The room quieted, curious to hear Merewin’s response. She took a deep breath. “I understand that yer ancient laws also decreed that a virgin girl be sacrificed in the sacred groves.” The crowd murmured. Merewin noticed that several mothers and fathers pulled their daughters closer. Ragnar looked like he was thinking of something to counter when Merewin continued. She shook her head. “I doona ask ye to dishonor yer ancient laws, but to look at each incident, and weigh the evidence around the incident with clear sight.” She indicated Svala loving her little son. “I ask for mercy, exile for Svala.”
“Nay,” Svala said, her voice cracked with tears. “I can not bear to live without my son. If we are to be separated, let it be by my death.” Svala hugged her little boy so tightly he began to squirm and fuss. But she just put him against her shoulder and rubbed his little back until he settled. The bairn must have smiled at Aslaug where she sat behind him, because she smiled and flicked her fingers at him.
Merewin’s voice rang out, once more strong, purposeful resolve, even though tears brightened her eyes. “Death is less cruel than separation from one’s bairn, I agree.” She raised her hand up to quell the room quickly. “Exile for Svala and her son, away from Ribe, but let them live together. Do not drive a knife between the bond of mother and child.”
“The child will be punished for his mother’s crimes, then?” someone called out.
Merewin shook her head. “When Bjor grows to be a man, he may come to Ribe if he desires, but without his mother.”
Aslaug stood frowning. “How could you be sure that she will raise the boy right, without hate and malice in his heart? She could mistreat him.”
“Never,” Svala stated, turning to look at Aslaug. Tears rolled freely down Svala’s face and she didn’t try to stop them. “I am so sorry.” Svala bowed her head to Aslaug. “If I had known,” she shook her head and looked at her son. “If I had known what it felt to love a child,” she broke off and sniffed, but her nose ran with her tears. Svala’s voice rasped, “I would have helped you find a way to save your babes, Aslaug. I swear this.” Svala kissed her baby’s soft cheek.
Aslaug wiped at a tear that leaked from her eye. She nodded to Svala and sat back down.
Merewin looked to Ragnar. “Ye could send someone to keep an eye on her, one of yer men that wouldn’t mind adventuring west, perhaps to where yer ally settles with the Picts.” Merewin looked around the room until her gaze fastened on Svein. “Perhaps Svein Balthor. He is without family.”
Svein stood tall and looked at Ragnar, waiting.
“Would you be willing to take Svala and her son west, to watch that the boy is raised properly? Would you take him back here if he is mistreated?” Ragnar asked.
Svein looked at Svala where she stood wiping her eyes while she hugged the wiggling baby. He nodded slowly. “I would.”
Svala looked out to Svein and a new bout of tears poured from her eyes. Svala fell to her knees, clinging to her baby boy. “Thank you,” she choked out with a half smile, half sob. Svala turned her red eyes to Merewin. “How can I...thank you.”
Merewin felt her own tears and nodded. “Love, Svala. True love is the most powerful magick there is. Just love Bjor well. That is thanks enough.”
Hauk pulled Merewin up against his side so that she could relax into him. Her body shook.
“Your words have wisdom, Merewin,” Ragnar said. “To take a mother from her son is not something Freyja would support.” He looked out over the gathering. “I declare Svala Lothbrok exhiled with her son to western Scotland, in the care of Svein Balthor. Svala is to be watched to make certain her son is raised well, else he will be taken from her to be brought to Ribe, where I and Aslaug will raise him.”
Nods and “ayes” resounded through the room. Merewin took a full breath. Hauk leaned down so he could hear Merewin. “Take us home, Hauk. To Spring House.”
Merewin relaxed into Hauk on his war horse as Dalla ran up ahead. Green buds dappled the trees, creating an arch of spring’s promise over them as they rode through the sacred forest. Splashes of sunlight slanted down through the maze of slender branches overhead. Merewin sighed. She’d never felt so content in her life.
“How did I get so lucky?” she asked, and Hauk’s arms folded even more snug. “I have a family, a wonderful husband, and a bairn on the way.” She tilted her head back so she could look up into his face. Those eyes, so cold at one time, were only filled with love now.
“And a fledgling forest of baby oaks to tend,” Hauk reminded, and kissed her forehead.
Merewin laughed. “Aye, my acorns have certainly taken to yer soil.”
They rode on together, wrapped in each other’s arms, toward Spring House and its grove of baby oaks.
Drakkina floated above the trees, up within the clouds, watching. “Guard her well, Viking. Love her well,” she said into the breeze. She tilted her head slightly, watching Dalla run back to them laughing. Hauk tipped back his handsome face, and laughed, too.
“It seems love can heal some things better than magick.” And with that, Drakkina closed her eyes, and allowed her ethereal body to elongate into a thread, a thread that shot off into time.
Magick (The Dragonfly Chronicles Book 2) Page 31