[Reviews - 660]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 2479 times

- Text Size +




Author's Chapter Notes:
I hope you have all enjoyed this ride as much as i have...my grateful thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review. It really does make my day
Buffy stretched her back and rested on her heels for a moment before she packed yet another shirt into the chest along with the other precious things she was taking with her. It was a long job, sorting through the belongings she had collected over the last four years with William, but well worth doing. They had been good years to the couple: Thorbjorn and Athelred, their two sons, had grown strong and healthy, and a daughter had come to bless them just last year. William had named her Helga after Buffy’s dear friend who had died before she ever saw the child that carried her name. That had been the bad, the fever that had taken Helga from them. Olaf had mourned his wife, and had found it hard to leave her in the ground so far away from home - but there had been little choice, he couldn’t take her back, so they raised a mound and had buried her with full honours and plenty of supplies. Giles had gone to Chester, taking a lot of the Saxons with him when the funeral had taken place, but Anne had stayed, stayed to support her daughter and son as they buried a much loved friend. She had even helped Buffy prepare the food that had been buried with the woman to last the journey to Niflheim.

As each precious item found its way into the sea chest at her feet Buffy held it for a short time, allowing the memories to wash over her. The naalbinded cap Helga had made her to keep her long hair out of the stew as she was given cooking lessons still held the faint smell of spice and smoke. Buffy inhaled deeply, taking the fragrance into her body, picturing the day she had finally produced a meal fit to be eaten. She had been so pleased with herself that day, and the memories the cap brought meant that its place in the chest was guaranteed. Buffy felt her knees lock and her legs going to sleep; time to move and get a drink before she turned into a lump of rock, unable to move at all.

She looked around the hall. The great doors had been opened to let the sunshine into the hall; dust motes danced in the beams as they made their way into the dimness at the back of the building. The sun set Nordlys’ hair alight, the blonde locks looking almost too pale to be real. Nordlys was in the children’s sleeping area sorting through the toys that they would take with them. Thorbjorn’s carved wooden bear with the missing leg had been packed into the cradle she used for her doll, along with Athelred’s wooden ship. The boys practise weapons were already packed; the rag doll the little girl loved so much was being wrapped into its miniature fur cloak and placed on top. The whole bundle would be securely wrapped in oiled skins to keep it safe on the journey home. Andrew stood nearby helping his tiny mistress look for her leather ball that had rolled under the benches. Little Helga slept quietly on the bed her parents normally shared.

Nordlys understood what was happening, mother and father had told her in just two days all their stuff would be loaded into a huge broad cargo ship that had arrived with Olaf at the helm, and the whole family would set sail for the Northlands and Mother’s estates there. Nordlys was very excited about it. She knew that’s where she’d been born and she knew there was family waiting for her. Tara, Willow and her brother Connor, who spoiled her rotten every time he saw her, big brothers were so much better than baby ones she thought as she watched the twins fighting over a felt horse.

Buffy lifted up her jewellery box and put it in the corner of the sea chest. The solid oak box would protect the lapis and silver from the worst of the elements as they were headed home. She had already made a pile of the waterproof, fleece lined goatskin sleeping bags for her and the children. There was an extra thick one for Anne whose older bones were beginning to feel the cold.

Buffy looked towards her mother-in-law: the woman was talking quietly to Godwin and his lady who would be taking over the hall in William and Buffy’s place. Godwin had been out with William checking all the local farms, spending the day in the saddle before taking over, and his lady had been looking over her new domain. She seemed very young to Buffy, but well trained, and Buffy had made sure that the hall had a good start; all she would have to do was continue the good work.

Buffy brought lady Anne a drink of hot peppermint tea. ‘It will be all right you know,’ Buffy told her.

Anne smiled bravely at her daughter. ‘Well if Nordlys can make the journey at less than a year old, I’m quite sure I can as I haven’t passed my fiftieth year yet.’

