Inside Look at the Viking Rus

BLADE HONER - Book Two: My Enemy's Head by Maria Kvilhaug
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book was a great read. It was very informative and it gives the reader an inside view as to what Viking Rus life was like in Audjeberg. This novel was also very entertaining and enjoyable. Once I started I found it really hard to put down. The story reads more like a narrative of life in the viking compound and how the two young girls captured from their village are getting used to lif with the Russ.
From the previous story Zivah and Thordiss were kidnapped from from their village and were the sole survivors of a massacre. zivah was brought over as a slave, while Thordiss was recognized as the lady of the court. In effect she is the only free woman in the Viking settlement. The rest of the women are slaves or sheaths. Slaves wear collars and call their masters either house bond or herri. There is an illusion that viking mistreat women, nothing could really be further from the truth. Vikings thought it unmanly to make a woman sad and that would also displease the gods. Viking can only do it with any woman only if sh agrees. Sheaths are basically like concubine, save that they are shared between six men, but those are lovers that are permanent.
Slowly but surely the girls get used to with the Viking and even enjoy bein among them. In Norse culture women are blade honers which means it is their job to give men a hard time so as toughen them up and make them warriors. Men listen to the verdict of women, it is important because it is always true. In Norse culture men must respect women.
There is one Viking, despised thoroughout the camp, who is known for abusing women. When he goes to far with Zivah and hurts her and humiliates her a group of Vikings go to the kindly women, who are priestesses of Hel, Goddess of the underworld. They give Hialti a taste of justice, which is where the title comes in. Acccording to their rules if a man seriously harasses a maiden the warriors of the clan go after that man cut off his head and give it to the woman. The skull is dipped in silver and used as a drinking cup.
After this there is a ritual of the Yule where in Thordiss shows her real power. It is during these rituals oor holidays that the rules are turned upside down. as they get used to camp life Zivah learns to warmup with Thioden, the skald, to whom she was given. It takes time to realize that in a harsh environment, what seemed to be cruel was really a kindness. Thioden who hails from Europe did not partake in the slaughter but he is still he is trying to be worhty of her affections and forgiveness. Thioden teaches THordiss her innner spiritual power and about Norse life. Thioden is a prince who has in soul song to rule people. He was taught a long time ago by wand witches how to serve the people he rules.
The book also gives the back story on the slaves and how they came to the encampment. It tells what life was like and how degraded they had been before they arrived to Arnulfs encampment. Over all life got better for slaves once they were owned by vikings. They had ben slaves all their lives. The book progresses to happy ending and reconciliation.

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