30 #2
So he had a child to remind him continually of his dead wife.
She knew there was nothing for it. Hea??d planned this for three years, and all had gone as hea??d foreseen, except for one very important thing that hadna??t been in his control.
Hea??d trusted Einar. He hadna??t realized what a vicious savage her half-brother could be, hadna??t realized that he couldna??t be believed or trusted in his word or his dealings.
Also, hea??d overlooked chance. Mirana looked at him straightly.
She said, not unkindly, a??I am already wed to Rorik Haraldsson.
My half-brother, Einar, lied to the king.
I was stolen from him and then returned, but I am not a virgin, Hormuzea??aye, allow me to call you by your real name nowa??nor am I the kinga??s wife or your wife.
I am Rorika??s wife. I love him. I owe him my loyalty and my loyalty is his forever, no other mana??s.
Believe me, Hormuze, for I would not lie to you.
He is my husband. He is looking for me even now, and he will find me.
I am not the virgin you wanted. I am no maiden to fill your needs.
Ia??m sorry, but I cannot change things to suit your pleasure.a??
a??No! You lie!a?? He lurched to his feet, hurling the goblet away from him.
The deep liquid arced in a stark clear red, then dissolved, splashing onto the pillows, staining the soft yellows and whites and golds with bloodred.
He reached down and jerked her to her feet.
Her silver goblet slipped from her fingers.
She felt the wet of it on her bare feet.
He jerked her against him, and his long fingers were around her throat.
a??You lie,a?? he said, then he kissed her hard.
He was talking against her closed lips, cursing, for she knew the fury of the sound if not the meaning of his words.
a??You lie,a?? he said again, louder now, and he was shaking her even as his mouth was devouring hers, as if he wanted to consume her and kill her as well and she was growing light-headed at the tightening of his long fingers around her neck.
Suddenly, he released her and shoved her hard away from him. She fell back onto the pillows. Her fingers massaged her sore throat. She didna??t move, didna??t speak, just waited to see what he would do.
He paced, the flap of his long robe opening, and she saw the black hair on his legs and his mana??s rod, limp now against the bush of black hair at his groin.
a??I will kill Einar,a?? he said. a??But first I will know if he knew of this.a??
a??He knew. I told him. He counseled me to suffer the old mana??s mauling and pretend to a virgina??s pain to save myself.
None of this was my doing, Hormuze. Einar only told me of his agreement with the king yesterday.
I told him the truth but he wanted to be the kinga??s brother-in-law. He wanted the power and the wealth.a??
a??You swear to me that you are not a virgin? That you are truly wedded to this Rorik Haraldsson?a??
a??I swear it to you.a??
She wondered then if he would kill her. He could try, she thought. She would fight him until there was no more strength in her body.
But he hadna??t moved to her. He was still pacing, and she knew he was thinking, plotting, trying to decide his best course of action.
She said, a??Let me go, Hormuze. Return me to my husband. I belong with him, not with you nor with any other man. Only him. I love him. Please understand.a??
He turned then and stopped. He smiled down at her. a??Oh no,a?? he said. a??I wona??t ever let you go.a??
a??Aye, you will.a??
At the sound of Rorika??s voice, Mirana cried out, unable to help herself.
Hormuze whirled about to see one of those massive Viking warriors standing there, all golden and bronze and large, too large, just standing there, at his ease, confident and calm, ready to kill if called to, his eyes on Miranaa??nay, on Naphtaa??and there was hunger in his eyes, more hunger than a man should ever have for a woman.
Hormuze recognized it because hea??d felt it himself for his beloved wife.
It was then he heard a childa??s voice. It was then he heard Eze.
He knew fear greater than he ever had in his life.
a??Rorik,a?? Mirana said. a??You came. By all the gods, I prayed you would come. I prayed you would come for me.a??
a??Of course I would come for you. I would search the earth to find you. You are my wife.a?? He turned to Hormuze and looked silently at the other man for a very long time. Finally, he said over his shoulder, a??Hafter, bring Eze.a??
Hormuze wanted to fling himself on the huge Viking, even though he would have no chance against such a man, but it didna??t matter, the Viking had taken his Eze, he had to kill him, he had to.
