Chapter 5 #2
a??Actually, it is so.a?? His voice lightened as he spoke his memories.
a??She had seduced me, this older girl who was then yet younger than you are now, and I was but an innocent lad of twelve summers when she first took me inside her and I learned the pleasures of a womana??s body.
Then I discovered that year I preferred hunting walrus to covering her.
She cursed me, ranting that my cleft was the sign of Odina??s displeasure.a??
Zarabeth chuckled. a??I should have cursed you also. Walrus hunting! a??Twas not well done of you.a??
a??I was but twelve years old, Zarabeth.a??
a??Aye, but were you so beautiful even then, Magnus?a??
a??When you birth my sons, perhaps one of them will be in my image, and then you will know.a??
Zarabeth was silent. He continued to do this to her, to speak so bluntly that it robbed her of her wits.
a??What bothers you, sweeting?a??
a??You and the effect you have on me. Ita??s strange and it confuses me and makes me stupid.a??
He stroked his fingertips over her jaw. a??I would make you happy, not stupid.a??
a??Would you bear with both?a??
a??I will manage to bear with all you ever show me.a?? He leaned down to quickly kiss her. He didna??t try to part her lips, just kissed her warmly and lightly.
a??Ia??m afraid,a?? she said, looking up at him, at his mouth, damp from their touching, firm and gentle. a??You come from a land Ia??ve only heard about, a land where all the people are strangers to me, a land where the weather is harsh during the winter and there is little sun for many months.a??
Magnus had considered taking her on board the Sea Wind, but he quickly changed his mind.
It wasna??t at all chilly here in the open, and she felt safe here, with him, a man shea??d known for only two days, the man she would marry.
He smiled at her and sought to reassure her.
a??They will be strangers only until you smile at them and tell them hello.
My kin will love you, as will Harald Fairhair himself, our king.
He comes from the Vestfold, you know, though at present he has no royal residence there.
But he is a cousin to my father, and thus of my kin, and he will come to visit and he will approve of you, you will see.a??
a??I have heard of Harald Fairhair. I have heard he is ruthless and he seeks to subdue no matter the cost. It is said he rarely shows mercy.a??
a??Aye, and he is greedy and wants more and then more after that.a?? Magnus shrugged.
a??He wants every chieftain, every earl in Norway, to bend to his will and obey his every dictum.
He is a man and he is a Viking. There is no limit to his appetites, and his power grows by the year, and he falters not, though he is near my father in age.
He has conquered an entire country and brought it to heel.
He searches for more, as do most men of my country.a?? He grinned then, shaking his head.
a??The men in my countrya??if they feel at all crowded by their neighbors or persecuted by their king, then they simply leave to find new lands.
We all cherish our freedom and we allow no one to curtail it.a??
a??And does he wish to have your lands and those of your father? Will you wish someday to leave your home?a??
a??Not as yet, but it would not surprise me to have him levy taxes on us that would break our backs. Then, of course, we would have to fight him, king or no. Distant kin or no. Or we would leave.a??
She saw that he was perfectly serious. He would enjoy the fighting, she guessed, and he would be as brutal as he had to be and feel no regret.
Nor would he flinch at the thought of leaving his home bound for a distant land.
He would always do what had to be done. It pleased her, this certain knowledge of him.
a??Ita??s also true that during five months of the winter there is little sun and snow covers the ground.
We will spend much time in the longhouse, but you wona??t fret with inactivity.
Skalds visit in the winter months and sing songs to amuse everyone.
They tell sagas that have been handed down for hundreds of years, and invent new ones to make the master of the farmstead feel like a king with all their flattery.
We play games and dance and drink until our heads pound.
And when you are not in my bed, or playing, or dancing, you will be sewing, spinning, cooking, directing all the house jarls and the thralls.
Do you know how to make butter, Zarabeth? And buttermilk?a??
a??Butter?a?? she repeated, bemused yet again with the sudden shift in his talk.
a??Aye. I remember my mother lifting and dropping and shaking the churna??such a size it was, but then again, my mother is a woman of great strengtha??until she had separated out all the yellow butterfat.
Ah, but the buttermilk thata??s left is sweet and wondrous to drink.
