Walpurgis Night (13 page)

Alfred considered then nodded.

Fianna
walked over to the group of Norsemen and stopped, facing
Henrik
. She had to restrain tears to be able to look into his beloved face when she hadn’t expected to see him again and still might be facing the loss. Though she fought it, a spark of hope dawned. He didn’t smile at her, but there was something akin to sympathy in his eyes.

“I thought you would have left this land,” she told him. “Why are you here?”

“My ships set sail at first light tomorrow.” He stopped and drew a breath. “I could not leave until I knew you were settled. I…I needed to assure myself you would have all the choices you needed.”

Her heart swelled with love for the man. How could she even consider choosing any other? It was all she could do to keep from throwing herself into his arms. Hope began to grow, though she dared not indulge it. The thought was daring, different, startling,
unheard
of. He might yet refuse her.

It took a moment to work up the nerve to ask her question. She drew a breath to calm herself. She clenched her hands into fists to still their shaking.

“
Henrik
, would you take me with you?” she asked.

Her request startled him. For long moments he did naught but stand there, eyes widening into amazement as he considered all the implications.

“A ship is no good place for a woman,” he answered carefully. “The conditions are
rough,
there is little privacy, much work to do and few comforts.”

“If I were with you, that would be all the comfort I needed. And I should very much prefer it to a lifetime of greater comfort here with someone who was not you.”

“There are many dangers. It is no safe place to be.”

“I do not want safety. I want to go adventuring with you.
And someday, God willing, to return and settle down with you and our family.”

His hands were clenched as well, his body so tense, a good push would knock him flat. “
Fianna
, are you certain you understand what you’re asking? It will be a hard life with constant peril.”

“On our first night together, I made a promise to you to do all you would ask without knowing what that might be. I would now make a promise to you to go into whatever danger you face along with you, trusting to your best efforts to keep us safe, knowing there’s a risk that might not be enough. I will work as hard as any of the men, share whatever discomforts and perils might arise, and ask only that I be allowed to share some time with you as reward. Is that enough?”

A slow smile spread across his face. “If you are sure, nothing could make me happier than to have you come with me.
Though I would not have asked it of you, if it is your will and your desire, I will rejoice in it.”

She could barely hold back the tears as relief and a swelling joy filled her. “Come with me, if it
please
you,” she said, taking his arm and drawing him toward the dais.

“This is my choice,” she said to Alfred and all those watching.
“
Henrik
,
Hjallmar’s
son.
We will leave this place for a while, but I hope to return with him some day. I would beg that I be allowed to return at that time.”

Alfred looked as startled as everyone else gathered around. There was much murmuring and some consternation over her choice. After considering it for a while, Alfred answered, “We directed only that you should make a choice of one man or leave under pain of death. No restrictions were placed on who you might consider. You have fulfilled the requirement to choose a protector. I deem it wise that you do go away for a while to let hard feelings fade, but you may return, if you so desire, settle here and move freely among us.”

“I thank you,” she said.

Henrik’s
arms came around her and he kissed her thoroughly in the midst of the crowd. There was much laughter and some cheering as it went on and on. Finally he drew away.

“My ships sail at dawn, and we’ve much to do before then.” As he led her through the crowd, back to Marla’s house, he added, “We’ll collect what you wish to take with you. There is little space on the ships, so choose carefully. I’ll ask my father to perform the mating ceremony for us this night. They are having the Walpurgis celebration in our village with a bonfire and music and food. My father will rejoice to add this to it. We’ll have to stay a while and be merry with my people, but eventually we’ll get some time to ourselves.
Perhaps just enough to launch us well-satisfied.”

He stopped and kissed her again. “’
Tis
a small pity we’ll get no sleep this night, but there will be time in the future to make up for it.”

He kissed her some more. It made her heart swell and the heat rouse in her belly. She pressed herself against him as need for him clamored for fulfillment.

So lost were they in the feelings they had for each other, both jumped when
Ranulf
laid a hand on a shoulder of each of them.

“It is good,” he said in halting, accented
Anglish
. “But go now.”

Henrik
laughed and slapped his brother on the shoulder. “It is good,” he agreed. “And now I have a lifetime to enjoy it.”

Chapter Fourteen

The Norse Walpurgis night celebration was in full roar as they rode up to the settlement.
Fianna
rode behind
Henrik
on his horse, holding on to him, though this time it was more from a desire to be close, to hold and to feel him than from fear of falling off.

In the open area in front of the semicircle of buildings, several bonfires blazed high. Around them the people of this town gathered in groups or walked in circuits. Children charged in small packs, yelling and screaming. It appeared everyone was making noise—not the music it would be in her town, but a cacophonous racket created by banging boards together, cracking whips and ringing bells.

“What is all the noise for?” she asked
Henrik
after they’d dismounted and were making their way through the crowd in search of his father. She had to yell to make herself heard over the melee.

“To drive away the witches and evil spirits, so they won’t bother the crops soon to be planted,” he shouted back.

They finally found his father with a group of elders of the settlement. A huge smile broke over the older man’s face when he saw his sons returning with
Fianna
.
Hjallmar
opened his arms as she approached and drew her to him, folding her in a bear hug that surprised her with its strength.
Henrik
and his father held a long conversation in Norse. In the older man’s face puzzlement was chased away by concern and then finally by delight. After a bit he nodded and began to chatter with some of the others gathered nearby. A considerable commotion ensued.

A group of excited, laughing women drew her away.
Henrik
nodded for
Fianna
to go with them. “They’ll help you prepare,” he assured her. “There isn’t time to ready all the ceremonies and arrangements for a normal wedding among us, but we’ll do all we can.”

