“At the moment?” Magnus asked. “So you do have a dispute over your border then?”
“I do. But now does not appear to be a good time to discuss the issue.”
“You mean, you now realize you have nothing to use to make an argument besides greed, and so you will skulk away until you find another way to lay claim to that which is not yours.”
Short-Beard shook his head. “You mistake me, Magnus. You always have. Though you are a married man now, you are still too quick tempered. I would not negotiate with you if you were the last man standing.”
“Then our business here is done,” Magnus said.
Short-Beard left then. Elspeth went with the servants to collect the new healer and for the moment Magnus was alone in the hall. Short-Beard’s words weighed on him. He wanted peace, but it appeared peace did not want him.
* * *
Elspeth spoke very little Norse, and the young healer spoke no Scots. Magnus was trying to help translate, but it was frustrating. She wasn’t a healer. Of course she knew some basics, Nana Besse had taught her, but she wasn’t prepared to be responsible for someone’s wellbeing. She wished now she’d persuaded Freydis to come with them. Though she respected the woman’s need to find her own path, the truth was the woman had gifts Elspeth could not define.
And what of her own gifts? She was no closer to determining their extent or origin. Freydis had been somewhat helpful in suggesting the origin was not relevant, but insistent on Elspeth determining the extent.
To what end, though? What good could she do if she could see into people’s thoughts? How could that help her in say this situation? She watched the young healer, Ulfhild, whose name she could not grasp until Magnus said it slowly. The woman touched Gunnar’s forehead, cheeks and grasped one of his hands in hers.
“What is she doing?” Elspeth asked Magnus.
“Healing?”
After an hour of these motions, Elspeth was losing patience. It appeared to her, the woman had no idea what was wrong with Gunnar and even worse, how to help him. A prayer, a concoction, something, anything would be better than watching her falter in her duty to help him.
“This is ridiculous,” she said to Magnus. “Please have her returned to her home. I will find a way to help Gunnar myself. It is clear to me, she does not possess the skills to help him.”
“You are certain of this?” Magnus asked.
“Aye. I’m sure. She has done nothing but touch him for an hour. Get her out of here.” To the servant waiting outside the door she said, “Bring me hot water and cloths and warm up some mead.”
The servant left to do as she was bid. Magnus spoke quietly to Ulfhild. The girl looked upset and would not make eye contact with Elspeth as she passed by and out of the chamber. Elspeth had more on her mind than the feelings of a young woman who misrepresented herself as a healer.
“She thinks you are too harsh in your judgement of her,” Magnus said.
“And she is entitled to feel that way, but she was doing nothing to help your brother.”
“She told me she was praying to Odin to send someone to help Gunnar for she knew she lacked the skills. She says that since you have decided to be that someone, she will now pray for you.”
Drawing a deep breath, Elspeth thought about what the woman meant and pushed it aside. The greater issue here now was Gunnar and he did not look well at all. He’d fallen asleep a while ago and Elspeth would make sure he was tended properly. Prayers were appreciated, but this man needed help in this realm.
She stretched her neck after several hours of mopping the sweat from his brow. His skin was clammy and he still slept. She was getting more and more worried. She wanted to get some mead into him, but he’d need to be awake for that. And shy of shaking the man she had no idea—
But she did have an idea. She did know how to reach him, didn’t she? She could draw him out and let him know they were there to help him.
Nay, she had vowed she would never do that again without permission. It was different with Magnus now. He’d given her nearly free reign to explore his mind during their intimate times and which elevated their lovemaking in ways she could not describe. Nay, this was different and felt too invasive. Suddenly Freydis’ voice was in her head.You can help him, Elspeth. Please do it. Please help him.
Was this part of what Freydis was trying to tell her from before? That she could find ways to use her gift for good purposes?
“You look troubled,” Magnus said. “What is it?”
She’d never known anyone who was as in tune with her as he was now. Every time she was worried, excited, or angry, it was like he felt it right along with her.
“Gunnar needs to wake so I can get him to drink this mead.” She’d gone to the stores earlier and found some of the things Nana Besse always sowed into her memory as treatment for someone who was sick. She crushed mint and cloves and rosemary and mixed it through the liquid. While she knew mead had its own special healing properties, adding the other ingredients made this especially helpful to stave off whatever affliction held him.
Magnus reached for Gunnar’s shoulders and Elspeth almost laughed when she realized his intent.
“Nay,” she said. “I will rouse him.”
