“Yes. But ye still havenae asked.”
Rangvald looked around the group before looking back at Lorna. “Didn’t I just ask you?”
Lena laughed again and stepped closer to Lorna, wrapping her arm around her friend’s waist.
“You admit that you assumed she would marry you, and you even asked if she wanted to, but you haven’t actually asked if she will.”
“Why would I when we’re already in agreement that it will happen?”
“Because she’s a free woman.”
Rangvald stepped forward and opened his arms to Lorna who walked into his embrace and encircled his waist before resting her head against his chest.
“I’m sorry I’ve gone about this backwards. Lorna, I love you. I have since the day we met. I’ve made a mess of this entire courtship, but I can’t live without you. Marry me, my love. Please.”
“Aye.” Lorna reached up on her toes and kissed his jaw before stepping back to Lena’s side. “Now, that ye ken I will marry ye, ye can head back. Jan, Eindride, and I will bring Lena back in a few weeks when we ken it’s safe.”
Rangvald huffed, but Ivar’s quelling look made him bite his tongue.
“Congratulations, my friend. I’m happy for you and your bride, but we still haven’t resolved what we shall do for my bride.” Ivar looked at Lena. “The one I want.”
“Eindride and Lorna travel with me to Kaupang. Jan goes back with you and Rangvald. You can send him when it’s safe for me to return.”
The sound of pounding hooves cut their conversation short. Their horses whinnied and stomped their hooves, only to be met with answering neighs from the approaching riders’ mounts.
“Get the horses off the road,” Ivar pushed Jan ahead of him as they ran back to the group’s mounts. “Get Lena into the trees.”
Ivar stood in the middle of the road, Rangvald joining him while Eindride stood just off to the side, his sword drawn. Lorna and Lena hid among the trees, their own swords in hand. More than two score horsemen reined in. The leader crossed his arms as he leaned over the horn of his saddle.
“Ivar, Rangvald. Your fathers are none too pleased at your disappearance.” Magnus Ragnorson looked at Eindride. “And I’m particularly displeased with you, Son.”
Eindride attempted to not let anyone see him swallow as he looked at his father, Jarl Soren’s second-in-command. His father happened to be the largest man in their tribe, and while he was a gentle giant most days, his temper was that of legends. Eindride preferred not to cross his father.
“Magnus, you know why we left.” Ivar spoke up. “But as you can see, I found Rangvald and Eindride, but I wasn’t successful in finding Lena.”
Magnus’s expression showed they had not fooled him.
“You found the two men who accompanied your woman but did not find your woman. And in the meantime, did you lose Jan and Lorna, too?”
“Lorna and I had a fight, and she said she’d rather take her chances returning to our home than ride another mile with me,” Rangvald interjected.
“Jan insisted on taking off to find his sister. We were just trying to decide where Rangvald should look for him while Eindride and I search for Lena. Rangvald and Lorna were too busy arguing and Eindride was too busy listening to notice Lena slipped off.” Ivar cast the dirtiest look he could muster at his friends.
“And where are the horses we heard? Did they just disappear, or is someone holding them for you in the trees?” Magnus looked past the three young men, but the fog sat too low and too heavy for him to see very far.
“We took them away from the road since we didn’t know who approached.”
“You didn’t know who approached yet you stepped into the middle of the trail.” Magnus pointed the fault in their claim before dismounting. “I think we shall take a little look to see if we can help you find your wayward women.”
With a nod of Magnus’s head, the warriors from both tribes dismounted and slipped into the trees on both sides of the road. Ivar, Eindride, and Rangvald held their breaths, unable to intervene but awaiting the inevitable discovery. As the minutes ticked by and no alarm was raised, the three friends dared exchange glances as they tried to keep their faces impassive. Magnus came to stand in front of his son, and Eindride struggled not to squirm.
“Tell me true, Ein. Where are the women?”
“I don’t know. If they were nearby, the others would have found them. I don’t know where they’ve gone.” Eindride was relieved he did not have to tell his father a lie.
“Where do you think they’ve gone?”
“Away from Inga,” Eindride whispered to his father. “Do you know why Lena ran?”
