by Fiona Faris
The maids hurried through the doorway, all except Annas, who hovered at the other side, clinging to Idunn’s arm.
“What about ye, lass? Come with us.”
“I cannot leave.” She shook her head, her eyes darting between Annas and the battle. “I need to find Gavin.”
“Gavin?” Annas’ eyebrows shot up. “Ye mean, ye two –”
“Not the time, Annas, you must go.” Idunn directed her towards the door, urging her to step inside.
“Be careful, lass.” Annas offered one last smile, her lip still trembling in fear.
“Do not worry about me.” Idunn tossed the sword between her hands. “This is what I am trained for.” She closed the door on Annas and ran back into the fight, taking down the Viking warriors.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Idunn focused on injuring the warriors, taking them out of the battle without killing them. She did not want to see anyone die, yet she saw more warriors and soldiers fall to their deaths with each turn of her head. Between them, she searched desperately to find Gavin but saw no sign of him.
She had just delivered a wounding blow to a warrior’s leg, forcing him to the floor, when her gaze turned to the door of the keep. In the doorway stood Kenna, her eyes wide with fear. She backed away as a warrior turned his focus on her.
Idunn sprinted forward towards the warrior. They reached the doorway at the same moment, and Idunn sliced his hand. He cried out, dropping his weapon and falling against the wall, allowing her to deliver a strike to his head with the handle of her sword. She jumped through the door to see Kenna trying to run away through the corridor.
“Kenna!” Idunn’s sudden shout made the young woman’s feet fall still. She clung to the wall and turned back to her.
“Idunn? Is that ye?”
“Já.” Idunn walked to her side. “We need to get you out of here.”
“I cannae leave,” Kenna shook her head with fierce determination, “This is me home.”
“Do you wish to die trying to defend it?” Idunn asked in surprise.
“If it comes to it.”
“Kenna, the fight is a bloody one. I cannot tell which way the win will fall. I can get you out of here to safety. Then if we win, I will come and get you from the village.”
“We?” The corner of Kenna’s lips turned up into a smile. “Ye a Scot now then?”
Idunn looked away from Kenna down the corridor, wary of anyone breaking away from the battle to find them.
“This is my home now. I will not let them take it from us.” She returned her gaze to Kenna, who nodded, her smile even greater. “Have you seen Gavin?”
“Aye, I ken where he is. I saw him fightin’ with one of the warriors. I think he is their leader.”
Idunn’s blood ran cold at the thought.
Einarr… He has already reached Gavin.
“Show me where they are and then let me get you out of here, agreed?” Idunn asked. She tossed her sword to her other hand, holding out the other for Kenna to shake. The woman took it warily.
“Agreed.”
“Good.” Idunn used the hand to drag Kenna away from the wall.
Gavin had been locked in combat with one of the Viking warriors for many minutes. No matter what he tried, he could not gain the upper hand. The warrior was just as strong as him.
Dressed in leather armour, with fur around his shoulders, and a helmet with a long nose guard, the warrior’s face was difficult to discern, yet in size, they were well-matched. Each time Gavin struck forward, he was blocked, their parrying tight and quick despite the heavy long swords.
The Viking was focused, roaring with almost every blow that he attempted to deliver. His only sign of weakness was when his eyes flicked to Gavin’s sword, who took the opportunity to strike the warrior’s hand, delivering a small yet painful wound.
The Viking reared back for a moment, examining the wound before setting his stance again. Together, they faced each other, both bent forward with swords raised.
“I know that sword.” The warrior gestured to Gavin’s weapon. Gavin looked down at Idunn’s sword, holding it as tightly as possible. “Já, you took it from her.”
Her… He knows Idunn.
“Ye ken Idunn, then?” Gavin struck out, sending the Viking back a few steps.
“Very well,” the warrior smiled, his teeth gleaming below the nose guard of his helmet, “We were betrothed.”
Gavin felt his stomach turn to stone. He hesitated with his sword.
“Ye must be Einarr?”
“Ha! It seems you have heard of me?” He smiled, stepping forward again. Gavin lifted his sword, blocking the parry before Einarr could deliver it. They fell quiet again as they fought, their steps moving back and forth as each attempted to deliver the winning blow.
Gavin went for his old favourite move, drawing their swords around in a circle and taking hold of the handle of Einarr’s sword, pulling them face to face. Einarr’s cheeks were red with the exertion of trying to break free.
“You would make such a woman as Idunn a slave?” Einarr spat out the words.
“Nay, I wanted to free her.” Gavin was unsure of the reason for his honesty; perhaps he wanted to show Einarr that Idunn was no longer his. He had never known the jealous monster that stirred in his stomach as he fought with the Viking leader.
“Free her?” Einarr repeated in surprise, “She was my betrothed. You would not free a Viking of so high a status.”
