Kaarina: Rejected (Viking Guardians Book 2)

by Kaitlynn Clarkson

  Later that day, Kaarina pulled on her coat and boots, ready to visit Eira.

  “Thank you for your help. You worked hard today,” Emiline told her, smiling.

  “I am glad to be of service,” she replied. “I will be home in time to help with the evening meal.”

  A few minutes later, she was seated in the common room. Frida and Sigrid were weaving, while Eira was sewing a pouch out of cloth they’d made earlier. Kaarina had no desire to weave or sew. She pulled out her leatherwork and started to braid a leather rope. It was far more satisfying than working with cloth.

  “Why are you both not wed yet?” asked Frida, getting straight to the point. “Do not your people usually marry young?”

  Kaarina was taken aback by the direct question but Eira spoke up.

  “Neither of us has parents to arrange a brullaup for us,” she said. “And Halvar is in the same position.”

  “Will you wed with Halvar?” asked Sigrid.

  Eira smiled at their curiosity. “I hope so,” she said. “But the ceremonies that come before a wedding take a long time, sometimes even two years. A lot can happen in two years.”

  “You could have a Christian wedding,” suggested Frida. “They are simple and can happen in a short time.”

  “Perhaps. I hadn’t thought about that,” Eira replied, then changed the subject. “Why are the two of you not wed yet?”

  “Our people marry later than yours. Our parents want us to be mature when we take on a home of our own,” Sigrid said. “Besides, we haven’t met any young men who are suitable.”

  “You mean … you have to find your own husband?” Kaarina was incredulous.

  “Our parents guide us but they leave the final choice up to us. They would never force us to marry someone we don’t love for the sake of family alliances or wealth. Our people value our freedom to choose for ourselves,” Frida replied.

  “Where would you find a suitable husband? I haven’t seen any growing on the bushes around here,” Eira said.

  The girls all laughed.

  “Our parents prefer us to marry someone who shares our beliefs. So, it’s not always easy for us to find the right husband. Sometimes we must visit another village or attend the eindingida each year.”

  Frida sighed with pleasure. “Last year at the eindingida, I met a handsome young man. He comes from a village far away from here and we didn’t get to talk until it was almost time to leave. I hope I see him again.”

  Eira and Kaarina looked at each other in disbelief. Whoever heard of young women choosing their own husbands? It was beyond comprehension. These sabbatati Christians surely had some strange practices!

  “Which young man was unlucky enough to catch your eye?” teased Landwulf, walking through the door.

  Frida squealed. “You nasty beast! You were eavesdropping!”

  “No, I wasn’t,” he said innocently but he couldn’t keep the smirk off his face.

  Frida rolled her eyes. “Brothers!” she exclaimed. “You could at least be polite when we have guests!”

  Landwulf looked at Kaarina and a blush spread across his face. He rubbed his short, fair beard with a large, work-roughened hand. His blue eyes met hers then quickly dropped away. “I apologize,” he murmured, then brightened. “My sister is so much fun to tease,” he said. “She always reacts.”

  Eira burst out laughing. “You will forever be in trouble, Landwulf,” she said. “It follows you around like a pet dog.”

  Frida and Sigrid laughed too.

  “You will never find a wife who would put up with you,” Sigrid said.

  Landwulf threw his hands up in the air. “I cannot argue with so many girls,” he said. “Four is too many!” He turned and left the room but they could hear him whistling as he went outside.

  Kaarina thought he was the most handsome and interesting young man she’d ever seen.

  “Kaarina!” Emiline called.

  “I’m here with the twins,” Kaarina called back. They had been playing a game of stacking little wooden blocks on top of one another.

  “I’m finished now,” Emiline said, wiping her hands as she entered the room. She’d been making cheese. “The storm has passed now and that means that there will be kelp washed up on the beach. Can you take a basket and get as much as you can while it is light?”

