“It is too late to change my behavior or they will wonder about it. Each believes I love him and desire him to win me. I have not tried to fool Ulf, for I could not bear it or convince him of such a ruse.”
“Find some clever way to lessen their hunger for you. It has reached a perilous height in both men. We have Ulf to worry about with tricks; we do not need two other men adding to our distraction.”
“I will try, Wise One, but it will be difficult with Eirik.”
“Be especially careful around him, Alysa.”
“He is Gavin; I am certain of it,” she disclosed.
“Nay, he is not your husband,” Trosdan refuted sternly.
“How can you be so positive?”
“The Runes told me so, and it is true. Beware of him.”
“Did you drug Olaf so Eirik could beat him?”
“Nay, I was given no chance to do so. Besides, the Runes said Eirik would be one of the champions, so it was unnecessary.”
“Did you enchant Eirik so he would desire only me as promised?”
“Nay, my cherished princess, I felt it was too dangerous. Eirik’s pursuit of you alarms me. I wanted nothing to strengthen it.”
“Then, he loves me. I can sense he is being honest and sincere.”
“Even if that is true, it must not matter to you. Do not betray yourself and your husband by returning Eirik’s love and passion.”
Seventeen
The Norsemen were filled with anticipation for their third adventure. The bands gathered in three separate areas to eat and to prepare for the impending clue and their departure. The remaining slaves, along with several Viking helpers, cooked food in each area and served the bands hot stew and bread with tepid ale.
When the meal was finished, the people gathered once more at Stonehenge for the drawing of lots. Trosdan was chosen to go with Rolf again. Eirik was to ride alone. Alysa was to go with Ulf.
Trosdan stood upon the Altar Stone to give his third riddle. “There is a tale of a blemished prince who could not become king because of his terrible disease. He was forced to dwell alone with only a few servants to tend his sores and needs. One day a peasant came by and told the prince how his dying dog was healed after falling into a hot spring. Bladud sought the Waters of Sul and entered them. A prince was dying, but he was healed. A circle of mud with flames beneath. Two springs of water, one hot and one cold. Find his healing bath and be shielded from pain and death. What you seek can be reached today with plenty of time to return to camp before darkness covers this land. You will know your prize by Freyja’s image and signs. The goddess of love will guard your heart from pain and death.”
Ulf grinned mischievously, as he had visited the crumbling ruins of Aquae Sulis not far away. He knew it had been a favorite spa of Britain’s past conquerors. But there were three pools there, not two. The Great Bath had been spanned by an arched vault which was decorated with carvings and sculptures. It was said to be guarded by the Celtic goddess of the spring, Sulis, whom the Romans called Sul Minerva. Long ago, the luxurious resort had been enclosed within a wall, all twenty-two acres. It had boasted of private apartments, clean streets, shaded colonnades, and exquisite gardens with secluded walks.
It had been a marvelous place which had fallen into ruin long ago. The locals were said to avoid it because it reflected their days of bondage to the decadent Romans. It was considered an evil place where wanton orgies had occurred. Ulf envisioned those days of drunken, licentious festivity. How he would love to have been there during those times of unbridled indulgence of all passions. It was a good sign that Alysa would be accompanying him on this particular quest.
Ulf rushed her to her horse and ordered his band to depart quickly. The men obeyed and off they galloped. They traversed the open downland which encircled the stone temple. They encountered light vegetation, then dense woodland. They passed a hilly area called wolds where the woodlands were thinner and more scattered. It was a variety of landscape which flashed by rapidly in Ulf’s hurry.
Alysa wondered where the other two bands were, as she had not seen them since leaving camp. That was strange, because the way to Aquae Sulis was on a direct line from Stonehenge.
When they halted briefly to rest the horses, Alysa asked Ulf, “Have you cleverly tricked them again? They are nowhere in sight.”
Ulf did not know why, but he was glad. “Perhaps they are dumb, my queen, and have not guessed the riddle as I have.”
