Ragnar the Murderer Read Online Free Page B

mainly ceorls, the freemen and theow, the slaves. They had a thegn, Framric, who lived in a grand hall on the outskirts of the village and as one of his duties, helped settle disputes between villagers.
     
    *  *  *
     
    Ragnar and Bjarni went back towards Hallfridby.
    “ That was different to normal feasts,” said Bjarni. “Why did you make us take them home so early?”
    Ragnar shrugged.
    “ Shall we ask them to come to the next one?”
    He shrugged again. “What time’s training tomorrow?”
    Bjarni realised his friend was in one of his reticent moods, and gave up.
    “ It’s after lunch. Steinar knows none of us will get up early after Jolablot.”
    “ That’s true.”
    A wolf howled in the distance, and the duo quickened their pace, walking the rest of the way in silence. In truth, Ragnar didn’t know why he had become so angry, but he didn’t want to talk about it.
    The feast had not finished, although most people were falling asleep by now. The two stole back into the hall without anyone noticing they had been gone, as far as they knew. People were falling asleep around the sides of the hall so Ragnar and Bjarni found an empty bench, and dozed off among them.
     
    *  *  *
     
    At Aelfwyn’s home, life carried on as usual. As the oldest daughter, she did a large share of the work, but everyone pitched in.
    There was always cooking to be done and the fire to be tended. During the morning she or her mother made cheese and butter from the first milk of the season, brought to her from the cows by Sigulf. There were also the vegetables to collect: early spring’s onions, carrots, parsnips.
    The evening meal needed preparing by midday at the latest. Her large family of nine ate a lot, and the vegetable preparing for the stew alone took hours.
    And of course the endless washing and repairing of clothes. Weaving, sewing and spinning were vital tasks as clothes wore out so quickly in the strenuous physical life of the time.
    Sigulf and the other boys helped their father with the farming. They also rose early to chop wood and feed the animals: pigs, sheep, cows, goats, horses, chickens, ducks geese. They all had their own needs and had to be cleaned and tended. Sheep, cows and goats were milked, the birds’ eggs needed to be collected for eating, the feathers for pillows.
    They tended the wheat, barley, oats, rye and beans, keeping weeds and pests at bay so they wouldn’t spoil the harvest later in the year.
    Other jobs were specialised in the village: people worked with bone, embroidery, pottery, leather. They went fishing, crafted wood, stone, iron. Byrnstanham was a busy place with much to distract the idle mind. But Aelfwyn’s mind wandered despite this, remembering the feast and what a diversion it had been.
     
    *  *  *
     
    A week later, Aelfwyn’s father again called her to him.
    “ Eadbald and I have made the arrangements for your betrothal. I trust you are not unhappy with this?”
    “ No, father.”
    “ Because you will be mistress of your own house at last. I think you will flourish in that role, leof. Anyway, Eadbald is coming to visit at lunch time, you must make yourself presentable.”
    She went to comb her hair, put on her best dress and brooches. She braided her hair neatly, to show her growing maturity.
    When lunch came, Eadbald arrived with two friends, one a thegn called Cyneric, grandly dressed, with blue wool trousers, a leather belt and a woollen outer tunic, complemented by richly embroidered gloves. The other, Brunstan, a ceorl, wore a less impressive costume.
    “ Good afternoon,” smiled Eadbald. Thickset, with thinning blond hair and a sallow complexion, he introduced his friends, who looked much the same. Aelfwyn had known of Eadbald for as long as she could remember. one of her father’s friends, he dwelled on the fringe of her world as an unremarkable figure.
    They sat outside the hut despite the cold weather, because of course smoke filled the interior.
    “ I would like