Viking Love Beyond Time (Time Travel Romance) (61 page)

             
The pre-dawn wind ruffled her hair and she breathed deep of the clear air then walked back to the shuttle.  She would have to, somehow, manhandle Herger outside and away from the craft then administer the antidote to the triptocorozene and hope she could get him down to the village.  That reminded her, the shuttle was no good here, it was too exposed, people would be walking into it, hypno waves or no hypno waves.

             
Glancing round she spotted what looked like a blind rocky gully about a quarter of a mile away, under the shadow of a granite outcropping, and decided to leave it there.  She climbed back into the shuttle and within twenty seconds was turning off the engines and flicking the hypno switch. “Right, my grimy beauty” Alodie sighed, turning to Herger, “let’s get you back home and cleaned up”

             
This was not going to be easy.  First she pulled him onto the floor then turning him onto his back and hooking her hands under his arms she heaved -  it was no good, it would have been easier to move a block of solid granite.

             
Alodie scratched her head - life seemed to be one long problem; then she remembered the cargo loading doors.  Gingerly she clambered down the ladder and walked underneath the ship, looking up at the closed doors.  When at rest the shuttle rested on four legs which lifted the underbelly about six feet from the ground.  It was going to be a hard bump but she could cushion it and luckily the ship was hovering above soft velvety grass, which could be softened even further by the addition of dry grass and bracken.  After placing several armfuls under the cargo doors Alodie climbed back into the shuttle and rolled Herger along to the back of the ship until he was actually lying on top of the doors.   “I hope this works” she muttered and walking back to the control panel she operated the door mechanism - Herger disappeared unceremoniously with a resounding thump.  Wincing, Alodie shut the doors, grabbed her cloakful of garments and the antidote container and climbed hurriedly out of the ship, closing the hatch behind her.

             
On a cursory inspection Herger seemed unhurt.  Alodie rolled him onto the smooth grass and away from the ship then, after administering the antidote and burying the biodegradable container, she made herself comfortable with his head on her lap and waited for him to regain consciousness.

             
As it grew lighter the full beauty of this dale began to hit her.  If she had thought the southlands beautiful with their lush green forests and limpid pools, nothing had prepared her for the breathtaking sight which now greeted her.

             
The green clad hills which rolled onto the north as far as the eye could see were covered with flowers of every imaginable hue.  Sheep were dotted here and there and from the bottom of the hill came the sounds of the village waking up,  the clank of pails, the bark of dogs, the wail of an infant - Tom? Nerissa?  No the child was too young.

             
Grimacing, she straightened her legs and scratched her filthy hair.  Nothing  on this Earth was going to come between her and a bath the second she reached the village.

             
A groan from the direction of her lap caused her to glance down.  Herger’s eyes began to flicker open, then he promptly turned his head and vomited, luckily onto the grass.  Alodie had forgotten, nausea was one of the side effects of triptocorozene and she had no idea when he had last had anything to eat.  She rubbed the back of his neck.  “Herger, you’re safe now” she murmured, running her hand through his filthy dark mane.

             
With a moan Herger rolled back and opened his eyes fully, then he blinked.  “Alodie - whaat?  Have I died? Are you a Valkyrie?  Oh Odin, my head!”

             
“Don’t talk now, you’re safe, can you walk?”

             
“Walk?  Where?” He groaned and sat up, then gasped “Thor help me, I am home, in Hergersby.  This is a dream - Alodie, this is a dream, I am still in that filthy cell in
Winchester
with the pain” he rubbed his back “I died, I was speared by that bastard Aelfric”

             
Alodie put her hand on his shoulder.  “Don’t talk now Herger, I will explain everything once you have had a bath and some food”

             
“Odin, you better had” turning, he pulled himself up with the aid of a rock - his legs buckled.  Alodie got to her feet.

             
“Here Herger, put your arm round my shoulders, there, now lets go down together”.

             
Herger looked at her and screwed up his nose.  “Alodie, you stink and your hair, its filthy”

             
She smiled.  “So do you, even more so, and your hair’s worse, now don’t talk, just walk, hold on to me now, one foot in front of the other - here we go”

             
It took half an hour to reach the village, and the sun was just struggling above the horizon as Alodie knocked on the door of the hall, by which time Herger had reached the limit of his endurance and, as the door was opened by a woman who could have been Herluva’s sister, he collapsed.  The woman gasped and throwing up her arms screamed, in Norse, “Odin!  T’is the master!”

             
To Alodie’s delight a bewildered Anstice appeared at her shoulder.  “I don’t believe it!” she cried “....the Lady Alodie - Bjarnie - QUICK!”

