The feast officially starts when we return to the Fortress great hall, and its early afternoon. The idea is that we should combine 'mingling' with mostly sitting at the table most of the afternoon and evening, and talk, listen to music and more. It seems that Kari was right again, and it won't be dark enough until after 8 pm, which is about 6 hours away. Too many hours away.
The table placement is different and is a rectangle around the rectangular fire pit in the middle of the great hall. All sit along the outside facing inwards. Which means that this is a formal feast with other rules for table placement and etiquette, and I'm grateful for Kari's lessons on different types of feasts and arrangements. Jarl Skiringe's feast was 'mostly informal', and my guards could participate. The even amount of chairs at the main table is important, especially as there are two thrones in the middle. Since my Furst title is technically higher than a Jarl, it should be evenly numbered and equal chairs, since the main table should be divided evenly between us where I should sit next to Jarl Naeswulf on his right side, and each company should continue outwards according to decreasing importance. Wifes, concubines, sons and daughters. The throne is probably a way to try to give me and himself higher status at the feast, but its inappropriate. I guess he always sits on a throne. Equal chairs with the others say that I as a guest accept that I socially don't position myself above the host's family in their own house, and he as host agrees not to sit 'higher' than my company, since we're guests. Which would have been really important if I was married to Iselin and Kari, since they would be Furstesses, and be socially higher. Given what I think of thrones, I love that rule, and all the chairs around my dining table will be the same. And a comfortable design, with cushions. I suspect that Naeswulf sees me as Furst first - one of the few rulers, like him - and sees my Sejdmann title as secondary.
But I was called here as a sejd user and there should be an odd number of equal chairs at the main table, where I as the summoned sejd user should sit in the middle. Apart from the even numbers, there is also a throne for me, which sejd users never sits on. A throne symbolizes earthly power and the right to rule, which goes against what sejd users do and stand for. Someone has made a mistake, and I really hope he isn't stupid enough to seat me on the normal chair beside the thrones, as that would be a grevious insult, and I will have to leave this feast immediately. Hell, I could demand a duel if he does that. It would be an insult against both my Furst title and my Sejdmann title, as I'm not one of his subjects. I'm not the 'local' sejd user, which usually is a Völva or Fjölkunnig. I won't sit on a normal chair to the right of his throne.
Vikings are the among last I would associate with rules of etiquette, but of course every culture has its rituals and norms, and there is a certain irony that most etiquette rules have evolved or been imported over the last couple of hundred years.
Jarl Naeswulf leads me around the tables, and with a gesture he shows that I should sit on the right throne, and he sits down on the other. So I sit down, but that means I'm technically here as a Furst. So I don't have to do any sejd. I guarantee that he will say it or ask me about it, and then he have made an 'oops'.
My guards will of course not sit at the table, as they will stand behind and guard, and the local Völva Steinny is a little hesitant about where she should sit, but she sits down after my company, and I suspect that she sees me first and foremost as a Sejdmann, and secondly as a Furst, and she have clearly noticed the throne I sit on.
Jarl Naeswulf stands up, and greets us all. He explains that the feast is in 'Sejdmann Robert Arnesson's honor', which means that he has made that mistake. I'm already sitting on the throne. Völva Steinny immediately catches my eye, and I see her glance at the throne, and with a shrug I nod to her. Maids come forward with drinks and trays of lighter food, while some musicians start playing in the background from a balcony.
There's nothing wrong with the food or drink, but start referring to Jarl Naeswulf as just Naeswulf, and when he without thinking about it calls me Arnesson, probably in the belief that we've become friends, I correct him with 'Sejdmann Arnesson'. Which he obviously does not like, but he can't do anything about it. I suspect he doesn't actually know whats wrong, and he may feel offended. One of his sons obviously does.
I get it, they're the powerful old clan with great power, and I'm the upstart with less wealth, land and power, that just so happens to have been granted a title. No-one here seems to know that I'm a human from Midgard, and I sure won't mention it.
