Home Sweet Home…
Kirstin awakened late the next morning, alone, Hauk having left before dawn on his hunting trip. She stretched widely, noted the ache in her girl parts, and smiled. Good thing she’d have a chance to recuperate while Hauk was gone. She wondered idly if he was feeling a similar ache. She’d have to ask him when he returned.
The night before flashed through her mind, but she decided to wait until later to ponder everything that had been said and done. Deliciously, she added with another smile.
Quickly dressing, she went out and found work in the hall going on as usual and in the kitchen Frida was stirring something that smelled like stew over the open fire. Pointing to the food laid out on the table, the cook told her, “Eat, m’lady,” then chuckled and added, “Looks like ye could use some sustenance.”
Finding herself ravenous, Kirstin grabbed a slice of manchet break and a hunk of hard cheese. Munching on them, she asked, “Has everyone gone?”
“The master is long gone, and Bjorn is up the fjord fishing. Egil is about to leave, I believe. They were still loading the longship when I went out to the dairy a few moments ago.”
Finishing the food, she told the cook, “I’ll be back soon to help you. Maybe we can make soap today.”
“Whatever you say, m’lady,” Frida replied.
When she emerged from the back door of the keep, Kirstin saw Egil.
“You’re about to leave?”
“Yea. I just came back to get some extra rope I need.”
“How long will you be gone?”
He shrugged. “A few days, no longer than a sennight.”
“I’ll miss you.” She gave him a hug, which she could tell embarrassed him, but in a nice way.
He was about to walk away when he turned and said, “I must say, it was generous of you to give Zoya yer amber necklet.”
“What? I didn’t give her anything.”
Egil frowned and muttered, “Damn bothersome wench!”
But then Kirstin thought of something alarming. “Oh, my God!” She turned and began to run back to the keep, yelling over her shoulder to Egil, “Don’t you dare leave until I speak to you.”
Quickly, she made her way to the bedroom she had been sharing with Hauk where he’d placed his travel chest until he could regain his own bedchamber. She opened the lid and began to toss items here and there, searching for the pouch which had held the necklace, which she’d taken off after going to the bathing hut. She soon discovered that not only was the necklace missing, but her two arm rings, as well.
Had Hauk hidden them?
Or Zoya stolen them?
She could take no chances. She ran though the keep and out into the back courtyard again, then raced toward the fjord where the longship was still, thankfully, docked. When she reached the wharf, panting for breath, she told an astonished Egil, “Help me get on the boat and search Zoya’s belongings. She’s taken some important things from me, not just the necklace.”
Nodding, with more swear words under his breath, Egil helped her over the wooden gangway to board the ship. A short time later, they’d searched all of Zoya’s belongings, and her body, as well. Not only did Kirstin find her necklace, and the two arm rings, but a number of Hauk’s belongings as well.
“Thank you,” she said to Egil while two of the sailors held Zoya who would surely attack her. She spoke in a foreign language, possibly Russian, and was clearly hurling curses at Kirstin.
Kirstin put the necklace and two arm rings on, then picked up a sack of Hauk’s belts and brooches, along with some gold coins and a silver chalice. She let Zoya keep the wrist watch she’d placed in Hauk’s trunk when its battery ran out. With a look of disdain at Zoya for her thieving, Kirstin walked back to shore, listening to Zoya screeching the whole time behind her. Egil was not going to have a pleasant journey. Kirstin watched until the longship was out of sight.
Walking back to the keep, she felt like she was still floating in the afterglow of her night with Hauk. She’d told him that she loved him, and she did, which filled her with joy. And fear. Because she wasn’t sure what the future held for them.
She shrugged. It was in God’s hand.
Just then, she noticed some color off to the left, beyond the beached ships. She really hadn’t explored much outside the longhouse. When she got there, she saw a carpet of moss near a bend in the fjord, surrounded by some hardy wildflowers, surprising for this time of year. She decided to gather a bunch to put in water, which would be a cheery sight. Besides, they would be dead once the first frost hit, which came early this far north. On the other hand, she thought, sniffing the flowers, which still retained some fragrance, maybe she could use them in the soapmaking she planned for that afternoon.
