“She used your house today, Rolf. It is my turn to have her,” Ulf protested selfishly.
Trosdan said, “We will let Odin and the Runes settle this matter. The man who withdraws the one blue stone from the bag will give his dwelling to the queen until she weds one of you. Is it agreed?”
All three men nodded. Trosdan shook the thick leather bag and opened it, holding it out to Eirik first. Eirik wiggled his fingers inside and pulled out a blue stone between them. He grinned.
Recalling Alysa’s trick with the other stone, Rolf hinted warily, “How do we know they are not all blue stones, wizard?”
Trosdan untied the string again and dumped six stones into his palm: five of sand color and one blue. Rolf smiled, relieved he had not been tricked. Ulf snorted in vexation and departed.
Eirik cocked his arm in invitation. “Come, my weary queen, I will show you your new home.”
Eirik grasped Alysa’s waist to help her across the ditch, their gazes fused for a moment before he released her. The contact had an affect on both of them. Heady desire raced through their bodies.
They walked to camp, and Eirik waited at his longhouse with Alysa while his friends—Aidan and Saeric—and Tros-dan retrieved their possessions from Rolf’s dwelling. Calliope and Trosdan’s horse had been brought to camp earlier and placed in a corral for safety and tending. Later Alysa would check on her cherished dun and see what kind of mount Eirik rode. If it was Trojan…
“How old are you?” Alysa inquired suddenly. Her probing gaze walked over him from head to foot, without her awareness. Where a blue royal tattoo should be, if he was Gavin, was instead a splotch of dried blood from the ceremony. She wanted to seize a cloth and water to wash all dark spots of the barbaric custom from his virile chest.
“Thirty, my queen. And you?” He smiled mirthfully at her obvious interest in him and her futile attempt to conceal it.
“Nineteen,” she responded, knowing her love was twenty-seven.
Eirik stepped closer to her. “Why did you choose me as one of the battle-ring winners?”
“I did not,” she retorted as his engulfing gaze unsettled her. She realized she was being too friendly with this… stranger. Next, she fretted, he would be seducing her for her aid as he had done in her strange dream! “I revealed the names which Odin gave to me. I have no favorite among you.”
Eirik was amused and delighted by her defensive reaction. “What if your guesses are wrong?”
The man’s smile warmed Alysa. She had the wild urge to invite him inside for a long talk just to be near him longer. Recalling her dream about him, she quivered in panic. If he was indeed a stranger, and a seductive foe, she could not yield to him! “They are not my guesses, and Odin does not make mistakes. You will be a winner in the battle ring, but it remains to be seen if you will become my husband and High King. Are you the best man here?”
The roguish warrior ignored her challenging words. “What if Ulf is the winner? He has many wives at home. Will you force him to put them aside and take only you?”
Alysa was well acquainted with the Viking customs and laws. “A High King can have only one wife. If Ulf wins and he so desires, he can have many concubines and mistresses. As queen, I rule only my people, not their king.”
His voice was husky and haunting when he murmured, “Why would a man require others in his life with you at his side?”
Alysa’s fingers reached up and traced the scar on his cheekbone. “I will make certain he does not. What of you, Eirik? Why have you not taken a wife?”
He trembled at her gentle and arousing touch. His eyes flamed with the passionate fire she had kindled within him. He hungered to take her inside his abode and possess her. He lifted the medallion around her neck and looked at it closely. As he replaced it, his fingers grazed her bare flesh at the swell of her breasts. He heard her breath quicken and saw her flush from an inner heat. “I have found no woman special enough to conquer me.”
To protect herself from this intimidating peril, she moved away as she nonchalantly remarked, “That is what Rolf said. Perhaps you and he are too choosy.”
“Perhaps,” he concurred mischievously.
Trosdan and the men arrived with their possessions, and Eirik introduced her to his friends. Alysa greeted Aidan and Saeric genially, then bade them all good night.
Eirik chuckled. “It is dawn, my queen.”
