Chapter 18: Watching and Waiting
Omen
The three Liv ships sat where they had yesterday. I had been given the impression that my husband wanted all of us to be gone quickly before the coming investigation.
I had been wrong. I've guessed and evaluated with each being a failure to determine how the Livs functioned. They were so different from us Danes.
To name a few, the very loot that had been taken from the town was dragged by cart and driven by wagon. I had thought it wise for the transports to return, but the odd Dzim who said, "Keep them here."
"Wha- Why?" I had no idea what purpose or repurpose they could make from these. Do they intend on dismantling the lot for salvage repair?
"A wall," was his response and he winked at me with his wild eye. I recall Vloros not wanting us to be found out, then why a wall?
I walked from the ship's point to the other end for an inspection on how our positioned could be walled off. The water way was streaming down in a rapid current. If anyone tried to board us, it would come from the south-east.
Eastward, the very line of water was a wall. They would have difficulty crossing to get us.
North would be the best suited point for them to attack. We wouldn't be capable of lining a defense for fear of the other town coming to an aid on our west.
That left having a wall to our west.
We were going to funnel an enemy in our north and keep the west at bay.
Why?
Immediately, I went to find my husband. I had already scanned the entire surroundings and saw no sign of him, which either meant he was out further someplace or closer than I thought. I decided to inspect the cargo hold.
Deep down in the ship, there in a cot, laid my husband. He must have exhausted himself using that unwieldy ballistics.
His chest is bare, rising and falling, in his sleep. He had an abdomen that I was tempted to touch, feel if he would be rock solid there or if the very skin would burn my hand as would his touch on me. I slowly and carefully approached him.
This man, he blamed me for what happened at that town. They would carry my name and the family it associated with to the very courts of the Sweds. A war would come unannounced and sweep all of those preparing for their own little game before they were ready.
Icy-blues look about and spot what I want.
I reach for it and take it.
Gently, I come up onto the cot with my slumbering husband and straddle his waist. I sit down softly and lean down to his face. One gentle kiss on his lips wakes him.
One gentler prick of the knife to his throat alarms him.
"Hmm... Good morning," he greets me. "Hungry?"
"What?" I close my eyes for a split second in a wince. "Fuck," open my eyes to him and drag the tip a little sharply the start of a red lined throat.
"I wouldn't," he mentions, "This is an island, I have ships, and there are only two choices."
"I know," I nod my head in acknowledgement. "I also know you have shamed me for something I did not do. My family has no part in this raid," I tell him. "If they find this out, I am gone, lost, and banished from their existence."
"Is that bad?" He asks me this with a risky shake of his head, questioning me like I am some child and needing a lesson to learn my manners.
"What do you think?" I prodded his juggler a little more keenly.
"Ah, yes, for you, bad," he presses his lips and risks yet a nod.
"Stop moving or I will cut you," I warn him.
He glances down at my wrist, then back up at me and smiles. "Concerned?"
I press further in and he winces, but still smiles when he tilts his head curiously up at me.
"Stop it," I reach with my free hand to hold his head steady.
He intercepts my hand and drags it down to his side, causing me to lay my body fully onto him and nearly winning my knife-hand loose from his throat.
"Concerned... Kristen, drop the knife and lets get something to eat," he suggests to me calmly.
"Not until you make this right," I tell him.
"Why? What reason should I have to make any of this than what it looks now?" He tilts his head yet again and asks the question that puzzles me, "What makes you think they won't do this when they're prepared? Ready to go north and take what is theirs."
"I don't know what is happening. No one tells me and you simply keep it on a 'Need to Know,'" it tell him through gritted teeth.
"You don't need to know, but you have enough of an idea that they will come up and do what I have already done," is his detailed summary of what may happen.
"But not in someone else's name," I retort angrily.
He sighs and nods once more. This time, I do take the knife from his throat.
"Stop that!" I yell at him.
Vloros, freed of my acquired weapon, sits up with me being pushed along, but rolls us on over to have him on top of me. I lay back and watch him for his response.
"You do need to learn more," he tells me this in a way that suggests I know not enough to live. "We are not done with our raid."
"What more do you want from them?" I ask this softly.
