Page 17 of A Viking's Captive

Ilona kent he told the men she had shot the deer when they glanced at her with new appreciation and incredulous expressions on their faces.

Rathnon explained, “The fur and head belong to Ilona. She wants to sew me a winter jacket after the hide is tanned and prepared.” The men nodded. Rathnon left the men in charge of dressing the deer. He looked at Ilona to confirm she wanted to resume hunting.

Ilona said, “Aye, ye promised me a full day of hunting, let’s go. Nae time to waste. I want to ken yer best hunting spots.” He agreed, and they resumed their walk through the forest. Ilona and Rathnon took turns hunting pheasants and rabbits.

Sunlight filtered through the majestic trees and dense foliage, leaving glimpses of yellow on the forest floor. The forest was quiet until broken by birdsong. It seduced her to open her heart and let down her guard.

For her part, Ilona felt enchanted, and it reminded her of home when she hunted with her father. At least when she hunted, Ilona had her father’s approval. In a similar way, she sensed she had pleased and surprised Rathnon with her hunting skills.

The couple sat close to a burn to eat their meal and relax. Rathnon laid his head on her lap as she leaned her back against a tree. Ilona stroked his head and his jaw, playing with his hair. Rathnon relaxed in her care and fell asleep for a quick nap. When he awakened, he peered into Ilona’s eyes. She still played with his hair. He sat up and pulled her onto his lap, straddling him. Ilona felt an innate sense of being safe with Rathnon.

She smiled at him. “Takk, Rathnon, for taking me with ye hunting. I had a marvelous day with ye. I wish this day would never end.” She leaned into him and initiated a tenuous kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. Ilona gave heed to her heart, avoiding the war in her mind that continually plagued her.

Rathnon kissed her back with longing in his heart. He noted by her smile, her tone of voice, and how she gazed at him that he had pleased her and brought her happiness. She was clearly innocent enough not to know how precarious this position could be. He wished to please her in other ways and, although tempting, restrained himself from seducing her here in the forest.

To obtain the happiness he wanted for their marriage, Rathnon needed to heed the recommendations of Sigrid. Finding a special place deep in the forest, he would consummate their marriage in private. Rathnon hoped to give Ilona time to adjust further to him and their marriage. He kissed her passionately, calling her “Hjartaö mitt” (“my heart” in Old Norse). The more passionately he kissed her, the more he wanted her, and he became hard underneath her. Every wriggle of hers intensified his desires. Finally, he pulled her from him and sat her beside him before he took things too far.

When Ilona repeated his words back to him, he almost forgot his resolve. Rathnon pointed to her heart and put his hands over his heart.

Ilona wished to fully understand him. Every day, he made it harder and harder to leave him. But she had to try.

Rathnon stood and pulled Ilona up to him to kiss her soft lips once more. Enraptured with each other, their hearts beat fast in response to kissing. Rathnon picked up the animals they’d shot, and Ilona carried a few to help. She wanted the feathers from the pheasants to make pillows and mayhap more arrows. They walked back to the longhouse, each reluctant to leave the magical interlude in the forest behind them.

Hailed as they returned heavily laden game, Rathnon explained how many Ilona had shot with his bow. The men were more impressed than before. Clearly the lass had hunting skills equal to many men. The men wondered how Rathnon had gotten lucky with a beautiful and resourceful woman. Rathnon and Ilona washed their faces and hands outside the longhouse. The men dressed and roasted the meat, while others strung the hides and feathers to dry.

Resolved to escape, Ilona would have liked to stay to finish the jacket for Rathnon. But she feared that if she did nae leave soon, she would find other reasons to stay. Like whiskey-colored eyes and soft, loving words. And kisses that could set the world on fire.

Lying on her pallet before Rathnon joined her to sleep, a silent tear streamed down her cheek, protesting her thoughts of leaving. Ilona thought of her bleak and empty prospects for marriage on Orkney. Ilona wanted to stay with Rathnon and become his wife, but she couldn’t say farewell to her parentsfor eternity. Tremendous guilt tore her heart and cleaved it in two, kenning she betrayed her parents if she stayed. But leaving Rathnon would betray her heart, and, she feared, her soul.

Chapter 6

The Escape

The next day, Ilona asked Sigrid about what her married life was like. Rathnon’s aunt shared a few experiences with her.

“It was nae easy, but I don’t think any marriage is easy in the beginning or at other stressful times.”

“Did ye ever think about running away?”

“Aye, I thought about it a lot, but where would I have gone? Thinking about it filled me with many questions and few answers. I would eventually have had to leave my family when I wed anyway. And if I returned, would it bring more shame on my family? How would it affect my husband? What if I carried his bairn? What if I returned to my home and my family was dead? I had many questions I did nae have the answers to, so I remained.

“I didn’t ken how I could successfully escape back home to the highlands of Scotland. Mayhap worse perils would await me if I did. I grew to love my husband, who was a good man.

“Rathnon is a good man. He cares for ye deeply, otherwise he would nae have brought ye here. He had many opportunities to take a wife, but he never did. Nae until ye. It would be a shame to throw away an opportunity for a good husband.”

Sigrid had given her a lot to think about. But Ilona didn’t ken if she could live with her guilt if she didn’t escape before she wed. It would be too late afterward.

The following day, as her wedding approached, preparations were underway. Ilona worked sewing the fine wool cloth she had made for Rathnon to the leather. When he entered, immediately seeking reassurance that she was still here, she requested he try on the jacket after the mid-morning meal to fit it properly. Rathnon held it up and marveled at the workmanship of such a fine garment. It was fit for royalty. Extremely happy with the fit, the panels she’d made provided ample room as he took practice swings with his sword.

“When done, it will look better.” The hood fit perfectly, and she designed it so he could cinch it tighter or looser, depending on the wind and the weather. Rathnon’s eyes glowed with happiness, and she basked in his appreciation and praise.

Ilona had released her guilt about escaping; she had given him what she could. Rathnon would have tangible reminders of her as her memory faded. Afterward, she worked for hours completing the embroidery for her wedding gown. The wolf’s coloring resembled Rathnon’s hair color of tawny blond and gold. The wolf’s eyes were gold, like honeyed whiskey. Ilona wished she could take it with her to remember him instead of leaving it as a gift. Forced to leave out of duty to her father, her heart argued to stay.

Ilona covered Rathnon with desperate kisses that night as they lay pressed together. She wanted to remember his kisses and the feelings that burned inside her. Ilona kent she would nae have a love like his again. She had everything ready, as best she could under the circumstances. Her heart was heavy and sad, like a boat anchored in the bay, burdened by the thought of leaving part of her heart behind with Rathnon. Ilona fell asleep as tears dripped from her long lashes and dripped onto his chest.

Rathnon worried about Ilona. He wanted to keep her with him always and have a family with her. He wanted to protect her—even from herself. Would Ilona hate him?

The next morning, long before sunrise, Ilona did nae make a sound as she dressed in silence. Tying her healing bag to her waist, she took one more glance at Rathnon, trying to memorize his features. Stealthily, she stole out of the longhouse into the early morning chill.