Viking Bride (7 page)

“Ingrid. Here, put on these slippers and we
can go find my grandmother.”

Eliza slid her feet into the leather shoes.
Her toes still ached, but at least she could feel them. She hoped
that meant she wouldn’t lose any of them.

They picked their way through the longhouse
and stopped near the fire in the middle. A group of half a dozen
gray haired people sat on ornately carved stools and chatted
quietly.

Ingrid tapped one of the ladies on the
shoulder. “Amma, may I speak to you a moment.”

The old woman turned and smiled, displaying
gaps in her teeth. “Of course, child. Here or…?”

“Somewhere quieter.”

The old lady rose, then paused, staring at
Eliza. “Who’s your friend, Ingrid?”

“That’s the thing I need to talk to you
about, Amma.”

The woman pursed her lips, nodded once. She
turned back to the group by the first, all of whom were watching
curiously. “I’ll be back presently.”

“So who are you, child?” the old woman asked
Eliza, once they were out of earshot of everyone else.

“I’m Eliza.”

“Ah. That accent. You are someone’s captive,
yes? Ingrid should know better than to take in strays.”

“She’s not a stray, Amma. She’s Kelnar’s new
consort.”

The old woman’s expression darkened. “Is that
right? What are you doing here?”

“I was abducted last night, but I managed to
escape and it was snowing and I didn’t have anywhere else to
go.”

“And so you ended up on my doorstep?” She
lifted a hand to her forehead. “Gods above, but you’re not the kind
of trouble we need, not with the men gone.”

“Amma, we can’t just send her out into the
cold. The men tried to take advantage of her. They’d be all too
happy to get their hands on her again.”

“I’m not a fool, child. I know.” She patted
Eliza’s shoulder. “I will send a message to Karna. The chief’s
witch knows you, yes?”

Eliza nodded.

“Very well. She can arrange for your safety.
For now, remain here, but stay out of sight.”

Ingrid tugged on her grandmother’s sleeve as
she tried to leave. “But Amma, Kelnar’s people will be searching
for her.”

“And they won’t be the only ones. We’re loyal
here, as loyal as any Norsemen are to another, but that does not
mean as much as it could, not when a foreign woman is in question.
There are many among the village who do not love this girl.”

Ingrid’s face fell. “Yes, Amma.”

Eliza had a feeling about what that meant.
Given half a chance, someone would have her roped like a sow and
dumped right back into Ratface’s greasy hands.

She followed Ingrid back to the sleeping
cubby, her heart just as heavy as it had been when she’d been tied
to a post mere hours before.

***

The day dragged past noon, Eliza sitting in
the re-arranged cubby, trying to knit with that weird, looping
style that the Norse people used. Ingrid and the other girl,
Brynja, sat with her, chatting blithely. Ingrid never mentioned
their little liaison, and Brynja acted as if nothing had happened.
Maybe she really hadn’t noticed, but she’d been up and dressed when
they’d returned from talking to Ingrid’s amma.

“So what’s he really like?” Brynja asked
Eliza. “Is he gentle when you’re alone, or is he the strong, fierce
warrior something that goes all the way to the sleeping
pallet?”

“He’s gentle,” Eliza confirmed. “Gentle as a
kitten with trimmed nails, most of the time. When he gets in a
mood, though, he makes his public persona look like the
kitten.”

Brynja grinned. “How many times have you lain
with him?”

“Brynja!” Ingrid exclaimed. “Not everyone
kisses and tells like you.”

“Pfft. Have I told you about your brother
Karl?”

Ingrid’s face turned crimson. “You did
not!”

“Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t.” Brynja winked
at Eliza. “So how many?”

“I’d rather not say…”

“You little minx, you haven’t even lain with
him yet, have you?” Brynja grinned. “I told you he would be saving
her. And everyone is so jealous.”

“Err… Well…” Eliza wasn’t sure what to say.
She’d made love with Kelnar many times, but now Brynja thought it
would be better if she hadn’t? These Viking women confused her.

“No, don’t try to claim you have now. The
secret is out.” Brynja looped her bone needle through her
stitching, pulling the string tighter. “There are those that resent
you, you know?”

“Believe me, I know. I ran into two of them
last night and it wasn’t pleasant.”

