Authors: Constantine De Bohon
said, his regret was apparent.
“I wanted you to,” Sky said with surprise. She raised herself
onto her elbow. “Rolf, I wanted you that way. Not every time, but
sometimes. You didn’t hurt me. I love you so much I just felt you
needed some time to just lose it. It’s okay to feel out of control. I
want you so much, any way you want to have me. Please don’t feel
bad, that would make me unhappy.”
Rolf reached his hand to trace her jaw line with his fingers.
“I never want you to fear me.”
“I will never fear you,” she replied seriously. She clasped his
hand and brought it to her lips. She kissed his open palm.
Sky moved to slip over him. He was hard and she slid his
erection into her. His hands spanned her waist. Sky rocked against
him. She threw her head back and let him glide in and out of her.
Her hands covered his when they moved higher to rub her breasts.
“You feel so good,” he said.
She was thinking the same of him. “I love you, Rolf.”
“I love you, too.”
Sky felt a gentle roll of passion flow over her. Rolf groaned
and thrust into her once, twice and held still. Sky lay over him.
Her head pressed to his chest and she heard his heartbeat. She had
never been happier in her life.
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“Rolf?”
“Hmm?”
“How will we know whose baby it will be when I get
pregnant?” Her thoughts had strayed to when Katla had delivered.
“Any baby you have will be mine and Brandr’s.”
“You will treat any child like it is yours?”
“Yes. So will Brandr.”
“Our children will be very lucky to have two amazing fathers.”
“And one beautiful, caring mother.”
Sky tilted her face up and smiled at him. If the children looked
like him or Brandr, they would be gorgeous. Rolf rolled her onto
her back. He lay on top of her for a moment until she groaned and
shoved him.
“Off! You’re squishing me,” she squealed.
“But you lay on me.” He chuckled.
“You weigh as much as a horse,” she countered.
He lifted his heavy bulk from her and grinned down at her. “I
thought you wanted me to lose my control.”
“With your cock. It’s big all right, but doesn’t weigh as much
as the rest of you.”
Rolf rolled off her. “I’m wounded,” he declared.
“If your cock weighed that much, I’d be wounded and you’d
never get near me.”
Rolf laughed. He got up and dressed in leather hide pants and
moccasins. Sky rose to her feet and put her own skimpy clothing
on. She shivered when she went outside.
“It will be getting cold soon,” Rolf said. “I think it’s time to go
hunting for warmer furs. Although I’m going to miss seeing you in
this outfit. Soon enough you will be wearing the attire of a free
woman. After breakfast Brandr and I can go. It’s high time we had
a marriage feast.” He was smiling down at her.
Sky found his marriage proposal amusing. She supposed she
should be annoyed. Looking at him, she highly doubted he was
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about to get on one knee and offer her his undying love. Except he
already had. He had challenged a dragon for her, both men had.
She loved them and she knew they loved her. As well, she had
begun to ignore the captive clothing she was in. She had grown to
care for almost all in the village and them her. They looked beyond
her attire and saw the woman within, and all knew she was free
regardless and well protected. What she wore ceased to matter.
Her arms wrapped around herself in the cool morning air as
they walked on. Upon reflection, as she shivered again, she felt
some proper warm clothing would be welcome. Rolf pulled her
tightly to his side.
“We will be back before dinner and Eirik will watch you. No
doubt he will keep you close to Katla’s side all day anyway, so you
can help her.”
It was blessedly warm inside the huge cabin with the hearths
all ablaze. Sky went to visit with Katla and the babies. She picked
up her namesake.
“They’re so beautiful. How do you tell them apart?” she
asked.
Katla held up Agata. “See this dark birthmark? My last little
Agata had the same one. Sky doesn’t have one.”
Sky cuddled the baby in her arms for a moment more before
handing her back. Leif was playing with his wooden sword in the
corner.
“Have you had breakfast?” Sky asked him.
“No he hasn’t,” Katla said then yawned. “Will you please take
him for a while? I need to feed the girls and then we all need some
sleep.”
“Sure,” Sky replied. She held her hand out to the boy who
went with her happily.
Sky sat Leif at the table with her. Rolf joined her, but Brandr
had already eaten. Rolf helped himself to rabbit and fish. So did
Leif. The boy was very proud of himself. He had been catching
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small game for the last week with his little bow and arrow. His
father declared him a hunter and a new village provider. Rolf
handed Sky some meat and a small but thick slice of salmon. She
thanked him and reached for bread and rolls for herself and the
boy. Sky was surprised when Leif handed her a share of his rabbit.
Rolf chuckled. Sky took the food and thanked the child profusely.
She wouldn’t hurt his feelings by not accepting. She realized Leif
would also be providing for his sisters. As a hunter, even though a
young one, he was entitled to meat and could share his portion
with whomever he chose. His father had already taught him the
importance of sharing with the females in the village to keep them
safe from harm.
“Brandr and I will be leaving soon,” Rolf said. He looked
down at Leif very seriously. “Will you help your father protect Sky
for me today?”
“Of course,” the boy replied. “What has my father asked for?”
By offering Sky his protection, Eirik could ask for something
in return. If she were a captive she would be given to Eirik for the
day for his use. She wasn’t a captive. She could see the twinkle in
Rolf’s eyes and realized he was playing along with the boy—he
wouldn’t hurt his feelings either.
“Your father asked for Sky’s help with the babies.”
Sky thought that was generous; he could have asked for more.
He would have known she would already help with the babies. Any
meat they returned with would be shared, but he could have asked
for a skin or other parts of the animal.
