Page 16 of A Viking's Captive

She had them practice on a small piece of fur. The young ladies wanted to sew fur blankets for themselves to keep until they married. Ilona helped them hem their blankets.

“The hides are ready to be used like this. Or ye can sew wool to the back of the fur, making it more finished and warmer.” The ladies appreciated her ideas and would ask another woman to help them weave wool for the other side of the fur. The ladies in the large room talked, laughed, and gossiped. Through Sigrid, they asked Ilona questions about her life and if she looked forward to being such a powerful warrior’s wife.

Ilona carefully replied, “I never wished to leave my parents and home to journey far away. I ken Rathnon is a mighty warrior, and I wish to be a good wife.”

Inquisitive, the women asked about their wedding garments. “I have Rathnon’s tunic completed, but mine is nae done yet. I still have a lot to do.” She described a few of the things she had embroidered on Rathnon’s tunic, and they were amazed and looked forward to seeing it. Ilona thanked them and returned to the longhouse, resuming work on her wedding gown panel. She would wear the panel over the green gown she’d worn at the castle. The new embroidery would totally transform the dress.

Ilona embroidered the branches and leaves of the tree. She also embroidered countless white flowers floating down the fabric to the bottom of the gown. Ilona had made a lot of progress, but her shoulders ached. Tense as she worked, thinking about plotting her devious escape.

Even as she planned, she envisioned how she and Rathnon would appear on their wedding day, standing side by side as they said their vows.If we marry, how could I leave him?Every day, I lose more of my heart to him.The more he kissed her and caressed her skin, the less she wanted to leave. A war she waged inside her mind and heart.

After they wed and he claimed her as his wife in vows and in deeds, she could be with bairn.How can I escape and flee with his child? How could I raise a child without a father?

Everything seemed a tangled weave, and she did nae ken how she would unravel the threads of her past with her future. If she left, she could never return.I would never look into his whiskey and smoldering gaze again, never feel his embrace again. All this worrying gave her a headache. And a heartache. She didn’t ken which was worse.

Ilona saw Rathnon at dinner, and they shared their day. Sigrid told her on the following morning that she could split her time between the garden, weaving, and caring for the animals. Ilona also planned to walk down to the coast and check the tides.

She needed to time her escape with the tides, or she never would have the strength to overcome the waves beating against the shore. Rathnon told her at dinner he would take her hunting the day after tomorrow, and she eagerly looked forward to it. She held the leather up to the front of Rathnon and used twine to determine the dimensions of the jacket and sleeves. He ran his hands down the soft, buttery leather, intrigued by how Ilona intended to construct his jacket.

Through Sigrid, he told her, “I need the garment roomy enough to fight with my sword.” Ilona indicated she understood and would construct the garment for his comfort. She would useside panels joining the front and back together to provide him room to maneuver without restrictions. Ilona fell asleep early so that she could awaken early and scout the beach, raising no one’s suspicions.

The next morning, Ilona rose and dressed before the men awakened. She stole down to the beach and checked the tide. Luckily, she kent how to sail, but she had never done it alone. Happy to have crept out of the house without detection, Ilona climbed the hill.

She worked in the barn, caring for the animals and cleaning their stalls. Ilona did not mind this work; she had done it many times at home without complaint. When she completed that, she took empty baskets and returned to the forest to dig more herbs.

Ilona tended her garden, watering, pulling weeds, and also caring for the communal garden. She took the hoe to the dirt in between the rows of plants and carried buckets of water to water the garden. Ladies would arrive later to pick herbs and vegetables to prepare for today’s dinner. When she returned to the longhouse, people were assembling for the mid-morning meal.

Rathnon asked, “Why did ye awaken early before me? What did ye do this morning?”

“I cared for the animals, worked in the gardens, and cut more healing herbs to hang from the rafters in the barn. Ye can see the cuttings of elderflowers by the front door that I planted. I hope that, like me, they will thrive in their new home.” Rathnon gave her a wry smile. The women had admired her work. Of course, she neglected to tell him about her trip to the ocean.

“Ye have had a full and busy morning already. What do ye intend to do later?”

“I want to spend the rest of the day weaving wool cloth on the loom for yer jacket.”

Unbeknownst to Ilona, Rathnon had followed her to the coast, the barn, and to the forest. He needed to protect her. He studied her.She would not attempt to escape if she’s going to the trouble of sewing me a coat, would she?

He needed to marry her as soon as he could, hopefully preventing her from leaving him. Rathnon could not bear it if she left. He knew why she felt she needed to flee: because of her love for her parents. But he hoped he could make her feel cherished and protected, thereby wanting to stay with him. Hopefully, taking her hunting and spending the day with her would also make her happy and make it harder for her to leave.

As long as she remained safe, he would allow her the independence she had cultivated. Ilona wasn’t aware, but secretly, he took lessons in Gaelic from Sigrid. Rathnon desired to communicate more freely with Ilona so she would feel more comfortable with him.

Ilona spent the rest of the day until sunset weaving thick wool yarn on the loom for the back of Rathnon’s jacket. They had dinner and went to bed early.

The pair awakened the next morning and left the longhouse early. Rathnon carried a bow over his shoulder and a full quiver of arrows. He hung a sack of food over his other shoulder for their meals, along with his water bag. Ilona carried her own water bag. Stalking stealthily, he showed her the tracks of the animals in the ground and took her to a clearing in a meadow.

Rathnon studied Ilona as she practiced using his bow, aiming at a stationary target. She had excellent form and aim, but shooting an animal running away was a different proposition altogether.

Ilona spotted a large stag. It would be easier to sew with a large piece of fur. The brown coloring of the deer would help camouflage the hunter, and at sea ye needed comfort—in both situations, Rathnon would benefit.

He handed Ilona the bow and an arrow, then studied her as she crept closer to the game downwind to prevent the deer smelling her scent and darting away. She stood silently, taking careful aim, and let loose the arrow. It found its mark, and the deer dropped to the ground.

Ilona must have shot it through the heart. Her father had been a good teacher, and she had been a talented student, seeking her father’s approval and love. She gave Rathnon a beatific smile of quiet victory. Ilona did nae shout or yell like lads did when they shot their first deer. She was poised and confident in her skills, like a warrior before battle.

Together, they walked to the deer, and Rathnon held a knife ready to ensure the deer was dead. A wounded animal could kill even the strongest hunger if they weren’t careful. He pulled out the arrow and wiped the tip on the grass, cleaning the blood off of it. Rathnon sheathed his knife and sized up the deer. Luckily, they had not ventured far into the forest before they spotted this deer, and he wouldn’t have far to carry it. If the buck were too heavy, they would need to field dress it.

Squatting, Rathnon got in position, then hoisted the deer over his shoulders, balancing the weight of the animal. A beautiful animal, it would provide more food for the long wintermonths. With this deer, the men and women alike would hold Ilona in higher esteem. His intuition told him she would wish to return after they took the deer to the longhouse.

Rathnon and Ilona retraced their way back home. People gathered when they saw the stag around his shoulders. The men came to help lift it and move it onto the ground to dress it. Congratulations flowed toward Rathnon about the deer, but he corrected them. “Ilona shot the deer, not me.”