Chapter 12.
˝Open your eyes miserable man˝- A voice shouted. Ivar's eyes popped open instantly. Midday sun shone, blinding him. He smelt the sea and felt the softness of sand under him. He was ashore.
He was alive.
˝Why did I even spare your miserable being?˝- The man's voice continued to grumble. But it was bodiless, you couldn't sense from where it was coming. It was everywhere. He saw his father, lying next to him, eyes wide, skin covered in sea salt. The storm crushed their ships and stranded them.
˝Who are you?˝- Ivar asked the sea.
˝Venient pax˝- said the voice of the man. Ivar wanted to ask something but Ragnar stirred beside him. And then there was only the sound of the waves.
˝Come quick to the harbor!˝- One of the slave girls tugged on Llucia's sleeve. She was immersed on the floor, on a fur rug watching rune stones. Astrid, Earl Ingstad's well she didn't know what the woman was, insisted Llucia learned them and their meanings.
Once they reached the harbor Llucia saw Earl Ingstad and smiled. The Earl was no ordinary woman. From a simple farmer to a shield maiden to a queen to an outcast to an earl. The strength it must have taken to endure such a feat rivaled the Gods. Still, she was this beautiful and gentle creature. Llucia never felt threatened or different, she was just named differently from her.
˝Come here girl, there's things I want to show you˝- She waved her hand. Crates filled with fruit and supplies were carried onto the docks. As soon as the whiff caught Llucia's nose she squealed in happiness.
The tartness and sweetness of an orange. She could already taste the juicy meat on her tongue.
˝Yes, wares from the South, this ship has sailed long but they promise everything is still fresh, even these gnarly things˝
˝Oranges Earl, they're called oranges and those are lemons. I haven't seen these in so long˝- Longingly she brushed the bumpy skin of the fruits. ˝Each part can be used for food and medicine, as well as those˝- Amphoras, wide bellied and tall necked containers.
˝Oil and wine˝
˝Olive oil˝- Llucia whispered it like a prayer. ˝These are riches earl!˝- The girl squealed. The merchants laughed at her happiness at just some food and wares.
˝She's lively˝- A merchant said. ˝You remind me of the woman back home˝- He said. He was a tall man with broad shoulders, shaggy black hair that barely touched his nape and bright blue eyes. His skin tanned with work under the sun seemed smooth as she wanted to touch it. A thought of marbled statues from the atrium back home popped up.
Llucia stared at him unaware of the earl's gaze. She smiled under her furs. So young, she thought.
˝Why don't you join us and speak of your travels? The north never changes˝- She offered. The men ayed and cheered.
˝So we sailed past the harbor with rotten bread and they kept saying : KEEP YOUR FILTHY FISH ASIDE! So we threw them and made old women panic! Never in my life did I see so many garlic cloves thrown at me˝- The merchant Maxentius said. The hall boomed with laughter and clashing cups of ale.
They sat around the table and told their stories, one crazier after another. Maxentius had it's eyes completely fixated on Llucia as soon as earl Ingstad said she was from the South. He smiled warmly each time their eyes met.
Llucia felt hot and not just from the ale in her belly but with pride in her heart for her old country. The names and the stories lit homesickness. She wished to see it, at least once before she died.
Could her father be still alive?
Her mother still at the temple?
Would the city still be full of people and vibrant smells and colors?
She'd finish her mug and refill it instantly. Earl Ingstad watched her with a careful eye.
˝Shhh little bird, you'll drown˝- Astrid said beside her. She smiled but her eyes were icy. Slowly her mug connected to the hard wood of the table. Her vision was already blurry, with emotion and ale alike. The laughter seemed harsh and mocking her state.
˝What brought you to the north?˝- Maxentius asked suddenly. All eyes shifted to the dark haired girl.
˝What?˝- She blurted. It was in Latin with a hard Northern accent. The mixture of her heart currently.
Maxentius smiled. It was the first time he heard her use Latin. Even with the accent from living here, she still had the strict, clean intonation of upper class. She must have been a daughter of a senator. He could use this for his advantage easily.
˝How did you end up here? Or you on a pilgrimage?˝- He asked in fluent Latin. The other merchants snickered and talked loudly to distract the northerners.
