Rule of the Shieldmaiden

by Jaime Loughran

  Food was set out before each of them at the table, bringing an end to their conversation. Thora tore into a hunk of bread, dunked it in the juices the mutton swam in, and took a hearty bite. As the meat juice soaked bread melted in her mouth, she closed her eyes. By the Gods, Skathi was a fantastic cook and she outdid herself.

  She glanced around when she realized not a single person spoke in the entire hall. Every person there was too busy shoveling food into their mouths to talk. Skathi stood at the doorway, watching everyone enjoy the food she prepared. Thora held up her bread and nodded. Skathi put a hand to her chest and made a slight bow of thanks.

  After the meal, Thora, Galinn, and the other jarls sat at the dais long after the rest of the hall cleared out.

  “Have you had enough time to consider the plan for attacking Kincora we spoke of earlier?” Thora needed to get to the point of the visit before the men got too deep in the tankards of mead they knocked back as if they hadn’t had a drink in years.

  Hagen nodded. “I like the plan.”

  Njal and Harold nodded in agreement.

  “All that remains is to set the date and where to meet once we get to Kincora.” Njal drained his tankard and held it out to the waiting server to refill.

  Galinn cleared his throat. “There’s a clearing south of Kincora about halfway between the town and Limerick. It’s far enough off the road that no one should see us there, as long as no one sees us leaving the road to go in that direction. It’s near the river, so we’ll have water and can camp there until everyone arrives.”

  “I know the place you speak of. It’s near one of my favorite hunting spots. The road is well traveled, so it may be difficult to leave the road to head to the clearing without arousing suspicion of other travelers.”

  “We’ll have to do our best to travel in small groups and to leave the road whenever we find the opportunity to do so without anyone seeing us, even if it means some of us will have to walk a longer stretch through the forest.” Thora shrugged. “Anything less would draw unwanted attention.”

  Galinn nodded his agreement.

  “Will fires be visible?” Hagen scratched his chin.

  “It’s possible, so best to prepare the men to go without.” Galinn sipped his mead.

  Hagen nodded.

  “Would meeting there November 10th work for everyone?” Thora looked to each jarl. They looked to each other to make sure they were in agreement before committing.

  “That should be fine. It gives me plenty of time to make the journey with my men, being that my town is the farthest from Kincora.” Hagen nodded his head.

  “Good! Drink up, fellows. I’m going to go fill in Bjorn and Beri, and get them working on the preparations.” Thora held up her tankard to toast the agreement and after a quick sip, left the men to dive further into their cups.

  CHAPTER 27

  November 6, 1024

  “Where’s Thora? I need to see her now!” Turlough’s voice filtered along the path between longhouses where Thora stood talking with Skathi. The urgency in his voice propelled her into motion. She turned and ran to where he parked the wagon he drove.

  “Thora! There you are! I need to talk to you.” He jumped from the wagon and rushed to close the distance between them. His green eyes were wide and his face pale.

  “Turlough, what is it? Are you alright?” Thora’s stomach knotted as a sense of dread washed over her.

  “I’m fine, but I fear you won’t be.” He lowered his voice as he took her arm and led her toward the stronghold. His eyes darted around, as if he were suspicious of anyone nearby. His demeanor set off warning bells in Thora’s head.

  Thora kept pace with Turlough’s long strides and when they were inside the great hall of the stronghold, she turned to him. “What’s going on?”

  His lips drew into a small line as he scanned the hall. “You’ve been betrayed.”

  Thora’s mouth fell open. “I… what?” Turlough didn’t say what she thought she heard. It was impossible.

  He grabbed her shoulders and gave her a slight shake. “Donnchadh knows you’re planning on attacking him.”

  As the implications of what he said hit her, making her feel as if she were a small boat tossed around by a strong wave, she fell into the nearest seat. “How?” It was the only word she could manage through the myriad of chaotic thoughts chasing themselves around her mind.

  Turlough shook his head. “I’m not certain of all the details. I only know Donnchadh was visited by a Jarl Hagen. After he left, I overheard Donnchadh talking with the bishop about the attack. I didn’t hear details, so I don’t know how much of your plan has been compromised.”

