“Get her out of here!” Bram called out over his shoulder as his sword met another enemy. “I’ll make sure the food gets to those—”
The axe sailing through the air distracted his attention from the departing women.
He dodged the blade and it sunk into the wagon with a thud. Quickly, he leapt off the wagon and approached the throng. True, he’d rather fight them from the advantage of the height, but he couldn’t risk the horses spooking and charging off.
“Come here, little man and taste my sword.” Bram crooked his finger at the axe-less Irish man.
The man snarled as he rushed forward with a small dagger. Bram sidestepped the man and he sprawled facedown into the dirt.
A bearded man grabbed Kaireen around the waist. Bram ran toward them, then smacked the man’s head with hilt of his sword, and then tossed her away from the man. As the man crumbled, Bram felt fingers digging into the top of his boot. He spun. But his sword stopped before it touched Kaireen’s hair.
“Are you mad, woman?”
Not bothering to spare him a glance, she removed the blade and thrust it at a balding man headed toward them. With a flick, the man was down and clutching his stomach.
“Next?” Bram smiled. Too bad he hadn’t had time to don a bearskin cloak and paint his face with blood so they’d think him a Berserker.
Elva managed to slog Kaireen back several feet. She still held his blade tight in her hand, ready to use on any who came to close to her. Two more attackers came, and Bram used their momentum to knock them on their arses.
He wanted to speak to Kaireen, but couldn’t now with men coming at him from everywhere. While he admired her feistiness, he wanted her safe.
Bram kicked aside a thin man. Kaireen’s angry scream made him spin around. A man covered in a yellowed tunic had his grimy hands around Kaireen’s body and was dragging her away despite her kicking and thrashing. Bram’s heart twisted. “No!”
Even though she struggled to use the dagger against him, the man wrapped his arm around her throat. She dragged the dagger along his arm and even bit the man, but soon her eyes rolled as she went unconscious.
Bram kicked aside a lean man, then raced around the horses toward them. Where was blasted Elva?
“She’s mine. Leave now and she’ll live” The man sneered as he hoisted an unconscious Kaireen over his shoulder and disappeared deeper into the forest.
Chapter Five
Without waiting, Bram crashed through the brush after them. He couldn’t attack the man carrying Kaireen, yet. The blade she’d snatched from Bram’s boot was now in the hands of her captor.
“Let her go.” Bram lowered his sword, but kept pursuit of the man. “She’s of no use to you.”
“The Laird Liannon’s daughter? No use?” He spat. “She’ll grant us a hefty sum for ransom, after we’re done taking turns with her.”
“Us?” Bram glanced around and three burly men with knives and one with a wood axe crept out from behind the trees to his left. Damn Fates! “Are there any more of you who wish to play at the end of my sword?”
The man holding Kaireen tossed her down on the forest floor. Her rumbled gown had risen, showing off her white calves. Bile rose in his throat as he thought of these men touching her… of anyone laying their filthy hands on her.
Payment would be his sword if they wouldn’t listen to reason.
“Why would you treat the Laird’s daughter so? Has he not given you lands and—”
The biggest man in the group and wielding an axe, laughed. “He’s given us nothing but taxes and misery.”
“Then your fight is with him.” Bram took a step closer to the man. First he had to take out the biggest threat, then it would be the slime hovering over Kaireen. He was betting that the man wouldn’t harm Kaireen unless he thought he had no choice. She was his bartering tool.
“While our families’ starve, they sit back in their stone walls and practice needlepoint and such.”
Bram shook his head. “That’s not true. We came here today with a wagon full of food for you—for the poor and hungry.”
“You lie.” But the man’s axe arm dropped at bit.
“Go and check.” He pointed with his blade back to the clearing. “We’ll wait.”
“Don’t believe him, Patrick,” the man next to Kaireen said. “It’s a trick.”
Patrick shifted on his feet between going and staying, his axe lowered.
“Look. I’ll put away my weapon until you return.” Bram sheathed his sword. “In good faith. Now, all I ask is that you check the wagon and see if I speak the truth.”
