Emer's Quest (Manannan Trilogy) (21 page)

“Almost. A few fled outside.
Kari?”

“His ribs are broken and one of his feet. He has a slash on his fore
head and his nose is awry. There may be more wounds but I dare not move him to find out. I’m not as clever as my mother or the Red Lady in such things.”

Dag knelt
down beside her and made a quick examination of his own.

“
He should live, I think. He’s strong. Find Thorstein or any of Hari’s people who are skilled in the treatment of wounds. Go now. I’ll stay with him.”

Half demented, Emer rushed
out of the longhouse calling out, “Thorstein, Blin, Vokki, Kolla!”

She found Thorstein with the other warriors, herd
ing the men of the village into one of the animal pens. Hari was there too, helping to identify his enemies from his friends. He gripped her shoulders, looked into her face and then clutched her to him.

“Thank the gods you
’re alive.”

“
Edan saved me from being blinded by your brother, but he’s badly wounded. I need Thorstein and Blin as well.”

“I’m here,” Thorstein said. “Where is he?”

“In the longhouse. Dag is with him. Oh please, go quickly.”

“
We have put the women and children in the bathhouse for now,” Hari said. “Blin is with them.”

“Kolla?”

“Also there.”

Emer turned and ran in that direction. She burst
through the door and was nearly skewered on the tip of an outstretched sword.

“Let me by,” she screamed. “
We need Blin and Kolla. There are so many wounded…”

Drifa rose from her seat. “
You dare to come here, you witch! If you hadn’t come back my son would not be dead.”

Emer
ignored her.

“Blin? Kolla? Anyone else who can tend wounds.”

“I’ll kill you!” Drifa screamed and leaped. Drifa’s strong hand closed upon Emer’s throat. Instinctively, she brought her knee up hard between the woman’s legs, as she had been taught. A dagger sliced down her side before Drifa reeled away.

Emer’s action had deflected the blow meant for her heart. Emer hardly felt
her wound but something snapped inside her. She flung herself onto the writhing woman knocking her to the ground. Emer caught at the dagger she still held and with the twist Olaf had shown her, she broke the woman’s hand. Drifa screamed and the dagger fell. Emer did not even try to pick it up. She pounded Drifa’s face with her fists putting all her strength and pent-up fear into the blows. She reached out, her fingernails slashing rows of blood across Drifa’s cheeks.

Hands gripped her hair and forced her upwards, away from Drifa.
Emer kicked backwards as hard as she could. Something cracked, someone screamed and the hand on her hair was released. She whirled around, hands clenched, eyes wild, ready for more. Halla lay, curled into a ball, holding her leg and screaming.

“Enough,” Kolla said. “She cannot fight any more
and neither can Drifa. Leave them alone.”

“
They attacked you and you’ve won.” Blin stepped forward and stood looking down at the two women. “Mark them. It’s your right and then they can never attack you again and live.”

“Mark them?”

“Slash them on the face, so they will scar.”

“I can’t,” Emer began and then she remembered Niamh had marked
once the evil Kolgrimma, who had tried to poison her.

“If you don’t, they will try to kill you again,” Kolla
said. “Mark them. Then, if they try again, they can be killed.”

“Do it!” Emer whirled. Hari stood by the door watching her. “It
’s a warning and revenge at the same time.” He pulled the dagger from his belt and gave it to her.

Emer drew a deep breath and bent down to the prone women. Drifa could not see the knife coming
; her eyelids were too swollen from Emer’s blows. She made hardly a sound as Emer slashed quickly across her forehead and both her cheeks. Emer thought that the woman must have been unconscious. For that she was thankful. She was suddenly aware of the terrible beating she had given Drifa.

Halla was a different matter. She had to be held down as Emer slashed at her, squirming and shrieking her defiance

Emer rose and handed the dagger to Hari.

“May I never do such a hateful thing again.”

“They would have been gleeful, if you’d been burned for a witch or blinded. Don’t waste your sympathy on them.”

Suddenly all the stiffness seemed to leave Emer’s body. She dropped into a heap
on the floor and started to sob.

21

By evening, all was quiet in Atli’s village.
Few of the men, who had supported Rolf, survived the fighting. The three who lived were for the moment under guard, until their fate could be decided. New graves had been dug in the burial ground. In them friend and foe would be laid to rest the next day. Rolf’s body was among them. He had been found in the longhouse, the hilt of Edan’s dagger protruding from his throat. Emer thought he must have died instantly because the knife blade was long enough to reach his brain. Rolf had other wounds too, which had made great patches of blood all over his rich clothes.

“I’m glad you did not kill him,” Emer said to Hari as they stood looking down at his body. “For all he tried to kill you and it was your right
to revenge yourself on him, it would have been kin-slaying.”

“
I know. I’m happy he is dead and Edan saved me from killing him. Rolf would find some way to come back and haunt me if I had.” Hari grinned. “How is Edan?”

