Beyond the Sea Mist (33 page)

“And then what? How will you keep her safe?”

“By remaining at her side. I plan to help her win back her family’s lands and then make my home there.”

Orm sat up again, his expression incredulous. “Are you certain you didn’t get struck on the head in your skirmish with Bodolf? You’ve the heard the tales about these Irish chieftains. They’re wild men. They kill over nothing. And if there’s land involved, they’re even more crazed. How do you think someone like you, who’s not of their race, will fare in such a conflict? You may be a mighty warrior, but you can’t prevail against some chieftain’s army.”

“I’m hoping some of the crew will join me,” Magnus said. “And if I sell the rest of the metalwork, I should have enough to hire men that way.”

“You expect the crew of the
Dragonsbreath
and the
Seawolf
to give up the sea and join in this foolish and dangerous scheme of yours?”

“I think some of them might. We’ll be fighting for land, which is something they’ll never be able obtain otherwise. I think many men would have stayed in Norseland if there’d been land to farm. But there were no opportunities there, so we took to the sea. Now I see a chance to acquire territory in Ireland, which is said to be much richer and more bountiful than our homeland. It seems to me something worth risking my life over, and I think other men might think the same.”

“But when it comes down to it, it’s the woman, isn’t it? You’ve agreed to fight for her family’s lands because you think it’s the only way you can keep her content.”

Magnus knew that Orm’s words were true, and he felt no reason to deny them. What was the shame in loving a woman enough to want to help her realize her dreams? “Aye, I’m doing this for Ailinn. But everything I’ve done for Ailinn has ended up benefiting me so far.”

Orm let out a sigh and shook his head. “I suppose you think I’ll agree to join you in this mad quest.”

“The choice is yours, as it is every other man’s. I’ve decided to take the
Dragonsbreath
to Ireland. Those men who wish to continue as traders can have the
Seawolf
.”

Orm sighed again. “I suppose I must decide whether I desire to be a seaman or a warrior.”

But first, you must survive your wound
, Magnus thought, observing Orm’s growing pallor and the sweat beading on his skin.

Magnus glanced backwards, scanning the walkway. Although he was accompanied by the three crewmen he trusted the most—besides Orm—he still felt uneasy. Kvist and Hrut were still somewhere in York. What if they convinced other men to join them in an attempt to take over the ships and he and his companions encountered them here in the settlement?

The thought made him quicken his pace. They were almost to Coppergate. As they passed the street where he’d bought Ailinn the cotton shift, Magnus knew a stab of regret. He’d hoped to take her to the weavers and have her pick out a new gown. It would be far too dangerous now.

It hadn’t been easy to convince her stay behind. She seemed to think she could help protect him somehow. Of course, she had saved his life. But in that instance, she’d had the advantage of surprise. Here on the streets of the settlement she made too easy a target.

They turned down Coppergate and Magnus saw the metalwork shop. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Niall looked up from his work as Magnus entered the shop. “I wasn’t certain I would ever see you again.”

“If not for your warning, I would be dead,” Magnus answered. “Thank you.”

Niall nodded.

Magnus gazed at the metalsmith questioningly. “Not many men would have gone to the trouble to help a man who was almost a stranger.”

Niall raised his pale brows. “I once had a woman I doted upon. She was brutalized and killed by men who sought to steal my wealth. Since then I’ve made it a point to be generous to those who care for something other than silver. Your devotion to your Irish lady impressed me. I didn’t like to think of her dying the way my Eavan had.”

“Eavan? That sounds like an Irish name.”

“Aye. She was a slave, brought to York when she was barely more than a child. I saw her in the marketplace and took her home.” Niall’s gaze grew distant. “She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. Even now, when I’m working on a piece, I think of her grace and loveliness and try to recapture it.”

Magnus felt a deep sympathy for this man. If he lost Ailinn, he would also grieve for her the rest of his life. “I have one more boon to ask of you,” Magnus said. “I’ve brought more metalwork. I’d like to exchange it for coin and hacksilver.”