Patrick glanced over at his friend who waved him on. Then the man tore through the forest.
“For a Viking, you seem interested in this lass more so than your life.” The man ran the dull edge of the blade down Kaireen’s exposed leg. “How much would you give for her?”
Your life. “Not sure.” He scratched his beard. “The Laird has two other daughters… maybe he cares little for this one.”
“Oh, no, rumor has it she’s his favorite.” The man farthest away nodded his head in earnest. “I witnessed the Laird himself giving this one archery and a few sword lessons a few years back as if she were a boy.”
If she’d been a Viking, she’d have had the choice to pick up weapons if she chose and become a shieldmaiden. If she was good enough, Freya might select her to become a Valkyrie.
“So.” Bram shrugged. “Maybe he was bored and amused himself with training her.”
There was a rustle behind him, and he half turned, keeping one eye on the men before him. Patrick was back, but this time he’d brought a dozen more men with weapons. And none of them looked happy.
*
Bram rolled his shoulders and drew his weapon. “Did you find the food in the wagon?”
“Nay.” Patrick gripped his sword in a white clenched fist. “We found an empty wagon.”
“The food was there.” He didn’t want to kill all these men. And he would to keep Kaireen safe. Instead of giving in to the surrounding men, he squared his shoulders and danced forward. In one quick move, he yanked the dagger from his boot and sent it sailing. It sliced the nearest man across his thigh.
Blood darkened the man’s hoses as he seethed in agony and collapsed to his knees.
Patrick raced forward, and Bram sidestepped at the last instant. Patrick’s axe lodged into an oak on the other side of Bram. Two more men raced forward, Bram kicked one in the knee, crippling him and blocked the other’s swing in midair.
“Enough!” the man holding Kaireen shouted. “Spill any more blood, and she loses hers.”
A blade pressed against Kaireen’s throat. She still hadn’t roused.
“What do you want?” Bram asked the men around him panting for breath. “Release her and I vow I will give you all a reward more precious to me than anything else.” Right now, that would be their death.
“How do we know we can trust you, a foreigner?” one man in the crowd near a spindly elm tree asked.
“I vow upon Odin and Thor, you will have my reward by winter’s end.” True, once Kaireen was safe he could come back here and kill them all… but he wanted to give them a chance… a choice. Give the reward too soon, they’d think it too easy and not worth anything.
“Gold from Laird Liannon?”
Once he got Kaireen back safely, he could explain to the Laird what happened here and surely the man would give him a jeweled sword to dispatch these men.
“And jewels.” Another man shouted from behind him.
Bram nodded.
“Agreed.” The man removed the blade from Kaireen’s flesh.
When the Irishman brushed her hair and then licked her face, Bram bellowed and crashed into the bastard. His hands choking the man before he realized what he was doing. Men yanked at his arms, but he couldn’t stop himself.
Soon there was a crunching sound as the man stopped struggling and died. Bram leaned back on his heels. Sweat trickled down his back. Thi
s was the first time in his life he’d killed someone because of another—a woman. He’d defended women before and Morga many times, but never in a way that he’d lost himself.
The men surrounded him with weapons raised and ready to kill him. Elva strode forward past a peeling oak tree and behind her were dozens of women. Some old, some young, some round with a child and carrying another on their hip. All of the women glared at the men.
“You saw what happened. And what this one,” Elva kicked the dead man, “wanted to do to the Laird’s daughter who brought you food. Who constantly has had me sneak out food to bring to you all. This is how you repay her kindness? With rape and murder?”
The women shuffled through the forest. One or more of them coming up beside a man holding a weapon.
Without words, one by one the men lowered their weapons.
“Now.” Elva spun to Bram. “None of these men have harmed or laid a hand on Kaireen. Do we have your vow you will not come after them for retribution?”
Bram didn’t know if he could forgive these people. If not for him… and Elva, they’d have gone along with this fool. The thought of Kaireen hurt made his fingernails dig into his palms.