  “As you wish,” Kaarina replied, but inside, she was afraid of the water. It seemed to have a life of its own as the waves rushed onto the sand. How did they know where to stop? Was there a risk that they would rise up and carry her away?

  But Emiline had asked and so she would go; she would do her best to stay away from the water’s edge.

  She walked purposefully down to the shore, bundled up tightly against the cold. It felt strange to walk on the snowy sand; nothing like the feeling of solid ground. She walked gingerly, feeling as if it would collapse under her weight. Her eyes darted here and there as she searched for kelp; Emiline had said it was brown and shiny.

  It wasn’t long before she spotted what she thought was kelp. There was just one problem: it was right near the water’s edge. Fear clutched at her heart as she realized that she would have to go close to the water to get it. The waves gobbled up the beach before retreating and she pictured them sucking her out to sea, where she would certainly drown or get eaten by a sea monster. She stood frozen to the spot, unable to move.

  “Hello, Kaarina,” said a voice behind her.

  She screamed and dropped the basket she was holding.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Is everything all right?” said the voice.

  She turned around to find Landwulf standing behind her, concern written on his handsome face.

  “Landwulf! You scared me!” she exclaimed.

  “I’m sorry,” he said again. “Can I help you?”

  She saw the basket he was carrying; it was a lot like hers.

  “Are you collecting kelp?” she asked.

  “Yes. It’s something we often do after a storm.”

  “What does kelp look like?” she asked. “Is that it over there?” She pointed at the brown object near the water’s edge.

  Realization dawned on his face. “Of course, you haven’t lived by the sea before. Yes, that’s kelp. Did Emiline send you out to get some?”

  “Yes. But I haven’t collected it before. And it’s awfully close to the water.” Despite her best efforts to appear calm and in control, her voice wobbled a little as she thought about going near the water’s edge. She didn’t want Landwulf to see her fear and tease her about it as he did to his sisters.

  But Landwulf seemed to sense her discomfort. “Do you fear the water?” he asked quietly.

  She nodded, unable to voice the awful secret. Surely no one else was afraid of the water the way she was. Landwulf seemed to have no fear.

  “Come with me,” he said, holding out his gloved hand. “I’ll show you how to beat the waves.”

  His hand was big and strong around hers and she felt safe with him. Surely he wouldn’t put himself in danger by taking her too close to the water! She relaxed a little and allowed him to lead her close to the water’s edge. The waves looked even bigger from where they stood and she tried not to watch in horror as a huge one approached, its monstrous grey-green depths topped by foaming white.

  Landwulf noticed her shaking. “It’s all right,” he soothed. “The waves are just bigger than usual because of the storm we had last night.” He led her even closer.

  The wave broke onto the shore, racing up the sand, its foamy edge aiming for their feet. She smothered a scream and tried to run but Landwulf held her hand firmly in his. At the last moment, they took one step backwards and the wave stopped before it reached them. Kaarina felt as if her lungs would burst from pent-up terror.

  “See?” Landwulf said. “We watch to see how close the wave is coming and then we step out of its way.”

  “But what if it doesn’t stop?’ Kaarina asked fearfully.

  “They always do,�
� Landwulf said, confidence in his voice. “No one from our village has ever been lost at sea because we know how to work with the water. When it’s stormy, the fishermen stay at home. We stay away from the big waves that come with the storms. And our God protects us.”

  Kaarina thought about Aegir, the god of the sea. She was quite certain that he wouldn’t step in to save mortals from their own foolishness if they ventured into his realm. The Christians’ God must be a special one.

  “Shall we fill our baskets together?” Landwulf asked.

  His words jerked her back to reality. She was still holding his hand, mesmerized by the terrifying raw power of the waves. She looked up at him.

  “Yes, I would like that,” she said.

  He smiled at her, dislodging tiny ice crystals that had gathered in his beard. “Good. I can show you the best spots to find it.”

  They set off along the shore, walking just below the line where the snow stopped but well out of reach of the waves. The storm had been generous; there was plenty of kelp.

