Ragnar & the Slave Girls (Ragnar the Dane) by Lily Byrne Read Free Book Online Page A

flailed.
    But Kjartan always moved fast. Having already slid down the slope, he leapt across the ground, grabbed her arm and pulled her against him, almost squashing the bawling Alvi between them. She put her free arm around her baby and glared up into the familiar ice-blue eyes.
    “ I wondered what you were carrying.” He released her. “I don’t need to ask whose child it is.” He indicated the copper hair on Alvi’s head.
    She hesitated. “What are you doing here?”
    “ Aren’t you going to thank me?”
    “ Thanks.”
    Alvi carried on bawling and she realised he needed feeding, so in a haze of motherly concern, she sat down on a rock and pulled her top up, latching him on to her breast.
    Kjartan watched but she didn’t care. Alvi needed her attention. She didn’t worry about people seeing her body anymore. Her previously small breasts were now full and rounded, and she had curves where formerly she had none, but they were for the sake of her child, not lustful onlookers. She didn’t even care if Kjartan raped her afterwards, as long as Alvi was content.
    But Kjartan stood up after a minute and walked away, so she sat gazing at the tiny new leaves on the trees and bushes, the birds fluttering about collecting nest materials.
    He returned with a pouch and put it next to her.
    “ What’s this?”
    “ Water. Thought you might need it.”
    “ I’m not drinking that. It could be drugged. You could put me to sleep then, then have your wicked way with me.” She didn’t want to corrupt Alvi’s ears with rude words.
    “ Fuck you, you mean?” He chuckled. “No, I’ve done enough fucking lately to last me a lifetime. You’re quite safe.”
    She still didn’t intend to drink it though, and kicked it away.
    “ Please yourself.” He picked it up and drank it.
    “ Ragnar told me about your behaviour. Is that what drove Yngvild away?”
    He scoffed. “No. She drove herself away. Nothing I could do.”
    “ I thought you two were in love. That’s why you took her from her husband.” She’d never forgive him for almost getting her own husband executed.
    “ In love? I never love anyone!” He sneered, standing up.
    “ So why did you run off with her? You ruined the Jarl’s life.”
    “ No, she ruined his life. She’s good at that. She ruined mine, too.”
    Aelfwyn frowned. “How could she ruin your life? She saved it by running off with you; otherwise you’d have been executed. If I tell anyone you’re here, they’ll -” She bit her lip.
    “ But you won’t, will you?” He stepped towards her, knife in hand. “Or I’ll ...”
    Alvi stopped feeding and made a contented baby noise, snuggling into his mother, and Aelfwyn hugged him against her.
    “ I’ll die before you hurt him,” she snarled, like a she wolf.
    Kjartan paused. “I wouldn’t hurt a baby.” He sighed, turning away. “I thought I might have one of my own.”
    “ With Yngvild?”
    “ No, with the Jarl. Of course with Yngvild!” he spat.
    She regarded him. Ragnar had been correct about Kjartan’s appearance. He’d always stood out due to his extremely pale colouring but last year he’d looked so tidy, his beard and hair always clean and trimmed. Now, his hair a tangled mess, he smelled unwashed and damp, like a dog which had been swimming in the river.
    “ What happened with Yngvild?” she asked more gently.
    “ Oh, once she’d got away from Thorvald we went to Gippeswick. She wanted the excitement of the town. But then she met some good-looking Jarl, with money and other stuff she wanted. She didn’t like all the hiding from people and I wasn’t rich enough for her.”
    He paused, digging his knife into the ground, carving up the damp mud.
    Aelfwyn wanted to say it served him right, but the knife’s presence deterred her. “Why did you come back here then?”
    He shot her a glance from reddened eyes. “None of your business. You’re not to tell Ragnar - or anyone - you’ve seen me. Or I’ll kill you in your