A woman with hair as gold as any treasure. Eyes as blue as the sea itself. A smile that challenges the sun. Even the stars in the sky can\u2019t compete with her beauty. She radiates with warmth. Her touch brings joy to my soul. She fills me with life. She is all mine, and I am hers. Holding her in my arms, the world seems to fade away. She\u2019s the goddess I worship. The moon in the night to guide me through the darkness. With her, I am not afraid of anything. Even in the face of the storm, with her by my side, I am the storm. In the great golden hall of my father, I find no greater joy than holding this beautiful woman in my arms. Even when we were young, she was always mine. Even as children, we were always together, in love with each other. Now that she is my wife, my life feels complete. She\u2019s given me children I could not be prouder of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I love her tender compassion. And her playfulness. Even now, when we are already bound by marriage, we act like mere youngins, sneaking kisses in empty corridors as parties rage on in my father\u2019s hall. Even when we\u2019re caught red-handed, we play it off like a bunch of naive whelps, pretending nothing happened. But as soon as they\u2019re gone, we\u2019re back to attacking each other\u2019s lips. After all this time, we still have this deep, burning passion for each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every time I come home from battle, I can\u2019t hold back from taking this woman into my arms and into our bed. She\u2019s the reason I fight at all, and no other woman can bring me the joy of her heart. I will never be with another woman again. None of them can compare to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBothvar!\u201d I\u2019m abruptly awoken as water splashes against my face. I shoot up out of bed to see Thorkel, Asfrid, Svala, and Bodvar chuckling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo Niflheim with you lot!\u201d I snap at them. But then I see Arni with her arms crossed as she glares at them and I calm down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI told you he wouldn\u2019t like it,\u201d she says before her eyes meet mine. \u201cI tried to stop them, Bothvi.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My siblings chuckle. Thorkel drops the jug on my gut. \u201cGet up, Bothvi. We\u2019re leaving for the All-Clan Meeting today. I can\u2019t wait, it\u2019s always so much fun!\u201d My brother puts emphasis on the nickname Arni gave me in a mocking tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asfrid and my siblings all follow Thorkel out, leaving me with Arni. \u201cI\u2019m sorry they did that to you. And if you want, I\u2019ll stop calling you Bothvi so they don\u2019t make fun of you for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t apologize, and I hope you never stop calling me Bothvi. I like the way you say it,\u201d I say as I climb out of bed, walk up, and hug her. She hugs me back and I savor the joy it brings me. When we finally pull apart, I meet her eyes. \u201cI had a crazy dream about us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her beautiful smile radiates upon me. \u201cIs that so? What was it about?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was the most magnificent dream ever. We were married, and we snuck off from a party to\u2026 Well\u2026 Let\u2019s just say it wasn\u2019t to talk.\u201d I grin as I scratch the back of my neck, realizing that maybe I shouldn\u2019t go into the details of what happened. My cheeks burst with heat and hers are as red as those flowers she likes to pick. \u201cIt was odd though\u2026 We were all grown up, but the hall we were in, which I guess was my father’s\u2026 It was far bigger than this hall. It was pure gold and extravagant. Maybe it’s a sign of what is to come and we have to build a bigger hall. I\u2019m not sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI like it. Not so much the hall, but the thought of us being married and sneaking off. Can we make that happen?\u201d she asks, staring up at me with those deep blue eyes, as sweet as honey. How can I say no to her?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I nod. \u201cIt’s a promise that we will be married and have lots of children, just like in my dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She practically leaps into my arms, burying her face in my chest. \u201cThat will be a dream come true.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
—<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My brother is finally a man and will set sail with my father. We journey with our people to the meeting of clans. We sail out near the end of spring. Thankfully, the journey to the town of Avala Village is short since they are just to the south of us, past the Valkyrie village of Forsa. Father says they named themselves Valkyrie after the women warriors of the gods who lead the souls of fallen warriors to the halls of the gods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From what I\u2019ve seen, the women there are brave warriors themselves. Tonna, the daughter of their war chief, once beat up my brother and our friends Vog, Solmund, and Griotgard all at once using a staff of hers. She wasn\u2019t even any older than them. Her mother is even more fierce. Amalasontha is a very intimidating woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Ice Tribe is only a morning’s journey south. We sail down the spring coastline as only lumps of snow and ice remain and arrive at the Village which sits upon the entrance of a river. After we dock our ships, most of the slaves carry our supplies outside the village where we set up camp with the rest of the clans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It seems like most of the other clans are here. The Wolf Clan came last night and set up camp, same as the Giants of the mountains. Along with the Builders, the Valkyrie arrived before us. The only clans missing are the Eagle Clan and the Bone Eaters. Of course, the Bone Eaters are exiled and not welcome here for their