Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 59320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
It was a gruesome sight. The Vikings had only just cleared the dead bodies from in front of our village’s walls and had piled them into two: one for our fallen dead, the other for the Frenchmen.
I put my sleeve to my nose and mouth, my eyes watering, trying to look anywhere else but the bloodied ground.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized as we rode side-by-side. “They were meant to clear the bodies away much sooner.”
“What will happen to them?” I asked when we were further down the road and the stench of death couldn’t reach.
“We’ll burn them,” he said matter-of-factly. “Usually, we just leave them there.”
“For the crows to feed on,” I remarked caustically.
“Of course,” Rolf said without a hint of shame in his voice. “That’s the price of doing battle. Normally, we don’t stay around after we’ve seized the land…”
“So why are you now?”
He twisted in his saddle to look at me. “Why, aren’t you an inquisitive little creature?”
I met his eyes. “If I am to be a part of you now, I think I have the right to know.”
He chuckled good-naturedly, and I exhaled in relief. Though I had no problem being bold when the situation called for it, it was like walking on eggshells whenever Rolf was involved.
“You’re very right, my beauty.”
And so, Rolf went on to tell me of his plans for the future, plans that included holding out in the manor until the King of France requested a meeting with him.
“That way, they come to me,” he said. “I am no fool—I know I would lose more men, men I can’t afford to lose, if I went on to the next village. I know their armies are growing. If I stay here, they’ll grow weary and suspicious, and eventually, they’ll step foot in my new territory.”
“And then what happens?”
He waved his hand in the air. “And then, the king offers me a position, preferably the Duke of Normandy.”
I let out a small laugh. I couldn’t help it. “After everything Arvid told us, you think they’d let you hold on to your pagan beliefs?”
“Oh, of course not,” he said, his teeth shining. “I’ll pay lip service to their god, but I won’t forsake my own. It’s no better than I’m sure you’d do in church.”
My eyes narrowed. “You don’t know what I do in church.”
“Well,” he began, and his attention drifted to the dirt road in front of us. “I’ve seen what you can do in the bedroom. No God-fearing woman would ever attempt that.”
“You gave me no choice,” I said for the second time, but my argument was starting to sound weak, even to my own ears.
“You always have a choice, my beauty. You could have fought. You could have tried to flee. You could have screamed or cried and, believe me, my heart has been so soft around you that your tears would have called the whole thing off.”
I looked down at my hands, the stiff leather of the reins wrapped around them. Rolf was right. I could have done all those things, and though I knew any resistance probably would have been futile, I didn’t try. I didn’t try because I was curious. Because although Rolf scared me, I was intrigued by my fear.
We rode for a while longer before we pulled into a sun-dappled meadow framed by golden-leaved alder trees. The leaves fell to the ground, glowing like sunshine with each breeze that passed through the white branches. It was a peaceful place, even romantic, and I felt immediately at ease.
We dismounted and let our horses drink from the nearby stream, sitting on a dry log while Rolf fished out the contents of the food basket. There were berry preserves and boiled quail eggs, roast beef and chunks of hard cheese. A small pigskin canteen of merlot was also included, as well as a few squares of homemade caramel for dessert.
I still couldn’t get used to the quality of the food I was eating, and the appetite I had lost the night before was back with a vengeance. After a life of eating moldy root vegetables, stale bread, and the occasional chicken, I felt like I was dining like a queen. It was unfortunate I still felt a stab of guilt with each bite I took, a reminder my family had to die for me to experience something better.
And was this better? I eyed Rolf as we ate, wondering about his true nature. He was a powerful and frightening man at times, but then, he was so sweet to me at others. Erik had made him seem like both a monster and a friend, and I wasn’t sure which one he was. I decided to bring him up.
“Tell me about your relationship with Erik,” I said as I picked up a caramel square and placed it in my mouth. My tongue buzzed with the sugar.