A/N Thanks for reading :3 It makes me warm inside.
The country where the next raid is present day Norway. The place where Skwisgaar is from is an actual place in present day Sweden.
The Prayer is real.
"Bergson is so greedy! Greedier than a dragon!" Three men were out side of a drinking hall talking about their latest raid.
"The damn man wouldn't let us sell the gold, only the silver. Next time he will only keep both for himself." said another man. The others nodded in agreement. "Birka is becoming large now. Everyone from the west wants gold. We will never make enough after the next raid."
"We are running out of food. Hah! We might have to raid a farming village to eat next time." the third one piped in. The two other men burst into hysterics at the man's joke. They were completely oblivious to the tall man listening in on the conversation. He walked past them finished with what they were saying. Upon seeing him the three men straightened themselves out of respect.
"Greetings, Skwisgaar." Said one man as he walked.
"Be healthy." said another. Skwisgaar just nodded.
"Don't drink so much tonight. You wont be prepared to leave in the morning." Skwisgaar said without even turning back. The other men looked at their feet ashamed.
It had been on year since Skwisgaar's first raid, and since then he had earned his way to the top of the clans men and in the good graces of the chieftain. He was respected among the men and craved by the women. He indulged them both flaunting his strengths and skills to the men, while the women get to see what he can do with his bedroom skills. He was as tall as a giant from Jotunhiem, strong as Thor but as beautiful as the elves Freyr ruled over. Skwisgaar loved the attention. But Skwisgaar did not like starving, and as much as he would hate to admit it, the drunk men had a wonderful idea. Skwisgaar entered Bergson's chambers and presented himself in front of the big man's thrown.
"Skwisgaar! What can I do for you?" He greeted.
"I would like to talk to you about tomorrows raid." He stated confidently.
" What about it? We are heading to lands of the ice. The-"
"We can't go there." Skwisgaar cut him off. Bergson would have been offended. But this was the man who saved his life. He was his closest companion, his closest warrior.
" And why not?" He leaned in and squinting his eyes trying to understand where Skwisgaar was going with this.
"We have no food. The fish are late this summer. We have little to trade for food or silver bars. Our farms have little coming in. either we move or we raid a farming village." Bergson was in complete thought. He did not wish to leave there perfect location right by the Fjorn but the seasons have changed drastically at times there are periods of famine. This year particularly I by far the worse. The farming period will normalize as would the fish cycles, but would his people survive until then?
"Where do you have in mind?" His mind was made up. He had to stay in charge, he needed the power.
"There has been talk of a village in Nóregr. Small, but they produce a bountiful of food. They are by a river and the fish swarm there like bees to a flower. The women there are plentiful as well." Skwisgaar had pitched his line, now he had to hook the Chieftain "The have plentiful of women, we could sell them as slaves. At least enough so we could have some wealth in the village."
"Nóregr? We could not sail there. There is not water we could cross."
"We could take the horses. We could take more men to carry the food and the women."
"Are the stables prepared?"
"I can get Grubber on it right away."
"Yes, do that. We will leave in the morning as planned." Skwisgaar nodded and began to head out. Skwisgaar walked up to the stables where his ever fateful stable hand worked.
"Grubber. Prepare the horses. We are taking them with us on tomorrows raid." Grubber nodded and immediately got to work. Skwisgaar sat a played his ever present Lyre. His fingers playing an unnamed song of ghostly blues, cold and sad. Sad ghostly blue Glaciers.
"Heyo! Skwisgaar!?" Grubber snapped Skwisgaar out of his trance. He had a habit of doing that. Skwisgaar looked at the skinny man. He had long finished preparing the horses, now he was sitting in front of Skwisgaar.
"What is it?" He sighed. Grubber was turning into a thorn in his side. At first it was great to have someone willing to do his things for him, like a servant, but now he was getting a tad creepy and a little clingy.
"I was wondering if I could help you out on this raid..." Grubber looked down afraid to meet the man's gaze. "you know, be an extra shield or helping hand." Skwisgaar let out a long drawn out breath.
"Yeah. Just don't shield me and kill yourself. Just get the goods and fight for yourself. Okay?" Skwisgaar stood up and dusted off his lyre and pants. He walked away fast to avoid the look the other man was giving him. He walked to his new home. He now lived alone. His home was clean and simple. There was no need to be extravagant. He would sometimes have Elis and his family over, he missed them sometimes. But other than them and a few whores he was alone and kept to himself. Ironically his new house was close to Grubber's so the other liked to come over to eat and drink more often than wanted. But today he didn't want his company, or anyone's. He lit a fire in the middle and sat down with his beloved Lyre. His long calloused fingers slid danced across the strings, trying to imitate the melody he had created earlier. But as it progressed the song switched from soft to angry. And as he went on the angrier the song became. He played and played his fingers broke through the calloused skin and bled.
In a small village of the neighboring country, the sun had risen and the working day had started.
"Toki, before you go eat something. Okay?" A skinny but strong brunette of 17 smiled and sat at a table with four young girls no older than 6.
"Yes Aunt Hedda." He grabbed a chunk of bread and a cup of buttermilk. He listened to the dreams of his cousins and laughed at the rather funny ones. Little girls had such wild imaginations about birds and rabbits fighting over a twig. He should tell them stories before bed more often. He looked down at his half eaten bread. He doesn't dream much anymore. He had left the village his father had established under the rule of God to live with his uncle to work on his farm. His uncle still believed in the old ways so they don't talk to one another anymore. Toki had ran from home once he hit the adult age. Lived on his own for a while, foraging in the forest like an animal until coincidentally his uncle had found him. He finally found a family that loved him.