The boy seemed to think about that. “There are two babies,”
he said thoughtfully. “Maybe I should offer the same.” He looked a
bit disappointed. Sky was impressed. Apparently, so was Rolf.
“But there is your mother and Sky. Two women, two babies,”
he reminded him.
Leif’s eyes lit up and he smiled. “You’re right, Rolf. I went
hunting for squirrels today but I can’t leave the village alone and
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Father was busy. Too many noisy people, so no squirrels. Alfarin
has promised Mother rabbit skins for the twins as gifts. Can I have
two squirrels? Mother can make them warm footwear.”
“Done,” Rolf exclaimed.
Sky just shook her head. She was handed to a man and a boy
for the day for two squirrels and babysitting services. She didn’t
know whether or not to laugh.
Brandr came over to the table, he leaned down and kissed Sky
on the top of her head.
“No dancing until we return,” Brandr warned.
Sky snorted.
As if.
“Don’t worry, I won’t.”
“She will be fine,” Leif piped up. “I’m helping my father watch
her today for two squirrels.”
“Two whole squirrels?” Brandr said, eyes raised.
“Sky is little but lots of trouble,” Leif said solemnly.
Sky did laugh now. So did Rolf and Brandr.
Rolf rose and also kissed Sky on the forehead. “Try and stay
out of trouble,” he said then chuckled.
The men left. Sky and Leif finished eating and went back to
the small room where Katla lay sleeping with a babe in each arm.
Eirik was sitting on the bed beside her, just watching them sleep.
He looked over and smiled at Sky. Sky motioned with her hands
she would watch Leif. Eirik nodded. Sky took the boy by the hand
and led him back to the main hall. More people had gathered. It
would seem many men had decided to hunt that morning and their
females were taken to the cabin for protection.
“I am going to play,” Leif said, then looked stern. “No
dancing—my sword arm is strong, but for some reason when you
dance, Lugh and the others go nuts. Stay out of trouble.”
When he left, many women hid a giggle behind their hand.
Sky settled herself down at a table. The warm shirt she had
made for Rolf was almost finished. It was very soft leather worked
for a long time. She wanted to decorate it with animal tails and
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claws the way she had seen other women do. Next she would need
to make one for Brandr. She had seen the carcass of a hawk near
the river but wanted to surprise Rolf with the shirt so she had left
it. When Eirik emerged, she would ask him to take her. She
watched as Isibel grabbed the water bucket.
“Who is going with you?” Sky asked.
She knew Isibel was not allowed to go to the stream alone, no
woman or child was. Isibel was still Eirik’s captive. She was for the
men’s use until she wed, but was still heavily protected from
renegades and murderers.
“Lugh. He hasn’t let anyone near me since Eirik’s decision,”
she replied and giggled.
Sky was happy for her, she liked Isibel. “There is a hawk near
the river by the large white boulder. Would you mind taking its
claws? I will share them with you,” Sky asked.
“I will take you to the river,” Leif said. He raced over. “Then
we can swim together and you can play with me.”
“I don’t think it’s such a good idea,” Sky said. Although, a
swim sounded refreshing as the day warmed and the interior of the
cabin heated.
Leif was looking at her with wide hopeful eyes. She realized
the child tried to model himself after his father and the other
warriors. He was just a boy, little more than a baby. Now his
mother had her hands full with two babies. The boy must be
feeling a bit jealous for attention.
Eirik approached. “Would you like to swim, Sky?” he asked.
“I would, but Katla can’t be left alone. The other women all
seem to be involved in their own tasks. Leif wants to swim. I think
he could use some added attention.”
Eirik seemed to think about that. His eyes settled onto his
youngest son who wiggled around with so much eager anticipation
he looked like a hyper puppy. Eirik smiled down on him. “I’ll make
certain Katla is not left alone.” He called Alfarin over. “Alfarin,
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take Sky and Leif to the river with Lud. Lugh is taking Isibel for
water.”
Alfarin puffed with pride. The boy was only fifteen but stood
six feet already. His chest wasn’t nearly as impressive as his father’s
but it would be one day. He wore his sword strapped to his back
like the other warriors. He walked with pride when he led Sky to
the river with his brother and the two other warriors and Isibel.
When they reached the water, Leif jumped in. So did Isibel
and then Sky after Alfarin had cut the hawk’s claws from the bird
for her. Sky saw Alfarin look at the water longingly, but he was
there to protect, not play. The young man squared his shoulders
and kept an eagle eye out for danger. After an hour of frolicking
with the exuberant boy, Sky was ready to leave. She began
climbing onto the riverbank then screamed in surprised terror
when an arrow went through Lugh’s arm. The two men and young
teen drew their swords. Lugh snapped the arrow in half with his
thumb and yanked it out like it was a splinter. Six men crashed
toward them from the brush.
Isibel howled when a man tossed her over his shoulder.
Lugh roared in anger. He grabbed Isibel by her ankles to lift
her and slammed his sword right through the man’s chest. Sky
grabbed Leif in her arms and began running. The boy had pulled
his wooden sword and had been about to attack a giant warrior.
Alfarin took up the challenge instead. The warrior laughed at
Alfarin. Sky winced when the man and teen clashed swords. Alfarin
was being trained by his father. He had a steady hand and strength
behind his thrusts. The man soon stopped laughing. Lud was
attacked by two men. Sky screamed for Eirik at the top of her
lungs as a warrior approached her and Leif.
“Put me down, Sky, so I can protect you,” Leif demanded.
“Yes, put him down,” the warrior said with a vile look.
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Sky had no doubt the man would kill Leif if she released him.
She backed up slowly, her arms wrapped around the child. Her
heart fell when Lud hit the ground.