Sitting down on the velvety moss a short time later, her back propped against a rock, she thought this was a rather magical spot, the kind little girls would adopt to play pretend games, or a quiet place for older girls to read or write in journals. Looking more closely at the pile of flowers on her lap—Christmas roses, winter jasmine, and irises—she realized they were really rather pathetic, on their last legs, almost dry, not as vibrant as she’d thought. Still, she was reminded of her father’s Blue Dragon vineyard which had a field of wildflowers which was never mowed and therefore provided lovely blooms during three seasons. Moss was abundant there, too, beside the pond.
She closed her eyes and imagined that field, picturing herself as a young girl just lying there on a green mossy coverlet in the midst of a floral bed, no doubt pretending she was some fairy princess, like Sleeping Beauty. Suddenly, a shiver rippled over her skin, and she folded her arms over her chest, her fingers inadvertently touching the arm rings.
With a gasp, she stood, realizing what could happen, but it was too late. Without any warning, she felt dizzy and fainted into the bed of flowers. A short time later, she was home.
But it wasn’t Haukshire.
Sometimes, love sucks, even for a Viking…
The hunting trip lasted longer than Hauk had anticipated, ten days. Not because they hadn’t found a bounty of large game, but more because they had been so successful and wanted to bring these carcasses back to process for preservation. There would be plenty of time for another, even two additional hunting trips. It was always good to have more food on hand in case the winter was harsher than usual.
The twelve men in his party, divided into six groups, now carried on long poles and a sledge the gutted carcasses and skins of six deer, eight boar, and a moose. Some of them might return for a large bear they’d spotted, but first they would have to skin and cut up this meat and prepare it for drying, salting, smoking, or cold storage in underground pits. Later, they would stretch and dry the skins.
Still some distance from Haukshire, they were greeted by three whooping youthlings, Gorm and his former tormentors, now comrades-in-mischief, who had no business being so far from home, being not yet weaponed, but he couldn’t dampen their eagerness. They were speaking all at once, elbowing each other, jumping up and down, and Hauk found it impossible to decipher what they were saying. In the end, Hauk realized they were simply excited about the outcome of the other hunting parties…fishing, birding, and small game. Apparently, the cold cellar was now filling with the meat of squirrels, geese, ducks, turkey, and sea birds. All kinds of fish had been dried and salted, including cod, haddock, mackerel, halibut, pike, perch, and flounder, according to the three scamps who tried to outdo each other in reciting the names of the catches. And they said that the younger children had been sent out to gather nuts and late mushrooms under Signe’s guidance, which at the present filled two barrels. What these three urchins had contributed wasn’t clear.
Hauk was only glad that Gorm had managed to fit in with the others. It could be a lonely existence being an outcast of sorts in one’s own home. He noticed one of his men speaking to the tallest of the boys, a hand on his shoulder. Hauk, who’d assumed they were all orphans, decided this must be the father of at least one of them.
Haukshire would survive the winter, that soon became clear. Leastways, they would not starve.
The three boys preened with pride when Hauk told them they could help carry the weapons. Not that they contributed that much, but that was not the point, of course.
As they walked the last distance to the keep, Hauk wanted to ask about Kirstin, what she was doing, did she appear happy, had she mentioned him, but he feared what he would reveal of his feelings, or, gods forbid, what the bratlings might reveal. No doubt she had been putting them to work, and that was why they’d escaped to come meet the hunting party.
Despite how busy he’d been these ten days, Hauk hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Kirstin. Their last night together had been nothing less than amazing, and in the end, her declaring her love, his doing likewise…well, what man wouldn’t be anxious to continue the relationship, whatever it was? He couldn’t wait to see her again.
But first, there was chaos when the hunting party arrived in the back courtyard and began to unload their animals. No time for thinking of anything else. Makeshift tables had already been set up when the small game had been cut up and prepared for preservation earlier that week. So, they laid out the deer first. The men did the cutting under Signe’s supervision. He saw Frida point to a haunch of venison, and one of the housecarls carried it inside for her.
Hauk was pleased to have missed the processing of the birds. Didn’t matter if they were turkeys or geese or smaller quail, plucking the feathers was a distasteful, tiresome business. There was no worse smell than scalded feathers. To him, leastways. Not that he’d ever done much with fowl, that being women’s work.
