Thrown Through Time

Chapter 17

"There are horsemen coming!"

Svanhild walked out into the street to be able to see who was coming and she immediately recognized the armor of the men from Svangard. "Inside! Get inside!" she rounded up the boys and pushed them in through the door, latching it behind them.

"What about Father!" Leif exclaimed.

"We'll let him in when he comes, but those men are not searching my house again!" she said firmly.

"Why are they here?" Torstein asked. "They took Sophie! Do you think she wasn't the woman they were looking for?"

"I don't know," Svanhild said, sitting on a chair near the fire. Her husband was somewhere in town and she hoped he would make it back before the horsemen began tearing houses apart again.

"Svanhild!" a voice called. Then there was pounding on the door and he called again. "Open the door, Svanhild! It's Sophie! Sophie's here!" Svanhild leaped for the door and unlocked the latch. Her husband was on the other side and instead of looking worried or fearful, he was smiling. "Sophie's come back!"

"Sophie's back!" the boys exclaimed, rushing out of the house to find Sophie dismounting a very large war horse, not far from the house. She held out her arms as they ran to her and hugged them tightly.

"How are you?" she asked. "Where's your mother?"

"She's here!" Leif pointed to Svanhild as she stepped outside.

"We thought the worst!" Svanhild said, hugging her.

"We came because of the plague," Sophie said. "Has anyone in town been sick?"

"Yes, we've lost a few people in the last couple of days. It was just a fever, and then they started developing these strange lumps."

"It's the plague," Sophie said, calmly.

"The black plague," Eirik stepped forward. "Sophie saved our entire city from it."

"You did!?"

"So you were the woman from the prophesy!" Torstein piped up. "We thought they killed you and were here to find someone else!"

"No," she laughed. "And actually, they haven't killed anyone that was previously thought to be me."

"No kidding!" Sigurd said.

"They're still alive," Sophie said. "And married. But we've brought medicine," She explained what it was, and how to make more if they needed. "If you start taking it the moment a fever spikes, you'll have the best chance of beating it. At least a cup a day."

"What about the ones that have developed the lumps and sores?" Sigurd asked.

"None of our people got that bad," Eirik said. "We caught it early."

"Give them the water anyway, if you can." Sophie said. "It might take longer for them to improve, but hopefully they will."

"Thank you,"

Svanhild invited them to stay, to have something to eat, but they felt it was best, with the sickness that was already spreading around town, for them to be on their way. Sophie hugged the children, stroking baby Gurdy's hair and kissing her forehead before also hugging Svanhild and Sigurd. "Give them some of the medicine, even if they don't develop the fever," she said softly. "It might keep them from getting sick at all."

"Thank you," Svanhild whispered. "Thank you!"

"Goodbye!"

The men unloaded the barrels near the hall and gave instructions to the chief and his wife who were cautiously optimistic but thankful for the help. Then they rode out of town, hoping their efforts were enough to save the town. Sophie turned in her saddle and looked back at the village as they rode away, until she could no longer see them because of the trees. She turned back around and let out a sigh.