Fire and Ice

by Christer, J. E.

  “You’re looking extremely beautiful tonight, Giselle, is that a new gown?” he said with all the charm he could muster.

  “Why, thank you, Erik. Er... Yes, the gown is fairly new.”

  Erik had to bite his tongue because he had seen Hilde wearing that very gown on special occasions and here was this upstart of a Norman she-dog parading herself around in stolen clothes.

  “It becomes you very well. Here let me pour you some more mead.” The evening continued and he drank from his horn of ale while his cup of mead stayed untouched, but Giselle had a liking for the sweet drink and consumed more and more. “Have you done your hair differently, Giselle?” he asked as he noticed her eyes starting to drop.

  “Hair - hair did you say?” she mumbled in reply, her tongue seeming to trip over every word.

  “Yes, your hair is really beautiful. So black and...” Erik saw her eyes had closed and she began to sway until she slid sideways against his shoulder.

  “Thank heavens!” he said with feeling, “I thought she was going to last all night. Quick, Thorvald. Get her cloak and bring the wagon round.”

  Thorvald jumped up and grabbed Giselle’s cloak and threw it towards Erik then disappeared swiftly out of the door. Juliana helped Erik wrap Giselle in the cloak and he lifted her thin body easily, depositing her with some rough glee into the back of the wagon where Thorvald was waiting for them outside.

  “Get into the wagon and we’ll go and get Father Matthew. He can explain to the nuns why she’s asleep.”

  Within minutes and not caring which servants were watching they drove away from the Hall and Juliana heaved a huge sigh. At last she was in control of her home again but still she had a feeling of foreboding, especially as Kyle had still not returned. She went to get her thickest cloak from the chest in her chamber and also pulled out a thin-linked chain which fitted around her waist and hips. It had been a present from her father but the main item was the small bejewelled dagger which dangled from the chain. She was aware that she would need some kind of protection going out late at night and this would be perfect. The servants had mostly retired for the night and no one noticed her leaving the Hall.

  ***

  Sara’s home was small but comfortable and on a chilly night like this one she was glad to get back to the fireside. The hut was in darkness but the driftwood she burned was still glowing with a low light. The hearth was made up of a circle of stones in the middle of the room with a pit dug into the floor which held the wood. Any smoke would filter out of the thatched roof and she rubbed her hands in front of the embers before adding a few more handfuls of wood which she had stored in one corner. The new kindling which she had just collected would dry out in a few days and be consumed by the fire within the week. The slight wind had picked up and sent the fog rolling over the Humber and tumbling it over the banks onto the land like ghostly waves and she shivered hugging herself, pleased that she would not have to go out again that night. The metal tripod hung over the fire and she filled the pot with water ready to cook her meal. Using two sticks she expertly lifted rounded cobbles which had been sitting in the fire all day and dropped them into the water causing the heat from the stones to boil the water quicker. She was just about to throw in some vegetables when she heard a howling outside. Ignoring the sound for a while she eventually became distracted by it, wondering if it could be wolves. She ate her meal of vegetables and barley then put aside her dishes to wash later. Her curiosity got the better of her and she peeked out of her door to see a cloaked figure running down the track towards the water’s edge.

  Sara donned her own cloak and pulled the hood over her head, determined to find out what was going on, but knew she would have to be careful. Thieves and vagabonds roamed the shores at night and she had no wish to fall into their hands. She followed in the direction the cloaked figure had taken, but keeping to her own track which she knew better than most. This took her to a ditch in the marshy ground where she could watch unseen as figures moved to and fro and the howling became louder. Sounds of a struggle came to her and her heart skipped a beat when a voice she knew very well pierced the mists.

  “Sir Richard, I beg of you - don’t hurt my dog. He was a gift from the King himself and he would not take it lightly if you killed him.” Juliana’s voice was unmistakable.

  “I won’t kill him, sweet lady, but the water might,” he laughed unpleasantly. “Now get into the boat and I’ll give him a fighting chance.”

