by K. Young
"I'd watch what you say from here on out, Ben. Seems you've woken the devil." Tristan glanced nervously at his brother and his jaw dropped open.
Ben and Aron glanced at Derrick, and their jaws dropped open. Aron dropped his gun and ran. Derrick took a threatening step toward Ben.
"Stay back! What are you?" Ben's voice cracked in fear.
Tristan watched his brother in fear, and he couldn't remember the last time he felt genuine fear. Derrick's eyes had always been a way for people to tell his moods, and Tristan thought him unlucky in that regard. But, this. This wasn't natural. Not only were Derrick's eyes glowing, but the blacks of his eyes had completely disappeared, and his skin was burning with the same color of the blaze in his eyes. He was glowing from the inside out, and waves of dangerous rage were rolling off of him. The fact that he was so quiet, so calm underneath it, made it all the more frightening. Tristan had never seen the like.
Derrick took another threatening step. He recognized the man's fear, but did not register sympathy. This man was responsible for the explosion that could have killed Kristen. He had helped the Viking's. He would pay. A very animalistic instinct took over somewhere in Derrick's mind, and Derrick lunged for Ben with all the grace of a wild cat. Ben screamed and raised the gun to Derrick's head, but Derrick swatted it out of the way. He grabbed Ben around the neck, hopped around gracefully until he was behind him while still keeping him in place with an arm at his throat.
Ben screamed bloody murder, and Tristan noted the man had wet himself. Not that he could blame him. Derrick was always the dangerous one of the family. In that moment, Tristan understood Scott's decision to send him away. If he had stayed, Tristan would have escalated things until Derrick had reached this point. Somehow, Scott knew what Derrick was capable of. Tristan watched in horror as his brother snapped Ben's neck like he was breaking a twig. Ben's lifeless body slid to the ground and thumped softly as it hit the sand. The rage consuming Derrick was still there, unquenched, and Derrick looked at Tristan.
Tristan lifted is hands in surrender. "Derrick, it's me. You need to calm down so we can find Kristen." His voice was soft and even.
For a moment, Tristan was scared Derrick was too far gone, but slowly, the glowing in his skin began to fade. His eyes still maintained an eerie glow, but the black parts of his eyes had returned. He seemed to be himself
"Are you back?" Tristan asked hesitantly.
"I would not have hurt you." Derrick said quietly.
Tristan lowered his hands and lifted a brow. "Let's just say I wasn't willing to put that to the test."
"That's a first." Derrick remarked sarcastically.
"If you had seen yourself, you would understand. "
Derrick remained silent, but motioned for Tristan to lead the way. They needed to find Kristen. Tristan took the invitation and they followed the sand until they passed a wide cliff. At the bottom of the cliff was an opening that fed right into the ocean, but as they got closer, Tristan stopped abruptly.
"No." He whispered in horror.
Flames licked the side of the cave entrance. Derrick followed Tristan's gaze and his heart sank. They took off at a run, a feat that caused Derrick an excruciating amount of pain, but both men prayed the ship was still intact. When they reached the entrance, the flames were still burning and black smoke billowed out. Tristan tried to enter the cave, but Derrick pulled him back.
"It's gone, Tristan."
"Maybe we can - "
"Leave it, it's gone." Derrick said firmly.
He walked away from the cave entrance and sank down into the sand, dejected, battered, and miserable. Tristan joined him and sighed heavily.
"I'm sorry, Derrick."
"It's not your fault." Derrick said, emotion choking him.
"It's not yours either, you know."
Derrick turned to look at his brother. "She is my wife. My responsibility. You don't know what that's like."
Tristan nodded and Derrick turned his attention back to the sea. Tristan didn't know what Derrick was going through, but he had a notion that if someone had absconded with Chelsea, he would move heaven and Earth to find her. He knew Derrick would do the same. As they stared out at the ocean, Tristan swallowed nervously. He hated to bring it up now, but Derrick needed to know.
