Chapter 37: Seductive Games
The smack of the steel gauntlet resounded across the room as several warriors stood in awe at the ferocity displayed by Baron Harald. They had heard songs sung of his bad temper and brutish nature on the battlefield, but seeing it up close was a different ball game.
Rolf spat out blood, grinning as he wiped the ichor from his lips, still standing from the strike, "I can now tell that your son is stronger than you, Harald. Watch your back and be careful, or he might want a piece of your pie."
Harald's emerald eyes went vacant for a second, silence stretching across the room making a few mercenaries nervous.
Rolf sneered at the expression on Harald visage, mistaking it for speechlessness, "Bahah, the great Harald, unable to speak? I said that your son is st—"
The punch landed before he could even finish his sentence. Ragnar had wound up and thrown a hook from behind, landing flush on the ear of Rolf. The Ripper's head stretched against his neck muscles, struggling to remain attached to his body as the momentum sent him crashing to the floor.
A dark glint came across Ragnar's eyes, "Watch your tone in front of my father." He said as he stomped on Rolf's foot, generating a scream of agony in reply.
"We are his progeny that he has spent a decade nurturing. If we weren't stronger than him, then it would be a failure on his part, and as such, we will succeed him, but before that, we respect and listen to his judgement. Unlike some mercenaries, I know." Ragnar stated as he looked around the room, glaring at each sellsword.
Harald's vacant eyes returned as he held his head in pain. "Ah, one day, these fools will kill me. Tie this man up!
The Baron sadistically grinned, "Let's put him in the dungeon and take him with us when we leave for the Duke's on the morrow. The Duke will be pleased with such a scoundrel for an offering."
Ragnar nodded as he snapped at Marquise, "Take this man down to the dungeon."
Rolf grinned as he lay on the floor, showing a bloodied mouth as he continued, "I came here to witness the mighty Harald and his "powerful family" of warriors, and I must say I'm impressed. I'd be willing to ——"
The older man, Marquise, nodded, as a slight glint of evil arose in his eyes as he socked the man in the jaw, "Shut yer trap and learn to respect your superiors," knocking him out before tying him up.
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Once Rolf was out the door, the room relaxed, almost as if the tension in the room subsided without the presence of the manic warrior.
Harald raised his glass with a smile, "Carry on as we were lads!" to the cheer of the crowd as everyone got back to gorging on the food available.
Ragnar and Thorkell raised their glasses to toast before continuing with their meals.
Seeing a lull in the conversation, Eve walked up to the Lord's table and approached Ragnar.
Ragnar watched as the freckled woman sashayed bountiful hips as she made her way over to him, capturing the attention of everyone in the room.
The envy in everyone's eyes was apparent, as a few couldn't stop staring at the vixen's figure.
"Milord, we have news regarding the Church's spy that escaped a couple days ago," Eve said as she placed her dainty fingers on Ragnar's chest in a seductive manner.
Ragnar looked into vixen's hooded eyes with an eyebrow raised, "Go on then, Eve. What's so urgent that it cannot wait?" he said as he caressed her cheek with a smug smile on his face.
Eve sucked in a deep breath of air as she tried to control herself, "The men I sent after him managed to track his whereabouts. It's been reported that the arm you broke severely hampered him. Based on this assumption, we looked into the town of Le Havre itself, where he was spotted skulking about trying to get supplies to splint his broken arm before leaving the next day."
She then came in close, her perky bosom touching Ragnar's shoulders, "Come to my room Ragnar, let us talk there, in private." Eve tugged softly against the fur of Ragnar's coat in an invitation to follow.
The large warrior pursed his lips, "No, I will not leave with a woman in front of all these men." Ragnar denied as he grabbed the curvy woman onto his lap. "But you can sit with me on the Lord's table as everyone watches me claim you."
Eve's gleeful smile turned downcast as she frowned. Her plan had not come to fruition, as she'd wanted everyone to see the renowned warrior leave with her. To show everyone that she had him around her fingers, yet Ragnar had seen through her plans.
"You're maturing quickly, Ragnar. Truly unfortunate that it seems I'll have to get wiser to match this new guile of yours."
Ragnar wrapped his meaty arms around the waist of the woman, pulling her flush against his chest as he whispered into her ear, "You better stop these games, Eve or I will discard of you."
Eve pecked Ragnar softly on the lips as she smiled, "And get with the grumpy Erika? Ragnar, I want you to fuck me; I desire you. It's just that I can't help but enjoy a good scheme once in a while." She softly giggled as she hid her face in Ragnar's enormous chest.
Ragnar growled as he claimed her neck with his hands, "You will scheme for me, and only me. I will no longer tolerate schemes against me. Do we understand each other, woman?"
"Yes, daddy." She whispered softly, this time with intense desire written all over her face. "Oh, how I wish we were alone right now, Ragnar." Eve squirmed uncomfortably
"We will be soon, love." Ragnar squeezed her plump arse as he continued with his meal under the din of the feast.
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I've been hearing some complaints about the pacing of the novel. I'd like to hear your opinion, do you want the intense interaction between characters like this chapter? Or would you like for me to skip over points so that we can go from action to action?