Blood and Loyalty

by Abigail Riherd

  Rurik’s eyebrows quirked. “Yes, of course. Just a few stitches.”

  Disa pressed her lips together and nodded, the thought of Finn needing stitches, no matter how few, still made her a little nauseous. “I’m glad for you.”

  He made a noncommittal noise and glanced down at his feet before taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders. “Now--”

  A fist pounded at the door making them both jump. Rurik grimaced and ripped it open. “What?” The two guards looked at her uneasily and leaned close to give a report in low tones; try as she might, Disa couldn’t catch a word of it. Rurik was tense, wagging his finger threateningly, before dismissing them abruptly and closing the door with a bang.

  “Everything alright?” she asked lightly, enjoying his discomfort more than was wise given her present circumstances.

  “It’s fine,” he snapped. “I’ve just been gone too long. Everything is in disarray. What were we talking about?”

  “We were praising your brother’s good health.”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I believe I was about to ask you how--”

  Another knock sounded.

  “WHAT!” he shouted. The door creaked open and a young man stuck his head in, dressed head to toe in black like the other mercenaries though something seemed off...

  Disa squinted hard at him but he didn’t spare her a glance. “I was told to report to Bassi, sir.”

  “Do I look like Bassi?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Bassi is lost in the woods somewhere, to be sure.”

  “I’m fairly sure he’s returned, sir. I was told to see to him.”

  “Well, no one has informed me!”

  “Right…so no idea where he could be, then?”

  Rurik’s face was bright red, sweat breaking out on his forehead. “Check with the prisoners,” he said dangerously through gritted teeth.

  “Ay, with the prisoners. Excellent.” He raised one eyebrow high, his other eye squeezed shut. “And where might--”

  Rurik lunged forward and screamed, “UNDER THE STAIRS!” The man yanked his head back and shut the door firmly, leaving a barely controlled Rurik to bang his fist on the wood in frustration.

  One look at his green, shiny complexion and Disa would have suspected, but bastard or no, he had a way with words and it seemed to be failing him. And the failings of both his appearance and his disposition spoke clearly. Disa crossed to the jug of ale on the table and poured him a measure. “Drink, Rurik?” she asked kindly, hoping to force an intimacy and keep herself free of a cell a little while longer.

  He sighed appreciatively at the proffered glass and took it, swallowing the liquid in one gulp, grimacing slightly. “I forgot the sting of this swill.”

  Disa frowned concernedly. “I’m sorry. Should I send for something better?” she asked as if she had that power. No matter. She was seeing this game through the end, whatever that may be.

  He poured himself another glass and smiled at her warmly, blossoming under the ale and the attention he gave his needs. “Unfortunately, you’ll not find better. At least until Ragnar arrives with some of his foreign wines.”

  Disa took a sip of her own glass, the warmth in her throat lending her some courage. “Will he be arriving soon?”

  “I hope,” Rurik grumbled as he swallowed the last of his third ale and helped himself to a fourth. He made no effort to conceal his appetite from Disa. She wondered if he knew what he looked like.

  A commotion in the hallway made them both look up expectantly, Rurik moved to the door clenching his fists, his eyes fluttering closed. There was a perfunctory knock before a flurry of soldiers pushed inside, some mercenaries, some not, each eyeing the other with uncertainty and a fair amount of loathing.

  Disa forced herself to remain seated as her eye found the bored looking captive at their center. “Thanks for the escort, but I think I can handle it from here.”

  “Finn.” Rurik hesitated another moment, blinking in surprise, before he stood, unsure of where to look or what to do. “What’s going on?”

  “Found the prisoner wandering about the place,” answered the man on his arm.

  “Wandering about his home you mean,” protested the man on his other side. “How can he be trespassing in his own home?”

  “Sir?” asked the angry man in black.

  “Well, sir?” mocked Finn. “I awoke in a cell. Was that an accident?”

  “I wanted you tended to. The serving girl was already below treating prisoners,” he lied smoothly.

  “Is that so,” Finn asked, his eyes falling pointedly to the mercenary's grip on his elbow.

