‘Now, what does my Lord see?’
He looked at me with surprise.
He raised his hands to pull me to him.
‘No,’ I said, taking him by the hand. ‘Tonight, it is my turn.’
He followed me to the patch of moonlight on our bed of sheepskins and wolf hides. I drew him down and began to undress him. Slowly peeling away his tunic, revealing his inked skin. My lips traced the soft lines of his stomach until I reached the drawstring of his breeches, feeling the shape of him pressed against the fabric.
He did not take his eyes off mine as I finished undressing him.
He pulled me close and buried his face into my neck, nipping at my skin in a moment of pleasure. I could smell the honey on his breath and the salted sea air and sweat against his skin.
In one swift motion, he rolled me over, lips touching every part of my screaming skin. He made a sound somewhere between a groan and a whimper. He spread my thighs and with a gasp was inside me.
‘My Freyja,’ he said softly. ‘My goddess. Sent to me by Odin.’ He pressed his lips to my neck. ‘I wish to honour you.’ His lips moved lower. ‘To love you.’ The words whispered against my skin. ‘To possess you.’
I quivered. A shudder swept through my body. I dug my fingers into his back, pressing him closer. He gripped me tighter.
‘Don’t stop now.’ I whispered.
‘I wasn’t going to.’
?
We lay together in the stillness of the dying fire, my head resting against him, listening to his heart beating furiously. I ran a finger across the curve of his chest, firm from the hours practicing with his shield and sword. I closed my eyes. I wanted to stay in that moment forever. For the first time in my life, I felt safe. I wanted to think of nothing but my exhaustion and the powerful thread that seemed to pull between us.
He was making me weak, but I did not care.
He opened his eyes and sighed, his lip curling into a smile. He slid down the bed almost to my navel.
‘Surely you must be tired?’
He ignored me and carried on. ‘Are you in there little one?’
‘What are you doing?’ I narrowed my eyes.
‘I am talking to my son, can you not see?’
He grinned, tracing a finger across my belly, causing my flesh to shiver. ‘Thorfinn, that is what we will call him.’
Thorfinn. I do not think it would have mattered. Boy or girl. It was something I had truly railed against. Something that I hadnever wanted. But in that moment, I would have been blessed to be carrying his child and knew to my bones that as long as my husband had breath in his body, he would keep us safe. Part of me wondered if he would keep my sister safe too. I wanted her to marry a Dane, to bring her to Orkney.
Somewhere in the pre-dawn light a horn a low, long note disturbed our peace.
‘It is time the ships were filled; the chieftains will not be happy if the if their Jarl turns up late.’ He planted a kiss just below my navel and jumped to his feet, pulling on his trousers and tunic before disappearing out of sight.
Angus, with his shaggy fur and warm body, climbed into the coldness of the bed where my husband should have been.
Ligach breezed in, picking up the clothes strewn on the floor, folding them angrily. I had offended her.
‘Spit it out,’ I said. ‘What is it?’
‘Is that all you wanted? Time enough to carry his child? You promised me that you would return me to Atholl.’
I did not know I was with child then. It was much too soon.
‘What happens in my bed chamber is between me and my husband. You will do good to remember.’
