The people looked happy enough. Their mood was good despite the situation, though she knew it was only going to get worse. These people needed her, not those of her brother-in-law's clan any longer (chief of a Volsaxi tribe). A weakness that was marrying Enestakus. She shook her head remembering their love which had lasted for far too short a time. She had stayed with her husband's people after his death and proved her worth as an organizer and dishthane. She had found a happiness of sorts organizing things and ordering people around for her brother-in-law. But then her brother-in-law had asked her to seal an alliance by marrying Broyan. She had argued long and hard against this. A third marriage was one too many for her tastes but finally her brother-in-law had prevailed and she had agreed to marry him. She shook her head in disgust. Broyan was a war leader all right. He had an amazing ability to lead people and get them to do things but she had seen his type far too often. He was a stalwart in war, a leader to follow to hell and back but he was the sort of restless, driven man who would cause nothing but trouble in peace. He could organize an assault but he couldn't arrange for servants to clean the nightsoil pails from the Hall. Nor could his precious warriors could sully themselves to do the job, she sneered. No, she organized that duty and a thousand others. He needed her to run things and the people needed him to lead them in this time of trouble. Unfortunately they didn't need each other. He was welcome to his useless toy, Meloise. The only good thing about the chit was that she didn't seem totally spineless. Ernalda forbid that the girl ever realized that she had any fondness for her at all. She shook her head and observing some slacking off decided that it was time to put in an appearance and get things moving properly again. She moved out of the shadows.
Oliver
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