We've taken it quite easy and just enjoyed the weather, gone for a walk and relaxed. Jarl Skiringe's start late in the afternoon, and when we arrive there we see that the feast is relatively small, and just two rows of two tables with the fireplace in the middle, and perpendicular to the Jarl's table. A quite close U shape, and the hall is big and wide enough that there could have easily been five times more tables if needed, and still not felt crowded. Two musicians are playing in a corner, and there is a corner tabel for a few of the Jarls guards, and a few maids are serving drinks and arriving with bread baskets. The feast feels like a calm affair, pretty much just people talking and eating together. Liv is sitting on Jarl Skiring's right side, and the Jarls young 10 year old daughter Siri is sitting on her left side. I blame Apple for remembering her name, although Kari have given me information, and Jarl Skiringe has an adult son, Refr, but he is apparently not here, or he would be sitting at his mothers left side. Jarl Skiringe's reputation seems to be equal measures of respect, fairness, cunning and power, with a bit of fear in the background. She's a very well respected Jarl, and seem to have her peoples loyalty, partially because she doesn't tax them much. She finance herself with landownership and trade.
The feast has started but probably not been going on for long, although we are among the last. I can see that a table has been saved at the front on Jarl Skiringe's right for us, and a little closer than the other tables. Its a small but probably not by accident. I present my company, including our guards, and greet Jarl Skiringe and Liv so people understand we're already familiar. Jarl Skiringe obviously recognize Alith and Bodil since our last visit, and I know they tried to offer her their service about a year before, but were rejected.
One of the advantages of my rank is that I can always bring armed guards wherever I go in this Kingdom, and its even expected that I bring along a small number. They can participate in the feast if I so wish. Since there is a whole table available, I ask everyone to sit down and have a nice feast while they are guarding. Kari, Iselin, Gunhild and Alith have given me information about that too.
I sit closest to the end towards Jarl Skiringe, so I can easily see and talk to her and Liv, with Iselin on my right followed by Ciara and Bodil. Kari sits opposite Iselin, and Gunhild opposite Bodil, and I have Alith opposite me so she keeps an eye against threats from behind me, and just like the other guards they can more easily act from the table ends, and they have their shields available, and leaning against the table short end. Those who sit with their backs toward the middle are 'lower rank places' and it is not intended that they should be able to easily talk to the Jarl or others. Kari's etiquette rules arn't completely wasted. Should the tables be along the sides with the ends facing an open center, similar rules apply depending on who is sitting facing whom, and the owner of the house. There is more about how important women, family and guards should sit and behave etc, but, according to Kari, as long as I keep track of myself and know where I should sit, I don't have to worry about the rest. When she said that, I embraced it so quick and began ignoring the rest, that she seems to have become more careful and methodical with other information she gives me.
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There is general small talk while we start to eat and drink, but the tempo is low. I'm grateful there are low alcohol drinks, and not just mead or wine. There is also water but I don't drink it since I don't really trust it, although Alith mostly drinks water or lingonberry drink. I again realize that I simply have a hard time talking to people here. I have no direct topics of conversation. Agriculture? Not much clue. Trade? No clue. Animals? No clue. Religion? Bad topic and no clue. They don't have sports here, but I rarely watch sports. Games? Their game pretty much suck, and isn't much point in talking about. Politics? No clue. Recent events? Very limited knowledge and even worse understand of its meaning. Weather? I probably can more than most, but stupid to talk about. Children? No idea and have none. Women? Yes, maybe, but not when my women are sitting next to me, and in front of a female Jarl. However, Jarl Skiringe has heard about my Academy has started to be built, and about the agreement and she is looking forward to when it is all finished. I wonder if it will ever be 'finished'? I explain about my plans without going too deep, especially so that other guests will know and can start spreading the rumour, as I already gave her this information about 5 weeks ago. Which she knows. There's probably a lot of levels to why she arranged this feast, and I can think of a handful, and she quite loudly states:
"I want to congratulate Furst Sejdmann Arnesson on an excellent agreement, and I now understand why you declined my own offer; for what is a Jarl's power and resources against a King? But when the islands is your land and completely under Sejdmann Arnesson control, with the right to your own laws, warriors and ships, and under no obligations or liege? Isn't Sejdmann Arnesson a King in everything but name?"