             
Within five minutes Alodie was sitting in front of the fire eating hot oatmeal and milk whilst
water was
being heated and two bedrooms hurriedly readied.  Herger had been taken straight to his room with Alodie’s instructions that at all costs he was to have a bath and the clothes he was wearing burned.  All she could think of was seeing her children, having a bath, then getting twelve hours solid in that order.

             
She spooned down the last of her oatmeal then followed Anstice as she led her to the children’s bedroom.

             
Heart pounding, she peered round the door and felt the hot salty tears rush into her eyes as she looked down at two cherubic faces, Nerissa with thumb lodged firmly in mouth, sleeping peacefully in their little beds.

             
Anstice informed her that Master Tom was a solemn little lad but as good as gold and very brave, whilst Mistress Nerissa was a loveable bundle of mischief.  Yes, both children were steady on their feet and saying a few words - in both Saxon and Norse, and yes, they were both healthy and eating like little horses, Tom especially.  They had both settled down here like cats before a firepit and now if Lady Alodie would just follow her, Anstice would see that she got the bath she so badly needed.

             
She was led down a corridor into a sunny room with yellow painted plaster, a window with yellow shutters, a large bed and two chests, one under the window and the other at the bottom of the bed.  On top of the chest under the window was a polished silver mirror and the usual unguents and creams but to Alodie’s eyes the most beautiful thing there was the huge wooden bathtub in the middle of the room arising from which were fragrant wisps of steam.  With a cry of glee Alodie pulled off her clothes and climbed blissfully into the tub, putting her fingers in her ears, holding her breath and ducking her head.  As the warm scented water washed over her she surfaced and groaned with pleasure.  Smiling, Anstice rubbed the perfumed soap into her hair and soon the filth and grime of the past two weeks was just a muddy memory in the bottom of the tub.

             
At last Alodie was towelled down, dressed in a night-dress of fine lawn and having her hair, beautifully clean now, rubbed with silk and brushed.  Holding her head back, she almost purred with pleasure as Anstice rubbed and brushed each strand and soon it was again falling like tumbling molten sunshine over her shoulders.  “Ah milady” sighed Anstice “the master will only have to take one look at you and you’ll be back in favour”

             
Alodie glanced up at her reflection in the mirror.  “Herger’s still angry with me then?”

             
“T’es not for me to say, milady” replied Anstice, primly.

             
“Well, you’ve gone so far, you might as well finish”

             
The maid sighed and perched on the edge of the bed “Well, ‘twas in March when he arrived in Bredond like a thunderclap.  He just grabbed the children, packed everything up and set off.  Bjarnie had a terrible time getting him to take me along and me his wedded wife - he kept cursing and saying that women wasn’t to be trusted and Bjarnie was better without me - and me in this condition” she nodded to her round protruding stomach.  “anyhow, he told Bjarnie that you had deserted him”

             
Alodie turned to face her.  “He was wrong.  I did not desert him, I had to leave, Queen Aehlswith was being held captive and I had to rescue her - its a long story, suffice it to say that I regretted it almost immediately”

             
Anstice shrugged.  “Well, he was cursing you all the way up here, milady, said he had finished with women for good, none of them could be trusted and that he had seen the last of you and good riddance, then the minute he arrived here he took a handful of men, left Bjarnie in charge and went back to war” Anstice sighed and shrugged.  “Well milady” she continued.  “I think you’d better get to bed and sort it all out when you’ve had a sleep”

             
Nodding, she climbed into the soft downy bed, as if she did not have enough problems - it was going to be bad enough trying to explain to Herger how she had managed to spirit him almost five hundred miles in twenty minutes, now she had to overcome his hostility.  She was still puzzling about it when she fell asleep about twenty seconds later.

             
The early morning sun slanting through the shutters was the first thing which prodded Alodie into consciousness.  She opened her eyes - where was she?   She bit her lip and swallowed as the memories flooded back.

             
“Mammam?” She froze and turned.

             
Anstice was standing at the side of the bed holding the hands of the two little people Alodie wanted to see more than anything in the world.

             
“Tom! Nerissa” she gasped, tears filling her eyes “come here my little loves!” then sitting up she lifted them onto the bed.

             
“Now don’t you be spoiling them milady” said Anstice, kindly.

             
“Anstice, stop it!” laughed Alodie.  “I haven’t seen them for so long.  Oh lord, I’ve missed you two.  My, my, my, Tom, aren’t you a fine young man?  Head and shoulders above your sister I’ll be bound and Nerissa - what a little doll!”  Dimpling, the little girl buried her curly dark head in Alodie’s shoulder whilst Tom, not as shy, stared at her, grinning.  “Do you remember me Tom?” she whispered “I’m Mummy”

             
“Mammam” he repeated solemnly.