Eze came into the chamber, her hand held by another one of those Vikings, this one more golden, less controlled, Hormuze knew, than the other man.
He could tell simply from the way he held himself, the clenching of his muscles, the expression in his eyes, those damned blue eyes that most Vikings had, guileless eyes, beautifully light and clear, yet he knew these Vikings could kill as quickly and eagerly as they could love or laugh or drink their mead.
a??Eze,a?? he said, and held out his hand. The little girl would have gone to him but the Viking held her back, gently, Hormuze saw, but still he wanted to kill the man.
a??I have brought your daughter to you, Hormuze,a?? Rorik said. a??I will make a simple trade with you. My wife for your daughter. Agreed?a??
a??Damn you, both of them are mine!a?? Hormuze wanted to hurl himself on the damned Viking, so calm he appeared, so sure of himself.
He wanted to stick a dagger in his chest, deep and deeper still and twist it.
He wanted to pour poison down his strong corded throat, and watch his muscles spasm and tighten until he was naught but a pitiful scrap, just like the king had been.
a??Papa,a?? Eze said, not trying to move from Haftera??s side now, for she sensed the pain, the uncertainty, the rage of failure that filled her father.
She said in a voice too old for a child her age, a??Papa, Lord Rorik has told me what you have done and why.
He realized that I have the look of his wife, Mirana, and that you wanted my mama back so badly you stole Mirana.
But Papa, she isna??t Mama. She belongs to Lord Rorik.
She belongs on Hawkfell Island. Papa, please, let her go.
Lord Rorik has no desire to harm you or me.
Please, you dona??t prefer her to me, do you? a??
Ah, Rorik thought, seeing the anguish distort Hormuzea??s face.
A childa??s words could cut deeper than the sharpest knife.
He held himself still and waited. He saw that Mirana was as silent as a shadow, her face pale, yet her eyes were bright and watchful.
She was sitting up on those damned foreign pillows, looking like some sort of sacrifice to an alien god in that white gown that showed her breasts and her belly, so stark against her black hair.
a??I have held contempt for most men I have met in this land,a?? Hormuze said at last, speaking straightly to Rorik. a??They are vain and greedy and would kill their brothers if it would bring them gain. But you are different.a?? He turned to his daughter. a??He hasna??t hurt you?a??
a??Oh no, Papa. Lord Rorik and I spoke all the way here to Clontarf.
He has been very unhappy without Mirana.
Her half-brother stole her back and forced her to wed with the old king.
Lord Rorik wants to kill Einar and he wants to have Mirana back with him.
He kept telling me not to be afraid, that he knew you were a wise man, not a fool, and that you would quickly come to an agreement with him. You will, wona??t you, Papa?a??
a??Aye,a?? Hormuze said, knowing there was no other answer for him.
a??Take your wife, Rorik Haraldsson. She is not an easy woman.
She speaks the truth even when wiser counsel would be silence.
She rejects being my queen and knowing ease and wealth throughout her life.
I do not understand her fully. She speaks and questions when she should be silent, but she holds you in honor and she is loyal to you. That, I believe, is very important.a??
a??I know. I heard what she said. It pleased me.
I dona??t want an easy woman,a?? he added, speaking to her now, watching her face.
a??I want a woman who will fight by my side, a woman who will love me until the day I leave this earth, a woman who will laugh with me or hit me when I treat her stupidly, a woman who will hold my honor as dear as she holds her own.a?? Rorik turned to Hafter. a??Let Eze go to her father.a??
The little girl didna??t immediately run to Hormuze.
She walked instead to Mirana and held out her hand.
a??I am glad you are all right,a?? she said.
a??I dona??t think you look at all like me.
I dona??t remember my mama so I cana??t speak about that.
My eyes are dark like my papaa??s, and yours are very green.
Lord Rorik hasna??t been happy without you.a?? She held Miranaa??s hand until they stood in front of Rorik.
Eze gave Miranaa??s hand into Rorika??s, then smiled up at both of them.
a??Do not worry. My father and I will survive.
We always have. He is very smart and he wona??t let anything hurt me.a?? She smiled at them, then turned to her father, running to him, hurling herself against him.
