Trosdan refilled their ale cups from a clay pitcher. “Princess Alysa is right. Listen closely to her.”
“We need time to train and prepare our forces. All men of age and strength must be summoned and taught to fight. Supplies and horses must be gathered. Weapons must be made and repaired. To obtain this time, I will distract them with my arrival and their quest. I will say I have returned to my people by choice and wish to lead them to victory over this isle. Once I prove I am their queen by right, they must obey me; it is their law. I can speak their tongue, and most of them can speak mine. I will give them Odin’s instructions for choosing my mate, their High King. Trosdan will use his magic to frighten them into accepting me and my words. He will tell them of Odin’s commands.”
“What quest do you speak of?” Dal asked when she halted to take a breath and a sip of the water which Trosdan had given to her.
She explained, “They are superstitious people who will do anything their gods command. Trosdan will tell them Odin has prepared for this moment by concealing five objects in Logris: a sword, a helmet, a shield, an amulet, and a ship’s figurehead. The Vikings must battle one another to decide which three warriors will win the honor of seeking the objects and my hand in marriage. Trosdan will give them clues for their search, carrying out one quest at a time. The man who finds the object must guard it while he seeks the next one. Do you not see? They will spend their time and energies on this treasure hunt and battling amongst themselves for the objects, and it will keep them in Logris. That will allow you time to prepare and train our forces, and to have Cambria and Cumbria do the same. When the quest is complete, I am to empower the objects with my magical ring at Stonehenge during a full moon, and to wed the champion.”
“You cannot wed a Viking! You are Gavin’s wife,” Lann argued.
Alysa laughed softly. “I will not wed him. It is only a trick. Once I am accepted as their ruler and the quest is on, Trosdan will send a message to you to let you know all is fine. When the quest is complete and we are to gather at Stonehenge for the ritual, Trosdan will send you another message. You will gather all forces from our land and the others and attack while they are drunk during the feast. It is the only way we can become stronger than they and thus defeat them. I will place all of you in charge, under Weylin, to carry out the tasks here. The Norsemen will be too busy with me and the quest to attack here. Trosdan can keep them under control with his magic and I will do the same with skills he will teach me before we depart.”
“What of your people? They will worry over your absence.”
“Nay, Keegan, they will be too busy with preparations to realize I am gone. Each group will think I am with another. They are not to be enlightened until the day of the battle.”
“What if Gavin returns?” queried Dal.
“Tell him of our plan and actions, but do not let him interfere. If he comes after” me, all will be ruined and imperiled. This plan will save many lives and will ensure our victory. Do you not agree?”
The five men deliberated her words. They concurred with Alysa’s plan, even without the aid of Trosdan’s bewitching elixir in their ale.
“What happens when they find no objects from Odin?”
Trosdan answered Weylin’s question. “The sacred Runes told me of this moment and I prepared for it long ago. There are fake objects hidden in Logris and the sly clues are ready within my mind. I will arrange a special ritual to prove Alysa is their queen. With my help, she will use many tricks and skills to convince them of her powers as a seer and sorceress. They will fear us and believe us.”
“You do not have to believe in magic to aid us, my friends, but you must believe in the powers of Good for us to be victorious. My husband was a doubter, but there are things we can do which others cannot do or explain. We will prey upon their fears and beliefs.”
“It is a cunning but dangerous scheme. What if something goes wrong with the quest? What if you are injured or slain during the attack?” Weylin asked Alysa.
“All our tricks will persuade them to follow me. When the attack comes, I will conceal myself until all is safe.”
“What if we do not win?” Lann ventured apprehensively.
“If we do not try this plan, all is lost anyway. We cannot sit by and await a certain defeat. This plan is our only hope, and it will succeed,” she vowed confidently.
The men exchanged voting glances, and all nodded agreement. A bright smile from Alysa thanked them. “I will depend upon you to protect my people and to train them for the upcoming battle. We will slay our foes or push them back into the sea from which they came. When our task is done, we will search for Gavin, if he does not hear of our stimulating plans and rejoin us before our victory.”
