{"id":991,"date":"2022-09-05T15:01:34","date_gmt":"2022-09-05T15:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/?p=991"},"modified":"2022-09-05T17:43:32","modified_gmt":"2022-09-05T17:43:32","slug":"the-damaged-soul-chapter-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/05\/the-damaged-soul-chapter-5\/","title":{"rendered":"The Damaged Soul: Chapter 5"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we finally head back to camp, the fun can begin. I follow my brother and our friends, Solmund, Griotgard, Skardi, and Vog; even Gili and Tyrkir join us as we ditch the girls and our younger brothers, both of them having their own friends. We sneak into the woods so we can travel around to the Valkyrie tribe without being seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then, we slowly creep into their camp but are stopped dead in our tracks. \u201cWhat are you boys doing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Behind us stands Tonna and her staff. Thorkel pushes everyone aside as he walks up to face her. \u201cNothing. Nothing at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDoesn\u2019t look like nothing. Looks like you were sneaking around our camp.\u201d She whacks her staff against her hand. \u201cDo I have to show you the same lesson that I showed you a long time ago?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd what lesson was that?\u201d my brother asks with a grin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh, I don\u2019t think you forgot. I think you remember all too well the sting my staff leaves,\u201d she says, smirking back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJust relax, Tonna. We just came to see you again. Would you like to join us in some harmless fun?\u201d Thorkel asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know. Especially if your version of fun includes killing defenseless animals,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNot at all. We\u2019re just going to play some pranks on the other tribes, that\u2019s all. I promise. Well, maybe snag some mead. And that herb the Builders always smoke. Maybe even find a drum beat to dance to and get into a few fights,\u201d Thorkel says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOkay, that sounds like fun. Where\u2019s your beloved? I\u2019m surprised to see she\u2019s not with you,\u201d Tonna says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWho, Asfrid? We ditched her and the other girls back at camp. Besides, she\u2019s not my beloved. Not yet, anyway,\u201d Thorkel says, flashing that smile at Tonna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhatever. And by the way, you weren\u2019t planning on playing a prank on my tribe, were you?\u201d Tonna asks, raising an eyebrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUs? No\u2026 Not at all,\u201d my brother says, acting all hurt as he raises up his hands in defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tonna brushes a long string of her brown hair out of her face. \u201cSure\u2026 For some reason, I don\u2019t believe you, but it\u2019s whatever. Now, what do you have in mind for the other clans?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I must say, Tonna is different. She\u2019s a little taller and her bosom has gotten larger. I don\u2019t remember her having breasts the last time we met. But she has them now. She also wears a tight tunic cut off above the stomach, showing off her rock-hard tummy, and a pair of trousers that cling to her thick legs. It\u2019s hard to pull my eyes away from her butt. It is a nice round shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHmmm\u2026 That\u2019s a good question. I usually don\u2019t plan these things out, I just go with it. We\u2019ll need to scout the campsites out. My main target is definitely the Wolf Clan. They\u2019re a bunch of stiff-necked dogs with sticks up their arses who need a good jostling to loosen them up. I think I\u2019ll skip the Giant Clan. I don\u2019t know if I want them loosened up. The stories I heard about them make my skin shiver. And I just want to get that herb from the Builders. I hear it makes you feel like you can fly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat about the Ice Tribe?\u201d Tonna asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEhh\u2026 It\u2019s a poor fortune to dishonor your host. I don\u2019t want to anger the gods,\u201d Thorkel says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWow. I\u2019m surprised. You\u2019re actually showing wisdom,\u201d Tonna says, getting a laugh out of the boys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHey! I\u2019m not as stupid as I look,\u201d he says, folding his arms against his chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cReally? You coulda fooled me,\u201d Tonna says, causing the boys to laugh even harder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She just gets a dirty look from Thorkel. \u201cLet\u2019s get going. We\u2019ll have to be really sneaky in order for the Wolves to not discover us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFortunately for you, that\u2019s what I\u2019m good at. I snuck up on you lot, didn\u2019t I?\u201d Tonna says with a grin on her beautiful face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou got lucky, that\u2019s all,\u201d Thorkel says as we take off back into the woods and scurry through the outer rim of the campsites until we arrive at the Wolf\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We sit on the edge of the woods and watch their camp. It\u2019s hard to make out anything from this distance, and we don\u2019t dare move any further in the light of the evening&#8217;s sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d A deep voice cracks behind us. We all turn around to find that Baldric boy leaning against a tree with his sister, Siv, on the other side. I have to say, there\u2019s something familiar about Baldric. I just can\u2019t put my name on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNothing\u2026 Nothing at all. We were just exploring the forest. That\u2019s all,\u201d Thorkel says, standing up abruptly from his crouching position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat\u2019s not what it looked like to me,\u201d Siv says as she brushes her deep red hair across her shoulder. \u201cDon\u2019t you agree, brother?