Several dozen people, men and women, worked together efficiently at assigned tasks, including those from the hunting party who wanted nothing more than to bathe and relax in the hall with a mug or five of mead. He saw Bjorn and Thorkel carrying a large sow. “Hear you did well with the fishing,” he said, squeezing his son’s shoulder.
Bjorn grinned at him. “Yea, and it was fun. I’m thinking of going again tomorrow, up near the entrance to the sea. Someone mentioned seeing a shark.”
“Mayhap I’ll go with you,” Hauk said.
The smile Bjorn gave him then made him feel both wonderful and awful, knowing how many years of these kinds of opportunities he’d missed by his own neglect. Oh, well! There was always the future.
A short time later, Hauk looked around, then looked again more closely, and realized Kirstin was not there. His hands and tunic were grimy from handling the wild game. So, he wiped his hands on his braies, then headed toward the back door of the keep. Kirstin must be inside, helping the cook ready a feast to celebrate the success of all the hunting, trapping, and fishing expeditions. He was a mite offended that she hadn’t come out to greet him, but then he shrugged. Mayhap she wanted their reunion to be a private one. He could appreciate that, he thought with a grin.
On his way, he noticed several people staring at him oddly. Almost like trepidation. Or was it pity?
On entering the keep, he glanced around the kitchen and saw only Frida, who was cutting the deer meat into small pieces and tossing them into a cauldron, which he presumed would be some kind of stew. It was too late in the day to roast such a large haunch for the evening meal. “Frida! Where is my wife?”
“Ye doan hafta yell,” she said.
“Sorry. Where is she?” He began to walk toward the hall.
“She’s gone.”
Hauk stopped in his tracks and turned slowly to stare at the old lady who was wringing her hands nervously. “What do you mean, she’s gone?”
Frida shrugged. “A sennight or so ago, when Egil was leavin’ fer Hedeby, she disappeared.”
“She’s not here, at Haukshire?” he said dumbly.
“That’s what I jist said, isn’t it?”
He narrowed his eyes at her tone of voice.
“Sorry, but I been worried ’bout how to tell you. Everyone has.”
“Disappeared!” he muttered. “How long ago?”
“Since the day Egil left, I already tol’ ye that.”
Hauk groaned. This must be a jest of some kind. He hoped it was. With a grunt of disgust, he turned and stomped into the hall which was mostly empty, then went to all the bedchambers, which were also empty. After that, he did a more thorough check of his bedchamber and the guest one he’d been sharing with Kirstin. The first was a mess of tossed linens and upended chests, thanks to Zoya, he assumed. The other was alarmingly neat and tidy, as if no one had slept here for days.
He frowned with confusion and went back outside to find Signe, who had been somewhat of a friend to Kirstin. He found her standing with Thorkel who was hunkered down a bit so they were eye level. Laughing, he appeared to be trying to convince her of something to which the wench was shaking her head. “Leave off, Thorkel, and go help Ketil with that moose. Your seduction can wait till later.”
“You call that seduction?” Signe scoffed at Thorkel. She turned to Hauk then and explained, “He said he dreamed about me this past sennight. In particular, he dreamed of my feet.”
Thorkel grinned. “In my defense, I dreamed of her feet up in the air whilst I made love to her.”
“Hmpfh!” Signe said.
Thorkel winked at her.
“This is all amusing, Thorkel, but you are needed to split that moose. Heft half onto the table and hang the other half in the smoking shed.”
Thorkel went off, giving Signe a little wave. “We will discuss this further this evening, my fair Signe.”
Signe just shook her head at Thorkel’s hopelessness, but Hauk could see that a smile was twitching at her lips.
Hauk took Signe by the elbow and led her away from the others. “So, Signe, tell me what happened to Kirstin.”
“I do not know. She was here one moment and a short time later she was nowhere about. I think she may have gone with Egil.”
“What makes you say that?” The last night he’d spent with Kirstin had been wonderful, for both of them. He was shocked that she would leave him, without warning, after that. But he had to ask, “Did she say anything to you that morning? Was she unhappy?”
“Nay. If anything, she appeared to have a secret smile on her face.”
