Viking Love Beyond Time (Time Travel Romance) (58 page)

             
Edric had his back to her.  For his sake as much as her own Alodie felt she should say something to him.  She took a step toward him but Aelfric barred her way.  “Come no nearer, you filthy Viking whore!” he snarled “I for one know you for what you are, a bloody spy, and do not think that misbegotten by-blow of yours will inherit Bredond either - go, get out of my son’s life for good, you are not fit to breath the same air as him!”

             
She turned and looked at Aehlswith who was standing next to the king.   “Please do not let anyone hurt my children your Grace” she said quietly, the queen looked away but as she did so gave an almost imperceptible nod.  Alodie stiffened her shoulders and took a deep breath then walked, head held high, from the room and out into the night.

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

             
With a groan Alodie lifted her head from the filthy straw covering the floor of the cell where she had been thrown months – days - years ago.  She sat up.  Her clothes were filthy, her hair was in stinking wet ratty strings and she had a loose tooth.

             
On her arrival at Winchester after a bone numbing ride, trussed like a chicken in the back of a cart, she had been stripped, raped, beaten, thrown a filthy rag to wear and had all her jewellery ripped from her, including her bracelet, otherwise she would have had the door to her cell blown long before.

             
A dirty tin bowl containing a mouldering piece of cheese and bread had been placed before her, together with some brackish water in a bone cup but it had taken her the better part of a week to even touch it and then because she was so hungry she could bear it no longer.  She had immediately brought it all back up.

             
Her cell was ten paces by five with a tiny window high above her head.  There was no bed, just filthy straw on the floor and calls of nature were answered in a corner.

             
On the eighth day she had started with a fever and by the ninth she was delirious.  The guard who had come in with her food and water had checked on her and kicked her with the toe of his boot before grunting and walking off again, only to return with a pail of water which he had thrown over her.  This had brought her back to consciousness but nothing else.

             
Climbing unsteadily to her feet she tottered over to the slimy wall of her cell, it must be daytime because the sun was struggling fitfully through the tiny window.   She had almost overcome her desire to die, she must live, if not for herself then for her children.  Herger was gone, dead, rotting in a cell nearby, his magnificent body putrefying, crawling with maggots.  “Nooo!!!!!” she screamed and in her anguish she began to beat her fists against the wall, again and again, until they came back bloody.

             
Tom and Nerissa - what was happening to Tom and Nerissa?  Alfred was a kind man, he surely would not hurt them and Aehlswith and Godgyth would protect them.

             
Oh God!  If she had not run away from Herger in Athelney!  It was her pride, her goddamned pride.  If Herger walked through the door now she would go down on her hands and knees and kiss his feet and beg his forgiveness.  She had caused his death, his death and possibly the death of her children.  She had also probably ruined a good and kind man, for Edric would never trust another woman as long as he lived, and Godgyth would be heartbroken - to say nothing of Aehlswith, all because of her.

             
Alodie slumped to her knees.  “May the Lord God, if he exists, forgive me” she whispered, then she began to sob - deep racking sobs.  She imagined what life would have been like with Herger, herself and the twins in
Northumbria
, or
Timbuktu
to wherever he had wanted to take her.  Herger had loved her, he had loved her and had died for her, died hating her.

             
Her throat was burning, her head was burning and her limbs ached.  She had not had sustenance for more than twelve days and her stomach almost clung to her backbone.  Surely death was not so far away, soon she would be with Herger - but no, not even that because Herger was in
Valhalla
, women were not allowed in
Valhalla
, and anyway she must live for the children.  She smiled, grimly. “Sexist Viking bastards” she muttered as she lost consciousness once more.

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

             
The creaking of the cell door woke her, but she feigned sleep.  The gaoler would just taunt her again if he thought she was awake.  Footsteps approached, light ones, not the gaoler then.  She timidly opened one eye and heard an indrawn breath.  “Mileddy, for the love of God, what has happened to you?”

             
“Mar-Margaret?” she muttered, struggling to get up.

             
“Da, quick, get her”

             
She was conscious of being lifted up and carried toward the door, then she heard it shut with a clang and a few moments later felt the cool summer rain on her face. “Herger” she whispered, then the black abyss opened up once again and she fell gratefully into it.

             
“Here mileddy, take a little more broth”

             
Alodie opened her mouth, wincing a little due to the sores round her lips, and did as she was bid.  It was a rich chicken broth and Alodie wondered where Margaret had obtained the chicken, chickens were just too precious to sacrifice for food.

             
She had been carried back to what she assumed was Wat’s house, delirious, over a week before and pulled back from the brink of death by Margaret’s devoted nursing.  She had only regained full consciousness less than fifteen minutes earlier.

             
She looked round the place, it was very poor, nothing like as good as the hut she had shared with Aehlswith at Athelney.  The floor was made from impacted dirt and she was lying in a tiny truckle bed with a filthy hide thrown over it.  The cooking, eating and sleeping all seemed to be done in one room - it seemed as if Wat was no longer prospering with his barrel making.  The girl gnawed her lip and looked down, twisting her hands together as though embarrassed.  “You must forgive us mileddy” she said softly, rubbing the edge of an earthenware bowl with her shawl, “we have had to bring you here because they would have found you if we had taken you to our own house.  Soldiers have searched it twice.  This is not what you are used to I know”

             
Alodie smiled and gripped Margaret’s hand.  “How did you get me out of that place Margaret?” she croaked.

