The Seducer (Viking Warriors) (8 page)

As the keep neared, Elaina’s tension returned.

“What worries you, wife?” Jarvik drew back on the reins. Háski slowed from a canter to a walk as they crossed the moat leading to
Laufsblað Fj
ë
llóttr
’s bailey.

She straightened and smoothed her skirts, feeling naked without her padding and wimple. “I fear King Máel Coluim’s reaction to my appearance.”

“Cease frowning. How oft must I say that all will be well?” Jarvik nudged her shoulder. “’Tis time you meet my brothers and their wives. The king will have to wait.”

She blinked, turned in the direction he looked and her jaw dropped, for a crowd awaited them at the top of the castle’s stairs. “I can see why all call him The Bear of The North. That is him, is it not? The one in the middle?”

“Aye. That one is Torsten, the Bear. He is my oldest brother.”

“Uncle Jarvik!” A screech came from an elfin-faced girl with loose golden tresses. Her hair whipped back in the breeze as she raced to them.

“Nay, Gæierla. Halt.” Jarvik scrambled off the horse, and Háski promptly bit him in the ass. He kept one hand on Elaina’s thigh and reached low to scoop the child into his embrace.

“Are you my new aunt?” The girl wrapped long, skinny legs around Jarvik’s waist and stared at Elaina. “What am I to do now? All my Thors have married. You must find me another, uncle. For I am over ten summers and still have no betrothed.”

Elaina’s head spun. Thors? Betrothed?

Another woman approached. “You must be Elaina. Help her dismount, Jarvik. Don’t stand there with your mouth hanging open. We have much to do. I am Catriona, Ruard the Dragon Slayer’s wife. The brat peppering Jarvik with questions and kisses is my sister, Gæierla.”

Elaina had never seen hair the color of flames and such beauty in one woman. Glad she no longer wore her padding and limestone lard, Elaina jumped down. “Catriona, I am most pleased to meet you.”

“I am not a brat.” Gæierla wriggled out of Jarvik’s hold. “I am to be presented to two kings this eve. I have a new cyrtel. Think you one of the kings will find me a husband?”

“Gæierla, you must stop this obsession with marriage. ’Tis not all it appears, dearling.” A tall woman with unbound black tresses reaching well below her rump strolled to them carrying a babe on her hip. Close on her heels, a warrior dressed in a hauberk hurried to keep up with her. “I am Bettina, married to Njal the Peacemaker, the middle brother. And this is our son, Saxski.”

“And how is marriage not all it appears to be, wife? I am Njal.” The warrior curled an arm around Bettina’s waist, tweaked the babe’s nose, and tilted his head to inspect Elaina. “The hall is rife with rumor of you, Lady Elaina. All are curious to see the woman who beguiled Jarvik, The Seducer.”

Elaina craned her neck to see Njal fully and curtsied. “My lord.”

“Nay. We are brother and sister now. I am Njal to you, Elaina.” He captured her hand and kissed the back.

“Cease.” Jarvik removed her wrist from Njal’s grasp. “Where is Magnus?”

“Trying to persuade Deidra to put the cats in their stable.” Elaina spun to the side to face yet another female, this one delicate, with porcelain skin, huge wide-set green eyes, and the softest, sweetest voice she had ever heard. “I am Ainslin, married to Torsten, the Bear of the North. This is Inga. Mind your manners, daughter.”

The toddler at Ainslin’s side removed a thumb from her mouth, dipped her knees, and mumbled, “Have you an apple?”

“Brother.” Torsten the Bear approached them. “I see Háski still takes chunks of your skin regularly.”

Elaina’s heart leapt to her throat. Never had she seen a man who radiated such danger and power. She took a step back into Jarvik’s solid form. He squeezed her shoulders reassuringly. “Easy, wife. Aye, the destrier you gifted me with when I earned my spurs still gnaws me every chance he gets. How you trained him to do so, I still cannot fathom.”

Torsten bent to pick up Inga. “Here is your apple, dearling. No more stealing from the kitchens. Ainslin, why are you here? Did we not agree that you are not to take the cool evening air?”

