The afternoon sun glinted through the trees, but he couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Just when he thought he’d imagined the bird call so late in the season, the call of a hawk reached his ears. It was far in the distance and authentic enough to be taken for the real thing by someone unsuspecting. It came two more times in rapid succession. It meant there was trouble and they’d need to proceed carefully.
They were only an hour away from home. Instinct told him the matter concerned Aisly. His stomach churned as he turned in the direction of the call.
* * *
Aisly prayed fervently for Godric’s sword to appear in her hand, but that prayer continued to go unanswered. She’d never have been able to leave the settlement without rousing suspicion with it, so when it hadn’t been returned to her, she hadn’t thought about it again. If it would help her now, she didn’t know, but anything would have been better than nothing.
It seemed that she’d barely got out of view of the settlement when she’d felt eyes on her. She’d assumed it was some of the Danes. They seemed to be everywhere. It was no surprise that one of them would have been curious about her leaving and followed. As long as they didn’t intervene, she was fine with it. But as the afternoon had worn on, she’d begun to feel apprehensive. The presence felt menacing. She was being stalked.
Unable to stop herself, she’d picked up her pace a few times. The distant sound of leaves crunching under boots echoed her own steps. Her heart pounded and she scanned the trees for somewhere to hide. There was nowhere, especially not when she was so obviously being observed. They’d see where she hid. Any tree that she was able to climb, they’d be able to climb.
She should’ve stayed in the settlement and waited for Magnus. He would’ve given her an escort to Alstan’s home. But she hadn’t, because she’d been too afraid that she couldn’t face him and still walk away.
A twig snapped to her right and she jumped, her gaze frantically searching for the source. There was nothing. It happened again, this time to her left. They were surrounding her, toying with her. Her mind raced for some way out, but there wasn’t one. Then a figure emerged from beneath the canopy of branches just ahead.
It was a man. He stood there grinning, displaying the dark grooves carved into his teeth. She turned, but they revealed themselves to her until she could see there were four of them, each only thirty yards away. She had no hope of making it, but she refused to stand docilely while they closed in on her. She screamed and ran, aiming for the clearest path directly between two of them.
One of them laughed, his mocking voice following her as she ran. The two nearest her ran, their legs eating up the distance until she was sure one of them would reach out and grab her, but he fell, his cry of pain echoing through the forest. She had no idea what had felled him, but she couldn’t stop to look as the other one promised to reach her soon. She pumped her legs, nearly sliding on the wet leaves when his fingers brushed her shoulder. He almost took her down, but he cried out in pain. Over her shoulder, she saw the bulk of his body as he fell.
Sounds of footsteps closing in spurred her onward and another cry of pain made her flinch. But then a body crashed into her, sending her rolling with a heavy body on top of her. She caught a quick glimpse of the rebel who’d smiled at her, just before they came to a stop and he pulled her to her feet. One hand tangled in her hair, while the other wrapped around her waist in a strong hold she had no hope of breaking, though she tried. He jerked her hard back against him and yelled something she was certain was a call for her to be still.
She did still, but only because she saw the reason the rebel’s friends had fallen. An army of Danes emerged from the trees. She had no idea how so many of them could have been hidden, but she was certain there were at least a score of them. There was a thud and she was jerked to the side along with the rebel holding her. Only, he was falling and he was taking her with him. The flash of the hilt of a sword in the sunlight told her he’d been hit with it.
Strong hands went around her, freeing her from his grip just as he crumpled to the ground in an unconscious heap. Ready to fight her new adversary, she jerked but heard the most precious sound she could imagine: Magnus’s voice.
‘It’s me, fair one. You’re safe.’
It took a moment before she could believe that he was there. It seemed so incredible, yet there he stood staring down at her, the gold flecks in his eyes catching the sun. And he was smiling.
‘We’ve got them all. You’re safe.’
She flung herself into his arms, not caring that the other Danes watched them. She was so overcome with happiness and relief that the strength left her legs and tears rolled down her cheeks. Magnus held her, murmuring soothing words as he stroked her.
‘Why did you leave?’ he whispered, when her trembling had abated a little.
‘Because I couldn’t bear to tell you goodbye. I know what this marriage means to you, Magnus.’ She pulled back just enough to look up into his eyes. ‘I won’t force you to choose anything less than everything you’ve worked for, but neither can I stand by while you marry someone else. I thought it best if I just go.’
He looked so pained she wanted to take it away from him, so she stroked him. His shoulders, his chest, anywhere she could to try to take that away. ‘While I marry someone else?’ he asked. ‘Does that mean you could consider marrying a Dane? The man responsible for your husband’s death?’
‘I could marry you, Magnus. Not a Dane. Not a warrior. But you. You’re so much more than any of that.’