  Thora cradled her face in her hands as everything she planned came crashing down around her. “The details don’t matter. He knows we’re coming, and that’s enough to ruin the attack. Our whole plan rested on catching him unaware.” Thora stared at her hands folded in her lap, not knowing what else to do. “Hagen, you say?”

  Turlough nodded and Thora’s heart sank. She hadn’t expected treachery from any of the jarls to begin with, and this was an unexpected blow. Though he was a jerk when they first met, once he dropped the act, he came across as quiet. Thora came to recognize him as a man more inclined to listen than to speak. He observed everything, casually taking it all in. He was close in age to Galinn, and the two of them seemed to get along exceptionally well. As the youngest of the three jarls she had approached, she had hoped to get to know Hagen better and form an alliance with him that could span the years of both their rules. The thing she didn’t like about him—his overt displays of wealth—was something she thought worked in her favor, as the attack offered him the possibility of looting the high king and increasing his riches.

  Now, not only was the hope for the future alliance dashed, their entire plan was compromised. With only four days left before their armies were to meet at Kincora, Thora had to figure out the quickest way to notify Njal and Harold before they reached Kincora. Only, it was already too late to reach Njal, because he and his men would already be on their way. The best she could do was to send a rider to meet them, and hope Donnchadh hasn’t sent his army to the meeting place to wait for their arrival, or catch them unaware along the road. With Harold being so close to Kincora, she also had to worry the king would send his army to attack Limerick.

  Galinn and Beri burst in and appeared at Thora’s side in a flash.

  “What’s happened? Skathi said there was trouble.” Galinn looked from Thora to Turlough, and back again.

  “Hagen betrayed us to Donnchadh.” Thora’s stomach heaved as she said the words. Though she didn’t vomit, her stomach was churning.

  Galinn snapped his eyes to Turlough, who nodded. “You heard this with your own ears? It wasn’t something that came from someone else who may have motive to stop us?”

  “Hagen was at Kincora. I saw him with my own eyes. Later, I heard Bishop Travers and Donnchadh talking about it. Any chance for a surprise attack is out of the question now.” Turlough pounded his fist into his palm. “You would all die.”

  Galinn rubbed his chin and paced.

  Beri cleared his throat. “In this conversation, did you hear the date of the attack mentioned?”

  Thora tried to stamp out the spark of hope threatening to ignite in her chest. If they weren’t aware of the date, they might still stand a chance. They may have to postpone their plan until the king gives up on waiting, but it could still work.

  Turlough shook his head. “No, but why would the jarl give away the attack without giving away the date as well?”

  Beri shook his head. “You’re right. It wouldn’t make sense to hold that piece of information back.”

  “Did you hear any counter measures they were planning?” Galinn stopped pacing and dropped his hand to his side.

  Turlough eyed Galinn thoughtfully, and then shook his head. “No, nothing.”

  “So, you overheard the king telling the bishop about the attack, but since then, they’ve
taken no measure to increase security?” Thora stood as her hopes broke free of the restraint she held them back with.

  Turlough rubbed his face. “They didn't say a word about it. I left to come here the day after Hagen left, and there had been no changes to the guard or anything.”

  “We may not have to change our tactic then.” Galinn pounded the table in front of Thora, the sudden noise making her jump. “Donnchadh is an arrogant bastard, and no doubt he believes we don’t pose much of a threat, even allied with other jarls. He may not do anything different than he normally would. The only difference is he’d be expecting us.”

  Thora started to pace and then stopped, her heart slammed against her ribcage. “You want us to go ahead with the attack as it is? Without any changes? You can’t be serious!”

  Galinn’s lips curved downward. “Why not?”

  Thora pushed her braids over her shoulder. Though not all may be lost, going ahead with the existing plan didn’t feel right. “He told Travers of the attack. If he stays behind with his men, there would be too many there to fight. That potential change could cost many of us our lives because our plan relies on Travers and his men leaving for Dublin. I’ll not take that risk.”

