Blessed by the Gods

Second Encounter

A mare neighed and groaned. Rùna could not see her, but she sensed her pain and walked in direction of the animal. Just as she wanted to make another step, Hvitserk grabbed her from the side and held her back.

"Don't, you will scare her"

Rùna glared at his arm around her waist, then his face. "What is wrong with her?"

"She is foaling. Those neighs mean she is close to birth" He guided Rùna to the edge of the horse box and stood beside her commenting on what happened for her to understand. A smile came onto his lips when the foal dropped to the ground and let out a neigh as well. Watching Rùna, her eyes glowed with joy at the sound of the young animal.

Slaves attended to the mare and the foal, and Hvitserk guided her to the foal to touch it. She cheered as the young foal licked her hand and tried to stand up, but fell again and repeated this process a few times. At another touch of the animal, Rùna felt something sting inside her chest. At first only like a needle, but it grew the longer she petted the animal. Finally, she could no longer hold it in and jumped off the ground, clinging to the wall of the box as the pain inside her made her shake.

Hvitserk, who had not left her side, spotted the bright lines on her body that grew the longer she shook. A short swish and thump came from the wall of the box, and moments later, the slaves brought a bucket of water to put out the fire Rùna had caused.

Exhausted from fighting the pain, she sank to the ground, and Hvitserk picked her up to carry her to her room. Followed by the slave Rùna trusted, Inga, he placed her on the bed and left the room while Inga remained and took care of Rùna. As soon as he had left, he went to Ivar and told him what had happened.

In return, Ivar told him about the previous encounter, and the vision he had when the storm brew outside. They did not know what to do with the information, but agreed on keeping it to themselves until another event forced them to do otherwise.