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI agree, sister. To me, it looked like you were all spying on our campsite,\u201d Baldric says. He\u2019s big for his age. I know he\u2019s not that much older than Thorkel or I, but his arms are as thick as tree trunks, and he\u2019s half a head taller than Thorkel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, you\u2019re certainly mistaken, but that is okay. I heard Wolves have tiny brains,\u201d Thorkel says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That only earns a huff from Siv and a single chuckle from Baldric with a rather tense smile. \u201cI\u2019ve heard far worse things about Krakens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHey, don\u2019t lump me in with that lot. I\u2019m a Valkyrie. We neither have small brains nor do whatever you heard about Krakens,\u201d Tonna says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSmooth Tonna,\u201d Thorkel says with a rather flat face. She only shrugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhy don\u2019t you lot go back to the safety of your fathers before something bad happens,\u201d Siv says. I must admit, she is rather beautiful, even though her face seems to be as sharp as a sword that really looks like it wants to cut us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOr what? Are you going to make us?\u201d Vog shouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe could,\u201d she says, and just then a large pack of dire wolves comes out from deep within the forest led by a large black one and a large red one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Suddenly, fear whips through me like the northern winds. Thorkel hesitates before taking a deep breath and a step back. \u201cOn second thought, maybe we\u2019ll just move along to the Builders&#8217; campsite. That herb of theirs is sounding really good about now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah, that sounds like a good idea,\u201d Tonna says, gripping her staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWise move,\u201d Baldric says as we get up and walk rather briskly out of the forest, quickly making our way to the Builder\u2019s camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWay to go, Thorkel. Maybe a plan would\u2019ve helped, don\u2019t ya think?\u201d Tonna grumbles as we scurry away with our tails tucked between our legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWho would\u2019ve thought the rumor about them and the wolves were true? I surely didn\u2019t believe it,\u201d he says, scratching his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI could\u2019ve told you it was true. I thought you actually had a plan, and you weren\u2019t telling me about it. But that was just foolish,\u201d she says, giving Thorkel a good whack on top of his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOuch, what in the name of the gods was that for?\u201d Thorkel asks, rubbing his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor nearly getting us killed!\u201d She brings up her staff again and Thorkel puts his hands up to defend himself, but Tonna only smirks as she rests the staff on her shoulders and lets her hands hang over the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI could\u2019ve taken them,\u201d Vog says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah&#8230; Me too,\u201d Griotgard says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah right!\u201d Skardi snickers. \u201cYou both would be food for the wolves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou guys have fun with your Builder herbs. I\u2019m going back to my clan,\u201d Tonna says, as she turns her back to us and splits off in the other direction. I can\u2019t help but glance at her behind as she walks away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGreat\u2026 There goes Tonna. I was really hoping she\u2019d dance with me and maybe more,\u201d Thorkel says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat about Asfrid? Aren\u2019t you going to wed her?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMaybe, I don\u2019t know. Probably. I doubt she\u2019d let me marry anyone else. But, for now, I want to enjoy being free of marriage. What\u2019s one night?\u201d Thorkel asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know. I just\u2026 It doesn\u2019t feel right to me. I already plan to marry Arngunn, and I don\u2019t want anyone else,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, that\u2019s you, brother. I like Asfrid, don\u2019t think I don\u2019t. I just\u2026 She\u2019ll be the only woman I\u2019ll share a bed with after we wed. Unless she will let another woman join us in marriage, but I highly doubt that. She doesn\u2019t like to share and I just want to experience the fruit of other trees before I chain myself to her,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhatever,\u201d I say with a sigh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPromise you won\u2019t tell her,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI won\u2019t. I promise. I would never betray you,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhy don\u2019t we just get a slave and have turns with her?\u201d Vog asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah, I wouldn\u2019t mind having a warm cunt to sheath my cock into either,\u201d Griotgard says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026 A slave kinda takes the fun out of it. There\u2019s no chase or\u2026 Flirting or\u2026 Teasing back and forth. That\u2019s what I like about Tonna. She makes it fun. Besides, she\u2019s really good with a staff. And she can fight. She can fight a lot better than you lot. I wouldn\u2019t mind going at her again. I\u2019m far more prepared than last time,\u201d Thorkel says as he stares off into the distance where Tonna walked off to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah, she really embarrassed you last time,\u201d Vog says with a smirk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe embarrassed you, too. She embarrassed all of us,\u201d Thorkel says, glaring at the big oaf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vog only shrugs. \u201cShe is a worthy foe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We walk to the Builder\u2019s camp and are immediately welcomed with open arms. Especially by two girls around our age. One with bright red hair and the other with dark raven hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWelcome to our little camp. My name is Stangyth,\u201d the dark raven-haired girl says. \u201cYou\u2019re warriors, aren\u2019t you? I\u2019ve always wanted to be a warrior, but my father says it is not our life. He just doesn\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh, quit it, Stangyth. Why would you want to do something so barbaric?\u201d the girl with bright red hair asks. \u201cDon\u2019t listen to her. My name is Eormenburh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, my name is Thorkel, and these are my friends and family,\u201d my brother says as he introduces us. He has a warm smile for the two beautiful women. They\u2019re a little on the skinny side. Thorkel walks up and puts his arm around the girl with black hair, named Stangyth. \u201cIf you want, I can show you a thing or two about handling a sword.