Chapter
One
Redbank,
The keep of Earl Edward
Along
the Humber River, Kingdom of Northumbria
The
dragon’s head snapped off. It hit the water and sank as the men pulled it
further out into the river. Little by little, the re- mains of the burned ship
were dismantled to lie in the depths of the Humber where they belonged. The
ribs of the vessel still rose above the water like the skeleton of the beast,
but soon they, too, would be
Elfwynn,
daughter of Earl Edward, shuddered. It had lain on their shoreline for several
weeks, like some ugly, dead monster from the north. And yet, wasn’t it true? The
Northmen were monsters, coming here to rape and pillage. Her father had driven
them off, proving his strength to the foreigners who infested Northumbria each summer.
He would keep them safe.
“Father
wanted me to see if the men are nearly finished.”
Elfwynn
looked up at her half brother. He’d come from the keep so quietly, she hadn’t
heard him. “They’re working hard, Wulf, but that thing won’t be gone too
quickly for my taste. I’d like to forget I ever saw it.”
“We
may see more of them. The Northman who stopped here with his ships, Rorik,
wasn’t alone. A larger fleet continued up the river, no doubt to attack other
holdings near York. Father wants to make certain there’s no evidence of what happened
when they return, on their way out to sea. We don’t want to give them a reason
to stop here.” He rubbed the back of his neck under his long hair. “We’re still
trying to figure out who gave the order to burn the ships. No one knows. Father
wanted to pay the Northmen and let them leave. With so
many of them in this area now, we can’t afford to antagonize them.”
“What
does it matter who gave the order? It worked. We defeated them. They won’t try
that again.”
“Wessex
defeated the Northmen in a large naval battle last year near London. It didn’t stop
them from wintering on the isle of Thaley near the Thames. Now they threaten
the south.” With a slight smile, he ruffled her hair. “It’s nothing to concern
yourself about anyhow. Father and I have agreed if the Northmen attack, my
first duty is to get you and your mother to safety. Even if you were so foolish
as to leave the keep to look at them when they were here. As beautiful as you
are, it would serve you right if one of them fell in love with you and carried
you off.”
“Rowena
wanted to see them. She heard their leader, the one with the long black hair, was
nice to look at. At times, she and I are friendly. I try, at least. Except when
your mother is poisoning her against me, like she does so many here.”
“My
sister has no sense. If she did, she’d see what our mother is. Even Father avoids
her as much as he can. You can’t give in to Rowena in the hopes she’ll like you.
Not if it puts you in danger from the North- men or anyone. If that ever happened,
I’d give my life to go after you.”
“And
I’d sell my soul to stop you. In that, we’re much alike.” “Except I’m better
with a sword than you are.”
“That
wouldn’t be difficult since I know nothing of warfare. Only weaving. And music.”
“Let’s
hope it stays that way. Besides, you’re too fine to waste your soul on
battles.”
“To
save you, Father, my mother, and the people here, it would be a small price to pay.”
“Even
those who turn their backs on you for your birth?”
“They
only seek to ingratiate themselves to your mother. Not everyone holds it
against me that I’m baseborn. They conveniently forget about that detail when
they want to buy the cloth I weave.” She looked at the ship as the men rowed another
piece of it out to the middle of the river. “Wulf, do you think they’ll come
back? For re- venge?”
“If
they do, we’ll be ready. I’m leaving soon to gather more of our forces in case
we have to fight.”
Her
muscles knotted as she met his gaze. “I already lost my older brother to war.
We both lost a cousin on Father’s side. I couldn’t stand to lose you, as well.”
“I
felt their loss, too, Elfwynn. Randal was my half brother. He, our cousin, and
I were more like full brothers. I’ll never forget the sight of him falling
before me in battle with the Picts.”
“Ever
since then, whenever you or Father have gone to fight, such fear comes over me,
I can’t breathe right the entire time you’re gone. My heart races and I shake
so hard I can barely weave, even though it’s the only thing that calms me.
Nothing seems real until you return safe.”
“It
just means you love us.” He squeezed her shoulder. “God will protect us against
the pagans.”
That
was true. So far.
“Let
me walk you back to your house. There’s nothing more to see here and I’ll feel
better knowing you’re closer to the keep. Both Father and I would be more at
ease if you and your mother would consent to live within the keep itself.”
“We’re
so close, we’re well protected. Father makes certain of that. If we moved in with
you, your mother would start a war to rival even that of our people and the Picts.
I don’t understand why she’s so resentful that Father loves us when she hates
him anyway.”
“Pride.
She’s bitter that you stand to inherit along with Rowena and me. That Father
should love a village woman more than he does his highborn wife enrages her.”
“And
my mother wastes away, pining for a man she can never marry. Sometimes I wish .
. .” She didn’t finish the sentence. It would not be Christian to want Mildburg’s
death or divorce so her parents could marry.
