Banners of the Northmen (36 page)

"He will be jarl here one day." Runa raised a brow at Konal. "And before that, I rule here."

"You mention that every day." Konal belched a second time, then banged his bowl on the table for a refill of the porridge. Elin nodded and sent a girl to collect the bowl.

His dismissive response irked Runa, but she declined to push. Months ago she had realized Konal truly ruled here. The men were his, the ships, the weapons, and the gold. No one could prevent him from claiming every flock and field. To worsen matters, the villagers loved him. He had fed them, brought men for their widows and daughters, restored their honor and defeated their enemies. Some of the more superstitious folk claimed he had walked out of the sea and then summoned his ships with magic.

Whether she wanted it or not, Konal was the new jarl of Nye Grenner.

He smacked his lips as the second bowl slipped onto the table. He grabbed the girl's hand, startling her, then he stroked it and released her. The girl blushed at him, and he winked as she returned to the hearth. Runa's bowl sat cooling beneath her.

"She is only thirteen," Runa said, attempting to keep the edge out of her voice.

"Then she should be married soon. Better she learn how to handle a man now. Her husband will be grateful."

Runa turned away before he could see her grimace. He was becoming the man she had suspected he was. Heat grew on her face, and she bit her lip. She stood to leave, feeling stupid and embarrassed. As she rose, he snared her arm.

"Come now, it was only play. Sit. Eat your breakfast."

Runa hovered, his strong grip tugging at her. Yanking her arm free, she returned to the bench. Konal continued devouring his porridge as if he had not noticed Runa's anger. Ulfrik would have read her in an instant, but then Ulfrik would never have flirted so brazenly with a freeman's daughter. A rumbling stomach forced a surrender of her icy stand-off.

Over the top of the bowl, she glimpsed Halla sneering at her from across the room. Since becoming her hostage, she had spoken only when commanded, otherwise she prayed and glared at everyone around her. Runa regretted not killing her when she had the bloodlust for it. Now, even with Toki dead, she could not bring herself to harm Halla for no reason. Instead, she waited for Halla to give her cause, and suspected that day would be soon.

"Winter is not far off," Runa said, turning to face Konal. "I must know if you intend to stay or return to your family."

Konal's face fell, and he slowly shoved away his bowl. He leaned on his elbows, and studied the few people finishing their meals in the hall.

"You have been gone from your family over a year now. It's time you return to them."

"Don't tell me when it's time for me to do anything." His face pulled into a frown, and his raised voice drew shy glances. "That family is my father's doing, not mine. I've no love for them."

"Your own children?"

"Brats, I've told you. Mad like their mother and grandfather. Kell and I have always been happier at sea than trapped with those madmen."

Runa drank from her bowl again, using the pause to consider Konal's words. Was she a distraction for him, a reason not to return home? Did Kell seek the same excuse, chasing after an escaped slave they had no chance of locating?

"And if you stay with me, will you be satisfied as a farmer? Locked into another winter of darkness on a rock of an island that no willing person visits?"

"You make it sound horrible."

"Isn't it? All my enemies are defeated. Ingrid is old and mute. Skard and Thorod are slain. My riches lie in hay and wool, nothing to bring raiders this far north. What does the great war leader Konal do here besides tend flocks and settle arguments over grazing lands?"

Konal folded his arms, his face collapsing into a thoughtful frown. Runa snorted a laugh, a derisive puff filled with her anger. Taking him to her bed had been a mistake. No man would ever replace Ulfrik. Konal was clearly inferior to him in every regard, and she had contrived to overlook it all.

"I must help Elin and do some good for this hall." She wobbled to her feet, and Konal let her go.

She busied herself with gathering dishes and collecting scraps into a bucket. Elin kept silent but her expression spoke her exasperation. Elin had been a vocal opponent of Konal's men lingering after their need was gone. She called them leeches, and Runa had begun to agree.

After an hour of work, Konal had departed and Runa remained with Elin and the women. As she wiped down the high table, sweeping crumbs into her cupped hand, Konal returned.

"The trading ships have arrived. I thought you said they wouldn't come for another month."

Runa stood straighter, sharing a worried glance with Elin. "You're sure they're traders? They are too early."