  Rurik nodded for him to be released and Finn jerked his arm away rather forcefully, causing one of his fellows to take his bow from his arm and notch an arrow with alarming speed. Finn raised his eyebrows, clearly unimpressed and ready to fight the man, regardless of weapons.

  Disa stood abruptly, desperate to calm the situation. “Sir,” she said, her voice quavering. “You’re brother was just telling me of your good health. I was glad to hear of it.”

  Finn stared, surprised by her sudden appearance at the other end of the room. His eyes quickly assessed her head to feet before he nodded once. “Aye. I’m fit.”

  Rurik cocked his head. “You are doubtless surprised to see my bride?”

  “I’m surprised by many things this day,” he replied cryptically.

  “As am I.” Rurik gestured to Finn’s men. “Leave us.”

  “We’ve got nothing else to attend to,” said the biggest of the three, and Disa recognized him as the contrary gateman from earlier.

  “I am finished repeating myself--”

  All of a sudden a bell started banging erratically, the sound forcing Disa to cover her ears. “WHAT NOW!” Rurik shouted over the echoing clangs.

  Before he could bark more orders, the door burst open and a girl flew inside, a sword brandished before her. She skidded to a stop, her eyes rounded in surprise at finding herself faced with a roomful of armed men. “Luta?” Disa gasped without thinking.

  The archer raised his bow and loosed an arrow, finding his mark in the center of her chest. Luta looked down, her sword falling from her grasp as she stumbled backward. “NO!” Disa yelled, running towards the girl. Rurik shoved her away roughly and Finn lurched forward, two men having to grab hold of him once again to keep him still. The back of Luta’s knees hit the window frame at the same moment her eyes rolled back in her head and, fainting, she fell out into? the open space. Disa slapped her hands over her ears once again only this time to block out the sound of a body hitting the earth.

  Birger was the first to break the stunned silence. “She was a child, you fuck!”

  “I saw only a sword,” the archer replied cooly.

  “Enough!” Rurik shouted. He pointed at Birger and the two angry looking soldiers at his flanks. “Check on the girl and see what the hell that alarm is about. NOW!” His expression left no room for dissent but they glanced at Finn nonetheless who nodded his agreement, and with that, they were gone.

  Rurik turned back to Finn and assessed him curiously. “That was interesting.”

  “The murder of women is interesting now,” Finn spat venomously, unable to hide his derision for the man in front of him.

  “No,” Rurik smiled. “I couldn’t care less about that.” Disa felt a chill move up her arms. He wasn’t hiding anymore. “This, however…” Rurik shoved Disa once again, and caught unawares, she fell to the ground. Finn moved forward, realizing a moment too late what he’d done. The mercenaries wrenched him backwards and Rurik laughed. “Interesting, indeed.”

  “Fuck you, Rurik,” Finn hissed.

  “Fucking on the brain, Finn?”

  “Listen to yourself. You sound just like him.”

  “I am nothing like him.”

  “You’re exactly like him. Our father could be standing before us now and I wouldn’t know the difference,” Finn goaded.

  It wasn’t like Fin
n to be mean and Disa felt she was supposed to be doing something while Rurik was distracted but she couldn’t for the life of her figure out what. She tried to stand but Rurik pushed her back down with his heel.

  “Don’t touch her,” Finn commanded.

  “I’m your Jarl and her betrothed; I’ll do what I like.” The alarm bells started clanging again, the sound deafening as it echoed through the small stone chamber. “God dammit!” he roared.

  There was a pounding at the door that sounded dull under the din. Two of the brothers’ guards stepped in looking harassed. “Sir, what do we do?” asked one.

  “What’s going on?” The men looked at Finn and Disa warily and Rurik rolled his eyes. “Who are they going to tell?” he demanded irritably.

  “Rumors of bodies, sir. There are scuffles breaking out all over. We can’t find anyone to tell us what to do.”

  “Gather some men and quell the fighting. Do you really need someone to tell you that?”

  “Most of our men are with Ragnar, sir. And your men are reluctant to help us, sir. It seems word is getting around that you hold your brother prisoner. They’re getting suspicious.”

