Viking Love Beyond Time (Time Travel Romance) (64 page)

             
Alodie reached for her ruined shift and absent mindedly pulled it over her head, then realisation dawned.  “Herger Sigvardson” she said quietly as she slipped her right foot into her shoe “correct me if I am wrong, but you did say ‘first thing this morning’ would that be before you sent for me - whilst I was asleep?”

             
“You are correct, my love”

             
“So you were no longer angry with me”

             
“I forgave you the second I crept into your room and looked at you sleeping there, looking more beautiful than Freyja herself.”

             
“So I had no need to play the slut for you?”

             
Herger laughed, “None, but lady, I would not have missed it for the world!”

             
Alodie stared up into his green eyes.  “My lord, I have a strong suspicion that I am going to hit you with a pillow again”

             
A sharp rap at the door saved Herger from further injury and pulling up his braeis he walked over and opened it to admit Anstice who bobbed a curtsey.  “If you please sir, one of your karls has arrived, the old one and......”

             
Herger grinned, “That’ll be Jorund Snowhair, he only lives over the hill” he grabbed his shirt “Anstice, milady has had a problem, she caught her gown on a nail and accidentally ripped it from neck to hem, would you get her a new one?” Anstice grinned delightedly at Alodie, bobbed a curtsey to Herger and left the room.  “Come down as soon as you can Alodie” he said “I’m going to be busy today”

             
“Doing what Herger?” she enquired “You’ve a house full of servants”

             
He turned to her and grinned. “Showing off my wife, of course!”

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

             
“..........................let you be man and wife together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen”

             
As the priest made the sign of the cross in the air above them Alodie glanced up at Herger and tears filled her eyes, then she turned and looked at the assembled throng.

             
The day had passed in a whirl of meeting new people.  Herger’s northern karls - freemen who lived under his protection, had mostly married native Northumbrian women and were now in the process of laying down the roots of a breed of people more stubborn, forthright, prideful, cantankerous yet generous, warm hearted and hard working than any others in the land, those people called in the future ‘tykes’, Yorkshire folk.

             
Alodie was slightly shocked at her reception. Used to being treated almost as an elegant china vase by the Wessex court, the back slapping, bottom thwacking and smacking kisses she received from these freeborn karls and their wives left her speechless and blushing.

             
Glancing down at her cloth of gold gown shot through with silver, sleeveless in the Viking fashion, with a blue and silver spangled cloak held at the shoulder with a huge sapphire brooch, Alodie had to almost pinch herself in order to reassure herself that this was really happening.

             
“Don’t just stand there Herger, give her a kiss!” shouted a voice behind them.

             
Herger grinned.  He looked heart rendingly handsome in a midnight blue silk tunic, matching braeis and soft blue leather boots over which was a light blue cloak fastened at the shoulder with an identical brooch to Alodie’s.  His dark hair had been cut that afternoon and now just brushed his shoulders.  “Are we married in the eyes of your Jesus Christ now shaven head?” he barked.

             
The priest tutted.  “As married as any bloody pagan can be Viking”.  He nodded to where Tom and Nerissa sat watching the whole thing, a look of amazement on their faces.   “
I
won’t ask you to kiss the bride because its obvious  you have already done so, on numerous occasions!”

             
The assembly roared with laughter at this and, clapping the priest on the back, Herger turned to the assembled throng.  “The only reason I don’t split this old bastard’s pate is because he owes me money!” he boomed.

             
The priest permitted himself a smile  “.......and because I am the only man living who can get away with calling Halfdan Ragnarsson a pagan whoremaster and live to tell the tale!”

             
Once more the whole room dissolved into laughter.  “Kiss her anyway!” shouted another of the karls.

             
“Gladly!” said Herger, and taking Alodie in his massive arms he crushed her into an embrace which almost took her breath.   A huge cheer went up.  “Well, my vixen, will you finally admit you love me?” he whispered in her ear.

             
“And if I won’t?” she whispered back.

             
“I drop you on your backside right here in front of everyone”

             
“For my modesty’s sake then - I love you Herger Sigvardson!”

             
He smiled delightedly and pulling her to her feet waved his hand toward the table.  “My karls, let us eat!” he yelled.

             
The banquet was worthy of the occasion and the age.  Three oxen had been roasting all day outside in the cooking pits and juicy steaks were piled on plates cheek by jowl with chicken, hare, pork, tender lamb and mounds and mounds of vegetables of an almost mind boggling variety, with sweet jellies and frumenties after, all washed down with flagon after flagon of wine, mead and ale.

             
Tom and Nerissa had been allowed to attend the feast and had spent the time on two little chairs next to their parents.  Someone had given Tom a tiny hanap of wine and he had solemnly drunk it before Alodie had realised what had happened and he spent the rest of the evening giggling.

             
Nerissa had grimly tried to keep awake but her tiny head had at last bobbed forward and she had fallen into a deep slumber, whereupon Herger  climbed to his feet and lifting her gently in his arms had taken her upstairs and, to Alodie’s amazement and joy, undressed her and put her to bed himself, tucking her in and kissing her like any normal father.

             
Tom was made of sturdier stuff and he managed to keep his eyes open for another hour before he too surrendered and was carried upstairs, by his mother, and tucked into bed.

             
The night became more and more rowdy.  To Alodie’s disgust, several serving maids were tumbled by the drunken karls in full view of everyone.  She objected strongly at first until she realised, to her amazement,  that the girls did not seem to mind.  Then, after insisting that, if they were going to carry on like animals she would be obliged if they did it in the stables, she turned a blind eye.

