As Håkon walked towards his house, Tormod closed his eyes and enjoyed the sunshine warming him. Then he opened his eyes, picked up his drinking horn and filled it with ale from the jug, then drank it slowly, relishing the sensation against his parched throat. The cool waters of the sea-loch lay still in front of him, sunlight flashing off the surface and beckoning him to slide into their depths.
He had only taken a few steps towards where Elisedd sat on the shore when he sensed someone watching him. He turned, fully expecting it to be an animal or a bird, but smiled in surprise when he saw his wife standing near the edge of the field, her gaze on him. Ragna was beside her. However, he barely noticed his aunt as he picked up his kirtle and slung it over his shoulder before starting to walk towards Aoife. He may even have swaggered a little.
Chapter Fifteen
Aoife could have simplyfollowed the smell of burnt grass and found the farm, but Ragna had insisted on accompanying her. Along the way she spoke to everyone she passed, doing her best to include Aoife in those conversations, despite how difficult it was as she was confined mainly to smiles and hand gestures. Although many of the people had some words of her language, she quickly realised they were limited to numbers and the names of the goods most commonly traded. Hardly topics of everyday conversation.
“Will you help me learn your language?” Aoife asked Ragna as they left yet another group of curious villagers. Aoife wished she was able to talk to them, ask them about their homes, their families, their lives. Show she cared about them and their needs, and would try to ensure her husband’s decisions took into consideration the needs of the women and children living in the settlement as well as the men. She had seen the workings of her father’s fort first hand and the problems that had often arisen between the needs and wants of the men, particularly the warriors and the other residents of the fort.
“Of course,” Ragna replied. “It is good you have a few words already of Northumbrian. And it is important the villagers get to know you and trust you for yourself.”
Aoife shook her head. “It is hard to believe they fear me,” she admitted. “I am only one Briton, a woman, alone in the midst of so many Norse.”
“Ah, but you are married to their jarl. They wonder about the power you may have over him, the ways in which you might betray him, or poison his thoughts against his own people,” Ragna said.
“But…” Aoife had never considered such a thing.
Ragna smiled. “Don’t worry, it will all work out. I have been telling them how good the two of you are together. And once children start to arrive, they will soon forget you are not one of their people, for your children will be Norse in their eyes.”
Aoife bit her lower lip. It had only been a few days, but if Tormod continued the way he was, it was unlikely children would be coming along any time soon. He seemed to enjoy her body, but there would be no child if he continued to withdraw from her. Would that count against her in the eyes of the villagers? Maybe Tormod just needed some time. After all, surely every man—especially a jarl—needed sons eventually.
They rounded a final curve and the stench of burning grew greater.
“Looks like they have finished,” said Ragna.
Aoife followed her gaze and her mouth went dry. There was Tormod. His kirtle was off and his chest glistened in the summer sunshine. She blushed when she heard Ragna chuckling beside her.
“You are not too displeased with your husband, then,” Ragna said. Aoife wasn’t sure what to say. “My nephew is a handsome man. And caring in his own way.” Ragna slapped her on the back and they watched as Tormod approached.
Tormod kept his gaze on her as he drew nearer, but didn’t smile or react in any way. Once he had reached them, they stood staring at one another. Aoife racked her brain for something to say, butcould think of nothing. Her heart thumped in her chest and she worried that Ragna would tell Tormod of her reaction to him.
“You have nearly finished,” was all Ragna said. Aoife breathed a sigh of relief.
“Yes,” Tormod said. “And Elisedd has been a great help. He wishes to speak with you, my lady.”
Aoife frowned at Tormod addressing her so formally, then nodded in agreement.
“I will return to the village,” said Ragna. “Now that you are in the capable hands of your husband.” The older woman headed back the way they had come, chuckling.
Aoife caught sight of Elisedd sitting at the water’s edge and headed towards him. She had taken only a few steps when Tormod caught up to her and took her arm.
“I wish to come with you,” he said.
Aoife glanced over at Elisedd. It certainly did not look like he had been punished in any way and Tormod was pleased with his work. “Why?”
“I wish to hear what he has to say.”
“He may talk more freely if it is just me.” She wasn’t sure why she was pushing the matter. If Tormod wanted to hear what the two of them had to say then he would simply do it, although… she just wanted to feel he trusted her. If she felt that trust, then she would be happy to let him listen.
“And he may say something that means more to me than to you,” Tormod said. “I have much more understanding of the way attacks are planned than you do. Or at least I presume I do.”
Aoife wondered how much of that was true. Did he simply not trust her, or did he just not want to run the risk of her missing anything? She decided to hope for the best, even though inside she wanted it to be different. “Very well.”
Together, they walked down to the beach. Elisedd turned at the sound of their feet on the shingle. His face broke into a bright smileat the sight of Aoife and only dimmed a little when he realised Tormod was there, too.
“Elisedd,” Aoife said as the boy ran over to her and hugged her. “How you have grown. I nearly did not recognise you yesterday. Why did you come? What has happened at Car Cadell?”
“I thought I would never see you again,” he said, holding her tightly. His voice broke with emotion and he hugged her tighter, then pulled back, putting on a brave face. “It has been so long. When I heard the men talking about you, I told my mother. She said I had to come with them and try to find you. Everything has changed since the siege at Alt Clut.”
