Doctor Abbott Read online

  That drew another chuckle from her as she pulled him back down on the bed and laid her head on his shoulder to continue reading their book. After a few moments, he found himself stroking the back of her hand as it rested on his chest. She was enchanting and as much as he was fighting it, he was falling for her.

  She knew it too. It is what she wanted. He was fascinating and unique. Unlike the warriors she was used to, he wasn’t caught up in himself. Every day he came home and tended to her despite the fact that she told him he didn’t have to. He made the time. Not like it was his duty but like it was his desire to. All her life she heard what a good wife she was going to make and he instead told her she was smart…that she mattered. Joutone women never matter. Not to warriors. Perhaps to humans, or maybe she just matters to this human. Now if she could keep him alive long enough to figure out what to do with him. Because she was never letting him go.

  Chapter 3

  As weeks passed, it became a regular chore for Ben to follow Lúta through the square tugging a travois style cart, while she shopped for goods. He enjoyed these outings in part to get a break from the slave labor at the cottage and also to learn more about where he was. There was no opportunity lost on him to try and get his bearings.

  Trolling one vendor cart, he noticed several human goods and the vendor was talking in a language he had heard a few times already. The language was like nothing he had ever heard before. Not even derived from something he knew, no Latin, no French. Norse and Gaelic were both common in Iceland. He knew nothing of Norse but grew up with enough Gaelic to at least detect it in a conversation. What he was listening to was far removed from any modern language.

  The vendor paused in his discussion, almost annoyed with Ben’s lingering presence over his wares. Wanting to stick around and learn as much as he could Ben opted to pick up an item of interest on the cart, a flashlight. He held it up, “Do you know what it is?”

  The vendor sneered. “It is not your concern, human.”

  Ben held it up and pushed the button on the handle just to see if it had any juice in it. To his amazement, the battery was good. He smiled at the blank expression the vendor now held, and responded, “You did not know it did that, did you?” The vendor stomped over and picked it up, looking into the bright light and then aiming it towards his hand and see if it burned.

  Ben then picked up another item on the pile of wares, “This is a cork screw, it is used to open bottles and this one is if a coffee maker. You could use it to steep tea or medicine if you needed to.” He pointed to a glass cylinder with a metal pole in the center.

  The creature snapped up the cylinder and let off a growl, sending a clear message that Ben was not welcome at this cart. He followed Lúta to the next and marveled over the assortment of goods there. Discarded soda bottles and other waste had been turned into everything from jewelry to funnels. Another cart held hand blown glass that clearly had been made here on the island.

  A few minutes later he watched as Lúta paid for some fresh caught fish. She used a couple of arrow heads that had been made by her brothers. When they reached a table containing soaps and oils she paid with a jar of apple sauce from her own stock. Everything here was paid for in trade. This was a culture built on necessity. It seemed as though everything had a value, and if it was not something you valued, yourself, then someone else would be glad to make use of it.

  Ben stopped short when he noticed a life vest from his boat hanging from one of the carts. He held his breath as he walked by just unable to let out air at the thought of all the friends and colleagues he had seen perish. It was heart breaking, just seeing the various items left over from his crew spread about for the assessment of local shoppers; much like the valueless rubbish he had just passed by.

  Some of the carts sported goods that could not have been made on the island and were in too good of condition to have simply washed ashore. Someone was trading with humans. But who? Who would trade with these creatures and not have them plastered all over the nightly news? How did this place exist in a modern world with all the technology there is?

  As the day went on Ben found the travois getting heavier and heavier. He scolded himself for not being used to the thing by now. It was not that he was out of shape. As a doctor, he took pride in a good diet and exercise, but with everything on the island having to be done by hand; he would have thought his entire upbringing was on chips and cola.

  He had fashioned a strap for his cart to more evenly distribute the weight but after a few yards that even became cumbersome. He stopped to rest and Lúta looked back at him.

