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Runner


Author's Chapter Notes:
thanks for all the great reviews I received, they woke my muse up. please keep her awake


somethig went peculiar yesterday and my computer posted chap 54 far too many times, hopefully problem solved
William was up to something and Buffy knew it. He’d been almost secretive when Ingimund had visited, and just as bad when Godwin had stayed. She kept coming across them talking quietly in odd corners, giving her the strangest looks if she came too close. She kept out of the conversations, not wanting to interfere in men’s business. It was nothing nasty she hoped, William would have told her if there was a major problem and anyway William was wearing that self-satisfied smirk he wore when he had been making her ring.


She looked around at the harvest being gathered in and was more than content; their hard work over the spring and summer was paying off.
The pigs had been taken back out into the woods for their fattening up on the acorns and beech nuts before winter, and their slaughter would bring in huge amounts of meat for the winter. Buffy looked at the old bullock pulling the wagon: it was far beyond its working life and she made a mental note to add it to the list for the slaughter. One of the younger beasts could take its place next year.

Buffy made her way slowly across the yard. It was getting obvious that she was pregnant, and at last the sickness was over for which Buffy was more than pleased. She smiled as she remembered how William had gone quite white when she started throwing up every morning, needing peppermint tea and dry toast before she could even move from her bed. But he’d been sweet and loving; he had held back her hair and wiped her face, helping whenever he could but the smile never left his face, and as soon as her body began to swell with his seed he became more and more protective. She wasn’t allowed to do anything, and although she enjoyed the attention Buffy was beginning to feel stifled: she still had work to do. Hence the walk today while William was away from the hall; she was going to spend a quiet afternoon collecting nuts and fruit from the edge of the woods, close enough to the hall to be heard if she needed to call for help and far enough away to get some peace. Nordlys was helping bake bread, well making a mess with the dough, and was more than well cared for, so Buffy was taking a little time for herself.

William was trying his best, but he was worried, he had never really been close to anyone going through what his beloved Buffy was suffering. William thought back to his childhood: he had been the youngest of his siblings and had been kept first at the local monastery before being sent to Lindisfarne. William looked up at the sky; he knew he was being over protective, he just wanted what was the best for Buffy. Helga and Anne had both tried to reassure him, and as Buffy said, she had already delivered two children safely, but he needed to know she was in safe hands. He only hoped his plans came to fruition.

William threw another sheaf of wheat up into the wagon: it was piling high with the wheat harvest that had been bountiful for them, and tried to shake off his doubts. His plans would succeed. The hall would have more than enough for their own requirements and even some to sell in the town. The estate would make a nice profit even in its first year. He had to just keep on throwing wheat up onto the wagon and ship it back to the barns. His muscles ached, and he had a good tan from all the time he’d spent in the sun, but his barns, like his coffers, were filling up nicely.

Buffy took her time walking through the yard, making sure that she kept out of the way of the big wagons rumbling by with the wheat piled high and threatening to over tip. She watched as the slow bullock was led to the side of the threshing floor and the farm hands started throwing the new on top of yesterday’s collection. If their luck and the weather held, they should have it all in and threshed by the end of the month, when they could hold the harvest home feast. The wagon was unloaded and turned its lumbering way round to head back to the fields, Andrew carefully leading the bullock with one of the hall children sitting on top getting a ride. The little boy was laughing and giggling and his gentle nursemaid walked quietly by his side. Andrew waved at Buffy as he headed under the gate and away.

The ruins of the old hall had long vanished in the three months since the fire, leaving nothing but a bit of charring in the earth to mark its passing. Buffy and William had decided against rebuilding in the same spot; with the new hall it was better to move the guest hall over to one side, allowing for bigger wagons to come inside the pale. The decision had proved a sound one as the yard got busier and busier. Buffy walked under the gate and along the well worn path, her basket swinging happily from her hand.

Buffy and William slept soundly that night, both exhausted from their labours. Nordlys curled up by the side of her mother; her father’s arm protectively wrapped around Buffy’s waist, above the child who lay beneath her heart.


William thought about the huge beach market that was to take place in just a short two weeks and prayed that all would be well. Buffy had checked over the tents and other equipment she would need and had started organising the food and supplies they would take with them. Godwin would be arriving in less than a week to oversee the hall, while he and Buffy along with a dozen hearth troops from Chester would head out to welcome Saxon and Norse alike to the sands at Meols. For this year all had agreed to meet at the first full moon after the equinox; from next spring on it would be every full moon when the tide would be high enough to get them way up the beach.