“Among the women, she means,” Ingrid said.
“The men just lust after things that are… exotic.”

Eliza raised an eyebrow, but kept silent when
Ingrid shook her head ever so slightly. “Well, I don’t intend to
cause strife amongst your people. I didn’t ask to be torn from my
village and dragged halfway across the world.”

“Halfway? The world is bigger than you think.
Why, my Elard says that—“

“Eliza, come speak with me a moment.”
Ingrid’s amma cut into the conversation. She beckoned Eliza with a
crooked finger.

“Sure,” Eliza said, rising.

The old woman took her a few paces away. “I
spoke to the witch Karna earlier. She says to move to another
longhouse tonight. There are men searching the village for you, but
Kelnar’s ship is already sailing home. She says he’ll be back in
the village in a few days’ time.”

“Why can’t I just stay here until then?”

“It will be safer if you move around. We
don’t know who the spies are, but if we move you every evening
after dark, they won’t have a chance to drag you out of bed
again.”

Eliza pushed a hand through her raven hair.
It sounded dubious. It sounded worse than dubious. If that’s what
her mother thought she should do, she didn’t see how she had much
choice. Kelnar meant to make her his queen, but he couldn’t do that
if she were dead or dragged off to one of the other villages.

“Very well.”

“Stay quiet there with Ingrid and Brynja.
We’ll get you moved after dark.” The little woman tottered away,
leaving Eliza to go back to her new friends.

“Is everything okay?” Ingrid asked.

“I think so. I’m moving to another house this
evening.”

Ingrid’s face fell. “That stinks. I was
looking forward to…”

“Well, it’s supposed to be for my own
safety,” Eliza said, trying to cover the silence.

“Ah, that’s too bad,” Brynja said. “I was
looking forward to more juicy stories.”

The two Viking girls passed the rest of the
afternoon sharing all the village gossip that Karna hadn’t known or
hadn’t deemed worthy of comment. It was a pleasant few hours, among
the most pleasant Eliza had spent since the Vikings had raided her
village. Well, other than the ones with Kelnar. Her thoughts
constantly returned to Kelnar, hoping he was safe, hoping that his
return was a result of success, and not something tragic.

The man that came for her had a limp and four
missing fingers on his right hand. He had the stale, smoky smell of
the older Vikings, and the disposition of a side of ham. At least
he had the courtesy to wait while Ingrid and Brynja gave her a hug
and a kiss and wished her well. Amma was all too happy to see her
leave, hardly waiting for her to be through the door before
ordering the boy standing watch to close it.

“Where are going?” Eliza asked, pulling her
borrowed cloak tight.

The man grunted, pointed vaguely across the
village.

Great, a man of many words.
Few other
people were out in the early darkness, at least in their part of
the village. Nearer the shoreline a couple bonfires burned, and
shadows milled about them. Eliza and her guide trudged on for a
spell, passing a dozen or more houses, winding deep into the heart
of the village. Eliza recognized a particularly impressive stag
carving, and knew she wasn’t very far from Kelnar’s house. Hope
rose in her chest.

They turned left where they should have
turned right if she were going to reunite with Karna and Cordith.
The hope withered. What had Amma said? A few days until Kelnar
returned? She could bear them.

Her guide stopped at a house with hounds
carved into the doorframe and rapped on the wood. The door opened,
and a surly face with a black eye peered out. It broken into a
smile as the guide shoved Eliza in the back, pushing her into the
man’s waiting arms.

“Oh sweet cheeks, I’ve missed you,” Ratface
said. “You’re a naughty girl for running off like that.”

Eliza tore her arm from his grasp, but the
man behind her had a dagger drawn and ready. “In,” he growled.

Ratface hauled her inside and the wounded one
followed. No one else moved in the dim interior.

The frustration and fear were a physical
thing, threatening to cripple her. Eliza decided she’d had
enough.

She kicked hard against Ratface’s kneecap,
making him cry out. Another kick followed the first, this one aimed
between his legs. He folded up like a wet blanket, and went to
ground with both hands jammed between his thighs.

“Cut it out, girl,” the guide hissed, waving
his dagger around.

Eliza spun on him, her face flushed, her fist
shaking. “No.” She punched him right in the mouth. He spluttered,
and took a step back. She didn’t give him to think, just stepped
closer and hit him square between the legs with another kick. “I’ve
had enough out of you two.”

