Chapter 18

Over the next few days she didn’t see much of Eirik. Up at first light and not returning, exhausted, until late at night his love making was sweet and gentle and she grew to love him more and more.

She wasn’t allowed to leave the city but was permitted to visit Eirik’s store house and take anything that might make her life easier and more comfortable. As well as more clothes for herself she took warm items for Alta and the two women sat companionably by the fire, unpicking things that were too big and altering them to fit. To her delight she found sacks of dried lavender, rosemary and marigold petals, so she made some lavender oil and balm and spread some of the dried herbs under and around their mattress, and in Eirik’s trunk to keep the lice and fleas at bay.

On ‘Laurday’ they bathed together as usual, and ate their porridge together then Eirik left her to go back to supervising the renewal of the city’s defences. For once it wasn’t raining and she was sitting by the meal fire with Alta helping to make a new batch of horse chestnut soap, smelling of lavender, when they heard cries from the lookouts stationed along the walls. Fearing that it was another attack she jumped to her feet and ran out into the road; slaves from the other houses had come out too and they clustered together peering towards the gates of the city.

Then there was a cheer and she realised that the sentries were calling greetings in Norse so she knew that it was the reinforcements from Ubbe’s father. With the other women she hurried towards the city gates in time to see it swing open, and marching towards them a long column of men horses and wagons. Standing in the crowd she saw Ubbe, Eirik and some of their guards ride out to greet them. When they reached the column Ubbe swung down from his horse and the warrior riding at the head of the men did the same. The two men flung their arms around each other and thumped the other’s back, to the sound of cheering from their men.

“Who is it?” Sophie asked a warrior standing in front of her.

“It is one of our greatest leaders, Jarl Ivar Lothbrook, brother to Ubbe,” the Dane told her.

Eirik too had dismounted and going forward offered his arm to Ivar, who clasped it in the Viking way, then the three men turned, and leading their horses, walked back into the city, Ubbe and Ivar deep in conversation.

Realising that this part of the city was about to be filled with strange warriors, ready for some fun and relaxation after their forced march, Sophie and Alta hastened back to Eirik’s house, all the other Saxon slaves following their lead. At the house she ushered Alta and Geri inside and closed the door, putting the door brace firmly into place.

Eirik didn’t return that night and the two women huddled by the fire all night, afraid to sleep. The sounds of roistering warriors, screams of women foolish enough not to have hidden away, and the occasional thump on the door as an inebriated man fell against it made sleep impossible. However no one attempted to get into the house and Sophie was grateful that the door bore the sign of Eirik’s rank.

The celebrations went on until the early hours, but finally all fell quiet and eventually Sophie and Alta lay down on the furs, Geri lying against the door, and fell asleep. When they woke the city was quiet and Sophie dared to open the door and look out. No one was about so Alta took herself off to her meal fire to prepare the porridge and it being a dry, crisp, sunny day Sophie took the furs outside to beat them. She had them hung over the rail in front of the house and was using a flat piece of wood to get the dust out when a voice drawled “So you are the Saxon whore Eirik has taken to warm his furs.”

Turning around sharply Sophie was confronted by an elaborately coifed woman, face painted in elaborate patterns and dressed in thick leather tunic and breeches. The silver armlets and fine sword and war axe, denoted a high ranking shield maiden.

“Yes I’m Sophie and Thegn Eirik is my master.”

The woman nodded her head “So. That is a fine collar you have around your neck, where’s your sigil slave?”

Sophie patted her collar “This is Eirik’s sigil.”

“Mmph. that’s no sigil, it’s a fine necklace which by rights should be mine. I have laid claim to Eirik Eirikson. Away from his fat wife and mewling get, he is mine!”

Slowly it sank into Sophie’s brain that this woman thought she had a claim on Eirik, and she was a killer. Perhaps he’d had sex with her at some time, and she knew how good at that he was. It was understandable that a woman would want more of him, plus she was a Dane and Sophie was a slave. At that moment Geri, who had been sitting watching her beat the furs, understood the threat in the woman’s voice and his hackles went up and he growled as he placed himself in front of Sophie.

“Call your dog off or I will gut him.”

“He’s Eirik’s war dog and not easy to gut.” Sophie said, taking hold of his collar, “stand down Geri,” she ordered as she pulled him back.

He sat by her side, hackles still raised and watching the Dane intently.

“You are an insolent slut and I will see you punished.”

