Elíasar saga, Part 4, LotRiPS WiP
Mar. 23rd, 2007 06:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sarkaTitle: Elíasar saga, or 'The Saga of Elijah', Chapter 4/?
Author: sarka
Rating: This chapter PG-13, for impending slash.
Pairings: Nothing yet, but will develop into Orlijah.
Warning: This is a saga inspired... saga, so I really shouldn't have to warn for character death, should I? Minor Character, nothing gory.
Disclaime: If they were mine, they'd wear eyeliner at all times.
Summary: A viking AU. Elijah is the Lord of a homestead in newly pioneered Iceland around 900 AD, when his uncle comes home from a voyage bringing treasure, spices and exotic slaves.
Notes: Authors notes are made as they are required, through some very interactive footnotes. A link will take you to the note elsewhere in the document, and a link there will return you to what you were reading.
Author's note: The obligatory post-exams, fic-update-while-mildly-intoxicated update. I've had a rather hellish semester, but I am anticipating a new chapter of this soonish. Thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
salixbabylon for being the best beta ever ;)
Part I
Part II
Part III (scroll up for a short explanation of family relationships)
Elijah, Craig, and Harry had found the cave back in their boyhood. It was a large fissure into the rock face up at the top of the valley that branched out from the fjord, and at the time it had been a magical place of freedom, more than large enough to accommodate three boys who sometimes wanted to escape from the pressure of inheriting their respective houses. Elijah hadn't been there for many years but he knew Craig had been there only a few days earlier, rushing Orlando to safe cover after an eventful night.
He approached cautiously, knowing that Orlando had to be on his guard but seeing no activity outside. He dismounted outside and led Skuggi inside, blessing the fact that the cave was large enough to accommodate a horse. There was still no sound from Orlando and Elijah was growing quite concerned when a voice out of the darkness said, "Good morning, sir," and Elijah almost jumped out of his skin.
"Orlando! How long have you been awake?" His eyes adjusting to the darkness, Elijah just made out a small bedroll at the back of the cave, behind a few stacked rocks that made up a low wall across the back of the fissure. This was a new addition and Elijah realized suddenly that if they lay behind the low wall they would be virtually invisible to the outside world. Orlando was even smarter than Elijah had given him credit for.
"I woke up hearing hoof beats but then I recognized them as Skuggi’s. You’re the only one who rides him so I considered myself safe, sir."
"You recognize hoof beats?" Elijah said, amazed, unhooking his bundle of possessions from the saddle while they talked. Orlando rose and stepped over the low wall, catching a hold of Skuggi’s bridle.
"Let me do that, sir," he said, moving to take off the tackle and saddle. "Yes, I can recognize hoof beats, sir. I have worked with horses all my life." He worked while he talked, rubbing the horse down with rhythmic movements.
Elijah stepped over the low wall and sat down with his back to the rock, finally allowing his breathing to even out and his heartbeat to still. Orlando shot him a glance from underneath his curls. Elijah knew that he wanted to address him but was trying to be careful of etiquette.
"I will be staying here with you for a while, Orlando. I think that as it is just the two of us, it would be pointless to stick to rules about the correct mode of address."
Orlando quickly hid a smile behind his long hair, still working with Skuggi, though by now he seemed to be just standing there, reacquainting himself with the horse. He wasn’t quick enough, though – Elijah saw it clearly and had to suppress a smile in return. It seemed that he’d been forgiven for any… misdeeds.
"Thank you, sir. I just wanted to inquire about the reason for your being here."
"Does your country not operate according to a honor code, Orlando?" Elijah asked, suddenly genuinely curious.
Orlando seemed surprised to be asked a personal question, but he hid it well. "We do have some rules of honor, yes, and we all strive to preserve our honor, but we have other ways of asserting these rules, I suspect, than you. We appeal to our lords for justice rather than seek it ourselves."
"So you do not seek revenge for slights?"
"Of course, but we can also use other methods – and if you take your revenge, your lord could judge it as injustice and then you are answerable for your actions upon punishment of his choosing," Orlando replied, looking sharply at Elijah, obviously beginning to deduce the reasons for his presence in the cave.
"I left my spear in David’s chest this morning," Elijah said bluntly.
Orlando’s eyes widened in surprise. "You killed David?"
"When we went to return the slave who you killed that night he slighted me. Grievously. I will not live with dishonor and bring disgrace to my family and ancestors. Also, I could not let that man wed my sister, who has been the apple of my eye since she was little. She deserves a better man."
Orlando stared at him in wonderment.
"This is a strange country," he said, "and you a strange man to my eyes. In my country, you would have let David kill me if he so pleased, in order to conserve the friendship between your two houses. And in my country, you as the owner of the estate would have been the custodian of your sister. Women are rarely married again once they have been widowed, but if they are, they are after that under the protection of their new husband and his estate. In my country, Lord Viggo would never live in your house."