  “Where are you taking me?” Juliana tried to sound angry but her voice wobbled with fear.

  “Over the water to a new land, sweetness, where you will at last be mine.”

  “But... Ulfric! He’ll come after us and kill you.”

  “No, he has his hands full at the moment and won’t give you another thought. My sister told me to use this dog as a trap for you and she was right.”

  “Giselle! No, she’s...” but Juliana’s next words remained unspoken.

  “Get into the boat or I’ll throw you in!” Sir Richard sounded as if he was in no mood for prevarication and Sara watched as he scooped Juliana into his arms and lowered her into the small narrow boat. “The tide is on its way out and your dog will stay here. If the water comes back in before anyone finds him then you have only yourself to blame.”

  He pulled the boat out into the estuary and started rowing. The Humber was muddy with treacherous undercurrents and Sara had never seen Juliana so frightened in her life. She clung onto the sides of the boat, her eyes wild with unshed tears.

  Sara watched the boat disappear from view and went to collect Kyle who was whining for his mistress. The mud sank up to her ankles as she pulled the leather strap free from the wooden stake to which he had been tethered.

  “Come on, dog. You can come with me to the Hall. Thorvald and Erik will bring your mistress back.

  When she arrived at the Hall there was no one there to report to and any servants still around had no idea where the men were. She fell asleep by the fire waiting for them. Thorvald and Erik returned in the early hours of the morning and went straight to their chambers, Sara going unnoticed in her chair.

  Chapter 15

  Ulfric’s patience had been tried and tested over the past two to three months. Outbreaks of rebellion would still flare up in small communities who wanted to resist the Norman influence on their lives and he and his men were tired of being sent here and there to quell the uprisings. He was heartily pleased when the time came to pass on the command of the troops in Lincoln to their permanent leader and looked forward to seeing Bertone and his Juliana once again. He also had a surprise for her, the King had granted him the title of Earl of Lindsey and released him from his army position to go and settle in his new town. He also offered the same privilege to his own men and said they could either stay in Lincoln or return to Bertone and marry some of the local women. Some chose to stay in the army but others immediately rode off to be with their women.

  He had to admit to his pleasant surprise when the order came with his new title deeds and as he and his horse, Elding, plodded wearily on their way home he welcomed the thought of marriage at last. Juliana would indeed be a wife to be proud of, her bearing and intellect would round off his rough edges and she would make a wonderful mother to their children. Unlike his own mother, he knew Juliana would never send a young boy away to live in foreign parts to take his chances with jealous siblings always fighting for attention from their father. It was a long ride home and he had had little sleep in the past three days with one thing or another and just when he was thinking about dismounting and sleeping in woodland away from the road, an inn came into view. The lights were shining with the promise of a good meal and even better ale, so he tied Elding up outside the inn, put a nosebag around his ears and took off his saddle to enter the hostelry. Most people had left and gone home to their beds and the innkeeper was less than pleased to see Ulfric at his door but could do no other than invite him in.

  “If you want food, sire, you’ll have t
o make do with bread and cheese or rabbit pie,” he grumbled when Ulfric asked for a room for the night.

  “Bring me all three and a quart of ale, my good man.”

  “I want payment now. I don’t trust soldiers to stay put. I’ve met them that clear off in night and nivver pay.”

  “Certainly.” Ulfric was all smiles now that his bed for the night was assured and he was led to a room at the back where a straw pallet waited for him. The food and ale were hastily brought and placed on a battered wooden table while a fire was lit to warm the room. Ulfric paid the innkeeper generously and settled his saddle on the pallet and covered it with furs; whereupon he fell upon the food and devoured it in no time. After a few belches and scratches he removed his hauberk, wrapped himself in his cloak, and settled down to sleep the rest of the night away, dreaming of his Juliana waiting impatiently to see him.

