cayden will ever marry them.”

Kyra stared right back at them, making a dismissive gesture in their direction, causing the women to look away.

“Let’s hope so,” I said, yawning again. Even though it seemed like the gathering was just beginning, I excused myself to go to bed.

“I will join you,” Cayden insisted, helping me out of my seat. We said goodnight to his mother and sister. With his arm around me, he pulled me as close as he could, walking back to ~our~ home.

***

Upon returning to the cottage, everything seemed fine. I must’ve been reading too much into his distance over the past several days. Cayden was happy here.

He went about the place making sure everything was secure, and placed another log on the fire before joining me in the bedroom. I slipped out of my dress and into the nightgown from earlier.

It was the first time we had been alone since Kilcoran, and I longed for his warmth and touch. He walked over to where I was standing.

I felt my heart begin to race as his hands wrapped around my back and slowly moved down. I touched his face, bringing it closer until our lips met.

The way he kissed me made up for all my doubts of the past week. I wished him to keep going, but Freja’s words resounded in my head.

As much as I wanted him, the kick I received in my belly was a reminder that we needed to be careful. “Cayden…,” I attempted to say between kisses, “we cannot.”

But my words did not faze him. His kisses trailed to my neck, and his hands to my behind. He would massage an area and then squeeze, massage again, then squeeze.

It would’ve been so easy to give in right there, but I’d already failed to protect my child during the past four months; I wouldn’t any longer.

“Freja said we could not be together for the next few days. I need to rest…for the baby,” I tried to say again. His touch began to feel less intense, and he finally pulled away.

We both looked at each other, both hoping the other would give in. After a moment, he leaned over so he was level with my stomach.

“I’ve a feeling that because of you, this will be the first of many interruptions between your mother and me,” he said, and kissed it.

With that, we got into bed and assumed our usual positions under the blankets, enjoying the familiar feeling of being in each other’s arms. Safe again, I felt my body release all its tension.

“How come you did not tell me your mother is Irish?”

“It never crossed my mind to.”

“Is that why you did not kill me the first night we met?” I jokingly asked.

“It was one of the reasons,” he responded, and kissed me. “There was also something about you. You challenged me. You challenged my honor. How could I say no to the mysteriously veiled cailín?”

“Do you think that’s why your father agreed to let us marry? Because he married a woman from Ireland?”

“It might be. My grandfather, my mother’s father, was a clever businessman. When my father and his family arrived at these shores, my grandfather had two options.

“Fight, and risk all the lives of the town, or welcome the Northmen with open arms.”

“So he offered his daughter’s hand in marriage to the Viking’s son to ensure the safety of his people?”

“Yes. Did you not notice that even with my friends, their fathers were also very fond of Irish maidens?”

“Now that you say it, yes!”

“And from then on, Dundalk grew double in size under this new union. We are now a wealthy fishing and trading port.”

“Your grandfather was a very clever man.”

“He was.”

“I wish I’d known my relatives. I see you with all your friends and family, and I feel sadness. For so long, it was just me and my mother. She rarely spoke of her family.

“All I know is that my grandparents were Danish and were killed when my mother was young.”

“Well now you have a new family and new friends. My mother and sister will take good care of you when I return to Kilcoran.”

“You’ll not take me with you?” I sat up to look at him.

“No, it’s far too dangerous to travel back. You’ll be further along in your condition as well.”

“I will travel back with you and see you off before battle. I’ll not be told what I can and cannot do,” I demanded, holding my belly.

“All right, all right. Just lie back down and calm yourself, cailín. I did not realize it would upset you so.”

I found my place back in his arms and closed my eyes. I could hear him saying something else to me, but I was too tired to listen.