Lord of Falcon Ridge (Viking Era 4)

“He is paltry,” Turella said. “I don’t know how I could have birthed him. But Olric, you know, my child, he was weak, and stupid, wanting only to wench and to drink.”

“You have already told me that. I’m sorry, my lady, but I won’t help you. You’re right, I’ve changed. I’m a wife and I love my husband. We live at a new farmstead on Loch Ness, near his father’s. That is where I will spend my life, where I will live with my husband and raise our children, not in York.”

“You are pregnant, truly, this time, you are pregnant. When Kerek nodded to me I understood. I also see, just as he does, just as you do, that you will protect this babe in your womb. You will wed Ragnor to save the babe. No one will ever know that Ragnor isn’t your true husband. Even if you bleat it about, why then, can you really believe that anyone would care? There’s really nothing more I have to say to you. You’re not stupid, Chessa. You know when to retreat.”

29

“BY ALL THE gods, I don’t believe this,” Cleve said, wanting to yell with relief. “Are you certain?”

“Aye,” Varrick said. “They’re still here in Inverness and Chessa is still their prisoner.”

The old woman at the bathing hut had told them about the little sweeting whose hair she’d plaited with lovely yellow ribbons. “Looked like a princess, she did,” the old woman had said.

If only she knew, Cleve had thought, giving her a piece of silver.

Igmal slipped around the side of a jeweler’s stall to join them. “Ragnor and Chessa are to wed tonight. A mock ceremony, but none will question it. I overheard one of the queen’s men telling another whilst they traded here in Inverness. They plan to sail back to York at first light in the morning.”

“There are sixty men,” Igmal said, “more or less. Queen Turella is with them.”

“Even if she weds him, it means nothing,” Varrick said. He said to Cleve, “I see from your face that your plan won’t work now. It is time for Pagan.” He drew the burra slowly from its sheath. He held it up in front of him, fitting his fingers into the circles and squares. Cleve didn’t want to watch, but he did, and it did seem that his fingers were sinking down into those markings, as they would into soft wax, though he knew that wasn’t possible. Varrick said quietly, “I see Chessa. She’s seated beside Turella beneath the cargo covering. By the gods, either Turella or that idiot son of hers has brought the king’s chair. Has the woman no sense? Chessa is all right. She’s thinking, trying to decide what to do. I can feel purpose flowing through her, and anger and determination to return to you—and to me, naturally. Ah, yes, she knows we’re here. I can feel the quickening in her. She knows and now she’ll look for a way to aid us to get to her.” Varrick fell silent, his eyes closed now, but he was still seeing on board that warship through the magic of the burra.

Cleve stared at him with the fascination of a man cornered by a snake. This snake with his magic stick was his father.

It was Varrick, Chessa thought, and he was calling to her, but now she realized that it wasn’t really Varrick, it was Varrick using the burra, calling through that ancient magic. She felt calm flow through her. She’d been thinking and thinking, trying to figure out how to escape and had decided that her best chance would be once she was alone with Ragnor after the wedding. She thought of him touching her and grinned. She’d break his fingers if he tried.

What to do? She knew they’d have to wait until it was dark. She rose, stretched, and walked from the covered cargo space. She said idly to Captain Torric, “Will there be a moon tonight, do you know?”

“A half-moon,” Torric said and no more. He was uncomfortable. He hadn’t wanted this, not after Rorik, Merrik, and Cleve had saved him and Kerek, even that ass, Ragnor. He looked up at Chessa, thought her beautiful with her hair in soft plaits, the saffron ribbons matching her tunic and falling around her face. “I’m sorry about this, Princess. So is Ker

ek, it’s just that he—”

“Why do you call me that when you know it isn’t true, Torric?”

“Habit,” he said, and spat over the side into the dark water of Inverness harbor.

“If I jumped into the harbor would you jump after me, Torric?”

“Nay, Princess. My leg didn’t heal straight. I’d rather let you swim away than drown.”

“Good,” she said, and ran toward the side of the warship. She didn’t get far. Kerek’s hand closed over her upper arm. “You would ruin your beautiful gown, Chessa,” he said. “Come now, you must wed with Ragnor.”

She stared down at his blunt fingers holding her. She knew then, knew exactly what she would do. Cleve was near. Aye, she knew what she would do. She smiled up at him. “I have no choice, just as you said, Kerek. Let’s get it done.”

“Why are you smiling?”

She shrugged. “Why not? If this is to be my fate, then so be it. Are you not pleased that I will obey? Don’t you want me to marry Ragnor now?”

Kerek frowned after her. She was walking briskly, as if she were looking forward to wedding Ragnor. Only a slug would look forward to wedding Ragnor. He felt something different about her. He felt a shock of fear. It angered him. He went after her and grabbed her arm again and pulled her back. He would have to watch her carefully.

The ceremony took very little time. Chessa stood beside Ragnor, who was already nearly stumbling with drink, but he said in a loud, clear voice, “I take you, Princess Chessa of Ireland, as my queen. You will bear my children and the future heirs of the Danelaw. You will be submissive and obey me. If you please me, you will have a long and pleasing life. I, King Ragnor of York, vow this to you.”

She didn’t strike him, but it was close. Instead, she smiled up at him and placed her hand on his forearm. “I, Chessa of Ireland, will come to York with you, Ragnor, and be the queen of the Danelaw. Being what you are, life will not continue as it has. All know this. If anyone doesn’t know this by now then he will learn it soon enough.”

She stopped, nodded to Turella and then to Kerek. “There is nothing else to say,” she said. “Nothing at all.”

Ragnor called out, “She’s now the queen, Mother. You can leave and take the rest of those blue glass goblets with you. Chessa, bring me more mead and then we will retire and I will take you as I should have that first time, only Kerek stopped me. I still haven’t punished him sufficiently for that. Now you’re not even a virgin. Aye, I’ll punish him for that as well.”

“Certainly, my husband,” Chessa said, her voice sweeter than the mead that she handed to Ragnor. “To be taken by you is something I’ve scarce ever even imagined. Here is your mead. Drink deeply, husband. I will think of a punishment for Kerek. He shouldn’t have abused you so.”