by Phoebe Conn
“I will explain when I return. Please keep Celiese here with you while I talk to Hagen.” Giving her a stern glance, he insisted, “Do not leave these rooms, Celiese, for it is far too dangerous for you to be walking about the house without me.”
He was so serious in his demand that for once Celiese did not question his motives, but nodded agreeably. “I will wait here, you needn’t worry I will wander off and become lost.”
“See that you don’t!” With that spirited parting remark Mylan left them alone and walking with a long stride disappeared down the hall in the direction of Hagen’s room.
Embarrassed to have disturbed Andrick, Celiese apologized as best she could. “Mylan seems determined to depart swiftly; I am sorry that I cannot provide a lucid explanation as to why, but he did not give one to me.” She held her few belongings wrapped in a silk scarf and feared she presented so pathetic a picture Andrick would simply pity her rather than being curious about her unexpected appearance in his rooms.
Andrick had spent little time with Celiese, but he knew his wife valued her friendship greatly and offered to awaken her. “Olgrethe did not spend the best of nights, but she will want to get up to help you find whatever you need. Please wait here while I call her, for I don’t want to face Mylan in the mood he is in if he should return in a moment and find you gone.”
Seeing his teasing smile, Celiese reached up to kiss his cheek lightly. “Thank you, Andrick. Olgrethe is fortunate to have so understanding a husband as you.”
“Rather than Mylan, you mean?” the handsome man teased playfully.
“No, that wasn’t what I meant at all!” she denied, her face flooding with color, her embarrassment acute. “Will none of you ever forget Raktor’s deception? Am I never to be forgiven for his misdeeds?”
Andrick watched the sudden rush of tears fill her eyes and realized his joke had been in very poor taste. “I am sorry, all I meant was that Olgrethe and I are a far better match than she and Mylan would have been. I did not even think that remark would insult you, and I am sorry that it did.”
She turned away, ashamed she had been so ill tempered when Andrick had been so nice to her. “I do not think you should tease me about something so important as marriage, nor Olgrethe either, as she might as easily misunderstand as I did.”
Perplexed to have caused such a disastrous scene when he had only meant to make her smile, he apologized again, hoping he would be able to soothe the distracted young woman’s feelings, when he had hurt her unintentionally. He heard his wife approaching he grew silent, not wanting her to know he had insulted her friend, but she could tell by his sheepish expression that something was wrong.
Awakened by the sounds of their voices, Olgrethe walked slowly into the room. She was dressed in a robe of yellow silk, her eyes red and swollen from the tears she had shed for her brother. “Why, Andrick, were you and Celiese fighting? Has the entire house gone mad?”
Andrick went quickly to her side, and gave Olgrethe a reassuring hug. “Of course not, beloved, we were merely talking, and I was just coming to wake you. Mylan and Celiese are leaving, she wanted to bid you farewell, that is all we were discussing.” Looking over her head at Celiese, he was pleased to see she understood the cause of that lie and would not dispute him.
“You are leaving me now?” Olgrethe’s already pained expression grew even more woebegone as she pleaded, “Oh, Celiese, how can you leave me now?”
Mylan slipped through the door in time to respond to that question. “If she is not gone before sunrise your grief will be compounded tenfold, Olgrethe. Do not try and influence her to stay, for such a choice is impossible.” Mylan leaned back against the door to catch his breath; he had run all the way back from Hagen’s room and felt dizzy, his strength impaired by pain.
“Mylan?” Celiese regarded him closely; surprised she had not noticed the deep purple bruise marring the lid of his left eye. It looked very painful, but she would not call attention to it when she knew how little he enjoyed sympathy. “Is everything all right? What did Hagen say?”
“Why didn’t you tell me he had offered to take you home? He is not at all pleased I am to be the one to make the voyage.”
He had a good point, for she had let Hagen believe she would go with him when she had not known what else to say. “The situation is a confusing one, I agree, but you and I have had no time to talk, Mylan, so there was really no opportunity for me to tell you of Hagen’s plans.”