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her eyes go wide while the redhead named Eormenburh rolls her eyes. Stangyth looks up at my brother. \u201cReally? I would love to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d Thorkel says with a wide grin. \u201cJust one thing. I heard you have an herb here that if you smoke it makes you feel as if you are flying. Is that true?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She nods her head emphatically as her eyes seem to soak my brother in. \u201cYes! Yes, we have an herb that the Southerners call Tufonder. We call it Dazziweed. It makes you feel wonderful. Let me get some and we can all smoke it together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The other girl only sighs as Thorkel follows the raven-haired girl into their camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh, don\u2019t worry, he\u2019s harmless,\u201d Griotgard says with a smile as he walks up to the redhead. \u201cI\u2019m Griotgard. I\u2019m his best friend. I can show you how to use a sword too, if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The woman scowls at him. \u201cI know what your name is. The other boy said it already. And weren\u2019t you listening? I don\u2019t want anything to do with something so barbaric.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She practically growls in frustration as she walks away, complaining about men. Griotgard scratches his head. \u201cWomen are so complicated. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever understand them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A moment later, my brother runs back to us alone. \u201cWoah, that was close. I guess her father didn\u2019t like seeing her with me and chased me off with a hammer. Thankfully, I got the herb and a pipe to smoke it out of. Let\u2019s go somewhere and try it out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We head back to our tent at our camp and make sure no one\u2019s going to interrupt us. Thorkel has Skardi get a thin stick, wrap the end in a layer of oil-drenched cloth, and catch it on fire. It takes him a moment before he\u2019s back with a little torch. By then, Thorkel has packed some of the herb into the pipe and takes the torch from Skardi before he brings it to the pipe and takes a sharp inhale, drawing the flame through the herb. He immediately breaks out coughing. He hands me the torch and the pipe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I look at it wearily, but I buck up and take a puff with the flame and end up coughing as well. It makes my lungs hurt. I pass it over to Solmund and it makes its way around. None of them can fight the cough. We pass it around a few times before it goes out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDo you guys feel anything?\u201d Thorkel asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026 What am I supposed to feel?\u201d Griotgard asks as he scratches his neck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLike you\u2019re flying, whatever that feels like,\u201d Thorkel says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI kinda feel funny,\u201d I say, as it feels like my head is full of air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHow so?\u201d my brother asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLike my head is without weight,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah, I feel that too,\u201d Solmund says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI kinda feel a little happy,\u201d Vog says with a straight face as his eyes shift about the room. \u201cI think\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI like it, but I like those glowing mushrooms better. They made me feel so connected with the forest,\u201d Skardi says as he sniffs the air. \u201cLike, I could hear and sense everything. Smells were so vibrant and even the colors seemed to pop. I am going to get more of those when we get back home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI kinda like it, actually. Makes me feel light as a feather,\u201d Griotgard says as he runs his hands through his dark black hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah, it\u2019s not bad. Let&#8217;s try to get some mead or ale or whatever we can find,\u201d Thorkel says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, you\u2019re a man now, aren\u2019t you?\u201d Skardi asks. \u201cSolmund, Bothvar, and I are a few cycles away still.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI am\u2026 I just\u2026 You\u2019re right. I\u2019ll go get us some,\u201d he says as he pushes out of the tent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou guys ever think that we\u2019re just in\u2026 in like a dream?\u201d Solmund asks as he stares at his hand. His hair is kept long, and he\u2019s got facial hair growing in. Mostly scruff. Griotgard keeps his neatly trimmed in a goatee and mustache.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ve considered that,\u201d Skardi says, rubbing his bare chin. \u201cIt does seem possible. Maybe it\u2019s Ornulf&#8217;s dream and as soon as he wakes up, it\u2019s over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat\u2019s what I was thinking,\u201d Solmund says with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou guys are crazy,\u201d Vog says. He always kept his hair short and has grown a wild beard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026 I think it could make sense. Wouldn\u2019t be a bad dream,\u201d Gilli says as he pulls on his long brown hair. Even though his sides are shaved, the hair on the top of his head is quite long. His face contorts in concentration as he stares at his own hair. Hair is kinda strange. It doesn\u2019t decay like the rest of the body. I pull my own blonde hair and look at it. Why does it grow? What\u2019s the point of hair?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019ll be a better dream once Thorkel gets back with the mead,\u201d Tyrkir says as he sticks out his tongue, trying to touch his nose with it. He\u2019s always let his brown hair hang loose over his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I look down at my hands; it feels like they\u2019re bigger for some reason, and everything around my hands seems to vibrate. Is that normal? Is it because of this herb? What was it called again?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou guys\u2026 You guys. I think&#8230; I think I\u2019m drowning,\u201d Vog says as he brings his hands to his neck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut Vog, you\u2019re not even in water. How can you drown without being in water?\u201d Skardi asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know. I just\u2026 I don\u2019t know,\u201d he says as he claws at his tunic. \u201cI think I drownded.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Skardi snickers. \u201cThat makes no sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat\u2019s taking Thorkel so long?