Viking Love Beyond Time (Time Travel Romance) (34 page)

             
“Who are you Edric?  My grandmother?  Stop lecturing me for God’s sake - anyway why are you waking me at this ungodly hour?  Are the Vikings attacking?”

             
Edric shook his head “hardly, after they surrendered only yesterday morning, that was the reason for the feast - remember.  There’s a message from Bredond though, Ham arrived a few minutes ago”

             
Luke began to fasten his shoes and yawned “Bredond?  Oh it must be the baby. I suppose I’d better wander over and see what’s afoot, where is he?”

             
“Oswy’s tent, listen Luke, please don’t overexcite yourself.” Edric replied sarcastically.

             
Luke yawned and ambled over to the flap of the rent.  “There’s no fear of that Edric, having babies is what they’re here for isn’t it?  Listen, my friend, get rid of that slut for me will you, whilst I’m gone” with that he ducked and left the tent.

             
Edric gritted his teeth.  If it had not been for the fact that his father and Oswy were the closest of friends he would have challenged Luke to a duel months ago, he despised him.

             
Alodie had been right, she had seen what he was and they had forced her to marry him.  There had been times in
Winchester
when he had had to physically stop himself from taking her in his arms and covering her with kisses.  All he wanted to do in life was protect her from the evils of the world and they had married her to that bastard - by God, if he ever hurt her.....  Edric gripped the top of his dagger until his knuckles went white, then taking a deep breath he leaned over and shook the sleeping form none to gently, curling his lip in distaste as he came face to face with a fat, middle aged, all but toothless camp follower who sat up, scratched herself and belched a few times before climbing out of bed and beginning to dress, none too hastily, in a filthy gunna and kirtle.   “Hurry” snapped Edric, wanting to go to hear the news but not liking to leave the woman alone in Luke’s quarters with all his possessions lying around.  She wiped her nose along the back of her hand.

             
“I’m not going anywhere till I get paid” she sniffed “I don’t do it for love yer know.”  She broke wind, loudly.

             
Edric grimaced in repulsion. “How much?”

             
The crone grinned, horribly “Three silver pennies, for five I’ll get back into bed wi’ you milord, you look like a lusty cock to be sure and yon toper couldn’t satisfy a nun.”

             
Edric felt sick, how any man could sleep with that, even in his cups, was beyond his wildest imaginings.  He dug into his purse and threw her a handful of change.  The woman’s face lit up “Ten silver pennies - thank ‘ee milord!” Edric gestured to the opening.

             
“Out” he snapped.  Bobbing him a sarcastic curtsey she almost ran out of the tent.  Edric sighed deeply and walked slowly over to Oswy’s quarters, they had set up quite a little village round
Exeter
town.

             
As he walked, Edric thought back on the campaign, it had been a long struggle but at last the Vikings had realised that, with half the ship army lost, they were better off coming to terms.  They had sworn on the ring again, but this time Guthrum’s son was given as hostage and the Vikings were to be escorted from
Wessex
by the fyrd.

             
Ducking his head he entered Oswy’s tent.  Luke had his by now habitual tankard of ale in his hand and Oswy was patting his shoulder looking gleeful, the king and Aelfric were also in attendance.  Luke looked up “Edric, its twins, on the fifth of this month!  Alodie has given me a boy and a girl!”

             
Edric tried to look pleased, the bastard did not deserve it, he would have given ten years of his life if they had been his twins.  “Brave news, and Alodie?”

             
Luke smiled knowingly at him and Edric had to restrain himself from punching him in the teeth.  “Fit as a flea - Ham says that Godgyth has had a struggle keeping her in bed for more than a day and when he left, four days after the babes had been born, she was up and walking.  It has taken him three weeks to get here though”

             
“What are they to be called?” asked Alfred.

             
“Father Anselm christened them on the second day, the little girl is to be called Nerissa Alys after Alodie’s mother and she has called the boy Thomas Alfred Oswy” Luke’s face was flushed and in his animated state he had regained a lot of his former good looks.  “I think this calls for a drink” he continued.

             
“If Alodie had run off with the goatherd it would be an excuse for a drink as far as you are concerned, wouldn’t it Luke?” said Edric, his voice dripping icicles.

             
Luke looked up at him and bared his teeth in a grin.  “The trouble with you, Edric, is that you are just jealous, green goddamn jealous, well listen to this, I’d knife her to death before I’d ever let you near her so seethe away!”

             
The tent fell silent, then with a snarl Edric’s hand flew for his sceax.  “You don’t deserve to fasten her shoe Edmundson you bastard!” he hissed and leapt for Luke.  Aelfric and Oswy grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back.

             
“Leave it lad” grunted Aelfric.  Edric shook the restraining hands from his shoulders and stood, head bowed, shaking with rage.  King Alfred held out his hand.

             
“Your knife, Edric” he said quietly.  After what seemed like an age Edric handed over the sceax.

             
“Why did you give her to that ale cart my liege?  She hates him” he said quietly.  Alfred did not speak for a second or two then turned to where Luke was leaning against the table, smirking, mug in hand.

             
“You may leave us” he said. Luke shrugged and
,
walking past Edric
,
left the tent.

             
Oswy had gone pale and Aelfric was breathing heavily.  “I have been expecting this for months” said the king.

