Viking Love Beyond Time (Time Travel Romance) (18 page)

As she headed back into the trees a sudden rustle in the undergrowth made her start and she screamed with fright as her way was suddenly blocked by two huge figures – one of them holding, by the scruff of the neck, a weeping figure she recognised as Godgyth.

“Well, well, lady Alodie” said a deep voice – a voice which she had heard for the first time this morning and, given the choice, one which she would have gone along way to avoid hearing again, especially in the depths of a Wessex forest at night – the voice of Harald.  “Running away from your wedding feast eh?  What a shame, poor Herger, won’t he be disappointed? I’m assuming you were arranging to meet this” he threw the struggling figure to the ground.

“You animal!” hissed Alodie and running over to Godgyth, helped her to her feet.  The other man laughed, he was a stranger to her but she could see that he was over six feet tall with red hair.

Harald began to unfasten his belt.  “well met anyway maiden.  I’m afraid your plan of remaining virgin on your wedding night has just been foiled.  It’s a shame Herger won’t be the first but then he should have kept a closer eye on you, shouldn’t he?”

Alodie took a step backwards - frantic thoughts flashed through Alodie’s brain.  She could not use her psi gun on these two, or rather did not want to unless it was unavoidable, as she would not be able to explain it away to Godgyth.  What a dilemma! “you surely don’t intend to....” she was speechless with fear “K-King Herger will.....”

Harald dropped his belt to the ground and began to remove his jerkin  “......do precisely nothing, he won’t know what has happened to you.  You don’t think for a minute that me and Toki here are going to leave you and the old hag alive to snitch on us do you pet?  I hate that bloody salt water bastard anyway, it’ll give me great pleasure to plough his furrow!”

Alodie realised that she would have to do something, and quickly.  Deciding on the course of action they were least expecting, she attacked.  Grabbing a fallen branch she hit Harald across his unhelmeted head sending him spinning into a tree and drove the point of the branch into Toki’s face – he went down, screaming, blood pouring from his forehead. Alodie grabbed Godgyth by the hand and pulled her into the undergrowth.

“Run, dear heart, run, its not far now” she gasped.  Floundering through the undergrowth they came back to the path and ran as fast as they could, Godgyth’s breathing becoming more and more laboured with each step.

Alodie began to panic, surely the path should have turned off toward the clearing by now – ah there it was.  She heard the crash of pursuit and, almost pulling Godgyth’s arm out of its socket, she turned sharply to the left.

It was pitch dark under the trees, a fact which for once Alodie was glad.  At last the trees cleared and the Moon shone full upon the clearing at the top of the cliff.  Alodie stopped.

“Now what?” panted Godgyth.

What indeed? 
thought Alodie.  The an idea came to her.  She grabbed Godgyth’s arm.  “Gytha, look over there – there on the horizon, are there more ships?”

“Oh no, say not that” groaned the older woman, and walking toward the cliff edge, peered out to sea.  The minute she looked away, Alodie flipped up the  green stone on her bracelet and, stepping backwards and checking it was on stun, hit her with a short blast from the psi gun.  Godgyth’s legs crumpled and she felt forward.

Shouts from the woods behind her alerted Alodie to the fact that pursuit was hot on their trail and, grasping Godgyth under the arms, she half dragged, half carried her toward the cloaked shuttle.  At last, after what seemed like an age, she backed into the comforting shape of the ship and mounting the ladder backwards, not a very easy task with over one hundred and eighty pounds of unconscious middle aged lady to be dragged, she managed to get to the top.  Propping Godgyth against the side of the ship Alodie quickly opened the hatch then, tumbling her friend into the cockpit, jumped in just as Harald and Toki came crashing into the clearing.  Slamming the hatch shut she locked it and smiled to herself as she saw the two Vikings, swords out, slashing at the bushes.  She was tempted to turn on the floodlights and engine and give them a fright but managed to resist the impulse.

Quickly setting the co-ordinates for Winchester, forty miles to the north east, and equipping the ship for silent running, she took off with a barely audible whoosh which, although it made Toki and Harald glance up, did not arouse their curiosity and within seconds the shuttle carrying the star ship captain and the middle aged Saxon lady was speeding toward Winchester.

The rain pattering on the roof  finally woke Luke Owen.

             
Gingerly he sat up, holding the top of his head and groaning. It felt as if it was full of rocks and his tongue had the consistency of a piece of old leather. “About time too” said a voice next to the bed.  Opening one eye cautiously, he managed to focus on Edric of Lamporth.  “You punished the ale barrel last night and no mistake” he continued, a smile cracking his face  “and if Cerdic of Saltop comes back early and catches you in this position I tremble for your life, I really do”

             
“Wha....what?”  Luke rubbed his head and glanced at the sleeping figure next to him, all he could see was a plump arm and a tousled mane of dark hair.  “Who the hell is that?” he asked, his head bouncing and every word an effort.

             
“Gwen of Saltop, comely buxom Welsh wife of the aforesaid Cerdic and winner of the bet” replied Edric.

