We walk out of the throne hall, and I find a little spot to the side. I need to breathe a sigh of relief as I let go of the role as Sejdmann. That went ... excellent. Iselin kisses me to celebrate, closely followed by kissing and hugging from Ciara, before Kari try to force her tongue down my throat. Holy moley. As Kari lets me breath again she hug Iselin and Ciara too, while promising that she won't get in their way. She is just so happy to be given to me, which they both seem to understand. Gunhild seem surprised and embarrassed by Kari's display, and I notice there is a maid beside her that seem to be slightly awed. When the maid notices our attention, she tells Kari that Miss Alfgeirsdotter's chests will be delivered to the farm, and the same applies to Gunhild and Hillevi. I don't really know what to say or do, but Kari does:
"The most appropriate thing is to return to the farm. Accommodation has already been arranged for Gunhild and Hillevi elsewhere on the farm. Gunhild. Hillevi. This is your new master, Furst Sejdmann Robert Arnesson. Their service is paid to the end of the year. If you then wish it to continue, you will then have to negotiate about it."
Hillevi and Gunhild go down on one knees and swear an oath to protect me, my honor and my property etc. Same as Alith and Bodil did. Feels like a standard oath. I welcome them and ask Alith and Bodil to inform them about how I prefer things to be done in my vicinity. Then we go out into the courtyard and to the wagon, where I realise there isn't enough room for all. But horses are prepared for Kari and her guards; a gift from the King to them. One horse each for their faithful service, which apparently Hillevi and Gunhild already knew and they confirm the Kings gift to Kari. Kari's horse is really nice and has nice bridles in silver. The king is not quite as I expected and it feels like Kari hasn't been completely honest about him. She might have played me. Again. It actually makes her even more valuable to have around me, and I like cunning women who know what they want, as long as it isn't unpleasant for me, and others around me.
----------------------------------------
My mind is occupied with thoughts about construction and what I remember from seeing my Islands from a distance. We have just left town when Kari that is riding beside the wagon, say that the King's behaviour surprises her. He is wiser and smarter than she realised. She begins to suspect that the King has isolated her from himself for some reason, and it might be so that she wouldn't discover how the King really is. His game against her has been much deeper than she thought the last six to ten years, and the King won against her before she even knew they were playing.
"Kari, everything isn't a game and intrigue. You don't have to try to interpret and manipulate everything."
"Robert, that's where our opinions differ, and why I will play for you now so you don't have to." She says with a smile. A smile that widens as she continues; "I may have forgotten to say that it is tradition for a given concubine to be taken by her new husband the first night, in order to bind her to her husband, and so the man shows that he appreciates the gift. But I understand if Robert doesn't want to hurt Iselin's feelings, although I will admit that I'm going to be disappointed, as I've been look forward to it for a while. I've heard the stories, as well as you in the next room."
I feel my face becoming neutral when I hear that. Oh yeah, the games will never end with Kari, even if she thinks it at such a low level that it doesn't count. Don't know if I should be happy or unhappy. I accepted her as my concubine yes, and hopefully with friendship and respect to grow between us, but I hadn't intended to have sex with her for a long time. Which she of course understood, because she didn't mention anything about that. 'Forgotten to say'...
Bullshit!
If we've had sex once, it's likely to happen again, because I don't give much for my self-control now-a-days when the woman is willing, and I think everyone knows that. It started to fall with Astrid and Lova, and has gradually fallen since then. It's not negative yet, but I don't dare to look too closely. It really doesn't help that the woman is my legal concubine and damn good looking, and that we will be living together, probably for the rest of our lives. I will definitely not give her bad uncommitted sex - it would be worse and more disrespectful than just saying no. Iselin leans towards me and too loud for my taste so that everyone hears her, say;
"The bed is too small for three, and since this is Kari's first time, Kari deserves a special night. So this night is Kari's, and I'll sleep in the front room."
Here where everyone shares a room it may not be a big deal, but I don't like the idea that I'm suppose to have sex with another woman, who I have no feelings for, when my fiancée that I'm in love with is in the room next door and will hear.
