A New Home #3
Solemnly, the king of Norway pronounced, “I declare Rathnon’s claim to take Ilona as his wife is valid. The two of ye will be wed in less than a fortnight.” Cheers resounded in the great hall.
Rathnon turned to Ilona and beamed a glorious smile at her.
He pulled her to him as he gauged her reaction to the king’s proclamation.
Ilona smiled shyly at him. Rathnon pulled her into an embrace and kissed her lips while others in the hall shouted and cheered him on.
Ilona felt the soft press of his warm lips to hers—a kiss that dazzled her and left her blushing.
It was her first kiss and the kiss she had imagined while at sea. He released her and left her dazed.
“Thank ye, my king. We are grateful to ye.”
Ilona followed Rathnon’s example and curtsied when he bowed to his king.
Rathnon wasted nae time and led her out of the hall and back to his chamber in the castle he let her use.
He kent her fatigue from all the events heaped upon her.
Fiercely protective, he didn’t want to tempt the fates, with other men challenging him for her hand.
In their room, the fire glowed from the burning embers, bathing them in a radiant golden glow.
Rathnon lit a candle in a lantern on a small table by the bed.
Rathnon removed a folded parchment from his pocket and pointed to the fortress and called it by name.
He called the city, Bj?rgvin, later ken as Bergen, Norway, and had her repeat the name.
For her, Rathnon traced a route away to a village and pointed to each of them, indicating where they would travel, presumably to live.
He pantomimed laying his head to sleep and then pointed to the village.
It seemed they would journey there tomorrow.
Ilona nodded, indicating she understood.
He tucked the parchment away and pulled her back into his embrace and kissed her again, more ardent than before.
Nae words were needed to convey their feelings when they kissed.
Reluctantly, Rathnon led her to the bed and told her, “Sove.” (“Sleep.”) Ilona repeated the word and nodded, then he left her in the room alone.
Will he return and sleep with me? If nae, where will he sleep?
Ilona undressed, washed her face and hands with water from a bowl, and dried with a linen towel. She slept in her linen shift.
Helga had washed Ilona’s original dress and repaired a small tear in the material, leaving it on the foot of the bed for her.
Ilona intended to wear it on their journey.
Although she appreciated the clothes she’d received, she would need to wash them often.
What will tomorrow bring? Will we be married in the village he pointed to on the map?
How long will we need to ride to get there?
Will the villagers welcome me as the intended bride of Rathnon?
A myriad of other questions barreled through her mind, like waves one after another as they crashed upon the shore.
Eventually, dreamless sleep overtook her.
The next morning, Helga awakened her and brought her warm water to wash with. Helga helped her dress in a new blue dress and brought a small fabric sack of coarse material.
“Yer ride is nae that long and ye will make a good impression in this dress instead of yer old one.”
“Aye, takk.”
Helga folded the dress Ilona had worn to the feast and placed it inside the sack.
Helga also packed a small quilted narrow cloth, soap, and a new brush for her hair.
Afterward, she brushed and braided Ilona’s coppery locks in one long braid and tied the end with a strip of fabric to hold it in place.
Nanna knocked on her door, and Helga bid her enter. Nanna carried a serviceable dress for everyday with long sleeves in a dark blue color. She gave the dress and a pair of socks to Helga to pack in the sack.
“Thank ye both for yer care and generosity. Do ye ken how long the ride is to the village Rathnon is taking me? Will we be married and live there? Does he have family there? Do ye ken what type of work I will do?”
“The ride to his village is a few hours, depending on the way ye go. I do nae ken if ye will be married there or if the king has decreed for ye to be married here. Ye will go there to live and will remain there even if the king calls back Rathnon to go raiding or warring. I do nae ken exactly, but ye will need to garden, keep yers and Rathnon’s garments clean and repaired, and weave cloth.
I do nae ken if ye will live in a longhouse with others or by yerselves with his aunt, who is his only relative.
I ken he wishes to introduce ye to his aunt, who will help ye prepare for yer wedding. ”
“Thank ye. It helps me to understand what is expected of me. I thought we would stay here longer for me to learn yer language.”
“I thought so too, lass, but Rathnon is eager to leave right away. He will be here soon to take ye to break yer fast before ye leave. Do ye ken how to read and write?”
