Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

I n the end, it was not just Wolf who pounced on Moon. It was a whole pack of them. All three of Eyja’s brothers, who happened to be repairing the roof of their parents’ hut when they approached the village, spotted them from a distance and fell on him as soon as he reached the well.

“You maggot!” Steinar, her eldest brother, and even bigger than their massive father, was the first to speak. “I’m going to make you wish you’d never?—”

“Shut your mouth, Steinar!” Eyja barked, a true she-wolf herself. Knowing she had nothing to fear for her brother would never touch her, however irate he was, she placed herself between the two men. “None of this is Moon’s fault. I decided to leave and join the army on my own. This has nothing to do with him.”

“I don’t care who made you go in the first place! He should have dragged you back home by the skin of your ass as soon as he realized what you were doing! Does he have no sense?”

Her second brother, Torsten, sounded even more furious. Perhaps because up until then they had been best friends and he had expected more from him. Moon could understand the feeling. He would be furious himself if Torsten had allowed one of his sisters to place herself in danger. And he had to admit it did look bad. No one had seen them leave separately, yet here they were, coming back together. It did appear as if they had been in agreement all along. No one would believe his claim that he had not played any role in her decision, for what woman chose to go to war when nothing forced her to?

“He was furious when he saw I had joined the men and told me I should go back. I refused and so he did everything he could to protect me,” Eyja stood her ground, the foolish imp.

A surge of gratefulness burst through him because, though once again she was speaking when she should perhaps have stayed silent, she was defying her beloved brothers for him. Before he could think, he placed a hand on the small of her back in a silent thank you. As soon as he saw Torsten’s eyes narrow, he knew it had been a mistake. He took his hand away as calmly as he could, but it was too late, the damage had been done.

“If he touched you, I swear I?—”

“ If he’d touched me, it would be none of your business,” Eyja retorted.

That, without a doubt, had been the wrong thing to say. This time he could not help but wish she had kept her mouth closed. All three men glared at him and Moon knew he was going to have to fight his way out of this. He would not die, because the three brothers would not dare kill him outright, but he would most likely suffer for days. Bones might well be broken. Oh well, that was no more than he had expected.

He lifted his chin, ready for it.

“Come on, then, fight me if it will make you feel better. My conscience is clear.”

Sven, the third and youngest brother, took Eyja by the arms to stop her from intervening while Steinar and Torsten planted themselves in front of him. They were impressively tall but so was he. They were more muscular than him, but he knew he was quicker. They were blinded by rage, but he was calm, and able to think clearly. Perhaps he could actually inflict some damage before he went down. If Sven stayed out of it, too busy holding Eyja off, he might stand a chance.

Steinar threw the first punch. Moon parried easily but could not avoid the blow to the ribs delivered by Torsten a heartbeat later. That was the problem with fighting two men at the same time. You could not be everywhere at once. He doubled over and heard Eyja cry out.

“Stop it, stop!” She sounded on the verge of a fit of a fit “He’s done nothing wrong!”

Loath to have her see such a spectacle, he kicked Steinar, then swung his fist at Torsten, who howled in rage and pain combined when the blow landed on his temple. Perhaps his determination would be enough to give the brothers pause. He didn’t think they actually wanted to kill him, despite their anger, so they might retreat when they saw he was not going to go down as easily as they had hoped.

“Enough.”

That one word caused everyone to still. Wolf was walking toward them, followed by his wife, Merewen, who threw herself into Eyja’s arms. The two women started crying, alleviating some of the tension between the men. Moon straightened back up and was able to catch his breath. Now at least he would be able to present his version of events to a man who would listen instead of using his fists.

Wolf was the village leader, a fair and measured man. With luck he would see the situation for what it was.

“Halfdan. A word with you.”

Halfdan.

Moon’s heart fell to the pit of his stomach at the use of his real name. As far back as he remembered, the Icelander had only ever called him Moon. Now he was in real trouble. Wouldn’t it have been better to face the beating the three brothers were itching to inflict on him than follow Eyja’s father to his hut? The confrontation would be tense. Calm as he appeared to be, it was clear the man was beside himself with fury. Fair and measured as he was in his dealings with everyone, this was different. The fact that it involved his only daughter meant he would not be able or willing to remain as detached as usual.