"I thank Jarl Skiringe for the flattery, but I'm not a King and I don't rule a Kingdom. Just my own place for my Academy, a center for learning and doing impressive things."
"Perhaps not a King but a man worthy to rule, and a worthy Furst. Here's to Furst Sejdmann Arnesson!" and she raises her stoup and everyone cheers for me.
There is a lot of small talk and Jarl Skiring's son Refr is traveling with one of her ships, so old enough for it, although that doesn't mean much here. Some of the men here are traders, one of whom has come across the north sea from the Kingdoms in the west, so probably somewhere on the British Isles. He's norse language is decent enough that I understand him, even though its obviously not his first language, but he has a dialect reminiscent of Ciaras. We talk a bit and he politely asks if what he thought he heard in our introduction is correct? That one of my beautiful female companions is namned 'Mawr'? I confirm, and Ciara rise up and introduces herself;
"My name is Ciara Mawr, daughter of Aonghus Mawr of Mair, Concubine of Sejdmann Robert Arnesson." She also repeats it in her mother tongue, followed by a graceful slight nod.
This is apparently something he recognizes as he raises his stoup to her, and say that the next time he is in that area, he will congratulate her father that his daughter has become such a stately beautiful woman, with such a powerful man as Furst Sejdmann Robert Arnesson, who she obviously loves. Ciara thanks him and has a big happy smile, as she reach for my hand, which I take and I kiss her hand before she sits down. I really don't mind that Ciara's family finds out what happened to her, and that she's having a good happy life. I just hope they don't try to persuade her to come back with them, if they ever come here. I believe that Ciara will refuse, and I am a little worried that they will then believe that I've enchanted or spellbound her.
Another merchant sitting a couple of seats way from him looks a little puzzled at me, and with a clear foreign accent that makes him more difficult to understand;
"Sejd man. For me new. Only women sejd?" which is an indirect accusation that I am female and an insult to my honor and manliness, but obviously he doesn't means anything with it. He's just curious, and not aware of the culture and with language difficulties. Just like I had, only worse. We have people between us and he said it in a loud voice to be heard over the feast murmur, which pretty much instantly dies out, and is replaced with whispers and many look carefully at me and the confused man who doesn't know why he is on thin ice. I reply slowly and clearly, with a smile and in a good mood;
"Good Merchant, sejd isn't just for women, and especially not my type. But you have to learn to be careful about how you say things here in the North, as even accidentally calling someone unmanly can have tragic consequences. Make sure to tell your friends, and other merchants."
It is almost quiet in the hall at the end of my answer, and only the musicians are faintly heard from the far end as they too have kept their ears and eyes open for my reply. I have already raised my stoup and we toast, even if the man is insecure and give questioning looks on all the others in the hall, and Jarl Skiringe. The background murmur of the feast rises when there are many small conversations around the tables, and some guests seem to relax and take deep breaths. The men at his table are probably telling him exactly what such an insult can lead to, and what I did a week ago, and I can see when he understands. He gets quite a lot paler and sober, but I raise my stoup and toast once more with a gentle smile to him.
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Jarl Skiringe's daughter havn't had the peace to sit still for a long time and have been away and come back a couple of times already, and had some kind of doll she played with. Children are children. What child can sit still for hours during a boring dinner party? I guess Kari as a child probably did; calm and stately all the time as a little well-behaved princess or something. Iselin, Kari and Ciara's childhood probably sucked in different ways. Honestly, I also wanted to leave as this just feels too drawn out, and short breaks outside isn't a problem and I've taken a couple. Not atleast due to the wooden benches, thats oh so common. Without cushions. Benches might be practical, but man, my butt is aching, and no back support. Ergonomy is another unknown word. Cushions - Hi-tech shit.
All of a sudden I discover Siri standing next to the table and looking at me. In that innocent but close way children tend to do, to their parents anxiety and embarrassment.
