I woke up with a huge headache. It took me a moment to realise where I was and what was happening. For a few seconds, I thought that Michael and all these adventures were just a dream, but once I saw the wooden room and the empty side of the bed... the sad reality hits me and tears begin falling silently down my cheeks. I am still here...lost in time... I want to go home so badly.
It is still dark outside, I get up and go to look out the window, I see the first sign of the rising sun above fields. It is cold. I wrap myself in animal skins and look at the fireplace, the low embers are dying out. I poke the charcoal, making sparks and create a small flame. I put in some more wood, the flame catches and I start to warm myself by the fire.
What should I do? Today they are going to take me to the City for the millennial celebration in the Cathedral. Everyone is going to be there, if Michael is Ok, there is a chance that is where he will look. The downside of going is that my hosts want to take me to the Varangians... That might be an issue, considering they will have no clue of who I am... Maybe I should look for a good cover story... If I was a Viking lady, who could I be? Someone that they could not identify too easily.
I start to research with my AI and learn about the current different Viking tribes and dynasties and start to drift off back to sleep. Before I know it I wake-up to a knock at my door and breakfast is brought into my room. I get the AI to project the dress I had been wearing when I arrived over the dress I was given, it is so much warmer than the Egyptian wedding dress that I don't want to go back into those clothes.
Once I have eaten, I go outside where I meet Boleslaw he is with a group of men and women preparing to leave getting into carriages and on to horses. He greets me cordially and helps me climb up into one of the carriages and soon after we head off into the City. The journey is not long and we soon enter the walls of the town. It is beautiful, everything decorated for the millennial celebration. There are purple tapestries hanging off the walls and flags in many windows. Pictures of various crests are carved in wood and metal and placed on doors. We stop just outside the busy market place and everyone starts to unmount and exit the carriages.
We huddle together looking around at the crowd surrounding us from every side. The noise is wonderful and overwhelming, people talking amongst themselves, shouting at the market stalls, children squealing and running underfoot. I look through the crowd, hoping to see Michael.
Boleslaw approaches and says: "Lady Bethania, please follow me." I do as he asks. We walk through the marketplace, weaving through the people and stop in front of one of the stalls. Boleslaw shouts at a young man that seems to be looking for something in a large bag at the back of the stall.
"Arne! Arne!"
"Once second!" He shouts, still with his head buried inside the bag. Finally, he pulls himself out and I realise that he is very tall and very skinny. He has large ears that stick out and a big smile on his face as he turns to Boleslaw
"Boleslaw my friend! what brings you here, can I sell you some northern delights?"
"No Arne, this is the Lady Bethania a Varangian too! I was hoping you might be able to get her home"
The young man looks me up and down suspiciously and says. "Where are you from my lady?"
I can hear the AI in my ear switching to Norse and feel my brain filled with the Norse language so I can respond. Luckily, I have done my research. So it is to be a test...
I nod at him in greeting. "I am from Birka, I have been travelling with my father for the celebration. Have you seen him?"
"No, my lady. Who at Birka is your Earl?"
"My Earl of Lade is Olof Skötkonung, of course"
"And who is your father to him?"
"An advisor..." I say giving him a look trying to indicate that I do not want to go into the details.
"My, lady... do you know perhaps another of his advisors? Maybe you might know Fjölnir?
I pause for a moment as I can sense this is another test. I discreetly press my AI and repeat the name and hear that Fjölnir Yngling, is one of the legendary kings of Sweeden...?
"Are you asking if I know Fjölnir Yngling?" he looks at me with a smile and I continue
" I do not know him personally" I say with a smile, but I hope the wisdom of his life is a good advisor to Lade is Olof"
He nods his head, thoughtful, and then turns to Boleslaw once again switching languages, "I know that the Olof Skötkonung is on this side of the sea. He has called for some of his men that are based here in town to join him and his forces in Mecklenburg, Lady Bethania can joint them." he then turns to me, "Would your father perhaps leave to join him there?"
"I don't know... I don't think he would leave me here alone... But...perhaps the Earl called him... maybe he didn't have a choice?" I look at both of them, sad and worried.
"Don't worry, lady. I will get you back home" the young man says.
Boleslaw addresses Arne and myself , "For now, lady Bethania you can stay with my family. Make arrangements with your people Arne and then you can come and collect her once you are ready. We will take her to the Cathedral for now, while she is here it would be a shame to miss the celebrations, and maybe someone will recognise her. Thank you Arne."
He responds with a nod. As we turn to leave he reaches over and catches Boleslaw's arm.
"Take care of her. She no doubt speaks our language, knows our history and is part of our people and if she is who she says she is, our king himself may enquire about her" Boleslaw nods, and we leave Arne in the middle of the market and move with the croud towards the Cathedral.
The celebrations are long but quite entertaining, and while I keep my eye open for Michael I am still swept up in the beauty of the occasion. The day passes and we return to Boleslaw's home, I didn't see Michael anywhere. At the dinner, I decide to speak with Boleslaw.
"I am worried about my father, maybe when we got separated in the forest something happend to him. I was lucky to meet you, but perhaps my father never made it out of there? He is a brave and skilled fighter, however, none of us knows when we are to due to meet our fate... I would like to go back to the forest at dawn tomorrow, maybe i can find some clues as to what happened."
