brought you into our bed half frozen
and warmed you with our own bodies. My father is off with Kelnar,
though on another boat. Not that we need his permission. The women
run this house and leave my father free to attend to the political
affairs of men.”
“I need to get back to Kelnar’s house and see
my… witch.” She nearly slipped and said mother, and Kelnar and her
mother had both taken pains to explain how disastrous that could
be.
“Speak to my grandmother first. She is wise
in the ways of the village.” The girl pushed the blanket away and
crawled to a sitting position. Eliza realized that the cloth
hanging over the dividing wall was actually dresses. The girl
pulled one down and passed it to Eliza, then grabbed the other and
slipped into it.
Eliza expected to shiver as she pulled her
dress into place, but the air had warmed in the time they’d been
under the blankets. Once she was dressed, she followed the girl out
to the corridor. “You never told me your name.”
“Ingrid. Here, put on these slippers and we
can go find my grandmother.”
Eliza slid her feet into the leather shoes.
Her toes still ached, but at least she could feel them. She hoped
that meant she wouldn’t lose any of them.
They picked their way through the longhouse
and stopped near the fire in the middle. A group of half a dozen
gray haired people sat on ornately carved stools and chatted
quietly.
Ingrid tapped one of the ladies on the
shoulder. “Amma, may I speak to you a moment.”
The old woman turned and smiled, displaying
gaps in her teeth. “Of course, child. Here or…?”
“Somewhere quieter.”
The old lady rose, then paused, staring at
Eliza. “Who’s your friend, Ingrid?”
“That’s the thing I need to talk to you
about, Amma.”
The woman pursed her lips, nodded once. She
turned back to the group by the first, all of whom were watching
curiously. “I’ll be back presently.”
“So who are you, child?” the old woman asked
Eliza, once they were out of earshot of everyone else.
“I’m Eliza.”
“Ah. That accent. You are someone’s captive,
yes? Ingrid should know better than to take in strays.”
“She’s not a stray, Amma. She’s Kelnar’s new
consort.”
The old woman’s expression darkened. “Is that
right? What are you doing here?”
“I was abducted last night, but I managed to
escape and it was snowing and I didn’t have anywhere else to
go.”
“And so you ended up on my doorstep?” She
lifted a hand to her forehead. “Gods above, but you’re not the kind
of trouble we need, not with the men gone.”
“Amma, we can’t just send her out into the
cold. The men tried to take advantage of her. They’d be all too
happy to get their hands on her again.”
“I’m not a fool, child. I know.” She patted
Eliza’s shoulder. “I will send a message to Karna. The chief’s
witch knows you, yes?”
Eliza nodded.
“Very well. She can arrange for your safety.
For now, remain here, but stay out of sight.”
Ingrid tugged on her grandmother’s sleeve as
she tried to leave. “But Amma, Kelnar’s people will be searching
for her.”
“And they won’t be the only ones. We’re loyal
here, as loyal as any Norsemen are to another, but that does not
mean as much as it could, not when a foreign woman is in question.
There are many among the village who do not love this girl.”
Ingrid’s face fell. “Yes, Amma.”
Eliza had a feeling about what that meant.
Given half a chance, someone would have her roped like a sow and
dumped right back into Ratface’s greasy hands.
She followed Ingrid back to the sleeping
cubby, her heart just as heavy as it had been when she’d been tied
to a post mere hours before.
***
The day dragged past noon, Eliza sitting in
the re-arranged cubby, trying to knit with that weird, looping
style that the Norse people used. Ingrid and the other girl,
Brynja, sat with her, chatting blithely. Ingrid never mentioned
their little liaison, and Brynja
and warmed you with our own bodies. My father is off with Kelnar,
though on another boat. Not that we need his permission. The women
run this house and leave my father free to attend to the political
affairs of men.”
“I need to get back to Kelnar’s house and see
my… witch.” She nearly slipped and said mother, and Kelnar and her
mother had both taken pains to explain how disastrous that could
be.
“Speak to my grandmother first. She is wise
in the ways of the village.” The girl pushed the blanket away and
crawled to a sitting position. Eliza realized that the cloth
hanging over the dividing wall was actually dresses. The girl
pulled one down and passed it to Eliza, then grabbed the other and
slipped into it.
Eliza expected to shiver as she pulled her
dress into place, but the air had warmed in the time they’d been
under the blankets. Once she was dressed, she followed the girl out
to the corridor. “You never told me your name.”
“Ingrid. Here, put on these slippers and we
can go find my grandmother.”
Eliza slid her feet into the leather shoes.
Her toes still ached, but at least she could feel them. She hoped
that meant she wouldn’t lose any of them.
They picked their way through the longhouse
and stopped near the fire in the middle. A group of half a dozen
gray haired people sat on ornately carved stools and chatted
quietly.
Ingrid tapped one of the ladies on the
shoulder. “Amma, may I speak to you a moment.”
The old woman turned and smiled, displaying
gaps in her teeth. “Of course, child. Here or…?”
“Somewhere quieter.”
The old lady rose, then paused, staring at
Eliza. “Who’s your friend, Ingrid?”
“That’s the thing I need to talk to you
about, Amma.”
The woman pursed her lips, nodded once. She
turned back to the group by the first, all of whom were watching
curiously. “I’ll be back presently.”
“So who are you, child?” the old woman asked
Eliza, once they were out of earshot of everyone else.
“I’m Eliza.”
“Ah. That accent. You are someone’s captive,
yes? Ingrid should know better than to take in strays.”
“She’s not a stray, Amma. She’s Kelnar’s new
consort.”
The old woman’s expression darkened. “Is that
right? What are you doing here?”
“I was abducted last night, but I managed to
escape and it was snowing and I didn’t have anywhere else to
go.”
“And so you ended up on my doorstep?” She
lifted a hand to her forehead. “Gods above, but you’re not the kind
of trouble we need, not with the men gone.”
“Amma, we can’t just send her out into the
cold. The men tried to take advantage of her. They’d be all too
happy to get their hands on her again.”
“I’m not a fool, child. I know.” She patted
Eliza’s shoulder. “I will send a message to Karna. The chief’s
witch knows you, yes?”
Eliza nodded.
“Very well. She can arrange for your safety.
For now, remain here, but stay out of sight.”
Ingrid tugged on her grandmother’s sleeve as
she tried to leave. “But Amma, Kelnar’s people will be searching
for her.”
“And they won’t be the only ones. We’re loyal
here, as loyal as any Norsemen are to another, but that does not
mean as much as it could, not when a foreign woman is in question.
There are many among the village who do not love this girl.”
Ingrid’s face fell. “Yes, Amma.”
Eliza had a feeling about what that meant.
Given half a chance, someone would have her roped like a sow and
dumped right back into Ratface’s greasy hands.
She followed Ingrid back to the sleeping
cubby, her heart just as heavy as it had been when she’d been tied
to a post mere hours before.
***
The day dragged past noon, Eliza sitting in
the re-arranged cubby, trying to knit with that weird, looping
style that the Norse people used. Ingrid and the other girl,
Brynja, sat with her, chatting blithely. Ingrid never mentioned
their little liaison, and Brynja
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