“I hope that I don’t offend you in saying that I would indeed continue to serve Mâvis...and I do not for one minute believe that he hates humans. His daughter is human. Now if you will excuse me I have to pack for the trip home. And thanks again for the wonderful time here. It’s been a delight.” With that Ben turned and went to find Lúta.
Not a second after he left the room William turned to Mâvis, “I swear I will give you anything you want for him. He absolutely fascinates me. How can you be in possession of such a creature and have him enslaved? Do you not see what you have in him?”
“You honestly would keep him here a free man, able to come and go as he pleases?” Mâvis spoke over his cup midlift.
“If he was enslaved he would never know it, not unless he truly wanted to leave. I am convinced I could keep him here on wit alone. His mind likes to be challenged. Do you not see that?”
“Well he certainly likes to challenge me.” Mâvis grinned, “The only way he leaves my service is on his last breath or mine.”
William scoffed, “Ugh, you will never use him to his full potential. Such a waste.”
Mâvis stood to leave, “Maybe not, but I certainly enjoy toying with him. Makes my days amusing to say the least.”
“Nevertheless, Mâvis, thank you for lending him to me. This goes a long way in ensuring our alliance. There will be great rewards for both of us if we can build on this bond.” William stood to shake Mâvis’s hand and walk with him down the corridor.
Chapter 33
The walk back to the beach was grueling. Ben kept pace with a bundle of furs for his wife and the queen, as well as toting Jocelyn a portion of the way.
Lúta and Genevieve carried a large basket of gifts and refreshments from the lodge between the two of them. They made it to the beach to find Mâvis and the guards already packing newly traded supplies into the boats.
Mâvis immediately dropped what he was doing and strolled over to his wife for a kiss and then to help her into the boat. Lúta nearly hissed at him when he went to offer her a hand. Ben plucked Jocelyn off the ground and plopped her in the boat next to her mother before offering the women a few of the furs. Mâvis took the rest of the bundle and pointed towards the oars, “You can row this time, I will take care of my daughter.”
“Yes, sir.” Ben exited the boat to help the warriors shove off the beach and then hopped back in to take his seat. This time taking to the task with much more ease than last time. Despite the rough seas he found the trip somewhat enjoyable. Getting lost in thought only to be drawn out of his reflections a few times by Lúta staring at him bashfully. She finally leaned on Genevieve’s arm and dozed off.
The evening they spent together was fresh in his mind the entire trip. He paced the night with the thoughts of his wife squirming to free herself from his grip and then giving in to him not once but twice. He couldn’t wait to make it home and give their renewed lust for each other another go around.
The sun was nearly up by the time they made shore and Ben’s abs and arms were burning from the work. The beach was unusually quiet and he could tell by the guards careful scanning of the beach and woods that something wasn’t right.
They all pulled their weapons out as Mâvis flew to the front of the boat with his axe in hand. He yelled to Ben, “Go with the women. This will not end well.” No sooner had Mâvis finished his last word than a guard in front of him collapsed with an arrow through his neck.
The king crouched and readied his axe before taking off in the direction the arrow had come from. Ben scrambled across the boat and hurried to cover the women behind a barricade or supplies and furs. He readied a crossbow and watched over the edge of the boat at the massive battle that broke out on a beach that was completely empty just moments ago. Bodies already littering the sand as Mâvis and his guards made quick work of the intruders.
Then Ben noticed the boat next to him on fire and the boat on the other side of that one as well. Before he could even blink a warrior was standing over him looking down with a crossbow of his own in hand. It was Olsen. King Freyr’s son. Ben growled out, “I saved your life! You will let us go, burn another boat.”
The creature paused for a moment realizing who Ben was and retracted his weapon if only for a moment. Olsen looked around for a second and then ushered them out of the boat. “Get out, go if you want to live. I am setting this one on fire.”
Ben snatched Jocelyn and handed her to Genevieve as soon as she was out of the boat then he and Lúta followed, clinging to the hull of it as Olsen sent a lit arrow into the supplies they had been crouched behind only a moment ago. The teenager made a jump to the next boat to light that one on fire and Ben shot his leg and sent the boy over the other side. Ben immediately dove under the boat with the crossbow loaded already for another shot and took out the boy’s other leg.