Children always fight for the first mug fresh from the churn.a??
a??I make butter,a?? she said. a??But my churn is small and requires no great strength to shake it.a??
His fingers were wrapped about her upper arms. a??Life isna??t easy at home, Zarabeth, but I cannot think you would seek to doze away with boredom.
I will protect you and love you and give you as many children as Frey blesses us with.
I would like to kiss you again, sweeting.
Your mouth is soft and draws me from reason itself.a??
Without hesitation, she stood on her tiptoes and pursed her lips, her eyes closing.
He looked at her lovely face, a face that was already very dear to him. a??After I kiss you, I should like to cup your breasts in my hands, like this.a?? He kissed her, burying her startled cry with his mouth, and his hands opened and he held her breasts in his palms.
a??Magnus,a?? she said, and pulled back. a??Oh, truly, nay, you cannot.a??
a??Your breathing is harsh,a?? he said, and grinned down at her.
a??Your words make little sense now. Do you like my hands on you?
Ah, a??tis but the beginning, sweeting. Think of me suckling at your breast as will our sons and daughters.
And when I part your thighs, Ia??ll come between them and part them wider, and then, Zarabeth, Ia??ll cover you.a??
She pressed her palm against his mouth. She felt flushed and excited and she knew neither was right, not that she cared overly. a??You speak so baldly, I dona??t know what to do.a??
a??It excites you.a??
a??It makes me stupid and fluttery, for I know not how to answer you.a??
a??Then do not try. You will learn my ways. I will try to remember to speak thus to you whilst I take you. And you will learn to tell me what pleases you even as I tell you how to hold me and touch me.a??
a??Yes,a?? she said, and sighed. She couldna??t control him and it occurred to her that he beguiled her so simply because he held the reins of control, firmly, and he wouldna??t release them. If he ever did, it would be because he wished to.
It was unbearably exciting to her, his strength, his gentleness, the combination of the two that made him unique, that made him Magnus.
a??There is something I would ask you, Magnus.a?? She paused, but he merely continue smiling down at her, waiting. She fretted with the fine silver brooch that held his cloak together at his right shoulder. a??Your thrall, Cyraa??will you continue . . . that is, will youa???a??
a??Ah, yes, Cyra who enjoys my hands on her, blending pain and pleasure togethera??a??
a??You needna??t speak quite so frankly about that! Will you continue with her once I am your wife?a??
He looked taken aback. a??Certainly not. Do you believe me like those black Arabs in Miklagard? Those men who measure their importance by the number of women they are able to keep for themselves?a??
a??I dona??t know. There are those here in Yorka??aye, King Guthrum evena??who have several concubines and they are also married.a??
He shook his head. a??You will fill my days and my nights. I want no other woman. Now, do you want to know what we will be doing in exactly four nights from tonight? No, you will listen, Zarabetha??a?? He broke off at the sound of a mana??s voice, coming from down the quay, then cursed.
a??Magnus!a??
a??I do believe ita??s one of my men,a?? Magnus said, and put her away from him, his voice tinged with impatience. a??Aye, a??tis Eirik and hea??s a bit the worse from your York ale, if I mistake it not. The fool, a??tis not safe for a man alone, no matter how many friends he has close by.a??
Eirik was short, young, built like a Northumbrian bull, his hair nearly white it was so blond. He came to a stop in front of Magnus, and gave him an owlish stare.
a??She is the stepdaughter of Olav the Vain, is she not?
There are men out searching for her. Olav the Vain is yelling that she is missing, likely kidnapped by you, he is claiming, because you refused to pay the brideprice.
He is shrieking like a madman. He has six men with him, all paltry and worth naught in a fight, but still .
. . I thought she would be with you, so I came to tell you, Magnus.a??
a??Ia??ll return her,a?? Magnus said. a??Get you some sleep now, Eirik. Youa??ve done well and I am in your debt.a??
He turned to Zarabeth. There was humor in his eyes. a??I like him not, this stepfather of yours, but I do grant that he could be concerned for your safety.a??
a??Ia??ll leave now. You needna??t come back with me. Olav is mayhap foolish now, for he has drunk much ale. I do not want him or you hurt.a??
a??Zarabeth, you are now under my protection. The moment I saw you, you were under my care. You will walk nowhere alone, ever again. You will attend me fully when there is something I wish you to do, or more likely, when there is something I wish you to cease doing. Do you understand?a??