"What kind of sejd can you do? Visions? Gladr? Medicine? The only one I know who can do sejd is Liv." I just smile and laugh a little, because how can anyone be angry at that?
"Yes, I can do sejd, but mine is different from Liv's, and I don't do Galdr or what you usually see or hear about being sejd."
"Is that why my mother, Liv and so many other women think you're attractive?"
I hear an annoyed 'Siri!' from Jarl Skiringe who tries to avoid being embarrassed, but most havn't heard what Siri said - she isn't loud - and I just reassuring Jarl Skiringe with my hand that its okay and calm down, while I smile at Siri. Children rarely have filters between their brain and mouth, and don't really whisper. It can be embarrassing enough when it happens to others, even if Siri is many years older than the children who are most embarrassing, and sometimes its a disadvantage that they generally seem to teach children to be honest, brave and honorable, and Siri's just curious. I stage whispers a bit conspiratorially to the girl while I watch Kari, Iselin and the others.
"No, it doesn't really have anything to do with sejd, but there are some women who would probably say a night with me is sejdish." I give the girl a quick wink, and she starts to blush, and Kari and Iselin just smiles while Ciara happily confirms when Siri looks at them. When I pick up my stoup, I 'accidentally' move my gold ring with its magnet towards a serving bowl with a fine twisted iron fork that directly sticks to my ring. I pull the fork with me sitting on the outside of my hand, drink out the stoup and put the stoup back with the other hand. It's amusing how Siri just stares at the fork that hangs on my hand.
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"My sejd is different from what sejd women do, but I have no idea why some say I'm attractive."
I raise my 'fork hand' and make a faint gesture to the guest with a questioning expression on my face;
"Anyone have any idea why some say I'm attractive?"
There are many looks on the fork hang on the outside of my hand, and elbows and less discreet movements for their table neighbour to see, then I support my chin on my hand with the fork just hanging on the outside, right in front of Siri's face, still without looking at the fork. She just stare with a gaping mouth. I pretend to discover the fork, roll my eyes, and remove the fork and give it to Siri.
"Sorry, it's so annoying when that happens. Unfortunately, its not only women that finds me attractive."
Siri just stands there with her mouth gaping and staring eyes while holding the fork with both hands.
"I think your mother wants you to go and sit down. Be a good daughter and do as your mother Jarl Skiringe wish."
Siri stares at her fork, her mother, curtsy and hurries around the table to show and tell her mother and Liv. As if they've missed it. I give them a quick wink too, while the feast continues and the conversions slowly gains volume again. I have a hard time keeping myself from laughing and I try to avoid smiling while I discreetly under the table take my ring off, remove the magnet, put the ring back on, and push the magnet down in my pocket. A maid walks cautiously forward, curtsy, and puts a new fork in the bowl in front of me, but leans it towards Kari's side.
"You don't have to worry. That fork has attitude and is unpleasant, it doesn't like me at all." I smile, roll my eyes and just nonchalantly with a shrug say; "You know how forks can be."
That rewards me with a little giggle, and not only from the maid, and the maid rewards me with a smile as she curtsy and leave. Damn, I'm good.
Siri carries around that fork, and tries to get it to stick on her and others hands and jewelry, including my ring at one point and I let her try. Deceiving a child; does it make me mean, sadistic, or just entertaining?
We stays for a while more and it has been a good evening even if it is a bit tough, long and hard on my butt. I have managed a social get together without major incidents, has not received a new slave or had to duel with anyone, and Ciara's family may find out what happened to her. A good evening. I'm starting to learn to act the right way during social occasions, but I will still avoid them.
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The evening becomes even nicer with Iselin back on the ship, when she with a wicked smile agrees that it is almost sejdish, and she doesn't mean that we can have sex without a condom. Self-confidence? All time high! Iselin also saw a resemblance with the feast where we met, but this sejd was subtile and less shocking than the white shining stone crystal. I'm glad that Jarl Skiringe didn't try to give me a slave woman or similar, but I think she knows better, and considering she didn't ask for the sejd and it was a spur of the moment discreet little thing, she didn't have to give me anything for it either.
