Gray whitecaps blew in, beneath a pale, whistling sky. When they withdrew, the rattle of pebbles sounded like a huge quem. Gulls flew about, mewing. On the sands were strewn brown tan-gles of kelp, that smelt of the deeps and had small bladders which popped when trodden on. Beyond those dunes and harsh grass was a moor, with wide heathery reaches and a bauta stone raised by folk long forgotten.
The merman’s children waded ashore to greet their guests. They were unclad save for their weapons, talisman, and what remained of their aureate arm rings. Tauno’s wet hair hung green-ish-gold, Eyjan’s bronze-red with the same faint seaweed under-tint.
Ingeborg and Niels sped into their embrace. “Mercy of God, it’s been long,” the young man quavered, while the woman could merely cling tight and cry.
When a measure of calm had returned, Tauno stepped off a pace, holding Ingeborg by the upper arms, and looked her over with care. “I see you’ve done well,” he said. “Not just good clothing and the marks of hardship gone. You have a kind of peace within you, am I right?”
“Now that you are here,” she answered unevenly. He shook his head. “No, I mean that hugging you, I feel you no more being always ready for the world to smite you. Have you prospered, then?”
She nodded. “Thanks to Niels.”
“Hm,” Tauno said. “I’ve an idea Niels has much to thank you
for.”
Ingeborg had been studying him more closely still than he her. “It’s been worse for you, hasn’t it?” she murmured. “You’re haggard. . . and I felt you shiver. Have you failed in your quest?”
“We have not finished it. But here is a resting place.” Again he gathered her in. “I’ve missed you, I have.”
She gripped him so the blood went out of her nails.
Meanwhile they had not quite ignored what passed between
Eyjan and Niels. The merman’s daughter had kissed fondly enough, but thereafter asked: “How fares it with Yria?”
“Margrete,” Niels replied, wincing. “She is none but Margrete any more.” He searched for words. “We got her share safely to her. Not easy; the hangman’s shadow layover us after the Junkers sniffed gold, until we found us a haven. We did, though, and this day she dwells in a house that’ll see to her well-being. But-She is not ungrateful to you. . . but more pious than most. Do you understand? She’s happy, but best you not seek her yourselves.”
Eyjan sighed. “We expected naught else. That pain is leached out of us. We’ve done what we can for Yria; henceforward let her in truth be Margrete.”
She considered him, where he stood in the bleak air with his locks fluttering, before she inquired further: “What’s your place in the woorld these days? What plans for the morrow do you nour-ish?”
“I’m doing well,” he told her. “If your own search is not ended-if I can help you in that, or aught else-you need but tell me.” His voice cracked: “Even if it means bidding you farewell forever.”
She smiled and kissed him afresh. “Let’s not speak thus as
yet,” she said. “While we waited for you, with scant else to
do—“
Ingeborg saw what happened on Tauno’s face. She kissed him in her turn; he seized her to him; her hand wandered, and suddenly he laughed.
“-we built a hut on the far side of yonder headland, for your coming,” Eyjan said. “It can soon be warm and firelit. Wher-ever we may go afterward, glad memories make light freight.”
She and her brother walked behind as the four left the strand, that their bodies might shield the humans from the wind that streaked in off the sea.
V
ALTHROUGH much remained for him to learn, Niels was fast be- coming worldly-wise. He was in partnership with an older man who supplied experience to match the money Niels could put into the shipping trade. When that merchant wew sufficiently aged to wish retirement, several years hence, and the younger took over entirely, their company should be as well off as any outside the Hansa, and able to hold its own in rivalry with the League. Mean- while the business gave them connections to many kinds of people, as did also its curious alliance with the bishop of Roskilde. More- over, Niels had found positions for his brothers and sisters, places chosen so that each might win contentment, prosperity, and the favor of powerful men. (His mother he simply gave a life of ease, which she was soon devoting to gardening and good works.
Thus, what Niels did not know, he could find out; what he could not do himself, he could get done for him.