  “I am so sorry Ben, I know this is a lot for you.” She closed in on him and softened her voice as she whispered in his ear, “I will make up for it later if you like.” As she backed away, she winked and he rolled his eyes knowing that she meant another make out session. He had to admit he was enjoying them as much as he did in high school, although the fear of actually being killed was never a real concern back then. The likelihood of them being caught by one of her brothers grew every time she found herself in the mood to give him another taste test.

  She backed off slowly making sure to hold his gaze for another moment. His brow cocked up as he thought “Oh what the heck.” and he was ready to give it another go. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something. “What in the world?” He wasn’t quite sure he had really seen it at first, but a second later it was there again, passing through the square dodging in and out of the crowd as it followed someone. A little girl…a human girl. She was a tiny toddler with blond hair and a well-made fur coat with leggings and boots.

  Ben dropped the travois and found himself unconsciously following her. He thought for sure it was just with his eyes at first but as she moved farther away, he now knew his feet were following. Could there be other humans here? Was he not that only one? Were they slaves as well? He came to a stop completely dumbfounded. His jaw just hung open in awe, since he had been here for weeks and had never seen another human the entire time.

  Then something else caught his attention, it was a warrior and he was crossing the square quickly. The look in his eyes sent chills down Ben’s spine immediately as the massive beast closed in on him. Ben stood frozen and holding his breath repeating to himself over and over again “don’t show fear, don’t show fear,” but as much as he tried to convince himself that he could hold a tough face, he was sure his reflection would show a ghost of a man standing there.

  “Something interest you, human?” The creature towered over him looking down into his eyes and readying a fine set of claws for a blow when Lúta grabbed the beast’s arm.

  “No, Mâvis! You cannot do that he is mine!” A growl lingered on her words.

  The warrior was covered head to toe in albino white fur. He was wearing no armor, but a brown leather tunic that matched his pants. He had a mane of hair on his head that traveled nearly mid-waist. He kept the top of it pulled back giving his ice blue eyes a fierce look. He turned to Lúta, “Do, you really think I care, woman?” He shook her off his arm and drew back to kill the man when another female shoved him back effectively throwing herself between him and the human. The beast scolded her. “Go home, Genevieve! This is not your concern!”

  “It is my concern, Mâvis! Let him be!” The shapely, ebony colored Joutone woman turned to address Lúta with urgency, “What are you waiting for? Take him!” She shoved Ben and then pointed in the direction of Lúta’s house.

  Ben’s eyes stayed locked with the beast that was staring him down as a couple more females tried to deter the monster. He didn’t even realize Lúta was dragging him by the arm until she spoke. “Come on, will you? He wants to kill you!”

  The sound of her voice brought him back into reality. “What did I do? I don’t even know what happened!”

  She turned on her heels glaring at him, “Well you better think fast next time and do not do it again. You do not anger the guards ever, especially that one.”

  “Well I’ll be sure to refr
ain from drawing his attention a second time.” He picked up his pace to keep up with Lúta, “We forgot the cart.”

  “My brothers will get it. You cannot go back and I am not leaving you alone with Mâvis chasing you.” She stormed into the house throwing one last peek out the door before locking it. “You are lucky he did not have his blasted axe with him. I am not sure Genie could have stopped him if he had. You will need to watch your back next time you go out.”

  He paced the floor for a second trying to think. He ran through everything that happened repeatedly in his head and just couldn’t piece it together. “I saw a girl and stopped to be sure that was what I saw and then he started chasing me.”

  “What do you mean a girl?” She walked over grabbing his hands in hers, searching his eyes for some meaning to what he was saying.

  He could not have looked more baffled before he finally asked, “Are there other humans here?”

  “Well, on the other islands there is a few from what I have heard, but as far as I know you are the only one on this island except….Ohhhh, now I know what happened.” She pulled out the dining chair and sat staring blankly for a few seconds, disturbed by her realization. Then she looked back up at Ben, afraid of his answer. “You saw a human girl, did you not? Was it a cub?”