It was only a month since Anne had been sitting in the bright sunshine with her embroidery. The market was over for the spring and the visiting Norse would soon be headed home, and she had been taking advantage of the warmth and quiet. ‘My lady?’ Buffy’s soft voice broke her concentration.

Anne smiled back. ‘Just thinking about Olaf and his offer, but what can I do for you today?’ Anne was very glad the sweet girl spoke her own Saxon language: it meant they could talk without anyone having to help her understand.

‘I was wondering if I may speak to you about something?’ Buffy twisted the skirt of her dress in her hands, she was scared and it showed. It wasn’t like Buffy to be timid and Anne wondered if there was something wrong. ‘Is it about you and William?’ Anne tried to guess what would bring Buffy in search of the older woman.

‘Well yes, no, yes. Oh I’m sorry, I’m babbling, I do that when I’m nervous.’

‘There is no need to be nervous child, I don’t bite!’ Anne laughed.

‘No, that’s your son.’ Buffy then blushed bright red, realising who she had told something of their sex life to.

‘Well as long as he makes you happy,’ she laughed at her daughter-in-law’s discomfort.

‘That he does, it’s like a miracle to me, but that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. We are due to leave soon, winds and tides permitting and I was wondering, oh this is so difficult, our ways are so different and I don’t want to cause offence but fear I might do so…’

‘Well how about you just say what you want to tell me and I promise to take it the offence-free way?’

‘We want you to come with us, William and I , we want you to come home with us,’ Buffy said with a smile. ‘I haven’t spoken to William about this but I know he would be happy, at least I think he will be. Would you consider coming with us to William’s hall? We would care for you I promise, and you would be the eldest in the Hall with all the respect that position holds. But I don’t like to think of you here without family to care for you and for you to care for. We don’t know when William would ever return, if he would return, and it’s so obvious that you care for Nordlys and the others, and did I say we will care for you properly?’

‘You’re babbling again my dear.’ Anne’s smile was very much like her son’s, and the reassurance she radiated allowed Buffy to relax a little.

‘Sorry.’ Buffy apologised and took a deep breath and tried to settle her nerves.

‘Do you mean it? For me to leave Mercia and come with you? Are you sure this is what you want?’ Anne watched her daughter carefully as she asked the questions; Buffy’s eyes were always so expressive that any deceit would show easily.

‘Oh yes, William loves you so much, I know he dreads leaving you in your loneliness and my - our - hall is prosperous.’

‘I can bring nothing with me; I have no money to help fill your coffers…’

‘You bring your skill at the loom and the lyre. These are not skills that are worthless. You would have many hands anxious and willing to learn your skills if you would be willing to teach.’

‘Let me see what William says - but yes, I would love to come with you.’

The two women settled back to enjoy the quiet and the warmth of the sunshine.

‘Are you going to marry Olaf ?’ Buffy asked. ‘He has approached William two or three times to ask permission to court you, and is willing to pay a good price to free you from your promises to Athelflaed.’

‘There’s no fee to pay, I have never sold myself,’ Anne answered her quietly, ‘but I must admit I am a little worried about the future.’

‘In what way?’ Buffy pulled up a stool and sat by her. ‘He’s a good man, a strong man, he would care for you and you would want for nothing…’

‘I know, but his ways are so different from mine.’ Anne said very quietly.

‘William and I have built a new way, a middle path: it hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve managed, so has Tara, believe me she’s not bullied by her ‘viking’ husband, he lives under both his wives’ tongues! And it isn’t as though you wouldn’t have family near by, in fact you would have more there than you do here… please think about it, I know you love being near the babies and there are even more waiting for you in the north.’

Anne smiled at Buffy, laughing quietly to herself at the way Buffy tried to manage all those around her.

Just a few weeks later found the Lady Anne packing her belongings into a sea chest awaiting the arrival of the ship that would carry her so far north. Athelflaed and Athelred had given her wonderful parting gifts of jewellery and beads, and even a glass goblet, which had been carefully wrapped and was put into the bottom of the chest. It seemed very little for a lifetime of work, but Anne was content.

