It's never over // Sihtric Kjartansson

Chapter Two

After 3 days of working at the smithy and eating the tough meat, I decided to clear my head and get some real food. You could tell by the tenderness of the meat the cow had been cooped up all it's life. I took my bow and a couple of arrows before leaving on my horse. I hadn't left in almost a week, it was getting unbearable. The same routine over and over. Wake up, cook, work the counter, cook, shop, clean, cook, sleep. Over and over. I had enough. I wasn't a maid or house wife. If that is what woman hood was count me out.

The air was smooth and it had a cool breeze that rustled the leaves. It was crisp as it entered my nose.  The grass was dappled with dew drops and lucky for me animal tracks. I had hoped for a deer or a fat bore. That is exactly what I found, I always killed the males, the reason for this I had really not thought out I guess I just started doing it one day. I had left my horse tied to a tree a couple of paces away before crouching and taking my place. Soon enough a gigantic beast emerged from the trees, it had large antlers and a strong neck. Enough to feed a village, I thought. I watched the muscles on its hips as it walked and sniffed the grass ready to graze.
I lined my shot for the eye not wanting to waste any meat. And I released, bullseye.
"Yes!" I exclaimed, feeling pretty proud of myself, though if someone was there I would not have done that. Now feeling silly I decided that would be enough for today. I couldn't take anymore back to the fortress on my own but this couldn't be too bad.
I had really underestimated it's weight. The buck was heavy and would take a while to pull to my horse so I decide to bring her over. I was hidden in the trees when I saw someone crouched over my kill, I put an arrow into place and drew it back ready to release if I was threatened.
"Step away." I said, my voice raised slightly.
The person turned slowly, revealing Sihtric.
"I'm starting to believe you are following me."
"That's not the case." he assured me quickly, now pink with embarrassment.
I lowered my weapon. Politely he offered me assistance with loading the animal to the cart attached to my mare. There was something about the way he said it, it wasn't as if he was offering because be thought I couldn't do it myself but he did it to be kind. For a minute I looked at him just like I did the first time we met. A look that may have been too long and noticed by Sihtric, but I didn't realise I was doing it.

Since then I've been looking for him, not because I have anything to say, and well, thinking about it I don't have a reason. I just felt compelled to see him. To walk past him and to smile at him while he smiles at me. I would use this as an excuse to explore the fortress more but most of the time I wasn't paying enough attention to take it in. When I did see him and he wasn't busy we stopped and talked. He invited me to hunt or walk with him, how could I refuse?

"May I ask you a question?" He said as we sat on a river bank not far from the fortress.
The soft sound of flowing water surrounded us, I turned slightly to face him,
"Depends on the question Sihtric."
"What's your purpose here?"
I raised my eyebrow,
"Kjartan was in need of a blacksmith."
"Well I know that but Ivar is the black smith, your hair is unbound it's not like your waiting to get married, your not his daughter, so why are you with him?"
How had he figured me out so quickly? I wanted to talk to Ivar about what to say if we were confronted with this question as soon as we got here but as usual he wasn't interested. So I would have to make it up myself and hope he hadn't said something completely different to someone else.
I sat silent for a minute.
"Are you spy's?"
"No, I'm not cleaver enough for that."
It made him laugh which bought me time as I tried to think of how to change subjects without making it obvious but I couldn't.
"It's a long story." Was the best I could come up with but I already knew his reply
"I have no where to be and I am guessing you are out here for the same reason."
I sighed. I did not want to talk anymore. Standing up I offered him my hand.
"Come on let's get back. This bore isn't going to cook itself."
The whole ride back he asked me questions not as awkward as the first. I will admit I liked it. It had been a long time since someone wanted to talk to me and know what I have to say.

People stared as we dragged the beast back to the smithy. I liked it, maybe the men who liked to taunted me in the streets would see what I 
was capable of. However this was far from what they thought, or the ones who spoke at least.
"Really Sihtric, your so weak you have to get a woman to assist you?" Many laughs followed. Great. I can't even get credit, he didn't correct them just ignored them.
"Go on bastard."
More laughs, I didn't understand what was funny.
I saw the way Sihtirc looked at the ground, ashamed. It made me feel sympathy towards him.
"Maybe you should return to the ale house if you can even walk for that long in one direction. All you could kill is a rat by sitting on it." Suddenly the oaf wasn't so happy but his friends still laughed. I saw Sihtrics expression get replaced by a grin he tried to hide. I liked when he smiled, he had a pretty one.

Orders at the smithy poured in meaning I had to be working a lot of the time but it's what I agreed to so I couldn't complain. The best part of working is when Sihtric would come in which was often, thanks to one eyed Svens love of not looking after his weapons. Sihtric was forced to be his fathers errand boy. Though he didn't say it, he was only doing it to try and earn the love of his father. He had been doing it since he was 12. No luck yet. The rest of the time when I wasn't sponging down a drunk Ivar, cooking or working, I was with Sihtric. After our first afternoon hunting we started to go for rides outside the fortress, I would show him the best berries to eat and the ones you should avoid if you don't want to shit yourself. I think he was just happy to be there. I did have to slap poison berry's out of his hands a few times. Sihtric's favourite part of our time outside the fortress was finding daisies, they were a sacred flower to the goddess Freja, the goddess of love and beauty. This would be his excuse to tuck them behind my ear. He would gently pluck one from the ground and show me before rearranging it in my hair. He would look at me for a moment, maybe not realising for how long before saying "I can't tell which is more beautiful you or the flower." He knew it would make me smile.

Walks around the fortress weren't to bad, Sihtirc insisted on escorting me around when it was past dusk.
"So you've finally found yourself a woman to hump bastard. Is she pupped yet?" I knew from the high pitched irritating voice it was Sven. He was behind us, looking proud of himself for the comment.
"Why, jealous?" I teased, wanting to slap the smile off his face. He narrowed his eyes at me:
"I know you from somewhere."
There it was again, the nervous feeling in my stomach. I was overthinking.
"She's lived her for months." Sihtirc laughed. I nodded before giving Sven an unimpressed look, wishing that Sven agreed and forgot about me but to my dismay he continued.
"No. I've met you before. You are so familiar."
I could feel my cheeks getting hot.
"Like when I was younger."
"Come on Tove."
I turned to following Sihtric, leaving one eyed Sven still stood searching his mind for me. It made me even more nervous. Hopefully he'll leave it. Tove isn't my real name, it was my middle name that I preferred. Before I was on the run only my friends used it.