Page 93 of The Reluctant Viking

“Be forewarned, Ruby, my grandson claims to have unfinished business with you. You may consider things well and over betwixt you. He does not.”

The next day, Ruby watched dolefully as Thork bid his farewells to Elise and her family. She didn’t see him again until the following day when she stood at the rail of one of his six dragonships, waving tearfully to Aud, Dar, Gyda, Olaf and Tykir, who watched stoically from the shore as the boats prepared to sail.

“May God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, bless you and keep you on this voyage,” Archbishop Hrothweard, head of the Eoforwic diocese, intoned in a voice that carried clearly to the ship. “May he accept into his heavenly gates all those who will not return from their journey. May he lead you on the holy path of righteous military might, just trading and successful negotiations.”

The high church leader stood at the quayside, blessing Thork’s five ships and the kneeling sailors, tossing holy water into the air with a gold scepter he dipped repeatedly in a gem-encrusted bucket.

No sooner did the priest turn his back than the sailors exhorted their own Viking god, Thor, patron of the seas, as well, to guide them as they sailed through the waters of his domain. A massive roar echoed through the air then as the three hundred sailors raised their arms to the sky and yelled exuberantly, “A-Viking! A-Viking! A-Viking!”

Holy cow! They weren’t going raiding now, Ruby thought. Maybe it was sort of like a rebel yell.

To Ruby’s relief, Aud had convinced Thork to leave Tykir with her and Dar for the time being, promising they would guard him every minute. Heated arguments had flown back and forth for two full days, but finally Aud had won out, aided by Tykir’s tearful pleadings. Eirik was traveling with them to Athelstan’s court where Thork reluctantly had agreed to place him for fostering with his young uncle Haakon, but only on the condition that two of his servants remain with him as bodyguards.

Thork’s decisions relating to the two boys represented a compromise in his long-standing refusal to present the boys openly as his sons. As much as she had encouraged Thork to do so, Ruby hoped their safety wouldn’t be jeopardized.

Selik waved to her from one of Thork’s other ships as they eased out of the harbor. They would head southward down the Ouse to the Humber, then eastward to the North Sea, and south to their first stop, Kingston, just southwest of London.

As the crews raised heavy masts that must have weighed more than five hundred pounds and hoisted colorful red and black checkered sails, Ruby watched Thork in fascination. Expertly, he directed the giant men who moved like lightweight ballerinas as they maneuvered the ropes attached to the yardarms and square sails, hoping to catch the late-August winds.

The serpentine ships, with their richly carved wood prows, sliced gracefully through the water like the fierce dragons they represented. In shallow waters, the men lifted the lightweight boats out of the water and carried them on their shoulders while Ruby walked the shoreline.

Ruby hadn’t had much chance to talk to Thork since they set sail, although he’d smiled enigmatically at her whenever their eyes happened to meet. His expression spoke volumes of the unfinished business between them. But he did not seem angry with her, just determined to exact some revenge.

At another time, Ruby might have thrilled to think what that might be. She’d won a victory of sorts at the Althing, but it had been at Thork’s expense. There was no question that a reckoning would come eventually. But all she could think about was Thork’s decision to marry Elise. She glanced miserably at him now and saw the heavy betrothal ring gleam in the bright sun as he worked the sails.

A heaviness of spirit weighed her down at what she considered his betrayal. Ruby knew all the reasons why Thork felt it was necessary to secure an alliance with Elise’s family. She told herself she was being irrational and selfish. After all, she might return to the future at any moment.

Ruby’s mind accepted the logic. Her heart was a different story. Despite everything, she wanted Thork for herself.

Ruby shook her head free of the sad thoughts and turned back to the activity surrounding her. Thork acted the helmsman to his crew, moving the tiller on the steering oar to change direction, guiding them around treacherous rocks. The sixteen sailors on each side of the ship sat on large wooden chests, which held all their personal belongings, as they strained mightily, rowing the long wooden oars. Another thirty-two men stood ready to spell them or to assist, two men to an oar, during times of danger. Heavy battle shields gleamed in the sunlight from where they hung compactly along the outside of the boats.

Thork loved this sea life. Ruby could see that as he threw his head back often, inhaling deeply of the tangy air, and smiling. How could women, or children, compete with the exhilaration this life-style gave the Vikings? Ruby wondered.

“You should stay under the canopy,” Thork advised, coming up behind her. He pointed to a canvas shelter that had been erected for her in the center of the ship near the mast pole. “By midday the sun will bake your fair skin.”

“I’m too excited to sit down right now, but I promise I won’t get in anyone’s way,” Ruby said woodenly, knowing she needed to avoid contact with Thork as much as possible.

“Best you do not,” Thork advised gruffly. “’Tis easy to fall overboard, especially when we hit the open seas.”

“When will that be?”

Thork shrugged. “We camp tonight along the Humber. The next day, winds willing, we will reach the North Sea and camp on its shoreline.”

Thork stood with feet widespread to counteract the rocking motion of the ship. His sun-bleached hair, like that of his sailors, had been braided to keep it off his face in the wind.

A reluctant smile tugged at the corners of Ruby’s mouth.

“My appearance amuses you in some way?”

“No, I was just marveling that I could be attracted to a man who wears braids.”

“You are attracted to me?” Thork asked in a low voice, leaning closer to her as they both rested their arms on the rail.

Ruby slanted her eyes sideways at him. So now he chose to talk to her—when it was too late.

“What do you think I’ve been trying to tell you since we first met?” she replied wearily. “As much as I hate the dark side of your nature, the one that could possibly blood-eagle a man, as much as I disapprove of your militant life-style, I recognize that you’re the other half of me.”

Thork inhaled sharply.