Solveig arrives in Kattegat as a captive, but soon comes in close contact with the king of the Vikings as well as his sons, above all Ivar.
In the ancient lands of the northern gods she uncovers divine wisdom, old feuds and new love.
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A few days later I saw the father again. It was a cold evening, my breath making small clouds in the air. I was walking one of the horses to a shed where he would be slaughtered first thing in the morning. The animal had wounded itself and now was almost unable to walk. I was hoping that his death would be quick and painless, for I could not bear the pained look in its big, brown eyes. Ever since working in the stables I had developed a bond with the animals and I was sure going to miss the friendly horse. I scratched his favourite spot right behind his fluffy ears while talking softly to him. The doors of the shed were opened and I tied him to the the wooden pole inside. I had been able to spare a bit of hay that day and I had put it on the ground beforehand so he would feel a little more comfortable. The horse began to nibble on it gratefully, so I gave him his last hug and stepped out. The streets of Kattegat were empty for everyone was sitting snugly by the fire inside of their houses. The only sounds I heard were that of the wind; so the sound of footsteps caught my attention immediately. I turned to face the noise and I recognised the person immediately. Before I could think twice about it I stopped him.
"I need to tell you something. It's important."
Ivar's father looked at me oddly, but he didn't say anything. Grabbing my arm he led me to a dark path near the edge of town. The wind was colder here and I began to shiver in my thin working clothes. I tried to hide it though, because I had the feeling that he would respect me more if I showed him I was tougher than I looked. Then I began to worry. What if he was angry that I had spoken to him? I was only a slave and I only spoke to free people when spoken to. I didn't have anything to protect myself with if he would attack me. Although, taking in his big stature I was sure that I wouldn't stand a chance against him. A bit of my worries were taken away when he stopped beneath a big pine tree and let go of my arm.
"Speak," he ordered me.
"This will probably sound like I am a madman, but I promise you, what I speak is the truth." I paused, to see what his reaction was. However his expression hadn't changed at my words. The evening was growing darker and the last rays of sun barely touched the mountaintops in the distance, leaving the valley in darkness. A few birds quickly flew to the safety of their nests as the night was settling in.
"From children, drunkards and madmen you get to hear the truth," he said. He gestured for me to continue talking.
I took a deep breath. "I saw you, hanging from a very tall tree. Taller than these mountains. Bigger than the entire world. You were dying, there were crows, a snake, and-" I wanted to tell him; warn him for what was to come. But he would not hear more of what I had to say.
"Quiet, girl!" he hissed, putting one hand over my mouth. "I don't want to hear it and I shouldn't. It is not good for a man to be told his fate, even if it is a true one." He didn't seem angry. It almost felt like he was bit shaken by what I had told him. There was something in his eyes that told me that I shouldn't press him any further.
"Most people would want to know what their future holds. However I-" he paused gathering his thoughts. "I don't want others to decide what I am supposed to do. Not you, not my sons, not the gods. No one." He paused, waiting for my reaction. I only nodded, wondering what was the true meaning behind what he just told me. I understood that he didn't want me to tell him what I had seen, because he didn't want to know his future. Still I felt like there was a double meaning to it, however I couldn't figure out just yet what he meant by it.
"Let's go back," he said, so I followed him. We walked back in silence towards Kattegat. I saw him looking at me when I shivered again. The night had completely fallen and the wind had made my body senseless. I still hadn't gotten used to the cold. I longed for the warm summers from back home. The sudden thought of home made my heart hurt more than it already did. I just wanted a hug from my mother and to hear her singing softly to me like she did when I was little. I wanted to hear my father's thundering laugh and see his welcoming eyes that always glistened like he was up to something. But I will never see them again. I wished I had died that day too. For then I wouldn't be here, alone, with only my memories to keep me company.
"Not used to the cold yet? The weather will get even worse when the winter begins."
Startled, I looked up at him, immediately being pulled back to the present. I was surprised that he was talking to me. I had thought that he would ignore me, but maybe he hadn't talked to anyone in a long time as well. I took a moment to look at him; really look at him this time. He didn't look old, but I knew that he was older than he seemed. I could see the resemblance between his and Ivar's eyes, and there was no doubt that they were related. His bald head had been tattooed with intricate lines. They reminded me of the ones my father had. I suddenly remembered that he had asked me a question.
"There's no such thing as bad weather. Only the wrong clothing," I noted, looking down at my attire, tucking my hands in the folds of my skirt.
Suddenly he stopped in his tracks. He looked at me if he had seen a dead man walking and even in the dark I could sense that he was looking at me intensely. I didn't feel frightened, although I felt uneasy under his strong gaze. Had I said something wrong? Did these exact words mean something to him?
"Who told you that phrase?" He grabbed me by my arm, shaking me when I didn't answer quickly enough.
"My- my father I suppose. It was a saying he used when I complained about the weather."
His face turned pale and he turned away, looking down at Kattegat in the distance. I thought he was going to say something to me, but he walked away briskly into the dark. I stood there for a moment, trying to wrap my head around what had just happened. His reaction was so odd and unusual, but then I had a moment of realisation. What if-
A slight drizzle stopped my thoughts and I hurried back to the stables. It was dark inside, but the soft noises of the horses made me feel calm. I laid down in the corner on the straw. My thoughts were hurling around, buzzing with the realisation I just had. It felt like I laid there forever before I felt my eyelids shut close and the sleep taking me over.
xxx
I hope you enjoy this chapter :) I've given a few hints about Solveig's backstory and family in this chapter. Can you guess who her family is, or what her connection to Kattegat is?
Thank you for @-donutcomeforme, @krissydenise and @curly_fries_ for commenting. It means a lot more to me than you know!