             
Alodie laughed out loud.  “Come here my little king” she said holding out her other arm.  For a second Tom hesitated, then hurled himself at her whilst she smothered first him, then his sister, with kisses.  “Have you missed me my darlings?  Oh God I’ve missed you” she whispered as the children burrowed closer into her arms.

             
Anstice coughed, pointedly.  “I - I’m sorry to interrupt milady but Lord Herger, he has woken and is calling for you”

             
Alodie felt her stomach dip.  “Oh well” she said “I suppose it has to be faced sometime, how long have I been asleep Anstice?”

             
“You arrived here yesterday just about cockcrow, it is now two hours after cockcrow again.  You have been asleep more than a day milady”

             
“and Herger?”

             
“He too has just awoken.  He’s called for breakfast in his room, bacon, porridge, eggs, he seems famished”

             
“He will be” said Alodie “send my breakfast into Lord Herger’s room  Anstice”

             
The girl nodded “Your clothes are in yonder chest milady” she said then held out her hands.  Tom and Nerissa solemnly kissed Alodie then clambered down from the bed and taking Anstice’s hands left the room.

             
Alodie wiped away her tears, she had not realised how much she missed her children.  What if Herger sent her away?  How could she leave them, or him for that matter, again?  She would rather die.

             
Getting out of bed she opened the clothes chest under the window.  Someone, probably Anstice, had packed all her clothes in there.  Pulling out a fine cambric shift and an apple green silk kirtle she stripped off her nightrail and sponged her body down with the water that was left on the nightstand then hurriedly dressed.  She had half decided on a white gunna to go over the top but after catching sight of herself in the mirror she decided not to bother - the silk kirtle clung to her like a second skin, accentuating every curve.  Picking up the heavy silver backed brush she pulled it through her hair and moistened her lips.  Her skin glowed dusky rose in the morning light and her complexion was flawless.  Autodoc and a good sleep really had worked a miracle - was it only three days since Aehlswith had brought her bracelet to her and she had looked about fifty with a complexion like a dirty sheet?  She sighed and began to clean her teeth with the twig and mint which had been left for her

             
Hearing footsteps she turned her head - Anstice had returned, slightly out of breath.  “Milady, I am sorry but he insists you come to him now, he will brook no further delay” she declared, her face flushed.

             
Deciding against plaiting her hair Alodie quickly pinned it up, then donned her headrail and taking a deep breath glanced at herself once more in the mirror. “Right girl, lets do it” she muttered to her reflection and straightening her shoulders, followed Anstice out of the room.

             
Herger’s chamber was two doors down, next to the children’s.  Anstice knocked quietly then pushed the door open and stood back.  Alodie took another deep breath and went into the room.

             
To say Herger seemed to have recovered was an understatement.  He was out of bed and dressed in green cloth braeis with a matching green shirt open to the waist, his dark curly hair being pulled behind his head with a thong.  He was seated at a table and seemed to be writing.  Alodie felt her stomach begin to churn.  Glancing at his wrist she smiled, the autodoc bracelet was still in place.

             
She could honestly say that he never looked better, except perhaps the night she first saw him as Rorik in
Winchester
, that would live in her memory forever.

             
Then he looked up at her with his burning emerald eyes and the churning in her stomach became a pounding.  She held out her hand to touch the wall for support.  How could she ever have left this man?

             
For a second he said nothing, then he smiled.  “So, lady, we meet again and in somewhat different circumstances”

             
“So it would seem Herger”

             
He brought the palm of his hand down flat on the table, making the pot of ink jump.

             
“From you, lady, it is Lord Herger!”

             
Alodie nodded and shrugged, feigning indifference.  “As you will”

             
His eyes swept her from head to foot and where they touched her body they seemed to leave a burning sensation.  Alodie gasped, lord, she wanted him so much that for two pins she would tear off her clothes and straddle him where he sat.

             
Getting to his feet he turned his back on her and walked over to the large window where he lowered himself into the window seat in the embrasure and looked out over the dale.  Without looking round he beckoned.  “Come over here, my lady”

             
Doing as she was bid, Alodie took a seat at the opposite end of the embrasure.  Their knees touched and the warmth transmitted itself through the cloth of her gown and all the way up her body, she felt so hot she thought she was going to melt.  Glancing over at Herger she noticed, with a wry smile, that he seemed to be having trouble getting comfortable on his seat.

             
At length, he turned away from the window and looked at her.  “I would like to know two things milady, one, why did you leave me and two, how did you get me, unconscious, from a noisome cell in Winchester to Hergersby, three hundred miles to the north?”