That idea pleased the men. “Surely he will hear of our training and hurry back to us,” asserted Keegan.
“There is one last matter. We must ride to Prisongate to question the captives, then execute them. I doubt they will reveal anything of value to us, but it must be done. We need total privacy for our plans. We cannot allow them an opportunity to escape or to be rescued. These captives are a threat to our success. Do you agree?”
Sheriff Dal replied for the men. “Yea. If but one escaped and revealed your battle with them, they would suspect you of deceit.”
Alysa knew from Trosdan that one man had escaped, but that was good because of what she had said to him and how she had defeated him. She wisely did not mention the wounded Viking to the men. “We will leave at dawn tomorrow for the prison. We must handle this matter ourselves for secrecy. We will test our plan on them. We will see how they react to my Viking words and claims. When we return to the castle, we will ready ourselves for our tasks.”
After the men departed, Alysa looked at Trosdan. “All is coming true as you predicted, Wise One. Perhaps my love will return while I am gone. From this day forward, I will not dwell on his betrayal and reality until my task is done or he is at my side again.”
“You understand what you must do in the enemy camp?” he hinted. “You must secretly beguile the three leaders to distract them and to cause dissension amongst them. Each must believe you desire him to win your hand. Can you carry out this difficult role?”
Alysa imagined another man’s kisses and caresses, and winced. “I will do what I must to win this war, Trosdan. Anything.”
Six
Alysa and Gavin’s five friends rode to Prisongate, a small keep twenty miles from Malvern Castle. They arrived just in time to see the seven captives fleeing on foot.
Alysa’s group rode after their foes. No man suggested she stay behind, which pleased Alysa. Only two Norsemen were armed with the guards’ stolen swords, as other weapons were not allowed in the keep in case something like this occurred.
The Vikings were surrounded and Alysa ordered them to surrender. Their foes chuckled and prepared for hand-to-hand combat, unaware their captors wanted no prisoners taken alive. Gavin’s friends dismounted and drew their swords, each seeming to choose his opponent, ready and eager to end this matter quickly. The remaining two Norsemen eyed the situation, five-to-five, and, ignoring Alysa, turned to flee.
Alysa knew they needed to escape to warn their friends. She also knew they did not make a grab for her, since they had no weapons and needed to use the time their friends were allowing them during their fights. Alysa drew her crossbow and fired into the back of one running man. He dropped to the ground, dead. The other one halted a moment and whirled to gape at the beautiful female. She was galloping toward him with a sword in her hand and a challenge on her face. He knew she would use it and readied himself for defense.
Alysa reined Calliope a few feet away and guided the well-trained horse toward the alert man. Sensing danger to his beloved mistress, Calliope obeyed her unspoken command to prance wildly before the foul-smelling warrior, bumping and shoving their foe until he stumbled. With that aid, Alysa gently pulled the dun’s head aside and slashed across the Viking’s chest, ripping through his shirt and f
lesh. With speed and agility, she and Calliope moved from the foe’s reach before he could lunge at her with bloody hands.
The tag-and-strike game continued until the man was flustered and weakened. Cursing Alysa, he jumped at her to yank her from her saddle. Calliope batted the man with his forehead and threw him off balance. As the Norseman was falling backward, Alysa sliced her sharp sword across his throat, nearly decapitating him. This one she did not need to check for life. She returned to where the others were battling to see if any of her men needed help. None did.
Within a short time, the Viking captives were dead. Alysa gave her orders in a steady tone. “There is a crevice nearby. Tragan and Lann, you two place their bodies there and cover them with rocks. Keegan and Dal, see that our men are buried and replacements are posted. Weylin and I will return to the castle in case news arrives from other areas. Join us there when you finish your tasks. If it is late, camp here for the night and rest.”
Alysa and Weylin headed for Malvern Castle at a leisurely pace. When they halted halfway to rest their horses, Weylin said, “After witnessing you in action twice, I have no doubts you can defend yourself on your journey. You are an amazing woman, Alysa Malvern.”
