“But you’ve given us those,” his comrade responded, surprised.
They had ridden from Copenhagen to be alone and because it
was a sweet spring day. The common which they were crossing was vivid with new grass; in the distance, leaves made a green mist across the top of a woodlot. Against overarching blue, storks were returning, harbingers of summer, bearers of luck. The breeze was fresh, loud, full of damp odors. Hoofs thudded on drenched soil with almost unbearable softness.
Niels ran fingers through his hair. “You’ll recall those names were the best we could think of on short notice,” he said. “I’ve given out that they’re false, used by you because you’re on con-fidential business. Now we’re ready to come out into the open”-lie grinned-“for a proper disguise is on hand. Best you and I talk rlrst, since you must needs play the man’s part.”
Tauno’s mount shied. He brought the beast under control, but Niels chided him for using the bridle too heavily. “Horsemanship is another art you’d better learn if you’d pass yourself off,” the human warned.
“Say on,” the other grunted.
“Aye. What took this long was, mainly, searching out what’d
be possible for you. We want no hazard of somebody who meets you protesting that he knows your district well and has never heard of any such person. Certain documents were advisable too, but easier to arrange for; my amanuensis is a cunning rascal.
“Well, you shall be Herr Carolus Brede, a squire from a far corner of Scania-that’s the Danish territory across the Sound, did you know? Some of it’s thickly wooded and little traveled. Though you’re not rich, you’re well-born. A forefather of yours was a nobleman attending Queen Dagmar of beloved memory, when she came from Bohemia to wed Kind Valdemar the Vic-torious a hundred years ago. You’ve learned about ties of kinship reaching still further south, into Croatia, and decided to see if this is true and if aught can be made of it. You’ve been secretive lest agents of the Hansa grow alarmed at the chance of trade agreements outflanking them, overland through the Empire, and maybe even try to murder you. Though that chance is not great, as every sensible man will realize, still, it’s enough for my company to take the gamble of providing you a ship and crew. Besides, I trust they can dicker for whatever cargo they bring. My plea in turn ought to get you royal and episcopal letters of recommendation, if only because the Danish lords will be curious to know more bout the Croatian.”
Tauno crowed and shook his head. “Bones of my mother, but you’ve changed,” he exclaimed. “I can’t hear at all, in those elegant words, the plain crewman of H erning. In fact, the torrent of them carries me off.”
Niels frowned, “You’ll have to learn how to swim in them,
and many more of the same kind, Else you’ll betray yourself,
likely to your death-yourself and, and, Eyjan,”
Skin stood taut on the knuckles above the reins, “Yes, what of her? How’ll she fare?”
“She’ll be Lady Sigrid, your widowed sister, traveling along with the avowed pulpOse of making a pilgrimage and the unavowed one of making a better match than she could in Denmark.”
Tauno gave him a hard stare. “My sister? Why not my wife?”
Niels gave it back. Invisible sparks flew, “Do you truly want
that, you two?”
The Liri prince whipped his horse into a gallop.
Rain sluiced from heaven, brawled across roofs, made rivers
of city streets. Lightning flared, thunder went on huge wheels,
wind whooped,
A tile stove heated the main room of Niels Jonsen’s house; candles threw light on wainscot, hangings, carven furniture. In-geborg had dismissed servants and had closed doors, that she might continue Eyjan’s lessons in womanly deportment.
“I’m no proper dame myself, of course, but I’ve watched their
kind, I’ve studied how to imitate them, and you walk too proudly,”
“Ha’ done’” yelled the merman’s daughter. “You’ve gorged me with your nonsense,” She paused, quieted, offered a smile, “Forgive me. You’re doing what you can for us, I know, But it’s so hot and close in here, this wool clings and itches and stifles my skin, I can’t endure more.”