Captive Heart (11 page)

Celiese found the charming young man’s company most welcome and hoped he truly liked her, for she knew she would need all the help she could possibly gather to win Mylan’s favor when next she saw him. “You do believe me, don’t you, Andrick? I would never betray my husband nor allow him to suffer the smallest harm if I had any way to stop it. You have been so sympathetic and kind, but I can tell Hagen does not trust me, and I am greatly worried about what will happen when we reach your home.”

Andrick tried to reassure her. He knew his brother had too quick a temper, but often when he had time to reflect more thoroughly he chose the right side to an argument. “Hagen is worried, as am I. It is his concern for our family that makes him so irritable, but do not judge him too harshly. Perhaps Raktor knew we were away when he agreed to my father’s offer of a marriage between our families, but when we return home we will be swift to avenge this wrong, if Mylan has not already done so.”

Celiese shuddered at his confidently voiced vow. “I cannot bear to think of any of you risking your lives now. Raktor’s kin are not worth your trouble to kill, and I beg you to turn away from revenge, for you may not be able to escape harm yourself and I would always feel I was to blame.”

Andrick shook his head as he disagreed firmly, “You must leave this matter for us to settle, Celiese, and do not waste another moment fearing for our safety, for we are all men who learned at an early age how to look after ourselves.” Andrick continued to speak in a confident manner until he was certain Celiese believed him, and as soon as she had eaten and was resting comfortably he took Hagen aside to begin making their plans for an attack Raktor and his clan would never forget.

The Vandahl brothers sailed home far more swiftly than the men who had manned Raktor’s ship which had carried Celiese and the others to Kaupang. She marveled at their skill in commanding their craft and wondered if Mylan possessed the same talent upon the seas. His name rang in her heart and echoed in her mind, but she was frightened for him still, despite Andrick’s constant reassurance that he would see his brother and all his kin promptly returned to their home. If Mylan had somehow managed to free his relatives on his own, would any have told him where she’d been taken? She worried constantly about him and prayed fervently for his safety, not once stopping to consider how little respect a pagan would have for her God.

Aldred rode down to the shore to meet his sons’ ship as it docked. His right arm was heavily bandaged but healing well, and he scarcely felt any discomfort until he saw Celiese, and then he could not suppress a cry of outrage as he withdrew his dagger from its place at his belt. “I would kill you now, but that would deprive Mylan of gaining satisfaction for your treachery!”

“No, you are mistaken, for I have done my husband no wrong!” Celiese was quick to defend herself for she’d expected his insult, but she’d not considered he’d be so incensed he might murder her on the spot.

Aldred shoved her rudely toward the waiting horses. “You were no wife to my son, only a spy sent to our home to destroy him! He will see that you are punished severely for your evil deeds!”

Celiese gasped as Hagen leaned down from his horse to pull her up in front of him. He gripped her waist tightly as he rode to the well-fortified stone dwelling upon the cliff, where he tossed her roughly to the ground at his mother’s feet, his disdain for her clear in. the cold gleam of his angry stare. “I will leave this woman in your care, Mother, for I do not trust myself to have the patience to wait for Mylan to see to her punishment!”

Thulyn greeted the disheveled blonde with a vicious whisper. “So they found you, did they? I will lock you in Mylan’s room and he may do with you as he pleases when he returns. You will find no horror you can imagine will prepare you for the revenge my son will extract from you, but I will warn you now, no matter how loudly you scream for mercy, he will not hear you!”

Celiese rose gracefully to her feet, brushing the dirt of the path from her gown before turning to stare at the woman who had once been so kind. “You will never hear me scream, Thulyn, never!” She ceased to listen to the woman’s cruel threats as she made her way to Mylan’s room. The furs were soft upon his bed, and she thought only of the sweetness of her husband’s kisses as she stretched out upon them. She had been loved for such a brief time, but it had been more wonderful than she had ever dreamed possible, a memory she would savor for the rest of her days, no matter how many or few they might be. When Thulyn shoved a plate of food in the door she did not get up to eat it, for if none there believed in her innocence she would not plead for their understanding. She planned only to die as proudly as she had lived and returned to sleep, lost in the memories of the love that filled her heart with such happiness that there was no room for any fear, not even of the gruesome fate that Thulyn and Aldred had promised awaited her with Mylan’s return.