The village leader would have given him a fair hearing.

The family man might not be as well disposed.

After one last glance in Eyja’s direction, Moon set off after Wolf, who’d already started to walk to his hut. No sense in making things even more difficult for himself by keeping him waiting.

Once inside the hut, his heart plummeted further. It was not empty. His father was standing by the window, his face set in granite. Word of his return had apparently spread, which was not surprising, given the fact that it had been followed by a fight in the middle of the village.

Faced with the two most formidable men he knew, who were more like brothers than friends to each other, men he had always looked up to, men he liked and respected, Moon felt like a child. It was an unpleasant feeling to say the least for a man of eight and twenty.

For a long moment no one spoke. It was clear the men were waiting for him to start and explain himself, if he dared. He did dare, because he had done nothing wrong.

“I understand your anger,” he started, straightening himself to his full height. “But I swear I had no hand in Eyja’s decision to join King Harold’s army. I know now that she overheard my conversation with Torsten and decided to join as well, but I was unaware of it at the time, as she didn’t tell anyone.”

He imagined that Torsten was how the villagers had figured out what had happened to her. Upon hearing about Eyja’s disappearance, his friend would have relayed their conversation to her father, and his intentions to join the army.

It did look as if they had left together, and Moon had no idea how he was to convince Wolf that they had not.

“I only found out what she had done on the evening of the first day, when it was already too late to send her back. We were too far from home at this point and she would have had to travel alone. I doubt she would have heeded my orders anyway, you know how stubborn she is. So I decided it was safer to keep her by my side and let it be known she was my cousin.”

“Yes. It was much safer to take her to the midst of a battle to the death, and keep her amongst thousands of violent men.” Wolf was not impressed.

Moon raised both his hands in surrender. “What else could I do? I could not abandon her. We all know she would have followed the army anyway if her decision was made, regardless of what I said. Your daughter is one opinionated woman. I thought that way at least I could keep an eye on her.”

To his relief, the men did not contradict him. Evidently they had the honesty to agree that it was impossible to stop Eyja once she had set her mind to something.

“Why did you want to join the army in the first place?” his father roared, his temper finally exploding. “Why would you choose to fight against your own people?”

Moon had known the question would come, and he was ready for it. He took in a deep breath.

“ Faeir , with all due respect, these invaders are not my people.” He’d struggled hard enough with his conscience, he was not going to let anyone make him feel guilty now that it was all over. “They came to pillage, conquer and kill. The people in my village, my people, are nothing like that, you are nothing like that. You all came here peacefully in search of a new life, to settle and mingle with the local population. Mother was born here, and so was I. It is our home and I wanted to defend it.” He paused, knowing that mentioning his mother could only soothe his father’s temper. And indeed his fury seemed to abate somewhat. “I heard all about the raids happening many years ago. I could not stand idle and watch the country I love being torn apart again, I had to do something. I did and we won. We sent the raiders back. I am proud to have helped, in some small way, to spare so many lives.”

The light in his father’s eyes told him he understood his thinking and was no longer offended. At any other time, he might well have congratulated him on his decision. Even better, Wolf seemed to share the sentiment.

Moon decided to push his advantage. Perhaps this would not be a total disaster.

“Being born of a Saxon and an Icelander and having seen that our two peoples could live side by side in harmony, Eyja felt the same. She did place herself in danger but it was for a good cause. She was brave, like any man in that army, and you should be proud of her. Her contribution was crucial and she was not even injured. We won and she is safe. That is all that matters, is it not?”

For a long moment neither men spoke. But the tension in the hut had eased visibly.

“What about you, son? Were you hurt?” his father asked, allowing his gaze to wander over him.

“A mere cut to the thigh, nothing worth mentioning. I’ve already forgotten about it.”

Wolf nodded, as if satisfied. “Very well. I have only one more question.” Moon stilled, sensing this would be the toughest question yet. And he had a feeling he knew what it would be. “Did you two lie together?”

“No.”