The biggest surprise had been Brother Giles. William had invited him to come with them as well…and Buffy hadn’t been sure about that at all.
It seemed a betrayal of her faith somehow, but he was her husband and she had to respect his wishes, and she knew he had missed having a priest, Gothi, what ever they were called, around him when he had stayed last time.
And Giles wasn’t so bad, at least he wasn’t threatening to kill the children if their parents believed in the old ways.

William sat at his bench, his own sea chest under his bum and his sword and chain mail carefully wrapped in the oiled skins were placed carefully by its side. It was a familiar place, and one that actually brought back bittersweet memories both of his journey north and the journey back to his own people, and it was the one returning him south that hurt the most, the heartache at leaving Buffy behind; if he’d known then about Nordlys he would never have gone, but if he hadn’t he would never have earned a position that made him Buffy’s if not equal at least partly worthy of being her consort.

‘Stroke!’ roared Olaf as the boat was taken by the tide. ‘Pull!’ the word was repeated. William smiled to himself, at least he knew what the words meant this time.

His mother sat quietly out of the way with Thorbjorn on her lap; Athelred sat quietly on his mother’s lap. Nordlys was curled up by Giles as the monk showed her how to play cats-cradle with a piece of braid. William’s heart soared at the sound of his daughter’s laughter. And little Helga was asleep in Andrew’s grasp.

‘Pull!’ reminded him what he was supposed to be doing, and he heaved on the oar in front of him.

It hadn’t escaped Lady Anne’s notice that Buffy had placed herself so that she could watch the muscles on William’s back as he worked with the rest of the crew to get the boat into deep water. Anne was watching Olaf with the same eyes, a soft smile on her face. He held the great steerboard steady, guiding the wide ship into the waters that would take her to her new home. As soon as they had left the shelter of the estuary the sail had been raised, and as it bellied in the wind the ship leapt forward, taking the saxon lands away from them.

Giles watched carefully. Olaf had been very attentive of the Lady Anne, lifting her into the ship himself, something that raised a great deal of amusement amongst the Norse, and something had been said quickly that William had missed, but Buffy had laughed and then blushed. Lady Anne knew that the joke had been against her, but held her tongue until the ship was safely underway. As the sail took over and the oars were brought aboard, the whole crew seemed to relax, taking their places along the side, unrolling the sleeping bags that had fascinated her, rolling themselves in their cloaks, or putting a fishing line over the side. Anne made her way slowly to Buffy’s side and asked quietly, ‘What was said when I came aboard? Was it something I should be worried about?’

‘Only if you intend to refuse Olaf: the men commented on him not letting anyone else touch you even to help you. A man carries his own pack, is the literal translation, but it was meant as a compliment: its what they said when William helped me and Connor first saw Tara. Don’t worry: it’s a norse thing.’ Anne nodded and accepted what she’d been told; Olaf had merely told everyone else that she was out of bounds.

Olaf stood tall and proud leaning into the steerboard, keeping the great ship on course. He watched the clouds and the coast, guiding the ship along the coast, looking for a peaceful, secluded beach to camp for the night. Nordlys and the twins had soon got used to their new surroundings; Thorbjorn had taken to trying to help with the sails or the fishing, everything that the men were doing. Athelred on the other hand watched carefully, assessing everything before he acted; he spoke more softly than his brother, who always seemed to be shouting down the wind, and yet they were identical in looks, not so much as a hair different. The one thing that both boys agreed on was that sisters were special; as young as they were they were highly protective of their big sister, only they were allowed to tease her. Andrew had set out their toys in a quiet space at the prow: he was terrified, the sea was huge and he was aboard a Norse ship, heading North. He pulled the sheepskin around his shoulders and tried to make himself as small as possible. Nordlys played in and out of the ribs of the ship, cuddling up to her parents to sleep. And little Helga was happy as long as she was fed, dry and warm, too young to know what was happening around her.