An hour or so later, dressed in borrowed finery, wearing a crown of green vines with a few pale flowers woven in, she followed the same women back to the center of the town. They marched ahead of her single file, in procession, toward a group of men waiting for them.
Henrik’s
expression as she approached him set her heart pounding harder and more rapidly.

She moved through most of the ceremony in something of a daze. Later she would remember that they exchanged rings placed on the hilts of a pair of swords.
Ranulf
provided a sword for her.
Henrik
explained that the bride traditionally brought a sword to give her husband in exchange for his, which she would keep to give to their son. They clasped hands on the hilt of the sword she presented to him. His father said a few words to them.
Henrik
proclaimed something in Norse then prompted her to make her vows, letting her repeat each phrase after him. He didn’t translate, however, so she had to assume she’d promised to be faithful, to love and to honor him.

At the end
Henrik’s
father extended his hands toward them, said a few words, and a cheer broke out from the crowd. People began scooting around again. Some gathered close around them, folding each of them in hugs and words of congratulation. Others ran to and from the longhouses, bringing out trestles to set up a table, setting out food on it and fetching a pitcher of mead and cups.

She,
Henrik
and
Hjallmar
were led to the three chairs that had been placed beside the table.
Henrik
seated her in the center again. Young women who’d obviously changed hastily into their best gowns brought more food and pushed the pitcher of mead toward
Fianna
, along with two cups. Then they stood around and waited.

“You should pour some mead into a cup and help me drink from it,”
Henrik
directed.

Fianna
nodded, filled the cup and held it to his lips. It took an effort to steady her hands. Being so close to him, watching the expressions on his face, the way his lips parted to sip from the cup while his gaze stabbed into her, all combined to overwhelm her with love and gratitude. Desire for him rose again, as it always seemed to when he was near.
The firelight that made the area so bright cast wicked, sparkling reflections in his eyes.

The feasting went on for a while. Having learned her lesson,
Fianna
was careful with the mead, drinking only enough to make her pleasantly relaxed. She ate even less. She didn’t need food. She felt replete with the unexpected happiness and reached over to touch
Henrik
as often as she could manage. She needed the contact to convince her this whole evening was happening and wasn’t just some dream of her longing imagination.

When the feast ended and the bonfires began to die down,
Henrik
stood up. Immediately a group of men surrounded him while many of the women surrounded
Fianna
and began to chivy her off toward
Henrik’s
house. Since he still stood with the men in the square, she looked at him for direction. He smiled and nodded for her to go with the women.

They took her into
Henrik’s
house and off to the sleeping area. The borrowed finery was removed and replaced with a brand-new, white linen night rail. Though they took off the floral crown, they put it back on before they helped her into the bed and covered her with a sheet. Then they stood around and waited, sharing jokes and giggles.
Fianna
planned to learn the language as quickly as she could.

A few minutes later, they heard the men at the door. The group entered amidst loud gibes and boisterous joking. The women moved back against the walls to make room for the newcomers. Though she hated to take her eyes off
Henrik
,
Fianna
did notice a few of the young women eyeing the men.

With his entourage surrounding him,
Henrik
came and stood by the bed where she lay. His smile drove all other thoughts from her mind. She wanted him more than anything in the world. She’d never stop wanting him.

He knelt by the side of the bed and leaned over to kiss her. A cheer went up from the onlookers when he removed the floral crown from her head and set it aside. He kissed her again and stood up. The men helped him remove his vest and shirt, belt and boots, but when one of them reached for the laces on his leggings,
Henrik
stopped them. A sharp order from him raised eyebrows of most of the people in the room. Moments later they began to file out. Several threw a few jests or teasing comments behind as they went.

Finally they were alone.
Henrik
went to the door to be sure all were gone.
Fianna
watched him return to her, admiring again his beautiful form, the way the torchlight created gold ripples in his hair, the supple grace of his movements.

He knelt by her again and began to roll the night rail up, kissing each stretch of skin along her legs, stomach and breasts as he revealed them. Finally he dragged the cloth up and over her head. He explored her body with fingers and lips until she was moaning and writhing in a fiery heat of need for him. While he sucked on her nipples, she reached for the laces of his leggings, pulled them open and dragged the leather off, releasing his rampant cock.

She reached for it and wrapped her fingers around it. A couple of pumps up and down had him gasping as well.

He reached down and stilled her hand. “
Fianna
, I need…I’ve waited too long. I cannot hold…”

She spread her legs and drew him toward her. “I need you too. Touch me. Fill me. Please!”

He positioned himself and pushed in.
Fianna
wrapped her arms around him, kissing every bit of flesh she could reach, running her fingers into his hair. She couldn’t get enough of him. She never would. Then he moved in and out. His balls pressed against her quim and she began to tense with the need.

His breathing was harsh and ragged as he fought for control and lost. “I cannot…” he gasped. “I cannot hold it.”

“Don’t.” With her body she urged him deeper and faster. “Come to me,” she begged him.

The rhythm quickly grew
to
frantic. They both gasped and moaned as the fire in their blood drove them toward completion.
Fianna
was nearly sobbing as he slammed into her.

It broke over her like a sudden sharp wave, convulsing her body, drawing a small shriek from her as the pleasure overwhelmed her. While she jolted and
spasmed
against him, he poised above her one last time then rammed
himself
all the way in. He spurted his seed into her with a long gasping moan.

They held on to each other while their breathing slowly returned to normal. Lying under him,
Fianna
wished she would never have to move again. Heaven was right there, joined with him. She regretted it when he rolled off her and settled beside her, but he immediately drew her up against him, settling her head in the crook of his shoulder.