“She is.”
“These lands are ours!”
“These lands belong to whoever can keep them,” said Tormod. “And my children will be part Briton. However, I think, given the situation, it is important you are made to answer for your crimes against Lord Cadell. Your own household, Lady Ula. Your own husband. Your own people. And you had them killed.”
“Cadell was a traitor. I should have seen it before I married him. His first wife… and then to be willing to honour an alliance with Norsemen.” She spat on the ground.
The longship was now close enough to shore for him to see Aoife, apparently unharmed, standing on the deck.
He turned back to Ula. “You have let your own husband be murdered, and for what?”
“For this land. Land that belongs to my people. As does the land that you claim is yours.”
“Not anymore,” Tormod replied, shaking his head. “The lands belong to me and mine. One day they will belong to my child. By blood through his mother. And by might through me.”
“Any child of hers will be the devil’s spawn.” Ula laughed cruelly.
“Aoife has a gift. Not a curse. Her sons will be mighty warriors. Destined to dine in the halls of Valhalla with heroes. While you… you are a traitor and a coward.” Tormod signalled to Ulf. “We will take her to Doomster Hill for judgment.”
Björn and his men appeared from outside the palisade. “There is no sign of the priest or the steward,” said Björn.
“Where would they go? Where is the man who murdered your husband for you?” Tormod asked Ula, who merely laughed.
“You have no proof,” Ula said, although she looked wary. “You will not find him, and besides, who do you think King Rhun will believe?”
“We will see,” said Tormod. “Prepare to transport them upriver to their king.”
Ulf did as he was bid.
Tormod waited while they were led away and then started to wade through the water towards Aoife’s longship.
Chapter Thirty-nine
Aoife had been unableto watch the fight. The Norsemen had fought well, as had the Britons. There had been losses on both sides and at times she had been unsure who would be victorious. She hadn’t seen Rhydderch or Father Bricius anywhere. By now they must either be dead or have escaped. When the fighting was over, she saw that both Lord Marcant and Ula had been captured and was relieved that at least those behind her father’s murder would not escape justice.
It was a great relief when she finally saw Tormod join his cousin. The fighting seemed to be over at that point. She watched as Tormod faced Marcant and her stepmother. Ula shouted at him, and Aoife saw her struggle in Ulf’s grip, but there was no way she would escape from the much stronger man. She didn’t know whether she could stand to watch what happened next. Then she saw Ula and Marcant being chained, and felt some sense of relief that Tormod hadn’t had them killed. There had been enough death already and more than anything now, she wanted answers.
Aoife sank down onto the deck in relief until the sound of someone splashing through the water to reach the boat reached her ears. Before she managed to push herself to her feet, Tormod hauled himself on board.
“What will happen now?” she asked him, standing and staring at the sight of Ula and Marcant being led in chains towards one of the other boats.
“I am merely going to deliver them to King Rhun. He can pass judgment for the murder of your father and his household.”
“She… she had my father killed.”
Tormod said nothing.
“How could she?”
“Greed, ambition, who knows?”
“Where is Bricius?”
Tormod’s gaze shifted uneasily towards Car Cadell and then back to her. “I’m sorry. Rhydderch and Bricius escaped. The warriors I sent after them returned empty-handed. They did, however, kill the soldiers Marcant sent after them.”
“How is that possible?”
Tormod shook his head and shrugged. “I fear there may have been some sorcery at work.”
