“He swore only that he saw me unconscious, and that is what I remember, Merrik. There is no doubt now in your mind?”
“None at all.”
All the Malverne people agreed that Deglin was guilty. They all had heard him speak ill of Laren, heard his bitterness, his rage at her seizing of his position. The men told of how Deglin, in his jealousy, had knocked Laren into a campfire, badly burning her leg. All of Deglin’s silver was given to Merrik as Danegeld for Erik’s life. It wasn’t enough, there would never be enough to pay for Erik’s life, but it was custom and Merrik bowed to it. No one wanted him taken to Duke Rollo in Normandy, they wanted him dead, the sooner the better. Thus it was that Merrik would wield the knife, as was his right. He planned one quick blow. He wanted it over. He would execute Deglin at dawn the next morning.
The morning was chill, clouds lying low. Everyone stood in a circle, waiting for Deglin to be brought out. But when Merrik, Snorri the blacksmith, and Oleg went into Snorri’s hut, Deglin was dead. He’d managed to free himself and thrust a knife in his heart. It was one of Erik’s old knives, there to be repaired, then to be given to Merrik.
“By all the gods,” Snorri said, infuriated, “I should have remained here in the hut last night! But I didn’t want to hear him pleading and begging me for his release. And now he is dead, by his own hand.”
All complained that his death was too easy, too quick. Merrik wondered why Deglin hadn’t tried to escape. Others wondered as well. Surely dying in freedom was better than knowing death was certain in captivity. Surely dying in freedom was better than taking your own life. But it was done.
Merrik merely shook his head and had Deglin’s body dragged into the forest. He did not deserve a Viking burial. Laren watched him wipe Deglin’s blood from the knife pulled from Deglin’s chest. He stared silently at it for a long moment, then handed it to Snorri.
They planned to leave for Normandy and the court of Duke Rollo after the harvest. That would give them enough time to return before the first winter storm struck Vestfold.
One week after a farmer had come across Deglin’s body in the forest, little left of it save bloody rags, there was much shouting and yelling and arm waving from the pier.
Merrik’s older brother, Rorik, had arrived at Malverne.
Laren was on her back on the floor, laughing and trying to avoid the huge dog’s hot tongue that lapped her face, grainy and nearly painful on her flesh. She gripped his thick fur and pulled and pulled, but it did no good at all. “Don’t just stand there,” she yelled, “help me!”
“Kerzog! Off her, you stupid hound! Get off!”
Kerzog took one final lick, then bounded up, his huge paws landing on Merrik’s chest, nearly dropping him to his knees with the force.
“I see that Kerzog still admires a beautiful woman and remembers how my little brother fed him more meat from his platter than he himself ate.” Rorik smiled toward the gigantic hound still trying to swipe Merrik’s face with his tongue.
“I must wash my face at least six times a day,” Mirana said to Laren. “Kerzog is as loving as is my husband, and he is considerably stronger.”
“Six times?” Merrik said to his smiling sister-in-law. “I should say he is far more loving than any mortal man could be, including my brother.”
Rorik Haraldsson grinned at Laren, and said, “Your new husband has enough wit for the entire family. You, I understand, are a skald. That is unusual. Both my wife and I are eager to hear a tale.”
“And our sons as well,” Mirana said, pointing to two little boys who were utterly identical, both with hair as black as their mother’s, and eyes as light blue as the sky, just like their father’s. They were beautiful. They were eyeing Taby, the three of them circling each other, wary, yet interested.
“In a few minutes, they will be rolling on the ground, wrestling and yelling,” Mirana said comfortably.
Mirana was right. The boys were the best of friends within the next ten minutes and fighting like the worst of enemies. As for the brothers, they were speaking quietly together, and Laren knew they spoke of Erik. She watched them leave the longhouse and she knew they were going to Erik’s grave. And to their parents’ graves as well.
“So much trouble,” Mirana said, shaking her head. “I am sorry that you have had to bear such dissension. At least Sarla has held fast to your friendship.”
“Aye, she is like a loving sister to me.”
“And you are the niece of the famous Rollo of Normandy!”
Sarla said, smiling, “Aye, but she still only has three gowns, Mirana. Ileria is weaving madly so that the mistress of Malverne does not embarrass us with her lack of finery. None of us want her to return to Normandy looking less than flawless. Have you yet changed Merrik’s mind, Laren?”
She shook her head. “He still believes he is keeping me safe by leaving me here. But don’t worry, this is too important for him to continue in his confusion.”
The women laughed. Kerzog woofed loudly, and ran right at Mirana. She shrieked and ducked behind Laren. The huge hound knocked both of them over, barking and waving a thick violent tail that could break an unheeding arm.
When Rorik and Merrik returned to the longhouse, silent and each alone with his thoughts, his own memories, they were greeted with laughter. Each man slowly smiled. Life once again overcame death and all its pain.
The longhouse bulged with people. The men had hunted, bringing down a deer and a boar. Many others had fished, and the rich smells of the venison and the boar mixed with the baked herring and salmon, filled the air, covering the ever-present smell of men and women pressed too closely together. Laren looked upon the row upon row of bodies, each wrapped in a woolen blanket, along the far wall. She looked down at a tug on her gown to see Taby, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles, wearing only a linen tunic.
She dropped to her knees and drew him to her. “You were asleep, Taby. You had a bad dream?”
He nodded. “How can Merrik be my Viking warrior if he comes back here to Malverne? The Viking warrior stayed with the little boy, to protect him, to keep him safe. I’m not stupid, Laren. I know that this other place is far away from here.”