  Disa watched as Finn half smiled, his body relaxing though the men holding him back kept their grip. “Your scheme is falling apart it would seem,” remarked Finn. “But please, continue. You were saying that you’re not like our father?”

  “Shut up,” he spat, the words sounding abnormally loud as the bells quieted. “Find Agnar,” he directed. “Gather what men you can and sweep through the hold. Kill anyone you must. I’m done playing.” The guards didn’t seem inclined to depart just yet. “What now?”

  “Agnar is one of the rumored dead.”

  “Impossible.” One of the men shrugged in reply but didn't speak.

  “Rurik--” CRACK. Disa’s half formed plea was cut short by his fist cutting across her cheek. Disa was knocked back into the wall, her eyes welling from the unexpected blow.

  Finn yelled something she didn’t hear as she grasped her face. “I’m fine,” she reassured him through the metallic taste on her tongue.

  The alarm bells resumed for a third time and what little patience Rurik had been clinging to fell away. “GO!” he roared to the men at the door. “And don’t return without something other than a rumor. Or that damn bell crushed to pieces.” The men nodded and pulled the door shut. Rurik’s chest was heaving as his wide eyes darted around the room.

  “Give up this foolishness, Rurik. You can’t win.”

  Rurik kicked out so fast she didn’t have time to protect herself before his foot slammed into her jaw, snapping her teeth around her tongue and making her see stars. Disa shook her head and spit out a mouthful of blood, wisely keeping silent.

  “Stop it!” Finn ordered.

  Not so wise, Disa thought as Rurik hauled her upright and punched her hard in the stomach.

  “You son of a bitch,” Finn murmured as he renewed his efforts to shake the five pairs of hands pulling him backwards. “You son of a bitch.”

  Rurik slapped Disa in the face repeatedly without looking, his eyes boring into Finn’s. Disa managed to block a few, pushing him away between his efforts to keep her pinned to the wall. “Shut up, Finn!”

  Rurik laughed, the sound short and cruel, and knocked her back to the wall again. “My lovely little slut gets the game, brother. Don’t you? Or have you had one too many blows to the head, commander,” he mocked.

  Finn’s mouth was a hard line, his breathing rough, but he kept quiet, his murderous gaze leveled at Rurik. “Good boy,” he smirked before turning back to Disa. “Now, now. What are we going to do with you, eh? I suppose it won’t surprise anyone to find you’d died. And after I’d pledged to protect your people!”

  Disa picked a point on the floor and stared. She knew what was coming though she imagined Finn hadn’t put it together. He was too still. Maybe it was womanly intuition? No matter. She knew what was coming next. And if she wanted to keep Finn alive, she had to submit. Without a sound.

  Rurik ran his fingers under Disa’s chin and she flinched involuntarily, already cursing her weakness. Rurik smiled and pressed closer. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep my promise to you, dearest. I’ll lead your people out of danger.” Disa squeezed her eyes shut as he pressed his lips to her ear, his hand sliding down the sides of her ribs. “Should we make our union official? In bodies, if not law?”

  He couldn’t hear the remark but Rurik’s tone was clear and Finn was starting to pull more desperately away from his guards, their grips biting as they were forced to redouble their efforts. He was never going to allow this. He couldn’t stand to see his brother touch her, what was he going to do if Rurik managed to bend her over the table as he intended?

  The soldiers will have to kill him.

  Unless…

  Gods forgive me, she thought sadly.

  Disa reared her head back and slammed it into Rurik’s face, his nose gushing with a sickening snap before she spit in his face for good measure. “My people will never follow you,” she shouted. “Your own people fight back against you even now! And I’ll never lie with you. Not after having your brother. You’d be too much of a disappointment.” Rurik radiated hatred at her through blackening eyes.

  Come on, you predictable little shit.

  Disa took a step forward, ready to provoke him further. “Don’t move,” he growled. She hesitated a moment and took another step. Rurik pulled a sword from the belt of one of the guards and turned it on Disa so fast she didn’t have time to regret her hasty decision. “DON’T MOVE.” He pushed the blade into her side with one smooth motion, the steel cutting through and lodging itself into the wooden beam. He leaned into her. “Guess I’ll have to get inside you another way,” he whispered.