  “What do you use it for?” Kaarina asked.

  “I’m collecting it to use in the gartlih when the weather warms up. Mother asked me to get her some.”

  “Oh. Is it like fertilizer?”

  “Yes. It’s good for the vegetables. But I’m guessing that Emiline will be using what you’re collecting in her cooking.”

  “You mean … people eat this stuff?” Kaarina was horrified.

  Landwulf laughed. “It’s not that bad,” he said. “It adds flavor to the food and helps us to stay healthy during the winter months when the vegetable gardens are asleep.”

  Kaarina shuddered. “I can’t imagine putting that in my mouth,” she said.

  Landwulf grinned at her. “You won’t recognize it when it’s in the food,” he said, piling one last kelp plant into his basket. It slithered to the side and almost fell out because the basket was too full. “I guess that means we need to go back,” he said.

  Despite the intense cold, Kaarina was sorry to turn around and head back to the village. She’d enjoyed Landwulf’s company and he had been kind to her, helping her to overcome her fear of the ocean. The waves still pounded mercilessly onto the shore but she was no longer terrified every time one came rushing towards her. She looked around. On one side of the village, the mountains rose into thick fog, snow blanketing their lower slopes. On the other side of the village was the turbulent ocean tossing and heaving, grey and unfriendly. She looked up at Landwulf.

  “Thank you,” she said, smiling beneath the cloth that covered the lower half of her face.

  “Think nothing of it,” he said, smiling back.

  “I am grateful for your help,” she insisted. “I have never been on the seashore before. I did not know what to expect.”

  “In that case, I am glad I came along. It was a privilege to show you the ocean for the first time.” He put his hand inside his coat. “I found this for you,” he said, holding out a small object in the palm of his hand.

  “What is it?” Kaarina asked, looking closely at the delicate fan-shaped object with intricate brown stripes.

  “It’s a cockle shell. It’s for you to keep so that you remember your first visit to the seashore.”

  “Oh, Landwulf, thank you!” she exclaimed, taking it from his hand. “It’s pretty! I shall treasure it.”

  Later, as she lay snuggled up in her warm bed, she smiled as she thought about meeting Landwulf by the seashore. She drifted off to sleep dreaming of seeing his face smiling at her, his blue eyes alight with life and laughter. It would be easy to fall in love with someone like that.

  CHAPTER 3

  H alvar stood inside Alfonso’s blacksmith’s barn, watching in fascination as Alfonso expertly fashioned a nail out of heated metal. He’d never made nails before; his village produced wheat, wool and cloth. He’d always bought whatever metal products they needed at the markets.

  But now, watching Alfonso, he was certain that he could make nails, too.

  “Try it!” Alfonso told him.

  A few minutes later, under Alfonso’s patient guidance, he’d produced his very first nail. The head was a little lopsided but it was definitely a nail.

  “You will get better with practice,” Alfonso told him.

  “You mean you will let me do more?” he asked.

  “Of course. Whatever you make, we can sell at the markets. It’s only fair that you get your share of the profits, too.”

  “Thank you,” Halvar said, then changed the subject. “Alfonso, I want to marry Eira. As you know, we left my village because she and Kaarina needed to live somewhere safer. But it has always been my intention to marry her.”

  “That is good news,” said Alfonso. “She is a lovely young woman and you are lucky to have her. She seems to have a great knack for reading people’s minds, though,” he added, perplexed.

  Halvar laughed. “It got her into trouble in her village,” he said. “That is one of the reasons it is not safe for her to be there.”

  He made no mention of the accusations of witchcraft that had followed Eira wherever she went. It wouldn’t do to jeopardize her safety here. He shuddered as he thought of what might happen to her if word got out in the surrounding areas. The sabbatati Christians probably wouldn’t believe it, but they might not be able to protect her.

  “So, we have a wedding to look forward to,” Alfonso said.