Hormuze gathered Eze against him, hugging her so tightly she squeaked. a??I like you to look like you, Papa,a?? she said, and he squeezed her again, then he laughed. a??I dona??t like you to be old and fat and ugly. I hated that ugly scraggly beard. Please stay like you are now.a??
a??I will try, Eze. I will try.a??
a??I had no wish to kill you,a?? Rorik said. a??I am pleased that you are a reasonable man.a??
a??I have no choice but reason,a?? Hormuze said.
He saw Mirana held close to the Vikinga??s side, her head pressed against his chest. He felt something move deep within him.
By all the Viking gods, she looked like Naphta.
He watched her look up at her husband and remembered that look as well.
It was the way Naphta had looked at him. He shook his head. It wasna??t to be.
Hormuze said to Rorik, a??You were lucky. I dismissed most of the kinga??s warriors. I made it easy for you to board the barge. I have made everything very easy for you.a??
a??I appreciate the result, though your motives were blacker than a Christiana??s sins.
Aye, the warriors are within the fortress, drinking themselves sodden, I doubt not, so that you were able to kill the king with no witnesses, no interference from his vaunted Viking guard.
Aye, I am grateful that Einar does not know I am here.
I want Mirana safe before I take him. I assume you have already killed the king? a??
a??Poison. I would have preferred to kill him more slowly. He was a venomous man, old and rattled in his wits, but his greed was that of a younger mana??s.a??
a??Sira is with Einar,a?? Mirana said.
a??I know. Hafter questioned one of Einara??s guards. He didna??t wish to die. He told us all we wished to know. We will take both of them. But first I would ask Hormuze what he will do now.a??
He shook his head. a??I must flee, I suppose.a??
Mirana said, a??Why? You will present yourself as the king on the morrow. Why must you change that?a??
a??You are not my queen,a?? Hormuze said simply, finality in his voice, and acceptance of that finality.
Eze said, a??Papa needs a queen so we dona??t have to flee.a??
Rorik stared at the child. Mirana said slowly, a??Sira is a virgin. If we were to fetch her now, could you not bring yourself to wed her, Hormuze?a??
Rorik laughed. a??It is indeed a solution to Hormuzea??s problem, but Sira is a witcha??vicious, heedless, beautiful, utterly without honor.a??
Hormuze straightened, belting his gown more tightly about his waist. a??This Sira, she wants instruction?a??
a??What she wants is beating,a?? Hafter said. a??But she is beautiful, Rorik is right about that. She needs new direction. She needs to learn how to control herself. She wants taming.a??
a??Discipline is important,a?? Hormuze said, nodding.
Rorik said thoughtfully, a??It is not that she is evil.
I believe that my parents simply gave her no rules, no boundaries, and thus her wishes always took precedence.
No one ever said nay to her. As to honor, I believe the concept foreign to her.
Shea??s had no reason for it and thus it doesna??t yet exist for her.
However, she isna??t stupid and she is certainly passionate.a??
Hormuze stared at the fallen brazier, deep in thought.
a??Papa, are you certain you want to have this woman?a??
Hormuze stared down at his daughter with her too old voice and her too keen eyes.
a??I wish to survive,a?? he said simply.
a??If I present myself as the king tomorrow with a queen at my sidea??the woman who was supposed to bring me back my youth and my vigora??why then, you will be a princess, my sweeting, and I will have a beautiful snake to tame.a??
Mirana laughed. a??Do you believe it would work?a??
Rorik shrugged. a??There is only one way to find out. It would be a risk, Hormuze, but you must know that.a??
a??Aye, I know the risk. I am willing.a??
Mirana said slowly, a??Perhaps it would be best if Sira had hair as black as mine. You will change. Why not your queen as well?a??
a??She worships her beautiful hair,a?? Rorik said. a??She will howl to the moon. I should like to see how you deal with her rage. Aye, I like it.a??
a??I do too,a?? Eze said. a??I should like to be a princess. My papa would be the best king in the world. This Sira, she will come to worship my papa.a??
a??Aye,a?? Hormuze said. a??She will.a??