The cold wind blew through a small settlement called Helvashal, which was two days and a half away from Fornburg. However, not many people knew about the settlement of Helvashal, as it was very small and it was mostly the home of hunters. The snow was covering the ground in fact it was getting tiresome to walk through it. In one hut live a family of three. The Father is named Nasi, if you asked the people in the settlement about him, they'll tell you he was that unlike other hunters or other Norse males he was unbelievably skinny, however, he was swift and agile. He was considered the best hunter in Helvashal. They sang his praise of how he can track an animal through a blizzard, in fact, some in Helvashal even consider him to be an animal himself, and it been said that his sexual appetite is insatiable. It was no secret that he had his fun. However, his true love besides hunting will always be his wife, and he always treats his family well.
His wife, Dalla however, also has her own praises, but it was her beauty that people talked about. Her hair is long and white blonde, her pale smooth skin, her sapphire blue eyes, her body that had been said that she was blessed by the Gods, or she was truly gifted. In fact, the other women in the settlement were jealous of her, and the other men wanted to lay with her, and they tried their best to get her to lay with them, but it never happens. Yes, she knew about the lovers her husband have, but she also knows she was his true love as the other women couldn't take his heart, but she made an oath that her love, body, and soul belong to Nasi, and she sees it as if there's a time when she can't perform her duty as a wife then one of her husband's lovers will surely be happy to pick up the slack.
Their Daughter who is named Havi is ten years old and is considered to be many things. the one thing that everybody says about her that is the same, is That Havi will have a seat waiting for her in Valhalla. Despite her mother wanting her to be a young lady, who her mother hope one day would marry a Jarl, but Dalla learned soon in Havi young childhood that wouldn't happen. Yes, it true young Havi did inherit her mother's looks, except for her hair as it was long and black. It true that the young boys in her settlement and from close villages try to stake their claim to her until they were old enough to marry, however, Havi denied them, but young boys are very persistent, the more she denies them the harder they try. Though it is enough to say that when parents have children those children inherited traits from both parents, she inherited her father's love for hunting, in fact, he even taught her how to hunt and track down animals. She also gets into fights with other children and they always say she's as swift as a raven, strong as a bear, cunning as a wolf, and agile as a cat. The vĹŹlva had said that she is touch by the Gods.
Helvalshal was planning to have a feast one night. That was the plan, they always celebrate a successful hunt. However, fate can be cruel.
"Havi, How many times must I tell you not to play with your Father's bow, now go get ready for the feast. Wouldn't you like to look great for the young boys?" Her mother said sternly at first and then soften her expression with a slight smile when she asked her that question.
" Ugh, no Mother why would I want to impress a bunch of weakling ergi?" Havi asked in disgust. Dalla sigh as she sits in a chair next to her daughter. "You can't call them that, it's not their fault that you're so talented when it comes to hunting and fighting, and that you're so strong. How about you try to be at least a little bit nice, please don't make any of the boys cry." Dalla said and Havi huff and puff but she know she would end up caving in.
" Fine, I'll be nice, and I guess I could wear that dress, but don't expect any talk of marriage." Havi said in an irritated tone. Her Mother beam as she gave her a tight hug.
"I wouldn't dream of it, my little Shieldmaiden." Dalla said and with that, she gave Havi a kiss on the cheek as they begin to get ready for the feast. The feast was going great as there were conversations, eating, and drinking. There were a couple of times Havi had to shield her eyes from some of the adults is a bit too friendly, mostly her father. Havi is wearing a green dress, and of course, the boys had to use her dress to compliment her. Of course, she tries her best to be nice as she promises her mother. However there only so many of these weak fools, one could take. Havi went to her hut to get her bow and her quiver full of arrows as she wraps the belt around her waist and buckles it.
Before she could go into the woods, Havi heard screams. She turns to look and saw raiders attacking the village. Arrows set on fire shot through the air as if the stars themselves were falling. Havi quickly scurries up a tree that was near her as she steps onto a strong branch. She knows she has to make the first shot count, and she knows once she fires this arrow, she would have to keep moving. she loads the arrow and pulls back, as she inhales deeply and held her breath as she took aim at one of the raiders, and then when she was certain she release and watch the Arrow flies through the air like a Hawk spot it prays, and with suddenly the arrow found it pray, as it enters into the raider's head killing him instantly, however, Havi already jump out of the tree and quickly begin to move back into the village looking for her parents. Her father had trained her well, even running fast didn't stop the accuracy of her arrows, each raider that spot her and come after her, she drops them with a precise shot of her arrows.