Konal nodded. "They're not hostile ships. No beast heads on the prow and shields still on the rack. They're approaching the docks now."

"Thora, keep the children in the hall," Runa said. Dropping her cloth to the table, she and Elin joined Konal. Halla even roused from her murmuring prayers to follow them. From the top of the slope, Runa saw two ships gliding to the docks. A man from the lead ship leapt the rails to land on the dock with a rope to tie off the small boat.

Runa's vision hazed and she nearly fainted. Konal caught her.

"What is it, Runa?"

Halla answered for her as her pale hand pointed at the ship. "It's
Raven's Talon
. That is Toki in the prow."

Konal steadied Runa, but she spared him not even a glance. She limped after the others who had already began running for the arriving ships. Gunnar was in the front, squealing with delight. Men were jumping into the surf, equally delighted at the homecoming. A thin, older man in a ragged gray shirt stood apart from the others, wading ashore on his own. Gunnar charged straight for him, and the old man crouched and threw his arms wide.

Runa also began to run, sharp needles of pain lancing her foot, but she did not care. The old man was swinging Gunnar around in his arms. He was crying and laughing. Gunnar laughed, a sound so sweet and so long unheard that Runa's eyes teared.

She stumbled the final distance, and the old man let Gunnar down, though he remained clutched to his side. Runa stood facing them, the ocean sparkling behind the old man.

"Snorri!"

Collapsing into his arms, he clamped her tight. In that moment, worry and fear flowed out with her tears. She repeated his name, and Gunnar forced his way into their embrace.

"Aye, girl, we're finally home."

Nye Grenner's hall had emptied and only Toki and Snorri remained with Runa at the high table. A bonfire outside flickered yellow light between the gaps of covered windows, and low voices of guards seeped through every wall. The night was cold, and many of the guards clustered at the fire burning in the field behind the hall. Runa waited as Toki and Snorri completed their meals. Even after three days, all the returning men still ate as if they would not eat again for weeks. All of them were thinner and more haggard than Runa remembered, especially Toki.

"More ale," Toki said, pushing his mug out without lifting his head from his bowl.

Runa hefted a jug and poured ale until it ran over the sides. She stared at Toki, who hardly acknowledged her since his return. He had become someone else during his time away, more confident and aloof. Even Gunnar, who had spent his childhood at Toki's heels, was held at a distance. Whatever had happened in his time in Frankia had changed him. She knew nothing of the story, but would find out all she desired this night.

"And why are we three sitting here in this dark hall alone and silent?" Runa poured more ale for Snorri, anticipating his need. "If you've nothing to say, Brother, then I will be leaving."

"Stay." Toki still did not pause in devouring his meal, lifting out a lamb bone and gnawing the meat from it. Once he had filled his mouth, he dropped the bone and leaned back. He stared at Runa, who felt as if Toki were looking at her for the first time. Grease glistened on his beard and his dark eyes sparkled with the low hearth light. At last he wiped his mouth with the back of his arm before speaking. "We have family matters to discuss, as well as issues of rulership."

Distant laughter broke into the silence, as if mocking Toki. Within the hall, no one smiled. Snorri armed his bowl aside and looked at Runa with bleary eyes.

"When do you think Konal's brother will return?" Snorri asked. She shrugged her shoulders. Kell had been gone for weeks, claiming to search for their escaped slave but more likely raiding or trading.

"Konal's men have surrendered their weapons," Runa said, smoothing her skirt across her lap. Toki had demanded she stop wearing pants and carrying a sax after his arrival, and she had complied. "They fought for our home, Toki. Some of them died, and many took wounds. Konal saved Gunnar's life. You're treating them as if they are enemies."

"They are enemies," Toki said, glancing at Snorri. "Of a sort. We only outnumber them until Konal's brother arrives, and then we are evenly matched. I think your new lover wants to make this land his own."

Runa shot to her feet, her body flushing with hot anger. "I have held this land in Ulfrik's name. No one has challenged me in this, nor has Konal ever laid a claim to anything."

"Girl, he wears weapons in this hall and has grown accustomed to sitting in Ulfrik's place." Snorri gave a wincing smile, and rubbed his neck. "He only had to move into Ulfrik's bed to become the ruler here."

