Odinn's Daughter

Family!

Edited: Aug 5, 2023

The authenticity of their attire and dedication to their tasks hinted at their deep connection to the boat and the sea. As she stood there, Ingrid took a deep breath, allowing the refreshing scent of ocean salt to fill her lungs. It was a familiar aroma that made her feel secure and at home. 

When Ingrid opened her eyes, she was immediately captivated by the sight before her. There, walking up and down the ramp with great enthusiasm, was a thin man. The man had thinning brown hair atop his head. The strands were sparse, revealing scalp patches beneath. Despite this, his appearance had a certain charm.

Ingrid nearly thought he was a real Viking for a moment because of how he acted and his outfit. His confident stride and commanding presence evoked images of ancient warriors. The man's eye makeup was so captivating that Ingrid found herself almost unable to look away. The way it accentuated his eyes made her feel as though she should recognize him, yet she was certain that she had never laid eyes on him before. 

Ingrid turned to her niece and nephew, Tammy and Anthony, who followed closely behind her.

"Ready?" Ingrid asked them, smiling.

"I've been ready since last night!" said Anthony with a giant smile. Tammy nodded. 

As they walked towards the boat to board it, the man Ingrid had been staring at walked up to them. 

"Hello! Are you here for the Sweden trip?" he asked, smiling. The children nodded.

Ingrid looked confused as she questioned, "Yes, but how do you know? I'm sure there are other places we'll stop at... Right?" She was uncertain about the information given to her. 

"Indeed, we will but no one will get off the boat until Sweden." 

"Why?" Anthony asked. 

"We're stopping only to pick up more supplies and passengers. No one gets off my boat until-" 

Ingrid interrupted the man accidentally, her curiosity getting the best of her. "Your boat?" she asked, her voice filled with intrigue. The man, proud of his accomplishment, nodded in response. "I thought you just worked on the boat," Ingrid continued, her confusion evident.

"No ma'am, I'm Floki Vilgerðarson." He smiled, but when her expression didn't change, he realized Ingrid hadn't read the e-mail sent to the parents the day before. "If you'd read the e-mail sent to all the parents, you would've recognized the name..." 

Ingrid Winters, the aunt of the children, felt a pang of annoyance as she corrected Floki's assumption. "Oh! I'm not their mother, I'm their aunt," she clarified, gritting her teeth at the last part. Ingrid couldn't help but feel frustrated by her sister's lack of communication.

Nevertheless, Floki didn't seem too bothered by the mix-up. "Oh... well, it's not that important," he responded with a smile. He seemed to be dismissing the whole matter, focusing instead on expressing his gratitude. "Just me thanking everyone who wanted to come to Sweden and dress in odd clothes," he explained.

As Floki prepared to return to his crew, he realized he hadn't even asked Ingrid for her name. "Oh, before I go back to help my crew... what was your name?" he inquired. 

Ingrid couldn't help but smile at the question. "Ingrid Winters," she replied, introducing herself.

As soon as Floki heard her name his smile dropped, and a weird look of recognition and sadness replaced it. His control of a part of himself he'd been hiding from the world for nearly a millennium slipped for a moment. But no one noticed.