             
“He does not care for her!” Edric said “even Oswy knows this to be true.  All he cares about are whores and the ale barrel, he spent last night with the ugliest old jade I have ever seen, I cannot countenance it!  I would die for her!”

             
Alfred shook his head then Oswy spoke.  “I will admit it, I am disappointed with Luke, he topes constantly, scorns the poor people, my villagers hate him, if it were not for his being married to Alodie I would disinherit him.  I fear for the future, I really do”

             
Edric turned to Oswy.  “All I ask, my lord, is this - make sure he does her no harm, if he ever lays a finger on her in violence I shall kill him, I swear it!”

             
Alfred held up his hands.  “Peace Edric, go and splash some cold water on your face, we have more to deal with here than your broken heart.  Alodie is Luke’s wife, for good or ill, now try to calm down”

             
Edric bowed his head “I apologise for my behaviour my liege” he muttered “forgive me”

             
Alfred waved his hand “it is forgotten Edric, now go - and avoid Luke” getting to his feet and bowing swiftly the young warrior left the tent.

             
Alfred looked round at Aelfric and Oswy.  “I said all along that woman was trouble” he said at last.

             
Aelfric shook his head.  “I knew my lad lusted after her but I had hoped he had got over it” he sighed.

             
“The experiment with the burgher’s lass didn’t work then?” asked Alfred.

             
“He showed no interest whatsoever except that of bored politeness.  When I told him that I thought the girl resembled Alodie he laughed and said she was as much like Alodie as a candle was to the sun”

             
“Edric is a wonderful fighter, one of the most prized of my housecarles” said Alfred, plucking his bottom lip, thoughtfully “it would go against the grain to send him away, yet it is quite obvious that they cannot remain within spitting distance of each other or one of them will be killed.”

             
“Why send Edric away my lord?” asked Oswy, “send Luke home if anyone”

             
“Do you not think that would cause more trouble?” interjected Aelfric “Luke would feel slighted and in actual fact he is the wronged one”.

             
“Not if he were sent home on an important mission” said Alfred suddenly, snapping his fingers “What is the name of Guthrum’s young son, the hostage?”

             
“Swein?  What does he have to do with it?” asked Aelfric.

             
“Yes, Swein.  Could you keep him at Bredond, Oswy?”

             
“Of a certainty my lord”

             
“Well, who better than Luke to escort him there?” Both Oswy and Aelfric smiled at the king then at each other, “There are more ways than one of skinning a cat!” laughed Alfred and holding up his goblet said “To the twins - and Alodie!”

******************

             
It was just over a fortnight later and the subject of their toast was lying in that delightful morning borderline state between sleeping and waking.  The early June sun was streaming warmly between the shutters but she could not face getting up just yet.

             
Snuggling down she looked back over the last year - yes, it was a year to the day since they had landed in Bredond - June 7th - and what a momentous year it had been.

             
For a second she thought again of Rorik, although she tried to think of him as little as possible nowadays.  Even though every time she looked at her son he stared out at her with those eyes which were indeed turning green.

             
She heard the door open and felt the weight of someone sitting on the bed, it was probably Herluva bringing in the babies after having their early morning feed.  After struggling to feed them herself Alodie had come to terms with the fact that she just did not have enough milk so eventually they were turned over (as was right and proper according to Godgyth who believed that ladies were not ‘bred’ to feed their own children for more than a week) to two sisters who had just weaned their own children and had more than enough milk for two more.

             
She turned over, still loath to open her eyes. “Give Mummy a cuddle” she whispered opening her arms.

             
“Gladly” drawled a voice with an all t
o
o familiar “wild West” accent and two hands slipped under the covers and onto her breasts.  Her eyes snapped open.

             
“Luke!” she gasped “it’s you!”

             
“In the flesh, sorry its not Rorik -  are you disappointed?” He stood up and began to shrug off his clothes.  Alodie was shocked at the state he was in.  He had been putting on weight before he went away but now he was at least forty pounds heavier, he had bags under his eyes and was none to clean.  “Have you missed me, Captain?” he asked, pulling back the covers and climbing into bed.  Alodie remained silent.  “Well, well, things are improving, not so long ago you would have said
‘like a hole in the head Lieutenant Commander’
I must be getting to you” he began to stroke her body, running his fingers over her breasts, Alodie winced, her milk had not quite gone and her nipples were sore “Well, you haven’t put on any weight after your little escapade” he remarked “except a bit in the right places” he pulled back the sheet and raising her nightrail looked her up and down “in fact your waist and hips seem a tad slimmer”

             
“If you have any ideas in that direction you can forget them, I won’t be able to have sex for at least another month!” she snapped.

             
“Welcome home, Luke!” he said sarcastically. Alodie smelled the sour ale on his breath and pushed him away.

             
“Have you been drinking?” she asked.

             
“Almost constantly” he replied “why?”

             
“That explains why you look such a wreck” she said resignedly.  “What’s the war news?”

             
Luke put his hands behind his head.  “The Vikings surrendered, they swore again on the Holy Ring and are even now being marched back to
Mercia
”

             
Alodie laughed hollowly “How do you know they won’t double back again?” she asked.

             
“Because, my doubting darling, half the fyrd are escorting them to the border and we have in this house, at this very moment, Swein, Guthrum’s ten year old son, as hostage”

             
Alodie sat up “What will happen if they do double back then?” she asked, her heart already knowing the answer.