For the rest of the afternoon, it was just more of the same. Several more wrestling matches, which would turn into out and out fighting. At least by the end of the day we had gone from 30 men down to 10. Tomorrow Pepaw has decided that weapons will be allowed. I do not know what has changed his mind. But I have not been able to talk Pepaw out of it.
Tonight, we are having a feast. However tonight the Viking's are providing the feast. I was with my tribes women getting ready. All of the women thought this was all so exciting. They insisted that I look my best to go out and set next to Pepaw. They dressed me in a traditional deer skin dress, it came down to my knees and was decorated elaborately with beads.
Memaw insisted that I take flame for just an instant. She wanted to see if the magic of the dress was just a one time fluke. I did not want to! I loved how hard the girls had worked on my dress. But after a short argument I gave in. I spun around and around and did a quick burn. When I stopped, all the women ooed and awed!
My deer skin dress that had been tan was now white. It had tassels around all the seams. The beading had been moved to tell my life's story. Some of the scenes I did not know. But some I did. Somehow I just knew what it all stood for. My hair had been braided in several braids and braided together in the back. It almost looked like a French braid of braids. It was tied off with a deer skin tie that matched my dress. I felt quite beautiful, and thanks to all my family I was very excited.
As Memaw put it, "It is not every day a young woman is sought after so fiercely. It is an honor for the men to want to fight for your honor. Beauty fades with time. But the love between you and your beloved will never fade. This is how he will earn that love. All of the men out there know it. I know you feel like you are just performing tricks for the crowd. But you are not. You are simply showing that you need a man who can equally protect you in power and strength. He may not have the same powers as you. But soon you will find that powers do not matter. A true husband will value your strength, honor your courage, and satisfy your needs. Your powers will be a blessing come the winter months, and in any time of war. You will see. You need a man to prove he has all these things, patience, love, a caring heart, hope, intelligence, and above all strength."
Memaw walked me out and sat me down next to Pepaw. The men talked and feasted. The women ate and gossiped. I sat there watching the whole thing. I felt neither here nor there. I was actually quite board. The women had me excited like something really big was happening tonight. There was nothing exciting happening at all. When the ale came out, I decided to call it a night. Pepaw wanted me to stay. But he agreed that women did not need to be around while the young bucks drank themselves stupid.
The other women followed me to my tent. We all sat in there talking as the men had their fun by the fire. We women were giggling and teasing when we heard a great noise coming from the forest. As we listened, I could not help notice that even the men had gone silent. My heart started racing! Something was going on!
I stepped out of the tent just for the women to grab at me trying to pull me back in. I was not going back in. I walked towards the fire. I heard a loud crash behind me. I turned around just in time to see my tent flying in the air. All the women scattered, screaming, trying to run away from the horrible creature.
The horrible creature, that I could not help in the moment, I giggled at. It had its head stuck in my tent. To be honest I could not tell what the creature was because it kept flipping its head this way and that. It was like a dog with a basket on its head. It was a huge creature! I could hear it whimpering under the tent.
Then I heard the men shouting. They were yelling "bow's, arrow's, blades. A beast is attacking! Save the women!" I did not know what was going on. I had never seen such a creature before. I certainly was not going to let them hurt it yet. It had done no one any harm.
I approached the creature slowly. About the time I got close enough to do anything the men had began to shout at me to get out of the way. I ignored them. I cooed to the creature. "Shush now, you poor thing." Everyone stopped in shock and starred at me. I did not even care! "Shush now. Will you let me help you sweetie."
I could tell it understood me. It leaned down and I could tell it was sniffing me. It wined a little and laid down its head at my feet. I kept cooing and talking gently to it as I got behind its head and untangled the rope's that were binding the tent to its head. Sorry, heads. WAIT, WHAT! It had THREE HEADS!
I slid down the beautiful black coat of the huge three headed black dog. I stepped back slowly. The beautiful dog was looking all around and sniffing the air. When one of its heads settled on me, I froze. It stood up and slowly walked to me. All three heads sniffed me and he barked. Then all three heads began licking me. I assumed in gratitude.
I petted each individual head. He wagged his tail and kept pushing me back till I fell on my bottom giggling. He kept nuzzling me. I could see his big black tail was going 90 to nothing behind him. He was a very good happy dog.
I pushed him off of me and told him he needed to go home now. First the head on the left barked, then the one on the right barked. The one in the middle quickly grabbed me in it muzzle and the beast took off with me. I was secured tightly in the muzzle of the biggest drooling Great Dane I had ever seen, plus it had three heads.
As he ran, everyone gave chase. They shot arrows, they threw rocks, but nothing stopped him. That is until my story teller stepped out from behind a tree. The dog dropped his but hard and slid to a stop. My story teller called out "Cerberus! That is enough. You cannot play keep away with a God. You cannot keep the sweet smelling God. Put her down. I know you can smell something different in her. She has hit her head." Two of the heads growled. "I bet your master is looking for you!" Cerberus wined and the middle head put me down, gently, giving me one last lick. "Now you better get on home. Tell Hades he will meet her when I am ready to bring her down. Not till then though." Cerberus shook his head and ran off back into the forest.
I was in shock! He came over and picked me up. He walked slowly and gently with me. When everyone caught up, they were surprised. I was in one piece, and one of the suiters had rescued me! Everyone was so pleased. But several had questions.
His story went as follows:
I was out hunting and heard some large creature bounding through the forest. I came out from behind a tree and there it was. The beast saw me and was startled. He dropped his prize and ran off into the forest.
I guess technically it was not a lie. But somehow it just felt wrong to me. I was there I saw the whole thing. What he said was accurate and true. Why was it bothering me? I smiled because I to was surprised how easily he saved me. When I agreed with him, all of the people were in awe. Pepaw brought out more ale and everyone celebrated.
Afterword' I talked with Memaw and Pepaw. I told them my side and how worried I was. I was very happy to be rescued. I was happy about who it was that rescued me. Maybe I was just over thinking it.
Pepaw told me that "women tend to see snakes when there are worms. Sometimes a snake is just a snake and a worm is just a worm." I answered back, "But snakes can bit!" Memaw hugged me, "It is just an example dear. Now go to sleep. All this nasty mess will be decided tomorrow."
I laid down, I tossed and turned. When I finally found a good position I fell asleep. But I dreamed I was back in the jaws of the big dog again. He laid me on a big cushy bed and laid down beside me. He cuddled up right next to me. He did not like me there so he got up and moved me. This time he laid down and laid me between his paws. His middle head rested on my lap. His right head on my legs and his left head I was leaning against. He snored soothingly while I slept there comfortably in his arms.