The Birth and Revelations #4
Rathnon bathed in the cold river, dried off, and dressed in a clean tunic.
He found a cozy spot, placed a blanket on the ground, and laid down for a short nap.
Before Olaf left, Rathnon shared their invitation to a fish dinner at sunset.
Dreams of Ilona filled him with happiness and peace.
When he awakened, for a moment his eyes searched for Ilona before he realized where he was.
He hoped to be able to bring her back here to visit, but would she wish to return with him when the king commanded his return to duty?
Rathnon led his horse back to the river and to another area to graze.
He judged the time by the sun’s position and picked a floral bouquet.
He spied Olaf, who had finished bathing in the river, drying his hair with a cloth, and was now dressed in a clean tunic.
Olaf smirked and pointed to the flowers. “It seems you are courting the mother like you did her daughter.”
Rathnon shrugged. “It is my way of apologizing without stating my apology for causing them pain and fear for their daughter when I kidnapped her. They never would have agreed to my taking their daughter from them if I had asked. So I took her. I could not have left her here after seeing her, even if I wanted to. A magical force compelled me.”
They walked across the field and meadow and knocked upon the old wooden door. Ewan admitted them, and Rhona accepted the large wildflower bouquet with a big smile and a blush, reminding Rathnon of Ilona’s aching loveliness. His heart clenched missing her.
They drank cold ale and ate dinner at a wooden kitchen table.
The men enjoyed conversing together, and Ilona’s mother asked questions about life in the Kingdom of Norway.
They ate the fried trout and salmon the men had caught with roasted potatoes and spring vegetables. For dessert, they enjoyed berry tarts.
“Thank ye for the delicious dinner.”
“It is my pleasure to cook for ye. I’m glad we have this time to get to know ye, whether or not we can go to yer home and visit ye there now.”
Rathnon asked, “Will you share with me stories of Ilona growing up?” They did, and the men shared stories as well over a dram of whiskey before they returned to the deep forest and their beds under the stars.
The next morning, the men awakened early and had hot tea with fresh oatcakes Olaf made over the fire. Rathnon and Olaf saddled their horses and hunted in the hills by the loch. Rathnon felled a large stag, and the men placed it over Rathnon’s horse. They rode to give it to Ilona’s parents.
Her father answered their knock at the door, and the men walked around the back of the cottage, where they field-dressed the deer together. Ilona’s mother came outside and thanked them for the meat.
“Ye shot a huge stag. Thank ye. This will provide us meat for many meals and for our winter stores too.” They cut portions of the meat in strips and placed them in the smoking house to save for winter.
Ilona’s mother took other portions and cut them into small pieces for venison stew.
She returned to the house to add herbs and seasonings into the huge pot with the meat and hung it over the fire to cook.
While the meat cooked, Ewan invited the men to ride to a neighbor’s home with him to ask about caring for the farm in their absence.
Before they left, they staked out the deerskin, keeping the leather for tanning and later use.
Ilona’s father told her mother, “I am taking the men to ride to Graham’s home.” The men rode across the hills and valleys to the neighbor’s home, taking stock of their surroundings to navigate their way back to their campsite if needed. They were formidable warriors first and foremost.
Graham greeted his neighbor and friend as well as the men who accompanied him. They sat down inside his farmhouse, drank cold ale, and exchanged stories. Fascinated by the Norse warriors, Graham asked many questions before Ilona’s father turned the conversation to his request.
“Aye, ye ken I would be happy to help ye, as we discussed earlier,” Graham responded. “To make it easier, I’d like to bring the animals to my barn instead of having to ride back and forth between yer farm and mine several times a day.”
“Aye, a sound idea. Ye and yer wife can harvest any plants ye need from my gardens while we are away. I can’t tell ye what it means to my wife and me to see our daughter again and meet our grandson.
Ye will need to tend to the meat in the smokehouse periodically as the men shot a huge stag today. I will share their bounty with ye.”
“When do ye need to leave?”
Rathnon answered, “We’d like to leave as soon as they can be ready to take advantage of the weather. I do nae wish to leave my wife and bairn longer than necessary.”
“I understand. I can be ready tomorrow. I wish ye a fair voyage.” They thanked him and rode back to the stone cottage.
