Page 104 of The Reluctant Viking

“Of course! Highly respected are you here, Thork, as a fighter, as well as a tradesman. I consider you a friend. Well, as much a friend as a Saxon and Viking can be,” the king said with a wry smile that lit up his handsome face. Ruby knew that Thork didn’t trust the Saxon king, and that Thork’s guards had orders to remove Eirik at the first hint of any mistreatment. It was hard to imagine cruelty in so seemingly gentle a man as Athelstan. Also, Ruby wondered if it could be true that this handsome man was celibate.

“I did not know you had children,” Athelstan continued. “Why did you not tell me afore? Are there others? And a wife?”

“I have two children but have denied they are my sons for years because of the—”

“—danger,” the king finished for him. “How well I understand the danger posed by greedy men, especially brothers.”

Thork and Athelstan exchanged knowing looks before Thork continued, “’Tis Eirik who would like to be your fosterling. He has seen ten winters. And, nay, there is no wife…yet, though I just betrothed myself.” He went on to describe Elise’s family and the reason for the alliance.

Ruby’s heart sank at his cold words about the children and the reminder of his upcoming marriage. With all she’d shared with Thork the night before, she’d forgotten he was promised to another.

The king nodded. “’Twould be a good match. I know the family and the location of their lands well.”

Thork’s eyes connected with Ruby’s in gentle apology. He seemed to know that words of his marriage hurt her.

Then the king turned to Ruby, asking her many questions about her claims to be from the future. He scoffed at her words of time-travel but said he suspected she might be one of those talented seeresses who can see into the future. Surprisingly, he wasn’t so much interested in his own personal fate as what would be happening in the future with art and literature and education.

“Every child is entitled to a free education up through twelve years of school?” the king exclaimed after listening to Ruby for a short time. “How extraordinary! But how can it be so? Are they not needed as fighters in times of war and farmers in times of peace? And what could they possibly be taught for twelve whole years?”

Ruby smiled at his enthusiasm. She looked at Thork and Selik who sat in big carved chairs with legs outstretched, shaking their heads in wonderment at the things she conjured up.

“In my country there is no longer a military draft. The army draws from a volunteer force. Farming is only a small part of the economy. And the school curriculum,” she said, trying to use words he would understand, “well, it includes history, working with numbers, studying plants and animals, music, art, exercise, reading, writing…”

“Everyone is taught to read and write?” the king asked in amazement.

“Yes, of course.”

Ruby could see this was more than all three of them could comprehend.

“I will tell you one thing about the future that would interest you, since you seem to love books so much. A product will be invented called paper. It’s like parchment but much thinner and very cheap to make. Everyone has books in their homes in my land, not just the wealthy.”

“I think I would love to visit your land someday,” the king said on a sigh, then asked if she would tell him some of the stories for which she’d gained much fame, as well as sing her celebrated songs.

Ruby related her entire repertoire of children’s stories, and the king bemoaned the fact that his best scribe was ill and wouldn’t be able to transcribe them for him. He suggested she visit his scriptorium the next day.

Then she sang “Ruby” and “Lucille” for him and added the title song from the Broadway show Camelot, which she thought would especially appeal to King Athelstan since his court seemed to embody many of the same ideals. He was overjoyed with them all, even though the Welsh King Arthur was noted for his valor in fighting against the Saxons many years earlier. He asked if she would entertain his guests that night.

“I must decline for Ruby,” Thork interrupted. “We leave first thing in the morn for Normandy.”

“Normandy! Why?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

Ruby suspected that the king did not like her powerful Viking ancestor Hrolf. Certainly, she suddenly realized, it wouldn’t bode well for Saxon England if a coalition were formed between Northumbria and Normandy.

“Ruby claims kinship with Hrolf,” Thork said. “King Sigtrygg has directed me to take her to him.”

God bless Thork for not revealing any more details to the king, Ruby prayed silently. She looked thankfully to him, but he ignored her, giving his full attention to Athelstan, who still scrutinized them suspiciously.

“How interesting,” the king said, looking at Ruby with new eyes. Then he turned back to Thork. “Since you do not depart until the morn, why not go now to your ships to make final preparations and come back for the evening’s festivities?” Athelstan suggested. “Leave Ruby here to talk with me.”

Thork didn’t seem to like that idea at all, but said nothing, drawing his lips together in a thin line. Selik was clearly amused by Thork’s jealousy and irritation.

The moment they left, Athelstan pulled his chair closer to Ruby and told the nobles and retainers who stood behind him to leave. “When I was a child, my grandfather Alfred placed a scarlet robe around my shoulders and fastened a wondrous sword sheathed in gold at my side,” he confided to her as soon as they were alone. “Some people think that means he intended me to be king, that I was ‘born to the purple,’ but ’tis not so. My mother was a beautiful woman, but only a shepherdess, and my father Edward never wed her.”

“I don’t understand. Why are you telling me this?”

The king held up his hand as if he was getting to that. “My father married twice and acknowledged both women as queens. I am a mere caretaker king. ’Tis important to me to preserve the Alfredian succession for the young atheling princes, my half-brothers. To do that, I must remain—”

“—celibate,” Ruby finished for him, finally realizing the point of Athelstan’s discussion.