His glance suspicious, Mylan continued, “Of course, you would have told me, and you are always so prompt to tell the truth that I never doubt your sincerity.”
Not understanding why his brother was behaving so badly, Andrick was quick to send his wife from the room so he might question him. “Olgrethe, Celiese needs a gown or two, have you anything to offer?” Since he frequently teased her about the extensive size of her wardrobe, he was certain she did.
“Of course, you may take whatever you wish, Celiese. Come, let us look to see what we can find.” Apparently resigned to losing her, Olgrethe led Celiese into her bedroom where her clothing was kept.
Waiting to be certain they could not be overheard, Andrick spoke in a low whisper. “What is wrong that you must flee with such haste? Do you expect the Torgvalds to give pursuit? Their warships are far more fleet than our knarrs, so it may be impossible to escape them.”
Mylan closed his eyes as he sighed deeply. Never had he spent such an exciting night, and it was not yet over. “Our father made some sort of a bargain with Jens; he meant to hand over Celiese, and I think Jens must have promised his family would not attack us again to avenge Oluf’s death.”
Aghast, Andrick shouted hoarsely, “That cannot be true!” He was appalled at such vile treachery and found it unthinkable. “It simply cannot be the truth, Mylan. Where did you hear of this bargain, from Jens himself?”
Straightening up to his full height, Mylan was surprised to realize Andrick was now nearly his equal in size. He was still slightly taller and considered it an advantage when he wished to make a point. “I saw Father lead Jens to her room and instruct him to hurry with the abduction. Is that evidence enough for you?”
“Does she know?” Andrick looked hurriedly toward the room where the two women had gone, fearing they might return in the middle of Mylan’s explanation.
“No.” Mylan’s expression gave no encouragement to that question. “She is not to know, either. It is a betrayal I cannot disclose, for she would hate us all for it.”
“Her love for you is painfully obvious. She saw nothing today but you. She would not hate you for our father’s treachery.” That Estrid had been on his brother’s arm all day was not a subject he wished to mention, for he was certain Mylan had only used the attractive young woman to make Celiese jealous, and he thought such a trick incredibly foolish.
Swearing under his breath, Mylan replied in a hostile whisper, “The woman loves me so dearly she refused to be my wife in front of more than a dozen witnesses! You heard her yourself, Andrick, she’ll not have any of us for a husband.”
Laughing, Andrick reached out to touch Mylan’s shoulder with a good-natured slap. “You have not courted the woman with anything other than neglect. How can you expect her to want you when you have given her no evidence of your love?”
“I do not love her!” Mylan vowed hoarsely, incensed by his brother’s teasing, but as he turned he saw Celiese and Olgrethe at the doorway, and, knowing they had overheard his bitter remark filled him with remorse. Believing his best option was simply to ignore the comment rather than attempt to explain it, he spoke quickly, “Have you all you need? The journey is a long one.”
Olgrethe had just finished reciting a nearly endless tale of woe. Her sorrow was deep at losing the company of her dearest friend when her brother had just died so tragically. If that had not depressed Celiese most thoroughly, here was Mylan vowing for all to hear that he did not love her. Trying to make the best of an extremely embarrassing situation, she came forwa
rd with a smooth, graceful stride.
“Yes, Olgrethe has always been most generous, and I will never forget her.” She kissed the young woman’s cheek sweetly, and then gave Andrick a warm hug before carrying the things she had gathered through the door. She did not wait this time for Mylan to look for whatever danger he seemed to suspect awaited, for it mattered little to her what her fate might be if she did not have even the hope of winning his love. And from the fury of his denial, she knew she never would.
As she slipped past him, Mylan turned to look at Andrick, knowing he should have prepared some more formal farewell whenâif luck were not with himâthey might never meet again. “You will be the eldest, if…”
“I will be the eldest only after you die of old age, now go before Celiese takes command of our ship and leaves you behind.” Andrick drew Olgrethe into his arms with a joyful hug, grateful he was not a great fool like his brother. Mylan was too proud by far, but he hoped his dear brother would lose neither his life nor his love on a voyage that was sure to be filled with adventure.