Alysa glanced at the rising sun on the horizon. “Yea, the dawn of a wondrous new day for us. Sleep well, Eirik, as you will have need of your strength and wits.” She went inside, and was pleased to find the dwelling clean and comfortable. As she placed her belongings in a corner, she became aware of Eirik’s manly smell, and her passions were enflamed anew.
When Trosdan joined her, she asked abruptly, “Do you know if Queen Brenna had twins or two sons? Could one have been stolen as a baby by the Vikings?”
Trosdan eyed her strangely. “I have never heard such a tale. Why do you ask?”
Alysa admitted, “There is something about Eirik which troubles me, Wise One. He is like my husband, but he is not. I am confused. If he is Gavin’s brother, that would explain their similarities.”
“What you really ask, Your Highness, is if he can be Gavin.” Alysa turned and her somber gaze locked with his sympathic one. He smiled worriedly. “It is possible, but I think not. Even so, he is still one of them and must not be trusted. I will watch him closely to see if he is enspelled. Perhaps this is only a trick by the Evil One to thwart us. Gavin is your one weakness; do not allow Evil to use it against us. You must control your desire for this Eirik until we know more of him and his purpose. Take heart, all will be good again one day.”
Alysa knew “this Eirik” was attracted to her. That delighted her, and alarmed her. If it were her lost love under some terrible bewitchment, could she save him? During their separation of many weeks, had he been unfaithful to her? She knew what many raiders did in the villages with helpless women. Had this man behaved in such an unforgivable manner? Even with such a sin against him, she caught herself hoping it was Gavin and he was enchanted, because that would excuse his betrayal and would put him within her reach for rescue.
The old man warned, “There are more perils in this strange matter, my queen. If others see you too frequently and intimately with Eirik, it could arouse their suspicions and endanger both of you. If Prince Gavin’s face has been seen by any of them, such as a spy on you in Damnonia, it would appear as if you two are in a daring ruse together. The captives were slain, so they cannot escape and imperil either of you, and Thorkel did not see Prince Gavin before he was wounded. I am also certain there is no threat from Isobail’s old raiders. I have seen none here, so they must have joined forces with Hengist or Horsa. You must not inspire Ulf and Rolf to become overly jealous by your attention to their rival. If you become reckless, your feelings will be exposed in your face and actions. If Eirik wins, or seems to be winning, they might suspect you favor him and aid him. That would cause us grave trouble. It is best to avoid Eirik.”
Alysa reasoned, “But what if he is Gavin? What if he needs our help, your help, to break the spell over him?”
“Even if such is true, I could not disenchant him before our task is done.” When Alysa started to argue, Trosdan said, “Let me explain. Do you not recall Gavin’s feelings and behavior before his strange departure? If he became himself again, what would he do? We both know, Your Highness, and we cannot permit his intrusion. He would seize you and carry you home to safety, by force if need be.”
“Nay, Wise One, he would help us carry out our task.”
Trosdan’s expression revealed his doubt. He reasoned cunningly, “Could he do so knowing the peril you are in? Could he conceal his fears and worries? His feelings for you and this task, good and bad? Could he continue to live as Eirik? To fool the Vikings?”
Before thinking, the fatigued Alysa scoffed, “I do not wish him to think and live as a Viking!”
Trosdan clasped her pale fa
ce between his hands and locked their gazes. “Even if by saving him for yourself, you lose all?”
Tears dampened her eyes and lashes. Her voice was ragged as she said, “It is unfair to make me pay such a high price for victory.”
Trosdan observed her and realized how much she loved and missed her husband. He feared she would weaken in her task if she saw Eirik with another woman. “If you wish, I can make him desire only you.”
Joy brightened her face. “Do so, Wise One, and I will obey you.”
When a desperate idea struck her, she questioned eagerly, “Can you reveal the riddles’ answers -to Eirik in his dreams?”
“I do not understand.”
Alysa explained, “If anything goes wrong, I wish Eirik to be the winner of this false quest. If I have to go beyond the marriage, it must be with him. I could not yield to Rolf or Ulf for any reason.”
When Trosdan lowered his head to ponder her request, she added, “It is not as if I ask you to use your powers for Evil, Wise One. There is no real quest, no destined Viking husband. What does it matter if we choose the winner of this false quest?”
