Page 60 of Her Dark Viking
"I do not know. A month at least. He left here a sennight ago. I had expected him to make a detour to Skarthveit on his way to Hafrsfjord. Did he not arrive there?"
"No, lady. He must have set to sea at once. A month, you say?"
"Yes, but you shall have all assistance that may be mustered here. My husband left men to guard his home and his family. They are at Ulfric's disposal."
"We would not wish to?—"
"Gunnar would do this if he were here. We shall leave within the hour."
"Ulfric would not expect you to come yourself, lady."
"I shall do so anyway. I may be able to help, if there are people injured..." Mairead bustled about her longhouse collecting necessities for a hasty departure. "Aigneis, you will remain behind and take care of Tyra. Donald too."
"I want to come," protested the boy who had been listening intently to the exchange. "I have been learning swordplay, I can help to fight."
"No," insisted Mairead. "You are too young still, though I know you are quite courageous enough. You will be needed here, with all the men gone."
Donald raised himself to his full height, his shoulders back and his back straight. "I promised Gunnar, before he left, that I would take care of you. I cannot do that if I remain here. I have to come with you if I am to make him proud."
Mairead steeled herself to insist, but one look at her son's determined face convinced her otherwise. Gunnar's attention and almost casual kindness had brought about a profound effect on the boy. She would not be the one to undermine Donald's new-found confidence and sense of duty. "Very well. But be quick. We must leave at once." The lad managed one beaming smile before he sprinted outside.
Mairead hoped she had made the right decision, but it was too late to go back on it now. She had her own preparations to make if they were to depart for Skarthveit with sufficient daylight left to cover several miles before they must make camp for the night.
"You managedto fight the attackers off? Thank the sweet Lord that you were victorious." Mairead dismounted in front of the longhouse at Skarthveit and acceded to Donald’s pleas that hebe permitted to run off at once and seek out Njal. She returned Fiona's hug. "Is there anything I can do, now that we are here?"
"We have a few injured who might appreciate your aid. But none too serious. We were lucky."
"We were not so much lucky as inspired. At least, one of us was." Ulfric had sauntered up behind Mairead and now bent to kiss Fiona's upturned face. "Welcome, sister. Is my brother not with you?"
"Gunnar is away. He has gone raiding, I suspect making use of your longships, Jarl. He would have come at once had he been at home when your messenger arrived. As it is, I thought to offer such assistance as we could."
"It is appreciated." Her brother-in-law's smile was broad. "Come inside, take some food with us and I shall allow Fiona to tell you of her heroic exploits in leading my Celtic thralls to aid in our victory. I find she is quite the warlike little savage beneath that meek exterior."
"She is?" Mairead peered anew at Fiona but could discern no obvious difference since last she saw the woman.
"He is jesting. I merely advised that we should make use of all forces at our disposal, which included the slaves. In return for their freedom, they agreed to join the Viking force and defend Skarthveit when Bjarkesson attacked us. Please, come inside..." Fiona led a bemused Mairead into the longhouse and called for one of the servants to bring food and ale.
Mairead sank into the seat offered, and took a deep draught of the ale which had appeared by her hand. She glanced about as Fiona addressed the domestic mundanities associated with entertaining unexpected guests. Beds were required, extra food for a feast that evening, a plump young ewe was to be slaughtered. Fiona dealt with all of it, every inch the chatelaine of this home.
"So, Ulfric has freed his slaves?" Mairead offered the question when Fiona at last took a seat beside her. "All of them?" Her gaze was directed pointedly at Fiona's ankle. The last time she had seen the other woman, Fiona still wore the shackle.
"All of them. I was freed some months ago."
"I see. So, you have remained here by your own choice?"
"Yes, I have. I... I love Ulfric. And I believe that he loves me."
"I know that. I knew it that last time, when we visited here, before Brynhild disappeared."
"It was so obvious?"
Mairead merely nodded. "I am pleased for you, if you are happy here."
"I am happy. I just..."
Mairead studied her new friend. "You miss your father? Others left behind?"
"My father, mainly. And of course Brynhild. For all her faults, I would not have wished harm on her."