Sophie bit her lip, knowing that she shouldn’t answer back but hating to back down.

The woman grimaced “Remember me slut, I am Hilde and one day soon I will kill you.”

Then she backed up, turned and walked away. Geri stood and watched her go, then he turned to Sophie and nuzzled his head into her hand.

“Yes boy, that wasn’t pleasant. I think we’ll both have to watch our backs.”

Alta’s head peered round the side of the house “You want to watch out for her, looks a nasty piece of work,” she muttered.

“Yes I think you’re right, I wouldn’t like to meet her on a dark night.” Sophie said as she went back to beating the furs.

“Porridge is ready, leave them and come and eat. Looks like you’ve got a battle on your hands with that one.”

Going to join Alta by the meal fire, Sophie wondered if she should tell Eirik. Would he take Hilde’s side, had he slept with her and did he like her? After all she was a Dane and from what she’d heard about shield maidens, a brave dangerous killer.

***

Sophie spent the rest of the morning cutting the cooling soap into bars and wrapping them with squares of linen cut from the old clothes they had altered. The soap smelled slightly of lavender as did Sophie and she was pleased with the way it had turned out.

She was just putting the last of the furs back onto the mattress when she heard Geri’s woof of welcome and then Eirik walked in, looking and smelling a great deal the worse for wear! Leaving the furs she turned to him and smiled saying “Do you feel as bad as you look?”

Grimacing he said “No, a good deal worse. I swear my head is going to go bang and my stomach wants to leave my body.”

“Oh dear would you like some hot water to wash and some willow tree bark tea? I think that will help your head and a slice of bread would help your stomach.”

“Please” he said sitting on the bench and putting his head in his hands.

Sophie fetched him a bowl of hot water from the cauldron that always hung over the meal fire and gave him one of her new bars of soap. Then as he stripped and washed himself she searched in his trunk for a bottle of fennel and dill seed infusion that Ceolwen had given her for wind and griping pains in the stomach. Pouring a dose into a tiny bowl she put it on the table along with a bowl of the willow bark tea, and cut him a chunk of bread which she covered with the Dane’s equivalent of cream cheese. As he rinsed off the soap Eirik was watching her, he had noticed the pleasant smell that came off it, and the way she had busied herself to care for him and marvelled at the way she had taken him to her heart. Not many women would have been as forgiving as her.

Fetching him a clean tunic and breeches Sophie took his dirty clothes, smelling of sour ale, greasy food and sweat, but thankfully not of sex, out to Alta to wash. Leaving the old woman complaining happily over the fussiness of Danes she rejoined Eirik grinning at what Alta had said.

Eirik was sitting at the table eating the bread, he’d drunk the infusion and the willow bark tea and was looking more like himself.

“Is there anything else you want?” she asked him.

Crooking his finger and beckoning her over he said “Only you, come sit on my knee and tell me you’ve missed me.”

She obliged and sitting on his knee wrapped her arm around his neck, but she said “Missed you? Have you been away?” Then she laughed as he put his arms tight around her and said “Perhaps I have not shown you often enough what there is to miss when I’m not here.?”

“Perhaps you haven’t,” she murmured as she lifted her mouth to be kissed.

Standing up he carried her to the furs and showed her what she should have been missing, his clever mouth and fingers driving her wild long before he joined with her and took his release.

Lying naked and happy on his chest, she was dozing and Eirik had slipped into a deep sleep, when the door flew open and a man strode into the room. Sophie screamed, finding herself suddenly flung to one side as Eirik surged up off the furs.

“Whoah there Eirik. After the ale and wine you sank last night I wouldn’t have thought you’d be fit to rut.”

Standing naked and ready to fight it took Eirik a moment to realise who was there, then he said “Jarl Ivar, welcome to my home. I wasn’t aware that you wanted me.”

Sophie had knelt ready to run or fight, she didn’t know which, and Ivar’s eyes were drawn to her. He took in the beauty before him and licked his lips. “A thought just came to me so instead of sending for you I came to you. However my interest is piqued, who is this goddess before me? Have you lured Frige herself from Valhalla?”

Eirik frowned and looked at Sophie. Seeing her naked, skin flushed and her breasts and nipples ripe from his attentions, he growled “Dress yourself slave.”

Sophie blushed then grabbed her clothes and pulled them on, as Eirik picked up his breeches and eased them up his large powerful legs, quickly pushing his still tubescent shaft into them and tying them tight.

“Please sit Lord,” he said, “Sophie fetch some wine for my guest.”