Of course, this was not always possible overnight, especially when the strange reason for an endeavor must be kept secret. His plan was that Tauno and Eyjan take ship for Dalmatia, with letters from Church and Crown to ease their way after they arrived. That required creating identities which would make plausible their hir-ing of a vessel. He must feel his way forward with utmost care, lest suspicion rouse in someone. This required weeks, and his presence in Copenhagen-theirs too, for consultation at need and for practice at behaving like proper mortals.
Besides, neither he nor Inge.bo~g could have borne their ab-sence, now when they were agaIn In Denmark.
“Ah, ah, ah,” the woman breathed. “That was wonderful. You are always wonderful.”
Warm, wet, musky, tousled, she brought herself as tightly
she was able against the merman’s son, He embraced her with one
arm, laid a thigh across hers, and toyed with what he could reach
of her, A taper cast soft glow and monster shadows around the
bedchamber,
“Love me more, as soon as you can,” she whispered,
“Will you not grow sore?” Tauno replied, for he had the
strength of his father in his loins,
Ingeborg’s chuckle held more wistfulness than mirth, “That’s
not the kind of soreness which hurts me,” Abruptly she caught
her breath and he felt her jerk in his grasp,
“What’s the matter?” he exclaimed,
She buried her contenance between his neck and shoulder, Her
fingers dug into his flesh, “Your being gone, that hurts,” The tone
shivered, “It’s never less than an ache throughout me; often it’s
like a knife twisting around, Give me everything of you, beloved,
while yet you may, Help me forget, this night, that soon you’ll
leave, Afterward there’ll be time for remembering,”
Tauno frowned, “I thought you and Niels were happy to-
gether,”
Ingeborg raised her eyes, Candlelight trembled on the tears in them, “Oh, we’re fond of each other, He’s kind, mild, gener-ous , . ,and, yes, he has a gift for making love”, but noth-ing like you, nothing! Nor is he you, in your beauty and brilliance.
The difference is like-like the difference between lying in a
summer meadow watching clouds pass by overhead-and being
a-wing in the wind that drives them, the sun that makes them
shine, I cannot understand how your mother could forsake your
father,”
Tauno bit his lip, “Glad she was at first to go undersea with
him, but as the years wore on, she came to know in her marrow
that she was not of Faerie, Never has such a union failed to wreak
harm, on one or on both, I fear I’ve already done you ill,”
“No!” She scrambled back, sat up, and gaped at him, appalled,
“Darling, no!” Mastering herself: “Only look about you, See me
here in a fine house, well fed, well clad, no longer a piece of
sleazy merchandise; and this is your doing at root, yours, Tauno,”
“Hardly mine alone,” He remained stretched out, his gaze on the ceiling, “Besides, you spoke of hopeless hankering-which may, I suppose, imperil your soul-Aye, best I not linger here, much though I’ll miss you in my turn,” “You will?” she cried, and bent over him. Her hair tumbled down to give its own caress. “I’ve not been bad
for you, then?”
“No, Ingeborg,” he said most gently, and looked straight at her. “You’ve bestowed more on me than you will ever know. Therefore I should leave, before I give you a wound that eternity cannot heal.”
“But we have tonight!”
“And tomorrow, yes, and morrows beyond.” He drew her to
him.
Niels came home from church grim of appearance. Eyjan, attired like a lady, met him at the door, saw, and quietly led him to a side room where they could talk unheard. “What’s wrong?” she murmured.
“Today Father Ebbe, my priest, asked me why my house guests are never at Mass,” he told her.
“Oh, has he heard about us?”
“How could he not? Servants and neighbors do gossip.” Niels
scowled, hooked thumbs in belt, stared at the floor. “I, I ex-plained. . . you’ve secret affairs in train which’d suffer were you recognized. . . and accordingly you go to a chapel elsewhere. He said no more, but his mien became graver than is his wont. No doubt he’s aware I sleep with you, and Ingeborg with Tauno-and in Lent, in Lent-though we’ve neither of us confessed it to him. Yet before Easter, we must confess, that we may then take Communion.”
