Jarl watched in disbelief as Nena divided large handfuls of gold and jewels among the horses’ packs to better distribute the weight. “In case we are set upon by bandits on the way and have to run,” she explained as she saw him watching. “They must be evenly weighted or they will slow us down.”
“To this day I thought you exaggerated about having a huge collection of wealth,” he said.
“Why would I have done that?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “Perhaps to convince me to ransom you.”
“But if the jewels were not really here, arranging a ransom no one could pay would have done me no good.”
“I suppose not,” he agreed. “Still. I never guessed there would be so much. And this is all your share? You haven’t accidentally taken someone else’s?”
“Of course not,” she said, indignant. “And this is only a portion of my share, but you said we needed to travel fast, so I didn’t want to weigh down the horses. We can come back later for the rest. And I thought with what you had also accumulated in your raids, it would be enough. Do you think we’ll need more?”
Jarl looked at her, his mouth agape. “This will be plenty, but there is more?”
“Would you like me to show you?” Nena asked.
He nodded.
She smiled and took his hand. “Then come, Husband. Let me show you how large your wife’s fortune is.”
After an hour of meandering through the cave system, Jarl had seen more treasure than he thought existed. Every time he thought they had come to the end, another tunnel branched off, lined with alcoves filled with jewels, silver and gold. The gems and precious metals glimmered and sparkled in the light cast by the flame of their flickering pitch torch.
“Who guards it all?” he asked. He had yet to see another soul.
“We do,” Nena replied.
“I mean, from each other,” he clarified.
“There is no need. Some may have more than others, but as you can see there is plenty to go around.”
“When we are back among my people, you should never speak of this to anyone but me,” he cautioned.
“It is safe here.”
“Yes, but it would be better not to provide temptation.”
“When I saw you had brought your whole army, I thought you had come for it,” she murmured, frowning.
“I didn’t bring the army,” he said and pulled her into an embrace. He could see the memory still pained her. “I sent the army with Gunnar to the port, while I tracked you. They were to head for home if I did not return and leave behind only four ships. You were the only treasure I was after.”
“I realized that when you came in alone. That was very foolish. It all worked out, but you could have just as easily been killed.”
“I had no choice. And only with great risk comes great reward. You are my greatest reward.”
They had made their way back to the entrance and Nena’s personal alcove of treasure, still over half full. She grabbed another small bag full of gems and smiled. “For an emergency,” she said.
Jarl reached down and picked up a net of fine gold chains and gold filigree. He held it up for her to see. “You need to take this with us, too. When we get settled, I want to see you wearing only this, lying on a pile of furs surrounded by jewels.” He closed his eyes and smiled, imagining the sight of the delicate gold against her dark skin, her body surrounded by rubies and sapphires winking in candlelight.
“As you wish, Husband.” Nena took the gold netting from his hands and added it to the pouch, before dousing the flaming pitch torch in a bucket of water by the entrance.
They returned to the horses, and Jarl watched as Nena decided which pack horse to add the extra weight to, then rearranged the load again for it to be the most comfortable for the animal. He looked around, surprised to not find any other Teclan. Were they angry? Was this some sort of shunning to punish her for leaving? Everyone had seemed to accept the announcement. He had seen no sign of resentment or animosity in the past few days as they had made their preparations to leave. He looked to Nena, but she seemed not to have noticed.
“Where is everyone?” he asked.
“They will not come to see us off,” Nena said. “We do not say good-bye. It is not our way.”
“Why not?”
“We do not want our last memories to be sad ones.”
“Are there none you would share special last words with?” Jarl probed.
Nena stopped adjusting the horses’ packs and bit her lower lip. “Yes,” she murmured.
“Then do it.”
She hesitated.
“You are more than Teclan now, Nena. You are your own woman, free to do as she wants. If it will ease your spirit to share last words, then do it. I will wait for you here.”
Nena found Exanthia by the creek and sat beside her. “Did you know this was my special place?” she said as she stroked the girl’s hair. “When you reach the point in your training where you must learn to endure, you will need a special place to go to in your mind when things are hard. This was my place and it is a good one. Perhaps it will be yours as well.”
Exanthia nodded.
“You can still come with us, if you have changed your mind,” Nena coaxed.
Exanthia shook her head. “Why can’t you stay here?”she whispered.
“Jarl could never be happy here.”
“But these are your people, and he is not.” Her tone was both bitter and confused.
“Jarl is my people now. The gods chose him for me, and I accepted their choice. It was the right choice for me. You will understand when you are older.” Nena put her