             
“What bloody bet?”

             
“The bet that the ladies of the court have been having since you shone the light of your handsome countenance upon them - one hundred silver pennies to the first woman to bed you.  Of course, its all highly irregular, the moral tone of this court is second to none in the civilised world!”

             
Luke swung his legs out of the bed.  “I honestly don’t remember taking her to bed Edric, did I do anything?”

             
Edric guffawed “How  should I know, I was busy myself, but probably not, you were too drunk, however keep it to yourself, you’ll spoil
the lady’s
little moment of triumph”

             
Luke rubbed his eyes and yawned “why me for God’s sake?”

             
“Look in the mirror you pig, do you want me to leave the room so that you can make Gwen’s day”

             
Luke leaned over and looked at the woman next to him.  Pretty in a plump way with lovely dark hair and full pouting lips, he was sorely tempted.  Suddenly, she opened her eyes and yawned languidly.  “Good morning Luke”  she said, and  smiled.  At least her teeth were not too bad.  Luke felt a stirring between his loins.  He pulled down the sheet and examined her more closely, she was big but firm.  He sighed, it had been so long, licking his lips he swung his feet back into the bed.

             
“Er, give me fifteen minutes Edric” he said with a wink.  His friend shrugged.

             
“What
will
Alodie say?” he muttered and headed for the door.

             
‘Alodie!’
a worm of memory began to wriggle in Luke’s benumbed brain.  he clapped his hand to his head.  “Edric, last night, in the hall did I do anything - well, stupid”

             
Edric turned and looked at him “In what way?”

             
“Out of the ordinary”

             
Edric laughed “Do you mean apart from dancing on the table, having a pissing contest with Leofric of Gloucester, which incidentally you lost, singing some song in your peculiar language which, when the king demanded you translate into good Saxon you informed him that it was about
‘flying the galaxy on a starship made for two’
or flying a star something somewhere, it was a word I had never heard anyway - oh and whispering into your bracelet of course, nothing - good morning my friend, enjoy yourself” and with that he left the room.

             
Gwen hooted with laughter and with that it all came flooding back.  Alodie!  She had been captured by Vikings, auctioned - bought.  They had invaded Bredond,
Wareham
- Jesus, how to let everyone know!

             
He irritably slapped Gwen’s hand away from his manhood where it had begun to stray then, leaping up and throwing back the covers, he snarled at her to get out “Charmin!” she snapped in a strong Welsh accent “that wasn’t your attitude last night Luke Edmundson”

             
“Yeah, well I was drunk”

             
“Certes! What a swine!”

             
“Look, Gwen, I’m sorry, I have a lot on my mind, please go”

             
She shrugged her plump shoulders.  “Well, maybe later” she pouted, “and anyway you did enough last night to keep me happy for a night or two” and climbing off the bed walked over to where she had thrown her clothes.  She dressed quickly then looked up at him “You’re far too handsome for your own or anyone else’s good Luke Edmundson” she said “the court will be a calmer place when your lady comes and marries you” with that she dressed and left the room.

             
Luke looked down at the crumpled bed, feeling as if he had been punched in the gut.  He had been galloping that fat cow whilst some savage Viking had been taking liberties with his woman, his Alodie, the one girl he had lusted after constantly for over four years.  What was the swine’s name  - oh yes - Herger.  Well he would be the late Herger by the time Lieutenant Commander Luke Owen had finished with him.  He groaned aloud, screwing the stained sheet up into a ball and throwing it to the ground in his rage.  Then walking over to the window and throwing open the shutters he took a good long breath of air and tried to work out what to do.  How to let King Alfred know, that was the problem.  It was impossible to just announce that you had had a message on your bracelet, you couldn’t do it, not in 876.

             
He toyed with the idea of contacting Alodie but decided against it.  The most infuriating, frustrating thing was that he would just have to wait until news came of the raid through the normal channels, wait with the knowledge inside him that someone else was enjoying that lush, golden body.

             
He almost screamed out in anguish and punched the wall, then taking another deep breath he began to dress.  He had got as far as lacing his tunic and deciding he would sell his soul for an good old fashioned aspirin when the door burst open and a breathless Edric rushed in.  “Luke! Quickly, come to the hall - Alodie - she’s here, the Vikings have...................”

             
Luke pushed past him “invaded, I know” he shouted back.

             
He almost fell down the stairs into the main hall.  Alodie was sitting by the fire in a mud spattered dress, the one she was supposed to be getting married in.  Aehlswith and the ladies were crowded round and King Alfred was in earnest conversation with her.  As Luke approached they all looked up.

             
“Alodie” said Luke in modern English “are you ok sweetheart?”

             
Alodie glared at him “Don’t ‘sweetheart’ me you drunk, go nurse your hangover”

             
Luke threw up his hands “Look, I’ll never be able to apologise enough”

             
“You bet you won’t, now do you understand what I mean when I say you are unfit for command and that I’ll never respect you?”

             
Luke took her hand but she shook it free.  “Let’s not argue” he said “how did you get here?”

