Einnis is placed between a rock and a hard place: He doesn't know what Arna saw, and when, and that she was alone. Her severe raction tells him she is in no doubt at all about the situation. And the message of the tunic tells him (and only him) that she thinks him fit for a woman's role in bed - ie. that she knows he's been having sex with a man. And that is true, of course, so he knows that she must have some sort of proof. Moreover his being with another man is a source of immense shame and self-retribution to him, and the thought of it possibly being described in detail in the most public forum of the Norse society, taking all his honor away, must be unbearable.
If he contest her at the ting, she will spill it all, whatever her "all" is. If he were to protest the divorce, people would say "no smoke without fire" even if Arna turned out to have no witnesses or hard proof whatsoever. The Norse loved a juicy scandal to gossip over as much as any. His honor would be ruined in any case.
And that's the rub. If he does nothing, he confirms she had reasons. And even if neither Arna nor Einnis ever says another word about what those reasons were, his household will speculate, and rumours will fly, and people will create wild tales that are much "worse" than the truth. Without saying anything specific Arna has made sure that Einnis will not feel comfortable around people soon again.
In her defense, she considers herself not only personally betrayed, but that her husband has also endangered her and her children and their whole clan's future, everything she's carefully struggled to build, through his behaviour. Behaviour that she is culturally conditioned to think of as nothing but loathsome and abnormal.
And with that I'd better stop! Thank you for reading.
Inuendos can destroy somebody's life even nowadays ! I was just hoping that, by the way he led his life, Einis would have a hope.... he's not Ketil after all ! But you know better, all the research you done for this story is very interesting and educational ! Thank yuo for your answer !!
If he contest her at the ting, she will spill it all, whatever her "all" is. If he were to protest the divorce, people would say "no smoke without fire" even if Arna turned out to have no witnesses or hard proof whatsoever. The Norse loved a juicy scandal to gossip over as much as any. His honor would be ruined in any case.
And that's the rub. If he does nothing, he confirms she had reasons. And even if neither Arna nor Einnis ever says another word about what those reasons were, his household will speculate, and rumours will fly, and people will create wild tales that are much "worse" than the truth. Without saying anything specific Arna has made sure that Einnis will not feel comfortable around people soon again.
In her defense, she considers herself not only personally betrayed, but that her husband has also endangered her and her children and their whole clan's future, everything she's carefully struggled to build, through his behaviour. Behaviour that she is culturally conditioned to think of as nothing but loathsome and abnormal.
And with that I'd better stop! Thank you for reading.
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Thank yuo for your answer !!
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