Viking's Love (50 page)

“
No, just this whole discovery of her
and what she is has fascinated me,” Joran said and scratched his
head in wonder. “I will see the mystics when we reach Oslo. They
may shed more light on what our Meghera is. Do not alarm the girl,
and she will not be frightened.”

“
I am frightened enough for her, Joran.
What do we tell Collin?” Allisande asked softly, anxious of her
brother’s reaction his bride was sprouting wings.

“
We tell him nothing.”Joran said
firmly, his eyes darkening. He kept his thoughts to himself on what
he thought of Collin’s ability to handle Meghera, and drew his
woman in his arms, reluctant to speak of anything but their future
plans now.

They wed the day before they were to sail.
Collin gave her to the Viking in the small chapel at Lockwraithe.
The Vikings watched in the pews as their Chieftain recited his
Christian vows solemnly to his English lady and watched the
proceedings in a bit of confusion, so Meghera was there to explain
the ritual for them. Oram looked irritated when he learned a
Christian man could only have one wife.

“
That’s just not fair!” He tweaked her
nose. “With so much of me to go around, I need three wives!” Heads
that turned to him made him duck apologetically as the rest of the
service was concluded. “This God seems a bit stingy.”

“
What do you mean, Oram?” Meghera
whispered and giggled.

”
There is no great feast in heaven! I
would starve for eternity! And what of all the virgins I was
promised by Odin? You won’t find them in this heaven place, not if
they’re forgiven for all their sins now, will you?” When he raised
his head every censoring gaze was riveted upon him. He flushed and
slid lower in the pew as Meghera giggled behind her
hand.

The priest cleared his throat and glared at
Oram before he pronounced them man and wife. The Vikings all began
to stomp their feet and howl as their Chieftain kissed his wife
chastely upon her lips.

“
You could kiss her better than that,
Joran!” Terek called and hooted in laughter and the Vikings
guffawed in amusement much to the priest’s dismay. The other guests
included Lady Leonie and the Reverend Mother from the abbey, who
scowled so darkly at them when she passed, they laughed even
harder.

Oram rose and gestured to the fleeing nun
with a scowl, and asked for just cause why a man needed more than
one wife. They clapped him on the back and declared him to be the
funniest of all men.

Lady Leonie passed and Oram smiled wolfishly,
his toothy grin and declaration that there was always room for one
more wife, made the priest glare at them as he followed the happy
couple to the keep.

****

Lady Edwina was speaking with Joran Ivarsson.
The pair appeared to be getting on well to Collin’s irritated
observation. He glowered into his cup of mead. He felt like telling
Ivarsson his mother had a weakness for converts to her faith, and
to not get too comfortable in his home.

The pair laughed together. He cursed and
continued to drink. His wife discovered his trysts with Winifred
recently. He grimaced and thanked the village boy she started on
fire last winter for that.

Meghera hadn’t given him much attention since
her discovery he sought other women for his needs, and seemed to
follow the Vikings around like a puppy. He was angry, but she
appeared to not be too concerned over it, and informed him she
thought it a good thing and wished him and Winifred well. She
ignored him altogether now.

Collin was morose and decided getting drunk
at his sister’s second wedding that year was called for. Grogan
joined him and the two were making jolly conversation over their
cups. Soon the pair was joined by the other Vikings in the hall.
Had Collin seen the teasing looks passed between the Vikings, he
would have rethought his drinking partners that day.

Allisande glanced at her brother and chuckled
as he was getting so inebriated, he was wearing Oram’s helmet and
declaring himself a newborn Viking. He was Collin the Nightshirted,
he declared to one and all, and slammed down his cup, which was
refilled immediately.

Collin the Nightshirted was soon wearing his
nightshirt, to the horror of his mother, and his boots, and
brandishing his cup as he sang in a loud, lusty voice about a
portly woman from Venice.

Allisande giggled as he strutted around in
his nightshirt and entertained the Vikings with his song. Joran
joined his wife and chuckled delightedly as he saw the antics in
the hall. He dropped a kiss upon Allisande’s head and eyed his new
brother-in-law with a shake of his head and a sigh.