  “It is not that simple for us,” Halvar replied. “We have no parents to arrange it for us and the ceremonies that precede the wedding can take a long time. As much as we wish to begin our married life with the blessings of the gods, I am not sure we want to wait that long.”

  Alfonso stroked his greying beard. “I can see that you have a problem,” he said. “Would you consider a Christian wedding? They can be arranged quickly and simply.”

  “Would your pfaffo consider marrying us?” Halvar asked.

  “Normally, he would only marry those of our own faith but since we know you both, I will ask him.”

  “Thank you, Alfonso,” Halvar said.

  He pictured going to the little meeting-house in the middle of the village with Eira and coming out as husband and wife. That was how it worked, wasn’t it? He’d never been to a Christian wedding and hadn’t even been inside the meeting house. The next time the Christians held their seventh-day stefna there, he would go along and look inside.

  “Halvar! Halvar!”

  Halvar looked up to see Ahren hurrying towards him as he cleaned out the barn. Soon the cattle would be able to graze on the pastures again and he was looking forward to that.

  “What’s wrong, my friend? Why the hurry?” he called out as Ahren got closer.

  Ahren slowed his pace, picking his way along the muddy path to the barn. Spring was approaching and the ground alternated between frozen and muddy. Too much haste was an invitation to fall into the mud.

  “There are young men here to see you,” gasped Ahren. “They say they are from your village. Their business is urgent.”

  Halvar felt fear clutching at his heart. He had left Canute in charge of village matters until his return in the spring. Winter was usually a quiet time in the village. The villagers used the time to catch up on mending, maintenance and other chores. They also made various crafts and homewares to sell at the spring markets. What could possibly have gone wrong? He hurried with Ahren to meet the young men.

  “Greetings, Halvar,” Torsten said, dismounting to stand beside his horse.

  “Greetings, Torsten,” Halvar replied. “What brings you here now? Surely you must have risked your lives to cross the mountains at this time of the year.”

  “Indeed, it was a difficult and perilous journey,” Torsten replied gravely.

  “Come, you must be weary after your long journey,” Ahren said. “Come to my house and rest your horses in my barn. Then you may tell us of the reason for your visit.”

  “Thank you, kind sir,” Torsten said. “We will be glad to accept your offer of lo
dging.”

  A little later, Halvar found himself seated around the fireplace in Ahren’s house with several of the young men. The others had opted to stay in the barn and care for the horses.

  “Tell me, what was so important that you came to see me?” asked Halvar. “You know I told you I would return in the spring.”

  “We have news that has terrified the entire village,” Torsten replied. “Do you remember the metal peddler, Bjarke?”

  “Yes, he is a fine fellow. He always treated me fairly and I’m sorry I wasn’t there to do business with him. But why was he there so early in the season? Surely, it must have been difficult to get his cart through the snow.”

  “He was on horseback. He was travelling through to his village to begin his work for the season from there. He spent the winter with kin instead of at his own village.”

  “Very well. But what does that have to do with the reason for your visit?”

  “Bjarke stopped at Kallekot Dalr for a few days to rest his horse and restock his provisions for the journey. As you well know, travelling at this time of the year is difficult.”

  “Yes. Go on.” Halvar was anxious to get the story out of Torsten.

  “While he was at Kallekot Dalr, he realized that Taft was gathering forces together for an attack. Bjarke is very cunning. He listened carefully, talked to people without them realizing what he was up to and eventually got the truth about what Taft is planning. He intends to attack our village as soon as the roads become passable in spring!”

  Halvar sucked in his breath. No wonder the people of his village were afraid! Taft with a large force of warriors was a daunting thought. He’d been consumed with rage when Halvar had defeated him during a fight that had arisen between them. He’d left the village soon after. Halvar regretted not taking Taft’s thirst for revenge more seriously.

  “What of Canute?” he asked.

  “He is preparing our men for battle. But he doesn’t have the battle experience that you do and we are all afraid that Taft will wipe out our village. He’s angry with you and also because Kaarina ran away.”