Norse Valor (13 page)

“What will I do?” she wept. “I love you, I can’t leave you
and yet I can’t let my father return all alone. I feel like I’m being torn in
half.”

“Something tells me your father will be staying,” he said.

Curiously Svana gazed up at him. “What?”

“I’ve captured a very beautiful woman and her two young
daughters. I know how you feel about me having a slave or having children as
slaves. So instead of giving them to my mother, I have decided they will be
gifts for your father.”

“But Vakr, Daddy won’t keep slaves. He’ll free her and her
girls.”

“He won’t have a choice but to keep them, especially if he
frees them,” Vakr said, feeling very smug. “I am forbidding anyone here from
helping her or her children. One look at a tiny sobbing child’s face who is
hungry for dinner and I bet your father races for the nearest bow and arrow.”

“Vakr, that’s cruel. And my father can’t hunt.”

Annoyed, Vakr pinned her beneath him. “I can’t lose you.
Don’t you see? Your father will take them because he’s an honorable man. He
will stay because they will have no one else to provide for them.”

Svana was playing with his chest hairs. “How beautiful is
she?”

Vakr was pleased. The fact she didn’t dispute him had his
hopes flaring. “Almost as beautiful as you.”

“My father isn’t stupid. He’s going to know what you’re
doing.”

“Good. Because when he decides to stay, he can’t say he was
tricked.”

“But you aren’t being fair.”

“Vikings have a saying, Svana. All’s fair in love and war.”

“We have the same saying.”

“I am in love and I have chosen my weapon. Your father won’t
know what hit him.”

Vakr chuckled and Svana just shook her head at him. She was
wary, he could see it. More importantly, he could see her hope. That alone gave
him hope. Svana would know her own father. If she thought there might be a
chance…then there was.

Chapter 13

“A gift?”

Svana hid her smile as her father stood with his mouth
gaping at the gift Vakr had given him. Vakr was right, the woman and her
children were beautiful. Vakr took the toddler from her mother’s arms and
practically dropped the child into Bram’s. Svana was surprised the child didn’t
cry. She just looked at Bram with her thumb in her mouth. Huge green eyes
looked solemn.

“Their mother tells me they are good girls. They will be
helpful and obedient. The child you hold is named Gilla,” Vakr said.

“Obedient,” Bram said and gave Svana a wry look. “That would
be a nice change.”

“Very funny,” Svana said.

“I appreciate your gifts, Vakr,” Bram said. “But no thank
you. I don’t now, nor will I ever, own slaves. Besides, I still want to take
Svana home with me. This is no place for a woman. David will be fine, he’s a
man, but women here need constant protection.”

Bram handed the toddler back to her mother and patted the
younger girl, who was nine, on the head. He turned and began to walk away.

The woman, Rakel, ran in front of him and dropped to her
knees. Her nine-year-old daughter, Ginna, went to her and began sobbing.

Bram stopped short. Ginna also had her mother’s deep green
eyes and her gaze was centered on Bram. Bram sighed. He looked back at Vakr.

“It won’t work, Vakr. I know what you’re doing. I’m not
keeping the woman so you may as well hand her over to someone else,” Bram said.

Svana knew he was amused, but she knew that amusement
wouldn’t last long.

“You don’t seem to understand,” Vakr said.

Svana could see how intense he was.

“I am leader here. I have given you a gift. If it’s refused,
it would be rude on your part. I wouldn’t be so foolhardy as to give the gift
to another to be spurned.”

Svana could see red creeping up her father’s neck.
Uh oh
…

Bram reached down and hauled Rakel to her feet. “Then I’ll
give them to another,” he ground out.

“No other will take them, Daddy,” Svana said quietly. “Vakr
has forbidden anyone from accepting them.”

That made her father go even redder.

“You’re a selfish son of a bitch,” Bram snapped.

“By giving you gifts?” Vakr’s eyes rose in surprise. “If you
don’t want them, just toss them out.”

Bram’s mouth dropped open like a fish. “You really think I
won’t?”

Vakr shrugged. “They’re yours to do with as you please. But
as you said, women here need a great deal of protection. I’m certain a wolf
won’t care if she’s free or a slave. The little one is a bit tiny but would
make a good appetizer.”

Svana smacked him across the chest. “Vakr,” she snapped.

Vakr sighed. “You really don’t want them?” he asked.

“No,” Bram snapped.

“All right.”

“Vakr, what are you up to?” Svana said uneasily as Baldr and
Ing came forward.

“Your father has refused my gifts. I can’t have a reminder
of my embarrassment around,” Vakr said.

Rakel screamed when Baldr began dragging her to the cabin
door. Ing scooped up Ginna and followed. All three began screaming and crying.

