"No." Lagertha gave Rollo the look that he had learned meant she was not going to change her mind, and he shrugged and walked away. Bjorn, who had been watching them from the campfire, ran up to him. "Well? What did she say?"
Rollo tousled the boy's hair. "She said no. She thinks you are not ready to go out hunting by yourself."
Bjorn looked crestfallen. "I thought if you asked, she would realize I am old enough." He looked trustingly at his uncle. "You think I'm ready, don't you?"
"If I didn't, I would never have asked but your mother has decided and we must abide by that decision." Bjorn looked mutinous and Rollo chuckled. "I would not dare to show that face to Lagertha. You had better come with me before we both get in trouble." The boy divided a glare between the two adults, then grabbed his bow and arrows and stalked off, his uncle at his heels.
Lagertha watched them go, shaking her head with bemusement. Had it really been only a week since they left Kattegat? They had fallen into a routine so quickly it seemed they could go on forever, Bjorn taking turns with her to drive the cart, Rollo ranging alongside, stopping at noon to cook a meal, camping for the night in some pleasant spot...It was almost alarming, considering what they had left behind, how at peace she felt. Where was the bitter anger, the grief, the bleak awareness that she had lost everything? At times the turmoil she had felt when she realized Ragnar would choose a pregnant stranger over her threatened to overwhelm her, but watching Rollo and Bjorn, she felt a tranquility that she was at a loss to define. Perhaps it was simply her joy that Bjorn had chosen to go with her rather than stay with his faithless father. And perhaps there was also relief that Rollo was with them, for in her most private thoughts, the shieldmaiden acknowledged to herself that she was thankful not to be a woman alone with a young boy in the wilderness. Lagertha knew herself to be strong and capable and more than a match for most men, but she was also wise enough to know that even the mightiest warrior has limits and is better for having a friend who can be trusted. How strange that Rollo had proven to be that friend.
Lagertha unhitched the sturdy small horse and turned him loose to graze. No need to hobble him, not with the forest so close. At night they heard wolves howling, and Bjorn never failed to point them out when the boldest came close enough for their eyes to shine in the fire. Rollo would throw another piece of wood on the flames, causing them to leap up and the wolves to retreat, and they would lie down, Lagertha and Bjorn on one side of the fire, Rollo on the other, and sleep until the first light. She hoped they would find a deer-for the past few days they had been living on rabbits and what edible plants they could gather and she was starting to feel hungry all the time.
She was sitting by the fire, staring into the flames as the shadows lengthened, when the man and boy came back into camp. Rollo had a deer slung across his shoulders and Bjorn was carrying...yes, more rabbits. He had a huge grin on his face, though, and Lagertha smiled in response. "You look very happy."
Rollo dropped his burden. "His first deer. He stalked it and killed it all by himself." Lagertha frowned and the big man held up a hand. "Don't look at me like that, shieldmaiden. I stayed close enough."
"Too close," said Bjorn, laying the rabbits on the ground. "I told you I could do it by myself."
"You are a fine hunter, Bjorn," said Lagertha. "I am very proud of you. Did you also get the rabbits?"
"No, Rollo snared them."
The big man started skinning the small animals. "We can always use a few more furs. The nights are beginning to get very cold."
"You have brought enough to keep us busy here for several days," said Lagertha, starting on the deer. They worked in silence, preparing the skins and cutting up the meat, then the shieldmaiden set up a tripod over the fire. Rollo filled a bucket from their water cask and Lagertha started a pot of rabbit stew while the man and boy fashioned a rack and hung up pieces of the venison to dry. The stew was just starting to bubble when they finished.
Rollo dropped to the ground near the fire. "That smells good. You're a fine cook, Lagertha."
She smiled and handed him a cup of water. "I'm even better when I have something more to work with than rabbits and wild onions."
"I miss your bread," Bjorn groaned. Lagertha and Rollo laughed and the boy smiled sheepishly. "It really is very good, Rollo. Someday mother will make it again and you'll see."
"I am willing to take your word for it." Rollo was leaning forward to watch as Lagertha tasted the stew when suddenly a grey shadow streaked out of the woods and plowed into him. Bjorn cried out in fear and his mother dropped the spoon and caught him up in her arms, tossing him into the cart and grabbing a bow and arrow. She turned, ready to fire, but could get no clear shot. A giant wolf was tearing at Rollo and they seemed to merge into one figure but she waited tensely, the bow drawn to its full extent. Then there was a dismal howl and the animal fell to one side, Rollo's knife buried to the hilt in its side.
Lagertha dropped the bow and arrow and ran to Rollo. He had pulled up his sleeves and was examining his arms and hands. He shook his head as the shieldmaiden dropped to her knees in front of him and took his head in her hands, feeling all over his face and neck. "There's nothing."
"Are you sure?" he demanded. "Be very sure."
"I'm sure." Laughing a little, she threw her arms around him and hugged him in sheer relief. Rollo was startled, but his arms tightened around her and she felt the warmth and strength of him and how good it was to be held again. Then a disapproving voice broke in on her.
"What is the matter with you two?" Bjorn was scowling at them, all but tapping his foot, and Rollo gently disengaged himself from Lagertha and stood up.
"Come here, Bjorn, but be very careful. Don't touch anything." Rollo pointed at the dead wolf. "See its mouth?"
"It looks like it's been eating soap!" The boy reached out and Rollo grabbed him and pulled him back.
"I said not to touch anything!" The big man stood squarely between his nephew and the dead animal. "That wolf was mad. When you see an animal with foam on its mouth, you must never let it get close to you. The smallest bite or scratch is as fatal as the most deadly poison." Bjorn caught Rollo's hands and looked at them. "It's all right, Bjorn. I was very fortunate."
"The gods must have protected you." Lagertha got to her feet. "We cannot stay here now-we will have to move on in the morning. I want to put many miles between ourselves and this place tomorrow." Bjorn looked bewildered and his mother explained, "Where there is one mad animal, there could be more. This is not a safe place to camp."
Bjorn's shoulders sagged. "I wanted to save the skin from my deer."
Rollo and Lagertha exchanged a look and the big man said, "When we have traveled a little more, you can go out hunting all by yourself and get another deer."
The boy looked at his mother and she nodded and smiled. "That one today doesn't really count anyway. Did not you say Rollo was too close? When you have shot a deer and brought it in all by yourself, that will be the one we count."
Rollo took the dead wolf by the tail and dragged it away from the campsite, then returned and started pulling everything out of the cart. "We will have to sleep in the cart tonight."
"In the cart!" Bjorn protested. "We cannot all fit in the cart, Rollo. You would take up all the room."
His mother cuffed him across the head. "We will manage, Bjorn. It will not be safe to sleep on the ground."
"Can we at least eat first?" asked the boy.
Lagertha smiled. "Of course, but we must be quick." She divided the stew between three bowls and they ate in silence, then Rollo built up the fire.
"It will be protection against any animals that are not sick," he said in response to Lagertha's questioning look and she nodded, then climbed into the cart with Bjorn while Rollo pushed all their belongings underneath. He stood up and looked doubtfully at the woman and boy. "Bjorn is right. We cannot all fit in there. I will sleep on the ground."
"You know that will not be safe." Lagertha put her hand on his arm. "There is enough room." He still hesitated and she said decisively, "Get in the cart, Rollo. Now."
The big man rolled his eyes, then climbed in and curled up next to Lagertha. She pressed against him to give Bjorn a little more room and he complained, "This isn't very comfortable."
"Be quiet, Rollo," said Lagertha. She kissed the top of her son's head. "You too, Bjorn. We are going to sleep now and I don't want to hear another word until the morning."
