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Author's Chapter Notes:
seven reviews!!! they made my day.
I have used the place name Trondheim, the proper name was Nidaros in 907, so for the scholars, I apologise, to the rest I used the modern name so you could look up where it was.
enjoy
Many hands were reaching for the ropes, pulling the boat close in to the jetty, fastening the ropes, voices shouting to friends and loved ones. It was chaos. William and Tara were unnerved by the sheer noise and bustle going on around them. The green eyes that had captivated William scanned on and looked very relieved when they saw Connor. William found himself disappointed that she wasn’t still looking at him and upset for Tara by the warmth in those eyes when she’d seen their captor. Tara was hugging in closer, sheltering under his arm, scared by the sheer number of people that were looking into the boat. None seemed hostile but it was scary nonetheless.

William wasn’t sure where to look: every woman that had come to greet the ship had her hair uncovered!!! It was shameful. He’d never seen any woman’s hair except once: when he was little his mother had been without her cap, but here the hair was woven into intricate knots at the back of the women’s heads, they flaunted their crowning glory for all to see. William looked at Tara: she’d noticed as well, pulling her wimple further down around her head, ensuring every scrap of hair was covered. As a modest maid should. Then he looked again: well they were showing it weren’t they? Green-eyes had wonderful honey gold hair that reached down her back. William wondered what it would feel like, what it would smell like; he’d never felt those feelings before. His body reacted as though they were married and his face grew hot with shame. He turned away from the eyes, but couldn’t help noticing how Green-eyes’ hair shimmered and shone in the torchlight.

Connor jumped up to his feet and climbed out of the ship and onto the wooden jetty, drawing the beautiful woman with green eyes into his arms and swinging her round and kissing her on the forehead. A red-headed woman held onto him tightly and when Connor was free from one he was kissed by the other. Olaf was hugging some woman and so was Xander, there seemed to be woman and children everywhere. In fact every member of the crew seemed to be holding onto someone. They were no longer pirates, Vikings, but fathers, sons, husbands and brothers. William and Tara felt completely overwhelmed by the emotion in the air. They wondered what their reception would be like. It could be that they would be slaves from now on, or treated with respect as visiting nobles. It was in the hands of their captors: they had to keep being friendly to Connor. Legally he could kill them and it wouldn’t be murder. Tara thought back to Harmony and tears filled her eyes again. Would that be her fate, to be handed around the men, one at a time until her body was worn out from pleasuring them and carrying their bastards? Connor had always treated her with respect, he’d even given her privacy to wash, but now they were back at his home his own women would have more of a say in how she was to be treated, she supposed. Mens’ orders weren’t always obeyed: she knew that from living in her Father’s hall. She looked up in terror at the people watching her: the red-head that had been hugging Connor was paying particular interest, but there was no malice in her eyes, just curiosity. Tara managed to smile a little and was rewarded with a radiant smile back.

There was a call from Connor and everyone good-naturedly started handing up chests and bags from the boat to the willing hands waiting. The biggest chest, having been hauled up by three of the men, was put straight onto a set of wheels harnessed to a bullock. A child then started guiding the animal and cart back up the hill, the way lit by torches. Everyone grabbed what they could and the whole lot headed up the torch lined path to the hall.

Connor had taken just a few steps when he turned back: he’d noticed that William and Tara weren’t following and he beckoned to them.

‘This way,’ he said. ‘Up to the Hall.’ He motioned his hand to the looming dark shape of a hall about half a mile in the distance, its dark outline highlighted by the light from the stars and moon.

William followed the crowd of laughing people, holding tight to Tara’s hand. They walked along a well worn but well maintained path, lit by torches placed every fifteen steps or so. The wind cut into their clothes, chilling them to the bone; they didn’t have the thick heavy cloaks the Northfolk used, they’d been taken from inside and they were shivering.

They moved in and out of the shadows caused by the flickering lights; the hall grew larger and larger. The torches were being collected behind them by older children, leaving darkness behind them. The torches were shining as the children ran past them, seemingly flying through the air. The hall was huge when they came to the doorway: it was highly carved with fantastic beasts and brightly painted. They went in through the door to see a hall, wide benches lining the sides, covered with furs and mattresses. There was a fire towards one end, brightly burning with good heavy logs around it. There were cauldrons of iron and stone placed around it heating food: William could smell a good fish stew and fresh warm bread. The aroma was making his stomach rumble. The noise drew Tara’s attention to him and she giggled at the noise. The warmth from the fire was warming them from the night-time walk. Connor was nowhere to be seen so crowded was the hall at that point. The crew started making their way to their own sleeping areas, dropping packs onto the benches, freeing their hands to hold their women folk even closer.