It wasn’t hard to sound convincing, since the Icelander obviously meant: Did you possess her? and he had not. All the same, he felt a twinge of guilt, because even if it was true that he had not entered Eyja’s body or taken her innocence, he had most definitely wanted to do it, and he had been intimate with her. So intimate he could still taste her on his tongue, a maddening thing. Since when did he obsess about a woman’s taste days after he’d pleasured her with his mouth?

Wolf held his gaze, evidently trying to assess his good faith. Moon did his best not to flinch or look away. For good measure, he almost added that he would never have bedded a woman he saw as a sister, but he did not, because… Well, because unfortunately, he did not see Eyja in that way anymore. As to how he saw her, he wasn’t so sure.

But, as she’d said last night, that was something for them to figure out, no one else.

Slowly, Wolf nodded and took a step back.

Moon exhaled in relief. He’d made it. He’d convinced the Icelander he had done the best he could have in the circumstances, and escaped retribution. Eyja’s three brothers would not dare lay a hand on him now that their father had concluded he did not need to be punished. He was safe.

“Thank you, Wolf,” he said sincerely, understanding how worried the man would have been for his only daughter’s safety. If he had a daughter one day, he would react in the same way.

“I will need a word with my reckless daughter now, obviously, but you’re free to go.”

Moon turned toward the door.

Before he could reach the handle, it burst open and Eyja entered the hut, eyes blazing.

“Don’t you dare punish Moon, Faeir !” she cried out before anyone could say anything. “He didn’t do anything wrong. None of it is his fault. I wanted to go, and I didn’t tell anyone! He found me when it was too late, and he was furious, but still he protected me all the way to York and back, pretended I was his cousin so no one would bother me and even bought an axe for me. He did all he could do to?—”

“Are you quite finished?” Wolf interrupted, sounding amused in spite of himself.

Eyja blinked. Was her father amused ? She dared not hope it was the case. What was going on? She had expected him to be irate at the very least. But he seemed calm and, most importantly, Moon seemed whole. There was no blood on his clothes, no torn limbs lying on the floor. Her breathing eased somewhat. Then she saw that Sigurd was also here. Her chest tightened again. No doubt the Dane would hate her for putting his son in such a difficult position, with good reason. But he wasn’t glaring at her or even swearing. She took heart from that.

Perhaps against all odds she and Moon would get away unscathed.

“The boy’s explained what pushed you both into this foolish enterprise. It was brave of you to want to defend your mothers’ country and Sigurd and I commend you for it. He told us that he had no hand in your decision, which I all too easily believe but would like you to confirm.” Her father’s eyes had never been bluer, the expression on his face more forbidding. He was no longer amused but she stood her ground.

“No, I told you. He had no hand in my decision.”

There was a pause. “He also promised he didn’t touch you while you were gone. Is that the case?”

Her gaze met Moon’s for the briefest moment and she couldn’t help it. She blushed. Although she knew what her father meant—that they had not lain together as lovers—and she should have confirmed it unequivocally, she thought back to the moment in the forest when Moon had lapped at her like a starved beast. Oh, yes, he had most definitely touched her then. And she had loved it.

Her father’s expression became thundery. “I see.”

Moon took a step forward. “It’s not what you?—”

“Silence!” Wolf snarled, not even looking at him. Then he asked her, articulating every word. “Were you willing?”

It was only then that Eyja understood what she had unwittingly led her father to believe. All the blood drained from her veins. He thought Moon had taken advantage of the fact that they were away from home to press his unwanted advances onto her. “I... Yes, of course! I mean... As I said, nothing happened but if it had then, of course, I would have been wi?—”

“Enough!” This time it was Sigurd who interrupted. “No son of mine would ever force a woman!” he roared, coming to face his oldest friend. “If I were in any doubt about that, I would cut off his balls myself, make no mistake about it.” He glared at Moon, who had gone the color of whey at the prospect. Eyja could not help a grimace herself. The Beast had awoken. “No, I know he didn’t rape her, but that doesn’t mean I approve of what he did, taking advantage of a moment of vulnerability to get his way. It is not the honorable way to seduce a woman.”

“That’s not what happened!”

“He didn’t do that!”

