Page 152 of Swordheart
“—I still don’t want to see either ofyouagain.”
Something was rushing into the hollowness, filling it up. She did not quite know what it was. It felt like rage.
“Now Halla…”
“I don’t even know why you’re here.”
“Bartholomew told us to come,” said Malva. “He knew Alver was the only one softhearted enough to still want you.”
Halla stared at her, then broke into a high, braying laugh. She knew it was an ugly sound, and that was fine. She had no desire at the moment to be beautiful. “Do you think Icare? I don’t want him.”
Malva flicked her fingers, dismissing this. “It hardly matters what you want. You clearly can’t manage your own life. You’ll come with us, and this will become a family matter again.”
“Once you’re carrying a child, it’ll be easier,” Alver assured her desperately. “Then you won’t want them to be illegitimate so you’ll understand that it’s best to marry me. We can put all this behind us. Mother said so.”
Halla stared at him for so long that he started to sweat. “Really, Halla…”
She began to laugh incredulously. “Are youdaft?”
“Youmust be daft!” said Malva. “Carrying on all over the countryside with that—that barbarian! You’re lucky my son agreed to wed you at all, with that kind of scandal hanging over you!”
“Carrying on? Oh yes, there was carrying on!” Halla could hardly believe what she was about to say, but she suspected it was her only chance. “We carried on like you wouldn’t believe! He bedded me in half the inns from here to Archon’s Glory!”
Alver recoiled, eyes the size of saucers.
“And I enjoyed it!”
“Stop this!” Alver tried to bellow, but it came out as more of a squeak. “I don’t want to hear such talk!”
“AndI’m pregnant!” shouted Halla, throwing caution to the winds.
Aunt Malva stepped in and slapped Halla across the face.
Halla slapped her right back.
“Mother!”
“Are you going to let her do that to your mother?” said Malva, holding her hands to her face.
“No, of course not… err… Halla, I’m very sorry, but you can’t carry on like this…” He grabbed for her wrists.
“If you two get out of my house, I won’t have to!”
“This is notyourhouse,” said Malva coldly. The imprint of Halla’s hand on the side of her face had left a blurry mark in her makeup. “It belongs to the family. It will not go to you to use like a whorehouse. You will go into the countryside where you cannot shame any of us.” She looked Halla up and down, lip curled. “If you are carrying that barbarian’s bastard, you’ll soon be properly grateful that anyone will have you at all.”
Alver managed to get hold of both her wrists. Halla twisted her arms furiously, but he held them fast. She took some small pleasure that he had to work for it, and sweat started to pop out on his forehead. “Halla, stop! I don’t—don’t want to hurt—stop that!”
“Tie her up,” snapped Malva. “Tie her up and put her with the other one!”
Wait…the other one? Does Alver have a whole stable of women here or something?
In practice, Malva did the tying. She wound rope around Halla’s wrists while Alver stood behind her, locking her arms in place. The feel of his chest against her back made her skin crawl.
“And you brought rope, I see. So you knew you’d have to tie me up to get me to the altar. Did you plan on gagging me soI can’t denounce you to the priest? Tying me to the bed afterward?”
Alver made a pained noise. Malva just glared. “You’ll be grateful soon enough,” the old woman said. “After you’ve had a while to think about it. I suggest you stop acting like a whore and start thinking about what’s best for you. And your…” her lip curled “… child.”
Halla fumed while Alver walked her upstairs. She thought about making him drag her, but it seemed like that would result in a lot of bruises to little effect.
