Page 12 of Highlander’s Viking Sin

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Emotion weighed heavily on Isla’s mind. During the evening, she ate in Rune Dolph’s house, sitting at his table with the finest wine and meat. She heard boasting stories of his exploits. A long time ago, she would have swooned at his stories, for he certainly knew how to make himself sound impressive. No longer was that the case, though. She smiled and nodded and tried to be as pleasant a companion as she could without giving the Viking what he truly wanted. In truth, his stories faded into the background, for there was something else on her mind: Emmel. Her heart had soared when she saw him. She would never have thought he would have come for her, and she had almost not recognized him at first. What a risk it was to come all this way just for her, and what a foolish notion it had been.

She had never wanted to argue with him or seem ungrateful, but there was no use in him being here. If he were discovered, he would be killed, and if somehow they managed to escape, the Vikings would only come after them. What good would the two of them be against an entire Viking settlement? No, the easiest thing was for him to return to the island and give up on this endeavor. Isla would have to bear the sorrow in order to protect her son. She knew what kind of temper Rune Dolph possessed, and if something should anger him, there was nothing that could escape his rage, not even his son. Somehow, someway, Isla would find her way out of this. It was better for Emmel that he leave. She just hoped he understood this sooner rather than later, for the longer he lingered in this place, the more likely it was that someone would discover his subterfuge.

While her heart had soared when she had first seen him, it sank now, for she felt ungrateful. Emmel had altered his appearance and traveled to this place all for her, and at the first opportunity they had to speak, she turned him away and practically scolded him for even daring to come here. It only reminded her that she was unworthy of him and that one day he would find a woman who could appreciate all of his good qualities. She clearly had too much from her past that prevented her from enjoying her future, and Emmel would have been better off leaving her behind. She would not have what she considered a good life, but she knew that Rune Dolph would not harm her, and she could not deny the fact that Andrew was enjoying himself.

Seeing her son acting as a warrior made her feel sick, but it also made doubt flash in her mind. It was clear that the traits of a warrior were in his blood. Had she been wrong for preventing him from indulging this nature? He had taken to a sword like a fish took to the water or a bird to the air, and he was so happy. She questioned her ability as a mother as she had let her fear take precedence over what was good for the boy. Perhaps his true place was with his father.

After the meal, she excused herself and stepped outside to enjoy the fresh air and have some time to herself. The air was not as salty as it was on the island, and she missed the unique aroma she was used to. She wrapped a shawl around herself and watched the flame dance while people gathered around it and shared a meal. It was not the worst place in the world, she conceded, and tried to convince herself that she might actually be able to have a life here.

Soon enough, a commotion caught her attention. She looked through the flames into the shadows and saw Emmel being bullied by Vikings. Her lower lip trembled, and anger filled her heart that he should be treated in this manner. It was pitiful to see him tumble to the ground, especially because she knew that he was doing it for her. What an awful person she was. She strode out to put a stop to it, but before she could get any farther, she heard a cry from inside the house. It was Andrew. He wanted a story before bed. Reluctantly she turned around and went back inside, wiping away an errant tear that trickled down her cheek.

Andrew was tucked up in bed. He yawned, and his eyes were heavy. Isla came to sit beside him and stroked his cheek.

“Can I hae a story, Ma?” he asked.

Isla smiled. “If ye think ye can stay up long enough for one,” she replied.

Defiance flashed in Andrew’s eyes for a moment, but only for a moment. It was replaced by fatigue once again. Before she could tell him a story, however, he had a question for her.

“Why didnae ye tell me that he’s my da?” Andrew asked.

Isla swallowed a lump in her throat. How was she supposed to talk about these complicated matters with a child?

“Tae be honest with ye, I didnae know he was here. I thought it would be easier for us tae live on the island. He left us, and I was nae about tae chase him,” Isla said, deciding that that was as close to the truth as she could get without having to explain the chaos of love to her son.

“Are we staying here now, Ma? I want tae stay with Da. He’s been teaching me sae many things, and I…I like it here,” his words were punctuated with heavy yawns, and his eyes closed. Isla planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

“We’ll see, my boy. I just want ye tae be happy.”

His breathing deepened as he slipped off to sleep. She wished that she could descend into slumber so easily as well, but her mind was too chaotic with thoughts.