             
Alodie held out her hands toward the fire, it was a chilly morning even though it was the height of summer “by shuttle.  I had to stun poor old Godgyth.  I’ve left it in a clearing about three miles from here, I had to wait in the forest under a tree all night until she came round to give credence to how we got here so quickly - look, it’s a long story and I’m bone weary”

             
“For Jesu’s sake speak so we can understand you!” snapped King Alfred suddenly.

             
Alodie looked round in surprise at the small, spare young man with prematurely greying hair and a nervous tic.  He was the last person in the world Alodie could ever imagine would go down in history as ‘the Great’, yet by all accounts he was totally fearless in battle and a great strategist.

             
Luke bowed, “My apologies, your Grace, it was the relief at seeing her safe, we have spoken this language for so long........”

             
Alfred inclined his head and allowed himself a small smile “your betrothed is a very brave lady, Luke” he said “apparently she was captured by none other than King Herger himself and escaped - proceed my lady - have you any idea – no, a lady could not estimate their number”

             
Alodie looked up at the king and took a deep breath, she was going to enjoy this.  “Your Grace, yesterday morning a force of Vikings consisting of a ship army of well over four hundred ships and a land army from the north east numbering between fourteen thousand and seventeen thousand men, some mounted but in the main infantry, invested the area between Wareham and Bredond.  The main land forces are concentrated in
Wareham
and the ship army at Bredond - I estimate that there are at least eight thousand men in Bredond at the present time.  The
Wareham
forces are commanded by Amund and Osketyl and the Bredond forces by King Herger.  Guthrum moves between the two camps and is the overall leader of the expedition.

             
They are well entrenched in Bredond and were scouring the surrounding countryside for food and setting the villagers to bring in the harvest whilst I was there so I would surmise that they are digging in for a long time, at a rough estimate at least until spring”

             
Alfred looked at Alodie in sheer amazement then cleared his throat, Edric was staring at her with a mixture of lust and adoration.  “Milady Alodie” said the king at last “I have captains in my fyrd who could not give such a concise and accurate report, men who have been trained for years - I - I - to say I am impressed is putting it mildly - how, how in the name of God did you get here so quickly?”

             
Alodie smoothed down her mud splattered skirts.   “I made my escape when they were all drunk after the celebrations.  I had arranged to meet Godgyth in a forest clearing we both knew but when I arrived two of the heathen were there, I overcame them and got Godgyth away.  Unfortunately she was struck a blow to the head and was knocked unconscious, luckily one of the heathen had a horse so I took it and came here, Godgyth I had to carry over the saddle in front of me”

             
Alfred’s face screwed up in disbelief whilst Edric’s took on a look of awe.  “You, a slip of a girl, overpowered two Vikings?” gasped the king.  “In the name of God, how?”

             
Alodie blushed “I was alone in the forest sir” she said, hoping to sound convincing “I led them to believe that I would not be averse to their - er - attentions.  When one came over to me all unsuspecting I hit him on the head with a dead branch and poked the other in the forehead with the point of the same branch, they went down like felled oaks”.  There was silence for a moment then the company roared with laughter.  Alfred waved irritably for silence.

             
“T’is true, your Grace” interrupted Godgyth from the other side of the fireplace where she was having her head bathed “They were talking in Norse so I didn’t understand what was being said but she fought them off like a Trojan, the next thing I knew was that we were in the forest outside Winchester and she had me saved”

             
“When did this happen?” asked Alfred.

             
“Just after it became full dark your Grace”

             
“It is now mid morning, you rode all night?”

             
Alodie gratefully accepted the goblet of mulled wine which was thrust into her hands, after taking a sip she looked up at the king and nodded “Aye sire, and got lost a time or two”

             
“What happened to your horse?” cut in Edric.

             
Alodie shrugged “When we dismounted it ran off”

             
Suddenly the hall door was thrown open and Oswy came bustling in carrying with him a rush of cool air.  He went straight to his wife’s chair and, going down on one knee, took both her hands in his “Godgyth my dear, I’ve just heard” he turned to Alodie “and Alodie, my sweeting, you’re safe?” with that he kissed Godgyth gently on the forehead then crossing to Alodie kissed her too.  “Thank the Blessed Lord in his mercy for your presence, yours and Luke’s.  First my nephew saves me and now Alodie saves my wife, we’d both have been dead without you two” he continued, dabbing his eyes.

             
Suddenly Queen Aehlswith spoke “Enough talk.  The two ladies must be deadly tired.  I’ve had rooms prepared.  Godgyth, of course, will be in with you my lord of Bredond.    Luke, Alodie will have to have your room, with most of the witan and fyrd in town there isn’t a spare room to be had”

             
Luke bowed   “I will try to bear it your Grace.   I have sworn to die for Wessex, sharing my bed with milady Alodie will just be one of the sacrifices I am prepared to make!” a shout of laughter greeted this and Aehlswith suppressed a smile.

             
“You misunderstand me, Luke.  You can bed in with the Lamporths.”