Leofric and Godiva Pt. 07 - Finale

Emma gasped and looked around the tent again like she was worried about witnesses, then her head fell back and she grabbed at the table for support. "Ohhhhhhh... y-you can't... they're s-still asleep in the--" Emma's breathy protests were cut short when she clapped her hand over her mouth and moaned behind her fingers, answered by Cnut's muffled lewd laughter.

"Say Emma will be wife..." Cnut murmured from under her skirts, doing something that made Emma gasp and grab at his head.

Emma bit her lips, trying to keep from crying out, then gritted out, "It's... not that easy, Cnut..."

A low chuckle came out of her skirts as Emma began losing the battle to remain quiet and cried out as she came. Emma shivered and became weak and languid as Cnut emerged from under her dress sucking his fingers. Before she fell, Cnut caught her up in his arms, looking down at her warmly, "Not easy. Never easy... but the Emma is not Queen... the Emma is paradise... and I am Cnut. Cnut find way."

"You called, My Lady?" Thorstein asked, leaning his head into the entry of the tent, then ducked out quickly as an apple bounced off his head.

"Get out!" Emma yelled. Leofric and Godgifu, taking Emma's order to Thorstein as an opportunity, jumped out of bed, and ran out of the tent naked, hunched over and holding their clothes.

From outside, Leofric and Godgifu heard the muffled sounds of clothes being shed and bodies falling into bed together. They looked at each other and smirked, happy that Cnut and Emma were finding their way together, stifling their laughter as they dressed.

Leofric and Godgifu walked around the camp until the sun began to set, greeting all the newly-dubbed nobility as they passed, intending to return to Cnut and Emma's tent after a discreet time had passed.

As they walked, Godgifu frequently glanced up to see Leofric looking down at her, annoyed and relieved at the same time. "What is it?" she finally asked.

Leofric shook his head ruefully. "My lovely bride sneaks into a Viking camp rather than do the one sensible thing I asked of her. They would have thrown you out of the army," he said.

"Well, you knew I wouldn't leave you, so I don't see why you bothered to ask. I'm not good at obeying orders, Leofric. I've been making my own decisions and ruling over Mercia for most of my life, and if you think that's going to change just beca--" Godgifu's argument was cut short when Leofric knelt and pulled her into his arms, kissing her.

She grew soft and pliant under his lips, clinging to him as their kiss deepened. When they parted, she was surprised to feel tears running down her face. "I love you, Leofric. I'm too short, and I'm disobedient, and I do ridiculous things all the time... but for what it's worth, I love you... and I'll love you until the day I die," she whispered.

Leofric's eyes roamed over her face adoringly. "I would have you no other way, Diva. My only regret is that it took so long to find you. Now that you're mine, I'll never..." Leofric trailed off, his arms around her going tense as he looked around them.

When Godgifu turned to see what had distracted him, her stomach dropped. A group of enormous blonde men were walking toward them, spreading out and flanking the two. Leofric rose and subtly pulled Godgifu behind him, feeling for a weapon he didn't have.

Godgifu tried to see if she could recognize the men from the Commission on Hneftafl Rules or the group of recently knighted men, but she couldn't place them. One thing was clear, though, they were not happy. Outraged would be a better description of their mood, in fact. She knew Leofric had only one tool for handling the situation, but she also knew that fighting was not their way out of this.

Squirming out from behind her out-manned protector, Godgifu smiled and asked, "Can I help you gentlemen? Was there a matter of utmost importance you did not get to ask the Queen?" she asked in Danish, trying to keep her voice steady and light.

The largest of the blond moving mountains came closer, leaving the others to form an impenetrable wall around Leofric and Godgifu. He stopped just a couple paces away from them and scrutinized the tiny woman, inspecting as one would an animal they intended to buy. He opened his mouth and a sound like boulders grinding against each other came out of him. "Havande kvinna?" he growled, nearly shaking with offense.

"What did he say?" Leofric ground out between his teeth.

"Uh... I'm not sure... his accent is really thick. That, and I think he's speaking Swedish. Something about a woman?" Godgifu stammered. "Hvad sagde du?" she asked in Danish, hoping that she would understand more if he repeated it.

"HAVANDE KVINNA???" he roared, suspicion now entering his outraged inquiry.

"Uh...ja!" Godgifu said impulsively, hoping that was the right answer.

"What did he say?" Leofric asked.

