“Your look is violent, Laren. I beg you, please say nothing. Please just forget this. Besides, I saw him speaking earlier to Caylis and then to Megot—she is the beautiful girl over there near the loom speaking to Ileria, the one with the pale brown hair. It is likely he will leave me alone now.”
Laren held her peace, but it was difficult.
“You are angry.”
Laren was making bread the following morning, for the men had eaten every single loaf she’d made the previous day. She plunged her hands in the trough full of dough, up to her elbows. She looked up at Cleve and forced a smile. “Nay, not really angry. It’s just that Sarla is very kind and gentle. Her husband isn’t.”
“He is a man who enjoys being the master. He dislikes any to disagree with him. I have heard that since his father died, he has become more reckless in his actions. It makes him feel important and powerful to know he can hurt or kill any man or woman at any time, at his whim.”
“At least Sarla was spared his attention last night.”
“Aye, she was. She slept in the outer chamber. Near me.”
Laren sighed and dug deeper into the dough, kneading it furiously. The flour hadn’t been ground as well as it could have been and she felt the grit between her fingers. She would have to see about that. She remembered her owner in Staraya Ladoga, that foul-tempered old woman who had, at least, taught her how to cook and grind flour properly and make beer and ale. She’d learned quickly, just as she’d told Merrik, for the woman had struck her hard for each failure. Actually, she’d also occasionally hit her if she prepared a dish perfectly, saying she didn’t want her to become conceited. Laren said now, “You and I have seen so much, Cleve, lived through so much. I don’t know why a bruise on Sarla’s face would make me so angry, but it does. It makes me nearly as angry as that horrible scar on your face. If I could I would kill both men who caused each of you the pain.” She paused a moment, then said, “I am afraid of Erik.”
“I know. It is a pity that your body isn’t as strong as your spirit. Would you truly kill the man who scarred me, Laren?”
“Aye, I would enjoy causing him great pain.”
“It was a woman.”
She could only stare at him, then she shook her head. “I don’t know why I am so surprised. I have seen equal cruelty from both men and women. Why did she do it?”
“I wouldn’t bed her.”
She just shook her head at him. “Did it matter so much to you?”
“Aye,” he said shortly, “it mattered greatly to me.”
She saw that he would say no more and held her peace. Of all people, she knew what it was like to keep the darkness of the past close and quiet. “Do you hunt with Merrik today?”
He shook his head. “Nay, I am here only to eat some of your porridge, then I will work in the fields. Harvest is not long in coming now and there is need for every hand. Even Merrik will be in the barley fields soon.”
“And Erik?”
Cleve shrugged as he spooned porridge into a wooden bowl from the iron pot hanging from its chain over the fire pit.
“I last saw him taking a woman into the bathing hut with him. I doubt washing himself is all that is on his mind. I believe her name is Megot. She is short and too fat for my tastes, but her hair is as rich a gold as the barley in the field.”
“She’s very beautiful. I have eighteen silver pieces.”
He poured a bit of honey over the porridge. “That is a lot, Laren. I would give you silver if I but had any.”
“You don’t understand, Cleve. When I have enough, I will purchase all of us from Merrik and we will go home.”
“Home?”
“Aye, my home.”
He just looked at her, then shook his head. “How would we get there? Where is your home? Have you people who would take us in?”
She kneaded more quickly. “I don’t know. First I must have enough silver. Then I will worry about what comes next.”
“You will gain even more silver tonight. I fancy that Erik will call for you to speak. He punished only himself last night. I, like all the others, want to know what will happen to Grunlige the Dane.”
“Actually, I don’t know myself much of the time until the words just pop out of my mouth.”
He gazed at her in some astonishment. “You speak truly?”
