Claimed by the Viking

Chapter 4 : Said and Done

Adelheid was still trembling on the table.

Tharn's anger was slowly going down, and bit by bit, he realized what he had done.

The assembly was deadly silent. Even if no one dared say a word, Tharn knew most people were shocked by the scene that had just occurred. He would need to do something about it. But he couldn't do so now. He would appear weak and more than one opponent were observing his actions carefully right at this moment. And if he kept his strong shield on, he would probably end up completely breaking the woman on his table. Deep down, he knew that wasn't what he wanted.

He had not planned to do so. He had guessed she might refuse to be his concubine, which could have been looked past. But when she had dropped his glass then had said he was no Jarl to her; he had lost it. He had had to fight so hard to become a Jarl. He had made his people evolve with rules to help protect the weak. He had done so much that he didn't manage to control his anger when she had spat at him. Gaining respect from the members of the Clan had been so hard, and her actions would definitely have a bad influence on that.

Adelheid was oblivious to the ways of a Clan, she could not have imagined how disrespectful that was to act that way. How it could make his position of Jarl stumble immediately.

But he knew he had also gone too far and was without a doubt more at fault than her. The poor girl was trembling like a feather in the wind on the table.

Tharn had not wanted to make her that way. Now, as he saw her looking so miserable, he felt no better than the men who had forced themselves on his mother.

He felt sick with himself.

Finally, he took a decision about what to do. He walked around the table, and he slowly gathered Adelheid in his arms, aware of how fearful and paralyzed she was, eyes shut firmly, silent tears rolling down her face, but not fighting him, probably in fear that another public punishment was going to come upon her.

He ordered the feast to keep on going and after a few moments of hesitation, the musicians started playing again and chatters erupted around while Tharn was going straight to the door with the scared woman in his arms. He was still baffled at the cruelty he had shown her. She had been the first person to refuse becoming a member of his Clan, but that was not the problem. It was the first time he had reacted so violently to someone.

As a Jarl, he had absolute rights. If he wanted to act that way, no one could blame him. But it felt wrong. So very wrong. He passed in front of Hilda, whom he made a sign to in order for her to follow him.

They walked silently to his home, a large house in which there was a huge entrance with a fireplace to warm the whole place and with lots of pieces of furniture. Rugs, benches, furs, tapestries. It definitely showcased his wealthiness.

"Jarl Tharn. If you force yourself onto her tonight, she will never live through it."

Tharn nodded but kept on walking. As Adelheid seemed to realize that he was leading her into his bedroom, she started trembling harder even if she did not dare push him away, fighting this urge in worry that he might bring her back to the men in the feast hall.

Tharn dropped her on a settee covered in furs before retreating back in the entrance hall where Hilda was waiting for him, leaving a confused Adelheid behind him.

"What would you advise me to do Hilda?" He asked her while putting his fur mantel off, getting rid of the unnecessary accessories that he wore in frustration.

"You need to leave her be tonight at least. She might have agreed to become your concubine, but she doesn't want to. If you don't wait, she will never truly be yours." The elder woman told him gently while she sat next to him in front of the fire.