             
The girl looked up and grinned.  “‘Twas easy mileddy.  Queen Aehlswith herself came to our house  ‘an she thrust money into my ‘and  ‘Our friend Alodie has been imprisoned by my husband’ she said ‘she must be rescued and taken care of.  Take her to where no one can find her, the prison door will be open and unguarded tonight one hour after sunset’ so me and Da came and got you out, thought we was too late though, thought you was a goner”

             
Alodie smiled and kissed Margaret’s hand.  “You are above rubies Margaret” she said, “although you could be in serious trouble if you are caught looking after me, I will go as soon as possible”

             
“Well, that won’t be for a while then, you’d collapse if you tried to put your feet to the floor, no, you rest easy here ma’am, this ‘ouse belonged to my uncle and he’s been dead a month.  He died of the drink but we’ve put it round that it was the fever so no one’ll dare come here.  Finish up your broth and I’ll be back later” Margaret bobbed a curtsey and left.

             
Alodie glanced round in distaste, screwing up her nose at the smell.  The only light in the shack came from a ramshackle door made from worm eaten planks and a tiny window which, to Alodie’s relief, was open.  The place could not be in
Winchester
town, it was too quiet for that.  She ate the rest of her broth and drank the milk Margaret had left, then, with a grunt, she climbed out of bed and pulled herself to her feet.  Clinging to the walls she walked, gingerly, across the room until she reached the window and peered out.  She seemed to be in the depths of the forest, perhaps in the tiny hamlet outside
Winchester
whose name she could never remember, only about a quarter of a mile from where she had left the shuttle.  Could she make it?  Could she walk the quarter of a mile?  She let go of the wall and tried to stand unaided.  Her knees buckled and she collapsed onto the dirt floor.  Sobbing, she crawled back to the bed, she could not walk quarter of a yard, never mind quarter of a mile.

             
She wondered whether they had paraded Herger’s body round
Winchester
yet - and prayed they had not.  He had been killed because of her, he did not deserve the ignominy of being paraded, dead, round an enemy town. Herger was a sea king, a great jarl, he was too good for that.

             
As far as she could remember Vikings were burned, not buried, preferably in their ships.  If only she could get his body out from that cell she could put him  in the shuttle and cremate him somewhere, properly, perhaps take him back to
Norway
.  It suddenly became very important for her to do this, whatever the risk.  A more fitting farewell.  Eventually, thoughts chasing themselves around in her still fevered brain, she fell into a troubled sleep.

             
She was awoken by the creak of the door opening on its leather hinges and Margaret’s voice saying “She is here, your Grace, I am sorry about the poorness of the place but it was the best we could do”

             
Then to her joy, she heard Aehlswith’s voice “I am eternally in your debt, Margaret, but we must get her away from here as quickly as possible”

             
Alodie’s eyes flew open and she raised herself painfully on one elbow “Aehlswith, oh Aehlswith!” she whispered and held out a trembling hand toward her dearest friend.  The queen’s concerned face crumpled into tears and she rushed over to the bed.

             
“Oh my dear, what have we done to you?” she sobbed and gathered Alodie into her arms.   Now that her mind was clearer she thought back to the rapes, the three guards who had brought her back to
Winchester
had taken turns at her in the cart, it had been terrible.  She thanked providence for her training, rape was one of the things she had been trained to expect in wartime hostage situations.  She had learned how to deal with the mental trauma involved. 

             
She felt Aehlswith’s baby give a lusty kick.  “You are going to have a strong child there, ‘Swith” she croaked.

             
The queen sighed and releasing Alodie patted her protruding belly.  “Aye” she said  “none of my others have ever kicked so vigorously.  Now look, I’ve bought you some raisins, beef, a loaf, fresh cheese, apples and some milk, also a change of clothes, these prison rags are disgusting”

             
Alodie pecked her cheek, it hurt her cracked lips to do even that.  “Have you heard aught of the children?” she asked anxiously.

             
Aehlswith smiled.  “Still in Bredond as far as I know, no one has yet been to break the glad tidings to Godgyth, fear not, I will let no harm come to them”

             
“Bless you ‘Swith,” she croaked “and how are things with you?”

             
Aehlswith smiled, and getting off the bed walked over to the table and began to unpack the basket.  “Oh, well enough, Alfred has made a half hearted attempt to find you but I am sure he’s aware that I am behind your escape somehow and he’s loath to try too hard.  Edric is very bitter though, Elfwin of Warchester is making up to him.”

             
Alodie smiled weakly and took a drink of milk from the mug Aehlswith handed to her.  She glanced up.  “Has Alfred - paraded Herger’s body round
Winchester
yet?”

             
Aehlswith bit her lip.  “I - I should not be telling you this Alodie, because it can only be a matter of time but - Herger is not dead”

             
Alodie’s heart did a somersault and she felt bile rush into her mouth.  It could not be!  “Aehlswith, please, I saw him dead” she croaked.