“For what purpose?”

“I need the means to pay warriors. I’m going back to Ireland to fight for the lands that were stolen from my woman.”

Niall considered this for a time. Then he said, “The Irish are a quarrelsome, greedy race, always fighting among themselves, and all too eager to sell their countrymen into slavery.”

“Will you help me?” Magnus asked.

“As much as I can. You’ve already sore depleted my supply of hacksilver, but I do have additional coin, some of it gold.”

Magnus removed the amulets from their hiding place and the two daggers from the pouch on his belt and lay them on the worktable. Niall examined the pieces. “Fine stuff,” he said. “I’ve sometimes thought I’d like to go to Dublin to learn how to do this kind of work. The enamel and gold and silver inlay especially intrigue me.”

“How much?” Magnus asked, feeling impatient. He hated being away from Ailinn for long. Niall’s tale of what had happened to his woman was hardly reassuring.

They agreed on a price and Niall sent one of the slaves to the back area to get the payment. As they waited, Magnus said, “I have another favor to ask of you. One of my men was wounded in the skirmish on the docks. Is there a healer in the settlement?”

Niall nodded. “There’s a wisewoman who lives down by the river. Her name is Niamh. You can tell her I sent you.”

Feeling relieved he might have found someone to help Orm, Magnus watched as Niall weighed the coins he was offering in payment for the jewelry. Some of the coins were gold. Magnus picked one up and examined it. It showed a man sitting in an ornate chair.

“That’s Constantine, the king of Byzantium,” said Niall. “Some metalsmiths would have melted it down for scrap, but I liked the design.”

“It’s very fine,” Magnus said. “But my concern is how many warriors it will hire.”

“Irish warriors?”

Magnus nodded.

“It may not be easy to attract the local people to your cause. The Irish aren’t like the Norse, willing to serve any man who pays them. They may be reluctant to fight for an outsider.”

“My lady isn’t an outsider. Before he was killed, her father was chieftain over a substantial territory.”

“Then you may not need gold or silver to get them to fight for you. There might be men with ties to her father who would be eager to join you.”

Magnus shifted restlessly. “As I am eager to set sail this day.”

Niall grunted his assent and dumped the coins into a leather pouch. Handing it to Magnus, he said, “Fare you well, Magnus Gunnarson. And have a care for your lady. Though many men scoff at the thought, no amount of metal—be it gold or silver—can replace the satisfaction of having a woman who truly cares for you.”

As he left the shop, Magnus considered the truth of the metalmith’s words. He’d realized his dreaming of owning a ship twice over, and come into possession of great riches, but he knew he would willingly give it all up for Ailinn.

Accompanied by the three warriors, Magnus returned to the dock. He left his guard there, then boarded the
Dragonsbreath
. Ailinn immediately came to greet him. “I’m so glad you’re back,” she said. Her green-gray eyes glowed with warmth as she looked up at him. He wanted to pull her in his arms and kiss her, but knew it wasn’t the right time.

“I’m going to tell the men to gather on the dock so I can speak to them about my plan,” he said. “I want you by my side as I do so.”

She smiled at him. “I will always be at your side, Magnus.”

He smiled back at her, then asked, “How fares Orm?”

“He’s still weak and in pain, although he denies it.”

Magnus nodded. “I’ll have a couple of men help him join us on the dock.”

“Brina won’t be pleased.”

“I want him there,” Magnus said. “Wounded or not, he’s my most certain ally. Afterwards I’m going to take him to a healer.”

“I’ll explain that to Brina,” said Ailinn. She started toward the tent.

The men were scattered about the ship, cleaning weapons, playing board games and dicing. Magnus went to each group and told them to disembark and gather on the quay. At the stern end of the vessel, he saw Asgar and Esbjorn with Ullach and Gormlaith. The two women were seated on seachests, while the men relaxed nearby.