Chapter Six

Olgrethe bent down beside the large bed and caressed Celiese’s tangled curls lightly. “Dear friend, I thought you were lost to me forever. I am sorry you have grown so pale and thin. I can see you have suffered dreadfully for my father’s warlike ways.”

Celiese sat up slowly, her voice filling with alarm as she pushed her long blonde hair away from her eyes. “Olgrethe, who has brought you here to Aldred’s home? Are you being held as a prisoner, too?” She had been asleep for many hours, days perhaps, but could not imagine how Olgrethe had come to be with her.

Laughing brightly, Olgrethe tossed her tawny curls at such a ridiculous thought. “No, of course not. I am to be married tonight, as it was agreed in the beginning, but now that I have met the man I am certain it will be for the best.” Curling up on the foot of the bed to get more comfortable, Olgrethe began to talk in an excited whisper. “I wish you had been there to see the fight, Celiese. Aldred’s sons agreed to pay the ransom my father had demanded for the safe return of their kin, but rather than hand over such a fortune when those men were brought forth they turned their swords upon us. There was not one of my brothers who could outfight them, and they soon made my father admit he’d not accepted the proposal for my hand in good faith. The Vandahls are so different from my family, every bit as brave, but with a kindness I have never seen displayed in my home. I do not think of myself as a prisoner, nor as a captive bride, and I know you and I will be very happy living here.”

“You expect me to remain here with you?” Celiese was appalled by that possibility. How could she stand the sight of Mylan with Olgrethe after having known the joy of his love herself? “No, please don’t ask me to stay here, I cannot.”

“But why not?” Olgrethe’s pretty features assumed the pose of a pouting child, frustrated by not having her way.

Celiese simply stared at her friend for a long moment, then shook her head sadly. “The Vandahls were all so quick to condemn me, to believe the worst of me, and I do not want to live where I know I will never be trusted.” Celiese could say no more, her throat ached with the pain of unshed tears, and she turned away rather than let Olgrethe see the depth of her anguish.

Puzzled by Celiese’s solemn mood when she was so happy, Olgrethe left the room quickly, intent upon making the final preparations for her wedding before she saw to her former maid’s problems, which she was certain could not possibly be so acute as the young woman believed them to be.

When Olgrethe walked out leaving the door wide open, Celiese wasted no time in leaving Mylan’s room, for she had no desire to be found there when he came looking for Raktor’s daughter. She pushed herself off the bed, and after a few moments’ dizziness moved swiftly down the narrow staircase and out into the bright sunlight. She took the first path she found, following it down from the cliff to the flat expanse of plain that led to the sea. She walked until she came to the water’s edge, then sank down in the soft sand and stared out at the distant horizon, wishing with all her heart there were some way for her to return to her homeland where she might live in peace, if not with love.

The setting sun cast long shadows across the path as Andrick drew his high-spirited mount to an abrupt halt. In his haste, sand shot up from the beast’s hooves went flying all over Celiese, and she had to leap to her feet to avoid being trampled. Ignoring the danger his careless actions had presented he extended his hand as he issued a terse command, which he clearly expected to be obeyed. “Get up behind me, girl. Mylan allowed none to accompany Olgrethe, and she refuses to prepare for the marriage ceremony without you to attend her.”

“Your mother must have someone who can serve as her maid, or why not Thulyn herself? She was willing to help me, will she not assist Olgrethe as well?” Celiese argued as she tried to catch her breath and shake the shower of sand from her hair.

Andrick shook his head emphatically. “She will not do, it is you Olgrethe wants and it’s you I’ll bring.”

His stern tone and hostile glance offered no other choice but to comply, and Celiese took his hand to mount his powerful chestnut horse. When she was comfortably seated behind him she wrapped her arms around his waist and asked shyly, “Was Mylan pleased with Olgrethe?”

