"Father, will you train with me today?"
"Sorry Bryn, today is an important day."
Important?
"The host of Slesvig, a messenger will come to discuss it with me."
I was intrigued, a huge army sounded very cool, but whats it for?
Slesvig, a huge city, one of a kind in this continent it is a hub for warriors and merchants alike. Many young men go there to seek honor and riches during campaigns, my father told me that from time to time the lord of Slesvig holds campaigns travelling to the other side of the continent, named the lost lands, huge snowy wastelands, dangerous forests, ruined structures from long lost past.
Father tapped me on the shoulder and said.
"You have nothing to worry about, for now just grow healthy and strong."
He probably understood that I was intrested in Slesvig.
Anyways I should go ask Arte to train with me. As I was running trought the village to Arte's home, near the entrance was a commotion, a group of men, warriors with armor and weapons. It looked like problems.
"What are you doing here again this year!"
"Our younglings went to seek honor and never came back!"
After listening for some time you can understand why thr people were mad, but it's not these warriors fault.
"Villagers, it's not these warriors fault if you go seek riches and honor in battle you're risking everything you have!"
I wanted to calm the people down, like my father, but it seems it didn't help, sad and angry stares started to being pointed at me. I felt uncomfortable.
"My son is right, these men didn't kill your children, they went seeking greatness, and met their ends now they are sitting in Valhalla!"
Thank god my father came, he always is able to calm people down, that might be because how thick his voice is and what huge statures he has, he just draws attention.
"You tried and did good Bryn."
My father patted me.
The warriors came to greet my father, and among them was a man who stood out, long black hair, a scar on his forehead, stature just a little smaller, where do these bears come from! I took a couple of steps back from him, he had bad energy.
"This one yours isn't he, Bjorn?"
"Is that what you ask an old friend seeing him in a long time and yes he is, Brynjar."
An old friend they know each other?
The scary man came closer, with his scary faces and eyes, I think I started to sweat a little. He leaned forward.
"A strong boy, I just hope his not as stupid as you."
He smiled, which was surprising.
"Bryn, he's a friend, Sverkir, we used to call him the wolf, haha, good times. We were in the same group of warriors."
"My sons about Brynjar's age, he tries to copy everything I do, I left him to Helga."
"You never change, come inside, you didn't come here to reminisce about the old days."
They went inside, anyways I wonder what they are talking about.
I went to arte's, but the house was empty, where did they go, I ran around the village, but for naught and the a shimmer of hope an old lady said that she's seen them talking witb with a couple of warriors outside the village's entrance.
This seemed suspicous maybe they know each other?
I ran to the enteance in search for traces, I'am glad that the warriors boots are heavy.
Following the footprints they went deeper into the wood, nearing them I could hear laugh and.. tears?
I sneaked to get a closer look, even tho, I already knew the situtation. I hid in nearby bushes, not making a single speck of sound.
A scene that boiled your blood, the soldiers were having their fun with Astrid and Arte knocked out on the side, they were slowly undressing her.
I didn't know what to do, should I run back and call help, should I try to attack and try to free them, no that's just stupid, what is a single kid gonna do in this situation? I was beggining to slowly turn back, but something in me didn't allow it, the feeling in my heart, or hands, or the whole body.
Their guards were down, I can possibly take one of them down, but not the second, that might be enough for Astrid to take Arte and run.
"Alkir died and left you grieving so I'll help you relief yourself!"
Astrid was crying, it pained me to see her like that, she wad looking after me like her own son.
I gripped the biggest rock on hand and jumped out, running straight to the one on his knees while the other one was sitting by the tree sharpening his axe.
I took him by surprise, putting in all my strenght in to one blow, pieces of his skull shattered in different directions, blood spilled on my face and Astrid's.
After taking a life, I felt alive? The Adrenaline rush, the feeling of winning, surviving is that why men seek battle?
Astrid was taken by surprise the same as the man by the tree.
Astrid pushed me away, she just in time pulled her leg back just before a swing of an axe went by my eyes, I was spaced out, and I needed that to wake up.
"Aren't you the villages chief's youngen? You killed Svein and I can't forgive that."
He lifted up his axe ready to chop me, but this sutuation, I've been here before with the skeleton.. This didn't scare me anymore, my head didn't get fuzzy.
The swing started to come down at full speed, like a thunder from the heavens, I was smiling, this sensation which filled my up, happiness?
I dodged, the he was surprised and his axe heavy which is why it got stuck I took whatever was by hand, which happend to be a sword in it's scabbard. I hit him as hard as I could right in his heah knocking him unconscious. I feel down and began to breathe heavily.
"B-brynjar are you okay?!"
Astrid was freaking out and started bawling her eyes out, while hugging me.
"H-hey Astrid could you put your clothes on?.."
Astrid remembered the situation, and went to get dressed and I was checking the dead men on the ground, one was dead and the other was knocked out, I decided to tie him up and tell my father.
After some more tine Arte awoke and we explained the whole situation.