  “Yes! I knew it. That was a child I saw!” His eyes grew large with excitement. “Are there more?” He hoped her answer would be yes, but her expression only darkened with more worry.

  “You saw Mâvis’s daughter. Oh, that is not good. I wonder if he sees you as a threat.” She got up suddenly and dashed around him to start prepping dinner, pulling a jar of rhubarb down off a shelf and opening it. “We need to talk to my brothers, and I need to talk to his wife. I will invite her for tea tomorrow.”

  Benjamin reached over and grabbed a pot to take out and fill with water, “She wouldn’t be bringing that husband of hers would she? I should probably make myself scarce.”

  “Oh gosh no. He is a palace guard like Bjorn. He will be gone to work all day. Do not worry, we will figure this out.”

  A few hours later Bjorn and Avery made it home for dinner. They both walked in looking very miffed and Avery wasted no time getting in Ben’s face. “What did you do today?”

  Lúta shoved her way in-between them. “It was not his fault! He merely saw another human. It just happens to be Mâvis’s daughter, how was he supposed to know?”

  Avery shoved back, “Well now we have the most vicious warrior on the island livid with us woman. You need to tether him in public!”

  She looked long and sorrowfully at Ben. He was already vulnerable, being a human, and a male. She had seen the way the vendors treated him in the market. No warrior would ever let some peddler bully him in that manor. To put a leash on him would make him far more of a target. “I cannot do that, it would be cruel.”

  Bjorn stepped up and shoved a mug into Ben’s hand, filling it with the homemade, potato vodka. “Drink up, human. This might be your last day.” He stormed off into his quarters clearly stressed over the outcome of the day’s events.

  Avery looked back and forth between Ben and Lúta a few times, just questioning if he should hand the human over and let the general do as he pleased. The thought of seeing the pitiful creature skinned like a deer did not sit well with him. “Cruel would be serving him up to Mâvis. If you are not going to control him in public at least put him out of his misery.” He scowled at his sister and stormed out the door.

  Ben put the mug on the table and turned to Lúta, taking her hands in his. “I won’t put you in that position. I will lay low tomorrow and just work around the house.

  She lowered her voice in response to avoid Bjorn hearing her. “If you cannot pull your weight they may do away with you.” Now she was looking him in the eyes, “We need to figure something out.”

  Instinctively he pulled her to him for a hug and she took to the shelter of his arms drinking in his scent as he said, “Don’t worry, okay? This will all put itself right, there is a reason I ended up here and it was not to be killed. There is a purpose to this I promise you.” She was so quiet that he was sure he could hear the sound of her tears hitting his shoulder. Ben reached for the mug on the table and poured some into another mug for her, “Come on, let’s go read some more. I know how much you like that, okay? It’ll take your mind off things.” After seeing her nod and wipe her tears, he snuggled up on the bed and read to her until she was asleep.

  Chapter 4

  The next day Ben woke up fresh and renewed. He decided that everything he said to Lúta the night before was true. He should have died on the boat, but he didn’t. He should have died on the shore, but he was still there. He should have died in the woods yet here he was in this house. He should have died yesterday and still, he was alive. Something about this place was important. He was sent here for a purpose and going home was no longer an option.

  He got dressed and set out to beat his captors to his chores but what he found when he opened the cottage door was complete and utter chaos. There had been a raid in the evening and there were several soldiers wounded or dead all over the square. A few warriors passed right by him including Mâvis and they never even noticed him. They were dragging a travois with someone on it.

  Out of curiosity, Ben decided to follow, staying well behind and out of sight. The group stopped in front of a large chalet, the door opened, and a woman ran out screaming. Ben quietly snuck up behind a couple of large trees that hid him well. He could see that what or whoever was in the cart was still moving and in serious distress.

