Page 96 of Truly, Madly Viking

"We could go on one of those flying longships."

Flying longships? Flying longships? Oh. "By airplane?"

"Yea." His face was pale as a ghost at the possibility.

He plopped down on the sofa, pulling her down next to him. "I cannot credit that this love we have just discovered is destined to end here. Come with me, heartling. Please."

The girls burst through the door then, smelling of shampoo and lilac bubble bath. "Well?" they both asked expectantly.

Maggie barely hesitated a moment before informing them with forced brightness, "Looks like we're going to see snow this Christmas, after all."

"If ever I make it back to my time, I am going to have some fantastic stories to give to the skalds,"

Jorund grumbled.

Sitting next to the window in an actual flying machine, for the love of Freyja—he was as rigid as a Saxon soldier with a Norse Made at his private parts, and twice as frightened. The only thing different was the lack of piss running down his legs... so far.

The airplane had the whimsical name of United. He supposed that was not so unusual, considering the names some Vikings gave their longships and favorite weapons.

Mag-he sat totally at ease in the seat next to him, trying to assure him of their safety with such ludicrous words as, "Only one plane in about a million ever crashes." As if that were any comfort to him. This metal container could very likely be the millionth one.

Once the craft was airborne, he released a long breath and continued his complaints. "Truly, my sagas will be retold through the centuries: how Jorund the Lackwit Warrior not only rode naked on the back of a killer whale, but landed in a madhouse, then willingly flew through the skies in a magic machine called an airplane, thus proving his madness."

Steve had loaned him his new SEALs jacket in anticipation of the low temperatures they would find in Maine. Mag-he and the girls, who sat in the eats behind them, wore layers of sweat-hers under their jackets.

While the girls were excited about the trip, he was tense, waiting for something—he knew not what—to happen next. Not an airplane crash. No, it was something else, he was certain. Mag-he, bless her trusting soul, was simply resigned.

For the next hour or so, he was able to relax, even though the airplane was traveling at an excessive rate of speed. When he turned to glance over the back of the headrest, he saw that the girls were napping. He had thought Mag-he was dozing, too, fill she asked softly, "Do you still feel this trip has some importance?"

Clearly she was worried that their time together was nearing an end. He could give her no assurances to the contrary. Reaching over to lace his fingers with hers, he tugged her closer, then put an arm around her shoulders and rested her face in the crook of his neck. He would try to lighten her spirits, he decided.

"Steve told me about a remarkable feat that some couples attempt while in an air machine."

She laughed—a choked, wobbly sound. "Stop trying to make me laugh." Her words were light, but her eyes remained melancholy.

"'Tis called the Mile-high Association," he went on. "I believe it has something to do with sex in the clouds. That sounds interesting, do you not think?" Jorund was just jesting, of course. He might have been foolhardy enough to try flying in a metal box, but never would he dare fornicate on a cloud.

"Oh, no, you don't, buster." She punched him lightly on the upper arm. "Last night you might have been able to talk me into... into—"

"A wall-bang-her?" he offered with a grin.

"Yes. You might have been able to seduce me into vertical sex..."

Well, that's an interesting name for it.

"... but no way are you sweet-talking me into sex in an airplane bathroom. Uh-uh."

Oh, so that is what the Mile-high Association is. They both sat in silence then, but Jorund had some things that needed to be said, and Mag-he apparently did, too.

She spoke first. "You very cleverly evaded my question, Joe. Why are you so serious, aside from being scared to death of flying? What's bothering you?"

"If I should depart suddenly..." he blurted out.

Her body stiffened with alarm. "Oh, no! Do you really think you might—"

"Shhh." He squeezed her shoulder and held her face with his other hand. "I don't know that I would be sent back without warning, but I must needs be ready."

"Tell me the truth. You sense that something is about to happen, don't you?"