“What if there is an Odin, Alysa? I am a Viking by birth. I am working to destroy them. What if Odin has led me here to punish and destroy me?” he questioned to mislead her.
“The powers of Good will protect you, Trosdan. Have no fear,” she told him with childlike faith. “Defeat is not our destiny.”
“If only you understood the powerful forces which are at work here, you would tremble in fear as I do.”
Alysa tugged at his arm playfully and teased to lighten his shaded mood, “You are the power here, Wise One. Do not doubt your skills and knowledge.” Her tone and expression waxed serious as she continued. “I trust you with all things; that is why I am here today.”
“What if I have misread the sacred Runes? What if my mind and skills have weakened with age and doubts? What if…”
Alysa embraced him affectionately. “You will be convinced when Eirik, Rolf, and Ulf win the contests in the next few days.”
“They will win,” Trosdan replied absently.
“See, you have not lost your confidence.”
“It has nothing to do with confidence, my beloved queen, only a matter of perception. They are the strongest here.”
“Nay, Wise One, we are the strongest. We control their lives. Will you seek Gavin once more in the sacred chalice? Now that we have met Eirik, surely it will give us clues about him.”
“There is no need to do so again, Alysa. I cannot tell you where your husband is, or if Eirik has stolen his body and mind.” He urged, “Be content in knowing the Runes vow Gavin will be returned to you after our task is done.” Trosdan knew this was his last chance to save Alysa, the girl who would have been his granddaughter had he married his love Giselde long ago. He had to save her from the Viking threat which constantly loomed over her head; he had promised Giselde. The ruse was clever and simple. The only peril lay in Alysa’s irresistible attraction to Eirik. What, he mused worriedly, could he do to prevent temptation from overwhelming her when Eirik would be thrust before her every day? Whatever the situation required, he decided.
Nine
In Damnonia at Malvern Castle, Lord Weylin was talking with Sir Teague in private chambers. The knight had been told to check the cage at Trosdan’s cave every morning for the messenger bird’s return, and he had done so earlier. After retrieving the small missives which had been concealed beneath the furry coverings on the creature’s legs, Teague had summoned Weylin from the training field.
A broad smile traveled Weylin’s face and softened his brown gaze. “Wonderful news, Teague; all goes well with Alysa and Trosdan. The Norsemen have accepted her as their queen. I will send word to King Bardwyn and King Briac of her success to cease their worries.”
Sir Beag had journeyed across land to Lord Fergus’s estate where he took a boat to row across the Sabrina (later to be named the Bristol Channel) to the coast of Cambria. There he traveled overland to the castle of Alysa’s grandparents, Bardwyn and Giselde. After enlightening them to their granddaughter’s desperate plans, Beag had been given their assurances of help with a joint attack and a promise of no interference with her ruse. Both considered Alysa very brave and cunning, and never doubted her ability to succeed in this daring matter. Giselde had told the men Alysa would be perfectly safe with the Druid High Priest who was a powerful wizard. Bardwyn and Giselde were told that a second messenger bird was to arrive after the contest ended, and a third after the quest ended: their signal to attack in four days. Afterward, Sir Beag had returned home, one day after Alysa’s departure.
Lord Keegan had done much the same, also heading out by boat from Lord Fergus’s. Keegan had traveled along the coast of Cambria in the Oceanus Hibernicus (later to be named the Irish Sea) to the shore of Cumbria, then across his homeland to the castle of his rulers, King Briac and Queen Brenna.
Gavin’s parents had listened to the startling tale with interest and dismay. They were concerned deeply about their son, who had not returned home during the time he had been missing from his wife. They had told Keegan that whatever their son was doing, there was a good reason for it, and Keegan had concurred. They had agreed to aid Alysa’s clever plans, and promised to send Gavin back to Damnonia the moment he arrived, if he did so.
Keegan had told Gavin’s parents all he knew about Alysa and about the recent events in Damnonia. He had explained her ruse in detail and revealed why it should work. They, too, were proud of Alysa and looked forward to meeting her soon. After swiftly visiting family there, he had returned to Weylin’s camp three days following Alysa’s departure, to find Gavin still gone.