Amused, the blond man turned his horse toward his home as he gave a noncommittal reply, “Ask him yourself, if you are so curious as to his opinion.”

Celiese’s cheeks burned with a bright blush at that teasing rebuff. She’d probably never have an opportunity to speak with Mylan alone ever again, nor would she seek it. How could she inquire as to whether he preferred his second wife to his first, the real Olgrethe to her? The wind whipped her hair and stung her eyes, but she shed no tears. Her situation had been hopeless from the moment they’d met and she’d been a great fool to believe Mylan could have grown to love her as swiftly as she’d come to adore him. When they reached the house she slipped from the horse’s back and ran inside before Andrick noticed she was gone, but she soon realized she was uncertain as to where Olgrethe might be waiting. Deciding Mylan’s room was the most logical choice, she climbed the stairs. Hearing no sound as she approached the door, she opened it slightly to peer inside.

“You!” Mylan turned, an oath upon his lips. He stood stripped to the waist, clutching his left side as he attempted to stem the flow of bright red blood that oozed from between his fingers. “As long as you’ve seen so much, you might as well come in and help me. Bolt the door so I am not disturbed again.”

Celiese entered the room quickly, shoved the bolt into place, then rushed to his side. “Why did no one tell me you had been wounded? Oh, Mylan, this is dreadful, you might bleed to death!” She placed her hands over his to add more pressure in hopes of stopping the flow of blood. His flesh felt warm to her touch and filled her slender body with a longing that the severity of his injury did not quell. She had no right, she told herself, no right to want him so badly when he now belonged to Olgrethe, as indeed he had from the very beginning, but that realization did not lessen the force of her desire. She wanted to hug him tightly, to kiss him again and again and tell him how desperately she had missed him, but she dared not speak a word. His greeting could not have been more insulting, and she knew that no matter how she felt he was obviously not in the least bit pleased to see her.

“The Torgvalds got the worst of it. This is nothing, a mere scratch from a blow deflected off my ribs, but when I stepped out of my bath just now I tore it open again and cannot make the bleeding stop. I am expected to appear in the best of health tonight, not as a damn invalid!”

Celiese looked up, unable to comment upon how he would be spending his evening. “I did not mean to disturb you, please forgive me, I was looking for Olgrethe, as she wants me to help her dress.”

Mylan continued in the same volatile mood, ignoring her apology as if he’d not heard it, “You will help me instead. There is linen in my trunk—tear enough into strips to bind my side, and make haste to do it before Andrick comes seeking my company and discovers what has happened.”

Celiese rinsed her hands in the tub of water he’d used to bathe, then searched through the contents of the small chest for the clean fabric. When she turned with the cloth in her grasp she was startled by Mylan’s insolent gaze, for his golden eyes raked over her slowly with a disapproval so scathing she could scarcely bear it.

“You are a sorry sight, Celiese, I am amazed Andrick was willing to pay so much for you. I would have given no more than—”

“Hush!” Celiese insisted angrily. “My appearance is of no consequence now, it is you who needs immediate care.” She ripped the cloth with vicious tears, then pushed his hands aside to inspect the gruesome gash more closely. “You call this no more than a scratch? Who did this to you, do you know the man’s name?”

“What? You expect me to reveal the brute’s name so you may avenge it yourself? My battles are of no concern to you, girl, I do not need your assistance to seek revenge, for I’ll not risk any more of your tricks.” Mylan drew his breath in sharply as Celiese began to wrap the linen around his ribs. “Your touch was tender when last we met, why is it so brutal today?”

“I am never brutal!” Celiese denied heatedly as she choked back her tears. Did the man think her devoid of feelings, incapable of offering the devotion he inspired? “I am merely trying to bind your side securely so you’ll lose no more blood.” Satisfied with her handiwork, she tied the end of the last linen strip in a firm knot, then stepped back. “There, that should hold for the night, and tomorrow you may find another to apply a fresh bandage, someone whose touch pleases you far more.” She began to move toward the door, thinking her task was completed, but Mylan stepped quickly to block her way.