             
As the feast progressed the men grew even more loud and bawdy until at around two in the morning there was a commotion at the far end of the table - a huge man, not tall but massively built, leaped onto the table, knocking bowls, flagons and dishes to the floor with a crash as he whirled a large axe around his head.

             
Herger put his hand to his forehead.  “Freyja’s dugs  - no!” he muttered.

             
“Anyone!” roared the man “anyone who wishes to kiss
‘Brain Spiller’
here is welcome.  Come my friends, do not disappoint him, he wishes to taste blood!”

             
Alodie gasped and sat back on her chair.  Herger patted her hand.  “Do not worry, my love, t’is only Thorund Thorundson, he’s a berserker.  They make a wonderful weapon but can sometimes become a two edged sword.  He’s the kindest man alive until he gets at the mushrooms”

             
The man gurgled and began to froth at the mouth, then pulled open his shirt and ripped off his
britches
until he stood, naked and shining with sweat, waving his axe around his head.

             
“Snorri Maidenface, you called me a
nithing
once - I remember” crooned the berserker, pointing to a thin faced karl who was sitting with his wife further down the table.  “You shall kiss
‘Spiller
for that - come!” The woman let out a shriek as Thorund’s swinging axe just missed her husband’s nose.

             
“Odin’s pizzle man!  We were only ten years old at the time, we’ve been friends for twenty five years!” gasped the shocked Snorri, cowering down in his seat.

             
“Friends!” screamed the berserker “Friends!  Those who follow Fenrir the wolf have no friends - ah - Oodin!!”

             
“Herger, what are you going to do?” whispered Alodie in alarm as her husband got to his feet.  Ignoring her Herger walked quietly to the other side of the room where he took down from the wall a huge war axe.

             
“Thorund Wound Dew!” he shouted  - the man swung round.  “Come and kiss
‘Widow Maker’
if you want a fight - leave poor Snorri alone”

             
With a cackle Thorund jumped from the table and approached Herger at a loping run. “Certainly, my young lordling” he hissed “and when I have dispatched you I will keep your lovely widow warm!”

             
Herger gestured to the man to come closer.  He hesitated for a fraction of a second then obeyed, his axe swinging in a deadly arc of death.

             
Alodie flipped the top from her psi gun then dug her nails into the palms of her hands and bit her lip, the last thing she wanted to have to do was blast the man in front of all these people, but it might be unavoidable.  Herger, however, did not seem to be in the least bit perturbed and the rest of the karls were laughing.

             
“Don’t worry my lovely one” said the old man next to her, Jorund Snowhair, placing his hand on hers “Herger can handle this idiot blindfold, he might not even have to kill him”

             
Alodie screamed as Thorund lifted his axe and rushed Herger, who spun out of the way with unbelievable speed and jumped onto the table, all whilst the man’s axe was still curving its arc.  As it reached the bottom of the down stroke, cleaving air, Herger dropped his own axe, jumped off the table and brought his feet down on the back of the berserker’s shoulders.  The man hit the floor with a grunt, whereupon Herger trod on his arm, pulled his axe from his grasping fingers and hurled it into the woodwork with one hand, whilst releasing the man’s arm and pulling him to his feet by the hair with the other.  “Right you mad bastard!!” he snapped, and lifting Thorund bodily over his head he spun him round and threw him into a heap in the corner.

             
“Loki’s balls!” Alodie heard one of the women whisper “what I wouldn’t give to have
that
to warm my bed o’ nights”

             
“Aye, you, me and the rest of
Northumbria
I’ll warrant, Ulle” she heard  another woman reply.

             
Allowing herself a small smile, Alodie began to relax as Herger grabbed the by now unconscious Thorund under the arms and dragged him over to the door then, kicking it open, headed out into the yard.   As one, the revellers followed in his wake and, as Herger unceremoniously dumped his burden into the horse trough, they shrieked with laughter.  “Cool off in there you moon kissed bastard!” he snapped, rubbing his hands down the front of his braeis, then glancing up, saw his audience and grinned.  “Well, my honoured guests, the entertainment seems to be over for the evening, shall we adjourn to the house? Wife, you have gone quite pale, are you ill?”

             
Alodie let out her breath in a great gasp of relief.  “
Ill
?  Herger, I swear I’ll..........”

             
Her retort was cut short by a hefty thwack across the buttocks.  “If you say you were afeard for my safety woman I will put you across my knee” he boomed, and taking her by the arms he lifted her, kicking, until her face was on a level with his, then leaning forward he gave her a slow, lingering kiss.  “I grow tired of bending down to you my love” he said, after several delightful seconds “does that answer your question of this morning - the one about my strength?”

             
Alodie sucked in a quick breath.  “Put me down” she said, trying to sound cross “you are showing me up in front of our guests!”

             
“Oh ho and am I?” laughed  Herger “In that case, Wife, we will have to continue this later, when we are alone”

             
Alodie began to laugh and leaning forward kissed him on the end of the nose.  “If I did not love you to death Herger Sigvardson, I would like you not at all!” she quipped “now put me down, you big ox, my arms are going numb!”

             
A happy grin spread across his handsome features and he placed her gently on the ground, slipping his arm around her shoulders.  “Never leave me, Alodie” he whispered “I do not think I could bear to be without you again”