             
“What do you remember my lord?”

             
“Of your leaving me?  Anger, great anger.  I hated you for weeks and weeks.  I came to Wedmore to kill you I think, you and that bastard paramour of yours, Edric of Lamporth, but when I saw you I could not do it.  Why did you leave me girl?”

             
Alodie stuck out her chin.  “You read my note?”

             
“I read a lot of gibberish - you
are
mine”

             
“Like your horse?”

             
Herger got to his feet and paced to the other side of the room.  “For Thor’s sake Alodie, you are my wife, you
are
mine”

             
“But now by choice, Herger, not by force”

             
He turned, his face a mask of anger, and walking slowly over to where she was sitting placed one hand on either side of the window embrasure, then pushed his face close to hers.  “The way I see it madam is this - you
chose
to leave me after you told me you loved me.”

             
“Did I tell you that?”

             
“You showed it by Odin!  I have never seen a woman who showed it more!  You
chose
to leave me for Edric of Lamporth”

             
Alodie shook her head.  “I did not leave you for him”

             
“Lying Saxon bitch!”

             
Alodie drew back her hand and slapped his face then flinched as Herger in his turn drew back his hand - the blow stopped within an inch of her cheek.  “Go on, milady, tell me what, apart from the fact you did not
choose
him, you were doing giggling and laughing with him at Wedmore that night?  I had been watching you through the window for quite some time”

             
She sighed.  “I did explain to you about Edric”

             
Herger wagged his finger almost under her nose, Alodie had to fight back an urge to bite it.  “You told me you had no feelings for him except in friendship” he growled.

             
“True! That is true, I still do love Edric - as a friend.  He, however, hates me”

             
“Why?”

             
“The night you arrived, he had only been home from the wars for two days and he assumed our marriage was to go ahead as planned, I was trying to find a meet moment to tell him it was not”

             
Herger looked deep into her eyes.  They seemed to burn through to her very soul.  “Did you welcome the victorious hero back from the wars with your body, Alodie?”

             
She looked up straight into his eyes. “No” she whispered.

             
Herger pushed himself away from the window as the door opened and Anstice and the cook who was Herluva’s double entered with two covered trays which they placed on the table.  Anstice shot Alodie a questioning look which she returned with a tight smile.  “Thank you, Maudya, that will be all” said Herger “I will call you to clear” the two women curtsied and left the room quietly.

             
He turned the key in the lock then beckoned Alodie over.  “Come and eat, I’m hungry”

             
Alodie walked over to the table and sitting down took a plate and removed the wickerwork cover.  The aroma which greeted her made her mouth water.  There were two eggs, three pieces of bacon, mushrooms, sausages and on a plate in the middle of the table two oven bottom cakes.  Herger’s plate was piled even higher.  “Lord, I’m hungry” she muttered and dug in with relish.

             
Nothing was said for the next ten minutes but at last Herger took a drink of milk and wiping his mouth with his napkin, leaned backward, looking at the ceiling.  “Why don’t I believe you, Alodie”
             

             
“For the simple reason that you think I am a lying Saxon spy, which is ironic really because Edric, King Alfred, and the rest of the
Wessex
court think I’m a lying Viking spy - or a lying Viking whore  - or both”

             
Herger’s brow creased “What makes them think that?”

             
Alodie chewed and swallowed then took a drink of milk before continuing “Something to do with the fact that you informed them that you were Tom and Nerissa’s father”

             
“You could have denied it”

             
Alodie laughed.  “Don’t be so ridiculous Herger, sorry ‘my lord Herger’, no one who had seen you and Tom could possibly have come to any other conclusion.  As it happened, when Edric asked me the truth I admitted it to him, he also asked me if I loved you and I told him that I did and always had.  That is why they think I am a spy, that is why I was thrown, bound hand and foot, onto a cart and taken, with what everyone thought was your dead body, to
Winchester
and, after much torment which I am not prepared to discuss, thrown into the next cell to you.  That bracelet....” Alodie nodded to Herger’s wrist, he glanced down “I placed it on your arm in full view of everyone, after I thought you were dead, after I thought my life was over.  As I said in my letter to you, we belong together, I would come back to you when the time was ripe, when I
chose
to - the time is now ripe my lord and I am here”

             
Herger rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger.  “But would you have come to me if I had not forced your hand, and
how
do we come to be here?”

             
Alodie got to her feet.  “I have been a fool my lord, I worried to much about what other people would think when all that really mattered was you, me and our children.  As to how we got here, that will be better answered when I am not so hungry”

             
Herger smiled and glanced down at the table.  “But you have just broken your fast Alodie, how can you be hungry?”