Read Online Anna Markland - Viking Roots Medieval Romance Saga 01 by The Rover Bold - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: The Rover Bold
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Judging by the shouts of elation coming from the church, the Vikings were busy gathering whatever there was of value. If she and Kaia leapt into the shallow water—
But it would be impossible to take Ekaterina. Several islands dotted the Seine, each with a church of its own—Saint-Clément, Saint-Stephen. How to get from one to the other and then through the deserted town itself?
I n her heart she didn’t want to leave because Bryk had asked her to stay.
~~~
Once Hrolf had claimed whatever treasures the priests hadn’t carried off, there wasn’t much else of value in the little chapel. Bryk was relieved no one had remained to defend the edifice. As his grumbling comrades trooped out to ransack the few hovels on the island and then muster for the next church, he cast about for some keepsake. He knew from long experience where a patient raider might discover hidden treasures.
He crouched down beside the stone altar and put his shoulder to it. It moved an inch or two away from the wall. He braced his legs and pushed again, this time making a space barely wide enough for his arm.
He snaked a hand up underneath the stone lip. As he’d suspected, there was a hidden shelf. His fingers touched fabric. He dragged out the bundle—vestments, folded and crammed into the hidey-hole. He danced his fingers along the shelf again, discovering several good sized candle ends, one of which was still wedged on a pointed gold candlestick.
He understood some cleric taking time to conceal the candlestick and the vestments, but risking one’s life for spent candle ends?
Alfred’s wife could use the heavy fabric, and perhaps Cath-ryn would like the gold braiding and the candlestick.
By Thor, this preoccupation has to stop.
He’d asked Alfred to keep an eye on her when he’d handed over the tiller. His brother might not be a warrior, but he would defend Bryk’s property. As he made his way back to the boat, his heart reassured him she wouldn’t try to flee.
Nevertheless, he let out a long slow breath when he caught sight of her, still sitting on his chest, as if guarding it . She scowled at the men stowing their meager treasures.
Her eyes betrayed her happiness at his return when she saw him. It felt good that someone cared whether he lived or died. He motioned for her to rise, lifted the lid of his chest and threw in the candle remnants. He’d show her the candlestick later, when they weren’t surrounded by fifty pairs of greedy eyes. As he stuffed in the vestments, he had an inkling there was something wrapped inside—also for later.
He had to sit on the lid to close the chest. Cath-ryn quickly lost the scowl that had crossed her face on seeing the vestments and sat next to him, laughing, wriggling to add weight to the effort. Raiding had never been this enjoyable.
He pointed to the chest, then pulled at his kyrtill . “Alfred,” he said, cocking his head towards the tiller. “ Bror .” He held up ten fingers. “ Barn . Chilrens.”
Wide-eyed, she glanced over to Alfred, touching her fingers to his as she counted. “He’s your brother and he has ten children?”
The contact between them was light as air, yet her warmth seeped into him. Her delicate white hands and slender fingers made his look weathered and stained. “ Ja .”
She frowned, moving a fingertip to his chest. “How many children do you have?”
The painful memories hit him like the heel of a stridsøkse .
“No lamb for the lazy wolf,” Hrolf shouted from the prow. “To oars. Clement’s church awaits.”
Rescued from his torment, Bryk breathed again as he made his way back to the tiller, his thoughts unexpectedly filling with an image of a child born of a black haired woman and a fair-haired man.
ROUEN FALLS
In the darkness Cathryn and Kaia huddled together on the sea chest, Bryk’s cloak around their shoulders. Ekaterina lay in the bottom of the gently rocking longboat, snoring loudly, seemingly oblivious to the damp cold. Cathryn
But it would be impossible to take Ekaterina. Several islands dotted the Seine, each with a church of its own—Saint-Clément, Saint-Stephen. How to get from one to the other and then through the deserted town itself?
I n her heart she didn’t want to leave because Bryk had asked her to stay.
~~~
Once Hrolf had claimed whatever treasures the priests hadn’t carried off, there wasn’t much else of value in the little chapel. Bryk was relieved no one had remained to defend the edifice. As his grumbling comrades trooped out to ransack the few hovels on the island and then muster for the next church, he cast about for some keepsake. He knew from long experience where a patient raider might discover hidden treasures.
He crouched down beside the stone altar and put his shoulder to it. It moved an inch or two away from the wall. He braced his legs and pushed again, this time making a space barely wide enough for his arm.
He snaked a hand up underneath the stone lip. As he’d suspected, there was a hidden shelf. His fingers touched fabric. He dragged out the bundle—vestments, folded and crammed into the hidey-hole. He danced his fingers along the shelf again, discovering several good sized candle ends, one of which was still wedged on a pointed gold candlestick.
He understood some cleric taking time to conceal the candlestick and the vestments, but risking one’s life for spent candle ends?
Alfred’s wife could use the heavy fabric, and perhaps Cath-ryn would like the gold braiding and the candlestick.
By Thor, this preoccupation has to stop.
He’d asked Alfred to keep an eye on her when he’d handed over the tiller. His brother might not be a warrior, but he would defend Bryk’s property. As he made his way back to the boat, his heart reassured him she wouldn’t try to flee.
Nevertheless, he let out a long slow breath when he caught sight of her, still sitting on his chest, as if guarding it . She scowled at the men stowing their meager treasures.
Her eyes betrayed her happiness at his return when she saw him. It felt good that someone cared whether he lived or died. He motioned for her to rise, lifted the lid of his chest and threw in the candle remnants. He’d show her the candlestick later, when they weren’t surrounded by fifty pairs of greedy eyes. As he stuffed in the vestments, he had an inkling there was something wrapped inside—also for later.
He had to sit on the lid to close the chest. Cath-ryn quickly lost the scowl that had crossed her face on seeing the vestments and sat next to him, laughing, wriggling to add weight to the effort. Raiding had never been this enjoyable.
He pointed to the chest, then pulled at his kyrtill . “Alfred,” he said, cocking his head towards the tiller. “ Bror .” He held up ten fingers. “ Barn . Chilrens.”
Wide-eyed, she glanced over to Alfred, touching her fingers to his as she counted. “He’s your brother and he has ten children?”
The contact between them was light as air, yet her warmth seeped into him. Her delicate white hands and slender fingers made his look weathered and stained. “ Ja .”
She frowned, moving a fingertip to his chest. “How many children do you have?”
The painful memories hit him like the heel of a stridsøkse .
“No lamb for the lazy wolf,” Hrolf shouted from the prow. “To oars. Clement’s church awaits.”
Rescued from his torment, Bryk breathed again as he made his way back to the tiller, his thoughts unexpectedly filling with an image of a child born of a black haired woman and a fair-haired man.
ROUEN FALLS
In the darkness Cathryn and Kaia huddled together on the sea chest, Bryk’s cloak around their shoulders. Ekaterina lay in the bottom of the gently rocking longboat, snoring loudly, seemingly oblivious to the damp cold. Cathryn
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