Olaf watched Anne constantly. His eyes were always on William’s mother. Giles had been a little anxious at first but William had reassured him that the man wasn’t offering insult to Anne, but was seriously perusing her with thoughts of marriage. Giles learned to accept it, that this tall, frightening warrior was going to be his Lady Anne’s new husband. He had been surprised when William had told him just how rich the boat master was, and from the way he cared for Anne it was obvious she would have an easier life with him than she ever had with William’s father.

The journey was a lot happier for William than his original one had been; his wife slept with his children in the tent that was set up every night. William shared the fire with the other menfolk, telling stories and singing songs, until sleep took them; memories of the fear he’d felt when he had made this journey with Tara had fed the nightmares for a couple of nights. He’d half woken to find Buffy curled up into his side; leaving the tent for Anne and the children, she had felt his distress and made her way to him, bundled in her own fur lined cloak.

‘Bad memories my love?’ she’d whispered, and he’d nodded, trying to block out the memory of Harmony and Tara being so scared.

‘Just remember, if it hadn’t been for that time we would never have met, and those four souls in the tent with your mother would never have been born.’

William buried his nose in her hair, she was right and he knew it, they had come through trials that would have killed others and had survived, and now they had a lifetime together, God willing.

The nights were short and getting shorter: they had chosen the longest days and the shortest nights for their journey north, and it was proving a good decision. The weather was kind and the winds fair, taking them swiftly north to the Nordreyjar, where they stayed for a few days as the summer storms passed them by. There were monks there as well and Brother Giles spent two days in prayer with them, finding the peace within his soul again. He admired the respect that the Norse showed the monks and priests who lived among them, it was very different from what he had been led to expect. Maybe his life wouldn’t be so hard after all.

A clear break in the weather, with the winds headed east, was a good omen to start their journey again. The ship life soon resumed, the children enjoying the attention the adults gave them during the voyage.

The false dusk of the summerdin held sway over the undarkening sky as Olaf headed the ship into the harbour. William stood with one arm around Buffy’s shoulder and his other around his mother’s. The horns had sounded from boat to shore and back again, sending chills down Giles’ back. Anne shuddered as well; as she saw the people lined up on the wooden jetty, it was all strange and new, and very, very different from anything she had ever seen before. William scanned he faces looking for those he knew, the memories strong of his last arrival at this same place.

‘Thinking about last time?’ Buffy asked, knowing how difficult it must be for her husband.

William smiled. ‘Oh yes: last time I had my arm around my cousin, terrified about the future, and I saw this amazing pair of dancing green eyes. This time I have my arm around the owner of those green eyes, and am looking for my cousin who stands somewhere in that crowd with her husband and children. My life has been astounding and I have the rest of it to spend with you.’ He kissed Buffy deeply, ignoring all the cat calls coming from the rest of the crew, Buffy melting into his arms, immune to anything happening around her. It wasn’t until Anne tapped her on the shoulder that she blushed and looked up into the eyes of her family.

William smiled at his mother as he watched Olaf grab Anne around the waist and lift her onto the wooden dock, again showing everyone that this woman was his and repeating his claim. Anne was soon lost in the hugs from Connor and Tara, Willow hanging back a little, surrounded by their children. Buffy signalled Andrew to get out and give a hand to the children. Nordlys stayed close by her friend until she saw Connor, then she broke lose and ran to her brother’s arms, competing with her grandmother for his attentions.

William helped bring the boys onto the jetty, before helping Buffy out as well. Surrounded by family and friends they made their way through the laughing, happy throng, back to the hall where it had all began.


Chapter End Notes:
Well let me know what you think please


and if you have really enjoyed the story it has been 'despuffied' and published


http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback_book/dark_sail/6323451



You must login (register) to review.