“Sore and
badly injured but alive. Blin reminds me of my mother. She’s not shocked, no matter how bad the injuries are and she knows just what to do. Kolla, Vokki and Thorstein also have knowledge of such things. We’re lucky to have them with us here. Mother tried to teach me her skills, but I preferred to go fishing or riding with my father. I wish I had listened to her now; I might have been more useful.”

“You can follow orders, fetch and carry, as well as anyone else. Even skilled healers need
people to run their errands. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s not like you.”

“Edan was injured because of me. If I hadn’t made a mistake and spoken to Laara, he wouldn’t have tried to save me. If he dies, Renny will never forgive me, nor will Finnr. What a fool I
am.”

She started to cry again and Hari took her into his arms, kissing the top of her head and soothing her.

“Hush, anyone could make such an error. You had no reason to know that Laara had feelings for Rolf. I didn’t know it either. Edan won’t blame you.”

“I blame myself.”

“What’s done is done. What happened is in the past and you can’t change it. You can change the future though. Let’s go to Edan and see what help we can give him.”

Ha
ri and Emer walked to the house where she had dreamed her dreams and which was used in time of sickness. Four cots and six straw palliasses almost filled the room, each one containing a groaning man. Romi had been sitting by the side of Edan’s bed. At their approach, she shuffled over to make room for them. Emer reached over and took Edan’s hand in hers.

“How is he?” she asked Romi.

“Blin isn’t sure so she set me here to watch him and to call her if there was any change. He is trussed up like a chicken, so he can’t move. His lungs don’t seem to have been punctured, but they don’t want him to jar his ribs. He must be very uncomfortable.”

“Has he regained his senses?”

“Not yet.”

Emer stared at Edan’s face. His skin was white
, where it was not blackened with bruises. A sheen of sweat covered his forehead. His breathing was light, but it was there, hissing in and out of his mouth. His broken nose had been packed with material to try to keep it straight.

“I
’ll stay here with him,” Emer offered. “That’s something I can do to repay my debt to him. You go, Romi, and ask Blin what else is needed. You’re more skilled than I am.”

Romi nodded and rose, bumping into the tall figure of Dag who had come in quietly and stood behind her
, looking at his brother. Romi staggered and Dag caught her. He smiled and Emer saw something flare for an instant in his eyes. He moved aside with a word of apology and Romi went out of the hut. Dag stood looking after her until she was out of sight.

Romi is a pretty girl
. Dag is a man who likes women. She’s good natured and kind. She would make a fine mistress here, if Dag has the sense to realise it,
Emer thought.

Dag star
ed at his brother and frowned.

“Blin said he would live, but he doesn’t look much like it at the moment,” he said.

“If Blin says so — you can believe her,” Hari told him. “She’s seen enough men wounded and pulled others back when we all though they would die.”

“Let’s hope you
’re right.” Dag slapped Hari on the shoulder, turned and walked away.

“Do you want me to stay with you?” Hari asked Emer.

“No need for two of us and they will need you elsewhere.”

“Probably.” Hari ran his hands through his hair. “I
’ll have food and ale sent to you and the others who are here.”

That night was one of the longest Emer could ever remember. She was achingly tired
, but she would not close her eyes. She had a dark lantern brought to her and by its light she kept examining Edan’s face. He did not move much, but once she saw him start to frown and then stop suddenly, as if the movement hurt him. She moistened a rag with water and bathed his swollen lips. She dared not do more, in case he could not swallow and choked. 

Blin, Kolla, Thorstein and Dag all came to see her before they went to rest. Hari offered to spell her but she refused.

“You will have many things to do tomorrow. Rest now. It’s in my heart that Edan will live or die tonight and then I can sleep.”

The change came with the dawn and brought life not death. Edan’s eyes fluttered and opened and then quickly closed again. For a few seconds Emer wondered if she had truly seen the movement,
until he did it again.

“Water.” The word was
very faint.

“Can you swallow?”

A nod, only a small one, but she saw it. Carefully she dribbled a few drops into Edan’s open mouth and watched him swallow.

“More.” She repeated the action. Then he lay still again
, but it seemed to her that his skin had grown less pale and the sweat was gone.

Dag and Hari came together. The first rays of the sun flooded through the door and lit up the room. Dag knelt beside his brother. Edan
, perhaps sensing another presence, opened his eyes again.

“So you live to plague me, little one,” Dag said. He stooped nearer to hear Edan’s one word,

“Always.”

“You
’ve done well,” Dag told Emer. “I’ll send one of the other women to you. When she comes, go and rest.”

It was Freydis who came and Emer was thankful, knowing she w
as trustworthy.

“Thank you for coming, I can sleep now.”

“I’d rather be here than up in the graveyard,” Freydis said, “watching Drifa mourning for Rolf. She’s pretending to be heartbroken…”

“
He was her son.”

“That one hasn’t got a heart to break. It’s her position she’
s grieving for. Go and watch her if you don’t believe me.”

“I’m going to sleep. I don’t care about Drifa
, but how many others died yesterday?”