"Derrick, when I got to the docks, everything was a mess." Tristan cleared his throat. "Jesus. They're all dead, Derrick. There was nothing I could do. Jack, he...he wanted to help find Kristen. They must have been too close to the ship. I
- "
Tristan stopped when he got a look at Derrick's face, blank of emotion but eyes glowing dangerously. Tristan couldn't imagine what his brother must feel like, but he had no wish to see the monster he had become with Ben and Aron.
"I'm sorry, Derrick."
Derrick remained silent; a million miles away in his head. He turned back to the ocean and watched as the waves crashed against the beach. Their only hope now was that someone would see the smoke all over the island and come to help.
Chapter 35
It had been more than a month since the explosion at Tristan's island home had separated her from Derrick. Adrian had thrown her in a cell below deck, and Alice was chained to the wall across the room. The two women didn't say much to one another, each lost in her own thoughts. Most days, it was all Kristen could do to pick her head up off the ground. With Derrick dead, there was a deep void in her heart. He had died without ever knowing how she truly felt about him and that broke her heart.
But, even if she weren't heartbroken, plans of escape were damn near impossible. She had never grown up around other Vikings, but she could see where her strength came from. The men aboard the ship were more vicious than any she had ever seen. On their first day aboard the ship, as Adrian and his goons escorted her to her cell, she watched as one Viking gutted another because he refused to do his share of the chores. And they were all as large as trees, and just as strong from the looks of them. She didn't think she'd be able to go up against these men like the ones in England.
As she laid on the floor of her cell thinking, the door opened and a guard walked in with a tray. He gave her a full loaf of bread with cheese and a goblet of water. Her mouth watered gratefully, and as the guard slid it through the door, Kristen snatched it and backed away from his grasp. She shrank into the far corner of the cell and hunched down protectively over her meager meal. She didn't know why she had been given more food this meal, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, either. What they had been feeding her would barely keep a rat alive, let alone a human being. She scarfed down the food and drank greedily from the water.
The guard watched her, his face expressionless, but Kristen got the feeling he didn't like the way she was being treated. She briefly wondered if he might have gotten her the extra food, and if someone found out, if he might be in trouble for his efforts. But, she pushed that to the back of her mind. Whatever his reasons, she was grateful, but she was still a prisoner by her own people.
He hadn't brought Alice a tray of food, and when Kristen realized that, she felt guilty for devouring what she'd been given. But, he walked over to her chains and took them off the hook that held them above her head.
"Come along. You'll be dining with Adrian tonight." He said quietly.
Alice moaned helplessly. As she passed Kristen's cell, Kristen reached out to her. The guard stopped, and Alice looked at Kristen questioningly.
"I don't think he means you real harm."
Alice laughed in disbelief. "The man is a misogynist. You've seen him."
"Sometimes we act in ways we don't want to in order to protect the ones we love." Kristen tried again.
Alice snorted and shook her head. "You are mistaken. He very much enjoys causing me pain."
Alice looked at the guard as he lead her out of the room. Kristen sighed as she finished what was left of her bread and cheese. She didn't think Adrian enjoyed hurting Alice at all; quite the opposite. But, there was nothing she
could say to make Alice believe that. Only Adrian could prove it to her, which given the right circumstances, Kristen believed he would.
The guard didn't return that day, nor for several days after that. It was perhaps a week before he appeared again, coming after meals had been served and Alice had nodded off. He stopped just short of her cell, still shrouded in darkness so it was hard to see him.
"Are you truly Marie's daughter?" The guard whispered.
Kristen looked at him, trying to discern his expression, but unable to read anything from him, she nodded by way of answering his question. With that, the guard disappeared. Kristen frowned. What in the world had that been about? If he knew her mother, perhaps he was a friend of the family, but her mother had never told her there was anyone they could depend upon back in Norway. But, perhaps it was too great a risk to speak to her further aboard the ship.