“Will that be dangerous? The two of you are openly unwed.” He glanced up, with a crooked smile. “Such is naught uncom-mon. He sets us a few Aves for it, since he takes into account the good works we do with our money. But if we tell him we’re again bedmates of you... you halflings... and not because it hap-pened thus when we’d small choice about companions, and were in a worthy cause-but of our unforced will-I fear he’d command us to expel you at once. If we refused. . . aside from our souls, even our safety on earth, excommunication would ruin our chance of helping you.”
“Why, there’s an easy answer,” said Eyjan blithely. “Admit the swiving, but not our nature. Also, Tauno said I can come along to his services-I doubt the images would turn from us-if you’ll tell us what to do there.”
He shrank from her. “No!” he choked in horror. “You know not what you say!”
She shook her red head impatiently. “Belike not. Little about
your Christendom makes any sense to’ me.” Plucking at her gown,
she muttered a curse. “Could I but shed this stinking thing and
bathe me in the waves—“
“My guilt is deep enough already.” Niels’ voice shuddered.
“To take the Sacrament with an unconfessed sin upon oneself-
when Satan sees me thus, his fifes lick their chops for me.” Trouble came to Eyjan. She stepped forward and captured his hands in hers. “We can’t let that happen to you, Tauno and I.
We’ll make our own way south-start at this very dawn-“
“No.” His words stumbled in their haste. “Forsake you two dearest friends that I have? Never. Stay.”
As if her presence had inspired him, he went on in sudden half-happiness: “See here. I can arrange that we be shriven just before Easter, and you depart just after. Then I don’t think Father Ebbe will make the penance too harsh. He likes to preach about what a man owes his shipmates.”
She groped for comprehension. “Suppose you die before you carry out that rite—or suppose he wants you to renounce us for-ever, and you don’t really intend to-are you not damned?”
He took a foursquare stance. “Maybe, maybe not. I’ll risk it. And I’ll try to repent later, but never will I regret having kissed you.” His look went over her tall fullness as an exile returned might walk step by step over his home-acre. “Instead I’ll yearn for you, waking and dreaming, in every heartbeat left me; and I;
I’ll pray for death and burial at sea, Eyjan; your sea,”
“You mourn too soon.” She laid arms around his neck. “Don’t.
We’ve many kisses to give yet, Niels.”
Presently she said, laughing, “Well, dinner’s not for a while, and here is a couch. Yes, let’s grab what comes our way, before the ebb tide bears it out of reach.”
“Good news,” the young man informed Tauno. “At last we’ve Christian names for you twain.”
“But you’ve given us those,” his comrade responded, surprised.
They had ridden from Copenhagen to be alone and because it
was a sweet spring day. The common which they were crossing was vivid with new grass; in the distance, leaves made a green mist across the top of a woodlot. Against overarching blue, storks were returning, harbingers of summer, bearers of luck. The breeze was fresh, loud, full of damp odors. Hoofs thudded on drenched soil with almost unbearable softness.
Niels ran fingers through his hair. “You’ll recall those names were the best we could think of on short notice,” he said. “I’ve given out that they’re false, used by you because you’re on con-fidential business. Now we’re ready to come out into the open”-lie grinned-“for a proper disguise is on hand. Best you and I talk rlrst, since you must needs play the man’s part.”
Tauno’s mount shied. He brought the beast under control, but Niels chided him for using the bridle too heavily. “Horsemanship is another art you’d better learn if you’d pass yourself off,” the human warned.
“Say on,” the other grunted.
“Aye. What took this long was, mainly, searching out what’d
be possible for you. We want no hazard of somebody who meets you protesting that he knows your district well and has never heard of any such person. Certain documents were advisable too, but easier to arrange for; my amanuensis is a cunning rascal.