\u201d Tyrkir asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShould we go out and find him?\u201d Griotgard asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat do you think, Bothvar?\u201d Solmund asks me, but I can\u2019t take my eyes from my hands. There are rivers running through them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUhhh\u2026 I don\u2019t know. Sure,\u201d I say. They all head out, and I finally look up to make out the sun dropping down below the horizon. It looks like it\u2019s falling against the land, creating a ball of fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAre you coming, Bothvar?\u201d Skardi asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUhhh\u2026 Right. Yes. Where are we going, again?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Skardi says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re going to find mead,\u201d Tyrkir says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI thought we were going to find Thorkel,\u201d Gilli says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe entire reason Thorkel went out there was to find mead,\u201d Tyrkir says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOooh&#8230; Right. I remember now,\u201d Gilli says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor the love of the gods, brother\u2026 Get with it,\u201d Tyrkir says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou try getting with it. I don\u2019t even know what we\u2019re getting with,\u201d Gilli says, as his hands play with his hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m hungry,\u201d Vog says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I slowly push my way out of the tent but immediately turn and walk back in. There are way too many people out there. Where did they all come from?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A hand grabs my tunic and I\u2019m dragged back outside. Solmund pulls me along behind him. \u201cCome on, we have to go find Thorkel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut\u2026 Okay\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The four of us\u2026 Wait, there are five of us. No&#8230; Solmund, Griotgard, Skardi, Vog, Gili, and Tyrkir\u2026 That\u2019s one, two, three, four, five, six! That\u2019s six of us. No, wait. I forgot to count myself. That\u2019s seven. Wasn\u2019t there one more? Or two more? Where\u2019s Thorkel and\u2026 Tonna! \u201cWhere\u2019s Tonna?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSeriously, Bothvar?\u201d Vog asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWasn\u2019t she with us?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo,\u201d Vog says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYes, she was,\u201d Skardi says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDo you see her with us?\u201d Vog asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat wasn\u2019t the question. He asked if she was with us and she was. Then she left,\u201d Skardi says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut she\u2019s not with us now,\u201d Vog says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOf course, she\u2019s not with us now,\u201d Skardi says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI wouldn\u2019t mind it if she was with us,\u201d Griotgard says with a grin full of shit. \u201cThorkel was right. She knows how to handle a staff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShould we find her?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNo! She left us. Remember?\u201d Vog says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh\u2026 I guess I forgot,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere you guys are!\u201d We all turn to see Svala, Asfrid, Arngunn, and Semet walking toward us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOh shit. Thorkel said not to tell her something. I don\u2019t remember what it was,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTell me what?\u201d Asfrid says with a look that could make the dead die again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUhh. I don\u2019t remember what I was not supposed to tell you. Wait. Did I say that out loud?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe said not to tell you about the gift Thorkel got you,\u201d Skardi says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe didn\u2019t\u2026\u201d Skardi\u2019s elbow rams hard into my gut. \u201cOuch! What was that for?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHi, Bothvi!\u201d Arngunn says as she steps in front of me with that beautiful smile. She has such a small, cute nose. And her chin, it is so delicate. Those rosy cheeks seem so soft. I reach up and touch that soft, silky cheek. She clasps the back of my hand with her own tiny hand. Much smaller than mine, and she giggles. \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhere is Thorkel?\u201d Asfrid asks, with her hands at her hips and her foot tapping the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe know nothing!\u201d Griotgard shouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe were actually just looking for Thorkel,\u201d Tyrkir says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gods, her skin is so soft. It\u2019s like touching a flower petal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou guys are acting funny,\u201d Svala says as she eyes us wearily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou\u2019re acting funny!\u201d Vog says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah, Svala, stop acting so funny,\u201d Gili says, mimicking Vog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDon\u2019t mimic me!\u201d Vog snaps as he punches Gili.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOkay, what\u2019s going on?\u201d Svala asks as she crosses her arms against her chest. \u201cAnd Bothvar, stop touching Arni\u2019s face like that. It\u2019s weird.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI really like it,\u201d Arni says as she leans into my hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s so soft,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou\u2019re so weird!\u201d Svala says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah, that\u2019s kinda odd. I don\u2019t like it,\u201d Asfrid says as she slaps my hand away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAww,\u201d Arni says with a sigh, sticking out her bottom lip. Semet pulls at her dress and whispers something in her ear, and she nods with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSeriously, what is going on with you all?\u201d Svala says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHello,\u201d Thorkel says as he stumbles up with a mug, the contents spilling everywhere. He wraps his arm around Asfrid. She gives him a very cold look. \u201cHowsh, it going\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhere have you been? And what is this about you not wanting to tell me something?