He smiled at that and pulled her hard against his chest. She allowed it because his arms was the only place she wanted to be, but it didn’t change anything. Did it?
‘I’m still a warrior,’ he finally said.
‘I know.’ She closed her eyes and burrowed deeper. She’d have to come to terms with that and accept that she wouldn’t have as much of him as she wanted.
‘Jarl Eirik.’ His voice surprised her when he called out.
She jerked away as far as he would let her, to see a large blond man approach on horseback. He was the same man she’d seen in the hall the previous night. He wore chain mail and a mantle, and when he dismounted, he was as tall as Magnus, but his expression was fierce. Magnus had mentioned him the night before. This was the man responsible for Magnus’s marriage. This was the man Magnus had to answer to if he disobeyed. Fear tightened in her belly, but she didn’t acknowledge it as she drew herself up to her full height.
‘I want to marry Aisly.’ Magnus’s voice was firm and he surprised her by speaking in her language.
‘Magnus!’ She looked up at him. ‘Nay. This is what you wanted.’
He only shook his head as he spared her a glance. ‘It’s what I thought I wanted. I want you, Aisly. I don’t need to be King. I have nothing to prove to anyone but myself...and to you. I’m the warrior my father wanted... I’m the man I want to be... Now let me be the husband you want.’ He turned back to the Jarl.
‘Magnus, this isn’t a question of want,’ the Jarl said, surprising her with his grasp of her language. He spoke with barely a hint of an accent. ‘It’s obligation. The Alveys expect an alliance.’
‘Aye, I know they do and I’m certain we can find someone for them. Remove me as leader if you need to. Appoint a new one and let him marry the woman.’
‘That person is you.’ Eirik crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance.
Undeterred, Magnus shook his head. ‘It was...once. I don’t want that life any more.’
‘Magnus,’ Aisly said, tightening her grip on his waist. ‘Please don’t give this up for me. You’ve worked too long. It’s what you’ve wanted.’
‘Listen to her, brother. This is what you’ve earned.’
Magnus only smiled, a strange peacefulness coming over his face. ‘Aye, I have earned it and I do want to lead my me
n, but not if it means losing Aisly. She’s what I want. A life with her.’
Jarl Eirik blinked, then looked at her, really looked at her for the first time. She couldn’t help but think he must find her lacking. What did she have that could compare to the bride Magnus was giving up? Nothing. She had absolutely nothing to offer him.
Looking up at Magnus, she pulled herself away from him, needing distance. With a little distance she was certain he’d come to his senses. ‘Please don’t do this, Magnus. I can’t offer you what she can.’
Magnus only smiled wider. ‘You’re right. You can’t offer me a kingdom, but you can offer me what’s important. All the little things that I forgot I needed. I want you, Aisly. I choose you.’
‘What of your duty, Magnus?’ She wrapped her arms around herself, lest she fall apart.
‘The only duty marriage to you disqualifies me from is marriage to her, an alliance.’ Turning his attention back to the Jarl, he said, ‘Someone else will have to do that, while I keep the peace in this region.’
The Jarl was so quiet, she was certain he was about to dash the foolish hope that had begun to grow within her. But then he smiled at her. She noticed that he was quite handsome when he smiled and she was certain that the three of them had gone mad together. ‘Merewyn will be overjoyed to welcome another Saxon woman to her table.’ To Magnus, he said, ‘You’re right. You can keep peace in this region, it’s why I appointed you leader of Thornby. Your marriage to this Saxon won’t disrupt that and you’ll stay on as leader.’
‘But what of the Alvey marriage?’
‘Vidar was my first choice. As my brother, he’d create a stronger alliance.’ The Jarl surprised her by laughing. ‘He refused initially, but he won’t disobey a direct order.’ Turning back to mount his horse, he said, ‘We’ll tell him tonight.’ Then he rode back towards Thornby.
When Aisly noticed her hands were shaking, she clutched them into fists, but that didn’t do anything to stop them. Magnus stroked his fingertips across her cheek, brushing her hair back from her face. ‘You’ll marry me, won’t you? You can have your own place to work and do your embroidery if you wish.’ He didn’t seem particularly unsure of himself, as his voice was more coaxing and gentle than that.
‘You just gave up everything for me.’
‘I didn’t. I still retain my position as leader of the settlement.’
‘But your future...’
‘My future is with you...if you’ll have me. If I am fortunate enough to live out my days as leader of Thornby with you at my side, I’ll die a happy man.’
The hope doubled, tripled, within her, but she still couldn’t bring herself to believe that this great man wanted her as his wife. ‘Are you certain, Magnus?’