“
Collin the Nightshirted will awake
aboard my ship on the morrow and wish for death,” Joran whispered
and laughed as his men began to sing with Collin the Nightshirted,
and added to his ridiculous costume. He was now wearing a Viking
fur vest and a horned helmet.

“
I fear he is suffering from his wife’s
rejection.” Allisande gestured to Meghera who appeared oblivious of
her husband’s behavior as she sat with Lady Edwina and Lady Leonie.
“She discovered his having a mistress in the village and will not
speak to him.”

Joran chuckled and shook his head in sympathy
and eyed Collin with a teasing look. His wife gave him a warning
look, but he wasn’t about to be left out of the fun. It was a rare
opportunity to see his too-serious brother-in-law drunk. He wasn’t
about to miss out on it. He winked at his wife and joined the
group. Soon Collin the Nightshirted was embracing his new brother
and giving him the keys to Lockwraithe.

The Vikings crowed with delight as he leapt
on top of the table and regaled them with his exploits. He glared
ferociously at the crowd and told the tale of Collin the
Nightshirted rescuing a crew of wounded Vikings upon the shores of
Lockwraithe, and everyone listened with mirth as he described the
scene.

Joran glared as he embellished the tale
rather colorfully for his own glory, even saying he was declared
their leader by the end of the evening. The Vikings laughed
uproariously and clapped Collin the Nightshirted upon his back as
he jumped off the table, and found his cup never empty.

The evening arrived. Allisande returned from
seeing to their son, when she saw her husband and his crew carrying
Collin the Nightshirted to the ship. He winked at her and she
chuckled knowing Collin would likely be so embarrassed upon the
morrow; he would never drink with the Vikings again.

Their belongings were removed to the ship.
They would depart Lockwraithe under the cover of darkness. Due to
the recent siege upon Ulsted, there were more English vessels off
the coast and Joran was taking no chances.

She approached the hall where her mother and
Lady Leonie sat and joined them. Meghera was sitting with them,
looking so forlorn Allisande felt for her.

Meghera tried so hard to pretend Collin’s
apparent interest in another woman did not bother her that it was
written all over her face. Allisande had given the girl some sage
advice about dealing with the situation, and promised her brother
would be hanging on her every whim in five years time.

The girl was clearly not convinced, and sat
with her head on her hands.

“
Meghera, have you everything you need
from your room for the trip?”Allisande inquired and the girl
thought of it and soon was rushing back to her room, giving her the
opportunity to speak with Lady Leonie alone as her mother was
retiring.

Lady Edwina embraced her daughter and
whispered she would expect regular visits now that her husband had
been given the keys to Lockwraithe. They laughed together and her
mother left the hall.

“
I wanted to thank you, Lady Leonie,”
Allisande began, but the older woman cut her off and put her hand
over hers and shook her head, not wanting to speak of
it.

“
I only told you because I think you
belong with Joran Ivarsson, my dear,” Leonie whispered softly.
“Sometimes one just needs a push in the right direction. You have a
wonderful husband, and a beautiful son. Do not let the mistakes of
the past rule your future. Don’t give Ulsted his ultimate revenge,
'tis far better to be happy. He will no doubt suffer in Hell
knowing that.”

Allisande would think of her words later as
the Vikings returned to say their goodbyes to one and all. The
serfs from Ulsted prepared extra provisions for their saviors and
shuffled forward to give additional thanks for being brought to
Lockwraithe, instead of sharing their master’s fate. Gerda hugged
her and there were tears in the older woman’s eyes as she drew away
from her.

“
Live and be well, Allisande Ivarsson,”
Gerda whispered softly and met her gaze meaningfully. “Tonight is
the beginning of your new life.”

Allisande felt tears in her eyes as she
hugged the woman who had saved her soul at Ulsted and realized she
would miss her. Joran wanted no serfs from Ulsted journeying with
them.