Rakel turned to Bram and reached for him. She was begging
pitifully for him to at least keep her girls. Rakel then begged Vakr to spare
her children. The devastation on the woman’s face was heartbreaking.

Vakr walked away.

Svana closed her eyes.

“Vakr!” Bram shouted. “Damn you to hell, Vakr. Stop, I’ll
take them.”

Vakr stopped and motioned for the men to release their
captives.

Rakel huddled in fear on the ground with her daughters.

Bram looked down at them sobbing in terror, with his fists
balled. His look was murderous.

Svana knew her father. He was furious they had been put
through such an ordeal. She knew her father wouldn’t take it lightly being
forced into anything.

Bram walked over to Vakr.

Svana swallowed hard.

“I’d like to thank you for my gifts,” Bram said.

Svana could see how rigid he was.

Vakr was smiling.

Bram punched him in the eye.

* * *
*

“Now I know where you get your temper,” Vakr said and
chuckled.

Svana had her arms crossed over her chest. Everyone was
going about their daily chores and for a moment, Svana and Vakr were granted
some privacy.

“How could you do such a thing to that poor woman and her
children? They were terrified,” Svana snapped.

“I know it was hard to watch,” Vakr soothed. “And I’m happy
your father didn’t wait until they were on the other side of the door.”

“You would have let it go that far?” Svana asked, appalled.

“I had men outside just in case it did.” Vakr wrapped his
arms around her. “They wouldn’t have been harmed. Just afraid. The men wouldn’t
have let anything go near them. I was counting on your father thinking since
I’m a heathen and not good enough for you that I’m also a cold-hearted bastard.
It worked.”

“Yes and now you don’t
want
to know what else Daddy thinks of you,” Svana said.

“Svana, I won’t lose you. If anything, this will prove to
your father how far I’m willing to go.”

“But what if Daddy isn’t happy here?”

Svana gazed over at Rakel who was sitting with her father
and the two girls. They were teaching Bram their language. The toddler was on
his lap. From the look on Bram’s face, Svana knew he was remembering holding
her at that age.

“Just give it some time,” Vakr said. “If he doesn’t like it
here and he just can’t stay, I will take them back and give them to my mother
as I had planned.”

“Really?”

“I swear it, Svana. But what will you do if he does go
back?”

Svana looked up at him then looked at her dad.

“I can’t let him go back alone. But I’ll die without you.”

“Your father called me selfish. Maybe I am. But he’s being
selfish too, in not thinking of what you want and need. If you tell me honestly
you don’t want to be here, that you miss your cars and house and money, I will
let you go.”

“Vakr, I don’t care about fancy houses and cars. They’re
nice but I’m not in love with them. A house is just something with walls. This
is my home. But we can’t
make
Daddy
fall in love.”

Just then a giggle could be heard from across the room.
Gilla was smiling. The amazed look on Rakel’s face was priceless.

“They were afraid of their father,” Vakr said. “That is most
likely the first time Gilla has laughed.”

Even Ginna was showing a tentative smile. Svana knew her
father was a kind man. She had another thought. These were Viking warriors; her
father wasn’t. He was also more mature than he looked. Age had given him a
great deal of wisdom. Rakel had had a hard life with an immature barbarian. It
would take a lot of coaxing and kindness for her to feel safe. Maybe this
wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

“Well, if he’s staying here for even a little while, you are
responsible for him and Rakel and her children,” Svana said.

“Do men of the twenty-first century not know how to take
care of themselves?”

Vakr looked annoyed.

“Sure, you should see some of the parking lines on holidays.
You want to see a man turn into an animal? Watch him when he goes out shopping
on Christmas Eve…they take no prisoners.”

* * *
*

Vakr grumbled.
Bram is
a pain in the ass!
Though he looked no older than Vakr, he was always
calling him son. Bram had this way about him. The mature way he spoke made Vakr
feel as though he were a little boy. Worse was the fact his mother adored Bram.
When Bram and his mother spoke to one another, it was as though they were
equals and the same age, then he would remember they were in fact almost the
same age. It was maddening. And Rakel, she already thought the sun rose and
fell on him. As for Svana, it was unnerving having her call such a young man
‘daddy’. She also differed to her father on almost everything. Bram was such a
natural born leader, everyone was following his directions.

Vakr was moody. He and his men had killed the enemy and now
they had no reason to wear their costumes or speak in their special room.
Fights had been breaking out with their inactivity. Ari was no help. He and his
new woman were always off snuggling somewhere. Every time Vakr tried to get
Svana alone, Bram would come looking for her. And Svana wouldn’t dare say no to
her father. She seemed like a little girl when her father was around. Svana
would protect her brother, but it seemed she was used to her father protecting
her, as he should. But she was Vakr’s now. He was supposed to be taking care of
her.

