#Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid

[ceridwenofwales]

Emer answered, “He proposed marriage.”

Maél laughed, “To who? Everyone knows he doesn't like women.”

Emer was blushing. Her mother understood what she wanted to say.

“He wants to marry me.”

“Impossible. I’ll never allow it. It's an offense to think I would marry my last daughter to a monster.”

“Well, you allowed your first daughter to marry Cerball. Maybe, it's a good option, father.”

Máel couldn’t regret more about his decision to marry his eldest daughter to a man that would come to be his enemy. “Never. Only if I die. Can you imagine the terrible things he could do to you? They are not trustworthy. We must get rid of those pagans!”

“You might be right that we can't trust them. Yet, the only monster I saw there was uncle. He tried to slap me. Ivar didn't allow it.”

Landa was quiet, watching her daughter speaking. She was surprised that Emer was defending the Northman from her father’s wrath.

“So now you call the foreigner by his name. What happened there?”

[ceridwenofwales]

Cerball smiled back. “We should forget the reasons that brought you here, then you would live in my lands, among my family, your family.”

Emer replied sarcastic reply. “I see. All you ask is for me to betray my father. I wonder how they, I mean your allies, can trust you. You’re betraying your blood. What could stop you from killing them as soon as they are not helpful?”

Ivar liked her way of thinking. He could see her answer has made her uncle nervous. He didn’t trust the man.

“I’m curious to know the answer to your niece’s question.” Ivar asked Cerball.

Cerball started blushing and said. “She is just a child. Her father sent her because he doesn’t take you seriously.”

Ivar looked at her face with an expression Emer couldn’t name. “She doesn’t look like a child for me.”