He thought them a reminder of what had
happened to his wife, and refused to allow even Gerda to go. The
serfs were delighted to remain at Lockwraithe and as she was led
away by her husband, she had no doubts about her future as she
leaned on her Viking as they walked to the wagons outside.

****

Collin woke near dawn feeling the roll of the
vessel under his belly. He groaned in agony and raised his head. He
had a foul taste in his mouth and his head was splitting. He lay
face down upon the deck of his brother-in-law’s long ship and
moaned for a time. He raised his head and cursed as he tossed off
the helmet he wore.

He rose and groaned as his skull felt
fractured as the sun penetrated his gaze. He looked down at himself
and frowned at his attire. When he lifted his gaze he saw that the
Vikings were all eyeing him in amusement, and quickly looked away
as he glared fiercely at them. Collin the Nightshirted stalked to
the hold and stepped downward to regain his clothing, and bristled
as he heard their laughter up top.

Allisande and Meghera were given the
enclosure to sleep in and entertained each other with talking about
Joran’s home. Meghera listened with rapt attention as she described
and talked about Joran’s people. She laughed as Allisande regaled
her with the tale about kicking Merta into the fjord upon her
arrival, and they laughed uproariously.

Allisande was grateful Meghera had little
fear about her new home and was starting to look forward to it. She
knew from what she had learned about Meghera’s strange gift that it
was for the best she was removed from Lockwraithe until after the
leveling of Ulsted was known. The king had not been happy to learn
Ulsted’s fortress had been flattened, and the Vikings were taking
the brunt of the blame.

Allisande watched with rapt fascination when
her sister-in-law showed her magical skills by lighting the tapers
within the enclosure, and filling the tub for their baths with a
point of her finger.

Allisande watched as her husband stood with
Meghera upon the deck and tried to help her harness the winds as
the sails were raised, speaking to her quietly as the girl focused
on the sky.

The result was realized and the Vikings
cheered when the winds picked up and their journey to York was
underway. Meghera was a force of nature, not the witch they had
thought her.

She harnessed the elements. That was the
extent of her powers, or so they believed, but enough to make her a
prize for anyone who would use her gifts for other foul purposes.
Joran and Allisande made no mention of her tiny wings sprouting out
of her back, and after looking at them, Joran had to agree she was
going through some change.

Collin looked miserable for much of the day
and looked less green as they made for open water. She joined him
at his seat near the bow and smiled at him gently, a teasing glint
in her eyes as she recalled his drunken antics the night before. It
wasn’t like Collin to imbibe spirits so voraciously, so she knew
Meghera’s rejection was the crux of his mood that day.

“
It is unfortunate she found out about
Winifred, Collin, but she will get over it,” Allisande said softly
and patted his hands comfortingly. “She knows you are a man and she
is still a child. You are too hard on yourself.”

“
I care for her, Allisande,” he said
grudgingly and his violet eyes were saddened as they drifted to the
young girl who stood with Ivarsson on the other side of the ship.
“I miss the way she used to look at me. Now she reserves her
admiration for your husband.” He saw his wife’s look of adoration
as she looked up at the giant who stood at her side.

“
So, you would have her look at you
like some sort of hero rather than who you really are?” Allisande
asked archly and he winced from her censure and the reminder her he
was merely a staid, boring nobleman who couldn’t keep his man-parts
under control.

“
You don’t understand!” He watched
Meghera fish off the side of the ship. “She made me feel like a
hero! She looked at me like I walked upon the water and hung on my
every word! No woman has ever regarded me thusly! I know she is but
a child, but I thought to cultivate that and when she was older, I
believed we would do well together.”

“
So, you thought to nurture an adoring
wife, who regarded you as a hero and hung on your every word, did
you?” Collin winced at how arrogant that made him sound and looked
away. “You can still have that, Brother, but you must be who you
really are to achieve it. No woman wants a pretender for a mate,
believe me I know that well.” She gazed at their spouses and
chuckled as Meghera caught a fish and nearly every man aboard
rushed to help her pull the fish in. She shook her head as she
watched the Vikings hold up her fish and declare it a fine meal
that night. Meghera flushed from their praise and
smiled.