  “Travers won’t be there. He has too much to gain by going to Dublin. He’s not going to miss out on his most lucrative time of year because of us.” Galinn flattened his palms on the table and leaned forward. “He’s too greedy.”

  She mulled over his words, wondering if there was any possibility of him being correct. She didn’t know them the way Galinn did, so she had to trust his judgment. And she did. Another problem popped into her mind. “Even if they don’t change anything, we’re still down the men Hagen promised us.”

  Galinn waved his hand dismissively. “It’s a loss, but it’s not a huge loss. We can still win with Njal and Harold’s men.”

  Thora looked to Beri. “Do you agree?”

  Beri nodded. “Galinn knows the king and bishop, and he led the army we’re going to fight. If he says we can still win without Hagen’s men or the element of surprise, I have no reason to doubt him.”

  Beri’s certainty reinforced the trust Thora was willing to place in Galinn’s assessment of the situation. “So, we go ahead with our plan to meet outside Kincora. Is everyone making the necessary preparations to leave tomorrow?”

  Galinn and Beri both nodded.

  “What would you have me do? I want to help.” Turlough’s lips pulled into a tight smile. “I don’t want to bring you bad news without taking the sting out of it somehow.” He looked to Thora and then Beri and Galinn.

  “Galinn told me the details of what happened to your father, and I’m sorry. I understand why you want to be involved, but I really wanted to leave you out of this fight. To keep you safe.” Thora reached up and placed a hand on his broad shoulder. Though only five months had passed since she’d first met him, he’d grown from a lanky fifteen year old into a more filled out version of himself. Now sixteen, Turlough was every bit the size of Galinn, and no doubt a capable fighter.

  “Safe from what?” His brow furrowed.

  “From Donnchadh if we lose. I know you well enough to know you will work from the inside to avenge your father, and if you do anything to help us anymore than you have already, and if he finds out, you risk tipping Donnchadh off to your intentions.” Thora hated that she sounded patronizing, but the bigger picture demanded Turlough kept his intentions secret from anyone who could expose him to Donnchadh. If Thora were completely honest, her own aspirations saw Turlough as High King, and that wouldn’t happen if Donnchadh killed him as he did Turlough’s father. She needed him to keep his insider position until she cleared the way for his ascension. She didn’t know why, but she was driven to see him rise to power. She had to keep that to herself for now, and that left her sounding like a demeaning jerk.

  Storm clouds gathered behind his eyes. He clenched his teeth. “This isn’t what we talked about before, Thora. I told you I wanted a chance to avenge my father and wouldn’t want someone depriving me of that chance. Now, here you are, not letting me participate. So you get your vengeance, but I’m denied mine?”

  Thora held up her hands. “No one is denying you anything. We’re in a precarious position here. Donnchadh knows we’re coming at some point. If he gets wind that you’re involved, he will kill you and there won’t be anything we can do to help you.”

  Turlough blew out a breath and glanced at Galinn before returning his gaze to Thora. “There has to be some way I can help.”

  “You already have by coming here and letting me know about Hagen. You took a big risk to do that, and I appreciate it.”

  He shrugged. “Then what do I do? Go back to Kincora?”

  Galinn nodded. “Only, be sure to find a safe place to hide during the Mass.”

  Turlough shrugged. “I can’t do that, not if the plan is to avoid his suspicion. I have to be in the chapel, or Donnchadh will know something is amiss.”

  Galinn swung his blue eyes to Thora. “We’re planning on being the ones to breach the chapel, right?”

  Thora nodded. “Donnchadh is ours to kill.”

  Galinn smiled before turning to Turlough. “You’ll be fine in the chapel then. One of us will find you and make sure no one else harms you.”

  “Won’t that be suspicious when Donnchadh sees you’re defending me?” Turlough lowered himself into the chair across from Thora.

  “By that point, he’ll be too concerned with saving his own skin to care. And if he does care, he won’t be alive long enough to do anything about it.” Galinn pounded his fist into his hand, driving home his point.