On advice from Trosdan before his departure, the three lands were to train their men for five weeks and prepare their supplies for a joint battle. A messenger line was set up between the two rulers and Weylin so that word could be passed along quickly and efficiently. On the sixth week, all forces were to gather at their Logris borders and await Alysa’s signal that the quest was over and they were to join her at Stonehenge in four days. The joint forces were to cautiously encircle the special area and be ready to swoop down on the Vikings when the final signal was given.
Teague was in charge of collecting the messages from the first two birds and relaying them to Weylin, who in turn was to send their news to Briac and Bardwyn. The third bird was trained to fly to the old Roman baths at Aqua Sulis where Weylin would be camped, ready to send word to the other forces to unite and swoop down on the Vikings.
Weylin could not help but warn Teague, “Alysa said the contest would take weeks, as would the quest, but we must check for her messages every day. If anything goes wrong, we must know of it swiftly. No matter where I am working, you will know of my location. Waste no time in alerting me to a change in plans, or to her peril.”
After the men parted, Weylin sighed longingly. When he had returned to his estate to place Lady Kordel in charge during his absence, he had been surprised by the lovely woman’s behavior toward him. The look in her glowing eyes and the warmth of her manner had enticed him strangely and potently. He craved to spend time with her, to test these new and unexpected feelings between them.
Alysa was aroused from her deep slumber an hour past midday by Rolf’s slave. The young woman nudged her almost roughly. “The day grows late, Your Highness. It is time to rise and eat.” The female captive had been told to serve Queen Alysa when she awakened, but the slave could not resist annoying her ravishing rival for Rolf in any way. “I have brought you food. Is there more you desire?”
“Who are you?” the Damnonian princess inquired sleepily as she sat up, stretching her taut body and rubbing her grainy eyes. The past four weeks had been hard on her, and she needed more rest. Yet she could not lie abed in an enemy camp with things to do.
The haughty response was, “My name in Enid. I am Lord Rolf’s slave. He commanded me to serve you. What are your needs?”
Alysa gazed at the honey-hai
red female with dark-brown eyes. She noticed the tension and antagonism in the woman, and guessed the reason for them: Rolf. “I will eat, then I wish to bathe. I saw a brook nearby. I will go there.”
“Are you permitted to leave camp?” Enid inquired crisply.
Not fully awake, Alysa replied to her sullenness with an uncharacteristic chill. “I am not a lowly slave. I am Queen Alysa, and I can come and go as I wish. You may leave the food and return to your chores. It is wise for a slave to control her tongue and manner.”
Seeing that this beautiful woman was fearless and quickwitted, Enid did not retort. She nodded and bowed in false respect and left.
Peeved with what could be an unforeseen problem, Alysa eyed the food and wondered if it was safe to devour it. What if Einar had put something in it to loosen her lips, or the ruffled slave had done so to trick her? What if the Vikings did not believe her or trust her? What if they were only leading her along until she exposed herself? She could not imagine what those vicious men would do to her and her friend.
Trosdan entered and observed her frown. “What troubles you?”
Alysa explained the conflict with Enid and her worries. Trosdan tasted the food and drink, and told her it was untainted. As she slowly consumed it, they chatted.
“The Vikings speak of nothing but your return to them and the impending quest. Their blood runs hot with the excitement of competition and victory. Have no fear, Alysa, for they are duped.”
“Soon, we will see,” she replied, as if unconvinced.
When Alysa finished her meal, she gathered her possessions to head for the brook. Rolf was waiting for her outside, and she wondered how long he had been standing there. She was glad she and Trosdan had spoken in whispers to prevent being overheard. She cunningly said, “I wish to bathe in the brook over there,” and motioned to it. “Will you select several loyal men to escort me and guard me?”
“It is too dangerous, Alysa. You are a beautiful and desirable woman. Foes could be lurking nearby, eager to capture you as a hostage,” he quickly stated. “I, too, enjoy leisure baths. I have a large tub in my home. You may use it as often as you wish. My friend Sweyn will guard the door for your privacy.”
The Last Viking Queen Page 13