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I go out to cool off on the porch. Is it still called a porch when its on the outside of a stone keep? It it still a fortress keep when the building looks like the architect couldn't decide between a normal medieval keep and a longhouse in stone, and combined them? Anyway, it's hot and a too noisy inside. Not that loud or lively, and more orderly and stiff, but there is many conversations and music all the time in the background. The noisefloor is high.
As we sit, it makes it difficult to talk to the people further away around the table, which seems conscious, as with the musicians close by their side, they probably have a hard time hearing what Jarl Naeswulf and I are talking about. I think its conscious and Kari seems to take it for granted. Its a common arrangement. The ones I can talk to most easily besides my own company are Jarl Naeswulf, his sons and oldest daughter. His wives are sitting next to him, and it's awkward to lean forward to talk to them infront of the Jarl. I shouldn't be surprised that Kari chosed the seat at the far end on my right, because it makes it easier for her to talk to the people over there, and gives her a good overview of me and Jarl Naeswulfs family. Ciara on the end of the main table doesn't have to talk too much, which is what she prefers. Iselin sits next to me, also slightly isolated in the conversations, but happy to sit where she does, as it in front of everyone signal that she is more important than my concubines.
I've barely had time to take a few deep breaths, before a woman accompanies me. I guess she's somewhere around 25, and she sits almost opposite on the other shortside table, which means that we can't talk, even if we see each other all the time. She has given me many looks and flirted, which includes playing with her necklace pendant in her cleavage and at one point adjusting her bosom, while she looked me in the eyes with a suggestive look. The distance makes it virtually impossible to talk. Iselin and Kari have definitely noticed her, and there seems to have been some kind of subtle signaling battle between her and Iselin. Iselin had a smug smile when I looked at her after the bosom adjustment, and she discreetly lifted her drinking glass in a small toast to the woman after that, to which the woman responded with her own smile and discreet toast. I just assume that Naeswulf and his wifes have noticed her too, but pointedly said nothing about her, and I havn't asked. Kari has via Iselin let me know, that the womans name is probably Röthny; a Storman from an important harbor on the eastern Storsjön and cousin of Jarl Naeswulf. She's apparently here without her husband, who is also a Storman. That she is married is a big red stop sign, and that her husband is important and a Storman, add red flashing warning lights to that stop sign. But it has been fun to flirt, but I hope she isn't expecting anything more.
In the way she presents herself, I understand that she really is Röthny and she is a Storman, but also that she is a young widow as her husband is dead, and she now rules alone...
Danger! Danger! Danger!
Röthny took the opportunity to take a break now when I do, so we can talk, and she hopes that I can come and personally install a sundial she wants to order, and is willing to buy several at once if that motivates me, or if she can persuade me otherwise. I may be bad at finer words and witty phrases, but her wandering hand, gaze and playing with her pendant makes it clear what she means, and this is reinforced when she, for example, says that she looks forward to 'opening her gates, and showing me her mansion' and giving me a warm personal reception. She promises to be a better host than Jarl Naeswulf.
She is seriously good at flirting and charming, and is damn good looking too. If I hadn't been taken, and it was under different circumstances, I wouldn't have hesitated to take her to bed tonight.
She's at the feast because Jarl Naeswulf has had to invite her, but social norms force her to sit where she does, unfortunately so far away that we can't talk at the table. Röthny is his cousin and needs to sit on his side of the table, and after his family together with other closer relatives. She also makes it clear that Jarl Naeswulf have informed the guests that some form of sejd is expected.
At least Röthny has understood that Jarl Naeswulf has messed up a bit, and I suspect that she is deliberately trying to increase the gap between us, so that she or her part of the family might take Jarl Naeswulf's position in the future from Kvigr Ubbsson and his sons. Of course, there is an internal power struggle within the Naeswulf clan, they only cooperate against outsiders. Röthny continue flirting and mention that her son is 8 and her daughter is 6, and that she wants more children. She hopes that it will not prevent a close personal contact in the future, as her son will inherited her deceased husbands property, while future children will inherit her property...
