Viking Gold

Author:V. Campbell [Campbell, V]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Fledgling Press
Published: 2011-10-02T08:29:43+00:00

“We’re here,” Astrid said, sliding off her horse and looping its reins over a jagged black rock.

Redknee blinked. He’d never seen anything like it before. Steam rose in great white clouds from a lake of the palest milky blue.

“Come on,” Astrid said, slipping her tabard over her head. “Don’t tell me you can’t swim.”

Redknee dismounted and kicked off his boots. The sharp rocks cut into his feet.

Astrid was already at the water’s edge wearing only her under-dress. “Turn round,” she said.

“What?” Redknee asked, confused.

“You can’t expect me to disrobe with you watching.”

Redknee blushed and turned his back. How long should he give her? He bit his lip. If he turned round too soon …

“Alright,” Astrid shouted.

He spun round. She was submerged up to her neck. Her pale hair dark with water. Disappointment coursed through him. He rebuked himself. What had he expected?

“Aren’t you coming in?” Astrid’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

He quickly shrugged off his tunic and threw it over a rock. But when he reached down to untie his breeches, he froze, suddenly unsure what to do. Should he keep them on? He glanced up at Astrid. She was swimming further into the lake, her back to the shore.

Damn. It was his decision.

Leaving his breeches on, he hopped over the sharp rocks and submerged himself slowly beneath the warm waters. Every muscle in his body relaxed. Astrid had been right; this was a truly wonderful place.

She had swum almost to the centre of the small lake and he started to swim after her. She was treading water when he reached her.

“You decided to join me after all,” she said.

“Why are we here?” he asked.

She raised an eyebrow.

“I’m being serious. Why did you bring me to meet Ulfsson? What does your husband’s voyage, and the ramblings of a mad man, have to do with me?”

She dipped her head below the surface and rose with water spouting from her mouth. “Kiss me,” she said.

She was playing games. It felt dangerous.

Good dangerous, or bad dangerous? He didn’t know. She looked up at him with her clear, blue eyes and, before he could change his mind, he was leaning forward.

Astrid giggled. “Follow me,” she said, turning and diving beneath the surface.

Taking a deep breath, he plunged after her, kicking as hard as he could. Astrid’s dark shape snaked through the milky waters. Eventually she surfaced, and Redknee followed, his lungs gasping for air. She laughed, water streaming down her face. “You swim well,” she said.

He looked round nervously. She’d led him out deeper still. Past a small island made of the brittle black stone that seemed to cover Iceland. “What do you want?” he asked.

She circled him slowly, her skin glistening in the strange light. “Why do you think I want anything in particular?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I don’t, I just thought …”

“I’m going to tell you a story,” she said, winding her hair into a knot on top of her head. Myriad droplets streamed across her neck and shoulders. He looked away. “Do I displease you?” she asked.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.