“I
know.” He took her hand as they walked. “Sometimes I wish, as well. She’s been
no mother to me, except to bear me into this world. Father can’t divorce her
without cause. It would bring her family down on us. She would have to commit
adultery or treason, then none could gainsay him. She’s too careful to get
caught.”
That
was why she and her mother couldn’t stay there, waiting for Edward to be free.
Elfwynn wasn’t certain how much longer her mother could live for a day that
would never happen.
As
they walked up to the house, her mother was tending herbs in the front.
Wulf
strode ahead of Elfwynn. “Rohesia, it’s good to see you out on this fine day.” He
gave her a quick embrace.
“And
it’s always good to see you, Wulf. You come here far too seldom. How much like
your father you look with your curling brown hair and blue eyes.” She smiled at
Elfwynn, but it held a sad- ness, as always. “Both of you. So similar to each other.
Will you stay for a time and have some ale? I brewed it fresh.”
“Thank
you, Rohesia, but I’m going on patrol with my men. With the burning of the
longship, we must be vigilant. I’ll send some of Father’s men to watch over you
in the days ahead. I wanted to make certain Elfwynn came back safely. She
shouldn’t have been down by the river to begin with.” He gave her a quick frown.
“I’ve
been walking to the farms to get wool for years, Wulf. The Northmen being in
this area is nothing new. I’ve always been fine. But I promise, if I go any
place, I’ll take some of the men with me.” “I’d feel better knowing that. I’m
leaving soon to find our forces who are patrolling against Mercia and bring
them here.” He took Elfwynn by the shoulders. “Be careful. We’ve lived in an
uneasy peace with the Danes since they arrived here, but that could change. We
burned the ship of the most powerful of the Northmen. They won’t care that we
don’t know how it happened. They only under- stand revenge. If anything
happens, promise me you’ll go to the keep as fast as you can. I don’t care what
my mother thinks. Father will be there.
You’ll have a place.”
“I
promise, Wulf. We’ll be fine.”
He
gave her a dubious look before letting her go. “Keep her out of trouble,
Rohesia. I’ll be gone a couple of weeks at most.”
“She’ll
be too busy weaving with all the orders she has. I doubt she’ll leave her loom,
even to eat.”
He
shook his head. “Why you insist on making your own money, Elfwynn, is something
neither Father nor I understand. He gives you everything you need.”
“People
value what they pay for,” she said. “My weavings are the finest in the region.
Should I not get recompense for my hours?”
“Of
course.” He kissed the top of her head. “Just remember to sleep once in a
while. I’ll see you when I return.”
She
watched him walk in the direction of the keep until he was lost in the trees. Father
gave them all they needed, yes. For their lives here. But he would never fund a
journey to Rohesia’s people in Strathclyde. Elfwynn had to work to save for
that. It might be the only thing that would spare her mother’s life. If they
remained here, the memories of her dead son and the unrequited love she bore
for Edward would cause her to fade away until she died. If she were among her
own relations, she could start anew. She was not so old that her life needed to
be over.
She
was still beautiful. Elfwynn looked at her as she tended to her herbs. Over time,
her beauty had become more translucent, like a fine glass. Each day it thinned,
as though she were being worn out from within. One day, she would fade away.
Only
a few more pieces of cloth, a little more silver, and Elfwynn would have
enough. She wanted to leave as soon as possible, even before the fall.
Elfwynn
breathed in the air scented with the herbs and flowers growing nearby. The
aromas of home. This place was all she’d ever known. Still, many of the people
she’d grown up with had never truly accepted her. It wasn’t because of her
baseborn status. That wouldn’t matter so much in their land, as long as she was
freeborn. Because Rohesia was free, Elfwynn was as well.
No,
it was because of Mildburg. Many of her father’s people didn’t want to make an enemy
of the lady of the keep, so they shunned both her and her mother. While there
were some who remained friendly, it still made for a lonely life. They needed to
go where they would be accepted and welcomed. Among her mother’s people, they would
be. She had a single regret—leaving Wulf and their father. Edward loved her. It
was the one unaltered fact of her existence. It gave her strength, even in the face
of the losses she’d endured. Her brother. Her cousin. So many others who had
died in the never-ending wars. Her father was always there for her and there were
many times his arms were her sole support. If only he could see her mother’s pain
the same way. His mind was always elsewhere, protecting his people who were foremost
in his life. And yet, he was blind to so much of what
lay before him at home.
Elfwynn
picked up a shawl lying on a bench against the house and spread it over her
mother’s thin shoulders. Rohesia smiled her thanks, then continued weeding.
She
walked to the house, but before entering, she glanced back at her mother’s bent
frame. If the earl had made a clean break with them years ago, it would have
been better for all of them, especially her mother. But he hadn’t.
Now,
it was up to her.
