by Lisa Plumley
Kara bit her knuckle. Ash walked with a limp. Was it paining him to climb? And once he reached Rurik, would he be strong enough to carry him down? Surely he was strong enough to rescue their son. He had to be. She didn’t want to lose either one of them.
She tried to think of another plan, something that had a greater chance of success.
Gudrun rushed out of the longhouse, swiftly followed by several servants, flapping about like crows rather than doing anything productive. The two dogs went down, covering their eyes with their paws as if afraid to watch.
‘Gudrun!’ Kara called. ‘What is going on here?’
The elderly woman glanced up at where Rurik dangled and immediately started to wail that it wasn’t her fault, that it was all Virvir’s doing. Kara readily believed that. Gudrun’s great-nephew had led Rurik astray before. Too many times for her liking. If there was the slightest bit of mischief, Virvir was sure to be involved. But the boy was an orphan of eight. She simply didn’t have the heart to banish him, but this time, he had gone too far, enticing the younger Rurik up to the top of the roof.
‘Hang on, Rurik,’ she called, giving Gudrun a hard glance. ‘Mor is here. We will get you down!’
The words were somehow inadequate, but better than nothing.
Rurik kicked out his legs. ‘Mor! Mor! Please help me.’
‘Hang on.’ Kara watched Ash steadily make his way up to the roof. He had done it before, many times. ‘A...a friend of mine is coming for you. He is climbing the far wall now.’
The word ‘father’ struck in her throat. The last thing she wanted was for Rurik to become distracted and forget to hang on.
‘A good friend!’ she called out. ‘He has climbed many times. He’ll get you down. Hold on!’
‘Valdar?’ The note of hopefulness in Rurik’s voice was painful to hear.
Ash turned his head and gave her a strange look. Kara clenched her teeth. Ash had to understand Rurik’s safety was paramount.
Gudrun pulled Kara’s sleeve.
‘Is that who I think it is?’ she asked in a loud whisper. ‘There is only one man I can think of who could climb like that.’
Kara gave a brief nod. The elderly woman’s eyes went round as plates.
‘I always used to wonder how he climbed up on the roof,’ the woman muttered. ‘But he’ll be too late.’
‘A very good friend is coming to get you. Hang on!’ Kara called again, ignoring Gudrun’s mutterings. ‘He will get you down. Trust him.’
‘Want Valdar!’ Rurik kicked out again, trying to swing his legs up to the gable, but they were too short.
‘This man is a friend. You will like him.’
When they were both safe, she’d make the proper introductions. To everyone.
Right now, Ash seemed to be taking far too long climbing up. She knew he had climbed up to the gable in the past. Many times, normally to cause mischief. She could remember being utterly terrified and refusing to follow, but he had gone ahead. His father had beaten him for his bravado when he’d come down, but Ash had never cried or flinched. Kara had brought over ointment for his wounds the next day. He had taken it, but he had also made a point of climbing up the wall again and carving his rune on the topmost gable, simply to show he could.
‘Mor! I didn’t mean to, Mor! Don’t be angry. Help me!’
Angry? She was terrified and she wanted to murder Rurik for doing something that was utterly forbidden, but she would never beat him like Ash’s father had beaten Ash. Virvir might have suggested it, but he didn’t have to follow like some devoted thrall. But mostly she wanted him to be unhurt and she couldn’t see how this was going to end happily, even with Ash here.
‘Keep still. You will be rescued, but you must stay absolutely still. Conserve your strength. Hang on tight to the gable. You can do that. For me?’
‘Mor, my arms are getting tired.’
‘You must hang on! For me. Do it for your mother!’
Ash’s men arrived and clustered around the base of the gable.
‘Your cloak, give them your cloak, Kara,’ Ash called down. He had reached the roof ridge and was inching along towards where Rurik clung. His face was contorted with concentration and pain. Clearly the climb had taken its toll.
‘My cloak?’
‘For a net...in case... Yours is large enough.’
