Chapter 2
Ivar
I frowned. "Little one," was what he had always called me since I was five winters.
"Little one?" Papa scoffed from behind. "She has but seen twenty winters only a few weeks ago."
Ragnar smiled at me before walking past. He moved toward my Papa, his gaze following the line of men who had emerged from the house. Ragnar's jaw clenched.
"Already speaking marriage of her so soon?" Ragnar asked.
"She's getting older. Time waits for no one," Papa said.
"She's still but a child, for god's sake," Ragnar replied.
"A child?" Papa scoffed. "Her mother was wed to me me at sixteen."
"You cannot compare your wife to your daughter, old man."
"And you?" Papa asked. "You are growing old without a wife. Are there no fair maidens in Draugrfolk?"
Draugrfolk was Uncle Ragnar's village.
Ragnar smiled. "There are fair maidens."
"Then why are you present with no wife?"
Ragnar laughed brushing it off. He looked around.
"Nothing has changed since last winters."
Papa grinned widely before embracing Ragnar.
"We have missed you," Papa said.
I smiled.
"Where is Hirðkona?" Ragnar asked.
"She stays in her chambers," Papa replied. "Come on. There is much for us to catch up on."
As Ragnar and Papa left, I let out a sharp breath, watching their backs as they walked away. Just then, a young servant girl approached, bowing her head.
"Hirðkona," she said. "My Lady wishes to see you in her chambers."
I nodded and followed her. She was a tall, slim woman in her late thirties. No man had courted her, finding her unattractive. Since then, Helga had been taken in by my mother. She had assisted Mama when I was born and was Mama's personal maid.
Stepping inside my mother's chamber, I saw her sitting on a stool with a comb in hand.
"Mama." I walked toward her, bowed my head, and placed a small kiss on her cheek.
"How fared was it at the hall?" she asked.
I frowned slightly. "I did not find any man Papa chose for me to wed attractive."
"And why do you speak like that?"
"They are either too old or far too young for me."
"My girl, when I married your father, he was twice my age, yet it did not matter to me or anyone," she said. "You can not wait for men your age. All young men care only for hunt. They care less about marriage."
I wanted to tell her that someone had already caught my interest, but that would raise too many questions. Mama would want to know who, and if I told her it was Uncle Ragnar, all hell would break loose. She never liked him.
"I shall find a man for myself."
"You better be fast, my child," Mama said. "Time waits for no one. Where is your father?"
"He is with Uncle Ragnar," I replied. I watched closely as Mama's expression slowly changed. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pressed into a thin line. If Mama was angry, she didn't say it.
"He is here again," she said.
"Uncle Ragnar visits here every winters," I replied.
"Be careful of him," she said. "I had a dream of him but a few nights ago."
"What did you see, Mama?" I asked, hoping it was a good one.
"I saw Ragnar," she answered. "He bore the face of a beast. He was frightening, and he sought to take you away from us."
The beast was what we called the creatures that terrorized the village—Wolvens that attacked only during the full moon, killing everyone they met. That's why we all stayed indoors as the full moon approached. We prayed to the gods and goddesses to rid us of this terror, but a year had passed, and nothing had changed.
I frowned, feeling angry that Mama would say such a thing about Uncle Ragnar. He had always been kind to me. Every winters, he brought gifts for me, although Mama never accepted any. Ragnar tried for years to win her approval, but eventually, he stopped speaking to her altogether, which only made Mama even angrier. She loathed him.
"Mama!" I scolded. "Be careful of words you say of him."
She frowned. "I do not like him. I trust him not."
"You have never liked him," I replied.
"The dream was very clear," she said. "A vision from the goddess."
"Uncle Ragnar is no beast," I said. "Do not let your ill feelings make you accuse him wrongly."
"I speak not of anger, child," Mama's frown deepened. "My dreams always come true."
"What of the dream you had of Herald's wife? That she would live through childbirth?"
"I did not wish to frighten the poor girl," Mama said. "Her body was already failing. Had I told her what I really saw, she would have died hearing it."
"Even so, I can not believe you," I said. "Uncle Ragnar is no beast. He has been kind to me every visits."
"Be careful," she said. "Now, leave me be."
I stood up from the stool and left her chamber. Stepping into the evening sun, I caught sight of the mango tree, now heavy with ripe fruit.
A smile appeared on my face as I walked toward it. I called one of the guards, who quickly approached and climbed the tree to pluck a mango for me.
Sitting on the wooden bench under the tree's shade, I chewed on the mango. Ragnar appeared, sitting beside me.
"You came sooner this winters," I said. "You have always been late. What changed?"
Ragnar smiled, brushing his hand across my neck. He held the pendant of my necklace that he gave me few winters ago.
"What happened, Uncle Ragnar?"
"How many times must I warn you not to call me Uncle?" he asked.
"But you are my uncle," I teased.
"I share only a mother with your father," he said. "We are not deeply bonded by blood."
"So much have changed in you since last winters," I noted.
"And you too," he said. "I have a feeling you have started having attentions from men."
"Attention?" I nodded slowly. "Papa is set on marrying me off before winters wanes. He wants a son to carry his name."
"Your Papa seeks a grand sire to inherit the position of chieftan."
"No," I shook my head. "Papa named me his successor. I am the next leader of Völkru."
"Let's wait until then, and I shall remind you of this."
"And what of you?" I asked. "Papa sought to see you with a wife at your arrival. He thought you'd be wedded by now."
"Wed?" He scoffed. "Marriage is nothing but an agreement. Marriage cannot stop a man from doing what he pleases after the vows."
"And that is why I loathe the idea of marriage."
He laughed, taking a bite of the mango.
"The woman whom you shall take as wife will be most fortunate," I said.
"I have no intention of taking a wife just yet," he said, rising from the bench.
"Leaving so soon?" I asked.
"We just arrived after days at sea," he said. "I need to rest."
"See you later."
He took my hand in his and placed a soft kiss on my skin, making my stomach churn.
"I want to see you tonight," he murmured. "Your maid will tell you where to meet me."