He made quick work of tying the kid up and tossing him back into the boat he was just standing on. Then waived Lúta and Genevieve to follow him. Passing nearly unnoticed around the fighting until a couple warriors realized who they were and tried cornering the women. Genevieve had Jocelyn tight to her chest as she screamed out, “No!” and tried to make off in reverse direction.
Seeing he was faster than her she dropped her daughter to the ground, instead choosing to take the warrior head on as she readied her claws. Ben had the other warrior occupied fighting back with a spear until the monster snatched in towards his body. Ben immediately took the hunting knife from his boot and dragged it across the beast’s throat sending the creature to the ground.
He turned just in time to see Genevieve tossed to the ground as the warrior she was fighting took off after Jocelyn intending to stomp the child to death. Ben used the warrior he had just killed for leverage and jumped off him sending the spear full force into the warrior’s chest. The beast had so much momentum in Ben’s direction that the spear cleared straight through him as the weight of the creature fell forward. Having no other choice Ben snatched Jocelyn to his body as the warrior crashed down on top of them.
He struggled to get the weight of the creature off him in fear Jocelyn was injured. But within seconds the carcass was peeled off him and Mâvis yanked his daughter from Ben’s clutches. She was screaming in fear and pain as the king held her in one hand to look her over, then plant a kiss on her. He glanced down at Ben and growled out, “Ooh, human, that was good!” He stomped off clutching Jocelyn to his chest.
Ben sat up slowly nursing a dislocated shoulder and looking out over the beach. The battle was over. Just that fast. The bodies from both Freyr’s village and Ormr’s littering the sand and rocks. Mâvis’s men started tossing them into the burning boats.
Reagan passed by, “Are you alright? I saw that, you did very well.”
Ben shook his head, “My shoulder is dislocated, can you pull it for me? Take my arm and give it a good yank that way.” Ben nodded in the direction he was indicating. Reagan circled him a couple times looking carefully at the position of the arm. Now seeing what he had to do he took the arm and snapped it backwards immediately sending Ben to the ground, as he doubled over in pain. “Thanks!”
Reagan stomped off laughing, “No trouble, anytime.”
Lúta and Genevieve helped Ben to his feet as they hobbled back to the village. The walk took hours and by the time he made it to his bed he was exhausted and numb with pain. Lúta made him some tea with a concoction of herbs she had seen him use for Mark’s broken arm.
Genevieve sat on the bed and stroked his hair, “Thank you, Ben. My husband does not give you enough credit for all you do. But you saved my daughter for the second time and I swear that you will be honored for this.”
He brushed her hand off, “Thank you, ma’am but that won’t be necessary. I don’t know what I would do if anything ever happened to that little girl. She’s such a treasure.”
The queen choked back her tears at the response he gave and got up to leave, “Ben, it is you that is the treasure. I swear on my last breath I will see to i
t you are rewarded for your bravery today.” With that she left to find her husband.
He was in his office coddling Jocelyn and talking to the guards about the next move to make. “I want Olsen imprisoned until his father arrives for him. Then we will kill them both in the square. It will send a strong message to Ormr should he want to test me again.” Reagan and Thomas put their armor back on and turned to leave as Genevieve came in.
She dashed around the desk and took her daughter from him to look her over. “Oh, Jocelyn, you still look so scared, love.” She pulled the teary-eyed girl to her chest and stoked her hair.
Mâvis nodded to Tom as he pulled the door closed behind him giving them some privacy. He swiped Genie’s legs out from under her seating her on his desk then leaned in to kiss her on the forehead and look into her eyes, “Are you alright?” She broke her gaze on him and looked to the door. He grabbed at her chin and pulled her back until he had her attention, “Hey, I am right here, wife. Tell me what it is, please?”
“I just keep seeing that warrior chasing after Jocelyn. He would have killed her like she was nothing. He meant to step on her like she was a rodent.” She sucked her breath in as if it were her last, “If Ben was not there, Mâvis.”