“She seemed to forget your betrothal rather easily.” The inference had Einarr’s face contorting in anger. He attempted to push against their swords, but Gavin had the greater position and pushed back, kicking forward at the same time to force Einarr away from his hold.
The warrior stumbled on the ground for a moment. It allowed Gavin a brief look around the estate yard to see his soldiers locked in a fierce battle with the Vikings. He could see Findlay, tall and towering over his parrying partner, his face bleeding. Many men lay on the ground by the portcullis, some dead, some wounded, struggling to move to their feet.
Gavin searched for other faces he knew, but his servants were not amongst the fighters. His father had retreated to his chambers under Gavin’s instruction, and Tadhg was missing. After Idunn’s message, Tadhg was the first person Gavin had sought out, yet he could not find him. He had gone to his father’s side instead, then to Findlay’s to order the battle.
As he searched the faces, he saw someone else in the crowd, standing near to Findlay – a Viking warrior was fighting another Norse warrior. A glimpse of blonde hair under the Norse’s helmet caught Gavin’s eyes.
It cannae be her…
Einarr was struggling back to his feet, urging Gavin to return his gaze and raising the sword again.
“Now!” Einarr called to someone. Gavin barely had a moment to react. He heard the swish of wind by his head and dodged to the side. Another warrior carrying a battle axe had joined their fray. Gavin rolled across the ground and stood again, his gaze darting between the two warriors. Einarr did not play a fair fight. “You know you cannot win against two warriors, Gavin.”
Gavin froze for a moment, the warrior’s words hitting home.
“How do ye ken me name?”
“You were betrayed.” Einarr did not give him a moment more to ponder this thought but leaped forward, with the other warrior at his side.
Gavin had to fight two warriors at once, constantly switching from one to the other with Idunn’s sword. He knew he could not keep up such a contest of strength for long. When the second warrior showed a hint of weakness, he took it, cutting the warrior’s elbow with his sword, forcing him to drop the weapon, then grabbed the man’s neck and pulled him in front as a shield. Einarr’s next blow, instead of striking Gavin, hit one of his own.
Einarr pulled the sword back, his face barely flinching at what he had done. Gavin let the body fall to the floor; the warrior was dead.
“Who betrayed me?” Gavin barked with aggression, as Einarr leaped forwa
rd again.
“Have you not figured it out yet?” Einarr laughed. The sound distracted Gavin, allowing Einarr to slice his cheek.
Gavin reared away, clutching the cheek for a moment before turning his attention back to his enemy.
“It seems you do not know your family very well, Highlander.”
Gavin’s mind jumped to a fearful possibility as Einarr launched himself towards him again.
The Scots were winning. Only just, but Idunn had seen enough battles in her time to recognize the signs. Some of the Vikings were beginning to flee. The second wave of Norse warriors had arrived, but most stood at the portcullis gate, their gaze on the fallen bodies, unwilling to traverse the threshold and enter the battle themselves.
Idunn thought she saw Signý with them, but she could not be certain.
Around the yard, most Norse warriors were now fighting two Scottish soldiers apiece. The Highlanders were proving they were superior in their battle tactics. Idunn saw many warriors taken down by the soldiers taking advantage of their armour's weak spots, the very same weak spots that she had pointed out to Gavin.
Beside her, Findlay was covering her back, just as she was covering his. They had found each other in the crowd of the conflict. She presumed as he had seen her fighting for his side and had come to help her.
The grapple with the warrior before her was a foul one. He went for every harsh blow he could, not afraid to try and kill her. She found it a difficult fight to block his deadly strikes while attempting only to injure him herself.
“You turncoat. You betrayer!” the man roared, attempting to swipe her neck. She dodged out of the way and struck his back, the slice opening up his armour and grazing the now exposed pale skin.
“Leave now, and I will not harm you.”
“Never!” the warrior roared, and turned his attention back to her, away from his wound. This time, he went for her chest. She blocked the blow, forcing him to swivel in almost half a circle away from her. She struck his back again, adding another wound to the one she had already given.
He howled in pain, clutching his spine. As he moved, it allowed Idunn to see past him to the other side of the yard. It was where Kenna had pointed her before disappearing down the tower to escape to Banff village.
She could see Gavin fighting with Einarr. They were almost hidden from view behind the wreckage of one of the trebuchets. She looked away from the warrior she was blocking to see their fight.
It was a bloodied and dirty clash. Both were injured and drawing blood, both tired from their efforts.
Gavin…
She could not continue her fight. If the Scots had the upper hand, then she needed to go to Gavin’s side. She knew Einarr’s tactics; they were ruthless, brutal, even dirty, and underhand. He did not believe in a fair fight. With the deal he’d made with Tadhg, Einarr would not hesitate to use every foul trick he knew to kill Gavin.
“Findlay!” she called, “I need to get to Gavin.”