Ainslin rolled her eyes. “Nay. We did not agree. You commanded.”

“’Twas a suggestion, elska. I am but concerned for you and the babe.”

“Why are you not supervising Rob and Brom with their training?” Hands jammed on hips, chin jutted, Ainslin tapped a foot. That this slip of a woman defied the dangerous warrior famed in so many lands had Elaina’s thoughts churning.

“I left our sons in Magnus’ capable hands when I found out that the wife I thought was resting had decided to help the alewife with sacks of hops. Ainslin, be reasonable. You are with child. You are not to lift a spool of wool far less sacks of hops.”

“Fie! Save us from all dense warrior husbands. And not a word, Njal. Can you believe it? He would have me not ride. I swear the next time I am with child, you will know nothing of it until the birthing is done.” Bettina narrowed her eyes.

Njal relieved Bettina of their son, Saxski. “You know well what will happen if I chance you on a stallion. I would tie Ainslin to the bed frame were I you, Torsten. Lifting sacks of hops.” He snorted. “Shall we escort our wives and children to their chambers?”

“Aye. For I fear they are all headstrong and unreasonable.” Torsten glared at his wife. “Will you walk or shall I carry you?”

’Twould not have surprised Elaina to see flames spewing from Ainslin’s nostrils as she met her husband’s stare. Not a word sounded in the bailey. Elaina held her breath cert that the Bear would explode.

But Torsten blew out a heavy sigh instead. “Go to Mama, Inga.”

Ainslin blinked but took Inga from Torsten. Then he scooped both Inga and Ainslin into his arms.

“Do not even think on it. I will walk, Njal.” Bettina fair huffed the statement.

“Sister.” Gæierla tugged Catriona’s sleeve. “Can I go see the cats? Why does Uncle Njal want Uncle Torsten to tie Aunt Ainslin to the bed frame?”

“Methinks ’tis time for your fostering, Gæierla. You may go to the cats, but be back before the sun sets.” When Gæierla turned away, Catriona snatched a handful of the girl’s faded, brown cyrtel. “Your manners?”

“Beg pardon, Uncle Jarvik, Aunt Elaina, sister.” Gæierla dipped a graceful curtsey. “I take your leave.”

They all watched as Gæierla took two demure steps. The third turned into a stride and on the fourth, she broke into a sprint. Catriona shook her head. “So many questions and so much energy. I fear she keeps both Ruard and I on our toes.”

“You worry no more about her memories of the dungeons?” Jarvik asked.

Catriona half-turned and shook her head. “Jarvik confuses you with his question, I can see that plainly, Elaina. My sister was imprisoned briefly by a villainous earl. Njal rescued her and spoiled her dreadfully on the journey back to our keep. I am cert you will hear the tale told oft, Elaina. Gæierla believes she has the makings of a skald.”

Catriona rolled her eyes, but smiled. “And the tales of the god, Thor, holds much fascination for her quick mind. She had hoped to marry Thor, then switched to Njal, and, once she met Jarvik, became determined he would be hers.”

Ah, that explained the little girl’s lament. Elaina could not help but smile. “With your permission, I would have Gæierla meet my babes, Kateri and Kitti. We have lived an isolated life and I fear they need to spend time with other children.”

“’Tis a brilliant notion, Elaina. For Gæierla will jump at the idea of mothering two babes. She feels most put out that Brom and Rob are not only older than her, but half a head taller. I will arrange that all children spend the morn in the attic. We have set the nursery there.”

Already Elaina liked Catriona. She was straightforward, looking others directly in the eyes with only honesty and fire in her face and in the way she held herself. “I should like to meet the other children as well and spend some time with them,” Elaina said.

“I can assure you that I will not miss a chance to show you my son, Finn. But we must get through this eve first. Jarvik, escort Elaina to Deidra’s chamber. The women will come to the hall after the men are seated for the evening meal. I must find Ruard and Magnus. I will see you anon, Elaina, Jarvik.”