\u201d she asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDon\u2019t you go\u2026 <em>hiccup<\/em>\u2026 don\u2019t tell. I\u2019m a little. A drunk right now. <em>Hiccup<\/em>.\u201d He has to lean on Asfrid to even stand up straight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat the bloody goat turd, Thorkel? You were supposed to bring us all mead!\u201d Tyrkir says with a growl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOooooh. I\u2026 <em>hiccup<\/em>\u2026 I knew I forgot something. I\u2019m a little drunk. I think. And that herb we smoked\u2026 Wow!\u201d he says before he turns to Asfrid, his face only a finger length away. Then he plants a kiss on her cheek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her eyes go wide and her cheeks flush red. Then, suddenly, she bucks him off of her and full-on punches him in the face. He falls over like a tree being chopped down. \u201cI am so mad at you right now! You do not get to kiss me. You ditched us, and now you\u2019re so drunk you can\u2019t even stand up straight. I\u2019m fuming mad. You better have a really nice gift for me or you\u2019re gonna think that punch was a bee sting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat herb?\u201d Svala asks as she looks at us with a cat-like curiosity while Asfrid marches off. Thorkel rolls over on his stomach and throws up everything he drank. Svala winces before she looks at us with determination. \u201cI want some.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t think you can handle it, little cuz,\u201d Gilli says, patting her on the head. She reels around and punches him in the stomach. He doubles over on his knees. \u201cUhh, what was that for?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI told you a hundred times not to pat me on the head like that!\u201d she says with a huff. \u201cNow you piss brains better share or I\u2019ll tell mother and she\u2019ll tell your mothers. You know they\u2019ll tan all of your hides. Or better yet, I\u2019ll tell your sisters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGoat shit, she has us. I certainly don\u2019t want to face their wrath. They\u2019re all so scary,\u201d Griotgard says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEspecially if she tells our mothers,\u201d Gili says as he straightens up, climbing to his feet with his eyes wide as gold coins. \u201cYou\u2019d think it\u2019d be nice to have three mothers, but it is not. I\u2019m three times more likely to get caught and then I get punished for it three times over. It\u2019s a nightmare.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThen you better share,\u201d Svala says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFine,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think I\u2019m going to check on my sister,\u201d Arni says as she looks at me with those beautiful sea-blue eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAre you sure you don\u2019t want some?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah, maybe next time,\u201d she says, smiling at me before she leans up and kisses my cheek. Then she skips away with Semet. My hand goes to the spot where she kissed me, and I can\u2019t help but grin. I\u2019m never washing my cheek ever again. I swear I\u2019m going to marry her someday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thorkel finally picks himself up off the ground and rips his tunic off, going bare-chested as everyone walks back into the tent. \u201cHey\u2026 Guess what! I almost forgot to tell you all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We all shrug. Thorkel grins with half-lidded eyes. \u201cI saw little Thormar smooching on that girl\u2026 What was her name\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSigny Styrkarsdottir?\u201d Svala asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah! That\u2019s the one.\u201d He giggles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Svala tilts her head. \u201cWhat\u2019s so funny? Those two have been getting close for a long time, now. I actually like Signy, although I don\u2019t know what she sees in Thormar\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thorkel\u2019s grin widens. \u201cI sicked Bodvar on them. The little shit dumped a bucket of water on them and took off running. I think Thormar\u2019s still chasing after him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laughter erupts from everyone\u2019s lips. Even Svala can\u2019t hold back. \u201cYou\u2019re terrible.&nbsp; Sometimes I think we go too far, but Thormar takes things too seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Skardi pulls out the herb and packs up some for Svala and hands her the pipe. She looks at him with her eyebrows scrunching together. \u201cAnd what am I supposed to do with this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou\u2019re supposed to smoke it,\u201d Skardi says, giggling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDon\u2019t you think she\u2019s a little young for that?\u201d Gilli asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Svala turns on him and raises her fist. Gilli nearly falls over the cot. \u201cThat\u2019s what I thought. Besides, I\u2019m not that much younger than Bothvar and Thormar. Bothvar is sixteen, Thormar&#8217;s only a cycle younger, and I\u2019m only a cycle younger than him. I\u2019m plenty old enough, and if you say otherwise, you can say it to my fist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOkay! Okay\u2026 I\u2019m not your mother. Do what you want,\u201d Gilli says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNow how am I supposed to smoke this?\u201d Svala asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWith fire, how else do you think you\u2019re supposed to smoke it?\u201d Skardi asks, making us all laugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Svala raises her fist and Skardi flinches before rushing out of the tent. \u201cLet me go get you some.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thorkel walks in. \u201cI feel a little better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNow are you going to go get the rest of us some mead?\u201d Tyrkir asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026 I don\u2019t think I want anymore,\u201d Thorkel says, rubbing his face. \u201cMy face hurts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019ll go get some,\u201d Vog says as he walks out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFinally, a cousin who is worth something,\u201d Tyrkir mumbles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHey\u2026 I heard that,\u201d Thorkel says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat about me?