Stealing the Valkyrie

Northumbria

Home was nothing more than a blur on the horizon when Edithe first spotted her. Now everything was in focus. Not just the jagged outline of cliffs or the gulls swooping overhead, but driftwood littering the beach and a thousand barnacles clinging onto sea battered rocks.

Beyond that, autumn was in full bloom. Sturdy branches filled with red and orange leaves while the remainder blanketed the ground- so high she was sure they would be up to her knees.

Had it been raining?

Would the leaves be crisp or would they squish into mulch when she stepped on them?

It was a childish thing, wanting to run with abandon, collecting that satisfying crunch with the same glee she'd felt every autumn since before leaving girlhood behind. Yet part of her wanted to do it all the same. Even with a hundred Northmen to watch her. Even with Nessie lost. It would be pure freedom and, perhaps, it would be the last little bit of freedom she'd have for quite some time.

Impatiently, Edithe leaned over the side of the boat, staring at the tiny fish scurrying about in the shallow waves. If she jumped in now, the water would only be up to her waist but she held firm. Waiting until it was their turn to make land rather than giving into impulse and diving overboard. That had been a spectacle for another day, another journey.

"Is she how you remembered?" Rollo asked, startling her.

"Yes, but never quite like this," she replied, drinking in the coastline once more. "I suppose that is one advantage of being out to sea."

"She's certainly a sight to behold," he whispered and something in his voice made her look at him, their eyes meeting. His admiration meant for her and not the view.

In an instant, a thousand butterflies fluttered to life but Edithe forced herself to ignore them. Trying not to lose her head quite so easily. "When will we start looking for Nessie?" she asked instead.

Rollo's brow furrowed, "we've not even arrived yet and already you're impatient to leave?"

She looked back towards the trees, willing herself to see beyond them, "impatient to find her."

"We'll search when it is safe to do so and not a moment sooner."

How long would that take?

Edithe wanted to ask but Rollo was already moving away. His words final and she didn't doubt it. The search for Nessie would be on his terms and, honestly, she was just grateful she didn't have to do it alone. She only wondered if, when the time came, he would truly keep his word and let her go? But that was a question for another day so she pushed it to the back of her mind and returned to watching as the boat finally made land.

This was it. The moment she had been waiting for all morning and anticipation quickly turned to nerves. Northumbria might have been the same but Edithe wasn't and that scared her almost as much as losing Nessie.

Worrying the edge of her cloak, she watched Rollo and one of the others lowering a large plank of wood to the beach. Creating a walkway for them to disembark and despite her trepidation, she was still first in line to use it.

She stepped carefully, the wood slippery underfoot but it wasn't far to go. Only a few short steps and, all at once, Northumbria was beneath her feet again.

Home. Solid ground instead of the endless sway. Edithe paused. Waiting. For what- she couldn't say. But whatever it was, this wasn't it.

Perhaps it was the Dane's scurrying around the beach or the sword at her hip. But the knot in her stomach didn't ease nor did she feel the almighty presence of God. Only the cool breeze blowing off the water and in truth, looking around, she could have been anywhere. This beach wasn't the house she grew up in or the tight embrace of her mother and more importantly, it wasn't Nessie.