Vakr had been amazed and somewhat annoyed when Bram proved
himself to be handy with not only a bow and arrow but also a sword. Vakr had
taken the man out to teach him how to wield a weapon and low and behold, he
knocked Vakr’s sword from his hands.
And
in front of
Svana.
Vakr was
supposed to be the one she marveled over. The first time Bram hunted, he got a
buck. Rakel had thrown her arms around Bram as though he were Odin himself.
Svana had looked surprised then declared her ‘Daddy’ could do anything.

The sun was shining high in the air. Vakr was outside the
fenced area. A few women were gathering herbs and roots. Many of the wolves had
been killed and now stayed away, so another danger had passed. Vakr slumped on
a log, he was so bored. It was hot and his bare chest glistened with sweat. He
heard movement to his left and looked up when Bram came to sit beside him.

“Not exactly how you thought it would be, huh?” Bram said.

Vakr knew what he was talking about. The man looked smug. If
he wasn’t Svana’s father, he would slice him in half right here.

“You interfere too much,” Vakr grumbled.

Bram grinned. “What if I were to tell you that your plan
worked and I am hopelessly in love with Rakel and her girls?”

“Well, yippee.”

Bram chuckled and slapped him on the back. “I don’t think
I’d care for it if my soon-to-be father-in-law showed up here. My first wife’s
parents were dead when we met. They say the only good in-law is a dead one.”

“Can’t imagine why.” Vakr glared at him, wishing he were a
good in-law,
dead
.

“I like your village, Vakr. You’ve made a safe, strong place
with my son’s ideas. Not many would be so open-minded and I’m impressed.”

For the dumbest reason, his words made Vakr feel proud. He
didn’t know why this man’s opinion was so important after such a short time.

“Dressing like wild animals seemed to work against your
enemy,” Bram continued. “The way you and your men behave around the women here
is admirable. Especially the ones who were raped and terrorized. I’m sorry I
doubted you. You’re not a bunch of heathens and barbarians.”

“Are you still mad about Rakel?” Vakr asked. He looked at Bram
somewhat sideways to calculate if he were telling the truth and darned if his
opinion didn’t matter again.

“I was, at first. I was very angry when those men started
dragging them out of the cabin. It took two seconds to figure out they would be
killed by wild animals in this place if left to fend for themselves. You would
know that already.” Bram took a deep breath. “It also took me two seconds after
I hit you to realize you wouldn’t have let them get hurt. Especially when you
kept smiling and never hit me back. Damn, you can take a punch.”

Vakr was grinning from ear to ear. Bram was strong, but he
hadn’t felled him. After frightening Rakel and her children, he felt the blow
was fitting punishment. Vakr himself would have done no less.

“Bram, Vakr, come quick!” Rakel was in front of them breathing
heavily, her face pale.

“What happened?” Vakr shouted.

“There’s been a horrible accident.”

Both men raced back to the cabin with Rakel. What Vakr saw
almost stopped his heart. Auga was kneeling over a woman who was bleeding
profusely. It was Svana.

“What happened?” Bram howled. He grabbed a blanket and tried
to staunch the bleeding.

Auga, always a rock, normally, was sobbing uncontrollably.
That alone told Vakr the woman thought there was no hope.

“Ginna got hold of your sword, Bram,” Rakel said. She was
weeping and looked terrified. “I’m so sorry, Bram. She didn’t mean to. You have
been so kind, she only wanted to clean it like she has seen the others do. It
was going to be a surprise, but she was supposed to wait for my help. It was so
heavy and she tripped when she was carrying it. I don’t know what possessed her
to do such a thing. She was supposed to wait. She was just too excited because
she loves you so much. As she fell, Svana grabbed her. The sword was upright as
Ginna stumbled forward. She would have impaled herself. Svana moved so fast to
stop the blade. Instead of it going into Ginna, it hurt Svana.”

Vakr was on his knees as everyone crowded close. He took
Svana’s head onto his lap. “Svana?”

“Vakr,” she whispered.

There was so much blood, her face was as pale as the moon.
“Svana, don’t die,” Vakr said, and for the first time in years, he began
weeping. Vakr was at a loss. He could see the cut was fatal. Before long, she
would bleed out. It would be a slow and painful death.

“Vakr, get your ship ready,” Bram ordered.

“What?” he asked dumbly.

“Your vessel, damn it. Get it ready to sail.
Now
.”

“Dad?” David asked.

Bram was scooping Svana up into his arms. “Your ring, David,
I need your ring.”

“For who?”

“For Vakr. If possible, we need to get Svana to a doctor!”
Bram yelled.

“But we don’t know if it will work,” David said. “Look at
you. What happens if he ages or goes through as a child? Even if you find a
boat in the mist from our time, he might just disappear, or worse yet, the boat
could disappear under him like it did with you.”