"It is dangerous my lady, please alllow me to accompany you."
"If you are able and willing I would appreciate your assistance," I say greatfully.
"Very well then. We shall do that tomorrow."
The next morning we return to the forest. I am glad I took the horse riding lessons as a child, otherwise, I don't think I would be able to keep this facade going.
We get to the place where I was attacked by the animal. I get off my horse and retrace my steps back to the place where I first saw the animal. I then walk back to the point where we got separated and follow Michaels trail . I am very glad for the mud that allows me to clearly see his path, I am no tracker. We walk for a few minutes when I notice Michael's clothes under a tree. I run to it as fast as I can with Boleslaw close behind.
I find Michael's jacket. Inside it, there are two colourful glittery eggs. He always carries these in his boots. I check the pockets and find some powder and some other equipment...
"It's my father's... He wouldn't leave it here. That is, unless he was facing danger and he left it for me..."
"So you think he saw his opponent and had enough time to plan, to get ready and leave this here for you?..." He asks. I nod.
He starts to walk straight past the tree examining the ground and the surrounding bushes. While he is doing this I quickly zip up the pockets of Michael's jacket and wrap up the eggs securely inside and carrying carefully I follow Boleslaw.
He carries on for a bit a stops in the middle of a clearing, looking round.
"This is where your father's trail ends. I can see him coming out from there and walking up to here. I think there is another person here... but I don't know where this person came from or where do they go? The trail just vanishes..."
"My people are good at hiding their tracks..." I say as I think of Isabel... It must have been her... she must have taken him... She knew I was with him... I know he will find a way to come back for me... I am important for history, they can't just leave me here, can they?
Boleslaw's voice pulls me out of my thoughts
"You collect eggs?" He raises his eyes and looks at Michaels jacket that I am carrying in my arms.
"My fathers... he collects them..."
"Why?"
"I don't really know to be honest... He values them for some reason...Why do you ask?"
"Oh, nothing really... Those things, when they are in the ground...they stink... But apparently, it's only my nose that is sensitive to the odour... When I was a child I would go out and hunt those things, my cousins and the other boys from my household. We would dig them up. I remember one summer we had a huge pile of those things, the adults didn't know what to do with them." he chuckles
"Oh, and where did they end up?"
"I don't know... I think they might still be in a barn..." He says as he helps me to get back up on the horse. We ride back in silence and I can't shake the bad feeling I have in my stomach...
My mind is spinning the whole way back to Boleslaw's home. What do I do now? I can't just pretend I am this Viking lady and stay hear forever, I won't be able to keep up with the lies... I don't want to live like this... I need to go back to my family... they will think I have abandoned them...
Once we leave the horses in the barn and start to walk back to the house Boleslaw says,"I know you are worried... I can send men and extend the search for your father? Or if you believe him to be caputured by someone in the clearning... maybe you have some clues? I am sure once we tell your people they will support you in getting him back?"
"Thank you, but no." He looks at me surprised, so I continue
"I suspect the person who took my father... if that is the case that he is taken, then... I will never be able to find him... only he, himself will be able to escape... He has done it before, many times. I just need to hope that he will do so again... and then... he will find me..."
As we approach the house we can hear a commotion, people running and shouting, some crying.
"What is it?" Boleslaw asks alarmed running up to the house. One of the men standing in the doorway answers, "Your Father collapsed, they say he is gone..." my eyes widen and I run after Boleslaw who has dashed into the main hall.
His father is laying on the ground surrounded by men and women, some are on their knees, crying, holding his hand. We run up to them and a woman sobs, "He was fine, we ate and then he was telling me about the taxes, and then he just collapsed, just now, for no reason.."
"Just now?" I ask
"Yes"
"Move!" I say taking control of the situation.
She moves out of the way and I check his pulse...still there, I check his breathing... Nothing... He is not breathing, ok... Check the airways...I open his mouth... Empty... I position his head, by tilting it back... I check the pulse again, still there, but faint.
"Everyone step away, give me some space, I need all the windows open, Now!" I shout, as they all seem too sunned to move. I look at Boleslaw and say "Everyone, who is not needed needs to leave now, and I need that tablecloth, quickly!" I point at the table. Boleslaw feeling the urgency in my voice demands everyone leave and that the boy bring me the tablecloth.
When the boy brings it over I ask instruct him to hold it over me and to cover the body, "Hold it here and do not let anyone see what I am doing!"
I start CPR with three rescue breaths. I get consumed by what I am doing and I lose track of everything around me. After a couple of rounds of CPR, Wojciech starts coughing! He gasps trying to get air into his lungs and opens his eyes. I sigh with relief sitting exhausted beside him on the floor. With a shaky voice, I say,"Don't move yet. Give yourself a moment. Best if they carry you to your bed, you shouldn't be walking right now."
Wojciech eyes are wide and he seems in pain, but he is breathing. I look up to see Boleslaw pale, looking at me and his father, lost for words, then I look at the boy still holding the tablecloth, tears falling down his cheeks.