Elijah smiled grimly. "Oh, if it wasn’t for the bonds of kinship…"
Orlando smiled ruefully back and went back to combing down Skuggi, while Elijah inspected their hiding place. It was smaller than he remembered it being, but that is always the case with childhood places, and it did not surprise him.
Though it did make him wonder about the time the two of them would spend there in such a small space, and if, perhaps, things would boil over. He resolutely decided to try to defuse any tension as soon as it surfaced and to hide his feelings the best he could – there was nothing else to be done, now.
---
They passed a few days improving their hiding place before they heard the hoof beats of a horse approaching. Elijah had become wary at once, but Orlando, more confident around his Lord after the days spent together, put a hand on his shoulder and whispered, "It is the horse of Lord Craig, so I would assume a friendly approach."
It was indeed the horse of Lord Craig, and Craig was sitting in the saddle, large bags of supplies and firewood tied to the pommel. He brought news as well, telling them that Bernard had been enraged upon discovering his only heir, son to his sister, killed in his bed in the midst of his men. Everybody knew who had to be responsible, but the discourtesy done Elijah could not be ignored in the equation. Bernard had misjudged him gravely, not estimating him up to the task of defending his honor if it took a killing in cold blood. Thus Bernard again found himself bereft of an heir to his estate. His sister had only one other son, David’s older brother, who was heir to the estate of Grund in the next fjord. Harry had been lost three years and was mourned by many.
Viggo, Craig relayed, was incensed but had to hide it well. Karl was sulky and looking for struggle, taking advantage of Elijah’s absence to pick fights with slaves and freemen.
Craig left with Skuggi in the afternoon, all of them agreeing that for the sake of secrecy that it would be safer, despite lack of means to flee if it came to an attack.
It was the midst of Þorri[1] and the sky only lightened at midday. Thus their nights were long and their days were short and spent mostly on crafting things that could be made sitting down. Elijah discovered another skill of Orlando's when he observed the slave working fast and efficiently with a whittling knife, turning pieces of wood into bowls and cups with remarkable speed.
Elijah blessed Þór[2] every day for the unseasonably mild weather, though the nights were still cold and there was frost on the ground most mornings. One night, about one moon after they'd come to the cave, Elijah woke up feeling unusually warm, and took a little while to trace the sensation to a solid presence at his back and the arms wrapped around him.
He lay there for a long time, relaxed into the embrace, reveling in their shared heat under the shared blankets. They never went back to sleeping separately, after that, even though the frosty nights became fewer as the days wore on.
One day early in Góa[3], as the feeble light started fading from the sky, they were both rather alarmed to hear hoofbeats coming up the valley. It was a single rider, that much Elijah could tell himself, and a glance at Orlando confirmed his worst suspicions: an unfamiliar horse. They both withdrew behind the low wall of stones Orlando had stacked up at the back of the cave, hiding themselves from sight – Elijah drew his sword and held it before him on the ground, ready to strike if need be. He noticed that Orlando kept a tight hold of his knife as well.
Their fears were doubled when the rider dismounted and led the horse into the cave, but then turned out to be unfounded as a light feminine voice spoke from the darkness.
"I know you’re in here, Elijah – you three were never any good at hiding secrets, even if a girl wasn’t invited into your little boys club."
Miranda.
She smiled when they raised their heads above the wall. "I knew it. And when I heard the news I knew the slave had to be the young man who showed such skill with horses. I don’t suppose you’d sell him, Elijah?"
There was a startled look on Orlando's face, and Elijah hastened to reply. "You suppose correctly," he said, trying to match her light tones.
"I didn’t know what you would need, but I brought a bit of supplies with me. You are free to them as you want them. Otherwise, you’re not the only people who occasionally use this cave as a hiding place – I hope I am not unwelcome to stay here for a bit of the afternoon."
There were lines around her eyes Elijah usually didn’t see unless she was having trouble with her horses – but he found it unlikely that trouble with horses would be enough to send Miranda running for the hills to hide away.
"You are troubled, my Lady?" Orlando asked, inclining his head slightly as he moved over to acquaint himself with her horse.
The corners of Miranda’s mouth crept upwards. "Very astute, as well. However do you handle him, Elijah?"
"With care," he answered softly. "Though I must confess, I was about to say the same thing myself."
Miranda looked up at him and gave a soft laugh. "Well, I always knew you were astute. You’ve good diplomacy skills; they’ve been noticed by all in the fjord." She looked out of the mouth of the cave for a spell, gathering her thoughts. "In a way, you are responsible for my trouble, Elijah. Your last action has led to some unforeseen consequences and some of them reach throughout the East."
She shook her head as if to clear it and Elijah waited for her to continue. "It seems that Bernard of Fell has grown tired of negotiating with others for heirs. Instead, he has decided to make some himself."
