Aoife chose that moment to move around to the causeway and when Tormod nodded, she crossed it. A hush fell around the circle.
“Herre,” began Ulf. “Surely we cannot—”
“All have a right to speak and be heard, Ulf. That is the law of our people.”
Ulf folded his arms, and Tormod fought to unclench his fists. He was sure they had resolved this last night. What was Ulf up to?
“I know nothing of the plans of my father,” Aoife stated clearly, in slow but accurate Norse. “But if I did, I would tell my husband. The men who tried to attack last night were not my father’s men.” She paused for a moment and Tormod could see her swallowing as if trying to work out what exactly to say next. “I believe the men who attacked from the south are kinsfolk of my stepmother, Lady Ula. Before their marriage, Ula’s brother, Marcant, had tried to take my father’s lands by force. I am worried they may have tried to do so again. Perhaps they already have. Perhaps it is not my father who has betrayed you.”
Ulf stood facing her. “My lady, how do we know you are telling us the truth? You may have simply tricked our jarl into believing you to leave us vulnerable, leave our village open to attack. It would not be the first time you have been fooled by a pretty face, Tormod.”
Tormod pushed himself to his feet, incensed that Ulf had the gall to challenge him and insult Aoife. Ulf winked at him and he frowned. Realisation dawned. Ulf was forcing him to address the fears of the village in public. “Aye, Ulf, you are right. Who among us has not?” And with that, Tormod laughed. When he stopped, all around the circle stood in silence watching him.
“Husband?” Aoife put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him, worry in her eyes.
Tormod looked around at the assembled villagers, desperately trying to work out how to say this in the most effective way without admitting just how much of a fool he had been in the past. “Cousins, friends, villagers. Ulf is right. I was deceived in the past. It nearly cost my cousin his life and led to an attack on my father’s village in the Norselands. I was young, and foolish. ButI have learned since then. Grown older and wiser and I will not make the same mistakes again. Although I may make others. I am only human, after all.”
He paused for a moment and met Arne’s eye. His cousin acknowledged him.
“Lady Aoife is merely a pawn in her father’s scheme. Her father’s—or whoever is controlling him—which I suspect is the real truth of the situation. Everyone makes mistakes, and we pay for those mistakes, but let me assure each and every one of you I went into this marriage in the full knowledge Cadell may well have been deceiving us. It did not matter. We hold this land and we are strong enough to keep it without Cadell as an ally, and even with Cadell as an enemy. Whatever mistakes I made with my first wife were not repeated with my second. An alliance with Lord Cadell was a luxury, not a requirement. Ingrid’s son Einar will live and train with Arne, allowing any children Lady Aoife and I have together to take over these lands in the future. It is only right that lands which we hold due in part to her presence, pass to her children. Hopefully far into the future.”
“Tormod,” Aoife said, but he shook his head.
“The past is behind us. Cadell’s intentions no longer matter. All that matters is Lady Aoife is my wife, head woman of this village. Her knowledge will help us settle here. There is nothing for me to regret in this marriage, nothing for me to hide.”
Aoife covered her mouth with her hands and gasped. He put out a hand and took hers, holding it firmly, pleased at the shy smile creeping across her face. He pulled her to him and kissed her. There were mutterings from all around the circle which sounded positive.
Tormod held Aoife at his side and faced the villagers. “Now, I suggest we consider how to respond to these attacks. First, we should approach Lord Cadell. Then we will look for enemies further afield.”
“I agree,” said Björn.
“And I,” added Arne.
There were general mutterings of assent from around the circle.
Tormod looked at Ulf, waiting for his response.
“And I,” Ulf said loudly, grinning at him.
Tormod smiled.
Chapter Thirty-four
Two days later, theyset off in the longships. Tormod had not wanted to leave the village under-protected, so a large group of warriors had been left behind.
They sailed north up the sea-loch, rather than south and around the tip of the peninsula. Tormod planned to portage the ships through the isthmus at Tairmbert, at the top of the sea-loch, and from there, sail into Loch Llumonwy and approach Car Cadell from the north.
The thought made Aoife smile. Her father would not expect Norsemen from this direction. Gaels, maybe, but not the Norse. Any in the past had used the entry from the River Clut into the River Llumon and arrived from the south.
In the longships, the rhythm of the waves made her feel queasy again. With each passing day she became more convinced she did, indeed, carry Tormod’s child, although they never spoke of it.
The croak of a bird came from above. The ravens were back. Watching her. Warning her. She was so absorbed by them she didn’t even sense the vision descending over her until her sight became obscured as if by blood and her knees buckled. “Tormod!” A shudder ran through her as she called out his name, and he grabbed hold of her before she fell.
She closed her eyes and ran her hands across them, trying to rub away the blood. Blood everywhere, pooling between the cobblesin the courtyard, splashed on walls, matted onto horses’ coats, seeping from the bodies of the fallen. Below her, she could see the hawk flying about the fort wall. She was part of the thunder rolling above, and far beneath on the flagstones. The bear and the wolf prowled around the dead. They were not attacking, and were not responsible for the bloodshed, but she could feel the thirst for blood, for revenge, in each of them.
“They’re dead,” she whispered as she came back to the present and opened her eyes. “All of them. Blood is running down the walls. My father… We should go back. It’s not safe there.”
“Tell me what you saw,” Tormod said, ignoring the curious glances of those around them.
