Free Sword of Doom by James Jennewein Page B

does something stupid , he lands on his feet!”
    Rik finished his hornful of mead and belched loudly. “Would you give up your pants to save my life?”
    Jarl thought for a moment. “If I had a spare pair, I would.”
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    Astrid watched Dane in the seat of honor, drinking from the king’s own silver goblet. Seated beside him, the princess seemed utterly entranced by Dane, hanging on his every word, her eyes never leaving his face, as if he were the only person in the room. There was no denying it: Princess Kára was a rare beauty. Delicate boned, with dark brown tresses framing her creamy, pale skin, Kára radiated the kind of girlish vulnerability that made men want to protect her. She had Dane in her sights, and he didn’t appear to be resisting.
    Astrid touched the Thor’s Hammer locket that hung around her neck. It had been only months since she had walked in the woods near their village with Dane and he had given her the locket as a symbol of his love, pledging that they would be together forever. But now, she feared, he was falling under the spell of another. Astrid caught a brief glance from the princess, a self-satisfied smirk that said, See? I have turned his head and there’s nothing you can do about it.
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    Dane’s head was spinning. Everyone was so polite, so accommodating. The food. The drink. The music. The regal setting. And the attentions of Princess Kára! She was so interested in everything he had to say. To be drinking mead from the king’s own silver goblet and to have so manypeople—noblemen, no less—treating him as the center of attention. It felt wonderful to be freed from the needy complaints of the villagers of Voldarstad. For the first time in months he had begun to feel like his old self again. Talkative and self-assured, funny and free.
    For a moment or two he had thought of Astrid and his friends, and felt guilty he hadn’t come down off his regal throne and spent any time with them. But with Kára and Eldred asking him so many questions, his attention was drawn back to them again and again. Plus his friends did seem to be enjoying themselves.
    â€œSo you actually saw Thor’s Hammer?” Kára was saying, her eyes wide with admiration. “How fascinating!” And then a young man pushed his way forward, intent on introducing himself. His name, he said, was Bothvar the Bold, and Dane quickly surmised he was a suitor of Kára’s. Bothvar began to belligerently pepper Dane with questions, insisting on knowing which weapon Dane preferred in hand-to-hand combat. Kára deftly extricated them from this embarrassing moment by turning to the king and blithely asking, “Oh, Uncle, is it not time for our guest of honor to speak?”
    â€œIndeed!” said the king. Clapping his hands to silence the music, Eldred stood and proclaimed in a booming voice, “Dane the Defiant will now present his heroic tale!”
    The hall fell silent. With all eyes suddenly on him, Dane was at a loss. His tale? He was totally unprepared. His mind went blank, his mouth dry. The princess gave his hand alittle squeeze, and seeing her reassuring smile, Dane nervously stood, searching his mind for a good place to start.
    â€œIt was a struggle of good against evil—”
    â€œWe can’t hear you!” said a voice in the back of the hall.
    Dane cleared his throat and began anew, his voice louder but still shaky. “Good against evil! Of honest, hardworking people fighting a despotic ruler with—with little regard for…for—”
    â€œGet to the bloody parts!” a new voice shouted.
    Dane heard the crowd growing restless. His friends began to shout suggestions.
    â€œTell them about the storm at sea,” cried Fulnir, “and the frost giant!”
    â€œThe ice rat!” yelled Rik. “Tell them about that!”
    â€œAnd how I drank the water and got wisdom!” shouted