She plucked the dagger from his fist and
raised it. She could lay his throat open right then, right there.
Send him right back to the dirt and give Ratface the same
treatment. Or she could hold, make a break for it, hope they
couldn’t follow.

It wasn’t a decision at all. She stepped over
the guide and jammed the knife home. He groaned. A wet stain spread
on the floor. Moving carefully in order to keep her shoes out of
the mess, she closed in on Ratface.

“No, I was good to you,” he groaned, trying
to crawl away.

“And I’ll be good to you.”

After she did the deed, she noticed something
glimmering on his belt and retrieved it. Her own dagger, the one
they’d taken from her the previous night. She tucked it into the
sheath that still hung from her neck.

Ratface lay on the floor, the surprise still
writ across his face, when she let herself out into the bitter
night. Amma had given her up. Well, the old bitty would get hers,
eventually. If Kelnar didn’t see to it, she would.

***

Eliza rapped on the door of Kelnar’s
longhouse. She kept her newest weapon tucked up the inside of her
forearm out of sight, but ready to bring to bear. No one was going
to take her captive again, not without a fight.

The door opened, revealing a guard she didn’t
recognize. “Out of my way,” she said, pushing him square in the
chest.

He staggered back, spluttering. “You can’t
just come in here like… Oh. Milady, I apologize.”

Eliza swept past him, searching for her
mother. She found her at the fire, where it seemed every Viking
liked to spend their time. Karna had her back to the door and
didn’t see Eliza approach.

“Is he really coming back in the next few
days?” she demanded.

Her mother spun around, her face clouding,
then spreading into a smile. “Eliza! Thank the Gods you’re
back!”

Eliza returned her mother’s hug and let the
older woman kiss her on both cheeks. “Well, is he?”

“Kelnar? He should return by morning. My last
scrying only had him a few leagues away.”

“So Amma lied about that, too.”

“Amma? Whose amma?”

“Ingrid’s. She said she sent a message to
you. I take it that one never came?”

Her mother shook her head. “I’ve been worried
sick about you, dear. I knew you were close, but couldn’t tell
which house. We’ve had Kelnar’s guards searching high and low for
you.”

“I was close, yes.” She related the story of
her capture and escape.

Her mother nodded gravely at word of Ratface
and his crony. “It’s only a shame you couldn’t finish all three of
them.”

“I’m not sure I could have handled the big
one. He was a real warrior, not some has-been or never-was that got
left behind when the raiders went out.”

“Well, Kelnar will be back soon. I suspect we
will see some resolution of this treachery.”

“I can only hope. Will it be safe here
tonight, do you think?”

“I don’t know. Safe enough. We’ll have
warning if anyone comes, at least.”

Eliza fingered the dagger between her
breasts. “Have the doors locked. No one comes in or out until
Kelnar is on the beach.”

Karna nodded curtly. “It will be done.”

Eliza made her way to her sleeping pallet and
collapsed onto it. If she made it through the night without
violence, it would be lucky indeed.

***

Eliza was dressing in the pre-dawn light when
a cry went up from the sentry at the main door.

“There’s a crowd outside!”

“Armed?” Karna asked, hurrying toward
him.

Eliza couldn’t hear the response, but after
the previous twenty-four hours, she had to assume the worst. If
only they could have waited. Her mother had scried Kelnar’s ships
and seen them arriving with the tide in just a few more hours. The
longhouse was stout enough to hold a crowd at bay, but not if they
decided to use fire.

Slipping her dagger into its sheath, she
sighed. Perhaps they weren’t violent. She snorted at the
thought.

“It looks like mostly women and old men,” the
sentry said. His hand kept finding its way to the sword that hung
at his side, though he looked hardly old enough to know how to use
it.

Eliza gently moved him out of the way and
peered out the peephole. “That doesn’t mean much. The women hate me
more than the men.”

It was a crowd of women, alright. They didn’t
look angry, though. They milled about, as if they were waiting. The
people at the back parted, allowing a cloaked figure to pass
through to the front. It stopped a few paces from the door and
threw back its hood, revealing rosy cheeks and long, blonde hair.
Ingrid.