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Kari is happy. Everything seems to have gone well with the procedure at Liv's. No incidents, and Liv seems skilled in many ways. She understands why Robert thinks that Liv would do good work at the Academy, especially now that Liv comes there without special expectations. Before they went out to the others waiting in the shop, she made it very clear that they accept if Liv and Robert have sex from time to time, but if Liv tries to make herself an too important or permanent part of Robert's life - she will regret it.
Kari is still worried about Jarl Skiringe, because she is clearly interested in there being more than just friendship between her and Robert, but they're unlikely to marry in the future. Jarl Skiringe doesn't want to abandon being a Jarl here, and she's hopefully not ready to leave all that power to her son yet, and Robert will not abandon his islands when he has had it built as he wants, because he dislikes sailing, and a long-distance marriage seldom works well. And it's not just the marriage status that Jarl Skiringe wants. She wants Robert. But it was such a clever and skilful ploy by Jarl Skiringe to give that farm right at the beginning, and she plays well. It's stupid to not be careful and attentive with such a cunning player, so Kari will pay attention for them. It will be interesting to visit Roberts farm here, the farm that Jarl Skiringe tried to attract and bind Robert with.
If Robert has sex with Jarl Skiringe a few times a year when he or she visits, its no real problem for them - it only strengthens the friendship with a strong and powerful Jarl in the region, in a way few can do. Jarl Skiringe is smart enough to understand and take advantage of the benefits, and Liv has probably already informed her about the rules.
Kari is really happy that Robert saw through Skiringe's allure with the farm and more, and continued his journey, because otherwise she would never have become Robert's woman - not when Jarl Myrun Skiringe was so close. It would have been an interesting future for the kingdom, if Jarl Skiringe had Robert as an ally instead of the King, because even if Jarl Skiringe has generally been a loyal and faithful ally to the King over the years, it is bad if the balance tips too much from the King. Which is probably one reason why the King havn't offer one of his princesses hand in marrige to her son Refr.
The King here in the north doesn't rule because of his bloodline or conquest as the Kings to the south do, and not only through power and influence. The King rules through trust, honor and being a good wise leader. If the King loses the trust of the people, then another strong leader who the people trust is elected King at the Northmen Ting, so it is important for the King to maintain that trust and make sure to ally well through marriage and make sure that powerful allies come to the Northmen Ting. But if the trust in the King is too low among the public, then someone else in the royal lineage will try to take the crown. Both because they can, and to retain the power of being the royal lineage, so that the people don't lose confidence in that lineage, but too much infighting will be bad for the peoples trust. Crown Prince Hagthorn will need to gain the trust of the people and the powerful to keep the crown, it is not enough just being King Asbjörn Aeriksson's son.
No one knows how Robert will affect the balance of power in the coming years, but if Robert becomes as respected as Kari thinks he will be, he will wield great influence, and its wonderful that King Aeriksson made the mistake of creating their small Furstdome only one day from Borgarsandr, and how he formulated the agreement. Admittedly, Robert could have gained more power and influence over a more remote region, but now Robert will have all his influence in the vicinity of Borgarsandr. Robert's influence is maximized in the region where the Northmen Ting takes place, and it is easier for Robert to spread his teachings and creations far and wide, which will give more respect. The royal lineage is strongest in the north eastern parts of the kingdom. Not in Borgarsandr.
That King Aeriksson made him a Furst and that Robert is only one step below an elected King is important, but Robert isn't elected, and if he treats his inhabitants well, rules well and takes care of his property and makes the inhabitants prosper, then will it give a lot of respect. If his teachings and knowledge help the public to also prosper and live better?
But Robert is also the only Sejdmann, and that comes with its own respect now that he has proven it several times, including in a duel, because all sejd users are respected and a bit feared, but Kari doesn't believe that most men really realized how influential it can be on half the population. Men always underestimate the influence a woman can have over her husband, and most men will not admit to other men that his choices are influenced by his women. They will justify their opinions and decisions as their choices. Kari is really looking forward to helping Robert gain as much influence and respect as possible.