With that Catriona whirled and headed in the direction of the kitchens. Elaina considered what had transpired. “’Tis common for Norse husbands to tie their wives to the bed frame?”

He chuckled. “I did not hear you complaining this morn, sweetling.”

“And can a wife tie her husband down?” The notion appealed greatly.

Jarvik groaned. “Mayhap. If I could watch you pleasure yourself afore.”

She spun, set her palms to his warm chest, and gathered her courage. “I would see your pleasure too. I value greatly your cock and would learn its secrets.”

“Frig, help me.” He crushed her to him. “Never change, wife. Never.”

“Jarvik.” A deep male voice issued the greeting.

When she tried to lift her head, Jarvik pressed her still. “’Tis my brother, Ruard. Dragon Slayer, what say you?”

“I say you get your wife to her chamber, then meet with us and King Cnut. And make haste. We have trouble brewing.”

Chapter Five

“What is amiss now?” Jarvik shucked his boots and stood to untie his breeches.

Magnus had built his bathhouse to suit his gigantic proportions. The timber and stone structure stood five ells high, and the pool dug into the ground spanned twice that width, length, and depth. Smooth stones fired by a deep pit spewed wisps of fragrant steam around the chamber.

“King Eógan arrives on the morrow.” Torsten, already stripped and in the water, rested his head in his hands. “He will claim Elaina’s half-sisters.”

“How know you this?” Jarvik tugged off his tunic.

“King Cnut has decided to support King Eógan’s cousin, Habren, in his bid for the kingdom of Strathclyde. Valan the Viper, the Highland Chieftain, has spies amongst Eógan’s men.” Njal dipped a pitcher into the water. “Valan sent a missive to warn me.”

Ruard dove into the deep end of the lagoon. He rose between Torsten and a rounded corner. “’Tis fortunate that Eógan, the bastard, left no witnesses when he murdered King Crínán and his family.”

“Aye, he cannot prove the girls are not Elaina’s issue. Or yours.” Magnus, naked as the day he was birthed, lit a hanging lamp. “And ’tis damned fortunate that my Deidra saw fit to remove the stained sheets from the turret afore any in the keep saw them. You claimed the babes last eve, but ’twill not be enough. You must claim to have sired them. ”

A pang of remorse clutched at Jarvik’s chest. He had not realized the level of his obsession with Elaina. For he truly wanted all and sundry to know she had been a maid and not the concubine all spoke of. “All know that King Crínán wed Maude and that she bore him two babes.”

“Aye. But none live who saw the girls.” Njal splashed a pitcher of water over the hot rocks. Steam hissed thick and damp, rising in slow spirals to the timbered roof. “And Elaina has not been seen for two summers. Who will gainsay you if you claim the babes as yours? You have been searching for Elaina all this time. You found her twice and had her. She had no wish to marry a Viking and escaped.”

“You have already spread this tale, brother.” Jarvik studied Njal’s stoic features. Oft times, ’twas impossible to tell his brother’s thoughts, which made him so successful as the king’s peacemaker.

“Aye. We all have. And I met with Máel Coluim here earlier. He will not back Habren. There is much enmity between the two men. Cnut will not back any other but Habren.” Njal dragged both hands through his shoulder-length black hair. “I fear there is not much common ground.”

Jarvik settled against a warm, smooth boulder, letting the warm water caress his bunched shoulders. “What if neither ruled? ’Tis a diabolical notion. But what if both Habren and Eógan were murdered by the Moraemers?”

His four brothers stared at him. Jarvik choked back a howl, for ’twas not oft that he took the lead in devising a plan. And he could see no holes in his scheme.

“’Twould be the opportunity Máel Coluim has been waiting for. And Cnut the Great has no love for the Moraemers’ encroachments below the border.” Torsten rubbed the dark stubble on his jaw. “Njal, Magnus, Ruard, see you any detriment to this plan?”

“Save that ’twill mean no slumber this eve. Nay.” Magnus shook his wet hair and water whipped everywhere. “Who stays to keep the kings preoccupied?”