Jerry Autieri - Islands in the Fog

Halla shook her head next to his. "No, don't think of those terrible days. They are done, and you will be well. The new god has placed his hand on you. You will live. Your fever is broken. Your blood price to the old gods was paid."

"Old gods? Where am I? Where are the others, my sister and Gunnar?" Memory returned from the mists of his fevered sleep. He remembered the ambush and the deaths suffered. "How did we escape?"

"Einar and Thrand rowed us away from danger." Halla pulled back, her tear-stained face looking into his. "Toki, I am so sorry. It was again my fault. We think those men were sent by Runolf, for the embarrassment I caused him. I thought you were dead."

She hugged Toki again, sobbing. He now felt the hot wound at his side. His hand sought it, finding bandages wrapped tightly about it. "But I did not die. It was not your fault."

"Everything is my fault," she hissed in his ear. "I was so foolish, so childish. I caused so much suffering for you. Will you forgive me, Toki?"

He pushed her back, her face hanging inches from him. Her hair fell like a veil around them, a secluded and warm place. He breathed in the fragrance of her, the sweet taste of her closeness. Then he gently tugged her forward, and she responded, joining her lips to his. The kiss filled Toki with strength. He tightened his grip on her shoulders, and funneled passion into their embrace.

When they parted, Halla's eyes remained closed and she smiled. He whispered to her, "There is nothing to forgive."

She opened her eyes and they stared at each other for a long moment. Then she pulled back to stand at his bedside. He began to rise to his elbows, but a sudden flash of pain in his side made him cry out.

"Lie still," Halla said. "The wound went bad after the brothers removed the arrow from you. They've used the last of their willow bark to ease your pain. So you must be careful now."

"That hurt enough to not try again. But where are the others? What happened after we got away?"

"I insisted we come here, back to the Faereyjar Islands. The Irish monks help those in need. This was the only safe place I knew to take you. That's them singing."

"I thought the monks wanted to be left alone." Toki looked about the cell, which was fitted with his pallet, a stool, and a desk with a candle. A high window let in sunlight and a breeze, the hide shade flapping against the stone.

"Toki, you were dying. Christ asks us to do for others what we would have done for ourselves. For so long, I thought the brothers could not save you, that nothing could."

"But they did, and I am grateful."

"It was the god Christ who did."

Toki paused, then caught sight of Dana hovering just beyond the door. For a moment he hoped the others were still with him. "Is Runa here?"

"They have all gone," Halla said, returning to her stool beside the door. "Lord Ulfrik visited here not long ago, looking for us. He left word with the brothers that we should go to Jarl Ragnvald's lands like originally planned."

Toki felt his face grow hot, and he looked at the ceiling. The pain in his side still throbbed. "So he freed himself, and depended upon me to be where he expected. I failed him. He will not have the men I promised to find."

Silence filled the room. Questions crowded his mind, but the answers would do him no good. He thought of Njall who had given his life to this quest. He thought of the suffering Runa had endured, knowing her husband was a prisoner without help. He had only wasted time, and done nothing for anyone. He felt tears pushing beneath his eyelids.

"Lord Ulfrik had found men of his own, a large ship filled with warriors, or so the brothers said. I expect he has gone on to fight my father. I would lie to say I am unhappy to miss it."

"Well, I am unhappy," he said, frowning at her. "Ulfrik is like a brother, and I should serve him until death. I should be at his side when he fights, holding his battle standard. It is my duty, and I have failed."

"You have kept his family safe. He entrusted you with that duty, too." She hesitated, and Toki considered the truth of her words. But before he could reply, she started anew. "Toki, there is one other thing I must say."

He looked at her expectantly. She bit her lower lip.

"The brothers, they are poor men, only surviving here by their own hand."

"As do all men who live here." Toki's stomach tightened, heightening the throb from his wound.

"There are only five brothers left, and three are very old. They will soon be gone and nothing left of them. They asked, in return for their help, that I accept their god, Christ. I told them if you lived, then I would."

Toki laughed, then began to cough. His abdomen pained him with each hack. "Gods, woman, you had me worried they wanted you to live here. That's all, then?"

Halla smiled, then giggled. Toki reached out for her, and pulled her close for another kiss. Adding to the list of gods he had to placate was hardly a matter worth considering.

"Now you must take me to Jarl Ragnvald. I have to know what has happened. Who has Raven's Talon ?"

"Einar and Thrand are the only ones who can work the sails, though they showed us all how to do it. But you've just got your wits back, Toki. Last night you were still babbling."

"I will go to Jarl Ragnvald. The brothers have no ship?"

Halla shook her head. Toki again tried to sit up, a sharp pain flattening him instantly. A drowsy weakness was already overcoming him. He understood Halla was right, and he would have to miss the one battle in which his lord and brother would most need him. He asked the gods, both Odin and Christ, to guide Ulfrik's sword in battle and to behead the poisonous snake, Hardar. He could do no more.

The sun flared over the flat line of the eastern horizon. Gunther's two ships bobbed in the shallows, their crews bristling on the decks, joking and boasting as men do before battle. Loud talk soothes the nerves of even battle-tested warriors. Ulfrik left his few surviving followers in Snorri's care.

"You won't change his mind," Snorri said, standing in the blue shadow of a ship.

"One last try. Tell Gunther to wait a while longer."

Snorri shook his head. "I'm in no hurry for battle, not at my age. I'll tell him, but he's losing patience."

Ulfrik patted Snorri's shoulder, leaving him to board the ship with his men, then climbed the slope to where Ragnvald and his hirdmen watched. The sun at their backs turned them to gold-lined shadows. All he could see was Ingrid's platinum hair fluttering in the breeze as she stood beside Ragnvald.

"Gods grant you victory today," Ragnvald said in a way that sounded like he had asked Ulfrik to leave and never return.

"I've worn out their ears with my pleas." Ulfrik closed the distance, then clasped arms with Ragnvald. "I wanted to thank you one last time. If I do not return …"

"Your family will be safe if they find their way to me. The Lady Ingrid will be welcomed here as well."

Ragnvald inclined his head to Ingrid, who smiled demurely. Ulfrik wondered if Ragnvald's wife welcomed her, but then pushed aside the thought.

"If I do return, it will be in victory, and I will repay you for your kindness." Ragnvald held up his hands and shook his head, but Ulfrik continued. "I must ask one final time, why not join me? Hardar has obviously captured my spies, and knows you've supported me. If I fail, you will be next. Why not ensure I do not fail?"

Ragnvald dropped his gaze and his shadow-darkened face grew deep lines. Ingrid astutely wandered into the open field behind her, while Ragnvald's hirdmen pretended they did not hear. Ulfrik searched Ragnvald's face, hoping one last word would change his mind.

"I have agreed with you," Ragnvald said slowly. "Hardar has been aggressive and irresponsible. You were a victim and a friend, and so I have given you hospitality. At no small cost for the number of men you brought here. But this does not make us allies in war. My people look to me for a stable and safe land. They fight for their homes, but they are not warriors or raiders."