“Perhaps you are right,” she replied casually, then smiled. She could not resist playing with this malevolent man. “I have viewed your great prowess many times in the battle ring, Ulf, but it seems I underguessed your wits and daring. That pleases me, for you are a man of high rank. How did you trick them this time?”
Ulf grinned slyly and did not answer her question. “Come, we must ride before the sluggards catch up with us.”
They reached Aquae Sulis, and Alysa was amazed by what she observed. Legend said these hot mineral springs possessed healing powers, and had cured Bladud of his leprosy. The Romans had built them and used them for that same reason: healing. It was said the baths had offered hot and cold pools and heated chambers. The largest pillared hall and pool were enormous. She was fascinated. Next to it had been constructed a temple to Minerva. She eyed the shaded walkways, the Roman statues, the carved columns, the impressive sculptures. From the past to the future, these hot springs would flow forever. Houses were situated here and there, evincing their luxury of the past. It was a wondrous place with an earthy atmosphere, an enchanted aura. Too bad the Celts refused to keep it in repair and use it.
“You have never been here before?” Ulf asked.
“Nay, my father never allowed me to leave Damnonia. I was compelled to live a very gentle and sheltered life. It must have been beautiful and tranquil here,” she remarked with feigned naivete.
“Stay and look around while I join my men to seek the prize,” Ulf encouraged, wanting her to absorb the carnal aura there.
Amidst scurrying treasure seekers, Alysa strolled along the colonnades. The floors were still in good condition, as were many of the private chambers into which she peeked. The smaller, spring-fed pool was clear and inviting, but the water was surely chilled. The larger one, which had been filled by pipes and pumps, was filthy, displaying an abundance of green growth and bits of trash. She heard a joyful shout, and surmised its meaning. Annoyance nibbled at her.
Ulf hurried back to her side and held up a shield. “The third prize is mine, as you soon will be, my lovely queen. It was hanging in the temple. Eirik and Rolf will envy me.”
Sigurd and Leikn were behind him. Alysa falsely smiled and congratulated his second success. She wanted to laugh in the man’s face, as the shield he was holding up bore the image of Minerva from whose temple it had been taken. She was eager for Eirik to arrive so she could tell him of Ulf’s error. “If you are in no rush to return to camp, Ulf, may I enjoy the magical healing pool for a short time?”
The foolish Norseman replied with smugness, “Yea, my queen, there is no hurry now. Seize your pleasures here while we rest and celebrate outside.”
“Sigurd and Leikn, stand guard beyond the doors for me,” she commanded, mistrustful of Ulf. She had not reached the pedestal yet which held the message from Weylin. She needed more time to look around and privacy to read it, to make sure all was going as planned.
The men left her, forcefully closing the warped doors behind them. Ulf glanced at his friends and jested lewdly, “Soon, she will be yielding to more than silly pleasures in watery pools. Let no one disturb her. When she is finished, join me outside to await the others.”
Alysa made her way around the unsightly pool to the far end. She had not wanted to approach that area or draw attention to it until she was alone. It was good that her group had reached this area first and that Ulf was distracted by his victory. When the others arrived, they would not intrude on her privacy. She shoved on the heavy urn atop a moldy pedestal. With force and de
termination, it moved aside and exposed a hidden compartment, and Alysa wondered how Trosdan had known of it. She reached into the hole and withdrew a bound message. She untied the leather strip and unrolled the paper to read it:
“Alysa,
The birds arrived. We are ready. All forces will reach their borders soon. If all is going according to planned, in eight days hence I will be camped here awaiting your third message. When the bird arrives, I will send for the others to join me. This site is closer in case something goes wrong. At your next sign, we will encircle Stonehenge and await your signal to attack. There is another message hidden where this one was. Seek it and cease your worries.
Weylin”
Alysa sighed in relief, as their schedules were matching perfectly. By next Monday, her three forces would be poised at their Logris borders. By Tuesday, Weylin would be camped here, and the bird should reach him by nightfall that same day. By Friday or Saturday, twelve to thirteen days from now, this task would be over.