She frowned, stiffening at his tone, hard and commanding. But he was right in this one instance. a??Very well, then. I am sorry if I disturbed you, Magnus.a??
a??Silly wench,a?? he said, and took her hand in his. He saw that four of his men followed a short distance behind, but held his tongue, and nodded his approval. a??Twas safer thus.
He shortened his step to match hers. a??I would have preferred to have carried you to my small cabin, stripped off that gown of yours, and taken you to my bed.
It isna??t truly a cabin, though, just a covered space on the deck of the Sea Wind.a?? He sighed deeply.
a??But that must wait until wea??re wedded.
Then, Zarabeth, I will keep you in my bed until we are both too exhausted to do naught but sleep.a??
She looked up at him and grinned, her heart light and bounding in her breast. a??Ah, but who will be master of your vessel whilst you are in your bed?a??
a??I will appoint all my men masters so they will have other duties to occupy them besides listening to our lovemaking.a??
a??I believe I will exhaust you before you exhaust me, my lord.a??
a??Do you think so, sweeting? Even though you have no knowledge of what it is we will do?a?? At her bemused silence, he laughed and lightly chucked his knuckles against her chin. a?? a??Tis a contest that will draw me into a frenzy, a contest we will both cherish once you have learned the rules.a??
Zarabeth was still smiling when she heard her stepfather shouting at the top of his lungs in the distance, a??There he is! Therea??s that marauding Viking, and hea??s got my stepdaughter! Kill him! Kill him!a??
a??He is a very foolish man,a?? Magnus said calmly. a??Very foolish.a??
a??What will you do?a?? She turned and saw Magnusa?? four men closing behind them, their battle swords drawn.
Three of them held both a sword and a battleax.
They looked ferocious, their faces hard and cold, and utterly without fear.
Magnus did not draw his sword from its scabbard.
He waited, his arms crossed negligently over his chest.
a??I will see what he plans,a?? was all he said. a??Dona??t move, Zarabeth. Stay to my right so that I may see you and know youa??re safe.a??
She had no choice but to wait as six men, all friends of her stepfathera??s, came running toward them, swords in their hands, screaming curses.
Then suddenly Magnus stepped forward and raised both his arms over his head. a??Halt!a??
The men jerked to a stop. Olav, panting from his exertion, came around the corner and ran into the back of one of the men.
a??Kill him! You cowards, kill the Viking!a??
a??You, Olav, be quiet or I will cut out your cursed tongue.
Zarabeth came to visit me this evening. Beyond foolish, I agree, so I am bringing her to your house.
She is unharmed and I suggest that you treat her well and scold her not, for she will soon be my wife, and any chiding will come from me, her husband.
Handle her gently or I will make you very sorry.a??
Olav knew his friends wouldna??t attack the Viking.
They were all merchants and craftsmen. They knew how to fight, and would die in the fighting if they had to, but they werena??t warriors and they would have no chance against this man.
He knew that even six of his friends would not try to kill this one man.
It would be suicide. He contented himself with the thought that he would beat her when he got her home. He looked at Zarabeth and smiled.
It was as if the Viking read his mind.
a??Nay, Olav the Vain, do not what you are thinking. I am a man of my word, an honorable man, and you may trust what I say. You wona??t harm her, else I will do more than make you very sorry. I will kill you.a??
There was nothing for it. Olav felt raw hatred churn in his gut, making his belly cramp. a??Come,a?? he said shortly to Zarabeth. a??You have caused enough worry, girl.a??
a??I know. I am sorry, Olav.a??
a??As for your idiot stepsister, she is writhing about on the floor and trying to cry. It sickens me to watch her and to hear her mewling sounds. Get thee home and see to her before I take her from the city and leave her in the Bentik Mountains, as I should have already done.a??
Magnus saw Zarabeth stiffen straight as the handle on his battleax.
There was more going on here than she had told him.
He didna??t understand Olava??s venom about his own small daughter.
Magnus lightly touched Zarabetha??s arm.
a??Go, sweeting. I will see you on the morrow, by the well at the square.a??
a??Aye. Thank you,a?? she said. She quickly picked up her skirts and walked to her stepfather.