“Shhh, look she is here in your arms. He did well and you have her now.” He kissed her lips and brushed her hair behind her ear.
“I want him set free. Tell me you are going to free him, Mâvis. I want him set free and I want him to be honored with a cottage and a guard to protect his wife.” She searched his face for his intentions and lowered her eyes again at the sight of his jaw clenching. “Then I will do it. If you cannot be man enough to let him go then I will.”
He growled back at her, “You would defy me like that, woman?”
“No, Mâvis, it is you who defy me. You promised, and you play these games with this so-called training and rules for him. Like it or not he is half the reason you are even here.”
Mâvis stepped back to calm his rage, “That is not true.”
Genie hopped off the desk, “Oh it is not, husband? Then tell me, how did you plan on coming to my aid then? How did you plan on crossing the sea? Olivia told me everything. It was the debt owed to Ben. Tell me how would you have crossed the sea without him? You would be working for King William as we speak.” She paced the floor, jiggling Jocelyn to try and calm her as their conversation got more heated.
“I would have done whatever I had to.”
Her eyes grew big with anger and she shut her mouth and crossed the room to the door. Mâvis darted ahead of her shoving his hand up against it as she reached for the latch. He finally admitted, “If I free him, he will leave.”
“So be it then. It would be you to blame for that. He has served you loyally and you will repay him for every bit of it or I will.” With that she stepped towards him with a feminine rumble in her throat. He released to door, in fear of her lashing out with Jocelyn in her arms. Before he could say another word she was gone.
Mâvis slammed the door behind her and cleared his desk in a single sweep then he flipped it over before storming out to cool off. A few hours later he found himself in the tavern cradling an ale. His wife’s words weighing heavily on his mind. The bar keep topped off his cup and turned to walk away. “Hey, Eric, do you still have that book I sold you a few months back?”
The bar keep thought briefly on the question before he held up a claw and ducked into his family quarters. A few moments later he emerged with the book in hand. “I tried to read it, but it was mostly riddles. I could not understand a word of it.”
Mâvis grinned, “That sounds about right. What will you take for it?” He flipped through the pages to see if he could understand any of the gibberish.
“You can have it back, it is either that or it will be kindling eventually.” The barkeep smiled back and wiped the bar off before leaving to do the tables in the rest of the tavern.
Mâvis finished his drink and left the mug on the bar with a generous tip. He exited the building to find Reagan and Avarr waiting just outside the door. His guards not daring to leave his side after such a well-planned and coordinated attack. His brother stood up and adjusted his armor, “You ready to go home?”
“No, not yet, brother.” They followed the king up the street till they came to the alley with Avarr’s old cottage on it. Mâvis stood outside looking it over a few minutes before turning to his brother, “You got any plans for this heap?”
Avarr shook his head, “I was going to sell it but you can take it if you like. What are you thinking for it?”
“Do you think it would be comfortable for a human?” Mâvis pointed back at it as he headed for the palace.
“It served my wife and I for the past few years. It still has plenty of life left in it.” Avarr paused for a second, “You would put the slave in there?”
Mâvis grunted as he continued his pace towards the palace tossing over his shoulder, “I am not sure yet. I will send the builders over to look at it though.” Avarr shook his head and followed his brother to the palace.
Chapter 34
It was a few days before King Freyr showed up in the village looking for his son. The palace guard surrounded him as he entered the square. He had a few mercenaries from Ormr’s village with him. Mâvis eyed them as he passed storming right for the rival king and sending the butt of his axe into Freyr’s knee.
Freyr collapsed on the knee Mâvis had knocked out and bellowed in pain. Mâvis rumbled, “There you are, Freyr, you can kneel before a worthy king.” Mâvis bowled him over this time with the head of his axe, “Oh do not worry I will not kill you just yet. I have your son. I think you can watch as I rip his heart from his chest.”