Alysa recalled Weylin’s last words. She went to the urn and reached inside again, withdrawing another bound message which had been shoved to one side, nearly out of reach. She untied it and read:
“Alysa, m’love,
I am sorry I have been selfish and cruel and rash with my words and deeds. Many things troubled me and confused me. My life was changed before I was changed. I needed solitude to clear my head of such wickedness. When I left your side that night, I rode home and my parents helped open my mind and heart to the truth. They told me of your daring ruse and fear struck my heart. I carefully pondered your plan and it is a good one. I will not intrude. I am at our castle now helping to ready our forces to join the others. I will meet you at the attack site and never leave your side again. All goes perfectly with us and our allies. Soon we will seize a great victory and all can be righted once more. I have accepted your destiny and will aid it. Let nothing happen to you, m’love, for I cannot survive without you. I have missed you and feared losing you because of my weaknesses. I love you, Alysa, and want nothing more than a life here with you. Forgive me for how I have wronged you and injured you.
Gavin”
Alysa paled and trembled, slowly sinking to the floor. She could not believe what she was reading. Gavin could not be at home with Weylin! He was here with her as the enspelled Eirik! She read the two messages again. There was no denying it was Gavin’s handwriting and words. Her shocked mind screamed, But how?
Alysa did not know what to think. Gavin was her husband, her love, her destiny. He was coming soon to reclaim her. He had accepted their fates; he had accepted her as she was. He had admitted his mistakes and begged for forgiveness.
But what of Eirik? Who and what was he? If Eirik was Gavin, these enlightening messages could not have been sent to her. There was no way Gavin, as Eirik, could have gotten word to Weylin to send a false message, or to include his own personal one. She and Trosdan had sent news to Damnonia far away. These answers had been brought from there by Weylin’s messenger. If Gavin had not returned home, he could not know of their actions here or of their plans and of the birds. He could not know to leave his letter in this hiding place, unless Weylin had told him. And Weylin could not have done so unless Gavin was with him! Nay, the stranger with her could not know such things or be responsible for them. That meant…
Alysa shuddered again. She had been forewarned that Eirik was not Gavin Crisdean, but she had resisted the truth, ignored it, battled it. The physical and mental differences between the two men had plagued her. Trosdan had cautioned her. The sacred Runes and gods had advised her. The tales of Eirik’s friends and Eirik’s history had alerted her. Why had she not heeded those numerous warnings?
The truth could not be denied or ignored; Eirik could not be an enspelled Gavin. Even if they were brothers or twins, and even though this mission was vital to her land’s survival, that did not excuse what she had done—not once, but three times—with Eirik, her foe, a Norseman, a stranger, and no telling what else.
Tears rolled down Alysa’s flushed cheeks. She was weak and wicked. She had been lustful and traitorous. She did not deserve the forgiveness of her husband and their gods, and probably would not receive them. What if she bore a child? Would it be Gavin’s or Eirik’s? Far worse, how could she love and desire two men equally? Yet, in all honesty, she did. No matter who or what Eirik was, she did love and desire him. But she could have only one of them. To keep Gavin, Eirik had to die and carry her wanton secret to his grave. To have Eirik, she had to sacrifice everyone and everything to flee with him, if he still loved and wanted her after she was exposed.
She mentally pictured the two men. At times, they were so alike; at others, they were so different. If only they were the same man! Frustrated, Alysa yanked off her garments and dove into the smaller pool. An excellent swimmer, she traveled one end to the other until she was cold and exhausted, but still did not feel clean or relaxed. She climbed out of the Roman bath and retrieved the two messages. After tearing Gavin’s into many pieces, she stuffed both back into their hiding place. She shoved the urn into position. Jerking on her clothes, she mentally shouted, Curse you, Gavin Crisdean, for this is your fault! If you had not deserted and betrayed me, I would never have yielded to Eirik be he your image or nay! The deeds are done, and I must live with them.
Alysa moved aside the urn again to place her response for Weylin there. She had nothing with which to write Gavin a message, and would not have done so if she had! At that moment, her anger with him was as great as it had been after awakening to find him gone.
