winter. Even the druid Heres looked content, sipping beer brought all the way from XuinDo.
The idyllic atmosphere of the feast lifted even the spirits of the furious Astrid, who had managed to unleash a veritable storm on her husband the moment he crossed the threshold, but Olaf must have really gone to great lengths with the presents for his wife this time, as she was now nestled against his shoulder, gazing at her sons with contentment.
As it turned out, Dirk’s father, captain of the Sea Claw, was the most vocal at the feast. Everyone already knew that his eldest son, in accordance with the druid’s prophecy, had not returned from his expedition, but it was only at the feast that they learnt why.
Dirk’s brother had fallen madly in love with the daughter of a merchant with whom their father did business. Fortunately, the girl reciprocated his feelings and accepted Helgi’s proposal at the first opportunity. Without waiting for their fathers’ decision, the young couple sought out a priest of Solas and asked him to perform the ceremony. When they returned, they found their parents debating what to do about their children.
According to Dirk, his father recounted at home that when he saw Helgi with a wreath on his head and his arm around Isabele’s waist, he was furious. It wasn’t at all about his choice of partner; he was simply angry that his own son hadn’t thought to invite his old man to the wedding. The bride’s father reportedly had exactly the same thoughts.
Now the Inner family were related by marriage to the Xuindon merchants, and Helgi had remained in the empire to learn the trade from his father-in-law, so that in future he could take over the family business together with his wife. Heres was the first to congratulate the captain on his son’s good fortune, but Einar suspected that the druid’s joy stemmed from the fact that, this time, his prophecy had foretold not death, but a fated meeting.
There were many more reasons to celebrate, so the feast continued in full swing