Asta also knows her place, without even having to say anything. Iselin was a little worried about Asta, but Kari explained that Robert only found someone with the same interest and appreciation for the things he built. Her gender has nothing to do with it, and Kari doesn't think that Asta is stupid enough to try anything, because he is their Lord, she sees them in his vicinity, and she probably respects the ranking of a ship. But Asta will be near him, and the will spend a lot of time together, because she have to learn everything Robert knows about navigation and ships. A common interest binds their friendship together, but it will probably not include sex. Robert seems to dislike having several women as his deep in his soul, so even though his male side loves it, Robert is happy that he now meets the 'social minimum'. They also know that Robert dislike having sex with someone who works for him, and he doesn't look at women as many men do. Kari enjoyed walking in the city and see how other women looking at him, tried to entice or flirt, but Robert was just kind and respectful, and barely let his eyes wander on any of them.
Kari was a little worried at the feast when that brusque man started talking, but Robert understood that he didn't mean anything offensive, and took it with humor. He himself has had such language problems, still do, but he is good at learning and he has improve remarkably much over the last month. Give it a year and no one will be able to tell he's not a native. She also likes how Robert reinforced the impression of his power, and he do have power, no matter what he says.
Jarl Skiringe looked a little pale, but mostly embarrassed when her girl talked to Robert, but he was charming and as always kind to children, and that sejd with the fork was just elegant and nicely done. She doesn't know how Robert did it, nor do the others. She has never before noticed that his ring had such a reaction to anything, and when she herself discreetly tested a little later, it did not react to the iron fork she tested it with. Robert didn't even notice. He may say that most of things he does is technology, but her husband has his own very special sejd, and it is powerful and unpredictable. He never invokes the gods, makes gestures, uses words, potions or bones, so no one knows when his sejd will come or disappear - its just there when he needs it, and disappears just as quickly and without a trace. He only does impressive things, and she really wish she had experienced when he made that stone shine. The way people talk about it, it would have been something out of this world to experience, but she hasn't dared to ask him to repeat it for her.
Kari is annoyed with herself that she is jealous of Iselin, who is with Robert right now. Eventually, Robert will learn to love her too, because he already cares for her, and tries to treat them all equally, but he cuddles so much more and has much more sex with Iselin. Kari is also annoyed at her lot in life because she 'squirts', and that Robert doesn't think there is anything to do about it. Kari asked Liv before she told her about the rules for future sex with Robert, but Liv didn't know of any way to stop it, and just felt sorry for her. That Robert reacted as he did has only earned him even more respect in Liv's eyes. But the fact that she squirts is a problem when they have sex, compared to Iselin or Ciara, and she wishes there had been some way to avoid it. But she just have to accept fate, and move on - just like Robert so often have said - and their sex is nicely creative.
Without thinking about it, Kari smiles when she thinks about how much she likes to be taken over a table, pressed against a wall or on the floor - both tender or rougher - and then they can both clean themselfs off, and she can lay down in bed with her husband. She doesn't share Robert's bed for sex and is just allowed to stay there afterwards, or sent out of the room when he's satisfied. She share his bed because he wants her there. To hold her and feel her presence. When she discovers her smile, Kari realize that she actually likes that their sex becomes more intense and is a completely separate experience from when they lie and cuddle in bed. In bed she is his 'elegant concubine' and friend, and their sex is pure sex, where Robert can be anything from a tender lover who takes his time, or a conqueror who just pushes her down to the table, spreads her legs and forcefully takes her until they both quickly comes. Kari doesn't know which she like the most, so they need to keep varying and experimenting until she knows what she likes best. Kari's smile is wide on her face as she thinks of another thing she heard Robert say; 'It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.'
Kari is looking forward to really feeling Robert take her, and it's soon her night. She is also looking forward to the completion of the Academy, so that Robert will want to have children with her, but she doesn't mind that it will be next year, because when she is pregnant they won't be able to have sex for far too long, and that will be a torment she never thought of. Atleast it gives her at many dark long winter nights for experiments, and time to figure out what Midgard thinks about sex with pregnant women.