“Bram,” Elva said. “Do you forgive these men? They did not lay a finger on Kaireen.”
Part of him wanted to slay them all. They had sided with the dead man against Bram and Kaireen. But as he looked at the women, babies, and children next to them, he knew he could not harm them.
“Two conditions and I won’t come back to finish them off.” He rose. “They are not to harm a woman—any woman for as long as they live. And sons will be taught to respect women.” Despite Viking women being allowed to divorce their husband if treated unfairly, Bram knew these Irish would be appalled just at the two rules he’d given them.
One man nodded. Others glanced to their wives or mothers, before giving a brief nod. Two scowled and the young women near them backed up.
“If you disagree, speak.” Bram waved his arms out. “I’ll not hold it against you.”
“Women are for making babies, cooking, and cleaning.” One of the men closest to Bram raised his scythe. “I’ll never agree to your heathen—” He ran forward, but Bram twisted away.
“Yield. There need not be any bloodshed.”
“I will not listen to your pagan lies!” The man charged forward the scythe’s blade brushed across Bram’s thigh.
He ignored the stinging pain. “Don’t make me—”
The man roared and swiped at Bram again, but he ducked at the last minute.
Bram thrust his sword forward and it caught the man in the neck before he could raise his weapon again.
“Alas, I said I would not hold your words against you… I said nothing of my sword.”
Then he sneered and dropped the scythe bringing out a small dagger and thrust it toward Bram’s chest. Bram stabbed the man in the neck and blocked the man’s strike with his forearm against the man’s wrist.
The man crumbled in a heap. One of the elderly women closest to him spat on his dead body. His wife looked around as if in shock.
“B-but who will take care of me?” the young woman wailed.
“Men die all the time. With disease, in battle… treat this woman as a respected widow.” Bram took a step toward the other man who disagreed with him. “Either share his fate or take this woman as your sister and treat her as a precious gem. Your choice.”
Chapter Six
The crowd did not move or speak as Bram waited for the man’s answer. Bram would be happy to dispatch this man. Then Bram wouldn’t worry about him fulfilling his vows to protect this widow. But he wanted the weeping woman to have security. She was not a shieldmaiden.
What if Kaireen’s husband died (if she were married)? Bram glanced down at her wild red hair. No, she would not snivel and whimper like this widow. No doubt, she’d rule her house and lands however she pleased… like a Valkyrie would.
The thought of Kaireen standing with her back straight and held high no matter what happened, brought a smile to his lips.
“Answer me honestly,” Bram said, staring at the man, “for Elva or I will check on you often to ensure you do as promised.”
The man swallowed, but after his wife’s hand landed on his arm, he nodded. “I agree.”
Elva clapped her hands together and the crowed seemed to let out a breath in unison. Bram sheathed his sword and then scooped up unconscious Kaireen into his arms. She sighed and he nearly tripped over a root. Her scent of rose, lye, and wildness filled him. She was light, and seemed molded in his arms as if she belonged there.
And he knew that even though he’d won this battle, there were harder battles to come. First was renegotiating with Laird Liannon and Bram’s marriage contract. He couldn’t possibly marry Rebecca or anyone else when his heart pleaded for Kaireen.
*
Inside the keep, two guards snapped to attention and a young handmaid let out a squeal.
“Hush. The lot of you.” Elva pointed to a chamber and motioned Bram to carry Kaireen inside. Then she turned to a boy nearby and snatched his arm. “Go fetch Lady Liannon and no one else. And you make sure no one enters this room except her.”
The guards frowned, but nodded while the servant, as lean as a wisp, dashed down the stone hallway.
Bram laid Kaireen in her bed carved from oak with red curtains that wrapped around the poles supporting her wooden canopy. Her bed was larger than any chamber he’d slept in. A fire crackled to life suddenly as Elva bent over it. A stool sat near a window, trunk squeezed between the door and a brass mirror. And still, there was enough room to have a dozen couples dancing.
