Viking Love Beyond Time (Time Travel Romance) (50 page)

             
After what seemed like hours they reached the hall’s oaken door.  Erik knocked and pushing it open walked in, pulling Alodie after him.  The warmth hit her like a furnace after the freezing conditions outside and, after shaking to rid herself of the snowflakes which had settled over her like a white cloak, she glanced round and caught her breath.  She was standing in what was by far the most luxurious house she had seen since her arrival in
Wessex
.

             
The cooking area was at the far side of the hall and separated from the rest of the building by an ornate wooden screen, Alodie could just see the servants bustling here and there behind it.  There was a large fire burning in the middle of the room and the smoke was taken out of the hall by means of a hood coming down from the roof.  A large table ran along one side of the room and the floor was covered in red and brown tiles, there were no rushes.  Rich tapestries hung on the wall and the windows were covered with ornately carved shutters to keep out the weather.  It was almost cosy.

             
A dark haired girl, (Alodie recognised her as Kelda, the girl who had tended to her the night of her wedding to Herger) was overseeing the setting of the table with gold and silver chased plates and goblets and on hearing Erik, Leif and their prisoner enter she glanced up.  “Is Herger back yet wench?” snapped Erik.

             
Kelda glanced sharply at him, she was not sure of his rank but on the off chance he was a jarl, she decided that discretion was the better part of valour.  “N-no sir” she stammered “I have been expecting him since it grew dark - you know he has gone with some men to spy out the land before his raid on Athelney tomorrow?” 

             
“The raid to retrieve his lady?” asked Erik.  Kelda nodded.  The big Viking showed his teeth in a grin.  “In that case we have saved him a trip.  I have here the very lady he seeks”

             
Kelda shook her head “That is impossible” she said “how did you get hold of her? How.....”

             
It was then that Alodie began to shiver violently.  She was numb with cold and soaked through.  The Vikings might be used to weather like this but she was not, with a moan she slumped down on the nearest bench.  Kelda approached her cautiously and pulled back her hood - as she did so Alodie looked up.  “Milady!” shrieked the maid, and putting her arms round Alodie’s shoulders she lifted her to her feet, Erik put his hand on Kelda’s arm.

             
“Not so fast woman, that wench is going nowhere until I see Herger”

             
Kelda’s head snapped up, jarl or no jarl, this lady far outranked him and she was more interested in being in her good graces than Erik’s.  “You’ll excuse me” she said primly, removing his hand from her arm “but milady is in dire need of a hot bath, some hot food and a warm bed.  You can wait for Lord Herger down here”

             
With that Alodie was bustled up wide stone steps and along a tiled corridor into a room behind a thick oak door.  She looked round in amazement.  Thick rugs covered almost all the floor, a fire blazed in the hearth and a padded seat was placed in front of a table covered with unguents and creams.  There were several heavily decorated cupboards built into one wall and the room was dominated by a large bed piled high with deep quilts and pillows whilst a tapestry of Bathsheba and the vineyard killed any draughts which might find their way into the chamber.  The windows were covered with red shutters and the walls were pristine white.  Whoever had designed this room had immaculate taste.

             
Kelda opened one of the cupboards and pulling out a big bath manoeuvred it in front of the fire then turned to Alodie.  “The water will be along in a  minute milady” she said then curtseying she left the room.

             
Walking over to the table Alodie regarded herself in the glass, grimacing at the sight which greeted her.  Her face was spattered with mud, her hair was plastered to her head in dirty matted strands and her dress was muddy to the knees.  She was cold down to her bones.  Alodie ran her fingers through her filthy hair.  She was longing for this bath.

             
There was a knock at the door which opened to admit eight burly servants each carrying a bucket of hot water, six of which were emptied into the bath.  As they left Kelda entered and, after helping Alodie to undress, she went over to the table and picking up a bottle added four drops of an oily liquid to the bath water - immediately the room smelled of her favourite honeysuckle.  Alodie could not help but think of the money which could be made in the twenty fifth century with a fragrance like that, but then honeysuckle had become extinct hundreds of years earlier, she was the only person of her time who had any idea how it smelled.

             
Climbing gingerly into the bath and lying down she sighed as the water lapped around her chin.  Kelda began to wash her hair with water from the unused buckets and some liquid which smelled of lemon - extract of verbena leaves probably, thought Alodie sleepily.  She glanced down and noticed the water turning a muddy brown colour as  the mud was washed away.

             
She felt so incredibly tired, the water was so warm and the room so cosy that she began to drift off to sleep in the bath.  At length Kelda indicated she had finished and Alodie climbed out, her body feeling so clean it almost glowed.  Enveloping her in thick warm cloths the maid began to dry her hair, rubbing each strand separately and brushing it until it shone and gleamed in thick, heavy waves round her face.  “You have the most beautiful hair I have ever seen milady” she sighed enviously “t’is no small wonder the master loves you so, you are the most beauteous woman in the world I am sure”

             
Alodie looked up at her, trying to detect a hint of sarcasm but found none in the girl’s open, honest face.  “Thank you Kelda, you’ve been kind” she replied “but I have had a terrible ordeal and I’m very tired”

             
Kelda nodded sympathetically and climbing to her feet she went to the nearest cupboard, brought out a nightrail made of flimsy lawn material and handed it to Alodie.  “I wish you good night ma’am, I think you’ll find everything to your satisfaction, there is a bowl of broth, a chicken breast and a cup of mulled wine by the bed” with that she bobbed another curtsey and left  the room.  Hearing the unmistakable sound of a key turning in the lock Alodie sighed and dropped her night-dress over her head.  Whatever was going to happen was in the hands of fate and, at least for the moment, she was safe and warm.  She would think of a way to deal with her beloved husband when the time came.