Elijah stared at her, open-mouthed. "But for that he would have to re-marry! He never wanted…"
Bernard of Fell had fathered three children on his first wife, the last of them Elijah’s old friend Harry. His eldest, a son, had been stillborn, and the second had been a daughter, Ásdís, on whom he had doted, but she, as well, had been cruelly torn from him when she’d gotten lost, barely nine years old, outside when one of the worst storms in recent memory had shaken their island. Elijah knew that Harry had grieved for his older sister, whose body had never been found, and he could barely fathom the grief that Bernard must have faced.
His wife had died giving birth to Harry. Bernard had been inconsolable, and determined to never remarry, even if he was a young man and perfectly capable of fathering more children.
"He never wanted to take another wife, no," Miranda said. "But his family has been torn apart and his hand was forced by the circumstances with David. So he intends to marry someone else and father another heir. In fact, he intends to marry me."
Elijah had to sit down next to her to digest that.
"What does your father have to say about that?" he finally asked.
"He has started negotiating for dowry," Miranda replied, her smile not reaching her eyes. "He always considered your brother less than worthy of his relations and while he has nothing against the man I would want, that man has an estate of little importance. Allying ourselves with Fell is a much more… sensible course."
"This was not the outcome I had hoped for, Miranda," Elijah said softly. "I only wish I could help you in some way."
There was a short silence and all that was heard was the methodical stroking of Orlando's comb over the flanks of Miranda's horse.
"Well, let us not speak of ifs or maybes," Miranda finally replied. "I brought you smoked lamb and rye cakes, if you'll have them."
+++
They were expecting Craig, a week later, with supplies, so they weren't alarmed to hear hoof beats approaching, until Orlando suddenly paled and tugged Elijah towards their hiding place at the back of the cave.
"Not Craig," he mouthed at Elijah once they were safely hidden.
"Who?" Elijah breathed back, though he knew that if Orlando had recognized the footfalls of the horse, they wouldn't be hiding.
Orlando just shook his head, confirming Elijah's fears.
They lay in silence, blades drawn in front of them, ready to face down anyone who might come for them.
Anyone, that is, except the man who walked into the cave, leading his bridled horse behind him. Harry smiled in the general direction of the gloom at the back of the cave, then unsheathed his weapon and laid it down in front of him, stepping back.
"Elijah," he said simply, then waited.
Elijah raised his head over the small partition and simply stared, wondering when the ability in him to see ghosts had manifested.
"You are as white as a sheet," his old friend commented, "And no wonder, since I must be like a vision of a ghost. Come greet me properly and you'll see I'm solid." Harry gave a cheeky smile at that, one which would hardly belong on the face of an apparition.
The moment Elijah realized that – that this was his brother, in all but blood, standing before him in the flesh – he was off like an arrow. The display would have been embarrassing, had it been public, but it was just the three of them in the cave.
They finally let go of each other, Elijah now convinced that he was indeed not seeing things, and sat down. Orlando was standing in the back of the cave and bowed properly when Harry noticed him, but otherwise had the good sense to stay silent.
"I came here for three things. The first is to tell you off for thinking me dead… Did you really think you'd get rid of me that easily?"
"Well, 'lost with all hands' is a pretty definitive description, Harry. Seemed like a very solid eyewitness account of your ship floundering on its way back to Iceland."
"Yes. Remind me, next time I need to send a message overseas, to choose many messengers and make sure they're not all sailing on the same ship, if you're in a position to, Lij?"
"For sure. We all thought you lost at sea. Your father was beside himself."
"Beside himself enough to declare David as his heir, yes, which brings me to my second point; could you please give me an unbiased account of why you chose to kill my late unlamented cousin like a thief in the night, and then run into hiding as if you had done something wrong?"
That bore thinking over, twice. "I am guessing you know the general reasons for his demise?"
"He was a wanker? David never knew how to behave himself and I cannot imagine he composed himself any better as the heir to Fell than as my propertyless cousin. I'm told he sent a slave to kill one of your prized slaves – the young man, I guess, who is sitting in the back – that is a mortal offence, so after that I really wasn't very interested in the details. I know you, Lij. You don't take decisions like that easily. But why did you run?"
Elijah sighed. "Staying would have meant a battle on two fronts. I was certain I was right, but I wanted it confirmed at Thing."[4]
"Your stepfather?"
"He intended to marry my sister to your cousin. Since your father had chosen to pursue Miranda once he was out of heirs, all his plans for his children have fallen apart."
"And thus you have answered my third question, which I did not manage to get an answer for down in the fjord. Thank you, Elijah, you have been most helpful. Please come out of hiding now; you no longer have anything to fear since I will not avenge my cousin and my father is dead."
"Your father is… what? Your father is dead?"
"Yes, at the hand of your brother. It was to his misfortune that I landed less than a day after the event, and near as well caught him with a wet blade. I am supposing that he decided to vie for Miranda's attention by his sword rather than his charm."