Alysa smiled at him. “I only wish…”
“You wish what, Alysa?” he asked when she hesitated.
“I only wish Gavin felt and thought as you do. You are a good friend, Weylin, and I trust you completely.”
Weylin took her hands in his and smiled encouragingly into her somber gaze. “There are times when men act strangely, Alysa. It is our curse to act the fool on occasion. Soon, his head will clear. He shoulders a heavy duty to you and your land. He must make certain he does what is best for all. One day he will be king and that is a great responsibility for any man. Surely he feels he must constantly prove himself worthy of both. He is full of energy and unaccustomed to lazy living. Give him time to adjust.”
“You are as much like him as any man could be, Weylin. Yet you have adjusted. You have settled down and are happy. Gavin is strong in mind and in body. Why is it so difficult for him to be my husband and Damnonia’s joint ruler? Would you be miserable in his place?” she asked unthinkingly.
Weylin almost flushed with surprise and guilt. He released her hands and ran his fingers through his sable hair, mussing it. His brown eyes did not look at her when he finally responded, “I am not as much like Gavin as you think, Alysa, so I cannot answer.”
Alysa was astonished by Weylin’s reaction. She had not realized he was attracted to her. She knew he would never intentionally expose such feelings or do anything about them as long as Gavin was in her life. To let the slip pass as if unnoticed, she laughed softly before she spoke. “It is good to have such a loyal friend as you, Weylin. I would be reluctant to go on my impending journey if you were not here to stand in for me. If Gavin returns, please make him see things our way.”
“He will return. He could not live without you.”
“If that were true, he would not be missing today. As long as I have you to stand by me and help me, I will be fine. My people like you best of all, Weylin, and they will obey you. We would not be displeased if you made Damnonia your permanent home.” She glanced at the sky and added, “It grows late. We must ride.”
As they traveled, Lord Weylin studied Princess Alysa from the corner of his eye. She was the most beautiful and desirable woman he had ever known, a stunning mixture of strength and gentleness, of daring and restraint. She was intelligent, brave, and genuine. He would give almost anything to find a wife like her. Whatever could Gavin be thinking to desert her, to hurt her even a tiny bit? Weylin swiftly chased forbidden desires from his mind.
Alysa ate a light-meal in her room and took a long bath. She had vowed to herself and to Trosdan that she would keep Gavin out of her mind. But how could she? She loved him and missed him. She was worried about him and his curious state of mind. If he had not been acting so strangely for weeks, she would be tempted to think someone had placed an evil spell over him and driven him from her side!
Alysa recalled what Gavin had said to her only four weeks ago: “I cannot wait until we are alone for days on end. You are mine forever; Giselde told me so, and this tells me so.” She touched her wedding ring to her lips and tears clouded her blue eyes.
Yet the ancient ring was what had come between them, for it represented her Viking ties and her duty and her destiny. Her responsibilities were heavy, but she was not running away from them as her husband had done. She did not have to test their love and commitment. For her, they were strong and real and forever. “Do not force me to resent you and this inexplicable decision, my love. Return before I leave, and explain it. In the dark days ahead, I need the strength and comfort of your love and acceptance. Fly back to me, Hawk of Cumbria; please come back to me before it is too late.”
His lips ardently crushed against hers and she feverishly responded to him. His tongue danced around her lips and within her mouth, and she thrilled to the minglings of their flavors. He kissed her eyes and nose and tantalizingly roamed her face and throat. His wild, sweet caresses drove her mad with desire, and she craved him beyond reason or will. With deft hands, he quickly removed her garments and roamed her quivering flesh. Her breasts ached with longing when he kneaded them with gentle fingers and raced his tongue around their straining peaks. Her body was aflame and aquiver. She wanted him within her to feed this bittersweet hunger. Her mouth hungrily assailed his neck and shoulders as if she were trying to devour him. Sensuously her fingers teased over his supple flesh and aroused him to moaning desire. They entwined their flaming limbs and rolled upon the furry pallet, their mouths sealed and their passions blazing.