Of course she did. In truth, I had, too. “What makes you think she went with Egil then?”
“Well, she did go down to the boat before Egil left. Actually, she spoke to Egil out in the courtyard. She seemed to be alarmed about what he said, then ran into the keep and into the bedchambers to look for something. A short time later, she was screaming at Egil, who was already on the longship, as she ran toward the fjord, demanding that he let her board.”
“All this you witnessed?”
She shook her head. “Some I saw with my own eyes. The rest I pieced together from what others said.”
“And she left with Egil on the longship then?”
“I think so, but I wasn’t watching at the time. I’d gone back into the keep to gather laundry.”
“Did anyone actually see her on the boat as it left?”
“I do not think so.” Signe furrowed her brow as she searched her memory. She frowned then. “Another thing. My Lady Kirstin was excited about the soap-making we were planning for that afternoon. Why would she leave if that was her intent?”
“Mayhap it was a last-minute decision,” he offered.
“Egil should be back any day now. You will find out then.” She shrugged and went back to the racks where she’d been hanging strips of venison for drying.
In truth, Hauk was hoping that Kirstin had gone to Hedeby with Egil, for whatever demented reason she might have, like a sudden need for beeswax, or fine fabric to make her strange undergarments, or more poultry to make chicken slop.
Otherwise, she was gone. Really gone.
His heart ached so much at that prospect he had to bend over to catch a breath. It had only been a few sennights since he’d first met her. How could he be so affected?
If this was love, he wanted nothing to do with it.
Who let the dogs out?...
Kirstin felt Hauk kissing her face. Wet, sloppy kisses. Playful.
She smiled.
What a way to wake up! She kept her eyes closed and turned her face a bit, giving him better access. She’d been sleeping and was only half-awake now. Hauk must have returned from the hunting trip.
She stretched and yawned, feeling that continuing ache between her legs, a not unpleasant reminder of last night. She hoped Hauk ached, too, if that was possible for a man. She smiled some more.
Just then, she noticed an odd odor. Well, Hauk had been on a hunting trip and was no doubt a little ripe. Maybe they could go to the bathing hut together, like they had that other time.
But no, this wasn’t BO.
It was…wet dog.
Her eyes shot open and she saw Loki and Baldr, her father’s golden retrievers, whose damp fur was evidence of a recent dip in the pond. Which she could see over their backs. Their lolling tongues and wagging tails spoke of their happiness to see her. The dogs started to bark, loudly and continuously, ran away, continuing to bark as they ran, then came barreling back to her, yipping as if to give her some message. They ran away again and returned with her father, who was stunned at first sight of her.
Her father was almost sixty years old, and he wore his usual jeans and Blue Dragon T-shirt, but he could have passed for a Viking anywhere. With his long, gray-threaded, brown hair hanging in war braids on either side of a Nordic sculpted face, not to mention a tall, still buff body, he looked like an older version of the actor playing Rollo on that History Channel’s Vikings series, which made her realize that if her father had been the one shot back in time, he would fit in the Nordic atmosphere perfectly, almost as if he’d never left twenty years ago.
“Sit!” her father ordered the two yapping pets, who did as he ordered, immediately, though they continued to bark. “And shut the bloody hell up!”
Whimpering to get the last “word” in, Loki and Baldr splatted out, putting their faces on their front paws, looking at him contritely.
“Dumb dogs,” her father muttered, then turned to her again. “Holy Thor! Is it really you, Kirstin? We have been so worried.”
By now, she was standing, equally stunned. When her father opened his arms to her, she rushed into his embrace. He held her tightly and asked one question after another, not waiting for a reply.
“Where have you been, sweetling?
“Are you all right?
“Did you go back in time?
“Of course you did.
“The Viking in a cage…was he there? Did you rescue him?
“Torolf wanted to travel back to help you, if he could, but Helga said it would be over her dead body.
“Did you go back to our homestead, by any chance?
“But all these questions can wait. Come, let’s go up to the house.”
Her father pulled back to look at her then. That’s when she burst out in sobs, crying, knowing that her heart was breaking. Yes, she’d managed to come back home, but that meant she would never see Hauk again.
They said that love transcends time. It appeared she would have a chance to test that theory.