She rushed to find the best goblets and wine and served Jarl Ivar, who sat at the table watching her, an interested glint in his eyes. “Ubbe, last night in his cups, told me that you had an interesting bed slave. A healer too I believe. How did you come by such a treasure Eirik?”

Eirik kept his voice devoid of feeling as he said “I picked her up on one of my raids, she serves a purpose,” and he shrugged.

“Come here girl,” Ivar said waving her to him.

She so didn’t want to go near him, but as she looked at Eirik his face a mask of unconcern, she knew that Ivar was a man who must be obeyed. Lifting her head high, not knowing that with her long wild hair framing her perfect face she looked like a pagan princess, she went to him.

Standing in front of Jarl Ivar, favourite son of one of the most powerful men of that age, Sophie felt as if her insides had turned to jelly. Ivar was almost as big as Eirik, but his eyes were a washed out blue and soulless. Lifting his hand he cupped her face, turning it from side to side, then his eyes slid down past Eirik’s collar and undressed her all over again. She gritted her teeth and kept her eyes down when Ivar murmured “Flawless. What is her asking price?”

Eirik said as unaggressively as he could manage “I’m sorry Lord, but she is not for sale.”

Ivar frowned, by rights Eirik should be saying that he’d give her to him as a gift, in order to curry favour with him.

“Come, name your price Merkismathr, I would have this woman.”

“Lord, you have my loyalty and my sword, but this woman is different. She would not suit you at all. She’s difficult and wild and I would not trust her not to slit your throat while you slept, disappointed in her cold body.”

“And yet you rut with her in the middle of the day.”

“I have no other suitable slaves to see to my needs, while you have many, and the middle of the day is a good time to hump her as I am in no danger of sleeping.”

“So she does not warm your furs at night?”

“No Lord, she sleeps outside with the dog.” Eirik lied, desperately trying to keep Sophie safe.

Ivar sighed “A pity, a body like that should hold a sensual woman. Still, no matter, there are other more important matters to discuss. Go away girl, leave me and your master in private.”

Without a word and not daring to look at Eirik, Sophie hastened out of the house and went to find Alta.

***

When she saw Ivar leave Sophie went back into the house. Eirik was still sitting at the table looking deep in thought. She sat next to him and didn’t say anything, waiting for when he was ready to talk. Finally he turned to her and said “Life is about to change. Ivar has plans to take Anglia, more men are gathering in Conecastre and will join us on the march.”

“But what about here?”

“A small garrison will be left here, the next few weeks will be spent hunting down the Myrce and chasing them back over the border. Then when Ivar and Ubbe are sure that Weorgoranceastre is secure we will leave for Anglia.”

“Why does he want Anglia?”

“It’s King is weak and we would rule through him if we can capture him. Wessex is too strong at the moment and Mercia would be easier to conquer if we held the part of it that is Anglia.”

“So you will be away chasing the Myrce and then leave and march on Anglia?” Sophie asked. “What about me?”

“You will come with me of course, in the rear with the baggage carts and other slaves.” Eirik said as if it were a normal occurrence. “However the problem is that you will be alone here while I am chasing the Myrce back over the border, and both Ivar and Ubbe want you as theirs.”

“Couldn’t I ride with you?”

Eirik laughed “Of course not! We ride hard and fight hard and you would be...” he waved his hand, lost for words as he saw the look on her face.

“I ride as well as any of your men. I’m fit and strong and can obey orders. Surely you need someone to hold the horses or tend to your wounds, cook your food even.” Sophie was at a loss about what she could do, but definitely didn’t want to stay by herself at the mercy of two men, who if they wanted could just take her from Eirik. While he was with her they might think twice about alienating one of their best warriors but if he was away who knew what they might do. Els-wythe, Ubbe’s young slave, was breeding and Wulf-pryor was showing signs of wear due to her drinking and Ubbe’s cruel treatment. She didn’t know if Ivar had a favourite slave with him and he’d wanted her, so the less she was around him the better.

“Sophie, women don’t ride out on patrol.”

“What about the shield maidens? They fight, they’re women and not much bigger than me, I can fight if I have to, but I probably wouldn’t need to. As I said I could hold the horses or whatever.”

“No,” Eirik growled, “I’ll think of something to keep you safe. Don’t worry.”

When she went to argue he held up his hand and said “Enough! Don’t argue with your master, slave.” And as far as he was concerned that was the end of the matter.