the room resounded with shouted objections. Rathe finally quieted his father and his advisors by saying, “We know the Northlander’s reputation. He is renowned as the best. By demonstrating what he did outside in the courtyard, I am convinced that he is the man to direct this expedition. I am convinced that he should take the back route, over the mountains. I only insist on one change in the plan. I will accompany Björn and Aleanna. However, the final decision is yours to make, Father.”
Everyone looked toward Brewster. He looked anguished and in emotional turmoil, his eyes on his daughter as he attempted to absorb Rathe’s suggestion. Finally he said, “I left it to you to decide upon the marriage, but I cannot leave this decision to you, Aleanna.”
Aleanna replied calmly, “I have complete faith in the Northlander, Father. We should follow his advice.”
In a much softer tone, Brewster said, “We shall rest on this. It may look different in the morning.”
The meeting broke up, and Aleanna showed Björn to his room. It was large and most pleasant, with a blazing fire in a huge fireplace that warmed the room. Björn was not aware that Aleanna had prepared the room herself. For reasons not apparent even to her, she had wanted to make a good impression on him.
As she prepared to leave the room, setting a small lamp on the table beside the bed, she asked, “Will this be satisfactory?”
Björn gave an appreciative glance around the room. “This is real luxury for me. I usually sleep on the ground!” Then, with penetrating eyes, he said softly, “As a princess, you are not anything like I expected.”
Aleanna, blushing, answered, “How many daughters of kings have you known? How would you know what to expect of a princess?”
He brightened with an elusive smile and barely audible chuckle. “You are the first princess I have ever known, but from what I have heard about royal families, I expected a spoiled young girl, weak and frail.”
“So,” she teased, “do you naturally assume that I am just a spoiled princess who is weak and frail?”
“No,” Björn assured her. “You seem to be a mature and confident young woman, capable of taking care of yourself. I honestly expected you to be a burden. Your brother also impresses me as a formidable warrior, which is more than I expected of a prince.”
Feeling that propriety demanded that she make her exit, a blushing Aleanna bid him good night. While seldom concerned with propriety, she did not want Björn to think ill of her.
Later, at her dressing table, Aleanna brushed her hair, something she rarely asked her personal maid to do. She preferred attending to her personal needs because it allowed her rare private time to think. As she brushed slowly through her hair, she thought of the Northlander. What a unique man! She recalled blushing in his presence, and she couldn’t recall blushing since she was a very young girl. Why did she find him so fascinating? She really knew very little about him, yet she trusted him instinctively. Were the tales she heard about him true? One tale said he prevailed in battle against twenty soldiers. Why did she have this sense of security that she would be safe with him in any situation and any circumstance? Why did she feel his respect when they had first met?
Finally putting her brush aside, she slipped into bed, still thinking of this unusual man, the Northlander Björn. She decided she would have time to learn more about him in the days ahead. Turning on her side, she pulled the down-filled blanket around her and fell into a peaceful sleep.
In the morning, after Aleanna had bathed and dressed herself, again without the attendance of her personal maid, she walked to the stables and found Björn grooming his horse. She walked up casually and commented, “You are up early.”
“I need little sleep,” said Björn, “I came here to spend some time with Jago. He is not accustomed to confinement and is not very comfortable in a stable. I keep telling him it will not be long and we will be out in the open again.”
Aleanna asked, “His name is Jago?”
“Yes,” Björn answered, “I named him when we were very young—shortly after we first met.”
“What do you mean?” she asked. “How do you meet a horse?”
“I think we were looking for each other.” Smiling, he continued, “We were both much younger, in the Northland. We were both learning to survive pretty much on our own.”
She started to touch Jago, who stood quite still and tense. “You trained him well.”
“Do not try to touch him,” Björn cautioned, and she drew back. “He does not know you. And I did not train him. Rather I won his trust and confidence. He seems to just enjoy my company.”
Björn smoothed his hand over Jago’s back. “This horse probably is much different to me than your animals are to you. We are more like partners. He does what I ask only because he wants to, not because I could ever force him to perform. And, of course, I usually do what he wants.”
Aleanna leaned against a stall. “He must be very intelligent.
“I think Jago is much smarter than me,” Björn responded.
Aleanna continued to study Jago. “He seems small for a warrior’s horse, but very muscular. I imagine this horse can run all day long without tiring,” she said. She glanced at Björn. “We should go up and have some breakfast, then while my father and his advisors are arguing about the plan to get me to Carigo, let us come back and I will give you a tour of the castle lands. Would you like that?”
Enthusiastically, Björn replied, “I would like that very much.”
When they entered the castle for breakfast, they heard the king and his advisors continuing their loud discussion about the plan to escort the princess to Carigo. Aleanna placed her hand softly on Björn’s shoulder and said, “We must not allow them to ruin our morning.” She led him into a small dining area, where she addressed one lone servant. “Please bring in some breakfast for Björn and me.” As she led him to a small table, she said, “We can have our breakfast here in peace.” A servant almost immediately brought fresh coffee, breads, eggs and an assortment of breakfast meats and fresh fruits.
When the princess and Björn finished eating, Aleanna asked him to go on to the stables and wait for her while she donned her riding apparel.
When Björn arrived at the stables, there were two castle horses saddled and waiting. He wanted to take Jago out because he had been confined in the stable since their arrival, but would do as Aleanna wished. When she arrived, dressed in knee-high black boots, black trousers and a tan man’s shirt, she walked to the sleek gray mare. Stroking the mare’s neck, she said, “I selected this mare as my own because I was there at her birth.”
Jago’s head was reaching out over the stable gates. Björn took the reins of the horse the stable boy had selected for him to ride and finally, with an apologetic tone asked, “Can Jago come with us? I mentioned before how he hates to be confined.”
Aleanna, with true understanding, said, “Yes, of course. I am sure you would prefer to give him some freedom. You may ride your own horse if you like.”
Björn answered, “No. I rarely ride Jago; he prefers to walk beside me.”
Björn and Aleanna rode out side by side, and she began pointing