The rest of the voyage went without incident. The guard who had brought her food never came back, and she hadn't received as much food from any of the other guards, either. Each night, guards came and took Alice to dine with Adrian, and each night she returned with a bloody nose or a split lip. Kristen shook her head sadly, knowing it was killing Adrian to have to punish her, but at the same time, wishing he would be a man and step up to defend the woman he loved.
At the end of the journey, when a contingent of guards came for Kristen, she was weak and dejected. Her skin was a pale gray from being locked away so long, and she felt feverish and cold at the same time. When one of the guards unlocked her cell, another came in and immediately grabbed her arms and shoved them behind her back. He tied her wrists tightly with rope, and she could feel the material digging into her skin. She didn't care. She'd lost everything anyway, so why bother? She let them lead her through the cell door and above deck where they had docked.
The bright sunlight stung her eyes, and she hissed softly as she closed her eyes and turned her head away. The guard behind her shoved her roughly and she stumbled, falling to the deck. With her hands behind her back, she had no way of catching her fall, so her chin slammed into the wood and slid several inches, rubbing it raw. The guard lifted her by her arm and set her on her feet, but didn't care that she was injured. He nudged her, firmly but not quite as hard this time. She walked forward, her chin stinging.
When they reached the side of the ship where they would dismount, another guard helped her up and got a rough shove from the guard behind her. She watched them stare each other down, and for a moment, thought they might fight. But, the guard who had brought her food stepped forward and the two men separated. He looked at Kristen and frowned at the blood on her chin.
"What happened?" He asked sharply.
The one who helped her over the side of the ship spoke up. "Evans pushed her."
The one called Evans gave him a scathing look that promised a bloody nose, but it was quickly quelled by the look he was getting from the one who asked the question.
"Evans, what part of your orders were unclear? The girl is to be unharmed."
Evans swallowed visibly, but put as much bravado into his speech as he could muster.
"What's the big deal? She's rebel scum." He spat at her feet.
Kristen looked at him with loathing in her eyes. The head guard backhanded Evans and knocked him to the ground.
"The king wants her alive and unharmed. It is not our place to question his reasons. Do you understand?"
The guard was huge. Kristen hadn't actually noticed it before because it was dark and he didn't seem to be threatening her. But, in the light, she got a good look at him. He was at least seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and finely honed, muscular arms. He looked like he lifted trees to keep in shape. But, he was handsome with fair blond hair that fell to his shoulders and bright blue eyes. In fact, most of the men on the ship had blonde or red hair with blue or green eyes. She guessed it was a trademark of her heritage. And while the guard was certainly imposing, she didn't feel threatened by him. That was strange. What the devil was going on?
Evans remained where he was on the ground and bowed his head in deference. From what she could gather, their ranks were determined by who was the most capable in battle. All of them looked to be giants to her, but she could certainly tell that the others were afraid of the one who had brought her food. He stepped closer to her.
"My name is Finn." He said gruffly.
He walked her down the plank and they were several paces in front of the rest of the men before Kristen spoke.
"Thank you." She said so quietly only Finn could hear.
"You should not be here." He whispered back.
She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. He was tense, watchful.
"I didn't ask to be here. I had a life, but it was destroyed." Her words were laced with pain and Finn looked at her with pity for a brief moment, then schooled his features into a mask.
"Listen to me. If you want to live, you must do what the king tells you. Otherwise, he will order you killed. Your family was driven from these lands, from their rightful place as rulers of the Vikings. But, the man who leads us now is not forgiving."
"Why are you telling me this?" Kristen asked.
"Not all of us follow him blindly."
"Then you should stand up for yourselves."
"It is not that simple, princess."
"I'm not a princess. That life was before I was born." Kristen replied heatedly.