In the background, Alith is smiling as she is watching us, but Röthny continue by saying that I am welcome to visit when convenient. I really should given her the same invitation to my islands, but that will be dangerous as I assume she will take me up on it, so I say that unfortunately I can't be a good host until next year, as my mansion is being built. Which she knows, and she hope that her children in the future can study at the Academy. She'll personally make sure they get there safely.
I bet she will.
I'm not complaining that Röthnys keeping me out here while we talk about other stuff like my ideas for canals and locks, and we soon have company from a couple of other guest looking to talk and they seem genuinely interested in my ideas. My carriage and plans for other versions, and improved roads, seem to really interest an older man, an uncle to Naeswulf. Well, better infrastructure and more cargo, means more taxes and riches, and if big ships can sail all the way up to Storsjön and on to Långsjön, then it would increase trade and also what kind of goods being traded, and with a simple lock tax, avoid a lot of middlemen like the wagon men. Merchants might pay less in total to increase trade, but a bigger cut will go to the person controlling and maintaining the locks and harbor.
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It's five o'clock, and time for another trip outside to get some air and cool down. Bodil accompanies me this time, as they rotate their guard duty. Its a cloudless sky and hot both inside and out and the murmur inside is tiring. And Naeswulf and his family are still wearing their damn fur coats, and they are clearly sweeting.
I suspect that Völva Steinny has in some way informed our hosts about the mistake with placement and the throne, but so far Naeswulf havn't exchange out the chairs or asked about it, since done is done. There are many who understand that something has happened, even if most doesn't understands what. When I corrected him again, his eldest daughter were ashamed, while the sons were annoyed at both me and their father. Kari has given me several discreet encouraging smiles and discreet gestures with her fingers. She have of course made sure to teach us a simple method, which basically is which finger resting on or stroking on which on the left hand. Its simple things like 'you're doing good', 'you're doing bad', 'drop topic', 'press on with the topic', 'change conversation partner', 'go outside' and so on. She can signal me and help by just listening in, and without actually lookin at me. Iselin's also whispered a bit about stuff.
On my way out, Kari catches my hand and introduces me to the people at her part of the table, Völva Steinny included, and Kari then accompanies me out, officially to visit the toilet, while she whispers words of encouragement and ask me to kiss her before going outside. Which I of course do.
Kari inform me that the feast is a big social game, where Jarl Naeswulf undoubtedly tried to get me interested in a marriage and alliance with his eldest daughter Fiolmod, and tried to strengthen his position against powerful people nearby and around the huge lake. Both those who are part of his clan and not. Röthny and others are trying to prevent a marriage to Fiolmod, and Röthny in particular would have liked to ally through a marriage with her, so that we or our child could have taken Jarl Naeswulf's position in the future. Röthny is still young enough to give birth to more children, and knows that she is a very desirable wife. Röthny has ambitions, and Kari is clear to point this out.
Kari's also spread information that my mansion construction, its harbor and roads on the island, the Academy building, preparations for the winter and other projects take up most of my time, and discreetly made guests understand that Jarl Naeswulf pretty much demanded my participation. Some understand that Jarl Naeswulf has failed as a host, and drunk people with their own agendas are not the most discreet, so she expects that information to quickly spread. Kari also praises me for how I have deflected about the insult, and that I show benevolence and consider it unintentional, so as to not kill the feast mood and so on.
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Jarl Naeswulf's main problem is that we don't really have much in common, and no common interests, and when he tried to get me to talk about what I'm doing, as usual I end up doing it quite enthusiastically, and Kari's so satisfied how I, without thinking about it, have shown to be very learned and knowledgeable about many things and areas, while missing that Naeswulf and his family probably don't understand, but don't want to appear uneducated. Kari also points out that both the eldest daughter and his older wife have given me many glances and tried to make more eye contact and be charming, especially the eldest daughter. They're probably unhappy that Röthny sits in my natural sightline and is better at flirting. And even with the slight downside of having two young children, Röthny probably is a more attractive wife for me, since she will bring more and better land to a marriage.