Elijah put his head in his hands and moaned softly. "By the Gods, Harry. What can be done to settle the accounts between our estates? Can those blood prices be paid in silver or is there some other way?"
"We will find a way, Lij. Do not bother yourself too much about it. Go home; manage your estates, take the reins back from your stepfather and your steward. You are my ally and I have no issue with you. Your brother has disappeared, and since he isn't here, I will not pursue him. Though I cannot promise not to settle blood for blood when I see him if the score hasn’t been settled some other way."
"Thank you, Harry. I am your grateful servant," Elijah sighed.
"Never fear; I will find a way for your family to pay me back," Harry winked, and from any other man Elijah would have considered the gesture onerous. From Harry, he knew it was pure good humour and that the punishment would hardly be fit for the crime.
---
Sean was very relieved to see him, as was the rest of his staff. Viggo had been demanding and aggravating, not considering all those he offended in his pursuit of things for his own ends.
Returning home felt good; taking over the running of his household again felt marvelous, and Elijah was surprised that the burdens of Lordship felt so easy to him.
He did not realize until he attempted to sleep that certain things he had grown used to during his tenure as an outlaw would probably not be forthcoming now that he was back at home, even if they were wanted and welcome. His bed felt very, very big, and extremely empty without Orlando curling up against his back.
The beautiful slave had returned to the household like a fish to water: He'd been greeted like a long-lost hero by Dom and Billy, and during their first day back he seemed to be continually surrounded by horses.
He had not, however, come to Elijah's bed, not even on the second night, after Elijah had tried giving him a few significant glances.
Elijah was somewhat perversely pleased, though, to notice darkening circles under the slave's eyes and marks of exhaustion marring his performance in the stables.
It wasn't until the fourth night that he returned. Elijah woke up from an uneasy sleep to find the door to his shut-bed sliding open and a warm body sliding underneath his covers.
"I find I cannot sleep without you, sir," Orlando whispered into the nape of his neck, making Elijah shiver and turn somewhat into the bed in order to hide his reaction. "I hope that the looks you've given me all week mean that I'm free to join you."
"You are. Always," Elijah whispered.
And then they fell blissfully asleep.
+++
"You have the beginnings of an empire here, Elijah," Harry said softly, once he and Elijah had gone on a tour of all the changes made during Elijah's reign as Lord.
He shook his head decidedly. "There isn't much chance for an empire in Iceland, and I would hardly want one, either. I am content with what I have."
"And some fine things you have, too," Harry sighed, and Elijah looked over at his friend to find him wistfully looking towards the kitchens, where Liv and some of the younger bondswomen had taken out the wool to tend in the early spring sun.
His sister met his eyes and then looked down, with a shy blush staining her cheeks.
"Have you any plans to go sailing again, Harry?" Elijah asked innocently.
+++
They were married in the fourth week of summer, with their combined houses throwing a feast larger than any other seen by the fjord. The food was plentiful and the ale flowed freely, and other matrimonies were created on that night, as there always are, between folk who have the choice.
Elijah felt that the wedding was one of his major diplomatic accomplishments; not only did it restore peace to their small settlement, but it also seemed set to give both parties great joy.
As a farewell gift, he gave his sister one of the best horses from his stables; a gray mare that Orlando had chosen and trained especially for her. The present had been an excellent excuse to spend time with the young slave, though Elijah could not say whether the rest of his household viewed it as such or if he was convincing enough in his brotherly affections. Orlando, for his part, seemed to suspect nothing, blithely and happily answering all of Elijah's inane questions.
Orlando still shared his bed, but that was all Orlando did. Elijah had begun to despair of ever gaining the young man's confidence, let alone all the rest he wanted from him.
For once, that night he was the latter one to climb into their habitually shared bed. Orlando seemed fast asleep and Elijah was rather surprised when he spoke; "In my country it is considered the mark of a great man to find your women husbands who will make them happy."
"Here it could be considered a weakness. I could have married her to more politically advantageous men – she would have made anyone a lovely bride."
"Then you must find strength in your weaknesses," Orlando whispered. "This particular weakness means that all your household loves you and would submit to great sacrifices, were you but to ask it of them."
"I would rather not have anyone sacrifice themselves for me," Elijah sighed. "I don't very much like sacrifices in general. That is why I don't very much like having slaves."
"I hardly ever considered slaves human until I became one," Orlando said. "They were animals, like the horses and the camels – without feelings, without intelligence. I am glad I did not end up with a slave owner like the one I would have been."
"You… what?"
"I wasn't born a slave, Elijah."
Go on to Part V
[1]Þorri is another of the old Icelandic month-names. It roughly translates to February, and is infamous as the most horrendous month in the Icelandic calendar, weather-wise.
[2]Norse god of thunderstorms and such. He’d be thanked for the weather in Winter.
[3]Góa is the third month in the old Icelandic calendar and roughly translates to March.