“Well, you shall be Herr Carolus Brede, a squire from a far corner of Scania-that’s the Danish territory across the Sound, did you know? Some of it’s thickly wooded and little traveled. Though you’re not rich, you’re well-born. A forefather of yours was a nobleman attending Queen Dagmar of beloved memory, when she came from Bohemia to wed Kind Valdemar the Vic-torious a hundred years ago. You’ve learned about ties of kinship reaching still further south, into Croatia, and decided to see if this is true and if aught can be made of it. You’ve been secretive lest agents of the Hansa grow alarmed at the chance of trade agreements outflanking them, overland through the Empire, and maybe even try to murder you. Though that chance is not great, as every sensible man will realize, still, it’s enough for my company to take the gamble of providing you a ship and crew. Besides, I trust they can dicker for whatever cargo they bring. My plea in turn ought to get you royal and episcopal letters of recommendation, if only because the Danish lords will be curious to know more bout the Croatian.”
Tauno crowed and shook his head. “Bones of my mother, but you’ve changed,” he exclaimed. “I can’t hear at all, in those elegant words, the plain crewman of H erning. In fact, the torrent of them carries me off.”
Niels frowned, “You’ll have to learn how to swim in them,
and many more of the same kind, Else you’ll betray yourself,
likely to your death-yourself and, and, Eyjan,”
Skin stood taut on the knuckles above the reins, “Yes, what of her? How’ll she fare?”
“She’ll be Lady Sigrid, your widowed sister, traveling along with the avowed pulpOse of making a pilgrimage and the unavowed one of making a better match than she could in Denmark.”
Tauno gave him a hard stare. “My sister? Why not my wife?”
Niels gave it back. Invisible sparks flew, “Do you truly want
that, you two?”
The Liri prince whipped his horse into a gallop.
Rain sluiced from heaven, brawled across roofs, made rivers
of city streets. Lightning flared, thunder went on huge wheels,
wind whooped,
A tile stove heated the main room of Niels Jonsen’s house; candles threw light on wainscot, hangings, carven furniture. In-geborg had dismissed servants and had closed doors, that she might continue Eyjan’s lessons in womanly deportment.
“I’m no proper dame myself, of course, but I’ve watched their
kind, I’ve studied how to imitate
them, and you walk too proudly,”
“Ha’ done’” yelled the merman’s daughter. “You’ve gorged me with your nonsense,” She paused, quieted, offered a smile, “Forgive me. You’re doing what you can for us, I know, But it’s so hot and close in here, this wool clings and itches and stifles my skin, I can’t endure more.”
Ingeborg watched her for a while that was silent except for the storm battering at shutters. “You must endure,” she said finally, “It’s the lot of women, and you’re to be a woman while your journey lasts, Never forget that, or you could betray Tauno to his death.”
“Well, but can we stop for today?”
“Aye, perhaps best we do.”
“Let me draw a gasp or two ere we meet your world again,”
said Eyjan. In motions which had become deft, she peeled the raiment off her and cast it violently down. Naked, she went to a sideboard and filled herself a goblet of mead. “Would you like some?”
Ingeborg hesitated before she said, “Yes, thank you. But be-ware of getting drunk. That’s for whores and slatterns-and men.” “Is everything for men in your Christendom?”
“No, not really.” Ingeborg took the drink handed her and found a chair. “We learn how to worm a great deal out of them.”
“Undersea, nobody had to play worm.” Eyjan well-nigh flung a seat into position opposite her hostess, and herself into it.
“But we on land bear the curse of Eve. How often I’ve heard told me the word of God-‘ in sorrow thou shalt bring forth chil-dren; and thy desire shall be to thy husband. and he shall rule over thee’-“ Ingeborg clutched her chair arms. She would never bring forth children.
Eyjan saw and tried awkwardly to give comfort. “You’ve be-come better off than most, haven’t you? Niels is pleasant to live with, and I’ve seen how he wants your counsel on different things; you’re no mere pet of his.”
“True. Yet I’m his kept woman, whom no respectable house-wife will have to do with if she can help it. Nor, of course, any respectable man. They greet me politely enough, those merchants and nobles and sea captains, but a greeting is where it stops. What they talk to Niels about, I mayor may not hear from him afterward. And he’s busy, must be much away from home. I can’t bring down his standing by growing friendly with any of our servants. Oh, less lonely was that shack on the strand.” Ingeborg uttered a laugh. “I don’t suppose it’s in you to pray thanks for what you have, Eyjan, but be glad of it.”
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