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‘Gudrun!’ Kara called. ‘What is going on here?’
The elderly woman glanced up at where Rurik dangled and immediately started to wail that it wasn’t her fault, that it was all Virvir’s doing. Kara readily believed that. Gudrun’s great-nephew had led Rurik astray before. Too many times for her liking. If there was the slightest bit of mischief, Virvir was sure to be involved. But the boy was an orphan of eight. She simply didn’t have the heart to banish him, but this time, he had gone too far, enticing the younger Rurik up to the top of the roof.
‘Hang on, Rurik,’ she called, giving Gudrun a hard glance. ‘Mor is here. We will get you down!’
The words were somehow inadequate, but better than nothing.
Rurik kicked out his legs. ‘Mor! Mor! Please help me.’
‘Hang on.’ Kara watched Ash steadily make his way up to the roof. He had done it before, many times. ‘A...a friend of mine is coming for you. He is climbing the far wall now.’
The word ‘father’ struck in her throat. The last thing she wanted was for Rurik to become distracted and forget to hang on.
‘A good friend!’ she called out. ‘He has climbed many times. He’ll get you down. Hold on!’
‘Valdar?’ The note of hopefulness in Rurik’s voice was painful to hear.
Ash turned his head and gave her a strange look. Kara clenched her teeth. Ash had to understand Rurik’s safety was paramount.
Gudrun pulled Kara’s sleeve.
‘Is that who I think it is?’ she asked in a loud whisper. ‘There is only one man I can think of who could climb like that.’
Kara gave a brief nod. The elderly woman’s eyes went round as plates.
‘I always used to wonder how he climbed up on the roof,’ the woman muttered. ‘But he’ll be too late.’
‘A very good friend is coming to get you. Hang on!’ Kara called again, ignoring Gudrun’s mutterings. ‘He will get you down. Trust him.’
‘Want Valdar!’ Rurik kicked out again, trying to swing his legs up to the gable, but they were too short.
‘This man is a friend. You will like him.’
When they were both safe, she’d make the proper introductions. To everyone.
Right now, Ash seemed to be taking far too long climbing up. She knew he had climbed up to the gable in the past. Many times, normally to cause mischief. She could remember being utterly terrified and refusing to follow, but he had gone ahead. His father had beaten him for his bravado when he’d come down, but Ash had never cried or flinched. Kara had brought over ointment for his wounds the next day. He had taken it, but he had also made a point of climbing up the wall again and carving his rune on the topmost gable, simply to show he could.
‘Mor! I didn’t mean to, Mor! Don’t be angry. Help me!’
Angry? She was terrified and she wanted to murder Rurik for doing something that was utterly forbidden, but she would never beat him like Ash’s father had beaten Ash. Virvir might have suggested it, but he didn’t have to follow like some devoted thrall. But mostly she wanted him to be unhurt and she couldn’t see how this was going to end happily, even with Ash here.
‘Keep still. You will be rescued, but you must stay absolutely still. Conserve your strength. Hang on tight to the gable. You can do that. For me?’
‘Mor, my arms are getting tired.’
‘You must hang on! For me. Do it for your mother!’
Ash’s men arrived and clustered around the base of the gable.
‘Your cloak, give them your cloak, Kara,’ Ash called down. He had reached the roof ridge and was inching along towards where Rurik clung. His face was contorted with concentration and pain. Clearly the climb had taken its toll.
‘My cloak?’
‘For a net...in case... Yours is large enough.’
Then she saw what he was saying. If the men held the cloak beneath Rurik, they could potentially break any fall. Her fingers fumbled on the string. She gave an impatient tug and the cloak came off. She threw it down.
‘Thank you, my lady,’ one of the more scarred sell-swords said, catching it with an easy grace. ‘Your son will be fine. Ash knows what he is doing. Now you go in. Let us do our job.’
Kara slid off the horse and planted her feet firmly in the ground. Gudrun put an arm about her, but she shrugged it off. ‘I stay here. I’ll keep out of the way and won’t interfere. Just catch him if he falls.’
‘We intend to, ma’am. We intend to.’