“Aye, lass.” Findlay too turned his gaze to where Gavin and Einarr were fighting. They watched together as Gavin received a cut to his arm. He managed to pull it out of Einarr’s reach, but his chain metal had blocked some of the blow, leaving his arm intact, though it was bleeding. “I will watch yer back.” With that, Findlay struck out and took down Idunn’s opponent.
With a silent nod, Idunn broke into a sprint. She leaped over some of the fallen bodies and hurried towards where Gavin and Einarr were locked in battle, pushing warriors out of the way and listening to the clashes of Findlay’s sword, keeping her safe.
Since the strike to his arm, Gavin felt as though time had slowed. He was more aware of each part of his body hurting from the fight, more attuned to where Einarr was moving. He knew the loss of blood was also making him hazy. He had to end the fight soon. His arm was bleeding, his cheek too. It would not be long before he sustained a larger injury that he would not recover from.
I need to bring this fight to an end.
As Einnar marched towards him, his sword pulled back for a blow. Gavin crouched, dodging the weapon and striking out at Einarr’s legs. Einarr faltered, crying out at the sudden pain and limped away.
Gavin stood straight again to see Einarr roaring at the sky, struggling to lift his sword. His hands were clasped tightly to his thigh, the blood seeping through his fingers. It was not dissimilar to the wound Idunn had suffered on Banff beach, but it was deeper. Gavin could see that instantly from the way Einarr’s fingers turned white – as they tightly clutched his leg.
It was Gavin’s opportunity. The one chance he needed to put an end to the fight. He barreled towards Einarr with his sword outstretched.
Einarr’s eyes darted to him, seeing the advance. He lifted his weapon, but the sword was shaky with the sudden loss of blood, and he could barely raise it toward Gavin’s chest. He stumbled back a step as though trying to gain more time to prepare, but the step made his leg falter, almost failing beneath him and his face contorted.
Gavin could almost sense the victory. He leaped towards Einarr and knocked the sword easily from his grasp, casting the weapon to the ground and forcing the warrior backward. Einarr’s leg buckled completed, unable to take both his weight and Gavin’s strength. They fell together, Einnar to the ground, hitting his head against the earth with a heavy thud. Gavin pressed his knees to Einarr’s arms, pinning the Norse warrior to the floor to prevent him from moving. He now had absolute power - knelt above him, his sword primed at Einarr’s throat, preparing for the fatal blow.
“Gavin?” The voice startled him. One he feared he would not hear again.
Keeping a firm hold across Einarr’s shoulders with the sword, Gavin pressed the metal hard against the Viking’s throat, causing an indent on his skin. Einarr winced in pain, keeping his body as flat to the ground as possible. Gavin looked up to see the source of the voice.
It was Idunn. She was a little distance away from him, and now her steps faltered. She stood perfectly still, watching him, waiting to see what would happen next.
Her face was a picture of horror. Her blue-green eyes wide, her mouth parted, and her hands clenching her weapons. She was dressed in Viking armour, but with Findlay at her side, it was clear who she had been fighting for. She was wearing a short tunic and leggings with leather armour, similar to when he had first seen her on Banff beach. Her braided hair swung beneath the helmet, down across her shoulder.
She has been fighting for us.
The thought brought a smile to Gavin’s lips, but the horror on her face was not something he could ignore. He only wanted to keep her safe, to make her happy. Einarr’s death would not make her so.
He looked between Einarr and Idunn, struggling with what to do next. Einarr’s eyes were but slits as they stared up at him, awaiting the death that was within Gavin’s grasp to take.
If it caused her pain, he could not do it. She had once been betrothed to this man; she must have cared for him at some point.
Gavin practically growled. This battle tormented his insides, but he took the sword away from Einarr’s throat while still pointing the tip toward the warrior’s face as he spoke.
“I am sparin’ yer life because of her. Ye understand?” He waited, watching the Norse warrior as his brow furrowed further. “Ye will leave. Order yer men away and leave this castle in peace. Ye return, and I willnae spare ye again. Understand?”
Einarr nodded. It was a tiny movement, almost imperceptible.
Gavin jumped up, holding the sword to Einarr’s face for a moment longer before he walked away. He turned to see Idunn. Her weapons were back in her belt, her hands to her face and shock in her eyes.
“Idunn,” Gavin murmured, as he walked towards her. He could barely believe she had come back to fight for them. She had risked everything to help protect Banff.
There was a sound behind him, one he presumed was Einarr getting to his feet. Gavin saw both Idunn’s and Findlay’s expressions change.
Idunn broke out into a run. She wa
s sprinting towards him. Gavin was giddy from a loss of blood, barely able to understand what was happening as Findlay bellowed at him.
“Gavin, behind ye!”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Idunn did not hesitate for one moment. Einarr was barreling towards Gavin with his sword primed, ready to deliver a fatal blow to Gavin’s back. She could hear Findlay roaring for Gavin to turn around, but Gavin was pale from the battle, exhausted.
As she sprinted towards him, she saw the frown on his face, almost a realization of what must be happening behind him.