"I don't know..." Godgifu stammered.

"You said 'ja!' That means 'yes.' Why did you say 'yes?'" Leofric gritted, trying to keep an eye on all sides.

"I don't know. When a big scary guy asks you a question, 'yes' is usually the best answer..." Godgifu explained.

Unfortunately, it appeared that Godgifu's answer did not please the group. Most of them began yelling at Leofric and pointing to Godgifu, then pounding their fists into their hands. "DU KOMMER ATT GIFTA MED HENNE NU!" the closest of them roared.

"Oh! Oh, I think I know that one!" Godgifu said, then spoke rapidly in Danish, trying to calm the group. Most of the men looked at Leofric suspiciously, shaking their heads and beckoning to Godgifu to come with them.

"Diva, what's going on?" Leofric asked, ready to fight.

Godgifu continued speaking rapid Danish, making calming gestures with her hands, but the men would not listen. "Um... Leofric... I think they're upset that I'm pregnant--"

"But you're not pregnant!"

"I know! I told them! They don't believe me, though... especially after I told them I was pregnant, apparently,"

"Well, what now?" Leofric asked, still trying to keep himself between Godgifu and the nearest Vikings.

"I'm going with them for a bit. Just do what they tell you..." Godgifu said, raising her hands and approaching the nearest of the men who lifted her by the waistband of her pants and glowered at Leofric. "It's going to be all right. Trust me. Everything's fine. No problem..." Godgifu said desperately, worried more about Leofric now, than anything else.

*** *** ***

Three days later, Cnut, Emma, Leofric and Godgifu rode the horses along the road back toward Coventry, an awkward air surrounding them. Finally, Cnut again breached the silence, "Still not understand..." he muttered, leaning toward Emma as she rode Godgifu's mare Elsa.

"Well, they are married now. That's all that matters. As you promised, Leofric is now Earl of Twywell and Mercia. Godgifu is now an honest woman, their child will have a name, and all is well."

Leofric snorted, "God himself couldn't make an honest woman of this one," he grumbled, pulling Godgifu closer on his lap as he nudged Harold to move faster.

"I don't see how any of this is my fault," Godgifu muttered.

"But why the Leofric upset? He marry Pindsvin. Nice Viking wedding. Everything fine. No problem..." Cnut said, shrugging.

"Viking weddings are not for everyone, dearest. The English... they are backward in many ways..." Emma said, stroking Cnut's arm.

"I think if anyone's upset, it should be me," Godgifu insisted.

Leofric snorted, "You just had to take a bath to enter the marriage clean of your past... such as it was," he muttered.

"Hey! I also had to use a switch to beat myself and 'overcome my virginity and resistance to my husband!'" Godgifu protested.

Leofric turned Godgifu in his lap to look down at her, "And I'm sure you went easy on yourself and it was no more than you deserved for not going back to Coventry in the first place. It hardly comes close to what I endured."

"What did the Leofric endured?" Cnut stage-whispered to Emma.

"I don't want to talk about it..." Leofric grumbled.

"I suspect Earl Leofric of Twywell was discomfited by the Viking tradition to have witnesses at the consummation of the marriage..." Emma whispered back to Cnut. "The English are very backward about sex, dearest. Perhaps he could not perform as he wished..."

"Really... there is no need to re-hash the past," Leofric growled under his breath.

"They were very understanding about it," Godgifu offered. "They offered several ideas and suggestions... we should try them out when we get home."

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" Leofric yelled, earning a reproachful glance from Harold.

"Slikke testikler always work for Cnut... the Emma should write that for the Ragnar" Cnut murmured to Emma.

"Finger in the bottom, too..." Emma said nodding in agreement.

Sensing Leofric was ready to kick Harold into a full gallop to get away from the discussion, Godgifu changed the topic. "So, since we helped you get your Queen back and everything fine, no problem... I'm sure that your gratitude to us will be reflected in a great reduction in Coventry's tax debt, right Your Highness? Shall we call it even?" Godgifu asked, smiling cheekily over at Cnut.

Cnut grunted noncommittally.

"I don't understand, Sire... is not the Emma a prize beyond compare?" Godgifu pressed, knowing Cnut could not refute her point.

"Pindsvin is ruthless monster. Everyone in Mercia think Pindsvin is little sweet thing... and then she bite," Cnut grumbled, but then softened when he looked over at his wife. "And yet... the Cnut is grateful."