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, I wasn\u2019t referring to you, Bothvar. Just this bum,\u201d Tyrkir says, pointing his thumb at Thorkel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSpeaking of Thormar, where is he?\u201d I ask Svala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDon\u2019t know, don\u2019t care,\u201d she says as she looks at the herb in the pipe. \u201cWell, that\u2019s not true. I saw him with Tandril, Starolf, Gudrik, Hosvir, Thorvir, and their friends in their tent talking out their asses how they\u2019re going to get themselves a ship and sail west.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat a bunch of dunga,\u201d Griotgard says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt least Hosvir isn\u2019t following us around,\u201d Solmund says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah, true. He\u2019s so annoying,\u201d Griotgard says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat\u2019s what little brothers are for,\u201d Thorkel says, messing up my hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOr nephews\u2026\u201d Tyrkir says. \u201cIt\u2019s weird having Starolf and Gudrik as our nephews. Especially since they\u2019re not that much younger than us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt least Starolf and Gudrik aren\u2019t as bad as Hunbogi. Sometimes I want to smother him in his sleep,\u201d Gilli says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou and me both. Veleif should\u2019ve left him out in the woods when he was born,\u201d Tyrkir says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat\u2019s a little\u2026 cruel,\u201d Svala says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDon\u2019t tell me you don\u2019t secretly wish he\u2019d fall off a cliff,\u201d Gilli asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, he is a bit crazy and mean, but\u2026 okay, maybe just a little,\u201d Svala says as Skardi comes back in with a small little stick with the end on fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHere, use this,\u201d he says as Vog comes in behind him with a big bucket and some mugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYes! Thank you!\u201d Tyrkir says, jumping up to his feet from the cot with a smile. \u201cAt least one cousin is reliable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He takes a mug from Vog and dips it in the bucket and chugs it. Solmund, Griotgard, and Gili follow in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Svala bursts into a coughing fit as she blows out smoke. Thorkel comes up and takes the pipe from her. \u201cGive me that. Who said you could smoke it? Nevermind. I need a hit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He hits it and lets out a sharp cough. \u201cAnyone else?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Skardi takes it next and smokes it. Once again it starts to make it around. I reluctantly take another puff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thorkel puts it out. \u201cI need to fuck someone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He storms out. Griotgard and Vog, all chug their mead before they follow him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMen! Always thinking with their dicks,\u201d Svala says as she storms out too, leaving Gilli, Tyrkir, Solmund, Skardi, and me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDo you guys want to play a game or something?\u201d Skardi asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEhh\u2026 Not really. I think I\u2019m going to go take a piss and find Oddny,\u201d Tyrkir says as he empties his mug and tosses it onto the ground. He rushes out and is gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat\u2019s not a bad idea. Besides, I have two beautiful women waiting for me. I think I\u2019m going to go put sons inside them and have them out before we\u2019re wedded in the fall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDo you think they\u2019ll find any girls?\u201d Solmund asks. I only shrug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cLet\u2019s go see,\u201d Skardi says. We follow him out and go look for them. After searching the entire camp, we finally hear something behind Vog\u2019s tent. Moaning, groaning, and slapping of flesh. We head over to see the guys all surrounding a slave I recognize. An elven woman who, I think, is Vog\u2019s father\u2019s slave. Thorkel slams into her while Vog tries to get his pecker in her mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tears run down her eyes, and she doesn\u2019t look as if she is enjoying it. They are not being very nice to her. Not at all. They\u2019re saying some terrible things to her, calling her all these awful names, especially things that have to do with elves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I don\u2019t like it. It makes me feel sick to my stomach watching. I walk away. Part of me wants to stop it, but I can\u2019t. Thorkel is my brother, and it\u2019s not my slave. But it\u2019s not how I imagined sex would be like. Not at all. When I think about having sex with Arngunn on our wedding night, she\u2019s enjoying it. Happy and blissful. There won\u2019t be tears in her eyes, and I certainly do not want to hurt her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I can\u2019t understand how anyone would enjoy that. I find my great uncle Alvi walking with Gudrod, Bodvar, and an older woman with two girls of her own around Bodvar and Gudrod\u2019s age. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve met her before. My uncle and the older lady seem to be getting on well. He even steals flowers out of another woman\u2019s hair when neither is looking and gives them to the woman he is walking with. She appears to like it very much. Bodvar sees it and tries to steal a flower too, but gets caught and shooed off. He settles for a red dandelion weed that sprouted up and hands it to one of the girls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I decide not to interrupt them and walk away. I wander a bit, searching for answers. I find myself going to the docks to look at the stars but realize I\u2019m not alone. A girl about my age also sits here. She looks up at me with big green eyes and then scoots over, giving me room. Her dark brown, silky hair is done up in a ponytail. I sit down next to her and look out at the stars reflected down upon the water. \u201cI\u2019m Almedha, what\u2019s your name?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBothvar,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She nods. \u201cSo, Bothvar, what brings you out here when everyone is back there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know, honestly. Just trying to figure things out, and you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI could say the same. What are you trying to figure out?