˝I was sent..˝- Llucia said swallowing. A lump was in her throat. The intense gaze of Maxentius was too much for her.
˝Your father?˝- She nodded. Not knowing what to do she emptied her mug. ˝I'll leave for a bit of fresh air˝- She said still in Latin. Bowing to the earl her legs moved rather slow and uncoordinated. The ale and the sitting all afternoon. A good leg stretch would do her good.
Llucia's feet took her to the tree she saw Ivar. Had it been already two full moons since he departed for the raid? He had to come back if he made her said those words. She even sacrificed fish heads to Neptun for safe sea travels.
Her hearth was always lit, a timid flame keeping her safe.
˝Vesta...keep the idiot safe˝- She whispered.
˝Keep who safe?˝- Maxentius asked. He was leaning on the tree with a mischievous smirk on his face. Her eyes ghosted over his body. You couldn't ignore it, the definition and the color so similar to her own. It was a picture of her home on a man's body.
˝My bethroned˝- Well wasn't that a new thing to say. Her cheeks flushed like beets. Maxentius smiled.
˝Reaaally? And where is he?˝
˝Raiding˝
˝He's ..a northerner?˝
˝Yes, a prince actually˝- Didn't it feel like she was lying? He didn't seem intimidated one bit. More intrigued by her more than ever.
˝You must be special to be bethroned to a prince then...˝
˝Just a daughter of Rome˝
˝Oh?˝
˝Will you be staying long? As a merchant you don't have time on your hands˝- What was she saying? Her mind seemed to fold itself like a kneaded bread dough.
˝I have some time...might even take new passengers. Do you miss home? I presume these Barbarians don't treat you right, a lady of your statue should be poised on a throne and treated like a fine statue or a goddess even!˝- His Latin danced in her eyes, thick like honey.
˝Why would you say something like that?˝
˝You're alone here! Must be boring˝
˝There are many tasks to keep me occupied˝
˝Raids always last so long, don't they? So uncertain, things happen so fast. A storm a dagger in your back... do you feel lonely my dear? Your sole self in a place filled with heathens?˝
˝I have the earl and many others for company˝
˝I meant...male company, at night when Nox comes. Don't you wish to be held secluded in strong arms?˝- He closed the distance between them, his head turned down, lids low and heavy. She could smell the ale in his breath and the salt on his hair. Inhaling Llucia closed her eyes and shook her head. ˝Are you sure? ˝- He whispered, less then a few inches separating their mouth.
˝...yes˝
˝You don't seem sure of yourself, let me take you back home, where you belong. I shall make you my wife. Let me end your suffering.˝- He offered. The words were honest and strong, like a rock you could lean on.
a/N: I wanted to update sooner but this week just mowed me over. Dead tired and I kept reading your reviews and wanting to write but I'd open my word and fall asleep in a manner or minutes. So here's the update folks! How you like the new cliff hanger? Hehehe
Ifi it's bad tell me.
JUST DO IT gently.
I'll be starting xmax vacay this week so that means more updates, maybe even drunken snippets or small snippets here and there? Here's a preview :
** Mustache**
Llucia was staring at her plate all evening, picking around her food and moving it around, rearranging it like a mosaic. She and Ivar ate alone tonight, the hall was empty as everybody was either tending to their wounds or sleeping the pain off. You could only hear the fire eating away at the logs.
˝Why are you so quiet?˝- Ivar asked. His plate was almost empty and he nursed a mug of ale.
˝It's nothing really˝- Llucia answered and chocked something back in her throat. Immediately she looked down and bit her lip. Ivar grew anxious with the situation, was she hurt somewhere?
˝Tell me what it is˝- He commanded. Slowly Llucia's eyes rose to him and her lips quivered. Her eyes were large, pupils dilated and he could even see blood seeping in her cheeks. Slowly spreading as she bit back a grimace.
˝It's just your mustache... I could have grown a better one and I'm a woman˝- Llucia spat out. She bit her lips to kept the laughter. Ivar glared at her.
˝WHAT!?˝- As he roared Llucia released the pent up laughter and almost fell out her chair. She held her stomach and laughed out loud making Ivar madder.
a/n 1: These snippets MAY OR MAY NOT be connected to the story. Hehe.
a/n2 : psssst I never said Llucia wasn't experienced.