Emma smirked and leaned over to whisper in Cnut's ear. He snorted, "Pindsvin will never do this," he vowed.

"Let her choose..." Emma said.

Cnut chuckled and cleared his throat, "Cnut the Great, King of England, Denmark, Norway and some of Sweden shall forever forgive tax debts of Coventry, if Countess Pindsvin the Godgifu of Mercia will do one thing!" he announced loudly to the group.

"I'll do it!" Godgifu yelled, just as Leofric cautiously asked, "Do... what?"

*** *** ***

Leofric shook his head, holding the small bundle of Godgifu's clothes as he led Harold who now carried Queen Emma down the road into Coventry. Ahead, he watched the pale skin of his wife's back shine in the sunlight as she rode Elsa into town toward her home. Villagers that noticed her looked up in shock, then turned away in recognition, murmuring amongst themselves.

"Wow... that woman really hates paying her taxes..." Leofric said, almost in admiration.

As Godgifu approached the steps to her grand house, Sir Hulgar emerged and stood ready, his face turning a deeper and deeper shade of red. By the time Godgifu's infamous ride ended, a crowd had formed at the entry of her house of villagers that looked diligently away from her, but were also dying to know what was happening.

Leofric watched anxiously with Cnut and Emma as Godgifu dismounted and climbed the steps of her home. No one said a word, but the people parted to give her space to approach the front doors.

Godgifu's cheeks were burning in humiliation, but stubbornly she continued up each step. If the people had forgiven her for running around as the scandalous Lady Godiva before, there was no way the people of Coventry would overlook her transgression this time. She was completely naked! You can't pretend someone is the good and virtuous Lady Godgifu when you've seen them riding down the street naked. She sighed. Maybe she and Leofric could go live in Twywell...

Ignoring Sir Hulgar's apoplectic shock, Godgifu turned and faced the crowd, but she had no idea what to say. What was there to say? Justifications and arguments are not easily made without the benefit of clothing. She was just one of them, now.

Godgifu opened her mouth. "I..." she squeaked. Then, she just stood there, unable to say more.

"King Cnut, Queen Emma and Sir Leofric have brought Lady Godiva to justice at last!" a voice she recognized the boy Frederic's yelled. "Take her into custody, Sir Hulgar! Don't let her get away again!"

After a pause, the villagers looked at each other uncertainly, then began yelling as well, joining in with Frederic's demands for justice. Thus bidden, Sir Hulgar quickly bent down and carried Godgifu away into the house, kicking and screaming like the notorious Lady Godiva would have done.

Leofric stifled his laughter with limited success as the people cheered when the doors to the grand house closed with a loud bang. He looked up to see Queen Emma's mouth open, her face a mask of confusion. "What... what just happened?" she asked, completely bewildered.

"It's a little hard to explain..." Leofric chuckled.

"Cnut not get tax money, now. That what happen..." the King grumbled.

"Come inside and we'll explain the adventures of Lady Godiva," Leofric said, helping Queen Emma down from Harold as the villagers dispersed. "And more importantly, the rather stubborn beliefs of the people of Coventry."

"I'm writing what really happened," Emma vowed. "I don't care. Everyone thinks she's this perfect little angel. She's not getting away with this again..." she said, walking inside on Cnut's arm.

Leofric lingered in the doorway until almost everyone was gone, waiting for what he knew was coming. Before long, a small boy approached him, flipping a coin he had no doubt gotten from getting Leofric out of trouble in the past. "Good to see you again, Frederic. Has all been well since I left?"

"Well enough, Sir Leofric, but very confusing. I am just a boy, after all. I thought you had caught Lady Godiva earlier and today she turns up in town again... just when Lady Godgifu was due to return. Very confusing, sir."

"I doubt I could make it more clear for you, if I tried, unfortunately. Perhaps things would be easier to figure if you had a horse to carry you about? Elsa is pregnant, would you mind taking on the foal as your own?" Leofric asked.

"That would be fine with me, sir," Frederic replied, patting Elsa's belly gently. "Of course, the horse tax will cost me an awful lot, sir..."

Leofric sighed and shook his head. "You're lucky I just became an Earl, Frederic," he grumbled, reaching into his pocket for some coins.

"Yes, sir. Well deserved. Congratulations, sir," Frederic said, stroking Elsa's belly as he waited for his ransom.

Leofric and Godiva -- Part 7