The table was laden with delicious-looking food. A loaf of wheat bread was surrounded by bowls of various sizes containing smoked fish, slices of hard goat’s cheese, cracked hazelnuts, wild berries, and thick cream. A handful of blue harebells in a wooden cup was lending a touch of color to the feast.
“You…you prepared all this while I slept?” Her throat was almost too tight for her to speak.
“I did. Sorry there are no cockles. I know how much you like them, but I am not the best at finding them, as we now know and they would not have been ready in time anyway. Besides, I didn’t want to venture too far from the hut, so as to be there when you eventually woke up, all warm and soft for me to enjoy.”
He took her hand to draw her to him, trapping her between his spread legs. It was only when his mouth closed around her nipple that Aife realized that she was still naked. Warm hands landed on her buttocks, bringing her closer to him. Mm, she could get used to this new life.
“Torsten,” she moaned, taking his head into her hands to force her nipple deeper into his mouth.
Instead of obeying the silent instruction, he drew back, looking contrite. “Forgive me, I couldn’t resist. But I know you are eager to go see who your visitor is.”
The visitor. Of course. She was curious, admittedly, but for a moment she had completely forgotten about it. In fact, she had been about to reach out to the bowl of cream and ask him to feed the contents to her with his fingers. But he was right. Someone was waiting for her. She had better not let them wait.
As soon as she was dressed, they made their way to her brother’s hut together. The setting sun had thrown a crimson banner across the pink skies, confirming that it was indeed evening. On the bench by Moon’s vegetable patch, enjoying thelast rays of warmth, were a man she had never met—and a woman she had not seen in years.
“Hedda!” Aife cried out, letting go of Torsten’s hand to break into a run. A moment later she was hugging her sister in her arms. “But…but…what are you doing here?” she asked, laughing and crying at the same time.
“We’ve been wanting to visit for months. It was about time I introduced my husband to my family, don’t you think?” Hedda gestured to the tall Dane waiting by their brother’s side. “Here. This is Thorsten. Please note that he only speaks Norse,” she added in that language.
“Thorsten?” Aife stared at the blond man in disbelief. As girls, she and her sister had always jested that they would end up marrying a man with the same name one day. It seemed that, against all odds, their fanciful prediction had come true. “Welcome into the family,” she told the Dane, who gave her a warm smile.
“And what about you? Moon tells me that, had we arrived a day earlier, we would have been able to attend your wedding?” Hedda said, her eyes wide with excitement. “But the wretched man refused to tell me who you married. Is it someone I know?”
She craned her neck to look past Torsten, who she had naturally assumed was still only a childhood friend. Except that he was now so much more.
Aife smiled and took his hand back in hers.
“It is someone you know. Here. My very own Torsten.”
EPILOGUE
“Oh, God, Sven! Harder. Yes! Just like that. Ah, yeeeessss…”
Aife went red to the roots of her hair. How many times had she said those exact same words just before she erupted in exquisite pleasure? Dozens of times. Well, with one notable exception, of course. She used her husband’s name instead of Sven’s. But there was no denying that she was a very vocal lover, something Torsten loved.
The click of the door behind her shook her out of her reverie, then a moment later two arms wrapped themselves around her, holding her tight against a warm body. Just then the moaning in the hut next door was joined by a series of masculine groans. Torsten gave a resigned sigh.
“Hearing those moans and grunts used to drive me mad with jealousy and frustration, you know,” he whispered into her ear. “But now that I have my own beautiful, moaning woman in my bed, I don’t mind.”
“Mm.” She had never before realized that if they could hear Sven and his conquests, he could hear them too. Not that shewould be able to stop herself from expressing her pleasure the next time they made love.
There was one last mighty roar and then suddenly, everything went silent.
Torsten sat on the bench behind them, before dragging her onto his lap. “What’s the matter, my love? Can’t sleep?”
Aife nestled against him, inhaling his wonderful scent. “No.”
“I expect the babe is disturbing you?”
“Yes. It’s flipping around like an angry eel. Feel this.” She took his hand and placed it just below her navel. Definitely a future warrior, eager to take part in his first sword fight, or a girl destined to become the finest archer the village had ever seen.
“Mm, yes, ’tis a veritable swarm of eels in there.” Torsten chuckled. “Well, not too long to wait now until they are freed.”
“Says you. But Cwenthryth and Helga, whom I trust more in these matters, say it will be another two months at least.”
“Forgive me. I suppose I am so impatient to meet my child that I feel the nine months will be over tomorrow. But I understand it is harder on you.”
He placed a kiss on her temple and Aife melted back into his embrace. He’d been so patient with her during these wonderful but difficult few months that she had no idea what she would have done without him.