Rathnon sent his friend to the ships to alert the men to be ready in the morning.
Olaf took the sack of clothes and items for Ilona her parents had given him and stowed it on the ship.
Rathnon and Olaf slept in the forest again and smoked meat and fish all night to take with them on the ship.
Ready before first light, they made oatcakes and placed them in oilskin bags to protect them.
Ilona’s parents, Rathnon, and Olaf doubled up on the horses to bring Ilona’s parents down to the sea.
The men on the ships bowed respectfully to them before Ilona’s parents boarded.
As soon as they were aboard and the horses were boarded on another ship, they sailed away from the shore.
Rathnon offered a rope to Ilona’s parents.
Her father did not accept one, but he tied his wife to the bulwark protectively and then wrapped a warm cloak about her shoulders.
Ewan had sailed the seas many years. The first day was uneventful and they camped on Shetland Island, with Ilona’s mother happy to be on dry land again.
They ate a hearty meal around the fire and drank ale.
The men told stories, and Rathnon and Olaf translated for Ilona’s parents.
They awakened early and set sail. They sailed all day and night, changing watches and rowing duties.
On the third day, they sighted home, with Rathnon, pointing out landmarks to Ilona’s father.
They disembarked a short distance away, where they could easily unload the ship but leave little visible evidence of their having alighted there.
Rathnon thanked and parted company with Olaf and the men.
He provided horses for Ilona’s parents to follow him and ride home to surprise Ilona.
Still early in the morning, they quietly made their way.
They dismounted their horses and tethered them.
Rathnon opened the door to his home and saw Ilona rocking their bairn to sleep.
Ilona was surprised he had returned sooner than expected. She stood and placed their bairn in the cradle before Rathnon swept her up in his arms for a fierce kiss, bringing a blush to her cheeks.
“I missed ye, Ilona, and couldn’t wait to return to ye and our bairn.
I brought something back with me from my travels to surprise ye.
” He turned, no longer blocking Ilona’s view, and she started as she saw her parents standing there before her on the threshold of her home.
She could nae believe her eyes. Rathnon released her, and she ran into the waiting arms of her father and mother.
She sobbed with happiness in seeing them again after so long.
“I can’t believe it! Ye are truly here! I dreamed about and wished for this moment. How did ye meet Rathnon to come here? Please come inside and put down yer things. I’ll make us tea, and Rathnon has whiskey, Father, to warm ye after yer journey.”
They first admired their sleeping grandson.
The joy in their smiles was evident. Rathnon’s heart swelled, seeing Ilona and her parents’ joy at being reunited and seeing their grandson for the first time.
They gathered at the table, and Ilona made tea for her mother and herself while Rathnon served her father and himself generous portions of whiskey.
As they sat at the table, Ilona gathered bread, and placed it on the table with slices of venison and cheese, knowing they must be hungry after their journey.
Earlier in the morning, Ilona had made a pot of soup, which they could have for dinner, giving them more time to talk together.
Ilona sat down at the table next to Rathnon, who grabbed her hand with his. It seemed he had missed her as much as she had missed him.
“How did ye encounter each other?”
“Child, we did not encounter each other. Yer husband, Rathnon, journeyed to our home to persuade us to come with him to yer home. He had written to us and invited us months ago to prepare. He has been quite considerate of us on our voyage here. I couldn’t wait to see ye and yer bairn with my own eyes, and I ken yer father was as keen as I to be here with ye.
” Ilona’s mother’s eyes twinkled with happiness, a wide smile on her face.
“I am glad to be here with ye and yer husband and our grandson, and to see how ye live. I am happy to receive his invitation to come visit ye.”
“How did ye write an invitation to them? Ye don’t write Gaelic, ye only speak it. Ah, I ken—Sigrid helped ye compose it.
“Ye have been planning this for a long time to surprise me. I cannae believe it. It is a wonderful surprise husband!” Rathnon picked up Ilona’s hand and kissed it tenderly.
“Ye built a fine house, Rathnon,” Ilona’s father complimented. “Yer house rivals those of the best houses in Orkney. Will ye show me around the area?”
“Aye, I will. Before I take your father to show him the loch, burn, well, and other things, is there anything ye need?”