The noise suddenly stopped when Green-eyes clapped her hands loudly.

‘Connor, we welcome you home, all is well here.’

‘Buffy we thank you for our welcome. All was well on our voyage.’

There appeared to be ceremony in those words. William wished he could understand more than one in five of them. Green eyes, Buffy: strange name William thought, then watched as she took a key hanging from the brooch at her breast and unlocked a great chest at the closed end of the hall. Connor took off his sword, axe and knife and laid them in there with care. Buffy then locked the chest and replaced the key on its strap.

Everyone started talking around them again. William and Tara were wondering where they could sit, if they could sit, when they pulled forward by Connor. He laid a thin cord across their hands, as though to bind them. Tara looked terrified, but Connor smiled and winked at her. William prepared to fight to defend them both, though he knew it would be useless, but Connor didn’t tie the cord, just laid it gently on their wrists. It was an honour thing: they were on their honour to behave as though tied, and he was trusting them. He led them across and introduced them to the women; he kept that small half smile on his face the whole time.

‘Buffy, these are Tara and William, they will be staying here until ransom is paid.’ He spoke in the Saxon tongue: Buffy smiled at Tara and looked at William with mischief in her eyes, then she bowed her head in respect, taking note of the cord across their wrists. Tara was relieved: the lady of this great house was a noble at heart.

‘William, Tara this is my mother, Elizabeth of Trondheim.’

Both William and Tara let free breaths they didn’t know they had been holding. His mother? they both thought… She didn’t look more than five and twenty summers old, how could she possibly be Connor’s mother?

‘Step-mother, though I thank you for the compliment,’ Buffy corrected with a smile. ‘You will be cared for here.’ She spoke the Saxon tongue with an accent but was understandable, another relief for Tara. Connor took off the cord, the point had been made: they were honoured prisoners.

‘Thank you my lady,’ William said with a deep bow. Tara curtsied and lowered her head. This lady was powerful, she thought to herself. The red-headed woman came over to join their little group; Buffy turned to her and made the introductions.

‘And this is Willow, our healer, nana if you will.’

Willow smiled at Tara again.
‘Connor tells me you were the one to prevent his wound from being infected. We must sit and talk about your healing methods.’

‘I’m n-n-o h-heal-ler,’ stuttered poor Tara. It wasn’t a seemly job for a woman of her rank and she’d always been embarrassed about her interest in healing It had been one of the things her father had tried to beat out of her.

‘Nonsense, anyone who can get Connor to submit to her ministrations has a power I must learn.’ Connor turned his dark eyes on his tormentor and very slowly put his tongue out at her.

‘Anytime, young man, if you think you’re ready for the lesson!’ she answered, completely unfazed by the sexual innuendo he’d made.

Before the conversation could go any further Buffy made her way to the food and started calling for bowls and plates. Men grabbed table-tops and legs from where they’d been stored around the hall and began setting them up, barely staying ahead of the jugs, plates and bowls being put on them.

Willow passed William and Tara a bowl and a plate each as well as a fine horn spoon to use. Wooden cups were passed to them as well. Connor was first to be served, but it was Buffy who was doing the serving. Tara stared, her father had used servants to serve but here the lady of the hall was serving everyone, including them. Very soon all the folk in the hall had a plate of bread and a bowl full of thick rich stew, either fish or pork, depending on their choice.

Tara was unsure where to sit, but Willow shuffled along the bench and indicated for her to sit down. Willow’s Saxon was excellent and she and Tara were soon chatting away about the food in front of them and how silly men could be. Connor shot them a couple of dark looks, then noticed that William still hadn’t sat, in fact he was making his way down the hall to the floor near the door.

‘William,’ he called, ‘here.’ and shuffled up on his bench to make room for the man. Buffy took her place the other side of Connor.

Two men brought round a bowl for all to wash their hands and faces. William noticed that their hair was shorn and they wore collars to denote their thralled status. William washed his hands as well when the bowl was put in front of him. When all were clean Connor stood and said the Blessing:

‘For Faith, Folk and Family we give thanks.’

Then they all began to eat.





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