             
The queen held up her hand “I know.  I saw him dead too, or what I thought was dead.  He hovers in and out of consciousness, he has eaten nothing but the wound does not appear to have been mortal, although Alfred said he was convinced the spear punctured a lung, but by some miracle the lung must have healed because he is alive, barely, but alive”

             
“Where is he?” muttered Alodie, feebly, pushing back the covers.

             
Aehlswith gripped her wrist.  “In the cell next to where you were imprisoned, and before you ask, no Alodie, I cannot get him out, he will die soon anyway, if not by natural means then he is to be executed.”

             
“When?”

             
Aehlswith punched her small fist into the palm of her hand.  “Why did I tell  you?  I am a fool!  The day after tomorrow.  I am sorry Alodie but there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.  Your husband is a mortal enemy of
Wessex
!”

             
Alodie felt tears rush into her eyes -  the day after tomorrow, there was no way on Earth she would be fit enough to rescue anyone the day after tomorrow, not without her autodoc bracelet and even then it would be touch and go.

             
The queen leaned over and planted a cool kiss on her forehead.  “I must go my dear, Alfred will be back from his hunting soon.  Please, my friend, try to  forget the Viking.  There is nothing anyone can do to save him.  He is a dead man.  Concentrate on getting better”. She walked toward the door, then turned.  “Oh, I almost forgot, these are yours, I discovered them on the wrist of one of my waiting women who is betrothed to the gaoler”

             
Alodie held out her hand and almost whooped with joy as Aehlswith tossed over her autodoc bracelet and the bracelet Herger had bought her from the
Winchester
goldsmith.  “Oh Jesu, Aehlswith, thank you, you have no idea how much this means to me!” she gasped.

             
“I know I have never seen you without that cheap looking one Alodie, hurry and get well, then we’ll see what can be done”

             
Alodie held out her hand to her friend and felt the tears begin to course freely down her cheeks.  “Aehlswith” she croaked. “You must know I am not a traitor, I have never betrayed
Wessex
, I had no idea Rorik was Hergar until the night we were captured.  All I am guilty of is loving him”

             
Aehlswith smiled sadly in reply.  “Do you think I would be here if I thought you were a traitor, my dear?”

             
Alodie blew her a kiss which the queen returned as she lowered her head to leave the cottage.  With a sigh of relief Alodie slipped the bracelets on her wrists and it was with heartfelt relief that she felt a tiny jab as autodoc began to do its work.

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

             
An owl hooted softly as Alodie slipped stiffly out of the cottage and headed slowly, pausing to catch her breath, in the direction of the shuttle.  She had spent the night following Aehlswith’s visit and all today in a fever of anticipation.

             
Autodoc had done its work.  Her temperature was down, she was breathing more easily and she had eaten enough today to satisfy an elephant, the only thing she was in need of now was a good bath.  Her hair was in filthy, greasy strands and she stank to high heaven.

             
A rabbit darted out from almost under her feet making her jump, thank God it was a full moon and she could see where she was going, even though it did light up the forest in a particularly eerie, unnerving way.  The owl hooted again, and passed with a whoosh in front of her face.

             
How much further?  She glanced down at her bracelet.  She had switched her communications button to the shuttle’s frequency so it should be easy enough to find.  At a distance of one kilometer it gave out a flash per second, half a kilometer two flashes per second down to a steady light the nearer one came to the shuttle.  It was giving out a steady light now.

             
Alodie glanced ahead of her - surely that was it, that stand of hazel bushes looked familiar, they were flattened out in a peculiar way too.  She walked swiftly toward them, holding out her hands in front of her.  At last, after what seemed like an age, they touched metal.  Moving slowly round she lowered the steps then quickly mounting them and releasing the catch, she clambered into the cockpit.

             
After having spent so long in the ninth century she suffered a slight culture shock in being plummeted back again to the twenty fifth and it took a second or two to get her bearings.  Shaking her head she flipped two of the switches on the console.  The engines hummed into life, then, very slowly, almost soundlessly, and at a very low altitude, the craft lifted off and headed toward
Winchester
.  The journey took less than a minute travelling at crawling speed and at just over treetop height. She skimmed the tiny hamlet below her.  If the inhabitants had been awake they may have heard a soft whoosh but nothing more, then over the wall and into
Winchester
itself.

             
The hall was in the exact centre of the town.  Her idea was to position the shuttle outside the cell where she had been told Herger was being kept and knock down the walls with a low blast from her bracelet psi gun and somehow manoeuvre Herger into the ship.  How to do it though?  She hoped he was not too ill to walk.

             
With the hall directly below her she moved the shuttle into position, landing plumb in the middle of the street.  Glancing out, she groaned aloud as she saw three sentries standing outside the gate to the hall, which was located about ten yards from the cell outer wall.  It would not be possible for her to climb out, blow a hole in the wall and get a probably unconscious, six foot six,  two hundred pound plus man out of a cell and up into the shuttle without being spotted.  Even now they were glancing uneasily at each other, alerted by the noise and the air displacement from the shuttle’s landing thrusters.