Fault (Book 1 of the Vikings Series)

Chapter 23

Elin

I wait until all of the warriors have passed and creep down into the small boat. Everything is soaked and most of the canvas sails are torn, flapping limply in the wind. I climb up to the helm, glancing towards the village making sure I'm still alone. A small map lays on a box with different pins spread around. One of them lays in a kay across from Limerick.
"Havredal," I breath. I roll up the map and stuff it in my belt, hiding the wet parchment under my cloak. There's a noise behind me and a single warrior walks purposefully down the wooden dock.
I jump down to the lower level of the dock and crouch behind a few crates tied down to the deck. I rest my hand down on the deck and feel a string running under them. My gaze shifts down and I close my hand around a familiar bow string. I'd seen this bow a million times, teasing Vern while he practiced with it for hours on end. The quiver full of arrows sits next to it and I pull it on my shoulder. A large smile dawns my face. Vern's here. My happiness is cut short by the realization that Thorgar had taken Vern and whoever was with him as prisoners. Slowly, I peer over the crate and see the warrior looking over the ship. I try to duck down but the man sees me.
"Hey, nobody's supposed to be on this ship," he yells. I stand up and his eyes widen.
"Miss Elin, you shouldn't be out in the storm."
"I'm sorry. I was just.. looking around," I stammer.
"Head on up to the mountain pass. Thorgar wants all of you up there by noonday."
I nod and he helps me up to the dock. I clutch the bow under my arm and hurry into the village, amazed he didn't question me further. How the heck did he know my name? I've only been here for a few days.
That barely matters to me as I sprint towards the mountain. I run up the dirt path and stop only to pass a few people heading down. A hand grabs my shoulder spinning me to face them. The bow flies from my grasp, clattering to the ground a few feet away. Kori picks it up and puts a finger over her lips. She waits until the rest of the people are headed down the mountain to speak to me.
"What's this?" Kori asks, holding up the bow.
"It's, um-" I try to come up with a lame excuse.
"Save it," Kori hisses. "I know this isn't yours and the fact that you're so giddy means you know your boyfriend is here."
"He's not my boyfriend!" I snatch the bow from her hands.
"Do you honestly think I care?" Kori raises her eyebrows. "Listen, you cannot talk to any of them. If Thorgar finds out they're actually from Havredal, they're dead, understand?"
"You expect me to just, pretend they aren't here? They're my family!" I exclaim.
"Then protect them, and stay away. Thorgar and Eesa pay too much attention to you, just give it a few days," Kori finally eases away.
"Second house on the right," she calls back up the path. I let out a deep breath and look to the ground. As much as I hate to admit it, Kori's right.
Later that night, I sit on my bed across from Kori. The mountain village is small but somehow the two of us end up being the only one in our small house. Kori lays on her bed on the other side of the room, fingering a dagger. She hasn't said much since she came in and I don't bother making any conversation. Vern's bow sits across my lap and I idly play with the string.
There's a soft knock on the door and I stand to answer it, laying the bow down on my bed. Kori cranes her neck to see who's behind the door. No one is there. I peek my head out and see Briar standing against the wall. He puts a finger over his lips and motions me outside.
"Who is it?" Kori asks. I glance in her direction and she shakes her head.
"Just give me a minute," I step outside.
"Elin, you're going to get them killed," Kori warns.
The door creaks closed, cutting off her protests and we're left in the silence. Briar's dark hair and cloak camouflage him into the night.
"Come with me," Briar whispers.
"What?" I ask confused. "Where?"
"Anywhere," Briar shrugs. "Up into the mountains."
"You know we can't leave here," I say quietly.
Briar laughs. "You pretend that Thorgar would kill you if you snuck out."
"I know he won't, hopefully. But I can't say the same for you."
"Please, Elin. We need to talk. After all I did for you in Havredal you owe me at least that much."
I roll my eyes.
We take the small path that winds up into the mountains over Antrapar. The moonlight lights our path and casts shadows down over the harbor. Briar finally stops on a small ledge and sits down, propping himself up on one elbow. I sit with my legs crossed a few feet away.
"Alright, you got me up here. Now what?" I ask.
"I came all the way to Antrapar looking for you and you won't entertain a conversation," Briar mutters.
"I hear you left the ships for other reasons," I reply.
Briar sits up.
"Remember that first Raid, what I had said climbing up the mountain? This just proves it."
"Proves what?"
"Tarben leads his fleet around terrorizing viking villages and acts like he's some kind of king. Driving them all to Antrapar as he burns their villages."
"Why is that a problem? It's what they've been doing for years."
"It wouldn't be, if it hadn't been the reason Tarben and Singrid left Antrapar to begin with."
I stand up and dust some of the dirt from my pants.
"I don't want to talk about my parents. If this is your attempt at getting me to return to Havredal, don't waste your breath."
Briar stands, too.
"That is not my point." He rubs the back of his neck nervously. "I actually don't have a point. I just.. There's no one else I can talk to the way I can talk to you. Things have changed since we left on Raid and, well, I don't want to change any more than I have."
"That would be a little bit more convincing if the last time we'd spoken you hadn't tried to kill me. You already have changed, a lot."
Briar's face reddens and he looks to the ground.
"I need to explain myself for that. That anger was not meant for you," he says quietly.
"Briar, I don't hold that against you. I'm sorry for bringing it up. It's just, I have a new life here and there's no time for me to think of Tarben or Havredal."
"And you can just forget about them?"
I chuckle. "Of course not. And to be honest, I'm happy you, Welch, and Vern showed up. It helps me remember some of the good things from home."
"Not much of anything seems to make you happy."
I sit back down and lean up against the rock wall. I take a deep breath and meet Briar's stare.
"I don't know what I enjoy and what I do out of obligation anymore. It's all one in the same," I sigh. Briar sits close to me, our arms just barely touching.
"I can't imagine living that way," Briar shakes his head.
"There isn't really a choice for me to make, but sometimes, I wish... I wish I didn't have to know what it was like in Havredal."
"You don't mean that. If you did, you'd be less than half the thrall I thought you were." Briar elbows me gently in the side.
"I hope not," I shoot him a half hearted grin.
We talk for awhile longer, Briar returning more to his cocky, irritating fashion the more time that passes. I finally decide it's late enough to return to the village. After a mild protest from Briar, I agree to stay and curl up under my cloak.
The dawn light wakes me and I stretch. Briar wakes up a few minutes later and we start walking back to the village. As soon as we walk through the gates, Kori grabs my arm and drags me back outside our small home.
I laugh. "Geez, you'd think that I was gone for a week. What's wrong?"
"What were you thinking?" Kori hisses.
"Calm down," I mutter. "It's Briar. You know that I owe him."
"You don't owe anyone anything! Especially Briar."
I slide back onto one of the wooden chairs and cross my arms.
"What's this actually about?"
Kori looks around the small house and cranes her head to make sure no one is in the loft.
"Thorgar is always watching, and he can't know they're from Havredal. Understand?"
"Stop pretending you know everything about him," I say tightly.
"I know more than I'd ever want," Kori snaps.
"Maybe you should be his favorite warrior, then!"
"I was! And then you showed up," she says, bitterness drips off her tone. My eyes widen. "And that's why I hate you. Are you happy now? Thorgar sent me to go find the person that would steal my place in Antrapar and I did it. There is nothing I regret more."
"Kori.. I didn't know," I start.
"It doesn't matter. Just don't leave the village again. Be at the ridge in an hour."
Kori turns away and moves further into the mountain village. I lean against the side of the small house we share and run a hand through my hair. I slide down to the ground. What did I just do? I glance up at the fire glowing in the center of the village. Beyond it, someone catches my eye. Vern sits under the open roof of a small home, sharpening his sword. I stand up and walk across the distance between us. Vern doesn't look up. Behind him, Welch notices me.
"Hey Elin," Welch yawns. "Sleep well?"
Vern rolls his eyes still ignoring me.
"I guess. So, you guys are staying in Antrapar then?"
"We don't have much of a choice," Welch stretches. "But hey, no hard feelings. Gotta say though, Gramps isn't the nicest person."
"Tell me about it," I agree.
Welch gives Vern a cross look and I shrug.
"Well, I'm going to go find some food." Welch slaps Vern on the shoulder. "Don't talk her ear off."
I laugh under my breath as Welch disappears. Vern still remains fixated on his sword. I sit down beside him and pull the sword from his hands.
"Hey," I say quietly. "What's wrong?"
Vern still doesn't say anything. I finger the hilt of his sword, half expecting to just be forced to give up and leave.
"We haven't talked since you got taken, and the first thing you do is spend the night with Briar," he finally speaks, looking over at me for the first time. I bite my lip.
"I didn't mean for that to happen. I wanted to talk to you, but Kori wouldn't let me. Things with Thorgar, they're complicated."
"I'd imagine you didn't mean for a lot of things to happen," Vern mutters.
"Vern, nothing happened between Briar and I. He just left everything. The least I could do was talk to him."
"Briar might've left, but he wasn't banished," Vern says but then purses his lips. "Never mind it, I shouldn't have said anything about it."
Vern takes a deep breath and leans against his elbows. I reach into my pocket and pull out the ring Vern had given me so long ago. I hold it between us.
"Do you trust me to keep this promise or not?" I ask. "I don't care that we aren't going back to Havredal, this still means something to me. You're the one who gave it to me, not Briar."
"Elin, this isn't what I meant," Vern starts.
"Too late. Answer the question," I press.
Vern sighs. "Of course I trust you."
~~

