The following summer the brothers sailed to Beornice again, trading goods and information alike.
Despite Aethelheard's obvious disapproval, Hildulf continued his efforts to charm his eldest daughter Esthrid.
"Ohohoh, Aethelheard's daughter seems very smitten with your brother.", old Cuthbert noticed. "I'm afraid so..", Bodowin sighed. "How so?"
"I love my brother, but he's not one to settle down. And I'm afraid to say that in the past his advances have not seldom ended with bad blood between him and fathers of.... smitten... daughters."
"Don't worry too much, Bodowin of Arendholm... Sometimes daughters just want to have some fun .. And fathers don't always need to know everything...", Mairenn, who had overheard their conversation, chimed in.
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The evening before the brothers left for Arendholm, Eoppa made sure to celebrate the new alliance with a feast.
Hildulf would have liked to celebrate his last night in Beornice with a certain merchant's daughter. But while Esthrid found the dark haired man to be very handsome, she thought it better not to get involved with a man who held his sword at her father's throat not too long ago.
"I hope we will see each other again next summer, Bodowin of Arendholm. May the gods watch over you."