“This is ancient steel,” Craxon said, “far too fine to be buried.” He took it back out of the heat and placed it on the anvil and gave it a whack.

“The fineness of the steel… is doubtlessly great, and yet… that is the least of my concerns,” Tyra went on, having to time her words between the hard clangs.

“Everyone should have the means to defend themselves, especially in these troubled times,” Craxon explained. “You know what we call a person without a blade in her belt.”

“Being unarmed is the sign of a prisoner or a hostage,” Tyra said, being patient. “And nobody is making the point that Lady Aretha, who is neither, shouldn’t have a blade of her own. She certainly seems to find trouble at an alarming rate. But must it be the Prince of Ragnhildros who forges that blade?”

“My hammer falls as accurately as anyone else’s.”

“Granted, but that isalsonot my point. I simply mean—”

“Yes, I know,” Craxon said, trying to control his irritation. “I spent two days with a woman. I came back in her company, and most anyone who has eyes in their heads can see that there’s more between Aretha and me than just a passing acquaintance.”

Tyra said nothing.

Craxon glanced up. The old woman was sinewy and tall and looked powerful. She was dressed like the shieldmaiden she had been all her life, with a short leather skirt, a broad belt with a shining buckle and a long sword hanging from it, a short leatherarmor shirt, two big brooches on her chest, and a big pauldron to protect the shoulder opposite from her sword arm.

Her gray hair was gathered in the usual braid, and she had tied a thin, blue ribbon to one of her small horns — the sign of a member of the Royal Council. She normally never wore that, so now she was stressing her formal responsibility. That was not a good sign.

He also didn’t like the look in her eye. Was that jealousy?

Holy Zhor, surelyshewasn’t in love with him, too?

“Very well,” he sighed, “you want me to speak about it all. I shall, and then the Royal Council can decide what is to become of me. I found Aretha irresistible from the moment I saw her. I can’t explain why, and I don’t want to. She’s special, Tyra. I felt it in my bones. And so I avoided her as much as I could, because of the curse. But at the same time, I wanted her safe. Nobody was guarding her! During a Big Shine! When she and the other one went into the mountains on some crazy errand, I followed them. I chased the vettir away. At the other alien female’s birthday party, there was no shieldmaiden of Bragr’s, the way I told you before. It was Aretha. And it was… oh, it was magnificent!”

He glanced over at the former lendkven, hoping his words had found their mark.

Tyra stared into the open fire. “I know that, Highness. Many saw you and Lady Aretha walk towards the beach together, after you had cut short the dishonorable advances of a young warrior.”

Craxon raised his eyebrows. “You knew for days without saying anything?”

“There was nothing to say, Highness. What was done was done. And I did notice that you were keeping your distance to her. I thought, perhaps there’s no harm done. As long as it didn’t happen again.”

“Then came Eira’s battle with the skrymtir,” he went on. “And we hurried to help. Aretha had been taken by trolls. Bragr asked me to pursue while he stayed with his dying shieldmaiden. I admit I was hesitant because of Kofraks’s curse. But I went, and Aretha and I ended up on an island together. And while there, alone, we deepened ourlove.”

He said the word with relish, knowing it made it impossible for Tyra to ignore.

“The Prince of Ragnhildros is not allowed to love,” she said. “It is forbidden.”

“Now recite the curse,” he dared her, “and the threats and everything. And then tell me that I can no longer be prince ruler.”

“You ask much of me.” Her voice was strained.

“I only ask you to do your duty as the Royal Chaperone. For the good of Ragnhildros.” He gave the blade a final three hammer blows and then drenched the red-hot blade in a bucket of oil.

“Craxon, if I had the power to force you from the throne, I would do it right now,” Tyra said with force, eyes shooting blue lightning. “I have spent my life fighting for Ragnhildros. And for its people. I have seen scores of our warriors die and be grievously injured in battles that matteredmuch lessthan Kofraks’s curse does! And I saw the necessity. Wemustkeep our people safe from danger. But now, with your love of Lady Aretha, you are risking the lives of our entire people! All the deaths andthe injuries of our warriors were for nothing, then!”

Craxon stiffened. He’d never seen Tyra angry before, and it was a chilling sight. “Ask me to abdicate, and I will.”

“I don’t have the power to ask that,” Tyra said, pulling herself together. “Only the full Royal Council has. And unlike our prince, our trusted ruler, we know how to do our dutyright. I must say this is the most dangerous event of my lifetime. Until now, you have been the most admired prince we’ve had in living memory. Ragnhildros has prospered during your rule like never before. Highness, I beg you to come to your senses! Disown the alien female and return to your land! There are other ways to be happy!”

He held the new blade in the tongs and inspected it in the light from the forge. “I don’t believe there is a curse. I think there may have been one, a long time ago. But who is to say that Kofraks has the power to cause even the slightest harm to our people and our land? Who is to say that he even exists anymore? Every little accident is said to be caused by him. A ship sinks? It was Kofraks. A kraken attacks a fishing boat? It must be Kofraks, everyone says. A storm devastates a coastal village? Kofraks! A farm is buried in a landslide? Clearly it was Kofraks! As if other realms don’t have those things happening to them! Even yesterday, krakens attacked Hjalmarheim! And Kofraks has not cast a curse onthisland. No, Tyra. There is no curse. It is now a joke. A cruel joke. It’s entirely inhuman to expect a man to deny himself love his whole life! What kind of life is that?”

“It is a life that many princes lived before you, and they bore it like thementhey were. I am your servant and your shieldmaiden and lendkven, Highness. But I am first and foremost a Ragnhildrose. When we return to our homeland, I will inform the Council.” Tyra bowed. “Good morning, Your Highness.” Sheleft the forge, head held high, jaw clenched.

Craxon gave the steel a couple more strokes, then leaned back on the wooden wall of the forge, making it creak. “Helviti.”

“Let’s hope not, Crax,” a voice rumbled. “Many years from now, we shall end up in Valhalla, not that other place.”