He laughed and picked her up, his arms tight around her waist as he brought her up to eye level. ‘Aye, I’m certain. I can’t change the fact that I’m a warrior, but as leader I’ll have duties that keep me at the settlement. I can arrange it so I’ll rarely be gone for more than a fortnight.’ His eyes softened, and his fingers tightened at her hips. ‘Marry me.’
She nodded, and the laughter spilled out of her. ‘I love you. Aye, I’ll marry you.’
He kissed her then, his lips sealing over her vow. The Danes cheered around them, but she didn’t care. Magnus was hers. He was everything.
Epilogue
Aisly ran her fingers through the thick waves of his golden hair. It had grown out quite a bit since winter. She was finding that she quite liked it this length, down to his neck so she had something to hold on to. Her fingertips disappeared in it, only to re-emerge as she stroked downward along the golden skin of his back.
‘At least tell me what you’re saying.’
He grinned at her and kept talking in his language. So many of the people at the settlement knew her own language, and had been considerate in using it when around her, that she hadn’t mastered his yet. She could get by, but he was speaking so low and fast that she couldn’t keep up.
Finally he finished and leaned forward to place a kiss on her growing belly before lying down in bed beside her. ‘Only how lucky I am to have stumbled upon his or her mother near that stream.’
She took his hand and moved it to the spot on the upper right where there was movement. ‘The baby can hear you, I think. It kicks every time you talk.’
Magnus smiled wide and his eyes practically shone with joy as he spread his hand wide to feel it. It was early summer and the baby wasn’t due to be born for another couple of months, but they were both excited. Aisly had worried that Magnus might regret his decision, but so far he hadn’t. He managed the settlement and left for small trips to visit other Danes or handle disputes, but he was home far more often than he was away. It seemed too much to dream for, yet it was working.
Alstan hadn’t been entirely happy to learn that she’d married a Dane, but he hadn’t disowned her. She’d visited him once when Magnus had gone to visit Lord Oswine about Wulfric’s involvement with the rebels. Lord Oswine had claimed ignorance of Wulfric’s deception, just as he’d claimed no knowledge about her marriage contract. Magnus had been suspicious, but there was nothing to do without solid proof. For his part, Alstan had vowed to keep an eye on his master and he’d hugged her, all the while vowing to harm Magnus if he harmed her. They wouldn’t be having him over for a visit any time soon, but she was confident that eventually he’d come to see Magnus as the fair man he was. Just as she was certain that Cuthbert would make the villagers see that the Danes didn’t have to be their enemy. He’d already graciously accepted Magnus’s payment for harbouring him during his injury.
The only casualty had been Vidar. He’d spent the winter at Thornby and she’d got to know him a bit. He’d been easy-going and likeable—he’d even offered her a bolt of deep blue silk she took to be an apology for stealing her tapestries—but he’d been upset about his marriage. Guilt gnawed at her every time she thought of him.
‘Do you think Vidar has reached the north yet?’
Shaking his head, Magnus brought his hand up to smooth out her brow with his fingers, before kissing her there. ‘Probably, but don’t fret. Vidar will be fine. He’s survived a father who makes most men tremble in their boots and two older brothers who learned at their father’s knee. He can survive a bride.’
‘It’s not that. I just worry for him. Doesn’t he deserve a chance at what we’ve found? What Jarl Eirik and Merewyn have found?’ She’d met them once when Magnus had taken her to visit them at the beginning of spring. They’d clearly been in love. ‘How can he have that with an arranged marriage?’
‘It’s not like this for everyone, fair one. Aye, he deserves a chance, but if it’s not what he wants, then he’ll marry the girl and be on his way. He may be happier that way.’
She frowned. It didn’t seem right. ‘And will she be happy?’
Magnus was quiet for a moment, twirling a length of her hair around his finger. ‘Perhaps—if they’re very lucky—they’ll be happier than they ever thought possible.’
* * * * *
If you enjoyed this story,
you won’t want to miss these other
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THE INNOCENT AND THE OUTLAW
Keep reading for an excerpt from MARRIED TO HER ENEMY by Jenni Fletcher.
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Married to Her Enemy
by Jenni Fletcher
Chapter One
Etton, near Peterborough, Mercia,
August 1067
Aediva shoved the full weight of her body against the heavy wooden gate, skidding in the mud as she finally dropped the iron locking bar.
Then she turned and ran. Back up the hill, back past the abandoned houses and scattered belongings dropped in the desperate rush to escape, back towards the Thane’s hall that stood, circular-shaped and slightly raised on a mound in the centre.
At the entrance she stopped, windswept hair tumbling over her face like a hazel and honey-flecked veil, glancing fearfully over her shoulder as if expecting to find an arrow aimed at her throat.
How long did they have? How long before the Conquest reached their door?
An hour if they were lucky.
Not long enough.
In Bed with the Viking Warrior Page 24