“Hajalgrim and Ranso from Dag’s crew. Yki, Par, E
gill, Stafn and Ebbo from the village. Two women were killed as well, but all the children survived.”

“Two?” Emer had already heard about
Arla’s death. A sword had struck her as she ran from the longhouse. Her wound was accidental, but she had bled to death before the battle was over. Emer felt sorry for the girl.

“Brina has just died of her wounds,”
Freydis told her. “She didn’t deserve that fate. She was stupid and I didn’t like her but she was loyal to the end. They found her draped across Rolf’s body.”

“Then they
feast in the afterlife together and that is what Brina would have wanted.”

Emer went to rest and slept through all the comings and goings in the longhouse. She awoke in mid afternoon to find that the burials had taken place
. Dag and Hari rode out of the settlement shortly afterwards with some of Dag’s crew.

“Hari came to tell you where he was going but I would not let him wake you,” Kolla said
, handing her a cup of ale.

“Edan?”

“Alive, talking, drinking. Go and see him. I think you will be pleased.”

Emer was
very happy. Edan could speak to her although his speech was slow and painful. He could drink and even lift his hand. His eyes were bloodshot, when he forced open his swollen lids. He looked awful but better than he had the night before.

In the days that followed
, his recovery continued. There was another moment of worry when he tripped and jarred his chest, but the bleeding from his lips, which everyone feared, did not occur. He began to talk of going home.

“I want to go back, too,” Hari said. Hari seemed to have a new spring in his step, thought Emer. Now the fighting was over and the settlement quiet. It was as if all his cares had fallen away. He looked and sounded
happy and Emer rejoiced.

“Has it been decided who will rule here, if you do not?”
she asked.

“Not yet, although Kolla and several others asked me to stay.
They don’t know what Dag will be like as a chieftain.”

“
Fair and just, I imagine, like his father, but what did you tell them?”

“I said that I believe Dag w
ants to remain and so does some of his crew. If he is here, there can be no other leader.”

“Has he spoken to you then?”

“In passing. I
’ll ask him when we ride out tomorrow into the mountains.”

It had been decided that the village was peaceful enough for Hari and Dag to go and find Atli’s treasure. They would divide it according to the contract and they had sent for Beacan, the
lovsigemann,
to make sure that all was done correctly

Emer was sitting with
Edan when they heard the sound of horses returning. Emer went to the door and looked out. All the horses carried sacks and Beacan rode between Dag and Hari. They dismounted and Hari led the way to the hut where he used to work and keep his tallies. The horses were unloaded and a few of Dag’s men carried the sacks inside. Then the door was closed. Nothing happened for a while and Emer returned to Edan, telling him about what she had seen. It was some time later when Hari came to find her.

“You
’ve been successful then?” Emer asked him and Hari nodded.

“
Very successful.
Fadir
had not changed his hiding place and Rolf had not found it, although they say he searched hard.”

“
I saw you arrive and the horses being unloaded,” Emer said, “and then you all went into the hut.”

“Beacan divided the silver between Dag and me and he has paid his crew. They are happy men.” Hari turned to Edan. “He has your share and says
you’d better get well, before he spends it all.” Edan’s lips twisted in what might have been a grin.

“Are you upsetting my baby brother?” Dag stood behind him.

“I’m
telling him you’re going to spend his treasure.”

“I’ll…
get… well” The words came out as a hiss.

Dag dropped on his knees beside the bed and took Edan’s chin in his hand, turning his head from side to side.

“I thought I’d taught you how to dodge better than that. Renny will faint at the sight of your ugly mug. You know they broke your nose for you?”

“Yessssss
. Lucky… before.”

“You’re lucky now. You’re alive and noses mend.
Do you want to go home soon?”

“To…
Renny… yessssss!”

“Good.
Then do what you’re told for the first time in your life and I’ll ship you off to her.”

“
Have you decided then?” Hari asked and Dag nodded.

“I’m staying here
, for a while at least.” Dag grinned. “I like this place. It’s dark and wild. Reminds me of my childhood home. Not that you’d remember,
Brodir,
you’re too young.
Fadir
’s getting sick of me hanging around. Time I made my own life as he did and there’s a girl…”

A faint hooting sound came from the patient in the bed.

“Enough of that,
Brodir
. You’re in no fit state to give cheek to me or anybody else for a while.”

“Dance… at…
wedding.”

Four
days later, when the wind swung around to the north, Dag’s ship was loaded and ready for sea. Thorstein acted as captain in Dag’s place. Edan and the other wounded were carried aboard and made as comfortable as possible.

“Tell
Fadir
I’ll return at
Luanistyn
, farewell
Brodir
. Gods keep you.”

“And you.”

The ship sailed swiftly. Their first destination was
Myl
, where they stopped to put Drifa and Halla ashore.

“I paid Drifa her share of Fadir’s fortune, so she has no cause to stay on Skuy,” Hari told Emer.
“Dag doesn’t want them and neither does anyone else. Let their own people feel the sharp edge of their tongues. We have felt it long enough.”