Chapter 18
Hagen met Celiese and Mylan on the path to the docks. He was out of breath and frowning apprehensively as he greeted them. “The Torgvalds have gone, but they were arguing so heatedly amongst themselves I do not see how they could give enough attention to sailing to reach their home.”
“Let us pray they do not, then,” Celiese remarked softly, the bitterness of her comment surprising the two men.
“We will not be rid of them so easily as a few rats we might toss into the sea, but should they sink from the weight of their own evil deeds, I shall not miss them.” Hagen turned to join the attractive couple on their way to the beach, his stride long and sure. “Most of our crew was near enough to summon. I had spoken with them of the possibility of this voyage, but they had not expected it to begin so soon.”
Mylan cast Celiese a sidelong glance, but she did not seem embarrassed by Hagen’s admission he had planned a voyage to France. That she would have sailed with his brother, simply gone away without once thinking of telling him they were making so dangerous a journey or bidding him farewell, pained him greatly. Apparently she lived entirely for herself, without ever considering how her actions affected others. Why he could never seem to remember how faithless she had been he did not know, but she knew how to bewitch him as no other woman ever had. He hurried her along the path, still anxious to depart before any further danger overtook them.
“You found adequate provisions so quickly?” Mylan turned his attention from the distracting young woman at his side to concentrate on the details of the voyage.
“I had not expected to spend the entire summer at home, and had gathered our stores,” Hagen replied crossly. “We had other plans until Andrick found he could not bear to be away from his bride for more than half a day!”
Rather than remark upon his brother’s cynical view of marriage, Mylan kept still, apparently feeling the same way. Celiese envied Olgrethe greatly for having married a man with so devoted a nature as Andrick had proved to have. She turned back to look at the Vandahl home. She had been terrified when she had arrived to become Mylan’s bride, and she felt no more confident now. The imposing stone structure was silhouetted against the rising sun. Although she could not see any of the inhabitants watching their departure, she was certain many were.
“Did you forget something?” Mylan had noticed Celiese’s pensive mood and backward glance and thought perhaps she had just recalled something important she had not thought to bring. He would not let her return for it, however, no matter what it was.
“No, I’ve left nothing behind.” She lifted her skirt carefully so as not to step upon the hem as she continued down the path. “I wish I had had the time to make another suit from one of yours, it would have been ever so much more practical than this gown will be for a voyage.”
“Your clothes are the least of our worries.” Mylan chuckled at her comment, and then assured her he would not put her to work. “You will have no more to do than sit and enjoy the view. Your gowns will be adequate for such a relaxed pastime.”
Celiese smiled at his teasing. He had been so stern with her she was relieved to see his mood improving as the sky brightened with the light of the new day. As long as the view aboard his ship included him, she would be content. “I will be glad to assist with whatever duties there might be. I do not mind doing my share to make the voyage a smooth one.”
Mylan glanced over her head at Hagen and saw him wince. It would be a difficult voyage in all respects, but he doubted he would need to call upon a pretty young woman to help him complete it. “I will be content if you will but follow my orders, Celiese. It will be service enough for me.”
Her green eyes sparkling with the mischief she made no effort to hide. “As you wish, Captain.” She moved aside as they reached the ship and the two brothers conferred with the crew. Unlike the Dragon, which Raktor was fond of sailing, this vessel was broader and deep enough to carry a sizable cargo or livestock in the center. That area was now rapidly filling, as about a dozen men tossed in the provisions they would require and their own belongings to keep the deck clear for working the large sail.
A knarr was too heavy a craft to row, so there were no holes cut below the rail for oars. When Vikings went raiding, they preferred the slender warships that could navigate the shallowest river, while the sturdier knarr sailed the coastal trade routes Andrick and Hagen favored, or the long voyages of discovery Mylan loved to make.