"That's untrue!" Runa stamped her foot, and shame immediately filled her. Her face burned at the truth of the accusations, and she sat down with arms crossed. The silence endured until Toki cleared his throat.

"I am ruler here, until Ulfrik relieves me of that duty. See that standard?" A greasy finger pointed at Nye Grenner's standard. It hung wearily from its pole, leaning against the wall. The once deep green was now stained white with sea salt and the cloth ripped and tattered. "Ulfrik bade me to raise it in his hall once more, and to do anything needed to ensure his home and people were protected. Now I've returned to find armed strangers in the land, and my sister running wild with them. I had worried over what I might find upon returning, but never could I have foreseen this. What am I to think?"

Runa could not hold her brother's gaze, but instead slumped forward. Touching her hand to her head, she sighed. "It has been nearly a year with no news. You were to have returned before summer. Konal and Kell were here, and prepared to bring the fight north. What should I have done?"

"It doesn't matter," Toki said as he stood. He patted Snorri's shoulder as he stepped away from the bench. "What do you say, old friend? Is it more important to talk about what was or what must be?"

"We can only look ahead with hope of changing anything," Snorri said.

"No, that's not fair. You have only told me the barest details of what happened while you were gone. I deserve to know, and I am still the wife of your jarl. So respect my demand for answers. Why did Ulfrik send you so late? What happened to change you, Toki?"

Both men stiffened and both glanced aside. Runa waited, her pulse throbbing in her neck but determined to hear their story. Toki finally nodded, then stepped back to the bench and sat again.

"He sent us almost four months ago, and with a third ship full of men. He put all the Nye Grenner men aboard our ships, and then filled another ship's worth of followers who wanted a new land to settle. The journey should've taken no more than a month, but it was the most ill-fated voyage I have ever known. Storms plagued us, set us off course and swept men to ocean graves. We became separated and one ship was lost. Whatever became of the ship and her crew, we will never know. They were good men, eager to return home or to find peace in a distant land. We searched, but the gods have them now."

Toki lowered his eyes and for a moment Runa glimpsed the Toki of old. The edge was gone from his voice as he continued. "My first command and I led my men in circles, wasting supplies and time, getting us lost."

"It was not your fault, lad," Snorri offered in his low, gravelly voice. "We all agreed to search for our brothers."

"Then the pirates found us. They trailed our ships and made us wary of pulling ashore. We did not want to lead them home, and so sailed opposite of our true course. At last they dared a fight, and we were better armed and better skilled. Still, men were killed and time was lost. We were out of supplies for the voyage over open sea and had to trade and resupply. At last, we turned north again and sailed for home. I admit, I have not been more frightened of returning home than I was three days ago. I feared you would all be slain or enslaved."

Again the hall fell silent. The hearth fire popped and the men standing guard outside murmured in tired conversation. Runa's anger quelled and she realized the pressure and responsibility drove her brother to act so differently. She moved to sit beside him on the bench, and draped her arm over his shoulders. "But we are well, and you led your men to the best of your ability. Ulfrik was wise to chose you as his representative, and wiser still to send Snorri as an adviser. I am sorry for my foolishness. What must I do to help you set the land right?"

Toki met her eyes, and the iron returned to them. Yet instead of forcing distance between them, he placed his hand over Runa's at his shoulder. "If Konal and Kell wish to remain, I will not begrudge them. However, they must swear an oath to me, and my oath to Ulfrik ensures the land remains his. I want to claim Thorod’s and Skard's estates, to ensure no one rises up there again. I will rule from Ingrid's old hall and you may remain to rule Nye Grenner. There is peace in this land bought with blood, and I want to keep it. Any way you can help with these tasks, I welcome it."

Runa nodded, squeezed her brother's shoulders. "I will do all I can."

"Konal won't swear an oath to anyone," Snorri said, folding his arms over his chest. "Seen his kind a hundred times and he's no one's bondsman. I think it could come to a fight."

"Then we fight," Toki said, dropping his hand from Runa's. "It won't be the first time we've had to repel invaders. Only now they've woven themselves into our homes and hall."