  Rurik stepped back, the weapon protruding unnaturally as Disa struggled to stay upright. She was pinned to the wall and when she fell, there was going to be even more pain. Will it cut right through me, she wondered, or will I hang from it like some garish doll? Her fingers brushed across the rapidly spreading stain of her dress and she held it up to her eyes feeling oddly disconnected from her body.

  Is this death? she thought. It wasn’t so bad.

  There was an unnatural roar from the other side of the room that brightened her darkening vision.

  Finn.

  Finn was a cornered animal with nothing to lose. If she thought he couldn't stand to see her violated, it was nothing compared to watching her die.

  What was she thinking?

  He thrashed mindlessly, his teeth bared as his captors dropped one by one, scrambling to grab hold of him once more only to be pushed away just as fast. Rurik watched in horror, slowly backing away from his brother as he fitfully gained ground.

  “THAT’S MY WIFE!” Finn bellowed. “THAT’S MY WIFE!”

  He lunged forward while two of the men jumped on his back and tried to pull him down to the floor by his neck. “Kill him!” Rurik shrieked. “KILL HIM.”

  No, she thought. Or maybe she said it aloud. It was hard to be sure at this point. There was a ringing in her ears and she couldn’t tell if it was real or not. Disa saw the dagger at Rurik’s hip just out of her reach. She tugged at the sword but couldn’t get it to budge. She looked to Finn for courage.

  I love you.

  Disa took a deep breath and pulled herself forward, screaming as she made her way along the blade. Rurik turned in confusion, eyes wide as she took an unbearable step towards him, blood steadily flowing down her cursed dress. She reached forward and grabbed his collar. “Guess I’ll have to find another way inside you, too.” Disa pulled the knife from his belt and cut his throat.

  Rurik tumbled back to the floor, bumping the sword that held her in place as he fell, and her screams mixed with his gurgled chokes, hands grasping fruitlessly at his neck. Finn was quickly dispatching the black clad men who’d let their guard down, watching in horror as Rurik drowned in himself.

  He was safe. He was going to be safe. Disa closed h
er eyes.

  I love you, she thought again.

  It happened slowly and then all at once.

  Disa insulted his brother’s manhood and Rurik was furious. Good, Finn thought. Angry men make mistakes. He’d put distance between himself and Disa, screaming at her to stay but she wouldn’t be commanded.

  Rurik had lunged forward and Finn thought he was finally going to focus his brutality on him where it belonged. He unsheathed one of the guard’s swords and Finn braced, ready to fight back when the bastards holding him moved away to allow his execution. He would disarm his brother, no problem. It was laughable even.

  Then in one horrifying movement, his brother had run her through.

  Finn held still. He couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t seeing what he thought he was. His mind was deceiving him somehow. She wasn’t moving, her wide eyes the only thing that betrayed something was different. Her eyes and then the garish red that bloomed across the fabric. The sight unhinged him and he renewed his struggle with a fury. All he could think was his wife was dying. The woman he loved was going to be killed by his own flesh and blood. Finn wasn’t sure what part of his brain thought she was already his, but he had no argument against it.

  His captors were falling, unable to control him though there were five of them and only one of him. Two had gripped his throat and he couldn’t draw a breath but no matter. He would drag them bodily across that room if it killed him.

  Rurik began to shy away, panic contorting his features as he realized his mistake. “Kill him,” he cried. Finn welcomed the attempt. The only way he would die this day was if Disa died first. And she’d promised him. It wasn’t going to happen. She would not die.

  She will not die.

  Disa began to scream, the sound guttural and unholy. She was driving the sword in further? No, she was moving, not the blade. She was pulling herself along the blade.

  Gods.

  Rurik whipped his head around to face her, his attention drawn by her howl and Finn watched as she grabbed his dagger and sliced his throat, her teeth pink with blood. He fell to the floor, his arm catching the weapon that pinned Disa, his mouth gaping soundlessly like dying fish, and Disa screamed once more.