Chapter One, part V
Svend trailed behind the group of children, his own and their friends, as they dragged Alexios across the inner courtyard and through the back house on their way into the garden in the back. He stopped briefly in the courtyard to give his cape to a servant, when he saw his wife, Sofia, look down upon him from the walkway that circled the inner court. He looked up at her and smiled, she smiled back at him making him all queasy in side.
We’ve been married for more than twenty years and she still melts my heart with a single smile.
His wife gestured for him to wait and emerged a few moments later from the house.
“Was that Alexios?”
“Yes, he was at the council meeting.” He kissed his wife, “he had some interesting things he wanted me to think over so he walked me home. I invited him to stay over for dinner, you don’t mind, do you?”
“I don’t, I like him, but Arn is home for the first time in weeks and then there is Freja?”
“I think Arn would approve, he hasn’t seen Alexios since he joined the army and somehow I think Freja will approve too, given time.”
She raised an eyebrow at the last remark.
“He has asked my permission to see her.”
“Really, isn’t he a bit old?”
“He is twenty five, she is eighteen, it is not a moment too soon, besides, she has asked about him a couple of times since his last visit and she has obviously made an impression on him, let’s not worry yet she might reject him.”
She shrugged, “If you say so, I agree that it is time, she has become too adept at breaking the hearts of the young Guardsmen that flocks around her and Alexios is not a bad choice, good family.”
Svend placed his arm around her shoulder and gave her an affectionate squeeze, he was certain that she agreed completely, otherwise she would have objected more wholeheartedly right away. She just wasn’t keen on sending her daughter away. Neither was he, but the alternative wasn’t very good either and she didn’t exactly seem keen on entering a monastery to him.
Sofia looked up at him and smiled again, “you are right, she does like him, let’s see what the next few days bring before we worry about it. What did the Emperor want?”
“An envoy to Venice, a new army and me to train it.” He smiled at her surprised expression.
“What did you say to that,” a tint of worry crept into her voice.
“He didn’t ask me directly, Alexios said that he will though, his father suggested me. I have said no, but promised to think about it.”
A sigh of relief escaped her, “and Venice?”
“Don’t know yet, we have to appoint the delegation by sunday.”
“Why the urgency? Nothing substantial has been decided in the council in months.”
Svend told his wife everything; her insightful views often gave him a second perspective that he found very comforting. “I don’t know, it is as if the Emperor has suddenly awaken after a long slumber and makes sound and decisive decisions. Today’s meeting was like it used to be, he had obviously dictated the content behind the scenes and a lot of the members, including me, didn’t have a clue before his speech.”
“You used to know, doesn't he trust you anymore?”
“I think so, the offer to train the new troops wasn’t offered at the meeting, I just think he decided the current action and didn’t have the time or needed my advice. Besides, it is a good choice he has made.”
His wife looked skeptical, but refrained from commenting. “Let’s join the others, we need to free Alexios from the kids.”
They started across the courtyard toward the double doors leading inside the back house, “Did you talk to Arn before you left?”
“No, I was hoping to get a chance this evening, if Alexios can distract the young ladies.”
Sofia smiled at his comment “I have faith in him.”
They went through the backhouse into the garden arm in arm, secure in each other.
Arn watched his parents emerge from the house and stand close together on the porch in front of the house. He looked to his wife Sif who stood a few paces away, talking to Alexios and Freja.
Will we be as happy as that in twenty years? I wonder how my parents manage, five children and my fathers position and yet they always find time for each other.
He looked back to his parents and saw that they were looking in his direction, he smiled at them and they smiled back, but remained still on the porch.
I would have liked to talk to father about my future, but he has invited Alexios. I wonder if it was on purpose, Alexios chose the army like his father and I’m sure father would like me to do the same. Sif’s father wants me to join his business and I think I would like it, home every evening get to see Sif every day, but father wants me to follow the tradition and join the guard. It could be fun, but I will not be home, I will be at the barracks until I get my officers commission. Sif will kill me. What should I do?
He turned back to the trio and stood for a while watching amused how Alexios attempted to woo his sister and charm his wife at the same time, failing miserably at both to the obvious entertainment of both young women. In the end he decided to rescue his old friend.
Strange how the world changes, he is four years my senior and I have always believed he could do anything better than me and yet, here I am, married and secure while he flounders around trying desperately to impress my sister. I wonder if I was equally inane in my comments when I first met Sif?
With a smile he interrupted his friends story about the breeding of horses.
“Mind if I borrow my wife for a moment?” Without waiting for an answer he took her arm and led her further down into the garden, as they passed out of earshot he kissed her gently on her forehead.
“Was I ever that bad?”
“Worse, he could really use some help though, he is quite smitten with your sister and she is running circles around him. She is not being very nice.”
“Do you think she likes him?”
“Oh, yes, definitely, she wouldn’t have weathered those stories if she didn’t. I wish he would stop talking about horses.”
They had drifted down to the back of the garden, into the shadow of a huge and ancient oak. Arn stole a quick glance at the house, nobody was looking in their direction and he quickly wrapped his arms around his wife and kissed her passionately. At first she squirmed a bit, but then she giggled and responded vigorously.
Freja had left Alexios allegedly to fetch him something to drink, but he suspected to rest her ears.
Why am I such an oaf? She doesn’t care about horses, I should tell her something nice, tell her how beautiful she is, something witty. It seems that my tongue gets a life of its own and my brain dies whenever she is near.
He let his eye survey the garden. What a lovely house the good Captain have here. he noticed Arn’s quick glance and his embrace with his wife, he smiled to himself. [It has been what, a year? two? since I last spend time with him. Where did he learn to get so confident?[/I]
Alexios stood for a while lost in thought, until the servants announced that refreshments where ready on the terrace.