The two older men ignored her and Moon’s protests and carried on staring at each other, their attitude reminiscent of two dogs taking the measure of one another before a fight. Would they actually come to blows? After a while the tension eased and it looked as if they had come to an understanding. They nodded in silent agreement and turned toward them slowly, ominously. The same determination was glowing in their eyes. They had reached a decision and would not be moved. Everything within Eyja tightened.

This would be terrible.

“We are going to wait until we know whether there is a child or not,” Sigurd started.

A child! Now she was aghast. If they thought this was a possibility, then they really thought she and Moon had lain together, perhaps more than once. It was all her fault. She had allowed doubt to creep into their minds. “It’s not?—”

“And if there is one,” her father finished, “then the two of you are going to marry and raise it together.”

“But, Faeir !” she and Moon exclaimed at the same time, each looking at their own father.

For a moment neither man said a word. Then Wolf spoke. “There is nothing to discuss. I will not have my only daughter spurned and discarded by her selfish lover.”

“And I will not have any grandchild of mine growing up without his cowardly father,” Sigurd added. “Every child needs a family.”

“But there is not going to be any child, that’s what we’re trying to say,” Eyja cried out. Why weren’t they listening?

“Let’s hope not,” her father said between his teeth.

“No, we mean, it’s impossible that she be with child because we never lay together,” Moon took a step forward, not looking at her. “I told you so.”

“Yes, you did. And then I asked my daughter if you had touched her and she looked about to faint.”

“That’s because...” Eyja came to stand next to Moon. She was not going to be left out of this conversation, not when they were talking about her! “That is not the same question.”

Moon threw her a furious stare. What is wrong with you? he seemed to say. Stop talking now!

Yes, she should, since apparently she couldn’t seem to say any of the right things. Except... Nothing she could say now would make this worse. Her father was already convinced Moon was a liar, and she was now debauched and with child. Sigurd agreed and wanted her to marry the man responsible for that sorry state of affairs. So what did she have to lose?

“I cannot be with child, as I am still a virgin,” she said, squaring off her shoulders.

Despite the embarrassing nature of the claim, she somehow found the strength to look her father in the eye as she spoke because she knew she was telling the truth. He didn’t appear the least convinced, however. He crossed his arms over his massive chest and looked down at her, making her feel like a ten-year-old girl.

“You cannot be with child because you’re still a virgin,” he said, as if this was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard.

“Yes.”

“And I am to believe you without proof after what you did, I suppose? Sneaking out of the village in the dead of night, hiding your intentions, lying about your identity, and making your mother sick with worry in the process.”

At the mention of her mother, Eyja knew she had lost the fight. Her father was a generous soul, and he would have forgiven much. He usually gave people the benefit of the doubt and was inclined to forgiveness. But there was one thing guaranteed to make someone get on his wrong side. It was hurting his beloved wife. The couple he formed with Merewen, the Saxon he had bought thirty years ago to spare her a terrible fate as a slave was an inspiration for many, none more so than their four children.

“Your mother barely slept for two weeks, imagining you dead or raped or lost or burned or drowned or cut in half or anything else you want to add to the list. And I, whose sole role in life is to ensure her happiness, could do nothing to ease her mind.” He clenched his teeth, as if seeing his wife’s anguish had caused him immense pain.

Sigurd placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder, offering support. “So we’ll do as we said. We’ll wait to see whether there is a child before we decide anything.”

Eyja watched the two men walk over to the door. There would be no swaying them, so she stayed silent.

“You both can stay here a moment, while I go tell your brothers they are not to kill Halfdan just yet.”

Not yet. The words made her shiver. Surely he would not have him killed?

Of course not. He was nothing if not fair in his dealings. In all her life, she had never seen him order anyone’s execution, despite him having dealt with truly nasty individuals. And besides, she would soon bleed and be able to prove she was not with child, so there was nothing to fear. Moon would not die because of her and her big mouth.

“Your mother will want to see you as soon as you’re allowed to come out,” Sigurd said in his son’s direction, as he followed his friend out of the hut. “Make sure you don’t dally. She, too, got herself into a state thinking of all that could have happened to you and you had better apologize to her with all you have or you will be sorry. Forget about Eyja’s brothers, I will be the one making you regret your actions.”

There was nothing else to say.

The door closed and Eyja found herself on her own with Moon.