Talking inconsequential nonsense she slowly walked past him hoping he’d let her pass and Eirik hadn’t told him to guard her. Geri hesitated, then fell into step next to her and she carried on to the trees feeling a lot safer.
She heard the stream before she saw it, tinkling over stones and around curves in the stream bed. It wasn’t very deep at the moment but the banks were quite high and she could imagine that it would be deep after a lot of rain. There was an occasional rustle in the undergrowth and she was pleased that Geri was with her, as she couldn’t remember what dangerous animals there might have been in the ninth century. Spotting some willows up ahead she made for them hoping they’d be white, but they weren’t so she went on a bit further. They would do but she was sure white was best, if there had been white willows in Britain at this time.
Then she saw a stand of smaller willows and they were paler than the ones she’d already passed. Time was passing and Eirik might be looking for her, she didn’t want him angry with her again so she stopped at the trees and taking out the knife cut out squares of dry bark until she got to the softer bark underneath. Some was white and some had a pinkish tint to it. From what she remembered from her books it was the pink she needed. Taking some from each tree until her pouch was full she turned to retrace her steps.
At the place where she had entered the trees, three Danes, fully armed, were standing waiting for her. Geri was behind in the undergrowth investigating a rabbit hole and they hadn’t seen him so as she emerged from the tree line they gathered round her threateningly.
“What do you here, girl? A shieldmaiden out without her sword! What have you been up to?” one growled.
Another grinned “Meeting her lover I think. Just warmed you up for us has he?”
“I’m not a shieldmaiden” Sophie said “I’m Thegn Eirik’s slave and have been collecting herbs.”
“Eirik’s slave eh? Why would he allow you to dress like that and why do you have long hair? You lie, and I know you are no shieldmaiden, you’re not even a Dane. A pagan by the looks of you. A spy perhap.”
“I am Eirik’s slave, look I wear his collar.” Sophie protested feeling very afraid.
The men were jostling her and nearly pushing her over. She knew that if she ran or tried to fight it would be just the excuse they needed to attack her. Then a giant grey form flew out of the trees knocking one man to the ground and stopping in front of Sophie facing the other two, hackles raised, fearsome teeth showing he meant business, Geri snarled at them causing them to draw their swords in self defence.
“No” Sophie screamed “he’s Thegn Eirik’s war dog, down Geri.”
He ignored her stalking on stiff legs towards the men who were backing up. The one on the ground shouted “Don’t kill him, he is Eirik’s dog. She must be telling the truth, he’s guarding her.”
“I am telling the truth” Sophie screamed, then remembering what Eirik had said to the dog she said as firmly as she could “Stand down Geri.”
With one last growl he stepped back to her side still keeping an eye on the men.
“Now can I go about my business, my master will be angry if I am late.”
The men stepped aside keeping a wary eye on the dog and scowling at her. The one who had been knocked over swatted her bottom with the flat of his sword and growled “Move on slave.”
As calmly as she could she walked past them and out onto the open grassland, Geri keeping pace with her, hackles still bristling and keeping an eye on the men. The sheep and cattle fled away from him for they could feel his anger and he was all predator. Blessing the fact that he had found her Sophie placed her hand on his neck and hurried back to the healer’s shack. Geri flopped down on the path and she went inside breathing a sigh of relief.
Ael-gyfe was moaning quietly and the healer told Sophie that she was in a lot less pain now that her arm was held still.
“Look it’s getting late and I think that Eirik will be back from whatever he was doing today so if I quickly tell you how to do this I must leave you to it.”
As she showed the healer how to bruise the bark, put it in a linen bag and drop it in boiling water she was very conscious that it must be late afternoon. She was going to be in deep trouble if Eirik was looking for her. He might think that she’d run away and could be organising a search for her.
As soon as the healer understood what needed to be done she shooed Sophie out of her cottage. “Go he’ll be furious if he thinks you’re gone. God help you if he gets in a rage.”