  ***

  Ulfric’s dream of a triumphant return to the Hall was quashed as soon as he entered the stable yard. Servants were running here and there, Erik was shouting at Father Matthew and Thorvald’s voice could be heard above all the others from inside the Hall. No one took any notice of him and he felt quite put out until he stepped over the threshold when all heads turned and everything went quiet. He looked from one to another and Erik with Father Matthew in close proximity entered behind him. Thorvald was even paler than he normally was and Sara was crying quietly in a chair.

  “What’s happened?” Ulfric asked, breaking the silence in a low voice.

  Still no one spoke until he clenched his fists together and shouted, “WHAT HAS HAPPENED?” Then everyone spoke at once. With barely restrained impatience he held up his hand and the silence was immediate.

  “Thorvald – tell me,” he looked towards his second in command who shuffled his feet before replying.

  “It’s Juliana...” he began.

  Ulfric ran up the stairs without waiting to hear the rest of the sentence. He raced into their chamber expecting to find Juliana either very ill or dying. There was no sign of her so he ran into Hilde’s room but found only a servant tending her mistress.

  He ran down the corridor shouting her name until Erik came to find him and led him back downstairs. Thorvald handed him a goblet of wine and urged him to sit down. Ulfric’s temper was now raging and he threw the goblet to the far corner of the room before turning on everyone. “Where is she?” he demanded.

  “Sire,” Erik began tentatively, “Please sit down and listen to Sara.”

  Until that moment he had not taken any notice of the sniffling woman but took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking, “Sara, tell me what these buffoons appear to be unable to. Where is Juliana?”

  “She has been taken, my lord. Sir Richard de Gant took her last night into a boat and they have headed across the water. I saw them.”

  “You saw them, and did nothing?”

  “What could I do, my lord? I am an old woman and he would have run me through with his sword. I thought I would bring the dog back and tell everyone but the men were gone and I fell asleep waiting for them. They didn’t see me when they came back and went straight to their chambers.”

  Ulfric felt numb inside but could feel a fire of hatred beginning to burn in his soul. He flung his cape across his shoulder and drew up a chair in front of Sara. “Tell me exactly what happened.”

  Sara proceeded to tell him of her experiences of the night before and who had said what to whom, so by the time she had finished, Ulfric knew everything except ... “And where were you both last night when Sara came to the Hall?” he growled at Thorvald and Erik.

  Father Matthew bustled in between them at this stage, “My lord, Ulfric, it was necessary to bring our plans forward regarding the lady Giselle. She was taken to the nunnery at Goxhill last night and is now safely in the care of the nuns.”

  “Well isn’t that nice for the lady Giselle?” Ulfric answered sarcastically. “While Juliana is goodness knows where in the hands of that fiend. How many times have I asked you to never leave my lady alone, ever?”

  “Sire, we are sorry, but please let us tell you the whole story.”

  Thorvald stepped forward and began telling him about the events of the day before while Ulfric listened intently. Afterwards he called for another goblet of wine and went upstairs with deliberate steps. “Thorvald,” he shouted back to his friend. “We travel light!”

  “As always, Ulfric!” Thorvald replied knowing exactly what was needed and he too went to his quarters.

  They both returned dressed in loose clothing. Their legs were covered with sheepskin, cross-gartered with leather strips and both wore fur boots. Warm cloaks were over their arms and Thorvald wore a sword strapped across his back with the hilt pointing over his right shoulder for easy access. Ulfric had a large knife around his waist with others concealed in his boots. He called for two bags of grain and another of dried meat which Sam ran to get for them. They both ate a good breakfast and drank spring water rather than ale or wine. They would both need their wits about them in their search for Juliana.

  When they were ready to leave Ulfric shook Erik’s hand, “Keep this Hall and my town safe for me, Erik. Do not doubt I will bring Juliana back.”

  “You can rely on me, my lord,” Erik knelt as he spoke, knowing that if anyone could rescue Juliana it would be Ulfric and Thorvald.