[4]"Thing" is the Icelandic word for a congress, or a senate – a common legislature made up of representatives. I would tell you more about it, but you'll get to see more of it later in the story ;)
Go on to Part V
Author: sarka
Rating: This chapter PG-13, for impending slash.
Pairings: Nothing yet, but will develop into Orlijah.
Warning: This is a saga inspired... saga, so I really shouldn't have to warn for character death, should I? Minor Character, nothing gory.
Disclaime: If they were mine, they'd wear eyeliner at all times.
Summary: A viking AU. Elijah is the Lord of a homestead in newly pioneered Iceland around 900 AD, when his uncle comes home from a voyage bringing treasure, spices and exotic slaves.
Notes: Authors notes are made as they are required, through some very interactive footnotes. A link will take you to the note elsewhere in the document, and a link there will return you to what you were reading.
Author's note: The obligatory post-exams, fic-update-while-mildly-intoxicated update. I've had a rather hellish semester, but I am anticipating a new chapter of this soonish. Thanks to
salixbabylon for being the best beta ever ;)Part I
Part II
Part III (scroll up for a short explanation of family relationships)
Elijah, Craig, and Harry had found the cave back in their boyhood. It was a large fissure into the rock face up at the top of the valley that branched out from the fjord, and at the time it had been a magical place of freedom, more than large enough to accommodate three boys who sometimes wanted to escape from the pressure of inheriting their respective houses. Elijah hadn't been there for many years but he knew Craig had been there only a few days earlier, rushing Orlando to safe cover after an eventful night.
He approached cautiously, knowing that Orlando had to be on his guard but seeing no activity outside. He dismounted outside and led Skuggi inside, blessing the fact that the cave was large enough to accommodate a horse. There was still no sound from Orlando and Elijah was growing quite concerned when a voice out of the darkness said, "Good morning, sir," and Elijah almost jumped out of his skin.
"Orlando! How long have you been awake?" His eyes adjusting to the darkness, Elijah just made out a small bedroll at the back of the cave, behind a few stacked rocks that made up a low wall across the back of the fissure. This was a new addition and Elijah realized suddenly that if they lay behind the low wall they would be virtually invisible to the outside world. Orlando was even smarter than Elijah had given him credit for.
"I woke up hearing hoof beats but then I recognized them as Skuggi’s. You’re the only one who rides him so I considered myself safe, sir."
"You recognize hoof beats?" Elijah said, amazed, unhooking his bundle of possessions from the saddle while they talked. Orlando rose and stepped over the low wall, catching a hold of Skuggi’s bridle.
"Let me do that, sir," he said, moving to take off the tackle and saddle. "Yes, I can recognize hoof beats, sir. I have worked with horses all my life." He worked while he talked, rubbing the horse down with rhythmic movements.
Elijah stepped over the low wall and sat down with his back to the rock, finally allowing his breathing to even out and his heartbeat to still. Orlando shot him a glance from underneath his curls. Elijah knew that he wanted to address him but was trying to be careful of etiquette.
"I will be staying here with you for a while, Orlando. I think that as it is just the two of us, it would be pointless to stick to rules about the correct mode of address."
Orlando quickly hid a smile behind his long hair, still working with Skuggi, though by now he seemed to be just standing there, reacquainting himself with the horse. He wasn’t quick enough, though – Elijah saw it clearly and had to suppress a smile in return. It seemed that he’d been forgiven for any… misdeeds.
"Thank you, sir. I just wanted to inquire about the reason for your being here."
"Does your country not operate according to a honor code, Orlando?" Elijah asked, suddenly genuinely curious.
Orlando seemed surprised to be asked a personal question, but he hid it well. "We do have some rules of honor, yes, and we all strive to preserve our honor, but we have other ways of asserting these rules, I suspect, than you. We appeal to our lords for justice rather than seek it ourselves."
"So you do not seek revenge for slights?"
"Of course, but we can also use other methods – and if you take your revenge, your lord could judge it as injustice and then you are answerable for your actions upon punishment of his choosing," Orlando replied, looking sharply at Elijah, obviously beginning to deduce the reasons for his presence in the cave.
"I left my spear in David’s chest this morning," Elijah said bluntly.
Orlando’s eyes widened in surprise. "You killed David?"
"When we went to return the slave who you killed that night he slighted me. Grievously. I will not live with dishonor and bring disgrace to my family and ancestors. Also, I could not let that man wed my sister, who has been the apple of my eye since she was little. She deserves a better man."
Orlando stared at him in wonderment.
"This is a strange country," he said, "and you a strange man to my eyes. In my country, you would have let David kill me if he so pleased, in order to conserve the friendship between your two houses. And in my country, you as the owner of the estate would have been the custodian of your sister. Women are rarely married again once they have been widowed, but if they are, they are after that under the protection of their new husband and his estate. In my country, Lord Viggo would never live in your house."
