Read Online Viking Vengeance by Griff Hosker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Griff Hosker
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a wry smile, "I would like to cleanse you too."
I kissed her, "I believe that is how Gruffyd came into the world."
"And perhaps he needs a sister eh?"
Scanlan, the headman, greeted me as I headed towards my daughter's hall. "We have much iron which needs trading, Jarl Dragonheart."
"Good but make sure that Bjorn has the first choice of the iron. Many warriors will be buying new weapons from him!"
"It was a good raid then?"
"It was."
"That is why more people are coming to our land to settle. We have had many visits from merchants too. Our home is growing."
"Then we must make a sacrifice to the gods, Scanlan. It does not do to take them for granted."
"Aye Jarl."
I strode into the house of women. My daughter provided a refuge for those women whose husbands had died or chose to live with other women or wished to be a volva. Deidra and Macha who had been servants of the White Christ lived there and ran it. Aiden was the only man, apart from me, who was allowed in.
Aiden came to greet me. "Jarl Dragonheart, Kara said you would come this day and she was right."
"Is the child born yet?"
"No but it is coming soon. The women know such things."
Even though they had been captured many years ago and we had treated them well, Deidra and Macha were always a little apprehensive around me. The fact that I was here and the birthing was so close also made them uncomfortable. The Norse women saw it as natural. The followers of the White Christ did not. Kara was lying on a pile of skins. They were sheepskins topped by the skin of a wolf. I was a wolf warrior and the skin would give my grandchild the protection of the wolf.
"You will have a granddaughter soon, father."
"Good." I kissed her on the forehead. She looked radiant. I saw in her face my dead wife, Erika.
"Mother is here with us too. She is happy."
That was the trouble with having a volva for a daughter; she read your thoughts. "I will go and be cleansed then I shall return."
She nodded, "And when you do I will be cleaned and ready with our child suckling in my arms."
I turned to leave. I saw that Aiden was torn between his wife and the desire to speak with me. "Stay with Kara. My news will wait. A few hours will not change it."
When I returned to Kara and Aiden I felt like a new man. I had been cleansed and Brigid had combed and oiled my beard and hair. I had learned to enjoy such pleasures in Miklagård. I had left the warrior in the steam hut and now I was Jarl Dragonheart ruler of the land of the waters, Cyninges-tūn. We left Gruffyd with Uhtric and went to see Kara. My daughter had been right and my granddaughter suckled at her breast. Brigid shook her head, "How did you know?"
Kara frowned, "I am a volva. I know my own body. I knew."
I saw that Aiden looked proud. I clasped his hand. "The babe is well?"
He laughed, "How would it be otherwise. She has healthy lungs and eats well."
"Have you named her yet?"
"We will dream it tonight. The spirits will tell us."
The baby had finished suckling and Kara held her out to me. "Meet your grandfather, child."
I picked up the baby whose eyes had closed. She had that smell which all babies have. I closed my eyes and sniffed. I could smell Wolf Killer, Gruffyd and Kara when they had been born. I held her close. Her tiny fingers wriggled into my beard. I put my mouth close to her ear and said softly, so that only she would hear, "I swear that I will guard you and your parents with my life. I am Jarl Dragonheart and you are descended from the ancient ones of this land. One day you will grow into the most powerful woman in this land. I am no wizard but I can see that. You are part of me and part of this land." I kissed her and handed her back to Kara. Kara nodded and I saw tears in her eyes.
Brigid took my arm. "Come husband, let us go. They need to be alone with their child and the people have a feast prepared for you."
The old warrior hall in
I kissed her, "I believe that is how Gruffyd came into the world."
"And perhaps he needs a sister eh?"
Scanlan, the headman, greeted me as I headed towards my daughter's hall. "We have much iron which needs trading, Jarl Dragonheart."
"Good but make sure that Bjorn has the first choice of the iron. Many warriors will be buying new weapons from him!"
"It was a good raid then?"
"It was."
"That is why more people are coming to our land to settle. We have had many visits from merchants too. Our home is growing."
"Then we must make a sacrifice to the gods, Scanlan. It does not do to take them for granted."
"Aye Jarl."
I strode into the house of women. My daughter provided a refuge for those women whose husbands had died or chose to live with other women or wished to be a volva. Deidra and Macha who had been servants of the White Christ lived there and ran it. Aiden was the only man, apart from me, who was allowed in.
Aiden came to greet me. "Jarl Dragonheart, Kara said you would come this day and she was right."
"Is the child born yet?"
"No but it is coming soon. The women know such things."
Even though they had been captured many years ago and we had treated them well, Deidra and Macha were always a little apprehensive around me. The fact that I was here and the birthing was so close also made them uncomfortable. The Norse women saw it as natural. The followers of the White Christ did not. Kara was lying on a pile of skins. They were sheepskins topped by the skin of a wolf. I was a wolf warrior and the skin would give my grandchild the protection of the wolf.
"You will have a granddaughter soon, father."
"Good." I kissed her on the forehead. She looked radiant. I saw in her face my dead wife, Erika.
"Mother is here with us too. She is happy."
That was the trouble with having a volva for a daughter; she read your thoughts. "I will go and be cleansed then I shall return."
She nodded, "And when you do I will be cleaned and ready with our child suckling in my arms."
I turned to leave. I saw that Aiden was torn between his wife and the desire to speak with me. "Stay with Kara. My news will wait. A few hours will not change it."
When I returned to Kara and Aiden I felt like a new man. I had been cleansed and Brigid had combed and oiled my beard and hair. I had learned to enjoy such pleasures in Miklagård. I had left the warrior in the steam hut and now I was Jarl Dragonheart ruler of the land of the waters, Cyninges-tūn. We left Gruffyd with Uhtric and went to see Kara. My daughter had been right and my granddaughter suckled at her breast. Brigid shook her head, "How did you know?"
Kara frowned, "I am a volva. I know my own body. I knew."
I saw that Aiden looked proud. I clasped his hand. "The babe is well?"
He laughed, "How would it be otherwise. She has healthy lungs and eats well."
"Have you named her yet?"
"We will dream it tonight. The spirits will tell us."
The baby had finished suckling and Kara held her out to me. "Meet your grandfather, child."
I picked up the baby whose eyes had closed. She had that smell which all babies have. I closed my eyes and sniffed. I could smell Wolf Killer, Gruffyd and Kara when they had been born. I held her close. Her tiny fingers wriggled into my beard. I put my mouth close to her ear and said softly, so that only she would hear, "I swear that I will guard you and your parents with my life. I am Jarl Dragonheart and you are descended from the ancient ones of this land. One day you will grow into the most powerful woman in this land. I am no wizard but I can see that. You are part of me and part of this land." I kissed her and handed her back to Kara. Kara nodded and I saw tears in her eyes.
Brigid took my arm. "Come husband, let us go. They need to be alone with their child and the people have a feast prepared for you."
The old warrior hall in
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