Finn looked at her briefly, then returned his gaze to the walk ahead. He remained silent the rest of the way to the carriage that awaited them. Finn, herself and another guard sat in the carriage while the rest of the guards followed on horseback. Orders were given to the driver to head to the palace. Many of the guards gave her curious stares, or downright hateful glares. She was either revered or hated. Not sure what to make of it all, she kept quiet and looked out the window as she had seen nothing of her homeland, though her mother had tried to describe it.
Kristen found her mother's meager descriptions simply did not do the countryside justice. The trees were a vibrant green, the ocean a deep blue. And, there was sun. Not that there wasn't sun in London on occasion, but for the most part it was drab and dreary. One got used to it, but Kristen couldn't help but be drawn to the beauty of Norway. There were rolling hillsides with farms that looked prosperous. They must have rebuilt after the war that had driven her family away. But, she wasn't naive enough to believe that this prosperity came without a price.
Kristen was struck by the fact that there were so many bright colors there, not like London where the only colors one got to see where all of the different dresses in a ballroom. It wasn't the same. Norway's countryside was beautiful and beckoning. She briefly wondered what was in store for her, and if it would require her to stay.
Finn watched Kristen as she stared out of the window. He could tell she was falling in love with the countryside. That was good. The people of Norway had been waiting for her to return and save them from the awful oppression they faced under the new rule. Once Norway had been a prominent country and the Vikings prospered. Now, all that remained was the misery of wishing for the days of old. Finn had been Marie's best friend growing up. His father was Master of the Guard, so Finn studied and played with Marie as children. As they grew up, they found themselves in love and, despite being initially promised to another, her father had granted him the status of crowned prince so that they could marry.
Marie never told him he had a daughter. She must have been pregnant when she left, and she didn't tell him because she knew he would have followed her. He was needed there in Norway to protect their people until they returned, but his heart had always felt he'd made the wrong decision. He should have gone with Marie. And now, here sat his daughter. Just as beautiful as her mother, and quite possibly as fierce as her father.
There was great pain in Kristen's eyes though, and Finn wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms and promise that everything would be alright. But, he couldn't. He was watched constan
tly. The tyrant who attacked the royal family and drove them from their home knew exactly who he was. It was best if Finn kept his distance and didn't let Kristen know that he was her father. It was safer for her.
***
Derrick sat across from Scott and waited for the explosion he was sure was coming. Oliver and Charlie had been called and were standing there, surprised to see Tristan was finally home. Oliver stepped forward and gave Tristan a bear hug, he was so glad to see him. Charlie hung back. His sad expression morphed into one of guilt, and he was awfully quiet. Tristan looked at Charlie when Oliver finally released him. He understood Charlie's reaction and held out his hand for his brother to shake. Charlie grinned.
"You're not terribly upset with me then?" Charlie asked.
"Bloody hell, mate. Never was." Tristan responded, surprised that Charlie had thought Tristan hated him.
Charlie clasped his brother's hand and pulled him in for a bear hug equal to Oliver's. Tristan grunted, but laughed.
"Well, it's about bloody time you got yourself home." Scott said in all seriousness.
Oliver and Charlie looked at him as if he'd gone daft, but Derrick knew the two of them had been communicating since Tristan had been gone. Derrick suspected that Scott had told him to come home on more than one occasion, and Tristan was just being stubborn.
"Wouldn't have left in the first place if someone wasn't so bloody pig-headed."
Scott stood up and walked around the desk. He didn't care that Tristan had just insulted him, it was good to see him.
"Yes, yes I'm a horse's ass. Can we get on with it?" Scott held his arms open for a hug himself.
Tristan's lips twitched. He knew Scott was sorry for kicking him out, and Scott really wasn't to blame. Tristan had gone too far, and it was Scott's duty to protect the whole family. So, Tristan conceded, albeit with ill grace, and snorted as he hugged his brother.
"'Bout time you admitted it, indeed it is." Tristan said as he embraced his brother.
"Hang on, what've we missed?" Oliver asked, confused.