Page 83 of The Blue Viking

As this lady soon learned her lesson

Beneath the bed sheet.

The Viking man

Will ne’er retreat.

So much or-gaz-ing

Did he to her mete

That now the fair lady admits defeat,

And says her female parts

Are beat, beat, beat.

Thus the Norseman

Proves once again

That he is all man.

Chapter Fifteen

The events of the night went surprisingly well. Rurik was permitted to enter the MacNab keep, alone and unarmed, while Toste and Vagn somehow entered in a clandestine manner.

The castle and grounds were prosperous compared to the Campbell holdings, which prompted Rurik to wonder why some men in their greed never had enough. On the other hand, he noted in the background another MacNab brother, Graham, and his wife and numerous grandchildren; so, ’twas likely that the ever-growing extended family felt the need to sprawl out and swallow up its neighbors. Rurik had also been told that Duncan entertained a convoluted notion that he was entitled to the Campbell lands through his dead brother’s marriage.

At first, Rurik outlined the demands of the Campbells with the threat that, unless the MacNabs immediately ceased their threats upon the Campbells in deed and word, spirits would overtake their land.

Duncan and his men could scarce prevent themselves from falling over into the rushes with laughter. It was the expected initial reaction.

Rurik was invited to join them for a cup of ale before he departed … although he wasn’t entirely certain that the unscrupulous Duncan would allow him to leave.

He was a despicable man, Duncan was. A nithing … totally devoid of honor. Rurik swore an oath to himself to make the man pay one day, not just for the continuing threat against the Campbells, but especially for putting Maire in a cage and attempting to force her into a marriage that everyone knew would lead to her eventual death.

The MacNabs continued to laugh and make jests over Rurik’s threat of spirits overtaking their keep if they did not desist in their threats against the Campbells.

They weren’t laughing for long. Soon, terrified soldiers who manned the ramparts and courtyard began to rush in with reports of dozens of ghosts flying about the MacNab castle.

Dozens? Rurik thought. God Bless Toste and Vagn, and their ingenuity.

Duncan and his men laughed about the ghost sightings, as well, till the numbers grew alarming, and the spirits’ warning of an evil spell placed on all MacNab men started to ring true.

“What kind of spell?” Duncan demanded of Rurik, ice in his voice and his one hand on the hilt of a dagger that had been lying on the table.

Rurik shrugged and tried to appear casual as he replied, “Oh, something to do with … let me see, how did Maire word the spell… ‘Every time a MacNab man harms a Campbell, in word or deed, his cock shall shrink … till his manhood is no more … and the MacNab line dies out.’ ”

Duncan made a grunting sound of disbelief. Still, he glanced down at the joining of his thighs, as did every other male in the great hall.

Maire had been right when she’d advised him not to offer threats … that men, including the MacNabs, would go into battle without a thought when their lives were in the balance, but when it was their precious male parts, that was another story altogether. That’s why his men and hers had been so willing to accept the lies-linked-with-shriveling-cocks nonsense.

“I cannot credit Maire using the word cock in one of her ludicrous spells,” Duncan replied. “Despite her claims of being a witch, she is a high-born lady. Cock is a man-word … crude and unseemly for a woman of her station to use.”

Rurik made a moue with his mouth that translated to, “Who can say what women will do?” Then he added, aloud, accompanied by a waggle of his eyebrows, “Mayhap the lady has changed.”

“What kind of game do ye play here, Viking?” Duncan yelled, standing with bull-like rage. “Maire Campbell is a notoriously inept witch. None of her spells ever worked, according to my brother, Kenneth. Why should we believe ye now?”