Freyr groaned, unable to speak through a now shattered jaw. Blood and drool oozed out as he tried to get off the ground. Mâvis turned to Thomas and gestured up to the patio. “I want them both up there along with any other prisoners we collected from the raid.” As Thomas walked off to follow his instructions Mâvis gave him one last order beaming with pride, “Oh, and bring Abbott. He is the one who caught Olsen.”
Half an hour later the entire village square was packed with onlookers as king Freyr was tied to a chair next to his son. Two more surviving warriors were tied there as well.
Ben climbed the stairs ahead of Thomas and stood before the king. His arm wrapped in a sling and his face was weary. “How may I be of service, sir?”
“My wife said it was you that caught Olsen. You can kill him while his father watches.” Mâvis handed Ben a sword as he grinned.
Ben dropped his eyes for a moment and bit at his lower lip. He looked at the boy tied to the chair and then back at the king. “I can’t do that, sir.”
The king’s pride washed into anger quickly, “What did you say?”
“Mâvis, he’s just a boy. I can’t kill a child.”
“Do you honestly test me in front of the entire village? Where is your loyalty?” Mâvis’s voice took a dangerous tone as he stepped closer to him. His chest heaved near Ben’s ear and he had to look up to keep eye contact with the king.
“Sir, I’m loyal to you. I just can’t kill a child. I won’t. I will gladly kill Freyr. Let the boy go home with his father’s head on his lap. But I won’t kill a child.”
“He is no cub, human, he led this raid and nearly killed you and my wife! You will put him to death or I will put you to death.”
Ben took the sword from Mâvis and immediately tore into Freyr’s chest with it. Then he yanked the blade and killed the next warrior on the patio. He finished the last one as the king stood watching, curiously. “There, I have shed blood for you, my liege. Is it not enough? You know I’m loyal to you.” He threw the sword to the stone floor then pointed to Olsen, “He had the chance to kill us and he chose not to take the shot. Do with me as you wish, kill me if you must, sir. But I won’t be the one to take his life. You will not turn me into that demon no matter what you do to me.”
Mâvis relaxed his stance and pa
ced the balcony looking over the carcasses, he Had never been so impressed and insulted in his entire life. Time and time again Ben has proved himself not just a warrior, but a better warrior than himself. Not only is his honor beyond measure but he would risk his own life to maintain it above all else. Finally he gave Ben a new order, “Take Olsen back to his cell till I figure out what to do with him.”
Ben pulled his hunting knife from his boot and cut the teen from his chair. Thomas immediately hauled the boy up by his arm and shoved him towards the staircase as Ben followed, watching the kid stumble from the wounds in his legs.
Mâvis leaned on the railing of the patio and watched Ben follow the guard across the square, “Abbott, when you are finished I expect to see you in my chambers.” Ben acknowledged the order and continued shoving his way through the crowd as they threw things at Olsen.
He spent a few hours patching up the boy’s wounds the best he could while coddling his weak arm. As he finished Lúta found him and helped clean up, “You did good, Ben. Do not let him tell you otherwise. You saved us in that boat, and you saved his daughter.” She reached out her hand for him to take, “Come, I will not let you face him alone.” As they left the cell, the guard locked the door and stood watch.
Thomas was waiting by the stairs and he followed them up, stopping in front of Mâvis’s chamber door. “She must wait out here, human.”
It was Lúta that answered, getting in his face to do so, “Try and stop me, Thomas.”
Mâvis opened the door after hearing the sounds of them talking in the hallway, “Genie take Lúta for a walk so I may speak with Abbott.” He ushered Ben in and Genevieve exited after giving Ben a quick hug. Jocelyn followed behind her mother and the two women walked down the hallway with Lúta looking over her shoulder to be sure her husband was safe.
The king poured some tea and offered a mug to Ben. Then Mâvis sat in the chair by the fire and offered Ben the other seat. “The display in the square was very daring human. To tell you the truth I am not even sure what to make of it. You never cease to amaze me, I swear. You deny me my order in front of the entire village and in the same breath kill every warrior on the landing.” He took a long draw off his tea as he stared at Ben. “I honestly have never been so angry and impressed in all my days.”
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