Page 46 of Hungry Like a Wolf
“And I am a Christian woman who cannot bed a man who is not my husband.”
“We will wed today.”
A brief smile flashed over her mouth as though amused by his urgency.
“What? Is that funny?” he asked.
“You do not want to marry me. I am your thrall.”
“You are my princess and I will make you my queen.”
“Your people will not accept it.”
“They will do as they are told. I will make them accept it. If they don’t, they will be punished.”
“Is that how you intend to go through life? As a dictator?” She paused and a slight frown appeared, as though a memory had come to her. “A king who punishes anyone who does not agree with you?”
He wasn’t sure how to answer that. Wasn’t that how a king should be? Yet there was a warning in her eyes that he’d better answer the correct way. “Do you want me to be a dictator?”
“No.” She pushed at him. “Of course not.” She wriggled free and slipped from the bed.
He sat, hands up, as though in surrender. “What did I do wrong?”
“You can’t just announce you’re going to marry me.”
“Why not? You came to me in bed last night.Mybed. Surely, that proves you want me.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “I was asleep. That is all. I didn’t know what I was doing.”
“You did when you kissed me just then.”
“Ravn.” She stepped up to him and cupped his face, staring down at him. “You have an inherent distaste for Christendom. I have seen your disapproval of Haakon marrying Kenna and converting to God’s flock. You are not Christian and you do not want to be. It could never be between us.”
“I understand it now. I was hasty back then.”
“What do you understand?”
“That all of our gods, yours and mine, weave our paths together. They are one and the same.”
“There is only one God. My God.”
“Do not disrespect Thor and Odin and the gods who feast with them.”
“I apologize.” She straightened and stepped away. “Truly.”
He said nothing.
“There must be a woman here in Drangar who would serve you better as your wife. A woman who knows the Viking ways and who can be a good mother to Thormod.”
“There is no woman here for me.” He thought of Helga and how he’d told her that she’d never be his queen despite her obvious desire for him. He just hadn’t felt the same. “That is why my destiny set me on a path to Tillicoulty. That is why your destiny also took you there, to a village that was not yours. So that our paths would cross, so that you would come here and help me be a better king.”
“A better king?”
“I need your gentle wisdom.” He stepped closer, sensing she wasn’t about to bolt or slap him and her irritation was calming. “I admire your thoughts, your ideas. You are a worthy queen and I would be proud to have you at my side.”
“Ravn.” Her eyes misted a little. “But…”
“There is nobut.”