Vern
Elin studies my expression, trying to figure out if I had meant what I said. I do trust her, beyond reason probably but that doesn't make her sudden interest in Briar any less confusing. She still holds my ring in between us and I reach over to close her hand around it. Elin is tense under my touch and I wonder just how much had happened between us since she'd been taken to Antrapar. To be completely honest, I shouldn't care about what she does with Briar. Elin can do whatever she wants, granted it might drive me insane sometimes.
Finally, Elin relaxes beside me.
"I'm sorry," I start. Elin looks confused. "I couldn't protect you in out there. Maybe Briar could've."
Elin pulls her legs up onto the bed, turning to face me. She crosses her arms.
"Briar probably doesn't care whether I live or die as long as it benefits him, or his ego for that matter. Tarben and Singrid aren't here and who knows what Thorgar's planning. If anyone's going to bother keeping me alive, it's you. Unless I mess that up, too," Elin laughs. Her smile lights up her eyes.
"I doubt that's possible," I grin. I don't know what to say to Elin, not anymore. It's like every one of my attempts to back away and give her the space that she pretends she needs ends with her pulling me back in. I have no idea what's happening between us, if anything. It amazes things that something that started out as so incredibly simple just became extremely complicated.
Elin hands me my sword and stands up. I stand up and sheath my sword. Elin stays a few feet away. She crosses her arms and I can't seem to look away.
"Stop it!" Elin laughs.
"Stop what?" I ask.
"That look."
"What look?" I ask.
"The 'She's about to leave and never come back look,'" Elin mocks my voice, making me sound more like a five year old than myself. I roll my eyes.
"That is not what this look means," I defend myself.
"Then what does it mean?" Elin questions. I grab one of her arms and pull her into a tight embrace.
"I missed you," I mumble into her mess of hair.