Then she saw what he was saying. If the men held the cloak beneath Rurik, they could potentially break any fall. Her fingers fumbled on the string. She gave an impatient tug and the cloak came off. She threw it down.
‘Thank you, my lady,’ one of the more scarred sell-swords said, catching it with an easy grace. ‘Your son will be fine. Ash knows what he is doing. Now you go in. Let us do our job.’
Kara slid off the horse and planted her feet firmly in the ground. Gudrun put an arm about her, but she shrugged it off. ‘I stay here. I’ll keep out of the way and won’t interfere. Just catch him if he falls.’
‘We intend to, ma’am. We intend to.’
Silently she prayed to any god who might be listening that her child would be spared. And that nothing would happen to Ash either. She had only recently had him return to her life. It wouldn’t be fair to lose him so quickly, but when was life ever fair or just?
She wanted to curl up in a ball and hide her face, but that was impossible. She had to watch. Both of them. Ash inching along, moving ever closer, and Rurik desperately clinging on.
How had this happened? How had he been allowed to run free with Virvir when she had given strict instructions that the pair were to be separated? And that Rurik was to be watched at all times.
She’d trusted Gudrun to look after him properly and this had happened. She should have guessed that this could happen, but taking him to Sand would have caused more trouble.
Time enough for answers later. And she’d get them. Virvir would have to be punished. And Rurik would have to learn the consequences of following the older boy’s lead.
Ash reached Rurik. His fingers closed around one of Rurik’s wrists at the same instant the boy let go. For a heartbreaking moment her son dangled, then Ash pulled him up the roof to safety of a sort.
Kara remembered to breathe again. Her son was safe. She brushed away a single tear. Her limbs trembled and she wanted to sink to the ground. Ash had reached Rurik in time.
Now to get them both down. She could hear the low murmur of his voice, but not what he actually said.
Then she saw Ash pointing to her and Rurik giving her an enthusiastic wave.
Kara ground her teeth. Ash should be getting Rurik down, rather than encouraging wilful behaviour.
‘Come down now! The pair of you!’
Ash cupped his hand to his ear. ‘What was that? I can’t hear you properly. The view is lovely up here. Thank you for asking.’
She heard Rurik’s laugh ring out and ground her teeth. Typical Ash, playing to the crowd. Everything had to be made into a joke.
Surely Ash understood the job was only half-done. Rurik needed to be coaxed down. Not until his little feet were on the ground and she’d been able to wrap her arms about him would she believe that he was truly safe.
‘On the ground now!’
‘Impossible,’ Ash retorted.
‘But...but...you climbed up there,’ Kara said in dismay. ‘Surely you can carry Rurik back the way you came.’
‘We climb down once you arrange for a ladder to be placed somewhere where we can actually get to it.’ Ash indicated where he wanted the ladder put. ‘It would be foolhardy in the extreme to take Rurik back along the ridge of the roof. He is far too tired. My leg aches too much to be trusted.’
‘I’m not tired, Mor. I can do anything.’ Kara heard the tell-tale whine in Rurik’s voice.
‘A ladder is on its way,’ Kara said,
ignoring Rurik’s continued protest.
Kara motioned to two of the farmhands, who ran to get a ladder from one of the outhouses. The ladder was rapidly placed against the gable end, precisely where Ash had indicated.
It was a good four feet short, but there were some clear handholds. It should be a simple enough matter to get down to the ladder and then descend.
‘Be careful, the pair of you,’ Kara whispered.
As she watched, Ash had Rurik loop his arms about Ash’s neck and hook his legs about his body. Then he slowly began his painstaking way down to the ladder. Every breath seemed to take an age. He reached the ladder and Kara expected Rurik to scrabble down, but his arms remained firmly locked about Ash’s neck.
The tension ran out of Kara’s shoulders. Ash was being sensible. He was not enticing Rurik to do more and more dangerous things.
Suddenly they were down. Rurik let go. Ash sank to the ground, rubbing his bad leg, his face contorted in pain.
