Page 47

I heard voices, so I hid in the shadows.

The couple passed close by but I could not see them.

They went behind the barn and soon I heard the scuffles and giggles that suggested some sort of tryst was going on.

I made to move away, but before I could do so the sounds changed.

I did not understand the words as I had no knowledge of the Norse language, but it was clear to me that the girl was no longer a willing participant.

I turned about and soon found them. He had pinned her to the ground and she was crying.

At the same time, all sorts of commotion was starting up in the village itself.

I could hear shouts, the squealing of animals – pigs it sounded like – people running about.

Not that any of this seemed to matter to the man who was attacking the girl.

He was oblivious to all of it. The more she struggled, the more brutal he became.

There was a woman. I could see her silhouette in the moonlight.

She was trying to round up the loose pigs and headed toward the couple on the ground, but she stopped and seemed to turn away.

I shouted, then, to get her attention, but it seemed she would still be too late.

The bastard had his hand over the girl’s face, to stop her from crying out.

I had no alternative. I stepped out of hiding and landed my boot in his ribs.

It winded him, enough to allow the wench to get free of his clutches.

Then the woman was suddenly there. She confronted the attacker, and never even saw me as I slid back into the undergrowth.

It was my intention then to slip away and continue my journey, but I could not simply leave her. ”

Taranc paused and allowed himself a wry chuckle.

“I need not have worried. The man continued to rant at the woman in the Norse tongue but she had nothing to say to him at all as far as I could tell.

She simply waited until you had left, Brynhild, then she stepped forward, her dagger in her hand, and she gutted him with it. "

Brynhild could not breathe. She gaped at Taranc. "She… did what?"

"It was quick, I grant you that. I doubt he felt much, nor even saw it coming.

One moment he was on his feet, haranguing the lady, the next he was in a crumpled heap at her feet.

I do not think she believed his delusional ravings, and she certainly did not allow him to live to repeat his lies to others. "

"So it is true. He is dead? All this time, he has been dead?" Brynhild whispered.

"Yes, sweetheart. He is dead."

"Are you sure?"

"I am. I could see that she could not dispose of the body without help so I showed myself and offered my aid in exchange for food and clothing, a weapon.

The lady was agreeable to my terns so I carried the remains to the cliff edge and flung the worthless bastard into the sea.

He was dead all right, you may be quite sure of that. "

Brynhild sank back in her chair. "She did not let him go? She was not tolerant, not lenient with him?"

Taranc shook his head. "Oh no, that she was not. She killed him on the spot for what he did to you. Of course, I did not have the opportunity to know her well, but the impression I had was that Solveig loved you very much and would do anything to protect you. She was not disappointed in you, my Viking, and she blamed the one who was responsible. She was no fool, and you take after her. She would be very proud of you.”

“Why did you not tell me of this, when I first told you about Aelbeart?”

“I did not see the girl clearly. She was never more than a shadow, and I had never been to Skarthveit before so did not recognise the place. It had changed a great deal by the time I was there next. The barn where all this occurred was gone…”

“Yes, my father had it cleared and built a new one.”

“And you never saw me. You never even knew that another Celt was also there.”

“No,“ agreed Brynhild. “But it was because of you that Aelbeart lost his grip on me and I was able to escape. Because you attacked him, distracted him for a moment until my mother arrived. Even then, when you did not know me and you might have been captured you still helped me.”

“I could not let him hurt you. Had Solveig not arrived when she did, I would have done more.”

“I can’t believe I never knew, never realised…”

“Why would you? Why would any of us? Solveig was dead by the time I returned. I am sure I would have remembered her, though there have been moments when I almost recognised her in you. When you told me the story you said your mother believed Aelbeart and had him sold at the slave auction so I had no cause to question that. I certainly did not connect it to the killing I witnessed, the body I helped to dispose of. But Weylin’s account, along with yours, brought everything together.

The picture was complete, the truths along with the falsehoods, and at last it made sense. ”

“She believed me. And you saved me. All those years ago, you were there and you saved me. I assume my mother kept her side of the bargain?”

“She did. Two hours later she returned to the place we agreed to meet and brought me food, clothing, a sword. She even provided me with a hammer and showed me how to remove the shackle from my ankle, though she made me swear not to do it until I was well out of earshot of the settlement. With the supplies Solveig gave me I was able to continue on, and soon found a small boat moored in a cove. I stole it and managed to make the crossing back to Scotland. Naturally, I hoped not to encounter Vikings again, though the good Lord saw fit not to bless me in such a manner. Still, I should not complain…”

“I am glad you were there. I wish I had known…”

“I am glad too. Glad also that the truth is out now, and complete.”

"Aye, there is much to be said for having the complete picture," observed Dughall from his seat at the head of the table.

"Much to be said. Life is indeed a complex tapestry and we can never know quite how all the threads will be intertwined.

Now, I believe we were discussing arrangements for a wedding. "