The longships and people seemed to fill the shore from one end to the other and the Saxon merchantmen had taken fair advantage of every offer. Buffy loved looking around the piles of goods laid out on the sands. This beach was an ideal place for a market. At just after high tide the four great ships had stood off from the shore watching as the booths and stalls had been set up by various merchants, then had turned their prows and run straight for the sand. The tide had pushed them a great way up the beach before they had grounded and the men had jumped down. Everyone was naturally wary at first, but Buffy and William had brought their goods up and started trading quickly, wanting to show it was safe. With the Northmen controlling the sea and the Saxons the land, everyone had felt a little more secure.


The shoreline was filled with people buying, selling and bartering. Buffy was escorted everywhere as was right and proper; William watched happily, as she sold off her goods and bartered for the spices and slaves, furs and linens.

The first night passed peacefully, the wagons heading back to Chester, leaving William and Buffy camping with their men around them. The Norsemen, most of whom were related one way or another to either Ingimund or Buffy, joining them for the night meal.

The taxes raised had been far greater than Athelred could have dreamed. The treaty had worked. William had barely been needed to keep the peace, just the sight of a group of heavily armed men were threat enough to many who might consider causing trouble. The weights had been checked and rechecked and the silver flowed from hand to hand. Ingimund and Athelred had been delighted with the results. Woollens and wheat and dogs had flowed north on the ships, and spices, silk, slaves and glass had taken their place on the wagons and pack animals headed into Mercia.

William watched anxiously as the late arrival appeared on the horizon. He could see the warriors on the side and looked for a face he recognised. He had been alerted by the sound of the horns and he signalled the horn blower to return the call.
William watched Buffy’s face, knowing she would easily recognise the sails. He saw the very moment when she saw her own work pulling the ship to shore and she could see Connor high in the prow waving like mad. Beside him was a woman. A woman dressed in the Northern style, her silver brooches on her breast catching the rays of the setting sun. The horn sounded again as the travellers got closer and closer; Buffy scanned the faces, trying to recognise who was by her stepson’s side. Connor’s arm was wrapped around her waist and then Buffy screamed and started waving like a crazy woman. Tara stood by her husband’s side, a fine fur cloak around her shoulders and her hair long and free from covering.

Tara waved as she saw her friend and her cousin, her heart jumping in her chest. The voyage had been an easy one, though she had faced it with trepidation. At least she’d been carried aboard with more care this time and not dumped like cargo; the ship had been a wide merchantman, rather than the sleek longship she had originally travelled north in, and the men respectful and polite, taking care to ensure her tent was put in the circle of theirs and that she had everything she wanted. Connor had accompanied her on the ship, grinning: every time he watched her, she looked at him. Tara had enjoyed the private time with her husband and they had shared the tent when Connor hadn’t been on watch. Willow had had to stay behind, she had found herself with child again and the sea voyage hadn’t been thought a good idea. So Willow had stayed with both of their children and Tara had travelled to be with the kinswoman who needed her.

She jumped down and ran towards her kinfolk, her arms held out to hug Buffy and William. Buffy who couldn’t believe her eyes as her friend came across the sands towards her: Tara here in the Saxon lands? She looked around in wonder at her husband and stepson; Connor and William were laughing at her response.

‘Nice surprise?’ William asked quietly, his voice full of mirth.

‘Lovely surprise!’ she answered, her eyes filled with happy tears. ‘But why?’

‘You needed a female with you who you trusted: and not only that, she’s a good midwife and can attend you when you bring my little one into the world.’ The love in his eyes was shining out as he explained, a protective hand laying over her stomach. Buffy didn’t know who to hug first, she was crying and laughing all at the same time.

‘But how??’ Buffy couldn’t believe the amount of organising such a visit would have taken.

‘We told Ingimund the news and he got word out on one of the ships that was headed north. Connor received the message in the Western Isles and headed home, organising their trip on a merchantman headed to Dublin for the winter.’

‘All this for me?’ Buffy looked at the people around her in wonder.

William nodded, almost shyly, he loved Buffy so much and knew that she would feel more comfortable with her own women around her at such a time.

‘Thank you,’ she whispered to him, gently kissing his cheek.

‘Now tell me all about what’s been happening,’ she laughed as she took Tara’s arm and led her up the beach to the camp.


Chapter End Notes:
well?



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