Rurik with his blond hair flying came running across the yard to her, seemingly oblivious to the danger he had just been in. ‘Mor! You’re home! I thought you would be coming and I wanted to see. Only I couldn’t see very well and Virvir dared me. Only he took away the ladder once he got down as the men needed it. He said that only babies couldn’t climb down. I am not a baby!’
Kara struggled to keep her temper. Shaking or beating Virvir wasn’t going to do anyone any good. But he would be gone from here before the day was out. She gave Gudrun a significant look. The elderly woman had the grace to pale.
Gudrun pulled Virvir by the ear. The overly plump boy gave a shriek. ‘I will deal with it, ma’am. It won’t happen again. But you know how your son is. Always into mischief. Just like his father.’
‘We will have words later, Gudrun.’
The woman dragged Virvir, protesting loudly his innocence.
Kara knelt down and looked directly into Rurik’s eyes. Even though she knew he disliked being touched in public, claiming that he was far too big for such things, she couldn’t help running her hand down his thin shoulders, checking to make sure her son was fine. Rurik made a face and tried to shrug her off.
‘I promised I’d come back,’ she whispered against his hair. ‘Climbing to the gable would not make me come any quicker.’
Rurik struggled. She reluctantly forced her hand to her side. Only six and he was already growing away from her, chafing at the apron strings.
‘You promised me Valdar! Where is my new father?’ Rurik peered around the yard. His little face showed increasing signs of anxiety and dismay. ‘Virvir said I was lying and no warrior like Valdar Nerison would want to be my father. That was why you refused to take me to Sand. You were...you were ashamed to have a boy like me. But I said that was a lie! A lie! But I want Valdar!’
‘Good for you!’ Kara declared. She should have banished Virvir months ago when this friendship first started to develop. ‘You had to stay at home to look after the estate while I was gone. It had nothing to do with my being ashamed of you! How could anyone ever think such a thing!’
‘Listen to your mother, Rurik,’ Ash said, coming up behind Rurik and placing his hand on Rurik’s shoulder. ‘I know how proud of you she is. She rode until she nearly dropped with exhaustion to reach you and explain the news.’
Although he was upright and moving now, his eyes still bore the shadow of pain. Seeing him tower above their son, Kara was struck at how much alike they looked. They had the same nose and chin as well as the same basic body shape. No one could mistake Rurik for being anyone but Ash’s son.
‘Mor won’t understand why I had to climb,’ Rurik protested. ‘Virvir dared me. I’m not a baby Mor’s boy.’
‘I told you she would be far from happy about you being up there. There are good reasons why gable climbing is expressly forbidden. Warriors take their punishments like warriors.’
‘Yes, sir, you did.’ Rurik stuck his little chest out. ‘Mor, I’ll take my punishment like a warrior. Like he says warriors do.’
Kara’s heart sank. Punishment like a warrior. She knew what that meant. She’d fought Hring for years. Now she had to had fight Ash, as well? Just when she thought her son was safe.
‘But why is Valdar not here?’ A tiny tear trickled down Rurik’s face. ‘What did I do wrong? Did he leave like my father did...because...because of me?’
Kara glanced at Ash. He had been true to his word. He had saved her son and had not said who he was. She also had failed to realise about Rurik’s worries and private fears.
‘You’ve done nothing wrong except climb where you know it is forbidden. And how could your father have left because of you when I didn’t even know I was carrying you?’
Rurik’s mouth formed an O.
She took a deep breath. She had to tell him now. Rurik’s little adventure might be unwelcome, but it provided the best possible introduction to Ash. Ash had been right. Rurik needed to know as soon as possible who his true father was. He had to understand that Ash wasn’t ashamed of him.
‘Valdar is not going to be your father, Rurik,’ she said gently, kneeling down and preparing to draw him into her arms again.
Rurik’s face crumpled, but he pulled away from her. He probably would have run, but Ash had hold of his shoulder. ‘Then I won’t have a father like always. Virvir is right. No warrior wants to be my father. Ever.’
