“Herre…” Håkon scratched his head and frowned. “Who else would do it except for the Britons?”
“Who else indeed?” Tormod said. “But tell me, what is that I see on your arms?”
Håkon put his arms out in front of him and frowned at them. “Burns,herre.”
“Burns?”
“Yes,” Håkon agreed.
“So, did you set the fire?”
“No,herre, I tried to beat the fire out.”
Tormod stared at Håkon for a long moment, hoping the man would work out what he was getting at by himself. However, before that happened, Tormod heard a murmur grow around the circle. Tormod’s heart sank. If only Aoife had taken a few minutes longer to arrive. Perhaps it was better to face up to the fact that his wife was a Briton and not allow feeling against her to fester. It would only grow worse with time.
As Aoife approached with Ragna, most of the villagers turned to stare at her. Tormod couldn’t help but smile when she lifted her chin and walked straight towards him, and he was grateful that Björn and Ragna followed close behind her. When she reached the causeway, Arne indicated that she should cross it after a nod from Tormod. Then she noticed the boy.
“Elisedd!” she cried out and stood moved towards him, but Ulf stepped between them and Tormod took her hand and guided her to stand beside him, opposite the causeway.
The boy had raised his head and now sat up, reaching his bound arms towards Aoife. Tormod could see the nasty burns on the boy’s hands and noted that someone had tended to them. Probably Håkon’s wife, Magda. Tormod believed she would have cared for this boy, no matter what she thought he might have done.
“Lady Aoife,” the boy sobbed. “I tried. I really tried.”
It was all but an admission of guilt. Tormod thanked the gods that Håkon couldn’t understand the language. There was more to this situation, he was sure of it. And the way the boy’s hands and clothes had been burned made Tormod wonder at Håkon’s version of the story.
Aoife looked at Tormod. “May I speak to him?” When he nodded, she turned to the boy. “Elisedd. Why are you here? What has happened to you?”
Elisedd opened his mouth to speak, then seemed to realise he was surrounded by enemies and cowered back down, shaking his head.
“The farmer, Håkon, found him hiding with animals near the burned field,” Tormod explained. “They think he set the crops on fire. You can see the burns.”
Aoife frowned at Tormod. “He is only a child. Why would he do such a thing?” She looked around at the other villagers, then at Elisedd. “What did you do? How did you get here?”
Elisedd said nothing, still shaking his head.
“You must tell us the truth, Elisedd. No one will hurt you,” Aoife said, sending a pleading glance towards Tormod, who nodded.
The child shrank away from Ulf and, with his gaze fixed on Aoife, he began to talk. “I heard them talking about you last night, so I followed them. Hid in their boat. They were saying how you would be blamed for the fire and the Norsemen would kill you. When they left, I tried to put it out…” He stretched his arms out in front of him and winced.
Aoife took a step towards him, but Tormod placed a hand on her arm. She sighed. “They left in a boat?”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Who was it?” Aoife asked. “Who gave the order for the field to be burned?”
At that question, the boy baulked and pulled back. “They said you would be blamed. I hid on the boat and crept out after we arrived on the shore. I couldn’t stop them from lighting the fire, but I tried to put it out. It spread too quickly.” The boy put his face in his hands and started to cry. “They said the Norsemen would kill you. I didn’t want the Norsemen to hurt you. I only wanted to help.”
“Elisedd, does your mother know where you are?”
He nodded at Aoife, tears running down his face. “I told her what I had heard. She sent me. She wanted me to find you, to keep you safe. My father is dead and…”
“What?” Her hands flew to her face. She turned to Tormod, who shrugged.
“I do not think my mother is safe there anymore. Without my father—”
“Elisedd. What happened to your father?”
“Car Cadell was attacked,” Elisedd replied. “More than once since Alt Clut. My father was killed. There have been… a lot of deaths. With you gone, and without my father there to protect her, I fear for my mother’s safety.”