"Soap," he smiles and leans in to plant a kiss before bouncing off of me. I sit up to watch him walk up and out of the hold. "Come on up. Food will be prepared."
I sit up and hold the knife out in my hand, wondering why I couldn't simply hurt him to teach that Bastard a lesson.
"If you're done with it, I'll take that," I start and see Dzim sitting in another cot, holding his hand out, grinning.
"How long have you-," I start.
He finishes, "-been here? I followed you in. Figured there were questions and I don't have the answers, but I knew which two did." He holds up a finger, his mouth open to say something, and nods, "And I don't think you like Valdis? So, Vloros." He smiles and claps at his own conclusion.
I lean in with a curiously confused expression, "Why come to that when you were following me anyways?"
"Oh, I could have not followed you, but I did because I thought of that... And I knew you were angry at him," he nods decisively.
"Are you watching me?" The time in Helsingborg and now here. Both times was designed to intercept me from bringing harm to Vloros.
"Valdis thought it would be a good idea to keep an eye on you," he taps the side of his head with the wild eye and smiles wide.
I don't really have anything to say about that and decide it is best to leave. If they are keeping a close watch on me, then it can work in my favor too, for now, we are behind enemy lines.
They seem clever about how to win a battle and lure the enemy into a trap, but I know that half of Vloros's Livonian kingdom is under the control of the Sweds.
They don't know how to win a war.
Up on deck, I find my husband speaking with a few fellows of his crew who happen to be determining the dishes for tonight. It is either going to be the provisions they brought with us from Helsingborg, the actual ship's supply of rationed food, or taken spoils from the nearby town.
The provisions from my family's banquet will perish in time and must be consumed heartily before it will become a poison.
Their rations do have a life-span and it is nearing the second week from when they brought it from the Livonian coast of Riga.
These spoils are fresh and good, some still warm, and that is what my husband is attempting to persuade the others into trying. Thing is, Valdis had rejected the notion and no one was budging from the stalwart man.
Again, I wonder who really commands here. Vloros or Valdis?
As I thought about this, the very man came up to my side without glancing up in my direction, but he did speak with me.
"Dzim has been watching out for you, not spying," he informs me and I couldn't care less of the difference. It will work in my favor, either way.
"I could use the eyes," I honestly tell him. While he does not look up to me, I do not gaze down upon him, instead opting for a view of our camp. "When will the wall be erected?"
"It won't," he tells me and I now turn on him. Again, I do not understand these Livs!
"Why!? If we stay here-," I begin.
"-They'll come and slaughter us," he ends. "I want them to think that, but you should learn, like your husband told you. Watch, listen, learn, and then command."
"Command?" I say it like a question.
"Shield-maiden? Why would I waste that," he glances up at me. "You took down Vloros. I'm not hanging you up like a decoration and I will not have you thrown away for being too fresh."
"Too fresh? What does that mean," I ask him this with a good idea of its meaning.
"You understand how we fight? Do you think that these men would flourish in battle under your command?" He faces me now with these questions. This has drawn attention from the others to us.
I honestly don't think I would communicate well with these men, let alone order them around. "No."
He nods, smiles, and gives my arm a gentle pat. "Learn to," then walks off to settle the dispute over food.
Valdis is in charge. That is now certain. Vloros is like a noble child, only here for the ride and glory into adventure.
I turn to walk on over to the brig of the ship. Settling, I watch the vegetation sway one way, but notice the current flowing the other. When my eyes glance up at the folded sail, I see it turning to the side.
There is a storm turning towards another someplace. It may end up poorly to stay here.
Vloros comes up to my side, "Here we are." He hands me an apple, once again.
"Thank you," I take the offered fruit and bite into it.
"You must eat me," he tells me. "If you are to be ready."
"I'll be ready when I learn about you people," I return to him. Another bite is made when I notice my husband looking at me curiously. "Mf- What?" I swallow and ask.
"Learn about us?" He asks.
"Valdis, he wants me to command," I inform him and bite another good chunk off of the fruit.
"Oh, he does? That will be a problem," Vloros says while getting up from his seat. I watch him walk on off until I see him facing the very man I spoke of.
The two talk, Vloros pointing in my direction, then up to himself.