Kari gives me an intense kiss, well aware that it is her own declaration to those out here who see it, and she responds immediately and happily when I grab her buttocks with both hands to make it more intense. As she leave for the toilet, Kari is in a splendid mood.
Kari seems to love the social game that takes place here tonight, but I really dislike Alfheimr feasts and get togethers. Everyone seem to have an agenda. It feels good to know that Radgeirrson only have three younger children who are something like 5 to 8 years old, and his feast is to get to know me, enjoy life and brag, although there will probably be people with agendas there too.
I hear a 'Sejdmann Arnesson' and from the side the older of Jarl Naeswulfs wives appears. She regrets the mistake with the throne and the placement, and I reassured her that I can live with it and we don't have to make a big deal of it. Both my status as Sejdmann and Furst are rare, so its easy to make mistakes and its hard to know what applies.
We stand there and chat for a long time about everything, and I don't complain about that, as she is a charming eloquent woman. Its good practise. We talk about the view, the fortress, the lake, the river, trade, my ideas about future canal and locks. Properties and agriculture, family and children. She also gives me compliments for my hair and to my women before returning.
Bodil asks me to stay a few extra minutes so she can gather herself, because she has had to focus to avoid laughing. I don't understand what she means, but when she points it out, I understand that it was a discreet salespitch for a possible marriage with the her daughter, and she also flirted with me, gave me compliments etc. And I of course gave compliments back, completely missing it was flirting. My social skills are still quite bad when my thoughts go on tangents, and I am warm, my energy is low and I'm distracted. I thought of it more as a way to be social, suck up and mitigate the insult.
Just like the others, Bodil have learned how I am and guessed that I didn't understand, and they know that linguistic nuances work poorly on me as I'm still bad in Norse. I can make myself understood, but the woman probably got the impression that I just see marriage to her daughter as a burden, and I'm completely uninterested. Which I am. When marriage came up, I told her that I will ask Iselin to marry me, and in the future Kari, and they're two women who are already 'mine', and at least Kari as a concubine. Everyone seems unsure of Iselin's status and lineage, but neither of my girlfriends seem to be wealthy, own land or have important kinship to contribute to a marriage. And I think they are more attractive for marriage than Jarl Naeswulf's daughter. She knew about my long conversation with Röthny the last time I was out here, and since marriage only for love is uncommon, and Kari was given to me recently, they seem to take it as an excuse to avoid offending them.
Bodil looks forward to telling the others, and the icing on the cake is that I told her my titles are rare - which only further establishes my high status, as each of my titles actually higher than Jarl. But my answer can also be taken as a subtil insult to Jarl Naeswulf's intelligence, and his lacking awareness of the world. Especially since I - as a foreigner and new here - have a better idea of it than him. With a discrete smug grin, Bodil whispers that his wife seemed to agree, but stayed in character as the faithful wife.
I meet Völva Steinny on the way in, who is going to leave the feast, and she is looking forward to the coming Tosra meeting, so we can talk properly under 'better conditions', and as befitting between sejd user. She seems to see Jarl Naeswulf's mistake as an insult to sejd as a whole, as sejd users sit in a circle when they talk, and preferably on a blanket on the ground. I whisper that I might show a bit of my sejd after the sun have set and its darker.
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It is a little after seven and the party has been going on for many hours, and many are heavily intoxicated. My company have been careful with alcohol, and my girlfriends have mostly drunken wine. As usual, I've stuck to different non alcoholic drinks and cider, but atleast the cider will have a bit of alcohol anyway, and no matter what I wish, it is a good idea to avoid sickness. Alcohol kills, and that include harmful bacteria. There are a couple of empty table seats and the table placement is more loose, atleast on the other tables. For a while now, Röthny has been sitting beside Kari, talking about something I might not want to know, with the occasional discussion with me. Iselin sits proudly next to me, and wisely waited until I swallowed to whispered that it is okay for her and Ciara if I 'visit' Röthny in the future, just not tonight and in connection with this gathering as it would be somewhat disrespectful to our hosts. She doesn't say so, but it would be slightly disrespectful to my sambos too, as this is their introduction to a lot of people.