************************

             
Herger was in a bad mood.  He had been out in this foul weather all day and had spent  most of the time shivering in the trees watching Athelney through the mists.  The river was far too wide and swollen to cross, in
Norway
it would have frozen solid in January and they could have ridden over but it very rarely froze so deeply this far south.

             
Damn Alfred, the man was a master strategist the Viking had to admit - even from the poor vantage point where he and his men were hiding it was obvious that the fortification of Athelney was coming along at an alarming pace and soon it would be impossible to attack, boat or no boat.  If they were to attack, it would have to be soon and before that happened he had to get Alodie out.

             
The wind got up as the day progressed and, as the afternoon lengthened into night, the snow began to fall, softly at first but developing into a blizzard with the strengthening wind.

             
At one point Herger thought he saw a small boat scudding down the river but wrote it off as a trick of the light.  At length he gestured to his men to turn back.

             
They were encamped in the
village
of
Stanswick
, a small settlement on this side of the river, hidden in a fold of woodland.  Herger only knew of the place because the lord of the village had been a
ragr man
who had pursued him for sexual favours at court during his time as Rorik, and had boasted of his luxurious home in an effort to tempt Herger into coming down to visit him.

             
He shuddered at the memory.  Although it was not unknown for young lads to be taken on ships when the voyage was a long one, voluntary passive partners in homosexual acts were loathed and detested in
Norway
, although strangely enough, to be a dominant partner in such activities was not frowned upon.  However, Herger himself had never been desperate enough to be tempted to try it.

             
He had been delighted to discover that the
ragr
lord had not exaggerated and his manor was the most sumptuous place Herger had ever seen, although he was sure that if the posturing fop had known the manner of the object of his desire’s acceptance of his invitation he would not have extended it.  Luckily for him, by the time the Vikings arrived in his village the lord had already fled, being one of the nobles who had gone to
Gaul
when news of the invasion came.  Herger had taken one look at the place and had promptly made it his headquarters.  It was heaven sent, within striking distance of Athelney, near enough indeed to make a night raid to reclaim Alodie.

             
They reached the manor, cold and hungry, in the dead of night.  The horses were so cold and bone tired that they could hardly walk and Herger gave immediate instructions for them to be dried, brushed and fed a hot bran mash then, yawning hugely, he entered the warm welcoming hall.  His relief at being back, however, was tempered by the sight of Erik and Leif deep into two flagons of the best ale, and not their first from the look of it.  Leif was a harmless idiot but Erik was a plotter, a schemer and far too sly for Herger’s taste,  he preferred his followers to be open and honest.

             
Removing his black cloak he threw it to the nearest servant then, taking off his helmet, he walked over to where Erik was sitting and pulled out a stool from under the table.

             
The man never looked up from his mug and carried on drinking.  Herger watched him for a second or two, rapidly losing patience, then shooting out his hand, knocked the mug from his mouth - it fell onto the table with a clatter, the contents forming a pool which seeped to the floor.  “Erik” he said, his deep voice dripping icicles “when I leave a detail to guard the village I expect that detail to guard the village, I do not expect the man I put in charge of it to sit in my headquarters drinking my ale”.  Eric looked up and grinned.  Herger’s massive fist shot out once more and this time came to rest under Eric’s nose.  “Speak, soldier, if you wish to retain your teeth” he snarled.

             
Leif went pale but Eric’s grin widened.  “My lord, I have not been in Stanswick all evening.  I found a boat and, together with young Cnut and Ragnor and Leif here, took a trip upriver to Athelney”

             
Herger went cold. 
Odin’s beard!
he thought.
If they discover on Athelney that Vikings are in the area.....!
  With a snarl he jerked Erik to his feet “You went WHERE?”

             
“A-Athelney” stammered Eric, losing his composure at last “we captured two women, my lord.”

             
“You took a boat and went to Athelney, just to capture two....................what did they look like?” Herger’s vitals suddenly turned to water, wondering why this man was so sure of himself.

“One of them is a pretty red haired buxom creature sir, but the other one is the most beauteous maid I have ever seen, thick golden blonde hair, blue eyes, a body.................”

“Did you touch her you bastard?” he hissed.  Erik shook his head,
vigorously.

“No, no Lord, Leif here recognised her – I wouldna dared, we brought her straight here” Herger dropped him unceremoniously back into his chair and  Erik rubbed his throat and coughed

“Where is she?” whispered Herger, his mouth suddenly very dry.

             
“Upstairs in your chamber sir” said Erik, rubbing his chest where his leader had bruised him.

             
Herger got unsteadily to his feet then, replacing his helmet, began to climb the stairs.

             
Kelda was standing silently at the top.  For a second he did not speak to her then he cleared his throat.  “Kelda, is it her?” he croaked.

             
Silently she looked up at him and nodded.

             
His heart began to beat, to hammer, in his breast, in his head.  Wordlessly he held out his hand and the maid unfastened from the chain around her waist a large iron key.  Trembling, Herger took it from her and swallowed, the dryness hurting his throat.  His room was the last door on the landing and the corridor seemed to stretch endlessly.  As he reached the door he took a deep breath, put his hand on the jamb and, with his heart in his mouth, inserted the key in the lock and turned it.