Oh fuck!
"Exactly how much is actually heard between the rooms? I also want to apologize afterwards if I disturbed any sleep."
Alith is so understanding when she answers; "My Lord doesn't have to apologize - it's part of the job - but quite frankly it has sometimes been difficult for Bodil, as she refuses to take advantage of it."
I become more embarrassed and I know Alith will be smiling over her victory, which Iselin almost matches, while Bodil glares arrows at her. Yep, my life is a sexy comedy, and Alith have apparently used our sounds to satisfy herself. I can imagine it appeals to the voyeur in her, especially when I obviously haven't really thought about it. I need to lend earplugs to Iselin and the others tonight, because otherwise I'll just think about that. When I'm having sex with Kari, something I mostly feel anxious about. Why do I feel anxiety for Kari, but not for Liv or any of the others? Is it because I can't just see her as a 'one night stand'? Well, I like to try to give a woman sexual pleasure so up to proof.
Fuuuccck! Its will be Kari's first time too!
There are many men who would pay huge sums to have such a beautiful and stately woman, Elf or not, as his concubine and take her virginity. But I'm just anxious. Moral anxiety, performance anxiety and situational anxiety.
----------------------------------------
Stolen story; please report.
The ride back becomes more friendly, and as we all gather in the longhouse and are presented in more detail, I ask Alith, Bodil, Hillevi and Gunhild to solve guard duty and other things between themselves. If, on the other hand, they have a complaint or something, just come to me. I'm not like any master or lady they have served before, and I prefer to not be called anything involving 'Lord' in private. Robert or Sir is fine. They all disapprove of that. Just the looks from all seven women makes me want to find some place else to be. 'Man of the house'... ppfff! So... 'prefer' it is, and the guards can call me 'Lord' if they want too. I give Alith rank over the others, because she has seniority with me, and Bodil prefers that Alith take the leading role between them.
Their luggage arrive, and we hear a gasp from Kari as she finds a unfamiliar pouch in hers, with 10 ounces of gold and a note from the King wishing her a good life. She just sit and stare at the gold, completely speechless. Eventually she wonder if the King have always secretly given gold to every concubine he gives away, or just her? And in that case, why?
My guess is he always does it so they can be their best for their new man, and it's just a nice bonus that it will mess with Kari's head.
----------------------------------------
I give Iselin, Ciara and Bodil earplugs and show them how to use it, and possibly shorten them a bit if it is really uncomfortable. Their pointed ears are quite cute and easier to grab the top of and lift, but the earplugs fit well, and apart from Iselin, the others haven't tried it before. They think it feels funny but understand, and they make a lot of amusing faces, act like goldfish, and speak loudly when they hear themselves muffled and sound different. So I give a little lesson in why, where I include that one's own voice doesn't sound like you hear since the speech travels via the jawbone and the head directly to the ear. Iselin and Alith have already received that lesson. I show Bodil that the earmuffs she made can be combined with earplugs to dampen more and I let her to borrow them as well. Alith wonders why she isn't given any earplugs and I just look at her. Alith giggles and admits that she would take them out - of course only to be alert and aware of dangers.
Yeah. Sure.
Even though Alith have tested before, she try to have earplugs just to be part of the shared experience, and this also applies to Gunhild and Hillevi who have a separate room in another building. Everyone try eating crispbread with earplugs. The funny yellow foam rubber that the plugs are made of is very interesting to them.
We eat a hearty feast with plenty of grilled meat as supper, as the farm has prepared it for us on the King's orders.
----------------------------------------
The anxiety hasn't really subsided in the evening. I try to postpone going to bed, and finishing the kikare and their pouches, but I have a hard time concentrating. Fucking anxiety. Hehe. For fucking. But I have washed myself thoroughly, tidied up the bed, prepared drinks and tried to sit and sketch houses, which I now know will be constructed and certainly much faster than I thought. I'll need to focus on completing the drawings, and I hope I don't do any terrible mistakes for things I haven't thought of. I've had to make quite a lot of changes already to include things that life here requires. Not least large stores of food and other things. We won't be able to take the car and go shopping for food a couple of times a week.