The knowledge of DNA has made both Iselin and Kari worried that I might not be able to make them pregnant, but they have also become less worried that I will make an important woman without an IUD pregnant, which could led to marriage and other problems. Jane is of course the biggest risk and threat of getting pregnant, but Jane and I agree that we only want to become friends. Kari still think that I should make Jane pregnant, but just like the others she don't want us to have a relationship. Just a child or two. Iselin, Ciara and Kari would have prefered if Jane lived in one of those 6x4 houses. I also know they're debating if I should try to make one of them pregnant, or if I should get a kinless woman and try with her, just to see if a child is possible and if there will be complications. Giving birth to a child is dangerous as it is, and Iselin and Kari both want children, but they don't want to die. Jane finds it hilarious that my girlfriends are debating if I should have a harem or not.
DNA information has also led to all deciding that we should be less careful when we have sex, and condoms will only be an option during anal sex due to hygiene. I'm not 100% certain that DNA will prevent children and I will continue to be careful, which amuses Jane and the others, because the others interpret it as there is a possibility, and even with IUDs, I believe that Freya might interfere. Jane is amused that it all gets a religious overtone she know I dislike.
I go out again to pee, take some fresh air and cool down. Hillevi shadows me this time. Alith, Bodil and Hillevi understand why I dislike feasts. Even if they feast sometimes, it's not so nice to be the sober one, and it's long been clear that I avoid being in the center and feasting. They rotate duty so that someone is always in the room and guarding our things, and they switch duty with something like one and a half hour intervals. I wish I could have such a long break away from everyone and the feast. It would have been nice to just lie in bed and close my eyes. In any case, all three have eaten, as they can bring food to the room from a small side table in the back where visiting guards can take a break, talk to each other and eat. Kari has of course given them instructions too, on how to spread some info etc.
On the way out, I meet a guest comming in, who wonders if the rumors he heard about my duel is correct. I ask what he heard, but its the same as before, so I just confirm, look at the clear sky, and say; "It doesn't look like there will be thunder here tonight. It would really kill the mood." I smile, and walk out. He probably sobered up a bit there.
Its still warm outside and warmer in the great hall. Seriously; the fire pit in the middle and the torches on the walls gives of a lot of warmth, and all the old dark soot on the walls and ceiling hardly helps in the light department. Its something like 18-20 Celsius outside, sun all afternoon and no wind. I get its a fortress, but they have glass, so why don't they add more and larger windows high up to increase the light, or at least openings for better air circulation! I have drunk a lot of cider, but I still feel a headache. It might be dehydration in combination with the background noise, or it is the alcohol. Probably all combined.
I take off my shirt and hang it on the railing next to me. Its soaked in sweat and unpleasant. Ciara arrive with a new one, just like I asked her to get before I left the table, but I won't put it on before I go back in again, as the moisture must leave my body and it is cooler this way. It also helps to wash myself with some cold water from a rain barrel, and I stretch my neck, back, arms, do knee bends and bend to touch my toes. When I turn around, I realize that I have a small audience of a couple of men and women from the far side of the table, who probably intended to talk to me. They cast a few glances at my body and hair but I no longer give a damn. Ciara leans against my arm and we hug each other, which becomes a tender kiss. Lovely Ciara. Just a couple of hours more.
A maid watch us, and after she regains her composure from staring at my body and arms, she steps forward and says that Jarl Naeswulf wonders when I can show my sejd.
He asked! And the other guests here heard! Fail!
He waited for a long time, and probably mostly so I wouldn't 'forget' it. I look at the sky and answer; "At least another hour, the sun has gone down but the sky is still too bright. The darker the sky, the better. At least it's not in the middle of summer - then there would have been many hours left."
I point out the place from where I will launch the rockets; a patch of soft ground to push the guide tubes in, and the rockets will be at a safe distance from everything with a clear view of the sky. Its the edge of someones vegetable garden, but the rest here is stone. The maid thanks and leave. One of the men takes it as his que that I'm available for conversations.