\u201d she asks. She has such a crisp and melodic voice. It sounds like the songbirds in the forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know how to explain it. I\u2019m not sure I understand,\u201d I admit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt takes courage to admit what you don\u2019t know,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat are you out here for?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAvoiding my mother. And my responsibilities. It&#8217;s not very honoris and I\u2019m getting much delictum.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat does that mean? I\u2019ve heard it before,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWell, at Forsa Village, we have five core beliefs, Kathikon, which means duty. Duty to ourselves, duty to our purpose, duty to our family, duty to our people, and duty to the world. There\u2019s a lot of duty, to say the least. It is our duty to protect our people and ensure their survival. It\u2019s our duty to provide for our families and keep them safe. It\u2019s our duty to find purpose and to fulfill it, whatever it may be. Our duty to the world is to ensure it is not ruined by others. We are keepers of the land and nature. Our duty to ourselves is to maintain our honor and leave no regrets. Honoris is the second belief. It means what it sounds like, honor. Honor is earned by self-sacrificing acts that are for the better of the clan and the world itself. There is no greater honor than to sacrifice oneself and die in order to save and protect the clan and the world. It is also a great honor to save the life of another clan member. A lesser honor to save the life of an outsider. Killing in battle brings no honor, but it is a duty that is served and must be done for the greater good of the clan.\u201d She takes a moment to look out at the calm sea that reflects the stars above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd the other three?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDelictum means shame or guilt. It is acts of cowardice that accrue delictum. Or hurting innocents. Shaming your fellow clan members or family earns you much delictum. Apolutrosis means redemption, which is another of the five pillar beliefs. The only way to achieve Apolutrosis is with officium, which means service. You must serve the clan as best you can. In order to do so, you must be willing to sacrifice your own wants and needs for that of the clan and the world at large. It is all about self-sacrifice. About duty. It\u2019s rather simple, really.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYeah, I can see that now. It makes much more sense,\u201d I say. My brother and our friends accrued much delictum when they hurt that elf slave. They need to get Apolutrosis. \u201cThanks. I think I found what I was looking for. You\u2019re really wise. I\u2019m glad I met you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She smiles. \u201cYou\u2019re welcome. I\u2019m glad I could help, and in a way, you have made me understand my own delictum and how I can earn Apolutrosis. I thank you in return.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I nod and smile as we both get up. She holds out her hand and I shake it. \u201cI hope we meet again, Bothvar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMe too, Almedha,\u201d I say with a smile before we part ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As I head back, I hear the screams and follow them to find men whipping and beating two elf slaves, an older man and a younger woman, both with bright blue eyes. \u201cThat is what you get, you pointy-eared bastards. Try to escape again and I\u2019ll cut your tongues out, or worse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I look away as the poor elven slaves barely cling to consciousness. It\u2019s hard to imagine why they wouldn\u2019t want to escape when they are beaten and treated as such. Cruelty like this wouldn\u2019t make anyone want to stay. But what can I do? They aren\u2019t mine. But it would certainly earn me delictum to do nothing. I walk up to them. \u201cHow much for these slaves?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The men turn to look at me and all laugh. \u201cBoy, go home to your parents. You don\u2019t have the coin for such a purchase, nor could you afford to keep them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another man steps up to the one who spoke. \u201cGunni, that is Earl Beorcol\u2019s son.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The man named Gunni, a bald man with a goatee, looks at me carefully. \u201cSo, you want to buy them, ehh? I will accept no less than twelve pieces of silver for each.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I untie the coin purse from my belt and hand them a few gold pieces. \u201cA few gold coins should cover that. I\u2019ll have someone come get them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The man bites a gold coin and nods with a turd-eating grin. I walk back to the clan to find the slave named Valindra. I tell her to go get some others and fetch the two slaves I purchased. I told her to tell Sigvor to help them with their wounds and that they are my gifts to her. She nods and carries out my orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I head back to the tent and find Thorkel stumbling in at the same time, falling onto the bed. I head inside and sit down on my own cot. \u201cYou\u2019ve accrued much delictum Thorkel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat? What are you talking about? Go to bed,\u201d he says as he turns away from me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou hurt that elf, girl. That is an act of shame,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe\u2019s a slave and an elf. Who cares,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI care. It doesn\u2019t sit well with me,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe\u2019s an elf. Her people are responsible for killing Asfrid and Arngunn\u2019s parents. They are the enemy. Who cares about them?\u201d he says with a growl. \u201cNow be quiet. I\u2019m going to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It doesn\u2019t take long before he falls asleep. Is he right? The elves did kill Arni and Asfrid\u2019s parents. Does that make what Thorkel and our friends did okay? No\u2026 Almedha didn\u2019t say anything about vengeance or revenge. It was about honor, duty, shame, service, and redemption. But do these core beliefs hold true for slaves? What about elves? Especially since many of our clan members have died at their hands. I don\u2019t know; I need to think on it some more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;&#8212;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next day on the way back home, the slave Valindra comes to me as I watch the shores drift by. \u201cLord Bothvar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I laugh at the title. \u201cYou don\u2019t need to call me that. Bothvar is just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She nods. \u201cYou have my thanks for last night. You reunited my friends and me with a long-lost friend. The old man\u2019s name is Larongar, and he is a close friend of ours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I nod. \u201cWhat about the girl?