Tormented, she scoffed silently, Let him worry and suffer in doubt as I have done! Since Gavin had admittedly vanished of his own free will, she needed time to decide if she could understand his behavior and forgive him, or ever trust him again! Now she had crucial work to do. She had no time or energy for regrets and anguish. Perhaps she had failed herself, the gods, and her destiny, but such would never happen again!
She stalked from the pool to the doors. She pounded upon them and they were forced open. In spite of her consternation, she smiled and thanked her guards. She walked outside and glanced around. Her timing was perfect, if it could be called such the other two bands galloped into the area and dismounted.
Rolf had to be restrained from attacking Ulf as the blond warrior shouted in fury, “You have tricked us again! I shall slay you!”
Ulf scowled. “I tricked no one. I rode straight here and found the prize. We have been awaiting you for hours.”
“You drugged the food or ale! All have been sleeping for hours!”
Ulf appeared honestly shocked. “Nay, Rolf,’I did not. It was the gods who did so. Do you not see I am their chosen champion?”
“You are ruled by Loki, and Odin will destroy you both! “
Ulf noticed the anger which was confronting him. “I know not of such potions. Where would I get enough herbs to drug so many men? How could I have slipped it into your food and drink? I was never near your camps or cauldrons. Ask the slaves who did this evil!”
“They were also drugged, for they ate from the same pots and drank from the same casks! You shall pay for this dark deed.”
Ulf scoffed, “If that was my doing, I would accept the credit for such cleverness. No one was harmed and the rules were not broken. But I did not trick you this time.”
“Then one of your men did so upon your command!”
“Nay, fool, it was not of our doing!” Ulf glanced at Trosdan and his beady eyes chilled. “Ask the wizard; he knows of such things. He is a stranger amongst us, and I do not trust him. He hates me and insults me each day. He must have done this mischief to cause me trouble. To have me banned from the quest as he threatened.”
Trosdan stepped forward, looking indignant and vexed. “Why do you darken my name and show contempt for my sacred rank? This is twice you have called me a liar. Prove such claims or cease them.”
Rolf added, “Yea, Wizard, he only seeks another to blame for his dark mischief. He
has been disobedient and disrespectful from the start. I say the attiba is right; Ulf should be banned from the quest.”
When others agreed, Ulf shouted, “Hear me, warriors and friends! Someone has done this evil thing to push me out of the quest. Perhaps Rolf ordered his friend Einar to do so. Einar knows of such matters. Or perhaps Eirik did it; he, like Trosdan, is a near stranger amongst us and might know such tricks and skills.”
Rolf and Eirik’s men loudly protested Ulf’s accusations, saying neither champion had been given the opportunity to carry out such guile, and would not do so if they had! They scolded Ulf for such words.
Rolf scoffed, “Why would we drug ourselves and our bands so you could seize the prize we hunger for? Nay, you lie.”
Ulf vowed in outrage, “I am innocent. I will prove myself in the battle ring with any man who doubts me and challenges me.”
No one wanted to fight Ulf, not even Rolf or Eirik. Gazes skipped from eye to eye, and no one stepped forward to challenge him.
Ulf shouted, “I will swear my honesty upon the sacred altar when we return to camp. Even if no man wishes to risk his life to clear me of this dark stain, I will clear myself. Let Odin judge me.”
Trosdan nodded and agreed. “It shall be done, Ulf, and I will do the same. From that moment hence, you will not challenge me.”
“Nor will you challenge or doubt me, Wizard,” Ulf re torted.
The men headed for their horses to return to camp before nightfall. Rolf went to Alysa’s side to escort her.
Alysa lowered her head and whispered, “The shield which Ulf carries homeward is not the shield of Freyja. Remain here and seek it. Look between the hot and cold pools in the mud bath.”
Alysa went to Calliope and mounted. Not once had she looked at Eirik. Her hair was wet and braided; her garments were still damp and clingy. She watched Rolf announce his intention to remain behind for a time to rest his men and horses. Trosdan joined her, and they galloped for the Viking camp.
The Last Viking Queen Page 28
