"I was wrong about Nye Grenner. Toki will hold the land in my name, and expand it to the north. Frankia will be our new home. Norsemen have already cut out farms and estates along the coast, and the Franks are weak and yielding when not crowded behind stone walls. Hrolf has already promised me lands."
"What of your kingdom?" Runa asked, her eyebrow raised but her smile undiminished. "You did not want to bend a knee to any man?"
"Everyone has a master; even jarls and kings answer to the gods. Besides, I had already sworn myself to Hrolf, and Fate has rewarded me for the loyalty."
Runa's laugh was like the tinkling of bright silver. He drew her under his arm and cherished her a moment longer. Snorri had hinted that she and Konal might have shared a bed. Her stiff and formal manner in Konal's presence confirmed as much for Ulfrik. He did not begrudge her. More than one Frankish slave woman had found herself under his blankets during the long year alone. All that mattered was the future, which he relished like never before.
Ulfrik pressed his lips in a tentative smile. "Have you no curiosity why I've taken you to these woods in secret?"
"You want to build your family, I hope."
Bending back with laughter, he patted the bag on the rock. "That I do, and we will! But let me lay a richer bed for us first. This bag holds our future."
He snatched the deerskin bag by the bottom and tipped out the contents. Anscharic's ragged, dirty red cloak tumbled out and unfolded on the rock.
"What is that?" Runa frowned and lifted the cloak to check if anything was hidden beneath, revealing nothing but stone.
"Humbert claimed it belonged to his father, and that it meant more than anything to him. When I captured him, I nearly threw out the cloak but for his pleading. All throughout his time with me, he clung to this rag. I tore it from him during his escape, and he had to choose freedom or this bit of dyed wool. But he has connived to retrieve the cloak ever since. He sent Thrand after it, then on the morning you arrived he offered a ransom of gold for me to return it. Why?"
"Because it belonged to his father?" Runa prodded the cloak again. "It's just a rag."
"It's just a rag," Ulfrik agreed, drawing a knife from his belt. "After speaking with Konal and Kell last night, I knew it was nothing more than a rag. And the hiding place of Humbert's treasure."
He smoothed out the cloak, felt for the thick and tightly sewn hems and the hard lumps concealed within. Knife point beneath the first stitch, he ripped down the length, his hand quaking and heart pounding.
Gems rolled out from the seam: brilliant stones that sparkled like unearthly eyes, rubies like frozen blood, green and yellow gems that flashed as if rejoicing at being revealed. Cutting along all the edges, more stones popped out, until he had brushed them all into a pile large enough to nearly fill two hands.
Runa covered her mouth and gasped. Ulfrik placed his knife to the side, stepped back and stared at the glittering mound.
"Ander was true. The gods spoke to him. The treasure was hanging over my head all these long months. We are rich beyond imagining, Wife. My hall will be glorious and my men will be adorned with gold armbands. You will dress in the finest linen and wear gold every day. Finally, Runa, we will fulfill our destinies with this treasure."
"But these belong to Konal." Runa's voice was muffled behind her trembling hands.
"No, they belong to Anscharic, who lost them to Konal. Now they belong to me, to us, Wife." Mention of Konal's name galvanized him, and he swept the gems back into the bag and stuffed the cloak over them.
He and Runa stared at the bag for long moments in silence. A bird cawed in the branches above, and Ulfrik spotted a black raven eying them. It cawed again, and fluttered away, flying over their heads.
"Odin has seen this and approves. The gods have been well entertained, and this is the reward. We must keep it secret from everyone, not even Snorri nor Toki will know. In time, we will convert the stones to gold and live in great luxury in this new land."
Turning back toward the camp, neither spoke. Ulfrik continued to hear the raven cawing. The bird, the gods themselves, celebrated his newfound riches.
As they exited the woods, they entered into a future of bright possibilities