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The conversations dragged on, so it's a little more than an hour later that I return to the great hall, after I have informed the guests outside that our host wants me to show sejd, and it is now dark enough. I send Ciara to fetch the rockets, and inform Jarl Naeswulf before I stand by my throne, call for their attention and say I want to give the guests a small demonstration of sejd, and if the people want to come with me outside, I have prepared something special.
Not everyone hears it, or even noticed that I'm standing up and speaking. I can see someone sitting in the corner further away, knocked out and asleep. Atleast a quarter is no longer in here, but most of them was out there and have already heard the announcement. But Jarl Naeswulf silence the musicians, speaks up and gets the message out.
A short while later I stand outside with two rockets prepared. I have more rockets with me but this is enough, and no point wasting them. Quite a lot of guest are drunk, and some are still missing. The Völva has returned after being away, as of course she wants to see this. Given how quickly she got back, I guess she wasn't that far away. She might have still been somewhere in the fortress for all I know. I just ask for their attention, then I light the first fuze and walk back so I see both the rocket and most of the audience. Most are shocked when it flies upwards, and the silent seconds before the top charge goes off makes it completely unexpected for them, and the bang causes some to lose their composure. A couple of them scream, and atleast one is a mans voice. Several drop their stops with mead, and it seems a woman peed herself as I can see a growing darker stain on her dress even in the twilight. I don't think most notice that as everyone stares at me or the sky, before a couple regains their composure and starts applauding or hitting the railing and stomping, and the rest join in.
I calmly walk forward, light the next rocket and walk back again, and very attentive eyes follow my every move. This rocket is more impressive with glowing rain with a little blue tone in the yellow. That one looked quite good considering the circumstances, and it will become a standard of mine. More applause after the bang has subsided. I just thank them for their attention and for the feast, but since we need to leave early tomorrow, we will now withdraw, so with Iselin leaning on my arm, we go into our assigned room.
It's not even nine o'clock, but I prefer to just relax and letting time go by while trying to get as much sleep as possible. We need to leave early to use all the daylight we can. We have the next feast in the afternoon-evening in two days and it is a very long travel day there, probably two if the weather doesn't cooperate. And there is no weather report here.
Both Kari and Iselin tried to make it more than just sleeping, and we barely got inside the door before Kari started kissing me with wandering hands, but no fault of her or Iselin - I'm just not in the mood. As we won't have sex, Ciara wanted to cuddle up with me too, and she lies between me and Iselin, with her head resting on my chest. I know she enjoy to just lie like that on me in some way, so she can feel me breathing or hear my heart. This position is atleast better than when she lie on her back, between my legs, with her head on my stomach and legs dangling outside of bed or the blanket if we're on the ground. Thats just slightly uncomfortable for both of us, but she don't care and for some reason like doing it. It might have something to do with me using my hands to massage her hairbottom and playing with her hair.
Kari praise me for behaving so well tonight, and that I maneuvered and played well, and her cylinders are still running high, and she is in a good mood. I just smile at her and answers her kiss. Iselin and Ciara gets one too. According to Kari, no one can complain that we left the feast after the rockets, especially not after the small insult and mistakes our hosts have made, but since we never returned to the feast in the great hall, neither participants nor Jarl Naeswulf can try to praise me, or give me any gifts.
Jarl Naeswulf must give something nice or special, as he summoned and demanded my presence, and I was treated as the main guest. It needs to be nicer too because he requested sejd. It doesn't matter if he want too or not, its all about what his other guests thinks. And Naeswulf didn't take the opportunity to give this gift infront of the guests earlier in the evening, and I don't know why. Now he couldn't use the gift to brag about his generosity and let it be a big topic of conversation during the feast. Now he has to give the gift early in the morning before we leave, and early breakfast isn't likely to be a large audience.
We hardly hear any sound from the feast, so we guess the feast quickly ebbed out. Good. Makes it easier to sleep.