Page 30 of The Caged Viking

“Yea, ’tis about Bergliot, but not what you think,” Egil inserted quickly.

If you only knew what I think! “Where is the maid?”

“Guarding your tent, after you left. You have no idea how scarce such accommodation is, even ones so meager.”

In addition, there was a pouch of gold coins in the chest inside the tent, of which Egil was unaware. “You left a girl to guard my few possessions from a horde of thieves mixed in with this lot?”

“Well, see, that is the thing. Bergliot is not a girl.”

“Well, for a certainty, she is not a woman full grown. How old is she? Thirteen? Fourteen?”

“Twelve. And she is a he…a lad.” Egil ducked his head at that latter announcement.

Hauk cocked his head to the side. Already, various folks were gathered, wanting his attention. One of Sweyn’s hersirs motioned for him to follow, a guardsman from Haukshire who must be newly arrived was waving a greeting, and a buxom wench was inviting his custom with obscene gestures toward her nether region.

“Bergliot is a male, is that what you are telling me?” Hauk asked with not a little consternation.

“Yea, that is exactly what I am saying.” Egil appeared relieved that Hauk understood his meaning.

Now that he thought on it, he could see the signs had been there all along. How could he have missed them? “Good gods! You are a sodomite now?”

“Nay! Of course not. ’Twas just a ruse.”

Hauk put a hand to his face and counted to five, silently, ein, tver, Þrir, fjórir, fimm, before looking at Egil. “Why would you need a ruse?”

“To protect the boy.”

Hauk picked up Egil with hands under his armpits. Staring at the little man face to face, he demanded. “Spit it out so I can get on with the business of this mad day.”

“Bergliot is actually Bjorn. Your son.”

Hauk’s brain went numb for a moment and he shook his head to clear it. “Bjorn?”

“Yea. I found him wandering in a daze outside Oxfordshire the day of the head loppings.” When Hauk continued to gape at the little man, Egil continued, “I saved him. Hid him under a wagonload of headless bodies, I did. Never saw a person vomit so much in all me life. Me, not the boy, who was brave as Thor. You would have been so proud.”

Oh. My. Gods! Hauk thought for several long seconds before dropping Egil to the ground and putting a boot on his chest, preventing him from jumping to his feet. “Is this a jest?”

“No jest,” Egil said. “I could not tell ye when ye were still in the cage. Afeared I was that ye would attempt to break loose and get yerself killed afore we could escape.”

Hauk grunted his disgust and lifted his leg, letting Egil scramble to his feet. Turning, Hauk began to stomp back toward his small tent at the far end of the field.

Egil continued to talk to him as he ran to catch up. “This is good news, m’lord. A happy reunion. But best ye be prepared, Bjorn has a gripe against ye for years of neglect.”

Hauk stopped suddenly and Egil ran into him. Kirstin had followed after them and was listening with interest, nodding her agreement. “Don’t blame Egil for what was obvious.”

He turned slowly to stare at her. “So, you were aware of this deception, too?”

“Well, any fool could see that she was a boy, but, no, I didn’t know he was your son. How wonderful!”

Righting himself, Egil raised his chin and said, “I did what I thought was best to protect you and yer son.”

“Hmpfh!” was the most Hauk was willing to concede. With a sigh, Hauk said to Egil, “Go, tell Sweyn that I will be there shortly…with my wife. First, I must see for myself that the maid is my…my…son.”

Even as he spoke with reasonable calm over the lump in his throat, Hauk’s mind swirled with this unexpected turn of events.

Bjorn is alive!

My son.