Lord of the Mountains

by Sabrina Jarema

  The game board was widening, and now he finally had all the pieces he would need to win.

  * * *

  “Magnus says such words to me and I don’t understand what he means.” Silvi watched him as he spoke with her mother. He’d said he was going to ask her to stay and, no doubt, he was doing so.

  “What kind of words?” Asa sipped at her ale. “They must be interesting considering how red your cheeks are.”

  Silvi put her hands to her face. “Is it that obvious? This is difficult enough. I can’t ask my mother. But you’re near my age and just married. It’s to my brother, though, so I don’t want to know too much. Magnus wants me to make a decision about us, but I’m not certain what he wants.”

  “Don’t forget, we’re speaking of my brother, as well. Without going into too much detail, tell me what he said.”

  “He spoke of his true nature, of how he could have that with me. He said something about control, I think of me, and of doing what he wishes to give me pleasure. He said I have the true power. He holds my wrists sometimes.” She looked down, unable to continue.

  “Granted, I’m not very experienced at all this myself, but Eirik has been diligent in showing me what pleases him. We’re often on equal footing in this since he knows I keep my sword by the bed.” She grinned. “There are times when I want to explore the possibilities, shall we say? Magnus has always been very powerful. He’s had to be because he came to the title so young. He controls everything here, all matters of his life. It’s what he’s accustomed to. And I think it sounds like he wants that to extend to you.”

  “To me?”

  “Of course. You’re his wife. Men want to think they possess us, and we are theirs. It’s not so easy in our land. We’re very strong. And we hold many weapons against them.”

  “But I’m not strong. I’m not like you, Asa. I don’t have a sword beside the bed.”

  “I can always get you one. Besides, you have runes, and that can be far worse, from what I’ve heard. He’s giving you the choice. It’s your decision. That’s what he means when he says you hold the power. Eirik has told me that when he takes me as he wishes, his one desire is to see to my pleasure. It’s his entire focus and responsibility. I think Magnus feels the same.”

  It would make sense. He did see to her pleasure before his own. This could be interesting.

  “It’s very freeing, actually.” Asa took another sip of ale. “He does all the work and you get all the pleasure.”

  “When you say that, it doesn’t sound so bad.”

  “Oh, it’s not bad at all.” She raised the cup, then drained it.

  “I thought I was supposed to just lie there while . . .” She blushed.

  Asa made an effort to swallow, then coughed. “Where did you hear that? Unless he tells you to, no. I don’t think that’s what Magnus has in mind. Just do what you feel is right. Follow your heart. He loves you and—”

  “Loves me?” What was she talking about? If he did, wouldn’t he have told her by now? He loved the ships. She could see it when they were out on the fjord. But her?

  Asa frowned. “You’ve been married for how long, and he hasn’t told you?”

  “Perhaps there’s nothing to tell.”

  “He’s been shield-struck since the first moment he saw you in Haardvik. Odin’s eye, Leif would love this. He’d never let Magnus live it down if he knew. Leave it to my brother to forget this tiny detail. If we weren’t going back to Haardvik now, I’d tell him a thing or two.”

  “Don’t.” Silvi grabbed Asa’s hand across the table. “Don’t say anything to him. He can’t know what we’ve been speaking of.”

  “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll let him stew in a cauldron of his own devising. Serves him right. I might give him a good kick in the rear, though, as I leave. Hit him in the brains and get them working again.” She stood. “I have to go. I think all our things are loaded, and Eirik is probably waiting for me outside. Just try what I said with Magnus. And if you ever need a sword by the bed, send word and I’ll bring you one myself.”

  * * *

  “What did she kick me for?” Magnus rubbed his backside as they watched The Wind of Njord pull away from the beach. Onboard, Eirik and Asa stood together, his arm around her, as their men rowed toward the main fjord. Asa waved at them, smiling.

  “I wouldn’t know.” Silvi waved back.

  He crossed his arms and stared down at her. “You and she were talking together for quite a while.”