“I’ll stay with her until she wakes.” Elva pulled a stool closer to Kaireen.
“Maybe she needs a healer since she hasn’t roused yet.” Bram frowned.
“No, let her sleep. We will not tell her of what happened… or what nearly happened to her today.” Elva narrowed her eyes. “Promise it. Worrying about what might have happened would do Kaireen no good.”
Bram frowned, but nodded. “Tell me as soon as she wakes. I will return in the morning.”
“Would you like a servant to draw a bath for you in the bathing chamber? It’s about time you shaved and cleaned up for your betrothal ceremony tomorrow.”
Tomorrow? He couldn’t marry Rebecca. Not now… not ever. While he liked the woman, she hadn’t stirred his heart and filled his mind like… Kaireen. The realization made him stumble as he turned and left her bed chambers.
*
The next morning, after Bram was escorted by two men to the bathing chamber and had shaved off his beard, washed, and trimmed his hair, he strolled through the gardens searching for Kaireen. She spoke with the little lass from the archery field that she helped with her shooting.
“Sir?” The Ewery’s apprentice wiped his hair out of his eyes. “Is that a Lochlann sword?”
“Nay.” He pulled it out to show the lad and sighed as Kaireen disappeared inside the keep. “But I’ll carve runes of protection and power in it nonetheless.”
The boy’s brown eyes crinkled around the corners as he examined it. “I would like to have a sword, but everyone says I’m too young.”
Bram handed over the sword, then after walking the boy through some swings, took the blade back. “What’s your name?”
“David.” The boy smiled.
“After I marry, I’ll sail to my homeland and by an Ulfberht sword.”
“Will you carve runes into as well?”
“I won’t need to. An Ulfberht is already stronger than any other blade.” He sheathed his sword. “It could slice through this one. When I get my sword,” he laid a hand on the lad’s shoulder, “I’ll give you this one.”
“Thank you and blessings.” The boy’s face lit up. “And may you have many children.”
Bram called back the same as the boy tore through the gardens.
Where had she gone? He wanted to follow after her, but had been delayed talking
with David. He wanted to speak with Kaireen. Maybe let her know his intent before he approached her parents. Today was the day of his marriage to Rebecca, but he needed to break or rather alter the contract. He couldn’t wait on Kaireen. If he had any hope of changing the Laird’s mind, he had to act now. He couldn’t get Kaireen and how she’d felt in his arms out of his mind.
Outside his chamber, he paused when his door stood open. Hand on his sword hilt, he stepped inside and bumped into Elva.
“What are you doing in here?” he asked her.
“Adding logs to your fire. It gets cold here at night and takes too much time to rebuild a fire when a log or two will help keep it going and keep the chamber warm.”
He glanced behind her and blinked seeing embers, then a fire snapped into place. But he shrugged it off. “Have you spoken with her yet?”
“I speak to lots of women.” She cocked her head to the side. “Do you mean the Lady’s servant Rhiannon? The woman is near my age, I’d think you’d want a young—”
Instead of shouting, he ran a hand through his hair. Thor help him, but the woman tested his patience. “Kaireen.” He took a step toward her. “Her kindness and beauty—”
“Are nothing compared to her stubbornness and hatred of your kind.”
Aye, he knew that from her conversation with Elva. Still, he couldn’t stop his heart. He paused. “I could get her over her prejudices quickly.”
“Can you now?” Elva crossed her arms as if to hold her laughter back. “Her temper flares as strong as the red in her hair. You won’t be taming her with words or kisses.”
“I will be judge of that.”
“What of Rebecca? Your intended?”
Bram rubbed the back of his neck. True, she was kind-hearted, but she wasn’t for him. “Perhaps the Laird will take my first months’ pay and appease her father. If she’s willing, I may know someone across the sea who’d be willing to marry her.” Few would care about love and the land and a wife would be enough for them. Still, he’d make sure it was someone who would treat her well… maybe even love her in time.
Viking Flame: Prequel to Viking Fire Page 3