Page 68 of Summer of the Viking

‘Fighting fires is easy,’ Merri said with her bottom lip poking out. ‘I can throw water on a fire. There was one Oswald made two weeks ago which blazed out of control until I threw a bucket of water on it.’ She paused. ‘You won’t tell my stepmother, will you? She doesn’t approve of such things.’

‘If you stay with Oswald, I will keep my lips sealed,’ Valdar said with a smile.

‘Shall I raise the alarm with my father?’ Oswald asked. ‘He and the other villagers will want to help. Lady Merewynn could stay with my mother.’

‘Yes, that is a good idea. We will need many hands to deal with a fire.’

Valdar set off at a run. Silently he prayed that Alwynn had not done anything stupid. Fire was nothing to play around with. The thought of her being there alone, battling the blaze, made his legs move faster.

He ran quicker than he thought possible and soon reached Cleofirth’s farm. The fire blazed out of control. Slaughtered animal carcasses littered the ground. The pit of his stomach tightened. There was only one person who would have done this. He prayed to any god who might be listening that Alwynn had fled.

He spotted the body of an old woman nestled in the hollow of a tree and knew his prayers would be unanswered. He gently shook her shoulder. ‘Gode? Are you alive?’

She opened her eyes. ‘You were right, Northman. I should have told her sooner about the pains in my stomach. My race is nearly run.’

‘Where is Alwynn? Has she gone into the farmhouse?’

‘Other Northmen. Not like you. Rotten to the core those lot. I waited for you. I hid.’ Each word was said with a laboured breath. ‘Find her. Keep her safe.’

‘I’m here now and I will. I promise.’

Valdar tried to hold his fears at bay. The stakes were far greater than any battle he’d encountered before and the only way to win was to keep a cool head.

He knew in that instant that destroying Girmir and his men was as much about protecting his future with Alwynn as it was about honouring his past.

‘Alwynn!’ he called. ‘Alwynn, where are you?’

For three heartbeats there was no answer, then he heard her scream off to his right. But it was the sound of the other voice which sent a chill down his spine.

Girmir. A deep calm filled Valdar. He felt the peace. It happened every time before a battle. And this fight would be the most important of his life. The knowledge rocked him.

Valdar drew his sword and rushed forward. The tableau was spread out in front of him. Girmir had slung Alwynn over his shoulder. The other mutinous members of the felag were loaded down with dead sheep, sacks of grain and a barrel of ale. He looked in vain to see if any of them might support him.

‘Not a very good haul!’ he called. ‘Is this what I sacrificed myself for?’

‘Valdar?’ Alwynn squeaked.

‘Put the woman down and leave this place!’ he thundered.

Girmir and the remainder of the felag went pale. Several backed up. Shock and consternation filled their faces.

‘A shade from the past!’ someone shouted. ‘The gods have sent a warning.’

‘Why should we worry? He wasn’t any problem before. He won’t be any problem now,’ shouted another.

‘You have no idea what sort of problem I can be,’ Valdar said through clenched teeth.

Girmir frowned. ‘Flesh and blood, I reckon.’

‘Put the woman down and walk away.’ Valdar advanced steadily. The first task, the only task, was to get Alwynn free. ‘And I may yet let you live.’

Girmir took a step forward, but stumbled slightly on a tree root.

‘Does she belong to you, Lack-Sword? She tastes good.’ Girmir licked Alwynn’s cheek. Alwynn spat in his face and struggled against Girmir.

‘That one is a wildcat.’ Girmir wiped the spittle from his face. ‘I plan on enjoying her. Maybe I will let you watch. Show you how a real man does it.’

The world became tinged red. He felt his self-control slip. He forced a breath into his burning lungs. Girmir wanted him unbalanced to gain an advantage.

‘Let her go. Now. Unharmed. And you may yet save your crew,’ he ground out.

‘Why?’ Girmir looked him up and down with a sneer on his evil visage. ‘There are more of us than you. You will be cut down before you reach me. And I will slit her throat.’

Alwynn twisted and brought her knees up, connecting with Girmir’s middle. Valdar wanted to tear him limb from limb for daring to touch his woman. ‘Let me down. Unhand me.’

‘Do as she asks.’

‘Or what?’

‘I challenge you. Warrior against warrior.’

‘You will challenge me?’

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