Dragon Bride

Chapter 26 Dragon Bride

Karliene and her family sat for supper. This would be their last supper together as the next day Karliene was to be the dragon bride. They had said nothing to Oonagh or her brothers but Oonagh appeared quiet and sad mostly responding to the emotional reaction of her family. The meal was interrupted by a knock and a woman covered in a dark hooded cloak was escorted in.

"You may leave me now," the woman said to her escorts, "wait for me outside." The escorts bowed and withdrew.

"Queen Eleanor!" Gretchen stood hurriedly as the the others followed.

"No! No please," Eleanor said, "I've come for Karlie. I have secured a boat, a knarr and purchased passage for you. Please it's all I can do." Karliene walked to the woman and held her hugging her.

"Thank you, but I must see this through or some other innocent will suffer. Sit and eat with us there is something you can do. Something I would truly appreciate." Eleanor removed her cloak and sat with the family her face showed evidence of recent crying. Gretchen served her and they ate quietly.

"My son and my husband are dead," Eleanor whispered her voice cracking. "I believe Vada is behind it...him and Gorm." She paused gathering her composure looked at Karliene, "What can I do for you?"

"I can not read or write, Bjorn has been teaching me but a can't spell and my handwriting looks like chicken scratch."

"I can write fairly well," Eleanor said. "My father insisted on it."

"I want to dictate a letter for Bjorn. I want to say goodbye and thank him for loving me."

"I would be honored to do that for you. I so wish I could do more."

"You are an answer to my prayers. I need to leave something to Bjorn. I can't just leave him," a few silent tears rolled down Karliene's cheek and Eleanor took her hand in her hand and nodded. After the meal they remained seated. Eleanor had sent one of her loyal guards back to the castle to fetch paper and pen and he returned. It was the beginning of a new day when Karliene began to dictate her final missive. She literally poured her heart out in her words and recounted many of their interactions and her accompanying feeling she had experienced in her short courtship. She included hers and Bjorn's dreams of a life together and how she had so looked forward to a life together with him. She asked that he take Unni to Greenland if that is what she wanted and closed the letter by simply repeating her belief that their love was eternal and that she believed that they were destined to be lovers for eternity and one day in the distant future she would be waiting for him. She signed the letter with her own hand. Unni and Gretchen who had been listening were in tears as was Eleanor.

"You have the word skills of a poet," Eleanor said as she dried her eyes.

"I'm just a woman in love with a man," Karliene whispered. "I needed to put a lifetime in that letter, all of my heart and soul."

"You really did that," Gretchen said.

"I wonder if St. Lucia felt the same peace I do on her last day," Karliene said, "I'm not quite willing to give my life without a fight. I so much want to live."

"How did you hear about your husband," Gretchen asked Eleanor as the queen prepared to leave.

"His long ship returned this evening. My husband and son were not aboard. I overheard Gorm and Vada and am afraid they are planning a war. Vada arranged the murder and believes Eric or Sven will be blamed. Vada will claim kingship once Lothar's body is returned." Later when Eleanor was alone with Karliene as she stood outside the door, she whispered, "Freeing you was the only thing I could think of. I bartered all of my jewels for your passage. Who are you protecting? That is the only answer that makes any sense."

"I will not say, but I must see this through, promise me to keep that secret. Otherwise it will all fall apart." Eleanor nodded. "You have been a true friend, thank you," Karliene said.

"I will be back and I will walk at your side. I have always admired you. The way you stood up for your self. Fr. Peter always spoke highly of you. I would have loved to be counted as a friend."

"You spoke with Fr. Peter?"

"Not believers can be open about things. I envy that. Lothar had promised he and Arnie would be baptized once they returned. Now..."

"You are a true friend, Eleanor. Right now I need friends."

"I arranged Fr. Peter's burial last night. Vada wanted him fed to the crows. I know I will pay with my life for doing that but now I'm safe as Vada wants to be king and their is yet a witness to my husbands death or a body. So he needs me for legitimacy, as a former princess of Denmark and a queen I lend him what he wants." Karliene embraced the woman holding her tight.

"Then there is hope friend. Never loose hope. I want to visit Fr. Peter's grave and his chapel before I turn myself in so come early and have lunch with us." Eleanor nodded and left.

The sun was setting as Karliene was getting dressed. "That drum has beating all day," Karliene said as she put on a clean shift and Unni helped in into her corset as Eleanor laced it up.

"I've not heard that particular pattern since I was Oonagh's age," Gretchen said.

"What is it," Unni asked.

"That's Gorm calling the dragon," Gretchen whispered.

"It creeps me out," Unni said.

"Think of it as diner bell for the trolls," Karliene joked. Unni came close to bursting into tears.

"That's not funny!" Unni whispered fighting to contain her tears.

Karliene put an arm around Unni. "I'm sorry. It terrifies me too."

Karliene put on the white under dress and the red overdress that she had so meticulously made for her wedding day. She had her necklace she had made from the green gold squares and coins and her glit circlet. She left her hair down and applied makeup. Unni had brushed her hair out and was crying softly.

"No shoes?" Gretchen asked teasingly.

"My toes still hurt too much for shoes, but thanks to Unni I am walking." Then an idea struck her. "Unni I want you and Eleanor to insist on helping me undress when the time comes. I'll hide my little black knife in my bodice and you can slip it to me as you help me undress. Eleanor we'll need a diversion."

"Will Loki come?" Unni whispered.

"That would be fine with me," Karliene whispered back, "but he said he suffers from madness when...you know. So I don't expect him. I'm really on my own. Remember we are linked and you'll know if I make it." Unni nodded in response.

"Or if you don't," Unni said to herself and forced herself to remain calm trying to appeared self assured to her sister and their hastily devised plan.

When they finished Eleanor, Gretchen, and Unni accompanied Karliene as they stopped briefly at the fresh grave of the old priest. He had been buried next to Jenny. They prayed briefly and then entered the old wood chapel. Karliene was surprised to find all the candles lit and the little congregation present. They knelt together for prayers.

Karliene had always loved the little chapel. She felt close to God when in its walls. The chapel had been lovingly constructed over ninety years ago. Although locally built its designers had been shipwrights and its vaulted ceiling, window frames and door frames boat shaped. They had put a lot of loving work in the decoration and scroll work on the pillars, sills and frames.Time and sea air had darkened much or the wood but left the window and door frames a lite gray-blue color. Karliene looked about the little chapel and recalled her betrothal ceremony and her happiness on that day. She had to struggle to contain her tears. She had promised her self that no matter what she would not cry. Then with a fierce whisper she said mostly to herself, "I will not go down without a fight...I want to live!" Then turning she left the chapel the others following.