However, my distraction ends when Kari knocks and steps in. I can't deny she is a stately divine woman and she stands there expectant with a small smile, and I rise to meet her. She is wearing a beautiful dress, without earrings, but with a bracelet, necklace and gold headband. I take her hands and hug her. It feels so very strange and a little uncomfortable. Then I kiss her, and have to hold her back to ask if she really wants to do this tonight. I feel like a complete moron when I hear myself, and thinking back on what she said on the trip and that I just had to hold her back. But she just nods with a big sinful smile, and ask me to undress her.
I choose to start with a little tender foreplay she definitely appreciates - which we both appreciate. Not as fumbling teenager as it was with Ciara, and increasingly like horny teenagers. Her enthusiasm and hunger really gets my engine revving. Then I see her black set of lingerie and the most luxurious Valhalla to date, with golden embroidery and a black gemstones hanging in a beautiful gold buckle. It matches Kari and her existing necklace perfectly, and after continued foreplay, I feel deeply honored as I open the buckle.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
When Robert went into his room and Kari started bathing to prepare for her longed for evening with Robert, I made sure to take Hillevi and Gunhild outside in the garden so we could talk and inform them about important things. As the Captain of the Guard it was my duty now, as the highest ranking guard. My respect for Robert increased a little more because he knew someone needed rank, and thought I was the most suitable. Although I feel quite a lot of pressure since they have been Royal Guards and are more experienced and older than me. It feels wonderful to be able to call my Sir 'Lord', and I am a true Lords 'Captain of the Guard'.
I inform them that their new Lord is very special, and I'm pleased that Kari has given them clear information about Sejdmann and the groups dynamics and situation, so they won't disturb anything, and instead enjoy the next six months. They are still Kari's friends, but she's made it clear that her husband Robert now comes before friendship. I can just imagine how much Kari enjoyed saying that to them. Her husband Robert.
My Lord, Furst Sejdmann Robert Arnesson. I like that.
Kari have also tried to prepare them for what a shock it will be when they eventually will stand there, and experience something they before thought impossible or unthinkable. But it is my job to really make them understand, and the yellow earplugs have helped, so I let them look and test a borrowed kikare and a North Arrow. They are mightily impressed to hold and try something that only the King otherwise has and they understand the Kings reaction.
I confirm what Kari has said, and also that their new Lord really is a man from Midgård and arrived with Bifrost this summer. I have to make it absolutely clear how important it is to think about our Lords honor and not offend it, and what is important to our Lord. Bodil and I will protect his honor against them if needed. Our Lord won't beat, scold or punish them in any of the usual ways as withholding pay, even when they take liberties they usually shouldn't, as I did during the wagon journey to the farm. Do it right and in private among those closest, and our Lord will instead appreciate it and be grateful, for he is so uncomfortable with his high status here, and being a Furst will make it worse for him. The fact that he don't like to be called 'Lord' is proof, but we need to make him used to hearing it, and we need to get in the habit to call him that. But, he will appreciate and be more relaxed in their company if they treat him like a friend when it is private. It's easier to see the service as being with friends at home, and only in service outside the home, or when there are guests. It also helps our Lord to begin to trust them. Our Lord has many, many great secrets, and I doubt we even understand how enormous.
They will certainly be involved in his project and I explain for them how we all have already earned so much more from our service than we expected, and our Lord expect us to be cleaner than ever before, and nicely dressed. It's not to boast, or because we're Shieldmaidens. It's for our health and so we feel more respected. They should bathe every third day, and wash thoroughly every day. Our Lord does it without thinking, and wash his hands and face several times a day if he's been working, and have several times mentioned missing better baths, washing facilities, and toilets. Among the first things he gave Iselin and Ciara where a soap, a towel and a comb. They need to adapt.
They will surely receive gifts just because our Lord is generous and wants them well, and they will learn how generous Sejdmann Robert Arnesson is towards his surroundings and friends.
And they will see the future before everyone else.