Elijah smiled grimly. "Oh, if it wasn’t for the bonds of kinship…"
Orlando smiled ruefully back and went back to combing down Skuggi, while Elijah inspected their hiding place. It was smaller than he remembered it being, but that is always the case with childhood places, and it did not surprise him.
Though it did make him wonder about the time the two of them would spend there in such a small space, and if, perhaps, things would boil over. He resolutely decided to try to defuse any tension as soon as it surfaced and to hide his feelings the best he could – there was nothing else to be done, now.
---
They passed a few days improving their hiding place before they heard the hoof beats of a horse approaching. Elijah had become wary at once, but Orlando, more confident around his Lord after the days spent together, put a hand on his shoulder and whispered, "It is the horse of Lord Craig, so I would assume a friendly approach."
It was indeed the horse of Lord Craig, and Craig was sitting in the saddle, large bags of supplies and firewood tied to the pommel. He brought news as well, telling them that Bernard had been enraged upon discovering his only heir, son to his sister, killed in his bed in the midst of his men. Everybody knew who had to be responsible, but the discourtesy done Elijah could not be ignored in the equation. Bernard had misjudged him gravely, not estimating him up to the task of defending his honor if it took a killing in cold blood. Thus Bernard again found himself bereft of an heir to his estate. His sister had only one other son, David’s older brother, who was heir to the estate of Grund in the next fjord. Harry had been lost three years and was mourned by many.
Viggo, Craig relayed, was incensed but had to hide it well. Karl was sulky and looking for struggle, taking advantage of Elijah’s absence to pick fights with slaves and freemen.
Craig left with Skuggi in the afternoon, all of them agreeing that for the sake of secrecy that it would be safer, despite lack of means to flee if it came to an attack.
It was the midst of Þorri[1] and the sky only lightened at midday. Thus their nights were long and their days were short and spent mostly on crafting things that could be made sitting down. Elijah discovered another skill of Orlando's when he observed the slave working fast and efficiently with a whittling knife, turning pieces of wood into bowls and cups with remarkable speed.
Elijah blessed Þór[2] every day for the unseasonably mild weather, though the nights were still cold and there was frost on the ground most mornings. One night, about one moon after they'd come to the cave, Elijah woke up feeling unusually warm, and took a little while to trace the sensation to a solid presence at his back and the arms wrapped around him.
He lay there for a long time, relaxed into the embrace, reveling in their shared heat under the shared blankets. They never went back to sleeping separately, after that, even though the frosty nights became fewer as the days wore on.
One day early in Góa[3], as the feeble light started fading from the sky, they were both rather alarmed to hear hoofbeats coming up the valley. It was a single rider, that much Elijah could tell himself, and a glance at Orlando confirmed his worst suspicions: an unfamiliar horse. They both withdrew behind the low wall of stones Orlando had stacked up at the back of the cave, hiding themselves from sight – Elijah drew his sword and held it before him on the ground, ready to strike if need be. He noticed that Orlando kept a tight hold of his knife as well.
Their fears were doubled when the rider dismounted and led the horse into the cave, but then turned out to be unfounded as a light feminine voice spoke from the darkness.
"I know you’re in here, Elijah – you three were never any good at hiding secrets, even if a girl wasn’t invited into your little boys club."
Miranda.
She smiled when they raised their heads above the wall. "I knew it. And when I heard the news I knew the slave had to be the young man who showed such skill with horses. I don’t suppose you’d sell him, Elijah?"
There was a startled look on Orlando's face, and Elijah hastened to reply. "You suppose correctly," he said, trying to match her light tones.
"I didn’t know what you would need, but I brought a bit of supplies with me. You are free to them as you want them. Otherwise, you’re not the only people who occasionally use this cave as a hiding place – I hope I am not unwelcome to stay here for a bit of the afternoon."
There were lines around her eyes Elijah usually didn’t see unless she was having trouble with her horses – but he found it unlikely that trouble with horses would be enough to send Miranda running for the hills to hide away.
"You are troubled, my Lady?" Orlando asked, inclining his head slightly as he moved over to acquaint himself with her horse.
The corners of Miranda’s mouth crept upwards. "Very astute, as well. However do you handle him, Elijah?"
"With care," he answered softly. "Though I must confess, I was about to say the same thing myself."
Miranda looked up at him and gave a soft laugh. "Well, I always knew you were astute. You’ve good diplomacy skills; they’ve been noticed by all in the fjord." She looked out of the mouth of the cave for a spell, gathering her thoughts. "In a way, you are responsible for my trouble, Elijah. Your last action has led to some unforeseen consequences and some of them reach throughout the East."
She shook her head as if to clear it and Elijah waited for her to continue. "It seems that Bernard of Fell has grown tired of negotiating with others for heirs. Instead, he has decided to make some himself."