Valdis, at first seemed to be taking it in well and almost carrying himself as if his word was final. That changed when Vloros pointed at me again and I saw Valdis stare in my direction. He nodded, as if accepting something, and then so did Vloros with a smile.
My husband returns soon after, "That is settled."
"What happened?" I ask this as I am handed a breaded meat from the raided town. "I thought Valdis didn't want us to partake any of the food's spoils?"
"He's decided to make you an exception," he tells me and takes a quick pinch of the breading from my portion to taste for himself. "It is to keep your health up."
"O- Okay?" I don't question it, but I do take a good bite of the warm and delicious food. I smile, this is actually good and I say so. "This is good."
"I know," he savors the breading a bit to show that. Then turns away to face the wagons in the distance. "We will wheel those in the direction they come. A mobile wall."
"Mobile wall?" I ask this, seeing the idea in my head, but not ever experiencing it.
"We deal with horsemen often, unlike you seafarers, and they have arrows aplenty to stick us with. So, the wagons provide us with a bulwark, a cover, and a transport. We fire from their cover, keep the horses and men from overwhelming our position, and always be on the move to adapt our current situation."
It is like naval combat, but on land and attacking those who were swimming to climb up on the wagons.
"What about horses? You need them to drag the wagons," I mention.
"Pull of the rope. We tie it around the mast, pass it through a crescent of the wagons, and pull it on over. Their wheeled, it makes it easier than tugging a ship's belly across the flat," he explains. This still sounds like it is a lot of effort.
"I think it would be best to find a husbandry and take an animal," I opined.
He remains quiet for a moment and nods. "You are right. That way, we can have more men to man the defense... VALDIS!" He yells out loudly.
I turn to see the short man walk on over to us, "Change your mind about her?"
"Shut it," Vloros orders Valdis. "She's come up with a good point. We need a cow or something, drag the rope for the wagons."
"It could go mad and the pulleys make it easier on our backs for when we do gather the rope to us," Valdis returns a point.
"Maybe that is so, but it would be easier to put down a mad bull than to have our men harmed by a mere rope or too occupied with it to help our comrades," Vloros furthers the previous point.
"Very well... There are not many choices for us to pick from. Do you intend another attack or an actual trade this time?" Valdis has opted an aggressive and passive mission.
"Trade, we have enough here to give back a few of their items," he grins. "I'm sure they will appreciate how generous our offer is."
I sit back and watch this unfold before me. As I take another bite from the food, I see in the corner of my eye something odd. I glance silently that way and see Tiresias looking at me quietly.
My shoulders sag and I remain quiet. This Bastard had not come to me when I had needed its company and now... Now that it is here, I don't need IT.
The Shade leans in close, then turns away from me to see the others. "They will take care of you while I'm gone."
"What do you mean, gone?" I whisper back.
"I have a much bigger problem to deal with than you now," it says.
"I had no idea I was such an issue for you to resolve," is my sincere, but a bit mocking, reply.
"I am being serious when I had every intent to help you," the shade looks right at me saying this. "I still do, but they are now better suited."
"Then leave... What good did you do me anyways?" I ask quietly.
"I helped you find your stumbling way into that man's arms," is Tiresias smiling response.
I am quiet. I take another bite and rest back, wondering how in the world this is going to get any worse than what I've already prophesied.
"Oh, don't worry about that right away. That is years from here," it tells me.
"So... I will die that way?" I turn to the Shade and it nods. The food is set down without another bite. The Shade reaches out, for the first time, I see it move my hand to bring the breaded meat back to my lips.
"You both need it," it informs me.
"Vloros already had a bit of the bread," I tell it and take another bite. My icy-blues turn back to the two men for a moment, then back to Tiresias just smiling and shaking its head at me.
"I am going to work on learning a few languages so I can get my point across to you more clearly next time," It informs me as the shadowy being begins to disappear. I shake my head and close my eyes.
Vloros had his rest, but I had no slept yet and the food now settling in me has triggered a notion that I no longer need feel the sense to be awake and hunt.
I picture myself, in that future, being dismembered. There will be a time I will die and now I knew how, but in years.
I could take advantage of that knowledge...
