Thork’s wound opened again, and he fell into blessed unconsciousness.
* * *
For weeks, Ruby and Aud only went through the motions with their lingerie business. Orders continued to come in, and they filled them, thanks to Ella’s amazing transformation into a businesswoman.
The next time Ruby was paid with a bag of coins for her lingerie sales, she asked Dar if she could buy Ella’s freedom. He shooed away her offers of money and told her Ella was a gift to do with as she willed.
“I cannot belief you wud do this fer me,” Ella blubbered when Ruby told her she was no longer a thrall. “There be naught in the whole wurld I wud not do fer you.”
“There is something, Ella. If something should happen to Thork… ,” Ruby choked out, “and if I should disappear suddenly, promise you’ll always be here to help Tykir… and Eirik. Dar and Aud are old. They may need your help.”
In fact, it was Ruby who needed Aud’s help in assisting her to her room two days later when the message came:
Thork received grievous chest wound. Eirik and I make haste to bring him home. Have healing potions ready. Does not look good. Olaf is dead.
Selik
They traveled the next day to Jorvik to be with Gyda and her family in their mourning and to await Thork’s ship. A red-eyed Gyda told Ruby that night after they’d tucked the frightened girls into bed, “Twould seem that conversation we had long ago is about to come true for me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember when you asked if I craved equality, to be partners with Olaf in heading our family? I said that I am more than capable of running all our affairs when forced to do so, but I preferred to defer to my husband.”
“Yes, I remember now. We were talking about a woman’s identity.”
“Yea, that was it.” Gyda raked her fingers distractedly through her unkempt hair which had come loose from its usual braid. “No choice do I have now in defining myself. I am Gyda. I am no longer Olaf’s wife.”
Gyda wept, letting loose all the pent-up sorrow she’d been unable to release in front of the children. As much as she tried to comfort Gyda, Ruby wondered if she wouldn’t be in the same position on Thork’s return. Until that happened, Ruby tried to help Tykir as much as she could.
“I wish I wuz older,” the fierce, frightened little boy exclaimed, trying hard not to cry. “I wud be a Jomsviking and go to save my father. I wud chop off Ivar’s head just like that.” He made a slash with his arm to demonstrate.
Aud came in then, and they both comforted the boy.
“Whatever happens, Tykir and Ruby, you will have a home with us in Northumbria. We are family, and we must stay together. Family. That is everything.”
A distraught Dar brought the first news a week later. “Thork’s ship entered the Humber at dawn and will not stop to camp. He will be here by nightfall, God willing.”
Ruby and Aud went to the Church of St. Mary’s and knelt in hopeful prayer for hours. The entire family walked solemnly to the harbor as evening approached. In fact, little by little, hundreds of people arrived, standing silently, come to pay tribute to the fallen warriors. Even Sigtrygg and Byrnhil stood respectfully at the front with the royal retainers, awaiting the ship.
Stone silence greeted the dragonship as it slid into its berth. Gyda’s keening wail grew increasingly loud at the sight of the first cloak-wrapped body carried off the ship on a litter. Olaf’s trusty sword lay on top. Gyda and her sobbing daughters followed the body to a waiting wagon.
Ruby held tightly to Tykir’s hand as dozens of men came next, some missing limbs, all wounded in some horrible way. Their bleak eyes stared straight ahead.
Finally Thork emerged, supported by Eirik and Selik. He was barely conscious, and blood seeped from a white linen bandage wrapped around his chest. His long, blond hair lay dirty and matted with blood—the same beautiful hair that Ruby had admired, especially when braided off to one side, highlighted by the scandalous earring.