“Yes I know, look I’ll take some of the bark to make my own potion. Oh, give Ael-gyfe some food before you give her the drink as it may burn her stomach if it’s empty.”
“Go, go, thank you Sophie. I hope we can be friends, my given name is Ceolwyn, only those who aren’t my friends call me the healer.”
Sophie hurried away from the shack Geri at her heels. Halfway back to Eirik’s house she saw him striding towards her a grim expression on his face. As he approached, Geri gave a rumbling growl, looking from him back to Sophie. Eirik snapped his fingers and Geri submitted, taking his place at his master’s side.
“Where by all the gods have you been?” he roared.
Swallowing her fear Sophie held her head high and glared at him “To Ceolwyn’s cottage to help her with Ael-gyfe.”
“You lie! You were seen by the stream” he roared “Who did you meet, what were you doing?”
Incensed Sophie shouted back “I never lie, I set Ael-gyfe’s arm then went to get some willow bark to make a painkiller for her. I met no one apart from a patrol on the way back. Geri came with me and protected me from them.”
Growling in exasperation Eirik seized her and flung her over his shoulder. Furious she punched his shoulders and then finally his ear. Roaring at her he smacked her bottom hard with his free hand and said “Do that again and you won’t sit down for a month!”
As he strode to his cottage warriors, who he passed, grinned and called out advice, taking care that he didn’t see who was saying what. As he opened his door he told Geri to stay and carried her inside. Standing her on the floor he sat down on a bench and said “Now explain yourself.”
Swallowing her natural inclination to tell him to go to hell Sophie explained what she had done to help Ael-gyfe and why, then she stepped closer to him and said “You know if you want me you are going to have to trust me.”
“Trust you? Hah! The way to stay alive is to trust no one. You are an enemy who I have taken as my bed slave, the only thing that keeps slaves in their place is fear. You must fear me as much or more than you hate me.”
Moving even closer Sophie said “I don’t hate you. I hate what has happened to me but despite myself I can’t hate you. I do fear you because I don’t understand you or life here and if I could I’d go home. But I can’t and I’m intelligent enough to know that I am safest with you. Despite your growling and bloodthirsty reputation with the Saxons, you are a decent honourable warrior. I’ve seen how others treat their slaves and how you treat yours’. Alta and Beald-wine respect you and it is rare for a cruelly treated slave to respect their master.”
Eirik gave a sigh “You are definitely strange. Where you come from must be a very unusual land.”
Sophie smiled “Oh it is, you just wouldn’t believe it.” Reaching out her hand she lay it against his cheek. “Believe me Eirik, at the moment you can trust me. When you can’t I will tell you!”
Pulling her to him he said “I really believe you would do that, you crazy woman.”
With her tight in his arms he felt that lurch in his chest again and wondered at the way this strange woman made him feel. Standing up he lifted her against his body, letting her feel how much he desired her. Lowering his head he kissed her intending to ravish her mouth, but the sweetness in her lips caused him to draw back and kiss her gently, putting all he felt for her into
it. Sophie responded and the kiss deepened, his hands found the buckle of her belt and pulled it loose but before he could strip her of her clothes a gong sounded in the distance.
“Thor’s beard” he growled “It is time for nattmal, we will continue this later.”
“Can’t we just not go, just for one night?” She asked dreading another night in Ubbe’s hall.
Eirik sighed “No, I am his Merkismathr, it would be an insult not to eat with my Jarl. That I prefer to keep my own house and not sleep in his hall is bad enough and he could easily order me to be by his side all the time.”
“Oh I see, then in that case I’d better change into my dress.”
“No there isn’t time and Ubbe would be angry that you spurn his gifts.”
“I haven’t spurned it, I’ve had it on all day.”
“Yes but he hasn’t seen you in them. Don’t look too fierce or he will send you to train with the shieldmaidens.” Eirik warned as he gave her her belt and went to the table to wash his hands and splash water on his face. Fastening her belt Sophie quickly re-plaited her hair and then following his lead washed her hands and face, glad that she’d had a really good wash that morning.
