soldiers who had been brought to the feast. Right from the start, he had noticed that the legionaries were treating the Ytrens with haughtiness and contempt.
They kept to themselves and didn’t even respond to attempts by the people of Stairon to strike up a conversation. Things began to look a bit worse as time passed and they’d had a few drinks. They started making, seemingly offhand, rather unflattering remarks, and later on began to behave in a vulgar manner. Things started to look really bad when one of the soldiers compared Haltstein the Strong’s wife to a harlot. Fistfights were about to break out when both knights appeared behind the soldiers and put a firm stop to the legionnaires’ boisterous laughter. Alas, the whole situation had spoiled the atmosphere, and the feast came to an end shortly afterwards.
The soldiers, under the supervision of First Officer Hex, were sent back to the ship, whilst the remaining officers were offered hospitality at the jarl’s house. Once everyone had left and only the Anson family remained in the banquet hall, along with a few maids clearing the food from the tables, Olaf heaved a heavy sigh and slumped onto one of the benches. Although he had kept pace with all the guests in drinking throughout the evening, he now looked at his sons with a clear head.
‘I’ve no idea what brought the legate of the 44th Legion here, but I reckon it’s something big,’ he began, glancing around for any overly prying ears. ‘What’s more, it seems the legionaries accompanying him have barely left the training camp and are sorely lacking in manners and experience.’ He sighed, shaking his head. ‘Really, didn’t they realise they were courting their own death?’
‘They’ve been behaving strangely from the start,’ said Bragi, glancing back at the spot where the legionaries had been sitting during the feast. ‘What’s particularly odd is that they didn’t even pay any attention to the legate or the other officers.’
‘And when they walked in, they did so with such arrogance that it was hard to believe,’ added Surt,