This knarr had a surprising beauty, however. Celiese had been so distraught on the voyage home from Kaupang that she had noticed little about the ship, but now it seemed most attractive to her. The graceful prow, as well as the stern, was decorated with intricate carving of an ornate swirling design, while the large white sail was trimmed with red to make a handsome diamond pattern. She thought the vessel a beauty and wondered if Mylan’s was so sleek and impressive a ship.
When Mylan was satisfied he had all he needed to complete a successful voyage, he went to where Celiese stood watching them prepare for departure. “It is time we left. Come, I will help you aboard.” He extended his hand and she placed her small hand in his. She had very beautiful hands; he thought suddenly, her fingers long and slim, and so delicate that her slightest gesture was filled with grace. That once in France he might be able to discover her true identity intrigued him enormously, for her background provided no end of puzzlement to him. She was certainly not of peasant stock, but was she really a member of the French nobility? He was so curious he could scarcely wait to discover the truth, and he vowed to himself that he would not leave her homeland before he did.
“What is the name of your brothers’ ship, Mylan? It is very handsome and I have been wondering what it is called.” Celiese smiled shyly, not daring to hope his more agreeable mood would last for the entire voyage.
“This is the Surf Falcon, and while mine, the Raven of the Sea, is her twin, the two ships handle differently, and I wish I had not been so foolish as to let my own vessel go unattended.” That he would not have his own ship to sail pained him greatly, for he knew the Raven as thoroughly as he knew himself and trusted her to do his bidding no matter how rough the weather. That he would have to push the Surf Falcon to its limits when he did not know it well presented another needless problem.
“I have sailed aboard this vessel once, Mylan, and Andrick and Hagen seemed to make her fly. I am confident you can make her even more swift, if that is your desire.” Celiese was sincere in her compliment, but she saw Mylan stiffen, ready to argue. Then Hagen came to his side, and Mylan did not speak whatever thought he had intended to impart.
“I want to come with you.” Hagen stood in a relaxed pose, not demanding or hostile, but determined in his request.
Mylan looked back toward his home, hoping the flurry of activity upon the docks had not yet been noted.
“There is no time for argument; you must stay behind. If I do not return, divide what is mine
among you and Andrick with a smaller share for Erik. Andrick will then inherit our father’s house, and my farm should go to you.”
Hagen backed away.” I will not discuss the division of property while you are alive.”
Mylan spoke crossly, “I mean what I say, Hagen. I should return before winter, but if the summer comes again and I have not come home, you will know what is to be done with my possessions.”
“Your chance of survival will be more than doubled if I am with you,” Hagen interjected hoarsely. He had expected to have to plead his cause and was ready, but he was not encouraged by the fierce gleam of Mylan’s gaze. It was a glance he had learned to fear as a boy, and he had not meant to provoke the response ever again.
“No.” Mylan shook his head, his decision firm. “Busy yourself with refitting the Raven. If you still wish to ferry your farmers to Hrolf’s land in the spring, then go. This voyage is mine alone to take.”
Scowling fiercely, Hagen wasted no more time arguing with his brother when he was in so obstinate a mood. Mylan had always been the leader, his commands obeyed, and he would not disregard this one now. “If you have not returned by the time I sail for France, I shall scout the entire country for you, and you better have a ready explanation for your failure to return.”
Mylan laughed at his brother’s anger, but he knew what it was like to watch another sail and feel the pain of being left behind. It was a sorrow he had endured for two long years but could never bear again. “You will only have to visit Celiese, and I am certain she will be able to tell you what has become of me.”
Hagen turned toward the young woman he had wanted so badly and realized perhaps his cause was not thoroughly lost. “I will do that gladly. Where is your home so that I might find you?”
Her golden tan paling noticeably, Celiese responded in a voice filled with unshed tears, her memories all unbearably sad. “My home is gone, destroyed, burned to the ground. There is nothing left for me except the land upon which it stood.”