Swinging their cloaks around their shoulders they hurried out, to find that it was raining hard and Geri was still sitting where Eirik had ordered him to stay.
“He’s soaked, poor boy, we must dry him.” Sophie exclaimed.
Eirik looked at her as if she were mad “He’s an animal, they don’t worry about being wet.”
“Of course they do, why do you think all animals seek shelter. Well if I can’t dry him, I’m going to to put him in the meal fire lean to with Alta.”
“She won’t thank you” Eirik laughed “but if you insist go ahead.”
Clicking his fingers he indicated to Geri that he should go with her and the dog stood up and shook himself, spraying water all over and soaking her more than the rain had. Eirik was nearly doubled up with laughter as she gasped as the cold water hit her face, then persuaded Geri to follow her to the cooking area. Overcoming Alta’s objections she saw the dog installed undercover as far from the fire as he could get.
“Come, we’ll be late and I’ll tell Ubbe that it was your fault.” Eirik was still laughing and chortled all the way to Ubbe’s hall.
Leaving her once again one of the bottom tables, he reached the raised platform just before Ubbe entered with Wulf-pryor and a very frightened looking young girl, no older than fifteen or sixteen. Wulf-pryor led the girl to the bottom table while Ubbe took his place with Eirik next to him and a Dane Sophie hadn’t seen before on his other side. As Wulf-pryor sat down she said “This is Els-wythe, Lord Ubbe’s new slave.”
Sophie smiled at the girl and said in a low voice “My god she’s just a child.”
“Old enough” Wulf-pryor said acidly “Ubbe has had his eye on her for a while and she became a woman last week, so here she is.”
“Oh!” Was all Sophie could manage.
The girl was pretty in the way of the young but very skinny, Her hair was shorn and it made her face look like that of a young boy. She was trembling and very afraid, and Sophie’s heart went out to her.
“Where is she from?”
“Here of course, she is Ivor’s by blow from one of his slaves and he gave her to Ubbe as a gift.”
“Who’s Ivor?”
“The Dane sitting next to Ubbe, he is of the same rank as Eirik and has just returned from a sortie into Mercia.”
“How could he give his own daughter away?”
“She’s a slave and means nothing to him.” Wulf-pryor turned away and helped herself to the food that had arrived, telling Els-wythe to do the same. The girl looked at the food as if she couldn’t believe it, then piled her plate high and started to shovel it into her mouth. As Sophie helped herself next she tried to understand how anyone so patently terrified could eat. Beald-wine saw her looking at the girl and leaned over to say “Thegn Ivor does not feed his slaves well. She will never have seen so much.”
“Where do the slaves eat who don’t eat here?”
“Wherever they can, most masters will give them food to eat but others leave their slaves to feed themselves. Ivor is such a one. Luckily most Danes realise that they get more work out of well fed slaves, but Ivor is purely a warrior, doesn’t farm so doesn’t have the need for many slaves. Most of his slaves are women, used to wash his clothes and warm his bed. When one of them breeds he usually sells the young, who survive long enough to be useful.”
As she ate Sophie mulled over this harsh world she’d found herself in, so different for someone from the twenty first century to understand. If she was going to survive she would have to toughen up. It would be hard enough to look after herself without worrying about others. It would be difficult to change but change she must.
At the end of the meal she went with Wulf-pryor and Els-wythe to join their masters . Ivor didn’t have a slave with him and went to off play with his men. Eirik and Ubbe were talking seriously in Norse and Wulf-pryor and Sophie sat and chatted. Wulf-pryor asked about Ael-gyfe, although it was obvious she didn’t care if she was dead or alive. Ubbe had pulled Els-wythe onto his lap and was toying with her body as he talked. The girl sat rigid, occasionally a spasm of pain passing over her face, but she didn’t object or say a word.
Some of the men were wrestling and a circle had formed around them, with the watchers egging them on and laying bets. There appeared to be no rules and the two fought viciously until one smashed his opponent onto the floor and knocked him unconscious.