“It was getting crowded in the tent,” Esbjorn said as Magnus approached. His blue eyes sparkled and his thin face was flushed.

“Aye,” Asgar agreed. “We thought the fresh air would do them good.” He grinned at Magnus.

The two women seemed relaxed and content. Gormlaith even had some color in her thin cheeks. The thought came to Magnus that having his crewmen form attachments to Ailinn’s companions would make them more likely to join him in fighting for Ailinn’s lands.

“I need you to gather on the quay with the other men,” he told Asgar and Esbjorn. “I have something to say to all of you.”

Asgar and Esbjorn both gave him a look of curiosity, then said farewell to the two women.

“Before you disembark, I want you to fetch Orm from the tent,” ordered Magnus. “Carry him if you have to, but I want him on the dock as well.”

Having given his message to all the men on the
Dragonsbreath
, Magnus made his way down the loading plank and along the dock to the
Seawolf
. As he approached the smaller vessel, he felt a hint of trepidation. He didn’t know these men or have any sense of their mood. Would any of them see fit to join him in this venture to Ireland?

He gave the crew of
Seawolf
the same message he’d given the other men, then returned to the dock. Most of the crew of the
Dragonsbreath
were already gathered there.

Magnus was on the verge of boarding the ship and seeking out Ailinn when he saw her coming down the boarding plank. She was followed by Asgar and Esbjorn, supporting Orm between them. Orm looked pale and uncomfortable, but not feverish.

Magnus took Ailinn’s arm and led her to the center of the group of men.

A few more crewmen joined them, then Magnus gestured to Ailinn and said in a loud voice, “This is Lady Ailinn, heiress to lands in the southwest of Ireland. Those lands were stolen from her and she was taken captive by Croa. I plan to return to Ireland and regain everything she has lost. I intend to defeat the chieftain who did this to her, and take control of his lands. Then I will settle there and farm the lands I’ve won.”

He looked around the group of men. “I’m offering all of you a choice. You can join me, or you can go your own way. I plan to take the
Dragonsbreath
to Ireland. Any man who doesn’t wish to go with me can stay here or sail on the
Seawolf
.”

The crew stared at him. Many seem puzzled or confused. Finally, Bragi said, “If we stay on the
Seawolf
, who will serve as captain?”

“You’ll have to choose a captain from among yourselves,” Magnus answered.

“You’re giving up control of the ship?” Oleif appeared astounded.

“Aye. I have no use for two vessels if I’m fighting on land.” Magnus glanced around again. “I know that some of you chose the life of a seaman because you like the thrill of being on the ocean and traveling to far away places. For others, like myself, it was the only means you could see to improve your circumstances. If I hadn’t joined a ship’s crew, I would have been stuck on my brother’s steading in Norseland, never possessing enough wealth of my own to be able to take a wife or have a longhouse of my own.

“If you go with me to Ireland, there’s a chance we will be able to take possession of some rich, prosperous lands. If we succeed, there will be opportunities for all of us. But there are great risks as well.” He nodded to Ailinn. “My lady’s enemies are fierce and ruthless. It’s possible we’ll be defeated.”

Asgar spoke up. “Look around you. We’re less than three score. Even if all of us decided to fight, how can we hope to defeat this wealthy chieftain? He’ll undoubtedly have his own warband, as well as the means to call up an army.”

Magnus was very glad he’d told Niall of his plan. The metalsmith had given him the answer that might convince these men they had a chance. “We won’t be fighting alone. There will be men loyal to Lady Ailinn’s father who also lost property and prestige when he was killed, and they’ll be hungry to regain what was taken from them. You’ve no doubt heard the tales of the Irish, of their fierce tempers and their passion for doing battle with each other. There are many men who’ve suffered losses at the hand of this MacTighe who will be more than willing to join us.”

As he said this, Magnus wondered how much of it was true. What would they find when they got to Ireland? Would they have allies for this battle, or would they have to buy them with gold and silver?