Elijah stared at her, open-mouthed. "But for that he would have to re-marry! He never wanted…"
Bernard of Fell had fathered three children on his first wife, the last of them Elijah’s old friend Harry. His eldest, a son, had been stillborn, and the second had been a daughter, Ásdís, on whom he had doted, but she, as well, had been cruelly torn from him when she’d gotten lost, barely nine years old, outside when one of the worst storms in recent memory had shaken their island. Elijah knew that Harry had grieved for his older sister, whose body had never been found, and he could barely fathom the grief that Bernard must have faced.
His wife had died giving birth to Harry. Bernard had been inconsolable, and determined to never remarry, even if he was a young man and perfectly capable of fathering more children.
"He never wanted to take another wife, no," Miranda said. "But his family has been torn apart and his hand was forced by the circumstances with David. So he intends to marry someone else and father another heir. In fact, he intends to marry me."
Elijah had to sit down next to her to digest that.
"What does your father have to say about that?" he finally asked.
"He has started negotiating for dowry," Miranda replied, her smile not reaching her eyes. "He always considered your brother less than worthy of his relations and while he has nothing against the man I would want, that man has an estate of little importance. Allying ourselves with Fell is a much more… sensible course."
"This was not the outcome I had hoped for, Miranda," Elijah said softly. "I only wish I could help you in some way."
There was a short silence and all that was heard was the methodical stroking of Orlando's comb over the flanks of Miranda's horse.
"Well, let us not speak of ifs or maybes," Miranda finally replied. "I brought you smoked lamb and rye cakes, if you'll have them."
+++
They were expecting Craig, a week later, with supplies, so they weren't alarmed to hear hoof beats approaching, until Orlando suddenly paled and tugged Elijah towards their hiding place at the back of the cave.
"Not Craig," he mouthed at Elijah once they were safely hidden.
"Who?" Elijah breathed back, though he knew that if Orlando had recognized the footfalls of the horse, they wouldn't be hiding.
Orlando just shook his head, confirming Elijah's fears.
They lay in silence, blades drawn in front of them, ready to face down anyone who might come for them.
Anyone, that is, except the man who walked into the cave, leading his bridled horse behind him. Harry smiled in the general direction of the gloom at the back of the cave, then unsheathed his weapon and laid it down in front of him, stepping back.
"Elijah," he said simply, then waited.
Elijah raised his head over the small partition and simply stared, wondering when the ability in him to see ghosts had manifested.
"You are as white as a sheet," his old friend commented, "And no wonder, since I must be like a vision of a ghost. Come greet me properly and you'll see I'm solid." Harry gave a cheeky smile at that, one which would hardly belong on the face of an apparition.
The moment Elijah realized that – that this was his brother, in all but blood, standing before him in the flesh – he was off like an arrow. The display would have been embarrassing, had it been public, but it was just the three of them in the cave.
They finally let go of each other, Elijah now convinced that he was indeed not seeing things, and sat down. Orlando was standing in the back of the cave and bowed properly when Harry noticed him, but otherwise had the good sense to stay silent.
"I came here for three things. The first is to tell you off for thinking me dead… Did you really think you'd get rid of me that easily?"
"Well, 'lost with all hands' is a pretty definitive description, Harry. Seemed like a very solid eyewitness account of your ship floundering on its way back to Iceland."
"Yes. Remind me, next time I need to send a message overseas, to choose many messengers and make sure they're not all sailing on the same ship, if you're in a position to, Lij?"
"For sure. We all thought you lost at sea. Your father was beside himself."
"Beside himself enough to declare David as his heir, yes, which brings me to my second point; could you please give me an unbiased account of why you chose to kill my late unlamented cousin like a thief in the night, and then run into hiding as if you had done something wrong?"
That bore thinking over, twice. "I am guessing you know the general reasons for his demise?"
"He was a wanker? David never knew how to behave himself and I cannot imagine he composed himself any better as the heir to Fell than as my propertyless cousin. I'm told he sent a slave to kill one of your prized slaves – the young man, I guess, who is sitting in the back – that is a mortal offence, so after that I really wasn't very interested in the details. I know you, Lij. You don't take decisions like that easily. But why did you run?"
Elijah sighed. "Staying would have meant a battle on two fronts. I was certain I was right, but I wanted it confirmed at Thing."[4]
"Your stepfather?"
"He intended to marry my sister to your cousin. Since your father had chosen to pursue Miranda once he was out of heirs, all his plans for his children have fallen apart."
"And thus you have answered my third question, which I did not manage to get an answer for down in the fjord. Thank you, Elijah, you have been most helpful. Please come out of hiding now; you no longer have anything to fear since I will not avenge my cousin and my father is dead."
"Your father is… what? Your father is dead?"
"Yes, at the hand of your brother. It was to his misfortune that I landed less than a day after the event, and near as well caught him with a wet blade. I am supposing that he decided to vie for Miranda's attention by his sword rather than his charm."
Elijah put his head in his hands and moaned softly. "By the Gods, Harry. What can be done to settle the accounts between our estates? Can those blood prices be paid in silver or is there some other way?"