  ***

  Sara took them to the spot where she had found Kyle and watched as de Gant had abducted Juliana. Ulfric looked across the water to the shores of Yorkshire sparkling in the bright sunlight of a clear day. They turned at the sound of running behind them and found Kyle hurtling along following their scent hotly pursued by the Master of the Hounds. The dog’s eyes seemed to plead with them to take him along and in answer to the Master of the Hounds’ question, Ulfric nodded to leave the dog with them.

  The tide was high but they had no boat of their own to use and the ferry had left earlier. Thorvald looked around and Sara felt their frustration. “Sire,” she said, “I know of a fisherman hereabouts who might be able to take you across the water.”

  Ulfric looked at Thorvald and nodded, whereupon he passed a small purse to her. She felt the weight of it and nodded before turning away and heading further up the shore. The men railed at the time it was taking but could only blame themselves for not planning this far ahead. Eventually, Sarah arrived back with a burly man at her side. “My lord, this is Oswald the fisherman who lives on the other side of the town. He is usually fishing here at this time so I have persuaded him to take you across the water.”

  The fisherman bowed to Ulfric, “Sire, I cannot sell you my boat as I need it for my living but can take you over the water if it means saving our beautiful lady.”

  Ulfric smiled, realising how much Juliana meant to the people of Bertone. “Thank you, Oswald. You’ll be well paid for your efforts.”

  The men left Sara on the bank and walked with Oswald to his boat which looked to be well kept and seaworthy. He and Thorvald took an oar each and Sara watched from the shore as they pulled away into the treacherous river. She lifted her hand in farewell but none came in response so she could only pray now for Juliana’s safety and for the men’s success in finding her.

  Chapter 16

  It was two months since Richard de Gant had taken Juliana from the Lincolnshire shores of the Humber and in that time Juliana had finally admitted to herself that she was carrying Ulfric’s child. Her morning sickness had been an unwelcome guest and stayed with her until after she had been given bread which was usually when the sun was climbing high into the sky. So far she had managed to hide the fact from de Gant and was thankful that he had made no demands on her so far but knew that she would have to tell him soon when the baby became noticeable. Her slim figure was much the same as always but her breasts were becoming tender and heavy and her complexion was paler than usual, especially after a bout of sickness.

  They had passed close to many settlements and de Gant’s method of restraining her was a leat
her collar around her neck which chafed her tender skin when he pulled her along. The sight of a woman being led this way, although not uncommon, was enough to draw her to the attention of many who thought that she was an unfaithful wife and had to be kept tethered to stop her from running away. Her thoughts constantly strayed to Ulfric and she wondered if he was searching for her or if he had decided to let her go, but she knew deep down that he would still be on her trail and hoped that she would soon be free again. But what then? Would he be pleased about the baby or would he send her away like Alice? But Alice wanted to go away, she would argue with herself, it had been her choice – and all because of the same man who had defiled her, and was just biding his time, torturing Juliana with threats that he intended to marry her. Their arguments were heated and Juliana gave back as much as she received from the Norman but her physical tiredness was wearing her down and she often felt like lying down and dying on the spot, but she would never admit as much to de Gant. Her strength of character came to the fore during their arguments and she would stand with her hands on her hips defying de Gant to do his worst.

  Christmas had come and gone and now the New Year brought snow and wind making their advance even harder.

  “Where are you taking me?” she asked for the thousandth time.

  “I’ve told you, wait and see,” he replied once again.

  “Can we not find shelter, sire? The wind is cold and the sky is full of snow. If we get caught in a blizzard we will both die.”

  De Gant looked at Juliana and for once gave in to her demands. They found shelter at an inn at the next settlement and ate bread and cheese washed down with ale before Juliana stretched out on a bench and fell asleep in front of the fire, wrapped in her voluminous cloak. The innkeeper glanced at the strange couple and wondered what had happened to cause them to travel in such weather. He looked out of the window and saw the first flakes of snow fall.