Just as he was about to blissfully enter her, his white-blond hair filled her vision. “Nay!” she shouted in her dream and pushed the Viking leader aside. “Not until we are wed, Rolf,” she told him.
“I shall win your heart and hand, my warrior queen. There is no need to deny our passions until then. Forget your fears and doubts. Yield to me, my sweet destiny, the captor of my heart.”
Suddenly, the unclear image of Rolf vanished and another man was beside her. In a husky, merry voice he said, “I will be the champion, my beautiful enchantress, if I can possess you this very night.”
Alysa stared at the green-eyed warrior. His hair was dark-blond, the short beard on his handsome face light brown. A white scar was midway between his left eye and beard, and stood out most noticeably against his bronzed skin. His gaze was hot and playful as he removed his leather-and-fur garment, and his chest bore no royal Cumbrian tattoo. It was Gavin yet, it was not.
Alysa tried to escape, but he trapped her beneath his powerful body. His seductive smell was unknown, as was his aura. His mouth claimed hers with a savage tenderness which she found strange and irresistible. He tormented her with caresses and kisses until she pleaded with him to make love to her. Still, he stimulated and tantalized her until she was weak and shaky. This was no game as it had been with Rolf, a game she had nearly lost because she had been pretending it was Gavin with her. She wanted this man, this undeniable dream warrior.
As he spoke to her, he teased his tickly beard over her lips and nose. “Once I take you, my priceless queen, you are mine forever. You must make certain I win the quest so we can become lovers and rulers. Give me your help and your surrender,” he entreated.
Unable to pull her gaze from his or to refuse his requests, she murmured, “Both are yours if you take me this moment.”
His mouth fused with hers, as did his body. They made love urgently, wildly, recklessly, until the ultimate moment of rapture claimed them. As their damp bodies embraced afterward, he whispered, “You are my lover and my queen. Soon, you will become my wife. Tell me the answers to the riddles so this quest can end quickly and I can claim my beautiful prize.”
Alysa traced the scar on his cheekbone as she replied, “Only the wizard knows the answers. I shall get them for you.”
He kissed her
passionately before speaking. “When you have them, my beautiful enchantress, I will return to your bed and arms forever.”
As he walked away, Alysa cried out, “Nay, do not leave me.”
As she jerked upward to pursue him, she was awakened. Her body and kirtle were saturated with perspiration. She was trembling and tears were rolling down her flushed cheeks. As her erratic breathing slowed, she cursed the dream and the tension within her. Her body ached for Gavin’s, and her heart pained over his loss.
Alysa arose and went into the bathing chamber. She removed her wet garment and stepped into the wooden tub. Taking a pitcher of water, she rinsed off her sweaty body. After drying and pulling on a fresh kirtle, she braided her damp hair to get it off her neck. She retrieved some crushed leaves from a small pouch in her chest and mixed them with the wine nearby. She drank the bitter liquid hastily and returned to bed. Soon, the sleeping potion worked.
The next morning one of the spies returned from Logris to reveal where the main Viking camp was located, near the sacred circle of towering stones. The spy told her that the Vikings were building a large settlement which appeared to be a permanent one, proving their intent to remain on the isle, at least for a long time. He said they seemed in no hurry to go araiding, and did so only to obtain food and supplies. He reported that their foes were enjoying themselves and obviously feeling no threat from the Britons. “It was as if they were waiting for something to happen before starting their attacks.”
Alysa summoned Trosdan and Gavin’s friends to pass along this curious report and to finalize their plans. It was decided Alysa and the men would leave in the morning to travel the land from end to end, as one last appearance would make her imminent absence less noticeable and would show her subjects that Weylin and his group would be following her orders. Gavin had been gone since Saturday night, “and she did not know if he would return before her departure. She announced that she would tell everyone that Prince Gavin was on a spy mission to assess their foes’ strengths, and weaknesses. If he returned, he could take charge of the tasks being done here while she was away. Thinking of her husband hurt, so Alysa pushed her personal feelings aside and concentrated on the work before her.
The Last Viking Queen Page 9
