Bones of the Dragon - Margaret Weis [185]
Skylan waited in suspense. “Yes, well?”
“She reminded them of Griselda the Man-Woman,” said Bjorn.
Skylan’s jaw sagged. He stared at Bjorn in disbelief.
“You can’t be serious.”
“Trust me, I could not have made this up,” said Bjorn.
Skylan looked accusingly at Garn. “Did you know about this?”
Garn shook his head. “I had no idea!” He sounded as appalled as Skylan felt.
“What about Treia?” Skylan asked. “She would not approve.”
“Treia said she did. She said she supported her sister in her decision. The Priestesses talked it over, and in the end they all agreed,” said Bjorn. “Aylaen will become a man-woman and sail with us to war.”
“No, she won’t,” said Skylan. “I will forbid it.”
“I don’t think you can,” said Bjorn. “The Kai approved because Aylaen told them it was you who gave her the idea.”
CHAPTER
4
Skylan left in search of Aylaen, taking Garn with him. If both of them talked to her, they agreed that they might be able to make her see reason. They went to the Hall, only to hear from Erdmun that the Kai Moot had ended. A few Bone Priestesses remained, but Treia was not among them and Aylaen would be with her sister. One of the Priestesses said she thought Treia and Aylaen had gone to Fria’s dwelling, where they had been invited to stay while they were in Vindraholm. Skylan and Garn walked to Fria’s, only to learn that the sisters planned to sail back on the Venjekar. The young men hastened to the shore. The dragonship had already departed.
They went back to Skylan’s dwelling. Bjorn had left to join his brother. Wulfe lay curled up asleep in a corner, his hands and feet twitching.
“I’ve been thinking, Garn,” Skylan said. “Perhaps Aylaen is right. If this is the only way she can become a Bone Priestess, then she should undergo the ritual. She should come with us.”
“You can’t mean that,” said Garn flatly.
“Aylaen is trained in both axe and sword. She was at the battle with the ogres, and she never flinched, even when a spear landed right beside her.”
“She wasn’t in the shield-wall, Skylan,” Garn said grimly. “With men being disemboweled and brains splattering in her face.”
“I will see to it that nothing happens to her,” Skylan assured him. “I will put her with the warriors who guard Treia. Both women will have the Dragon Kahg to look out for them.”
“She will still be in danger. Bone Priestesses are often killed,” Garn said.
“I will order additional warriors to guard her—”
“—which means you must take men from the shield-wall, and that puts everyone in danger. You are going to imperil the entire mission for your own lust!”
Garn was pale; his eyes burned. “This scheme of yours will get Aylaen killed!”
He stalked out, slamming the door to Skylan’s dwelling with such force that bits of it splintered.
Skylan sat down wearily in his chair. He could be rightfully accused of many crimes, but this was not one of them. He had mentioned the story of Griselda the Man-Woman to Aylaen only in passing. He had certainly never meant to suggest to Aylaen that she emulate the fabled female warrior!
Skylan left Vindraholm the next morning, sailing in a small boat back to Luda to prepare the Venjekar for war. Two dragonships, those belonging to the Svegund and Martegnan Clans, would meet them at Luda in two days. During the short journey across the bay, he mulled over what Garn had said. When he reached home, he went so far as to discuss the problem about Aylaen with Norgaard. The old Chief agreed completely with Garn and added a forceful argument of his own. None of the warriors would be comfortable fighting alongside a woman.
Yet, this was the only way Aylaen could become a Bone Priestess, the only way she could become Skylan’s wife.
He was still undecided over what to do the night before they were to set sail. He lay awake, waiting tensely for the draugr to come for their game of dragonbones. She did not appear, however, and after a time, Skylan fell into an exhausted sleep.
He was in a battle, but not the shield-wall. His warriors were scattered all