  “The same as you and my mother. I’m not accusing you of plotting anything with her.”

  “She’s dangerous enough all on her own. Like mother, like daughter?”

  She stood on her toes and kissed him on the jaw. “You’ll see.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that.”

  “You just might like it. If you’re good.” She walked to her horse. He followed and helped her mount, then narrowed his eyes at her.

  “I should keep you here until you answer me.”

  “I wasn’t aware you asked a question that required answering. My mother is waiting for me. She’s asked me to go with her to see Droplaug, who may lose her child. She wants me to be prepared in case she’s not available when Droplaug needs help.”

  He mounted his gelding. “I thought you knew about childbirth.”

  She urged her mare forward and Magnus’s men fell in line behind them. “I’ve been to many of them, yes. Thanks to my mother’s good advice to the women, all of them have been successful. A very rare thing. Droplaug didn’t seek help right away. Ingeborg told us she’s had three other miscarriages. Maybe she feels it’s fated by the gods, so she’s been despondent. Anyhow, my mother asked me to come with her.”

  “You’re taking at least ten men with you. I can’t come. I have a meeting with those who crew my ships. I should have gone to the markets a long time ago. What with the battle for Haardvik, and this trouble with Toke, I haven’t been able to leave.”

  And their wedding. He didn’t say it, but he didn’t need to. “Will you go before the Thing takes place?”

  “There isn’t enough time. It takes many days to get from here to Kaupang. I can send one of my knörrs with my best traders, and one of my warships to guard it. At least that will get the season started. That will leave us two of the longships to carry us to the Thing.”

  Lifa, Nuallen, and the warriors were waiting for them when they reached the top of the path.

  “Did everything go well with their departure?” Lifa stepped toward a waiting cart.

  “Yes.” Silvi steadied herself with her hands on Magnus’s shoulders as he lifted her down from her horse. Just once she would like to try swinging her leg over her horse’s neck and leaping off like she’d seen Asa do. And, quite likely, land on her face. She sighed.

  Magnus gave her a quick kiss, then walked toward the longhouse. She and her mother climbed into the open cart. It was more seemly for a woman of Lifa’s rank to travel that way. To keep up appearances, they would both ride in it. The men fanned out around them, Nuallen on horseback, riding ahead.

  When they reached the small house nestled in the woods, Nuallen helped Silvi and Lifa from the cart.

  “We’ll stay outside to watch.” He eyed the open door where they could hear a woman crying from within.

  “Of course you will. This is women’s work.” Lifa led Silvi inside.

  The house was dark. The weeping came from the bed, where Droplaug was curled up, holding her stomach.

  They approached her and Lifa put her hand on the woman’s forehead. “Do you still feel pain in your belly and back?”

  “Not since you gave me the willow-bark tea,” she said. “I know it’s dead inside me. It hasn’t moved in two days, and I’m still bleeding.”

  “How much?” Lifa lifted the covers.

  “Just spotting, but it’s getting worse.”

  “I see. Where’s your husband?”

  “Out getting wood for the fire. He should be back soon.”

&
nbsp; Lifa took Silvi aside and spoke low. “He shouldn’t have left her. This is very serious.”

  “She’ll lose the child?”

  “I think so. She’s had nettle tea and raspberry-leaf tea for weeks now, but it hasn’t helped. She’s still cramping, fevered, and her nausea went away some time ago. If the child isn’t moving, that’s a disturbing sign. I also tried painting runes on the palms of her hands—Fehu, Berkano, and Perthro. Nothing has helped.”

  “How long will it be?”

  “I don’t know. It could be tonight, or in several days. There’s no way to know. I hope, for her sake, that it’s soon. It would be better for her. Then she can recover.”

  “To conceive and lose yet another child?”

  “Ingeborg will have to speak to her about using herbs to prevent conception. She may not like it, but she can’t have this happen again. She could die. Are you using the herbs yourself?”

  “Yes.” She and Magnus hadn’t even mentioned children yet, but every man wanted a son to come after him. She looked at Droplaug. The woman was strong and healthy. Silvi bit her lip. How could she carry and bear a child, as slender as she was?