‘No, Virvir is utterly wrong. You have a father. Your real father returned. Just as you said he would when you were a tiny boy. He came back and he is very excited to meet you.’ Kara stood up and kept her eyes trained on Ash. Ash did not release his grip of Rurik’s shoulder. ‘Did the man who rescued you tell you his name?’
A frown developed between Rurik’s brows. ‘He...he said he was a friend of yours and Valdar’s. If I did everything he said, I’d see both of you soon. My mother and my father.’
Kara put a hand over her eyes. She had misjudged Ash. He kept his word. The temptation to tell Rurik up there, when he could not have been sure that they would make it down, must have been immense, but he was allowing her to explain. ‘He is certainly a friend, a true friend, but the man who rescued you is your real father.’
Rurik’s bottom lip stuck out. ‘My father is dead. Stop funning, Mor. I am not a baby. Far-far told me never to forget that. My father died in a shipwreck and he is never coming back. I need to be a braver warrior than my father.’
Ash stood frozen. Kara wished that Hring was there so she could wring his neck. Here she thought he had been filling her son’s ears with tales of adventure to pass the time, but he had been setting Rurik an impossible task. And he still held the power to hurt Ash after his death.
‘No, sweetheart. Your grandfather was very wrong. We all were. We all thought he was dead, but we were wrong. Your father is alive and a great warrior. See all the men who follow him.’
Over Rurik’s head, she looked at Ash. He mouthed ‘thank you.’
‘Did my father leave because he was ashamed of me?’ Rurik asked the ground.
‘I am very glad to meet you,’ Ash said.
‘Don’t you want to greet him? Properly?’ Kara asked gently when Rurik refused to lift his head. ‘What is wrong, Rurik? Your father just saved your life.’
‘Did he leave because of me?’ he whispered.
‘Who on earth would have told you that?’ Kara asked completely perplexed.
‘Virvir.’
‘Who is Virvir? Where is this know-nothing? You have mentioned him several times and I want to see the measure of him!’ Ash exploded. ‘You should listen to your mother. She knows better than most that I had no idea about you until I returned to this country.’
Rurik cringed slightly at the strength of his voice.
Ash shifted uncomfortably and wished he’d controlled his temper.
T
he last thing he wanted was for his son to be frightened of him. He could clearly remember how dreadful it had been to meet his own father. He’d been so excited that he’d wet his trousers and his father had been utterly disgusted. Despite his aunt’s soothing words, the memory of his father’s fearsome look had haunted him for years, drove him to try things far too soon.
The ache in his left leg reached a fever pitch and he bent down, rubbing it, all the while keeping his gaze on Rurik. The leg had never properly healed since the shipwreck, but the pain in his leg did not compare to the pain in his heart. His son. His son had done something very dangerous and, had he not arrived when he did, the outcome could have been unthinkable. And his son thought that he’d left because of him! The thought beggared belief.
‘You spoke about him up on the roof, Rurik, and now I learn he has been speaking lies,’ Ash said in as gentle a manner as he could manage.
‘Virvir is my best friend for ever,’ Rurik said, puffing out his chest. ‘He knows everything. Everything. Where to find the best birds’ eggs, how to ride a horse bareback and how to lift a sword. He runs faster than the wind and he can ice-skate on the thinnest ice. He isn’t a baby like me.’
With a great effort, Ash pushed his temper away. Virvir would be dealt with later. Right now, he wanted to make a proper start with his son. He wanted to clasp the boy to his chest and drink in the fresh clean scent of his skin. It had been a magical but utterly frightening experience rescuing his son. Being able to hold his hand for the first time with the certain knowledge that if he failed to get it right, they would both perish.
‘He doesn’t know everything because I am your father. I know why I left.’ Ash regarded his son’s blue eyes, which reminded him so much of Ash’s late mother. ‘I would never have gone if I had known that I had a son, particularly a son who can climb like you do. You are the sort of boy any warrior can be proud of.’
Rurik dipped his head and drew a line in the dirt with his foot. ‘What I did was dangerous. But Virvir called me a baby and a liar. I had to show him.’