  He darted back to the cottage and grabbed his bag, the bottle of vodka and a bucket full of kitchen supplies. Lúta and Bjorn were now awake and heading out to the square themselves. Bjorn to assess the situation and get orders, Lúta to drag Ben back, scolding him as she did so, “What are you doing? Are you crazed?”

  He spun on his heals as he continued towards the chalet with his supplies in hand, addressing her as he did so. “I don’t know, maybe. Nevertheless, if I am going to survive here I need to pull my weight, didn’t you say that? Doing what I know how is the best way to accomplish that. Trust me, please?”

  She looked long and hard at him before seeing the mess he was walking into. “Fine, go, but I cannot help you if this turns bad, I just hope you know that.”

  He nodded silently and hurried to the cart with Lúta following. A few of the guards including Bjorn turned to look at him as if he was completely nuts. His master shoved his spear up to Ben’s throat. “What are you doing, human?”

  Ben swallowed hard and raised his voice a bit looking straight at Bjorn but yelling past him to the woman crouching over the travois. “I can help him!”

  The woman straightened up and shoved Bjorn out of the way. “What did you say?”

  “I can’t waste time…I can save him. If you will let me, that is.” He wasn’t sure he could or even to what extent the injuries were. All he knew was that if meant to live through this day he had to save that warrior because clearly the entire village found him of value. “Do you want that man to live?”

  “Yes, yes I do, come.” The tall, grey-haired woman shoved the guards away from the travois to make room for Ben.

  He pulled back the blanket covering the warrior, to find an arrow sticking out of his left chest cavity. The sounds coming from the victim were indicative of a collapsed lung. A surgery he had done many times in the field hospitals.

  He cursed himself, however, as he at least had nurses and OR techs to be his extra hands. All he had now were some illiterate barbarians and his life depended on this going right. He turned to Lúta, “I need you.” She pushed past her brother to his dismay and knelt down next to Ben. “You have to do everything I say without question, do you understand? If we are not careful, we could lose him. I trust you if you trust me.”

  She agreed and obeyed every request, handing him what he needed and taking what he passed back to her. He worked feverishly for several minutes before a shot of
relief washed over Ben’s face. He heard the sound of the lung re-inflating and saw the color come back into the beast’s lips.

  Shortly after, he had the arrow out and the creature was sewn back up. Ben wiped his face with a rag and stood up letting out a deep breath as the cart was dragged into the house.

  The woman that greeted him to begin with turned back to him in awe, “You just saved the King’s son! You just saved my son!” She embraced him so tightly he thought he would need his own lungs inflated in another second or so. “You will be greatly rewarded for this. What is your name?”

  “I am Benjamin, Madam, Doctor Benjamin Abbott.”

  “Well, Abbott, you are to join us tomorrow night as my honored guest.”

  He tried to cut her off, “That won’t be necessary, but I will need to check on him periodically to make sure we are not looking at any infection or illness ahead of him, these conditions are not quite what I am used to when I do these things.”

  “Human, you have an open invitation into my home anytime you wish and my guards will see to it that you are well cared for when you are here.”

  He flashed a semi warm smile and spun on his heels to take off and find the next victim. He was able to save all but three of the men. Two were already dead and the last one had lost too much blood. By the end of the day, Ben had done what he set out to do. He proved he could carry his weight, proved his worth.

  Ben passed Mâvis who was standing by a tree observing quietly and eating an apple. For a second Ben felt like stopping and offering a smile, but something in the air told him to keep walking. Don’t even look back. He made it to the door of the cottage and reached for the latch when something sailed past his head and buried into the wall, he looked over to see a spear directly at his eye level jutting from the cottage wall.

  His heart was suddenly beating so loud he could hear it in his ears. Turning to see if the creature was still there and maybe readying another, he instead saw the giant guard leaving him one last glance as he stormed off towards his post at the chalet. The warrior chuckling to himself, “That will teach you not to turn your back on warrior, human.”