"We will find a way, Lij. Do not bother yourself too much about it. Go home; manage your estates, take the reins back from your stepfather and your steward. You are my ally and I have no issue with you. Your brother has disappeared, and since he isn't here, I will not pursue him. Though I cannot promise not to settle blood for blood when I see him if the score hasn’t been settled some other way."
"Thank you, Harry. I am your grateful servant," Elijah sighed.
"Never fear; I will find a way for your family to pay me back," Harry winked, and from any other man Elijah would have considered the gesture onerous. From Harry, he knew it was pure good humour and that the punishment would hardly be fit for the crime.
---
Sean was very relieved to see him, as was the rest of his staff. Viggo had been demanding and aggravating, not considering all those he offended in his pursuit of things for his own ends.
Returning home felt good; taking over the running of his household again felt marvelous, and Elijah was surprised that the burdens of Lordship felt so easy to him.
He did not realize until he attempted to sleep that certain things he had grown used to during his tenure as an outlaw would probably not be forthcoming now that he was back at home, even if they were wanted and welcome. His bed felt very, very big, and extremely empty without Orlando curling up against his back.
The beautiful slave had returned to the household like a fish to water: He'd been greeted like a long-lost hero by Dom and Billy, and during their first day back he seemed to be continually surrounded by horses.
He had not, however, come to Elijah's bed, not even on the second night, after Elijah had tried giving him a few significant glances.
Elijah was somewhat perversely pleased, though, to notice darkening circles under the slave's eyes and marks of exhaustion marring his performance in the stables.
It wasn't until the fourth night that he returned. Elijah woke up from an uneasy sleep to find the door to his shut-bed sliding open and a warm body sliding underneath his covers.
"I find I cannot sleep without you, sir," Orlando whispered into the nape of his neck, making Elijah shiver and turn somewhat into the bed in order to hide his reaction. "I hope that the looks you've given me all week mean that I'm free to join you."
"You are. Always," Elijah whispered.
And then they fell blissfully asleep.
+++
"You have the beginnings of an empire here, Elijah," Harry said softly, once he and Elijah had gone on a tour of all the changes made during Elijah's reign as Lord.
He shook his head decidedly. "There isn't much chance for an empire in Iceland, and I would hardly want one, either. I am content with what I have."
"And some fine things you have, too," Harry sighed, and Elijah looked over at his friend to find him wistfully looking towards the kitchens, where Liv and some of the younger bondswomen had taken out the wool to tend in the early spring sun.
His sister met his eyes and then looked down, with a shy blush staining her cheeks.
"Have you any plans to go sailing again, Harry?" Elijah asked innocently.
+++
They were married in the fourth week of summer, with their combined houses throwing a feast larger than any other seen by the fjord. The food was plentiful and the ale flowed freely, and other matrimonies were created on that night, as there always are, between folk who have the choice.
Elijah felt that the wedding was one of his major diplomatic accomplishments; not only did it restore peace to their small settlement, but it also seemed set to give both parties great joy.
As a farewell gift, he gave his sister one of the best horses from his stables; a gray mare that Orlando had chosen and trained especially for her. The present had been an excellent excuse to spend time with the young slave, though Elijah could not say whether the rest of his household viewed it as such or if he was convincing enough in his brotherly affections. Orlando, for his part, seemed to suspect nothing, blithely and happily answering all of Elijah's inane questions.
Orlando still shared his bed, but that was all Orlando did. Elijah had begun to despair of ever gaining the young man's confidence, let alone all the rest he wanted from him.
For once, that night he was the latter one to climb into their habitually shared bed. Orlando seemed fast asleep and Elijah was rather surprised when he spoke; "In my country it is considered the mark of a great man to find your women husbands who will make them happy."
"Here it could be considered a weakness. I could have married her to more politically advantageous men – she would have made anyone a lovely bride."
"Then you must find strength in your weaknesses," Orlando whispered. "This particular weakness means that all your household loves you and would submit to great sacrifices, were you but to ask it of them."
"I would rather not have anyone sacrifice themselves for me," Elijah sighed. "I don't very much like sacrifices in general. That is why I don't very much like having slaves."
"I hardly ever considered slaves human until I became one," Orlando said. "They were animals, like the horses and the camels – without feelings, without intelligence. I am glad I did not end up with a slave owner like the one I would have been."
"You… what?"
"I wasn't born a slave, Elijah."
Go on to Part V
[1]Þorri is another of the old Icelandic month-names. It roughly translates to February, and is infamous as the most horrendous month in the Icelandic calendar, weather-wise.
[2]Norse god of thunderstorms and such. He’d be thanked for the weather in Winter.
[3]Góa is the third month in the old Icelandic calendar and roughly translates to March.
[4]"Thing" is the Icelandic word for a congress, or a senate – a common legislature made up of representatives. I would tell you more about it, but you'll get to see more of it later in the story ;)
Go on to Part V