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cShe, I don\u2019t know, but Larongar was helping her escape. We will take her in and help her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHow did you come to be enslaved?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAll of us grew up in poverty within our city, Isyelnaes, which resides in the Shifting Sands desert to the south. Most grew up in tents outside the great walls. We had to steal to eat, so we all joined together and became thieves, but we were betrayed by a man as greedy and lustful as they come,\u201d she says, meeting my eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI see. I\u2019m sorry for your hardships. I cannot blame you for your thievery. I suppose when it comes to hunger, most of us would do the same,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She nods. \u201cI should go check on them. They should make a full recovery, thanks to Lady Sigvor\u2019s help. She is very kind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJust as long as you don\u2019t cross her,\u201d I say with a laugh. \u201cShe along with my mother and their younger sister can be quite spiteful to those who wrong them. Trust me, my siblings and I have spent many a days suffering their punishments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She smiles. \u201cEven still, I\u2019m sure your punishments were out of love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEhh, more out of our own stupidity, but sure,\u201d I say with a smile. She also smiles before she bows and takes her leave. I have to say, she is quite beautiful. There\u2019s something about elven eyes. The way they seem to glow. At least the ones who can do magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looks like Thormar found himself a stray dog at the meeting. He won\u2019t let it out of his sight. Bodvar has taken to calling it Ruffles. Thormar hates that name so Thorkel made sure it stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/03\/the-damaged-soul-chapter-4\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"223\" height=\"63\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Prevous-Chapter.png?resize=223%2C63&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-882\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/05\/the-damaged-soul-chapter-6\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"223\" height=\"63\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Next-Chapter.png?resize=223%2C63&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-883\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Be the first 100 to sign up for the Aratheon Newsletter and a FREE Digital copy of Broken Souls!<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"642\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Broken-Souls-by-Troy-Calkins.jpg?resize=642%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"fantasy, fantasy novel, Fantasy book, Fantasy story, elves, vikings\" class=\"wp-image-873\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Broken-Souls-by-Troy-Calkins.jpg?resize=642%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 642w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Broken-Souls-by-Troy-Calkins.jpg?resize=188%2C300&amp;ssl=1 188w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Broken-Souls-by-Troy-Calkins.jpg?resize=768%2C1226&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Broken-Souls-by-Troy-Calkins.jpg?resize=963%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 963w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Broken-Souls-by-Troy-Calkins.jpg?resize=1283%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1283w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Broken-Souls-by-Troy-Calkins.jpg?resize=648%2C1034&amp;ssl=1 648w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Broken-Souls-by-Troy-Calkins.jpg?resize=120%2C192&amp;ssl=1 120w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Broken-Souls-by-Troy-Calkins.jpg?w=1410&amp;ssl=1 1410w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 642px) 100vw, 642px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><script type='text\/javascript' src='https:\/\/app.getresponse.com\/view_webform_v2.js?u=SNMMb&#038;webforms_id=SKrkL'><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When we finally head back to camp, the fun can begin. I follow my brother and our friends, Solmund, Griotgard, Skardi, and Vog; even Gili and Tyrkir join us as we ditch the girls and our younger brothers, both of them having their own friends. We sneak into the woods so we can travel around &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/2022\/09\/05\/the-damaged-soul-chapter-5\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The Damaged Soul: Chapter 5<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":872,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"The Damaged Soul: Chapter 5 - Bothvar and his crew of friends party after the all clan meeting. #fantasy #epicfantasy #darkfantasy #fantasyromance #freebook #free #fantasynovel #fantasybook #vikings #viking #norse #norsemythology\n","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[75,98,99],"tags":[80,86,24,92,41,74,73,2,83,95,93,72,96,94,97,90,91],"class_list":["post-991","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-story-chapters","category-the-damaged-soul","category-the-damaged-soul-chapters","tag-dark-fantasy","tag-dark-romance","tag-dwarf","tag-dwarves","tag-elf","tag-elves","tag-epic-fantasy","tag-fantasy","tag-fantasy-romance","tag-general-fantasy","tag-greek-mythology","tag-high-fantasy","tag-mythology","tag-norse","tag-norse-mythology","tag-viking","tag-vikings"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aratheon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Bothvar-with-two-axes-blackened.jpg?fit=1410%2C2250&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/991","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=991"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/991\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":997,"href":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/991\/revisions\/997"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=991"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=991"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aratheon.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=991"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}