Page 6 of Astrid at Sea

We were invited to help ourselves to some of the fresh fruit, so the others had dispersed to get picking before lunch was served. While everyone was otherwise preoccupied, I spotted Roscoe and Manny sneaking away. I wished them good fun but hoped they didn’t get into too much mischief. Viktor was stressed enough as it was, and we had barely been at sea for a day.

Even though the Chiefess of Isle wasn’t present at the feast last night–something I found very strange as guests were present–I had been extended an invitation to have lunch with her in her parlour.

Before lunch, the other women who would attend the luncheon with me gave me a grand tour of Isle.

“You are fortunate to be invited to the Chiefess’ parlour,” the woman leading the tour, Revna, told me. “There are women who have lived on Isle their whole life and have yet to be invited to the Chiefess’ parlour. They would kill for an invitation.”

Revna clearly intended it as a compliment, making it sound like the luncheon was a grand privilege of some sort, but I couldn’t help but grimace. Another feast was scheduled for this evening, and many women had already started work on it. Isle’s population was nearly double that of Jorvik, so there was far more work and preparations to be done, yet these women giving me the tour didn’t seem fazed. They were also dressed far better than any of the women I had spied working earlier, making me think they had no plans to help. Class seemed to be a real issuehere, and as frustratingly stubborn and bone-headed Barden could be at times, he would never have allowed such a thing to happen in Jorvik.

“I feel honoured,” I faked a smile.

“You should,” Revna grinned, and the others agreed.

Once the tour concluded, Revna and the two others, Kindra and Ursula, finally led me to the Chief’s hut. Revna knocked on the door, and as we waited patiently for the Chiefess to open it, she turned and smiled over her shoulder at me. I couldn’t help but note that it was just as fake as the one I had given her earlier.

For some reason, these women didn’t seem to like me. Suddenly, I felt like I was walking into the lion’s den. I was about to make an excuse and leave when the door swung open by a woman far too poorly dressed to be the Chiefess–I only thought this because of the class differences I had observed.

“The Chiefess is in her parlour,” the woman said, turning around to lead the way.

She was just the maid. That made sense.

“Thank you,” I smiled warmly at her and followed. The maid’s smile was hesitant, and she knocked on the parlour door twice before opening it for us. I was the only one who thanked her and the only one she smiled at.

Kindra and Ursula moved to take their seats around the little table in the middle of the room. Two other women were already sitting there. I deemed the woman at the head of the table to be the Chiefess of Isle, sitting tall and proud and with a calculated, too-perfect smile on her face.

“Astrid, this is Lada,” Revna gestured to the women sitting between the Chiefess and Kindra. “And this is our Chiefess, Ivana.”

I had been right about the woman I had assumed to be the Chiefess. She was dressed the grandest of them all, with a large, poofy skirt, the tightest corset I had ever seen be worn out inpublic and even white gloves that covered her hands and arm all the way to above her elbow. She was far too dressed up for a casual luncheon, and I suddenly felt underdressed in my simple dress.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Astrid,” Ivana greeted me with a strained smile. There was no warmth to it. “I hear you are the Captain’s wife.”

“I am.” I nodded curtly, my guard up. “It’s a pity we couldn’t meet at the feast yesterday.”

Ivana pursed her lips as she stared at me for a few moments, and I was almost certain she was trying to suppress a smile. “I wasn’t feeling well,” she told me before gesturing to the only empty seating cushion at the table. To my joy, it was the one between her and Revna.

The sharp look she sent all the others when she thought I wasn’t looking told me she wasn’t being entirely truthful with me. Perhaps there was more truth to those rumours Caspian and Viktor had told me yesterday than I thought.

“Please sit and help yourself to a cup of tea,” Ivana said. “Usually, I would have a maid here to do that for us, but they’re all busy preparing for the feast tonight.”

One thing that was very clear to me was that all of these women were older than me, at least by ten years. It made me feel smaller, more inadequate and out of place than I cared to admit, but I refused to show weakness in front of these women.

“I must admit, Astrid,” Lada said from across the table. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I was shocked to hear that one of the crew had brought their wife and cat along with them on a mission. I’ve heard of a few rebel females embarking on a short mission to test their sea legs, but they never last.”

“Yes,” I chuckled, the sound strained. “It was a sort of last-minute decision.”

“What compelled him to make such a decision?” Kindra asked, peering at me as if she believed it to be the most absurd thing ever.

“My husband couldn’t bear the thought of being away from me for so long, and honestly, neither could I.” I shrugged, surprised by their frowning faces. They looked at me like the notion of a husband and wife missing each other when separated was absurd.

“My husband is a seaman, as well,” Revna said. “But he’s never thought about taking me to sea with him. When he returns to land, he hardly wants to talk about his time on the water.”

Kindra, Lada and Ursula all nodded, their experiences matching up with Revna. It appeared that the only person around this table who wasn’t part of a crew was Ivana’s husband, but that was because he was the Chief of Isle instead.

“We’re newly married,” I told them, trying not to cringe at the bitter taste of the tea. It was far too strong for me, but I was determined to drink at least half of it. I didn’t want to give Ivana any more reason to dislike me.

“It’s still very strange,” Ivana frowned, looking to be deep in thought. “I’ve heard a lot of sea stories in my time as Chiefess, from our crew and those that stop by for trade or a warm meal, but I have never heard of a crew member, let alone a Captain, taking his wife and her cat along with him.”

“I guess Viktor is a first then,” I chuckled, but none of them echoed the sound.

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