However the leader of the raider spots her, He was a huge man with black hair and a black beard. Havi saw him and to her, he looks to be a troll. Some of his men weren't busy killing, raping, or plundering was trying to attack her however they each fell by her arrows. However, she only had three arrows left. Although she notices her parents dead at the leader's feet and she felt truly angry and sad, and that when she first heard it, a flock of ravens, she heard them sing their song of hunger and death. She releases an arrow at the leader but with a quick swipe of his sword the leader deflects the arrow. Now she felt even more pissed off as she never missed before. She shot another arrow, and when she has seen he was going to deflect the arrow again, She shot the last arrow at him, while he was distracted by the first one and successfully deflect it, he wasn't quick to stop the second which struck his right eye.
Havi heard an unnatural howl coming from the leader as he pulled the arrow out of his eye and he held his hand up to cover his eye.
"BRING THAT LITTLE BIKKJA TO ME!!!" The leader yells out in a deep thunderous voice. Havi begins to run away toward the woods, she knows without arrows, she wouldn't be any match, sure she is stronger against boys but a grown man, especially one that is as big as a bear, she wouldn't be any match. One of the raider archers took aim and fire off an arrow that struck her, she fell down as she let out a whimper in pain. The leader grabs the archer by the throat.
"Did I say to kill her? no, I didn't I said to bring her to me." The leader said as he chokes the archer until he was no longer breathing and his body fell to the ground dead. However, the rest of his men went after her, but Havi had gotten up at that time as she continues off into the woods, while she was holding her wound. She knew she wouldn't be able to outrun them, she just needed to have a headstart, and she will find a place in the woods to hide until they stop looking for her, and she hopes it soon, her wound although the archer was a terrible shot and didn't hit any main organ, she was however still bleeding and it was extremely cold, all she is wearing is a dress, that was green, but not having deep stains of blood on it.
She could feel herself getting tired, but she pressed on, she could hear the shouting of the raiders who coming after her, but she knows she has to hold out until the leader couldn't stand the pain any longer and called his men back to leave, so on she kept moving until she heard a horn being blown behind her, and the shouting of the man became quieter and quieter until it was silent.
Havi sighed in relief as she sank to her knees in the snow. She pulled the arrow out, as she tried her best not to scream out in pain in case if there were any raiders was lingering around. She tore off the sleeves of her dress and ties one end together as she begins to bandage the wound that was close to her stomach.
Havi kept walking although she felt weak, she must find somewhere that could shield her from the cold embrace of Skadi. Although despite how strong her will is, she collapses in the snow from exhaustion. She thought for sure she was going to die, as her eyes slowly closed, she saw a dark blurry figure walking up to her, and after that, she went to sleep.
It was three days when Havi had finally woken up in a warm bed that had fur blankets covering her to keep her warm, She pushes the cover off of her to see she's wearing a cloth-like top that wrap around her chest, and black trouser. Her wound is stitched closed and she had a clean bandage covering it up. She tries to get up but she felt a sharp pain, as she let out a yelp before she could stop herself. Her breathing got quicken as she notices she was in a longhouse. A young woman who looked to be in her early twenties came to Havi with some food, and help her get into a comfortable position.
"It best not to move so quickly, for a young'un you heal fast, but you are not completely healed yet." The woman said, her hair is red and her eyes are green. She wore a black and white dress with fur. To Havi and to others she is a beautiful woman. "My name is Luta Hakondottir, I'm the wife of Jarl of Fornburg, Guda Orrinsson. How about we get you fed, while it still hot and afterward you can tell me what happens before one of our bravest and strongest warriors found you." Luta said to Havi and Havi nodded. Luta smile, but she notices a dark and cold aura coming from Havi, not malice to her saviors but a deep hatred to what happens to her. Luta pushes it out of her mind and she told Havi to get ready as she begins to feed her.
After Havi finish eating Luta place the plate on the tableside and help her drink some water. Luta places the cup on the table as she waited for her to tell her what happens. Havi prepares herself before she answers her.
"My name is Havi, my village Helvalshal had gotten raided and as far as I know I'm the only survivor. I don't know what clan attack us but I remember the leader when I see him again." Havi said to her.