“They’re really trying to hurt each other” Sophie exclaimed “surely they are comrades, why would they do that?”
“It is the way of men” Wulf-pryor shrugged “they are only happy if they are killing or humping.”
Some of the men were arm wrestling and a very large warrior was beating all who went up against him.
“Who’s that?”Sophie asked.
“That’s Vidar, Ivor’s Aesir, he’s an animal” Wulf-pryor told her.
There was much shouting and banter as Vidar beat the last warrior willing to go up against him and Eirik’s men started shouting his name, “Eirik, Eirik, Eirik.” They shouted until he stood up and went to join them. Ubbe followed to take some bets and the three slaves were left by themselves. Sophie stood up so she could see what was happening but Wulf-pryor and Els-wythe stayed where they were, Wulf-pryor seemingly intent on getting as drunk as she could and Els-wythe just slumped there trembling.
Vidar stood up as Eirik reached him; he was as tall as Eirik but his belly was flabby and his heavy jowls and flabby neck showed that he was past his prime. Gold was laid on the table and the men sat down, Vidar scowling and showing his teeth which were filed to points with his gums showing red. Eirik’s face was impassive as he rested his elbow on the table and settled himself comfortably. They clasped hands and locked their arms waiting for Ubbe to shout ‘Begin’.
To start with Eirik just locked his arm solid and squeezed Vidar’s hand as hard as he could. Vidar’s biceps and shoulder muscles were straining to move Eirik’s arm but he just sat there and let Vidar do all the pushing, his arm held rigid. It went on for a long time until Vidar’s muscles were trembling, his face was red and he was panting hard, then Eirik gritted his teeth flexed his bicep and relentlessly pushed Vidar’s arm until it was flat on the table. Amid hoots and jeers Eirik stood up, collected the gold, slapped Vidar on the shoulder and made his way back to Sophie. She had poured him a tankard of ale and he drained it in one gulp.
“That was amazing” she said “you didn’t seem to do anything for so long then you just flattened him.”
“The secret is to lock your arm and shoulder and let your opponent wear himself out, then you just pick the right moment to push.”
In parts of the hall some warriors had pull
ed slaves to the side and were humping them, Ubbe had fallen on Els-wythe and was heaving her dress up to reveal her skinny pale bottom and Wulf-pryor was unconscious beside them.
“Time to go” said Eirik “we have unfinished business.” Then he picked her up, slung her over his shoulder and carried her out amid jeers and taunts from his fellow Danes. Ignoring them he carried her back to his house, stripped her naked and spent the night making love to her, sometimes sweetly and gently and at others causing her to scream as he rode her to orgasm wildly and primally.
Chapter 13
Sophie came awake to find Eirik entering her once again. Her body was more than ready for him, although her brain hadn’t caught up yet, and as he slid into her hot wetness he gave a groan of pleasure. Realising that she was awake he cupped her face in his two large hands and kissed her deeply, his tongue imitating his lancing shaft. Groaning into his mouth she gave him full access, wrapping her slim legs around him and duelling with his tongue. She couldn’t resist his body, it felt so right, his hard muscles rubbing her tender nipples into hard pebbles and his iron hard shaft spearing her to her very core.
As Eirik felt her orgasm growing he pounded into her, harder and harder until she was gasping for breath as his mouth held her’s captive. As she came he gave a shout of triumph and allowed himself to gain his release. Collapsing onto one side, his hand still caressing her body he said “I begin to believe that you don’t hate me.”
Sophie turned on her side and her hand caressed his stubbly cheek, “I told you I can’t hate you, not when you make me feel as I’ve never felt before in my life.”
“Your husband didn’t make you feel as I do then?”
“How do you know I was married?”
“You were not a virgin when I first humped you, and you are too honourable to have been a whore.”
Sophie grimaced “Isn’t that what I am now?”
Frowning he growled “You are no whore, you are the prized bed slave of a warrior and freeman.”
“There’s a difference then?”
Goldhill's Treasure Page 14