disgusting practice of eating the flesh of others. The Eagles rarely ever leave their village far to the southeast, up in the mountains above the Wolf village of Fenris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I share a tent with my brother, Thorkel, while Thormar and Bodvar share a tent. Thormar has to chase Bodvar down after he takes his precious maps. Bodvar laughs and calls Thormar a bloody goat turd, mimicking Aldam. The boy always tries to act like people he admires. I saw him pretending to be father, trying to mimic father\u2019s lectures to Thormar when he threw a temper tantrum. Svala helps Bodvar, and they play keep away from Thormar, with even Asfrid joining in. My sister sleeps with my Aunt Sigvor along with Asfrid and Arngunn. Semet is also with them. And of course, my parents get a tent for themselves. Uncle Koll and all three of his wives set up their tent next to my father’s with the other captains of their raiding party, Einar and Throst, with their wives. Koll\u2019s children and grandchildren all pitch their tents next to ours. Same with Einar\u2019s children. Vog nearly gets into a fight trying to pitch his tent right next to ours, but neither Griotgard, Solmund, or Skardi will budge. He settles for pitching his tent on the other side of theirs. Thankfully, Thorkel could calm him down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His brother, Eystein Einarson, had to share a tent with their little cousin, Trandil. He\u2019s a little younger than Thormar and is rather weak and pathetic. He can\u2019t even stomach the sight of blood without passing out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eystein\u2019s my age, but he\u2019s a bit of a hermit. Always has his nose in one of those books. He\u2019s not all that better of a fighter than Trandil. Their sisters Thorgunna and Gudfrid camp next to Aunt Sigvor and the girls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our cousin Veleif Kollson and his two wives Halldora and Thorballa Cnutdottir, who are sisters, set up near father and the captains. His daughters, Aldis, Estrid, Asvor, and Bolla, along with Svafar\u2019s daughter Hilde, cram into one big tent next to their aunts’ tents (who are also our cousins). Frida gets her own tent while Greiland shares with Yngvild. Svafar pitches up next to Veleif with his wives, Hallgerd Sigviddottir and Tofa Odinkardottir. Saxi is next to Svafar with his wives Arnbjorg Thorstardottir and Geirlaug Thorhalldottir. Gilli, who is Thorkel\u2019s age, shares a tent with two women who he plans to marry, named Hallberta Thorstardottir and Jofrid Sigviddottir. Jofrid is Hallgerd\u2019s younger sister. Both are Solmund, Griotgard, Hosvir, and Vigdis\u2019 older sisters. Gilli\u2019s tent is across from ours, while the youngest of Koll\u2019s sons, Tyrkir, sets his tent up next to Gilli with a girl named Oddny, who is one of Throst\u2019s daughters. Those two are also planning to marry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Veleif\u2019s son, Hunbogi, tents with his cousins, Starolf Saxison and Gudrik Svafarson, who are the sons of Veleif\u2019s brothers, Svafar and Saxi and, and sets up next to Thormar and Bodvar. Starolf and Gudrik get along just fine, but neither seem to like Hunbogi for whatever reason. He seems rather cruel. Especially to their slaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The slaves all get jammed into two different tents, one for the labor, which is mostly men, and another for the house slaves, mainly women, except for Aunt Sigvor\u2019s. They share a small tent behind hers along with Mother\u2019s favorite slaves. Koll has several vast tents for all his slaves besides the ones that are favored by him and his family. Some even sleep in their tents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Thormar finally gets his maps back, Thorkel convinces Bodvar to turn his pranks on that no-good, rotten slave Morcar. The rat who is constantly tattling on other slaves and is an arselicker. He tattled on Thorkel once, and Thorkel has never forgotten about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bodvar shoves a snake he finds down the back of the slave\u2019s tunic. I shiver as a chill goes down my spine at the sight of the snake. Svala and Thorkel nearly die of laughter. And even Asfrid joins in. Arni, on the other hand, doesn\u2019t think it\u2019s funny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gudrod finds us and, as usual, follows us around like a lost puppy. He\u2019ll do anything Thorkel or even I say; He practically worships the ground we walk on. Thorkel gets him to sneak into Brynhild Svartkollrdottir’s tent, one of the most beautiful shield maidens in our village, and steal her undergarments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her son, Thorvir Stormborn, who is good friends with Thormar, is said to have been born out at sea during a storm. The tale is a strange one. Apparently, Brynhild was still a virgin and suddenly became pregnant while out raiding with Einar Alriksson, my uncle Koll\u2019s brother. They said the entire pregnancy didn\u2019t last longer than a couple of days. She was pregnant, and then gave birth during a particularly nasty storm. Some say it was the gods that got her pregnant. None of the crew confesses to sleeping with her. Everyone collaborates with the story. Anyway, Gudrod gets caught by Thorvir and tossed out. Thorvir has a bit of a temper, but he\u2019s good in a fight. Can\u2019t imagine why he\u2019s friends with Thormar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we settled in, we were greeted by Kadal Bothvarsson and Eawyn. Her daughter, Scyra, seems to stand a ways behind her with a sour expression on her face. Both women have particularly strange snow-white hair. Scyra is too young to have her hair already go white. They also share the same color of icy blue eyes. Both seem to glow like that of the elves, but they have a chill to them and they still have the whites of their eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is said that Eawyn and her daughter can both summon a storm of winter and bring down a rain