  Lifa crossed to the other side of the room to make more of the teas.

  Silvi followed her. “Will she ever be able to have a child? Would she have a better chance if you were here?”

  “Ingeborg and I spoke at length about her treatment. Ingeborg did everything I would have done. She’s an excellent midwife. Sometimes these things aren’t meant to be. I’ve seen women who couldn’t bear the child of one man go on to have children with another. It’s a mystery.”

  Silvi gave the tea to Droplaug, then sat and comforted her while Lifa straightened up the room. She felt so helpless, but she had to act positive, as her mother had taught her. Men’s voices filtered in from outside, and Droplaug’s husband came in. He was a fine-looking man, but his face was haggard with fear and concern for his wife.

  Lifa motioned him to the side. “Knud, I’ll ask one of the men to stay here with you. If anything changes, send him to me. I’ll be here as soon as I can.”

  “I will, mistress.” His reddened eyes went to his wife as she moaned.

  “Give her the teas as I instructed you before. I made them fresh just now.”

  “There’s nothing more you can do?”

  “It’s in the hands of the gods now, Knud.”

  “So far, the gods have held nothing in their hands for us.”

  Lifa touched his arm. “They have given you each other. The love between a man and woman. That’s more than many people have in this world.”

  He looked down. “I know, mistress. And if there’s a choice to be made between my wife and the child, I cannot lose her. Even if we don’t have any children, she is my life.”

  Silvi met her mother’s eyes. Lifa wouldn’t tell him the child was likely already gone. “I understand.”

  They left, with one of the men remaining behind. In the past, she’d often felt as though she was living in her mother’s shadow, but now she was glad of it. At least her mother was staying for a time and could take care of this. Silvi could not. It was heart-wrenching enough to see what Droplaug was going through emotionally. When the time came for the birth, how much worse would it be?

  At the temple, she never would have had to see this. She looked out at the forest as the cart moved along toward the village. The temple. She had to stop thinking of it. She wasn’t there and most likely never would be. Instead, she was here, in the midst of war, treachery, and the natural order going horribly wrong.

  Two other women in the area were close to giving birth, and their pregnancies were progressing well. When the time came, which would be soon, she’d attend them, leaving her mother free to help Droplaug. That much, she could do. She wasn’t made for the harshness of this world, and yet, the gods had seen fit to put her here instead of allowing her to dwell in the shelter of the temple. She closed her eyes.

  If only she knew why.

  * * *

  When Silvi returned to the longhouse, she went into Magnus’s and her chamber. Birgitta had said he was down on the beach, seeing to the shipment of goods for the markets. He might not be back until later. She kicked her shoes off and lay down on the bed. The day had taken all her strength, and she had some time before the evening meal.

  Droplaug’s grief turned over in her mind, not letting her rest. She rose and took out the bag of runes from her chest. Sitting on the bed, she opened the bag and sifted the carved wooden pieces through her fingers. She envisioned a sphere of pure light around her that would keep out any dark influences, then let her thoughts flow free.

  Would the runes speak to her? Would she understand what they had to say? Her mother was trained for this, not her. But she had learned at her mother’s knee all her life. Though she didn’t call on them often, they did hear her.

  One of the runes felt warm and she drew it out. Berkano. It lay reversed on her hand. She sighed. The gods were being obvious today, which was no help.

  The door opened and Magnus came in. He stopped when he saw her on the bed.

  “I remembered a seax I wanted to send with the ships to Kaupang.” He went to one of his chests and lifted the lid. “Casting? I thought that was your mother’s talent.”

  “I know the art as well. I can do a casting for you, if you’d like me to.”

  He rose, carrying a sheathed seax. “Eirik already did that this past winter and told me more than I care to know. Unless you can tell me the best trading routes and where to get the highest prices this season, I can do without it.” He crossed to the bed and gave her a kiss on her cheek, then left.