  A slow smile spread across Turlough’s lips and there was a hard glint in his green eyes. “I hope things go as you say they will. I would love to be there when that bastard meets his end. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be able to help when the time comes.”

  Thora could relate to how Turlough felt. Donnchadh was responsible for the deaths of too many people, and it was time to end him, even if Hagen exposed their plan of attack.

  CHAPTER 28

  Thora eyed the bustling clearing, wondering who she could truly trust. She and her men rode into camp and made their way to the area set off to the side for them. She scanned the clearing for Hagen or his men, and was satisfied when she found none of them. She’d have to speak to Njal and Harold, and together, they would readjust their battle plan to account for the lack of Hagen and his men. Thora didn’t look forward to that conversation. She wondered if they’d round up their men and head home to avoid facing an enemy they could no longer use the element of surprise against.

  “I’ve set up our tent over there.” Galinn hooked a thumb over his shoulder, drawing Thora’s eye to the tent, and her attention away from her problem with Hagen.

  “That’s a good spot for it. Thank you.” She leaned against him when he put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him.

  “You’re tense, love.” He kneaded her shoulder with his hand and kissed her head.

  She nodded. “It’s hard not to be. This is the first battle I’ve led as jarl, and it’s to slake our own thirst for vengeance. If people die…when people die…it will be my fault.”

  Galinn gently turned her so she faced him and put a thumb under her chin. “Most here have suffered at one time or another because of that man. It may be our vengeance that drove you to seek out the other jarls, but all you did was provide the means for them to get theirs too.” His blue eyes shone with the truth of his words, though they did little to soothe her nerves.

  “I know you’re right, but I’m still weary from the weight of it.”

  He smiled down at her. “That’s because you’re a good and caring leader, as you should be. Now, do that shoulder thing you do when you’ve set your mind to something, and make this battle a success. That success is what matters most.”

  Thora’s cheeks heated. Her lips curved into a wide smile and she laughed. “You mean this?” She squared her shoulders and
winked at Galinn.

  Galinn laughed. “Yes, like that. However, that wink you threw in there is making me wonder just what you’ve set your mind to.” He waggled his brows suggestively.

  “If only there was time for that.” She sighed. Knowing she had to face Njal and Harold instead of ducking into the tent with Galinn for a while sucked the levity out of the moment. She reached up and placed a kiss on his lips. “Later?”

  His hands were on her hips, pulling her against him. “Count on it.” His erection pressed against her belly, sparking a fire of desire in her blood. The temptation to throw off her responsibility and drag him into the tent was hard to resist, but resist she must.

  “I have to find the jarls and tell them about Hagen.” Before Thora could move away from Galinn’s embrace, a commotion by the entrance of the clearing drew her attention. She stood up straight, letting her arms fall away from Galinn. “Is this really happening?” Thora closed her eyes and shook her head.

  “Oh, it’s happening alright.” Galinn’s eyes didn’t look away from the army currently joining their camp.

  “Hagen has the audacity to show up here? After what he did?” Thora’s blood burned with fury and her hand went to the axe on her belt. “I’ll kill him!”

  Galinn caught her with an arm around her middle and stopped her from going after him. “Hold on, we need to see what he’s up to.”

  Thora followed Galinn’s eyes and watched as Hagen dismounted, laughing with his men as if he hadn’t betrayed everyone there. She lunged against his arm, but was unable to shake his hold.

  “Thora, stop. Think about it first.” He growled low in her ear.

  She looked away from Hagen and did as Galinn suggested. Without the other jarls knowing what Hagen did before she ran off and attacked him halfcocked, she’d risk losing their support if they didn’t accept her explanation afterward. She had planned to tell them about his deceit even before he arrived, but she had never considered anything other than them accepting her at her word. What if they didn’t believe her? Or worse, what if they were in on it with Hagen? Hagen didn’t know she knew about his deceit, and she hadn’t said anything to the other jarls. Surely, there had to be a way to use that to her advantage. One corner of her lips turned upward and she nodded as an idea formed. “You’re right. We shouldn’t do anything, including telling the other jarls until we can use what we know to our advantage.”