Facing Time

Chapter IV

Magnus-
I awake to rain falling hard. I walk into the main room to find Estrid against the wall with the two wolves growling at her. Guess they came back.
"Geri, Freki, here." I call out. They immediately come to my side. I know Odin has a hand in this, for if he did not these wolves, his wolves, would not listen to me.

"You tamed them?" Estrid asks me. I nod in response.
"Not that you could ever really tame them." I scratch Geri behind the ear. "Estrid, I must go away." Her smile fades.
"What do you mean?"
I can't stand to see her sad.
"I can stay one more night, but I must go." She sighs loudly.
"I understand. May I ask where you need to go?" I look straight at her.
"No."
"Why not?" She leans close to me.
"My business is my own." She laughs.
"You are so mysterious! You can trust me." She leans her face closer to my own, making me slightly uncomfortable. "I certainly trust you."
She finishes.
She glances down at my lips before leaning forward. I step away quickly, pushing her away.
"No, no!" She shrinks back, clearly embarrassed. Shit I'm embarrassed. Twice my mom has wanted to fuck me. It makes me want to gag.
"I-I'm sorry." Her voice has become soft.
"It's not you. I have a wife." Her face turns even redder.
"I did not know."
"Perhaps I should go now." I go to pick up my bag, but she stops me.
"No! Please. You can leave tomorrow." I give her a smile. I feel as if I should leave, but I stay anyway.
"I need to go hunting. I will be back by sundown." I swiftly take the wolves out hunting in the forest that I ran around in as a kid. I end up shooting a couple of rabbits with arrows and bringing down a deer. I take some of the deer back to the village along with the rabbits.
When I return, Ragnar yells to me before running in my direction.
"Harbard, we are going on a raid East of Wessex. Will you come?" Ragnar wants me to join a fight as Loki. That seems strange. His eyes show desperation, but is he really desperate enough to ask Loki, god of mischief, to fight with him?

"I will come!" Estrid yells from a distance. I clench my jaw at the thought of her fighting. Then again, she is probably around the age of eighteen. I fought my first battle younger than that.
"See, now you must come. She will need your protection." I grunt before going back to the house. Why does literally everyone think I want her?

When I return to the house, Floki is sitting at the table. His eyes find mine instantly.
"The gods revealed who you really are." I pretend not to hear him as I go over to the fire. "You are not human." He says with an accusatory tone. I am very confused by this statement. I have not told him I was a god. Perhaps the wolves were too much of a hint that I am Odin. Or at least pretending to be.
"I know not what you speak of." I reply. I hear a chair move abruptly and steps coming toward me. I feel a hand grab my shoulder and pull me around. I am shoved against the wall hard.
"Why are you here? To bring us misfortune?" I remain calm.
"That is not my intention."
"Could have fooled me."

I'm beginning to get irritated. I do not like the way he is in my face. "Whose side are you on?" He spits.
"I am with you, Floki." He grunts before releasing me. "And I am not who you think I am. I am just a man." Floki watches me for a second before turning and leaving. I notice Estrid at the door. How long has she been standing there?

"What was that about?" She asks me.
"He does not trust me." I start cooking the deer meat over the fire.
"He will come around." I remain silent. "Harbard, why did you seem reluctant to fight with us?" I look over at her.
"Because I have a problem that needs to be fixed."
"What problem?" She pours me an ale and hands it to me. I take a long swig.
"If I told you, you would not believe me." She eyes me for a moment. I can feel her glare from behind me.
"Whatever secret you keep, I will not tell."
I stretch my arms before taking another drink.
"One day I will tell you." I hear her footsteps recede as she leaves. I let out a large sigh. I have a bad feeling about fighting.

Estrid- (modern day)
"Where did you send him?"
"Who my darling?" Anger surges through me.
"Do not play stupid with me, Brutus. The prisoner with the light hair and the ring through his nose, did you have him killed?" He waves me off.
"No." I push him into a chair.
"Where is he!" I see the fury in his eyes. Without warning, I feel the force of his hand slapping me. I fall to the floor with a yelp. He grabs my arm and yanks me up.
"You will not lay a hand on me again. Is that understood?" His words are quiet, but filled with venom. I nod furiously and he leaves our room quickly. I subconsciously touch the side of my face. Instead of crying like any woman here would, I pull myself together. He was not always so aggressive. There was a time when he would never lay a hand on me.