The matter did not get any easier to deal with over the following few days either. Isla caught glimpses of Emmel in the settlement, but she was never able to get the opportunity to speak to him. There was usually some Viking around to overhear their conversation. More often than not, it was Varrik.

Isla saw how Emmel was being mistreated as well, and her heart went out to him. When would he see sense and leave? She tried to raise the matter with Rune Dolph, but he dismissed her concerns as that of a soft-hearted woman and didn’t seem to think that he should be concerned with the well-being of some woebegotten merchant that had been punished by fate. Andrew continued receiving lessons in swordsmanship, and he continued to excel. Isla felt a mixture of pride and fear, for every day, it felt as though she was coming a little bit closer to losing her son. She still did not know if Rune Dolph wanted anything else from them. There were moments when she thought she detected a lecherous gaze, but so far, he had not put his hands on her. She remembered the way he had been so forthright with her when she had been younger, how he had grabbed her and pulled her close to his chest so that she might share the heat of his body. There had never been any sense of hesitation from him then, and she was just glad that he wasn’t taking her presence here as an invitation to come to her bed.

Since Emmel did not show any sign of leaving, Isla knew she was going to have to find a way to talk with him again, to try and get him to leave because the Vikings weren’t going to treat him any more kindly. At night, when the settlement was sleeping, Isla shrouded herself in a shawl and slipped out of the house. Her steps were light, and she kept the shadows, flitting about the camp like a spirit. The roaring fire that had spread warmth through the camp was but embers now. The faint glow cast a gentle light on the area around it. The moon hung like a silver coin in the sky, and it bathed the world in sensual light. Isla was glad that the moon was on her side. She managed to navigate her way to the stables without tripping on anything or causing any disturbance.

“Emmel? Emmel, are you here?” she whispered as she reached the stables. The building had wide openings, but the roof meant that it was difficult for the moonlight to penetrate completely. There were snuffling sounds from the horses, but it took a few more tries before Emmel awoke. She heard a soft groaning sound and then the sounds of hay moving. Emmel emerged from the shadows. With his shaved head and swollen features of his face where he had been beaten, he looked like some monster. He yawned but stirred when he realized that Isla was there. He rushed to her side and pulled her into the stable so that they might be shielded from any prying eyes or ears. They both kept their voices low so as not to disturb anyone in the camp.

“What are ye daeing here?” Emmel asked.

“I came tae speak tae ye,” Isla began.

“I dinnae mean here, now, I mean here in this place!” Emmel said.

Isla wore a pained expression. “I cannae tell ye everything. Emmel, why hae ye nae left? I told ye that ye should gae. I hae seen the way ye are being treated. It’s nae fair tae ye. Return home, and dinnae worry about me. I will be fine here.”

Emmel held himself ramrod straight, and his gaze seemed to invade her soul. “I cannae leave when I dinnae understand what ye are daeing here. I made a promise tae yer da that I would bring ye and Andrew back. I cannae return empty-handed, with neither his family nor an explanation tae help soothe his sorrow. But answer me one question, Isla... Hae ye been kidnapped, or are ye here of yer own free will?”

Isla turned away from him, finding it more difficult to answer the question than she perhaps should have. “It’s complicated,” she finally said.

Emmel snorted and threw his hands up. “It should nae be!” he cried. “Who is this man, and why are ye sleeping in his house? Haes he simply taken favor with ye? I thought we were friends. Ye need tae tell me.”

His voice became terse, as did Isla’s when she responded. It took all her willpower to maintain some semblance of control over the volume of her voice. “I dinnae need tae dae anything. I didnae ask ye tae come here, Emmel. All I’m asking now is that ye leave. I hae things under control here, and I dinnae want tae see ye suffer. Ye are nae gaeing tae dae any good. Return tae the island and tell Da…tell him that Andrew and I are well. That’s all he needs tae know.”

“Ye know that’s nae gaeing tae be good enough for him,” Emmel said, anger seething in the undercurrent of his voice. “And ye may nae hae asked me tae come here, but yer da did. Ye should see how worried he is. And now I hae tae tell him that ye are living with some Viking, that ye are willing tae abandon yer whole life on the island tae live in this place? It doesnae make sense tae me, Isla, and I highly doubt it’s gaeing tae make sense tae him. I came here tae rescue ye because I’m worried about ye. Ye can tell me ye are safe all ye want, but I’m nae gaeing tae believe it until I know for sure that ye are.”