“Aye, my father taught me.”
“Do ye ken how to embroider?”
“Aye. My mother taught me when I was a young lass.”
“Good, I will give ye needles, thread, and an embroidery hoop, as ye need to embroider cloth for yer wedding dress. Later, ye will need to embroider fabric for Rathnon’s shirts. He likes the same colors as ye do.”
“It is too much for ye to give me many things. I can nae repay yer kindness or generosity. I have nothing to give ye in return.”
“I do nae expect anything in return from ye, child. Be a good wife, try to please Rathnon and make him happy. That is the only payment I seek. I hope one day to see yer bonnie children and rock them to sleep.” When Nanna saw Ilona’s blush, it made her question something else.
“Do ye ken what happens between a man and a woman on their wedding night, lass? I will answer any questions ye have. I would nae wish for ye to go to yer marriage bed ignorant. Although I imagine Rathnon will teach ye as ye go.” Nanna smiled endearingly at Ilona, reminding her of her mother.
“Aye, my mother explained to me what she thought I should ken when my courses started. My father taught me to defend myself if a man attempted to overpower me.”
“Ye look young. How old are ye, lass?”
“I am nineteen years of age. There were few opportunities for me to meet others, as our farm was remote. I worked helping my parents on the farm and caring for our animals. I had been looking forward to the fall harvest when a nearby village would hold a festival.”
“I am sorry ye were taken from yer home. There will be new festivals and celebrations for ye now. Ye cannae dwell in the past. Our circumstances change, and many are out of our control. We cannae change yesterday and have little say about our tomorrows. What we have power over is today. If we make each day as good as it can be, our yesterdays will be forgotten except for sweet and dear memories. We will take care of our tomorrows as best we can. I wish ye every happiness with Rathnon. He will be a good husband for ye. Even though ye may be angry he stole ye against yer will and took ye far away from yer home, give yer heart to him. He is a good man and deserves happiness. As a great warrior, Rathnon has been on raids since a young man. He waited all these years to find the right woman he could love and hope she could come to love him.”
A knock sounded on the door, and Helga opened it to find Ilona’s betrothed.
Rathnon smiled and greeted the ladies as he beheld Ilona in a dark blue dress that made her eyes sparkle. He hoped that one day he would make her eyes sparkle.
Rathnon spoke through Nanna, who translated.
“Ye can keep yer things in yer room. He will return with ye to take yer belongings then. He advises ye use the chamber pot before yer ride.” Rathnon took her hand and guided her down the stone steps and into the great hall to the tables where they broke their fast. A hearty fish stew with rye breads, berries, and tea were served.
Ilona ate heartily, for she had gone to bed hungry the night before, too anxious to eat.
While seated and eating, Rathnon tried to explain how Vikings ate.
He pointed to the food and said, “Dagmal.” Then he pointed to the food again and said, “Nattmal,” and, “Sove,” showing it was a meal preceding sleep.
This seemed to be the last meal before dinner and bed.
Ilona smiled and nodded and took pieces of bread and placed them in her pocket for later.
Rathnon smiled at her like an indulgent relative. After they finished their meal, they left the hall and returned to the bedchamber. Rathnon took her sack with him and left her in privacy to relieve herself before their ride. Will we ride one horse or two?
Nanna and Helga came before Rathnon returned and hugged her and bid her goodbye.
Ilona thanked them again before Rathnon took her and led her to his saddled horse.
Her sack had been tied to the saddle. A fierce warrior, Rathnon wore a mighty sword on his back in a thick leather sheath. He had a second dirk on his belt.
Rathnon lifted Ilona effortlessly into the saddle, jumped up behind her, and adjusted the reins with his arms wrapped about her.
They waved to Nanna and Helga, and the horse trotted down the road, as if the enormous black stallion kent the way.
Do the men who tried to claim me as a wife last night ken I’m leaving with Rathnon now?
How dangerous is it to ride to the village?
Do they have bandits on the road here too, like my parents talked about in Scotland?
Ilona didn’t ken where to turn first, seeing so many people on the roads in the city. Nanna had told her the city of Bj?rgvin held almost seven thousand people—one of the largest in the country. Ilona’s village was tiny in comparison.