Page 38 of The Reluctant Viking

“I don’t understand.”

“Women used to feel that their goal in life was to get married and have children. Now they’re free from that bondage. Many women choose not to have a man in their lives, and some married couples choose not to have children—ever.”

“Well, ne’er have I heard such ridiculous nonsense in all my life! Of course, each woman has her own identity. When Olaf goes a-Viking or trading with Thork, I handle all his business affairs. I can supervise the unloading of a ship, keep accurate accounts, run the farm and home, but when my husband returns, I gladly defer to him the role of head of our household.”

“Haven’t you ever resented giving up that authority?”

“Nay. A man needs to feel he is taking care of his wife and children. If a woman wants to pursue some talent or even own a business, that would be acceptable, as long as it did naught to interfere in his role as provider and head of the family unit. Surely it is so in every country. I cannot imagine otherwise.”

Ruby thought about her words before admitting, “We’ve made tremendous gains for women’s rights in my country, but perhaps we’ve made some mistakes in our haste.”

“Forsooth! What glory could there ever be in a woman acting the man, of carrying that burdensome job all the time? What woman could live with herself if she makes her man feels less than a man?”

What woman, indeed!

“She may as well cut off his male parts, like that song you sing about the man wounded in the Asian War.” Gyda pondered a moment and then turned abruptly to Ruby, her forehead creased in concentration. “Is that why your husband left you? Did you make him feel less the man?”

Ruby closed her eyes wearily. When she opened them, she looked at Gyda bleakly. “I think so. Honest to God, without thinking, that’s just what I did.”

With a heavy heart, Ruby entered the front door of Olaf’s home. She stopped suddenly. Thork sat at the table with his two sons playing the Viking board game Hnefatafl, similar to checkers. They laughed and joked and acted like any normal father and sons.

What was going on here?

When Thork looked up and saw Ruby standing in the doorway, his heart skipped a beat. For the love of Freya! After dozens of battles, endless women, so many he had lost count years ago, his stupid damn heart jumped at the sight of a lackwitted, skinny woman with boy-hair and the attitude of a shrew.

It was that kiss! Thork couldn’t forget the delicious, bone-melting, soul-shattering kiss. Nor his anger over Ruby’s refusal to follow through on the promise inherent in such a kiss. But he blamed himself, as well. He never should have allowed the kiss to happen. He had been lax. Just like today. He should not be here. Thork could not let anyone know that Eirik and Tykir were his sons. It was too dangerous. It would be so easy for his enemies to use the information against him.

Thork stood and signaled silently to the boys. They understood that he could not stay when a stranger was about. At least, he thought they understood. Sometimes when he caught a hurt look in their eyes, he wondered if he should not follow his only other alternative—to take his sons on a ship and disappear to some faraway country, mayhap even that Godforsaken Iceland where so many Vikings fled of late.

“Don’t you even think it!” Ruby told Thork as she stomped up to him, placed a palm on his chest and pushed him back down into the chair. “You’re not leaving here until we’ve had a chance to talk.”

“Do you give me orders, wench?” A smile twitched the corners of Thork’s lips, despite his apparent disbelief over her nerve in pushing him around.

“You bet I do! I’m so mad I could spit nickels.”

“Nickels?”

“It’s not important. Suffice it to say, I’ve had enough of your avoiding me.”

Eirik and Tykir giggled at the sight of their fierce father being bullied by a woman.

“Do you seek my company, sweetling? Wouldst you try my charms, after all? I had not thought my wordfame had spread so far.”

“Wordfame? Charms?” When understanding dawned, Ruby spurted out, “Why, you insufferable slime-sucking frog!”

“Frog?” Thork croaked out on a choked laugh.

“Yes, frog! Leave it to me to land in the dream of a lifetime where I get the frog instead of the prince.”

Thork grinned insufferably, probably not even understanding what she meant.

Ruby clenched her fists tightly to get her emotions under control. Then she turned back to him, calmly. “I want to talk to you about our sons.”

They both glanced immediately to Eirik and Tykir who stared at them, wide-eyed and wide-eared.

“Leave,” Thork ordered his sons. “We will talk afore I depart.”

“Will you stay for dinner, Father, now that Ruby knows?” Tykir pleaded.