Distant laughter broke into the silence, as if mocking Toki. Within the hall, no one smiled. Snorri armed his bowl aside and looked at Runa with bleary eyes.
"When do you think Konal's brother will return?" Snorri asked. She shrugged her shoulders. Kell had been gone for weeks, claiming to search for their escaped slave but more likely raiding or trading.
"Konal's men have surrendered their weapons," Runa said, smoothing her skirt across her lap. Toki had demanded she stop wearing pants and carrying a sax after his arrival, and she had complied. "They fought for our home, Toki. Some of them died, and many took wounds. Konal saved Gunnar's life. You're treating them as if they are enemies."
"They are enemies," Toki said, glancing at Snorri. "Of a sort. We only outnumber them until Konal's brother arrives, and then we are evenly matched. I think your new lover wants to make this land his own."
Runa shot to her feet, her body flushing with hot anger. "I have held this land in Ulfrik's name. No one has challenged me in this, nor has Konal ever laid a claim to anything."
"Girl, he wears weapons in this hall and has grown accustomed to sitting in Ulfrik's place." Snorri gave a wincing smile, and rubbed his neck. "He only had to move into Ulfrik's bed to become the ruler here."
"That's untrue!" Runa stamped her foot, and shame immediately filled her. Her face burned at the truth of the accusations, and she sat down with arms crossed. The silence endured until Toki cleared his throat.
"I am ruler here, until Ulfrik relieves me of that duty. See that standard?" A greasy finger pointed at Nye Grenner's standard. It hung wearily from its pole, leaning against the wall. The once deep green was now stained white with sea salt and the cloth ripped and tattered. "Ulfrik bade me to raise it in his hall once more, and to do anything needed to ensure his home and people were protected. Now I've returned to find armed strangers in the land, and my sister running wild with them. I had worried over what I might find upon returning, but never could I have foreseen this. What am I to think?"
Runa could not hold her brother's gaze, but instead slumped forward. Touching her hand to her head, she sighed. "It has been nearly a year with no news. You were to have returned before summer. Konal and Kell were here, and prepared to bring the fight north. What should I have done?"
"It doesn't matter," Toki said as he stood. He patted Snorri's shoulder as he stepped away from the bench. "What do you say, old friend? Is it more important to talk about what was or what must be?"
"We can only look ahead with hope of changing anything," Snorri said.
"No, that's not fair. You have only told me the barest details of what happened while you were gone. I deserve to know, and I am still the wife of your jarl. So respect my demand for answers. Why did Ulfrik send you so late? What happened to change you, Toki?"
Both men stiffened and both glanced aside. Runa waited, her pulse throbbing in her neck but determined to hear their story. Toki finally nodded, then stepped back to the bench and sat again.
"He sent us almost four months ago, and with a third ship full of men. He put all the Nye Grenner men aboard our ships, and then filled another ship's worth of followers who wanted a new land to settle. The journey should've taken no more than a month, but it was the most ill-fated voyage I have ever known. Storms plagued us, set us off course and swept men to ocean graves. We became separated and one ship was lost. Whatever became of the ship and her crew, we will never know. They were good men, eager to return home or to find peace in a distant land. We searched, but the gods have them now."
Toki lowered his eyes and for a moment Runa glimpsed the Toki of old. The edge was gone from his voice as he continued. "My first command and I led my men in circles, wasting supplies and time, getting us lost."
"It was not your fault, lad," Snorri offered in his low, gravelly voice. "We all agreed to search for our brothers."
"Then the pirates found us. They trailed our ships and made us wary of pulling ashore. We did not want to lead them home, and so sailed opposite of our true course. At last they dared a fight, and we were better armed and better skilled. Still, men were killed and time was lost. We were out of supplies for the voyage over open sea and had to trade and resupply. At last, we turned north again and sailed for home. I admit, I have not been more frightened of returning home than I was three days ago. I feared you would all be slain or enslaved."
Again the hall fell silent. The hearth fire popped and the men standing guard outside murmured in tired conversation. Runa's anger quelled and she realized the pressure and responsibility drove her brother to act so differently. She moved to sit beside him on the bench, and draped her arm over his shoulders. "But we are well, and you led your men to the best of your ability. Ulfrik was wise to chose you as his representative, and wiser still to send Snorri as an adviser. I am sorry for my foolishness. What must I do to help you set the land right?"
Toki met her eyes, and the iron returned to them. Yet instead of forcing distance between them, he placed his hand over Runa's at his shoulder. "If Konal and Kell wish to remain, I will not begrudge them. However, they must swear an oath to me, and my oath to Ulfrik ensures the land remains his. I want to claim Thorod’s and Skard's estates, to ensure no one rises up there again. I will rule from Ingrid's old hall and you may remain to rule Nye Grenner. There is peace in this land bought with blood, and I want to keep it. Any way you can help with these tasks, I welcome it."
Runa nodded, squeezed her brother's shoulders. "I will do all I can."
"Konal won't swear an oath to anyone," Snorri said, folding his arms over his chest. "Seen his kind a hundred times and he's no one's bondsman. I think it could come to a fight."
"Then we fight," Toki said, dropping his hand from Runa's. "It won't be the first time we've had to repel invaders. Only now they've woven themselves into our homes and hall."
"I know how to make them leave." Runa stood, smiling with excitement at her plan. Both Toki and Snorri exchanged surprised looks.
"Would they not consider taking an oath?" Toki asked.
"I doubt it, but don't fear. Is that slave, Humbert, still with Ulfrik?"
Toki's eyes drew to slits. "He escaped into Paris, but what has this to do with anything?"
"As long as we know where Humbert is, I can get them to follow me. But, I will have one condition for you." Toki looked expectantly, but Runa only laughed. "I will tell you once Konal and Kell have agreed to leave."
The fields behind Nye Grenner were filled with the most warriors Runa had seen in nearly a decade. She stood beside Toki and faced the throng. Daylight grew shorter and the nighttime chill lingered longer each day. The air was filled with puffs of breath from the gathered men's conversations. Kell had returned with his warriors, finding Konal a near-hostage of Toki's. Even stripped of weapons, Konal and Kell's crew had the potential to overtake Toki's force. For now, both groups remained segregated on the field, only a daring few stitched the sides together with amicable conversation.
Konal and Kell stood at the front of their men, both possessing their weapons and accorded respect due their titles. Toki had prepared gifts for their service to Nye Grenner, but he also ensured all his men attended the meeting fully armed. Runa noted the anger on Konal's face. Since she had ejected him from her bed upon Toki's return, he had been cordial but cool to her. Now, facing what he must know would be dismissal, he wore his anger openly. His lip curled in a sneer when Toki called his name.