The Warrior's Viking Bride. Michelle Styles

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СКАЧАТЬ is what my mother trained me for. She believed a woman could and should be a man’s equal. She distrusted marriage and considered that it sapped a woman’s strength.’

      ‘Did she train you well?’

      ‘Warfare has been my way of life ever since we left my father’s compound in the north country. I inherited my mother’s felag because she considered me a worthy successor, not because I was her daughter. I’ve an eye for strategy and forward planning. Why should a woman be treated differently than a man?’

      ‘My former sister-in-law would agree with you.’

      ‘Former?’

      ‘My late brother’s wife. She is now married to a Northman—Sigurd Sigmundson.’

      ‘Sigurd Sigmundson shot an arrow that killed his mother.’

      ‘You’ve heard of him.’

      ‘I thought it right and proper—they’d put her alive on the fire after her master died. Being raped and burnt alive is a barbaric practice whatever a soothsayer says. Soothsayers can be bribed.’

      ‘You know the story?’

      ‘I’ve encountered him. We fought together in Ireland a few seasons ago, right before my mother pledged her felag to Constantine’s service. He chose to ally with Ketil.’ She gave a small laugh. ‘I’d quite forgotten about him. Perchance...’

      ‘Sigurd will do nothing to jeopardise his relationship with Kolbeinn. We may have our differences, but I believe he prefers me to be the laird at Kintra. I’m a known quantity.’

      Dagmar stared at the small fire, watching the sparks fly up. ‘I’ve given you my word that I will see my father. I will, but if he forces me to do anything I disapprove of, I shall become a sell-sword. Sigurd prospered that way. I can as well.’

      Dagmar as a sell-sword. He doubted Kolbeinn would agree to that. Or allow her out of his sight. She would be married off to one of his most trusted warriors as soon as it could be arranged. Kolbeinn wanted to secure his legacy. Her desires would count for nothing. Kolbeinn would triumph one way or another. But her future was not his problem or concern as his mother would have said.

      ‘A hard way to survive,’ he said mildly. He’d allow Kolbeinn to break the news to her and deal with his daughter’s fiery temper. Aedan had a kingdom to save.

      ‘My mother did it.’

      ‘Your mother must have been an exceptional woman.’

      Her eyes lit with undisguised pleasure and her entire being sparkled. ‘She was. One of the bravest people I ever met. If I can be one-tenth the warrior she was, I will die happy. She had terrible taste in men. Olafr was a mistake from start to finish. And my father. I have to wonder where her brain was then.’

      ‘Wait until you see what your father offers you.’

      ‘Or who.’ She stifled a yawn. ‘I know what my father will want of me, Aedan. He’ll have handpicked a blockhead of a warrior for me, one he didn’t want to risk on this journey. But I’ll find a way to teach my father a lesson and then we negotiate.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘Did my father—’

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