“Wife? And are you sure that is how she sees it? She is not here merely as a spy, to ensure we fail? I heard she was sickly yesterday and now today the animals have also sickened. Her people say she is cursed. Everyone has heard the rumour. And the rumours she betrayed them, too.”
“And where did you hear this? Who spreads these lies about my wife?” Tormod rushed over to Håkon, loomed over him. The farmer took a step back.
Aoife grabbed Tormod’s arm, anxious to stop him doing something he might regret. She did not want Tormod damaging his status with his people for her sake. Not when it was not a lie.
“T-there were traders just the other day, Britons. And the boy—” Håkon gulped and took a step back. “I… I asked Elisedd and he told me it was true.”
“And I say my wife is not responsible for this,” said Tormod. “Do you wish to challenge me?”
“No.” Håkon looked at Tormod, then at Aoife. “But nor do I wish to be made a fool of. Again.”
Håkon started to turn away towards his fields, but Tormod pulled him around to face him. “What do you mean by that?”
Now Aoife could see real fear in Håkon’s face.
“Nothing,herre. Just that the Britons may have tricked… us.” Håkon blanched and lowered his gaze.
Tormod let him go and stood for a moment, anger playing across his face.
Aoife was surprised when Arne stepped forward. “No one has been tricked. It is just a coincidence that the animals became sick so soon after Lady Aoife. Besides, she has already shown how useful she is to us. You did not recognise the native plant as a poison, Håkon, but Aoife did.”
“And my wife’s sickness has nothing to do with your animals and everything to do with me,” Tormod said. “She is expecting a child. Now check your animal feed. Set a better watch on your barn and your fields. Our new arrivals may have some amongst them eager for such work.”
Håkon looked at Ulf, who shrugged. “You are the closest farm to Cadell’s lands,” Ulf pointed out. “The easiest target, but we will ride around, check the other farms.”
“Very well,” Tormod said.
They watched as the cousins rode off. Then Håkon took his leave, promising to mount a guard at all times. Aoife turned to her husband, and he offered her his arm. She took it, and they started to walk away. She felt a little unsteady and was grateful for the support and that Arne had intervened when he had.
For a long moment, Tormod said nothing. Then, “Håkon was right, though. I have been deceived again. I am not fit to be jarl.”
Aoife stopped walking. “What? How can you even think that? You just said—”
“If Håkon has no respect for me, then I have no right to lead. And what I say to my people is not the same as I will say in private, to my wife.” He walked away from her.
“But you do,” she said, hurrying after him. “You have every right to lead. Your people are happy to follow you.”
“Then tell me what it is you are keeping from me.” They stopped and faced each other.
She stared at him. Once she told him, would he spare her life until he knew whether she carried his child or not? Or perhaps he would simply kill her, having no wish to have any child of his own be the spawn of a foreign devil.
“Your dreams,” he prompted. “The field, the fire, the animals dying… You knew about all of it.”
She took a step back. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t swallow, could barely breathe. Light-headedness overtook her and she swayed.
He reached out and gripped her arm, then pulled her body firmly against his own. “Look at me.” It was a demand she had no choice but to obey. “You knew all of it before you were told.” A sudden screech made them both look up to see the two ravens circling above. Could they be the same ones? “Tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“About your dreams, about what you see, what you know,” Tormod said urgently, then let her go and stared up at the birds. “The ravens… they are with you. Why?”
“I… I see things,” she said, taking a deep breath. “In dreams. In visions. I had a vision of the attack at Alt Clut and warned my family. They didn’t believe me, but were embarrassed because I had acted strangely at the king’s feast. We were the only ones who escaped before the siege. Afterwards, the others claimed we were in league with the Norsemen.”
Tormod stared at her.
“And so your parents blamed you when the other nobles voiced their suspicions?”
“Yes. And it was my fault.”
