Summer Storm

Chapter 8

This book, along with the rest of The Wrath of the Northmen series is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes and Kobo.

They passed through an archway into a courtyard. A traveling party had just arrived. The courtyard was full of men, horses, and wagons. A team of servants were busy unloading the wagons and grooms were unsaddling the horses.

A tall, gaunt man bellowed orders as servants struggled under the weight of the chests and bags being brought down from the wagons. On the far side, Captain Yorgesson and a squad of his men watched proceedings with tight expressions. No doubt they had been required to escort the travelers but were now powerless to intervene in the haranguing of servants.

The person in charge of this whole spectacle lounged against a wall, nonchalantly eating an apple.

Falen scowled. Lord Malwyn Sigard. She might have known. He was a few years older than Falen with curly brown hair and the kind of sculpted features women swooned after. A mocking half-smile twisted his lips, a smile that suggested he was privy to some secret others weren’t. He wore fine clothes, a shining sword strapped to his waist.

The tall man shouting at the servants was Edwin Thullson, Lord Malwyn’s retainer. Falen disliked him almost as much as she disliked his master.

“Careful, you brainless dolt!” Edwin growled as Griann, an old servant, staggered under the weight of a large wooden chest. “If you damage that, I’ll have you whipped!”

Griann’s knees bent under the weight and despite his best efforts he seemed moments from spilling the chest onto the cobbles. Nashir darted forward and set his own shoulder beneath the chest, helping Griann to stabilize the weight on his back.

“Who are you?” Edwin barked at Nashir. “I don’t remember giving you an order! Out of the way!”

Falen stepped forward. “I gave the order, Edwin.”

At the sight of her, Edwin smoothed his face into a smile and made a slight bow. “Greetings, Your Highness. I did not realize this man was your servant.”

“No, but you know Griann is, and all the others that you are barking at like you’re herding cattle.”

Edwin’s eyes widened slightly at the rebuke. “Your father instructed the servants to unload our belongings. I am merely overseeing the operation, as befits my role.”

Falen turned to where Lord Malwyn lounged against the wall. “Call your dog to heel, my lord, before I order all the servants away and let you unload this by yourself.”

Malwyn bit into the apple and took a long time chewing. Then he looked her up and down before pushing himself from the wall and bowing elaborately.

“Your Highness. You grow ever more beautiful. Would you like a bite?” He held the apple towards her.

“No, thank you.” Falen replied, suppressing an urge to grab the apple and throw it at his smirking face.

“A shame.”

“What is?”

“That our first meeting in months should begin with such acrimony. Still, you can’t help your temper, can you? And I do like my women feisty.”

Falen gritted her teeth. The courtyard had gone very quiet and she could feel everyone’s eyes on her. Malwyn was baiting her, trying to provoke a reaction that would show her up in front of all the servants. Trouble was, Falen could feel her anger rising. She wished she could march over and kick him where it hurt. That would wipe the smug look right off his face!