climbed into the saddle. When she took Fulla again, he turned to Idunna.
“Do you need my help?”
“Hold the horse while I mount. I've ridden before. There's no reason to worry.” She could have accepted his offer, let him touch her, but his manner suggested he hadn't yet forgiven her for their earlier exchange.
Clutching the reins, he waited for her to climb up.
She tangled her skirt about her feet before she reached the stirrup. The animal was taller than most of the horses she'd ridden and with the lack of light, she missed the metal foot hold the first time. When she stumbled, Eoghann reached out to catch her.
“I'm fine,” she said, pulling back from his grasp.
“We need to go.”
Her second attempt saw her into the saddle. The ground appeared far away, but she took the reins, pleased. Worry quickly stomped the other feeling.
Eoghann mounted, then pointed his horse toward the road. The others followed. They remained at a walk until they reached a well shadowed dip in the path.
“We'll need to travel faster in order to cover more ground. Don't push them to run, it's unsafe, but a trot will do. Ealasaid, should I carry Fulla?”
“No, I've a bolt of cloth that will serve as a sling if you'll help me with it.” She passed the child to Idunna. “It won't take a moment and I'll have both arms free if I need them.”
“Pray you won't.” He tied the cloth around her neck, then helped her get one arm through it. “Let's hope she keeps warm enough. It will be daylight before we can risk a fire. There may be trouble along the road.”
They moved again, down the road between fallow fields where no cover kept them from any watching eyes. The wind stirred the fallen leaves and the horses snorted and stamped, but there was little other noise.
“Where are we going?” Birgir's teeth chattered through the question.
“A place no one will know us.” Eoghann's shoulders slumped and he sounded weary.
“Don't tease, Uncle.”
Eoghann sighed. “Suibhne. It's a long ride. Save your strength.”
Stunned silence followed his words.
“You can't mean it.” Ealasaid rode beside him. “What's there? Ruins, Hella says. Nothing more. What will we do for shelter and food?”
“Trade with the Scots. There's a band of them along the river. You'd best hope they're slow and lazy due to winter, with no desire to fight.”
“Trade what?” Idunna closed in on his other side. “We've got nothing to barter with.”
Eoghann shook his cloak. From inside, something jangled merrily. “We won't starve. Freeze, perhaps, but there will be food anyhow.”
“I don't wish to go there.” Ealasaid drew her horse to a stop. “How can you take us to that place?”
“Ma, I've dreamed of seeing it,” Birgir said. “We can't go home, so we should go there.”
“Hold your tongue, Birgir.” Ealasaid's voice softened when she spoke to him.
Eoghann tightened his hold on the reins. “It's our only hope.”
“We could stay among our allies. Go to one of the other settlements. None of the others have complained of attacks. There is nothing at Suibhne but ghosts.” Ealasaid shook her head. “I refuse. As your queen, you must respect my wishes.”
“Your king commands otherwise.” Eoghann glared at her. “When he comes to claim you, you can use that sharp tongue of yours to flay him for all I care. If Hella says take them to Suibhne, I cannot refuse.”
Idunna remained quiet. She knew little of the place. Only that it had been abandoned after the Bloody Raven's attack.
“Was Suibhne your idea or his?” Ealasaid stared at him, her gaze intense. “I cannot imagine Hella suggesting it.”
“Mine,” Eoghann admitted. “If you'd seen the wasted, stinking body of Ofbradh, you would not question the issue. What was done to him ruined his mind. Whoever poisoned him did not pause to consider his children either. He wiped out Ofbradh's line, do you understand? He would do the same to Hella's.”
Ealasaid stiffened, one
“Do you need my help?”
“Hold the horse while I mount. I've ridden before. There's no reason to worry.” She could have accepted his offer, let him touch her, but his manner suggested he hadn't yet forgiven her for their earlier exchange.
Clutching the reins, he waited for her to climb up.
She tangled her skirt about her feet before she reached the stirrup. The animal was taller than most of the horses she'd ridden and with the lack of light, she missed the metal foot hold the first time. When she stumbled, Eoghann reached out to catch her.
“I'm fine,” she said, pulling back from his grasp.
“We need to go.”
Her second attempt saw her into the saddle. The ground appeared far away, but she took the reins, pleased. Worry quickly stomped the other feeling.
Eoghann mounted, then pointed his horse toward the road. The others followed. They remained at a walk until they reached a well shadowed dip in the path.
“We'll need to travel faster in order to cover more ground. Don't push them to run, it's unsafe, but a trot will do. Ealasaid, should I carry Fulla?”
“No, I've a bolt of cloth that will serve as a sling if you'll help me with it.” She passed the child to Idunna. “It won't take a moment and I'll have both arms free if I need them.”
“Pray you won't.” He tied the cloth around her neck, then helped her get one arm through it. “Let's hope she keeps warm enough. It will be daylight before we can risk a fire. There may be trouble along the road.”
They moved again, down the road between fallow fields where no cover kept them from any watching eyes. The wind stirred the fallen leaves and the horses snorted and stamped, but there was little other noise.
“Where are we going?” Birgir's teeth chattered through the question.
“A place no one will know us.” Eoghann's shoulders slumped and he sounded weary.
“Don't tease, Uncle.”
Eoghann sighed. “Suibhne. It's a long ride. Save your strength.”
Stunned silence followed his words.
“You can't mean it.” Ealasaid rode beside him. “What's there? Ruins, Hella says. Nothing more. What will we do for shelter and food?”
“Trade with the Scots. There's a band of them along the river. You'd best hope they're slow and lazy due to winter, with no desire to fight.”
“Trade what?” Idunna closed in on his other side. “We've got nothing to barter with.”
Eoghann shook his cloak. From inside, something jangled merrily. “We won't starve. Freeze, perhaps, but there will be food anyhow.”
“I don't wish to go there.” Ealasaid drew her horse to a stop. “How can you take us to that place?”
“Ma, I've dreamed of seeing it,” Birgir said. “We can't go home, so we should go there.”
“Hold your tongue, Birgir.” Ealasaid's voice softened when she spoke to him.
Eoghann tightened his hold on the reins. “It's our only hope.”
“We could stay among our allies. Go to one of the other settlements. None of the others have complained of attacks. There is nothing at Suibhne but ghosts.” Ealasaid shook her head. “I refuse. As your queen, you must respect my wishes.”
“Your king commands otherwise.” Eoghann glared at her. “When he comes to claim you, you can use that sharp tongue of yours to flay him for all I care. If Hella says take them to Suibhne, I cannot refuse.”
Idunna remained quiet. She knew little of the place. Only that it had been abandoned after the Bloody Raven's attack.
“Was Suibhne your idea or his?” Ealasaid stared at him, her gaze intense. “I cannot imagine Hella suggesting it.”
“Mine,” Eoghann admitted. “If you'd seen the wasted, stinking body of Ofbradh, you would not question the issue. What was done to him ruined his mind. Whoever poisoned him did not pause to consider his children either. He wiped out Ofbradh's line, do you understand? He would do the same to Hella's.”
Ealasaid stiffened, one
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