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The Norseman toppled to the ground dead. Brand retrieved his sword and cleaned it on the spring grass before replacing it in its hilt, the studied action of a man who had performed the same task a hundred times before. The tight expression of his lips showed Edith how shaken and upset he was. She sat back on her heels and waited, understanding that Brand needed time to finish his rituals.
The other warriors started to round up the remaining attackers and started to lay out their fallen in preparation for a pyre. Hrearek, Edith noticed, had no attention paid to him.
‘I owe you a life-debt, Edith,’ Brand said, coming up to her and raising her up. ‘Your shout saved my life and many of my men’s lives. And you caused Hrearek’s death.’
‘Not me,’ Edith replied. Her legs trembled so much that she doubted they could hold her. She wanted to throw her arms about Brand and check that every particle of him was unharmed, but after what had passed between them, she didn’t dare. ‘You owe Athelstan one. He wielded the knife.’
Brand glanced over to where the man lay. Blood bubbled out of Athelstan’s mouth and Brand knew what that meant. Death would come within a few heartbeats. He turned back to Edith and wondered if she guessed what this man’s future was?
‘Indeed I owe him a life-debt,’ Brand said, bowing his head. ‘I will honour it to the best of my abilities.’
‘Will you allow him to go free now?’ Tears shimmered in her eyes. ‘He is a ghost to you. He could take a different name and serve as your loyal subject.’
‘Alas, I would if I could,’ he said, shaking his head.
‘You and your stupid honour! There are things which are more important.’
‘Edith,’ Brand said, laying his hand on her shoulder. He had never expected her to defend him like that. She was completely different to any other woman he’d ever known. He had wronged her in thought, word and deed. He did not deserve her. ‘He is dying. He gave his life for yours. He did what you asked.’
‘For mine?’ Her eyes widened. ‘He saved you.’
‘You would have rushed Hrearek yourself and died. He knew this as I do. You are many things, Edith, but you are no warrior. You’ve never been trained. You would not have stood a chance.’
She did not reply, but instead went over to her servant and raised his head up so that he rested on her lap
‘Lady Edith, I wanted to tell you before...’ the man croaked.
‘Hush, don’t try to speak.’ She put two fingers against his lips. ‘Save your strength. Save your breath. Your family needs you.’
‘I’m dying, my lady. I’ve known that for days. My other wound, the one in my shoulder, is putrid.’
‘Athelstan, these things are never certain.’
He raised his hand and reached towards where Brand stood. ‘I made a mistake. Lord Bjornson was not who I thought he was. All Norsemen look alike to me. The other one, the one who attacked, was...he was the one with the axe. The one who broke the truce.’
‘Thank you for telling me.’ Edith bowed her head. ‘I already knew Lord Bjornson was innocent. I’m pleased you know it as well. All this was caused by one man—Hrearek. I know this in my heart.’
‘I owe you my life,’ Brand said, kneeling beside the pair. Without Edith’s quick thinking and Athelstan’s help, he would be the one on the ground dead. In his blindness and jealousy, he had blamed them for using him. He’d been afraid of what he felt for Edith and had used her actions as the wedge to drive them apart. ‘Are you sure of your intelligence?’
‘I watched...’ Athelstan gave a hard cough which prevented him from speaking.
Brand knew the end was near and that there were things which were far more important than who did what on a distant battlefield. This man had returned because of his family. ‘I promise you to look after your son as if he was my own. He will want for nothing. I will make him a brave warrior.’
The former rebel gave a ghost of a smile. ‘I could not ask for better payment of a life-debt. You do that and it will be paid.’
His eyes rolled back and his body convulsed sharply before lying still. Brand leant over and closed Athelstan’s unseeing eyes.
‘Edith?’ Brand laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. ‘It is done and finished. You need to get cleaned up.’
A single tear rolled down her face. ‘What happens next? Will we be able to bury him back on the estate? Athelstan should have a proper place with his ancestors.’
