Chapter Text
“Vater, there must be another way we can resolve this! Something other than marrying me off to Aksel’s fucking daughter.” The tall, dark haired, muscular man paced up and down, clenching and unclenching his fists.
The other man in the room spoke with a rumbling voice. The two bore a striking resemblance, though clearly father and son, the older man was more weathered with age. They both had the same dazzling green eyes. Bright as jewels. “Agron, my son, calm yourself. This was not a decision I have made lightly. You of all people know why this must be done.”
Agron did know. He had fought in a battle between his own clan and that of Aksel’s village. The feud between these two clans east of the Rhine had been raging for centuries. Disputes over land, a claim that one elder had stolen cattle from another, a growing bitterness all those years ago had festered between the clans until conflict had broken out. They had been at war with each other ever since. Agron had grown up learning about it and even though many years passed between any serious skirmishes, when Agron was eighteen he was called up to fight his first battle. Many were lost on both sides and Agron who fought bravely and savagely was struck down near the end of the battle. A spear had been thrust at his heart but before collapsing himself he pulled out the weapon and turned it on his attacker splitting his skull as he brought it down on his head. He still had nightmares about it, could still hear the sickening crunch.
Agron, absentmindedly, rubbed the scar he now bore above his heart. The wound had nearly killed him. He continued to pace the room growling at his father’s words. ‘He doesn’t understand why I can’t do this’ Agron thought. He knew that this union would help to start repairing the damage of so many years of war. But in his heart he was torn.
Agron’s father stood and approached his son who was striding like a caged animal. “You must do this Agron. For your people, for me.” He put a hand on Agron’s shoulder to stop him pacing. “For your brother.” These words changed everything for Agron. He glared at his father baring his teeth slightly. He knew that the mention of Duro would force Agron to relent. A last resort used by his father many times in the past. The look on Agron’s face softened and he silently nodded his agreement to his father. They embraced and his father squeezed him a little too tight. An apology Agron thought. It was done then.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Duro was chasing a serving girl around the kitchen when Agron finally found his brother. He stood in the doorway and smiled as he watched Duro pinch the squealing girl’s legs and backside. Agron laughed out loud when the girl turned on Duro and placed a loud smack on his ear before scuttling from the room.
“Owww” Duro put on a hurt look and rubbed his ear as he approached Agron who was still shaking with laughter. They hugged each other and Duro punched Agron playfully in the stomach. “You have always had the same effect on the ladies, little brother.” He put his arm around the younger man. He knew now without a doubt that he had to marry Aksel’s daughter Saxa. His brother was so free-spirited and innocent. He had been too young to follow Agron into battle all those years ago which had left him untarnished by the same experiences that Agron had. Agron was told when he returned home from the battlefield that Duro had sobbed for two days after his brother left and stayed silent for the weeks that Agron was gone. Although, Duro had stubbornly denied this when Agron questioned him on it. Agron knew he must do anything to protect that innocence. He would give his life to protect it if he needed to.
“I have news, brother. Come, sit with me.” They walked through the kitchen into a large room used for entertaining. There was a balcony outside its large doorways and Agron guided his brother out into the sunlight to sit on the grainy sandstone of the balcony wall. Agron sighed deeply and Duro knew to allow time for his brother to form the right words. Duro knew his brother so well they were almost like twins even though Agron was five years older than him. Finally, Agron was ready to speak.
“I’m going to be leaving home, Duro. I am to be married.” Duro couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His eyes widened and he smiled at his brother like he was waiting for the punch line to the joke. When Agron’s face remained grave he blinked a few times and jumped up from where he sat. “But you can’t! Agron, you…”
“I know.” Agron smiled. He appreciated Duro’s compassion. “But this needs to be done. I am honoured to do this to start healing old wounds between our peoples.” Agron had to make Duro believe that he was at least a little on board with this arrangement. “Besides, I have heard that Saxa has grown into a beautiful woman, and an even more formidable warrior. Remember the time she threw you over her hip and knelt on you at the first peace talks. You were both children but she managed to overpower you easily enough as I recall!” Agron said this with a sly smile. He was trying to tease Duro, lighten the mood so that he didn’t have to worry.
“She caught me off guard” Duro grumbled back. “How did I know she didn’t want to be kissed?!” The brothers laughed together, all seriousness forgotten. The moment was all too brief however and Duro’s face fell into a pained look once again.
“Seriously brother, this match is not right for you. I’m sure if you told father he would not send you knowing you would face a lifetime of unhappiness.” Duro’s face was so sincere that Agron struggled to control the emotions rising in him. He would not shed a tear. Too much was depending on this marriage. ‘The consequences of not going would be so much worse’ he thought. What is that compared to a little unhappiness?
“I won’t be unhappy, Duro. Not if you come with me. Pestering me constantly. As always!” Agron slung an arm over Duro’s shoulder and mussed his dreadlocks with his knuckles. Duro’s face broke into a smile. Nothing was that bad as long as they were together. They could face anything the gods threw at them. “Well I wouldn’t want you to get bored now would I?” Duro answered with a sharp elbow to Agron’s ribs!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A blur of golden hair and lean physique tore through the muslin drapes into the softly lit bedchamber almost tearing them to the ground. A dark skinned man with long raven hair jumped up from repairing a garment, startled by the unexpected and violent intrusion.
“Saxa, what’s happened?!” the slender man asked her. She replies by throwing herself dramatically onto the bed with a loud ‘grumpfh’ and sinking down into the large cushions strewn there. Saxa propped her chin on her arms and looked at the man with annoyance, although he knows the annoyance isn’t actually directed at him.
“My father, in all his wisdom, has conspired to sell me off to be married to Agron! Jupiter’s cock!! All for the good of the village of course, oh yes, never mind me. I even feel sorry for Agron, the big brute! It’s all arranged! We are to be married in Agron’s village and then he will come to live here! As my new husband!!” Saxa stopped to catch her breath. “What am I going to do Nasir?” She sighed loudly. Nasir, still trying to process the onslaught of his mistress’s words, perched on the edge of the bed and placed a hand over hers, squeezing gently.
“Will this marriage help to start building bridges between your people?” Saxa nodded solemnly. “Well I suppose for the good of your people it is your duty to comply. You are the village elder’s daughter, Saxa. That comes with responsibility, however unfortunate. You never know, you could grow to love him over time. You have met this Agron before have you not? What is he like?”
Saxa shifted her body up so she was now leaning up with her chin on her hands. “Well, it has been many years since I last met with him. A few years before I met you.” Nasir smiled at the fact that Saxa had said met him not purchased him. “He was, oh I don’t know, brooding, serious I think. It was a peace talk so things were strained. I remember his brother being quite the handful. Totally different to Agron yet they were like each other’s shadow. He was, oh I don’t know!” Saxa said, exasperated.
“Well what did he look like?” Nasir asked noticing Saxa had calmed down considerably. He had always had that effect on her fiery temperament.
“He was very handsome, striking, but not really my type. I suppose he will have improved even more with age though. I dare say many of the young girls in the village will be jealous of my new man!” They both laughed. “He did have amazingly beautiful green eyes. Just wait until you see them.” Saxa said dreamily. Nasir made a mental note to do just that. “See maybe it will be a good thing after all.” Nasir smiled at his mistress pleased that once again he had helped her like no one else could. Saxa scrambled up on her knees and threw her arms around Nasir. “What would I do without you?” Nasir smiled and hugged her back. “Probably get into a lot more fights!” They both fell onto the bed, laughing.