of ice. They command the cold as if they ruled over it. At least that is what I heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My father and mother greet them warmly as my siblings and I hang back. They talk for a while before the Ice Tribe leaders leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aldam Bronzehammer, who plants his tent with ours, is greeted by two other dwarves. One looks like a woman, and the other is shorter by a head. I didn\u2019t know there were women dwarves. He waves Thorkel, Thormar, Svala, Bodvar, and me over to him. \u201cHey, arsefaces. Meet my siblings, Baggisli, the toad on the left, and Oddim, the one with the big mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI see your manners haven\u2019t improved,\u201d the dwarf named Baggisli says. I\u2019m surprised to hear a woman\u2019s voice seeing how she has a beard longer than most of our clan mates. She has red hair, braided into two tails that rest on her shoulders. She\u2019s a little shorter than Aldam, and not as stout either, but taller than Oddim. She has a rather square face with a stern set of eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDid you expect anything less?\u201d Oddim asks. He has curly red hair and a fiery red beard with a single braid that goes down to his chest. \u201cAldam has always had the manners of a goat. He gets it from our father.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHey! Don\u2019t you go off bad mouthing my mentor, you bloody goat arse lickers!\u201d Bodvar shouts as he steps up to the other two dwarfs waving a tiny fist. Everyone erupts in laughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After Aldam catches his breath from heaving with laughter, he puts a thick hand on Bodvar\u2019s head, messing up his hair. Then he leans in to whisper, if you can call it that, since his whisper is louder than most people\u2019s normal talk. \u201cThose two get their snobbiness from our mother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The three dwarves get into a long-winded argument, and we take the opportunity to slip away. After things settle down, Thormar joins his friends, Starolf Saxison, Gudrik Svafarson, Trandil Sibbesson, Bragi Serksson, Saksi Sekisson, Harvard Grimwaldson, Bjornuulf Ulfsson, and Thorvir Stormborn with his maps. Thormar is obsessed with his maps and always talks about the islands and lands to the west, past the forest of elves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My father takes Thorkel and me to the village, where we meet in the hall with the other clan leaders as the meeting begins. I don\u2019t really listen because it\u2019s so boring. A lot of bickering between trading goods, especially food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most of the bickering is between my father and the Wolf Clan leaders. Bjarni Vikarsson is their Earl. He is an old man who has gained a fat gut, but he still has this sense of hardness to him, as if he has seen many battles. He\u2019s brought his son Vidkunn, who\u2019s a little younger than my father. And his grandsons. One\u2019s name is Baldric, the son of Bjarni\u2019s daughter, Asny, along with Vidkunn\u2019s oldest sons, Thorgrim and Thorhall. He also has two daughters named Asa and Dalla and another son named Gadaric, who is around Svala and Bodvar\u2019s age. Dalla is a little older, Asa is older than Thorhall, and Thorgrim is the oldest. At least that\u2019s what I think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I heard Baldric and his twin sister, Siv, can talk to wolves. They sleep with them or something. He\u2019s about my brother\u2019s age, if I had to guess, and he seems like an excellent warrior. He has a stone face that gives nothing away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Giant Kveldulf, the leader of his clan, is by far the tallest man I\u2019ve ever seen. He is easily the size of two men standing on top of each other and needs to constantly duck down to avoid hitting his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amalasontha and two other women are here for the Valkyrie. Her face is like that of a rock. Unforgiving and unwavering. Her first companion is a little less hard and about the same age. She smiles here and there. The other looks far younger and seems more reserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Builder is an older man who, like Bjarni, also has a gut, but lacks his hardness. He seems to be a very animated man who loves to express himself with his hands. I think his name is Trefor Trehame. The Builders are a weird lot. They do not use the same naming way as we do, which is to use the father\u2019s name with the dottir or son attached to the end. They have some kind of family and tribal clan name, as I understand it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond that are only Eawyn and Kadal, with Scyra sulking in the background. The meeting goes on forever and ever, with more and more arguments and words being tossed around. Especially by my father and the Wolf Clan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At one point I was sure it would come to axes. I try to focus, but it\u2019s so boring. My attention often wanders. I also take notice that Scyra doesn\u2019t seem to be all that interested either. She twirls a dagger around her fingers. She catches me staring and pretends to chuck her dagger at me. I don\u2019t even flinch. Then her eyes seem to dig into me, and we get caught up in a staring contest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She only wins because I hear them mention war, and my attention gets pulled away. However, I find out it\u2019s only the prospects of war against the south and they\u2019re sure it won\u2019t happen this cycle. They always talk about war with the Southerners, but it never comes. When I look back at the girl, she sticks her tongue out at me. I return the gesture. The meeting finally ends, but we have to listen to both Kadal and Eawyn give a long speech before the fun part begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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