  She looked down at the rune, and pain welled up inside her. He’d appeared preoccupied, but still, his brusqueness told the story. She had tried to help him, but he didn’t need it. The ability to see and to foretell were all she had to offer him. That, and her healing knowledge. If he didn’t need her, then at least the people of the village did. Everywhere she went, they asked her questions, wanted advice, spoke to her of their troubles. And they listened.

  What lay within her were the things he didn’t understand. She turned the rune over in her hand. Berkano-reversed signaled miscarriage. But it also indicated a series of choices and that there would be difficulties until she made a decision.

  She ran the pad of her thumb along the symbol. If she sought her visions, the gods might clarify what this meant. She didn’t want to risk it. She might find herself back in the sea alone, her island only a whisper of sand beneath her, with nothing to hold on to ever again.

  And, like Magnus, she didn’t need the gods to tell her that.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Mistress, wake up. Please.” Birgitta’s voice was far away. “It’s Droplaug. Her husband sent for help. She’s having the child.”

  Silvi came awake with a start, her heart pounding. “Oh gods. Where’s my mother?” She jumped out of bed and grabbed her dress.

  Birgitta brought her shoes to her. “Your mother and Ingeborg left to help another woman who’s having a baby. She lives down at the far end of the valley.”

  She slipped her shoes on. “My husband?”

  “The jarl and Leif are staying down at the holding near the beach for the night. I sent for them all, but it will take time for them to come.”

  Silvi stopped. “There’s no one here to help her but me.” How was she going to do this?

  “I’ll come with you, mistress.” Birgitta raised her chin. “I’ve seen a few births.”

  “Not like this, you haven’t. Still, I can use your help. Where’s Thyri?”

  “I don’t know, mistress. She isn’t here.”

  Why was everyone gone this night, of all of them? “Come, then. I’ll need you.”

  The stable lad, Sjurd, had horses ready. The warrior who had stayed behind at Droplaug’s house, and brought the news of the impending birth, waited for them. They cantered out of the village, the moon lighting their way.

 
; She couldn’t think of what she would face once she arrived. She must think only of Droplaug and what she would need. There was no chance to save the child, but she had to save the mother. If she concentrated on that, perhaps she could do this.

  She would do this. She could panic later. Right now there was no time for that. Knud stood outside, watching for them.

  “It’s the child. It’s trying to come, but she won’t push. She’s given up.”

  She swung her leg over the neck of the mare and landed on her feet. She rushed to the door. “Knud, stay out here. My mother may come soon.” I hope.

  They hurried to Droplaug. Blood and fluid covered the bed where she lay, but she wasn’t moving. “Oh gods, no.” Silvi cupped Droplaug’s cheek and her eyes fluttered open. They didn’t focus.

  Silvi breathed again. At least she was alive. She lifted the covers and checked her, then examined her stomach. A slight contraction rippled through her.

  While Birgitta blotted the sheets with cloths, Silvi took the mother’s head in her hands and looked into her eyes. “Droplaug, you have to listen to me. The child needs to come out. You have to help it or you’ll die.”

  “That’s what I want.” Her words were faint. “I can’t keep a child, so this is the only way. If I die with him inside me, then he’ll be with me always. I won’t lose him like I did the others.”

  Silvi gasped and looked at Birgitta. The serving woman’s eyes filled and she went back to her task. If only her mother were here. She’d know what to do, what to say. Why had the gods done this to her? Her stomach roiled as the pain flared.

  This wasn’t about her. Right now, all that mattered was Droplaug. Not her, not the gods, not the wyrd itself. Silvi swallowed past the lump in her throat and tapped Droplaug’s cheeks until she looked at her.

  “Listen to me. You will lose this child.” The woman cried out and shook her head. Silvi stopped her and made her focus again. “You must live. Fight for your life.”

  “No. What good am I? I can’t even give my husband a son. All men want that above all else. He needs a wife who will bear him fine sons. I’ve told him that, but he won’t divorce me and he won’t let me leave him. He says if I divorce him, he’ll force me to remarry him.”