Tattered

Chapter 23

I knocked into several bar maids who cursed at me as I passed and bumped into a bench of men too drunk to do anything but glare and turn back to their mead. I muttered apologies and dashed toward the large oaken doors to the hall.

I reached him as he made his way down the darkened hallway.

"Siegfried," I called. He stopped in his steps and turned to face me at the sound of his name. He waited for me as I approached, stopping to stand in front of him.

He didn't seem to be in a good mood. His face was frozen into a scowl, his shoulders hunched as if he wanted to remain invisible and unbothered. I felt a bit guilty for intruding on his solitude, but swiftly pushed the feeling aside. This was more important.

"I need to talk to you," I said. "Before we leave tomorrow."

He huffed in resignation. "Talk then. We're leaving at dawn and I intend to get some rest."

I nodded, taking a deep breath, and went on. "Your main purpose in this mission is to see Grendel killed and the trolls defeated," I began. "I want the same thing. But I need to make clear that one thing is more important to me than any of those things: getting my sister out alive." Siegfried's brows furrowed but I continued before he could interrupt me or object. "I won't compromise on that point. My sister's life is my priority, and if you want the mission to succeed I need you to make it your priority as well." I squared my shoulders and straightened my spine. Siegfried was the same height as me, but I tried to make myself seem taller, as if I had the authority to command him. "Right before I kill Grendel, I need you to take her with you back to Heorot. I need you to do this for me, Siegfried, even if it could compromise the mission."

I expected his honor to compel him to protest- to argue that he wouldn't do anything that could jeopardize the mission's success. I clenched my jaw and waited to argue back, to convince him.

Instead he arched a brow, his expression doubtful. "Are you sure that's what your sister would want?"

I blinked back at him in complete surprise. I had not expected such a reply. "What?" I said dumbly.

"Your sister," he repeated. "I'd heard that she ran towardthe trolls. What if she doesn't want to leave them?"

I shook away my shocked expression, a potent mixture of anger, regret, and sadness roiling in my chest. Siegfried must have been insane to truly believe Ingrid had gone willingly. Ingrid had been tricked by the trolls somehow, either by magic or by lies, it didn't matter to me. I didn't care. All I cared about was that it was my fault for allowing her to be taken, and that I would be the one to get her back.

"It doesn't matter what she wants," I growled through gritted teeth. "Her life is in danger. As her older sister, I'm doing what's best for her safety. Now will you help me do that, or not?"

He paused, his dark eyes seeming to deliberate the question. For a moment I was afraid he really would refuse, but then he gave a curt nod.

"Fine. I'll help when the time comes."

I exhaled slowly in relief, releasing the tension in my shoulders. Ingrid was one step closer to being free- to coming home with me.

A loud crash sounded from the mead hall, a sharp banging noise. Siegfried's gaze darted to something over my shoulder and I whipped around to see what the commotion was. It seemed that Olaf had begun a brawl with a Danish man at another bench. He'd just thrown his opponent onto the table, the source of the loud thud, and they continued to fight as a small crowd gathered to watch and jeer.

I watched with amusement, tinged with a knowing sadness. He'd almost certainly picked this fight in order to distract and entertain the beleaguered men. By the excited noise surrounding the fight, I would say it was working, though I also knew that as soon as it was done the harsh reality would return to them even sharper than before.

"Those are your men?"

I turned my gaze away from the fight at Siegfried's sudden question. "What?"

"Your men." He nodded toward the fight.

"Some of them," I replied. A small smile lit up my face, that addictive sense of pride swirling in my chest once again. "They're good soldiers. I couldn't have asked for better."

Siegfried hummed in acknowledgement. "They seem to respect you," he added.

Somehow, yes, I thought. Though I have no idea why. I looked back at Siegfried curiously, wondering how much he had seen or heard of my conversation with my men earlier. I felt a small flush of embarrassment stain my cheeks, to think that others could have seen me in such a moment of softness and vulnerability. In that moment, however, I couldn't have stopped my emotions from welling up.

"Yes," I answered after a moment. "I was saying goodbye to them." I hesitated, then added. "And you?"

He frowned. "What about me?"

"We leave at dawn. Is there anyone you wanted to say goodbye to?"

His scowl deepened. "No."

It was my turn to frown, my brow furrowing in confusion. As far as I knew, Siegfried had lived at Heorot for much longer than I had, for years even. I found it hard to believe that a warrior as skilled and powerful as Siegfried would be without any friends, or at least supporters, no matter how reclusive or unfriendly he might be.

I opened my mouth to question him but he cut my off before I had the chance.

"You should return to your men," he said, nodding to them. "You may not see them again, and it seems like they don't want to say goodbye just yet."

As if to confirm Siegfried's words, I heard a loud voice call me from across the room. "Captain!" Dag called. He stood to the side as Olaf continued to wrestle with the Danish warrior he'd picked on. Both were much too drunk to do any real damage, but their tussle was toppling over the food and drink from the tables, nourishment that we couldn't afford to waste now. "You might need to stop them from making an even bigger mess."

I sighed in exasperation. The soldiers' antics, however entertaining, had a limit. Dag was right- it would be easiest if I broke up the fight.

Our conversation forgotten, I turned toward Siegfried, to tell him I would see him at dawn. I only caught a glimpse of his retreating back before he turned a corner in the hall and disappeared.