Lord of Falcon Ridge (Viking Era 4)

Kerek left to go into the woods to relieve himself. The moment he was out of hearing, she said to the men, “You saw my magic. You saw the monster. The only reason Caldon didn’t kill all of you was because I was in the boat and she was afraid I would be harmed. When it is light, if I allow the sun to shine on the morrow, you must return me to my home. If you obey Kerek, then you will all perish.”

“Don’t listen to her.” It was Kerek and there was deep anger in his voice. “She isn’t a witch or a wizard or anything else. The monster lives in this loch, all of us knew that. It simply came to our boat and wanted it. Nothing more. Now, the sun will be bright and hot on the morrow, despite its being fall and the leaves are now golden and red and yellow. I swear it to you. Sleep now and don’t listen to her.”

Then he said, “You wonder why Queen Turella wants her. I will tell you. It is because of her strength, it is because of what she is that she will wed Ragnor and she will rule, not that fool. The Saxons won’t overrun the Danelaw once she is there. You have seen witness of her strength. Think of that whilst you sleep.”

Chessa said, “Kerek has said two very different things. Which will you believe? Look at me. Do any of you think I’ll allow Ragnor to be my husband?” She shook her head and spit into the fire, causing the embers to hiss and spew. “I will by myself destroy the Danelaw. I will by myself give it over to the Saxons. You don’t want me for the king’s wife.”

“Better the fool dies,” one of the men said.

“Aye,” another said. “Kill him.”

Chessa sighed. There were so many currents here and she didn’t know which way to swim. She’d decided upon wizardry and threats to kill Ragnor but it hadn’t worked. These men wanted him dead. She looked at Kerek, who was smiling very slightly at her.

“The princess is of great value,” he said. “Now, go to sleep, all of you. The sun will be upon us soon.”

She slept. She didn’t want to, but she did, deeply, with no dreams. She awoke when Kerek shook her arm.

“Look at the bright sun, Princess,” he said, thick pleasure in his voice, or was it stark relief? She didn’t know. “Aye,” he said, “bright sun, just as I promised.”

It was so strong, even after the passing of the dawn hour, that it hurt to look directly into it. The loch glistened beneath it, pure and dark. The longboat was nowhere in sight. She smiled. “Now Cleve will find us, Kerek. We have no boat. Did you plan to walk to York? Perhaps fly?”

“Look, Princess.”

She followed his finger. They were at the narrow channel. Just beyond that channel was the trading town of Inverness. She wanted to weep with disappointment.

“Come, Chessa, resign yourself. Your life will be pleasant. You will have all the luxury you could desire. If you want a lover, I will provide one for you after you’ve birthed the heir to the Danelaw. Don’t worry about Cleve’s babe. He will be safe. And you can have lovers. Turella has lovers, you know.”

The men were cheering, pointing wildly, quickly pulling their clothing straight, throwing sand on the dying embers of the fire.

“You have no longboat,” she said even as he pulled her to her feet. “Will you steal one to get back to York?”

“I have something better,” Kerek said, and dusted her off. He took her blanket and carefully folded it. He whistled as he took her arm and pulled her to the fore of the men. “Keep a sharp eye out for outlaws,” he said, and covered the rock-strewn ground with long strides.

Chessa cursed.

They reached Inverness by early afternoon. The weather held mild, the breeze soft and warm against their faces. Kerek bought her a new tunic of saffron and an overtunic of softer yellow, two beautiful brooches from Orkney to fasten the overtunic around her shoulders. He bought a reindeer comb and told the old woman at the bathing hut not only to bathe her but to arrange her hair as well.

“Why?” Chessa said, but Kerek only shook his head. He stayed on guard outside the bathing hut whilst the other men spent their silver coins on what they needed.

It was nearing sunset when Kerek led Chessa and his men out of the trading town, through the palisade gates, down to the dock. “Come, Princess.”

He led her onto a warship whose stem was carved in the shape of a black raven. It was a big ship, and there were at least fifty men on board, standing there, watching them come. One of the men shouted, “It is Kerek! He’s brought her! By the gods, he managed to do it.”

Kerek pulled her up the rough boards that were securely roped together. He gave her a shove and she walked up those boards to the warship. She stepped down and onto the center plank that ran the full length of the ship. There was a covered cargo space at the bow, but it looked larger than any Chessa had seen before, the wadmal cover brightly painted with white and red stripes, just as was the huge rolled sail of the warship.

“You’re a wizard,” Kerek whispered in her ear. “Tell me what you expect.”

She just shook her head. He pushed her gently through the opening into the covered space. There, seated in a beautifully carved chair was Ragnor, holding a pale blue glass in his hand, Turella, standing just behind him, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder.

“Welcome, Chessa,” Ragnor said, and he raised his glass, saluted her, and drank deep. He belched even as he grinned at her. “You’re here. I doubted Kerek could do it, for he’s an old man and my mother surely has too much trust in him, but he managed to get you. You’re not very smart, are you, Chessa?”

“You’ve done well, Kerek,” Turella said. “We expected you sooner. I was worried.”

“The Princess has many tricks, my lady. She called forth the monster of Loch Ness and we were forced to shore. We had to walk to Inverness.”

“The monster?” Ragnor said, leaning forward, paling.

“Aye, the monster. It exists.”