He finished off his bread and went off to work. Cut logs and sow the fields. Whistling a happy tune about nothing.
They had been traveling for 5 days. They were hungry, they were tired but more than anything they were angry. They had finally found the village that they were looking for. They dismount their Shire horses and prepared to invade. Bergson made the plan of burning of their tiny homes, the stealing of the most beautiful women, and the stealing of the any food they could find. They could not eat it right then, they were to grab as much as they could and wait back with the others. Skwisgaar led the war cry.
Toki worked in the fields alone today. His uncle had hurt his leg and could not leave the bed. He made sure he would gather double of crops to make up for the workload. He looked over his shoulder and saw a group of horses. Not doing anything just grazing.
No one saw it coming. Why would Viking want to pillage a town that had nothing worth giving. The fires burned through their delicate homes. Skwisgaar was apathetic. He didn't really enjoy to partake in destroying others homes, but what were they gonna do? They needed the food. A few of his fellow vikings chose not to dismount and were going mad with chasing around frightened villagers on their horses. He collected food while the others destroyed the village not paying very much attention to what he was grabbing. As long as it was edible it was good enough.
Toki turned and saw the fire. It was as large as if a fire breathing dragon had went to destroy his village. His uncle had his farm high up in the hills away from the village so Toki was out of the way. He dropped what he had and ran. Maybe if he could get there in time he could save his family.
When Toki reached his village he learned there was no dragon. There was none at all. Just big hairy men tormenting villagers, kidnapping women and stealing their food. He had to find his family. They could hide out in the woods until they leave. They had a good Harvest. They had enough to feed the village until they could go to Bergen and trade clothes and animals. As he ran he wasn't paying attention to the god like man in front of him. He ran right into him, knocking them both over.
Skwisgaar was caught off guard. He was just surveying the assortments of goat cheese and the next thing he knew he was tasting dirt. He would kill the-
He looked at the person sitting on the ground nest to him. The obvious culprit. He looked them over. Long brown hair, smooth skin, small and skinny frame and farming clothes. Obvious a farmer had no sons and had to make his daughter work. Well Bergson was planning on burning this place to the ground, she would probably make a decent slave. Or at least a whore. Skwisgaar reached out and grabbed them by the arm. Toki was immediately scared and yanked his arm back.
Taken back by the shear strength of the young lady, obviously working in the fields would be hard work so they had strength. He kept a tight hold on Toki. Toki kept yanking his arm back. He just couldn't get it free. He looked over his shoulder to the direction of his little house.
Looked over in the direction the person in his arms was looking at. He couldn't see anything but a few tiny houses. Some on fire,some not. Maybe she lived there. Would make since.
"PFFFFFFFFFFT. Come on don't be a crybaby. You have to come with me" He looked down at the person. He stood frozen. Glacier blue eyes looked up at him. Eyes filled with so much pain and stories that laid behind a layer of hope. They were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.
Toki saw that his captor wasn't moving anymore. He began to wrestle with the arms holding him in place. In the midst of the struggle Skwisgaar's ring that he treasured almost as much as ring fell off in Toki's hand. Neither payed much attention that he had it. Toki began to run but looked back at the man that let him go. He was grateful.
Toki ran to his little home. He stopped dead when he saw the door was ripped off. He picked up his pace once again. He stopped when he was in the doorway. He couldn't believe it.
"All, of them. All of them! Why? GOD DAMMIT!" Toki fell to his knees. He screamed and cursed at the gods as well as the God he didn't want to believe in. He looked over at the four little bodies. So young so full of life. He got up and walked over to them. He picked up the youngest. She was barely able to dance with him. He brushed the hair out of her face and held her close. "Don't worry Hanna, Odin will think you are to pretty to have in Helhiem and will send you to the land of the elves. You will play and laugh all day long. And who knows maybe we will see each other again and we will dance, Okay? I promise." He kissed her cold cheek. "You aren't alone either your sisters are with you, ya? There is Ema, and Håt and.. and .. and G-Gyda" Toki began to sob on the little girls chest. " So you all can run and play with the elves." he kissed her again set her down. He kissed every cheek of his cousins', no his sisters', cheeks. They all looked like they were sleeping. Maybe Odin will make them Valkyries. That would be nice.
He turned his attention to the only people he would call his parents. The marks on his uncle made it evident that he fought. Maybe to keep his wife from being raped or made a slave who knows. He walked over to the man and knelled beside them. "I love you, uncle. You saved me, but I want here in time to save you. I am sorry. You are in Valhalla now. With Odin." Toki smiled. His uncle was a great man. He kissed his cheeks as well as his aunts.
He went outside. All had quieted down. There was a few villagers staggering around, still in shock that this could happen. The fire had been put out. All that was really left was about half the village the rest was reduced to ash. He sniffed and began gathering materials for a proper funeral.
After Skwisgaar had watched Toki leave he gathered up the food and walked back to the horses. He was loading up the horse when Grubber came up from behind him.
"hey, why did you let the girl go?" He asked the preoccupied man. Skwisgaar barely registered he was there. He just mumbled something and went on to staring. Grubber didn't like what was going on with him. He was acting strange. He wanted to press on but Bergson announced the were heading back. They had enough food to last until next season. They had enough women to sell as slaves as well. Skwisgaar vaguely wondered if the girl he caught earlier was one of them.
"Your ring is missing." Grubber again brought him back. He looked at his hand a slight pale line was in place where his ring was. He must have dropped it. Damn, he really liked it. Maybe he could ask Netta to make him another.
Toki had prepared the six pyres. He laid his family's bodies one them and set them on fire. Toki whispered a tiny prayer:
" Odin give you knowledge on your path,
May Thor grant you strength and courage on your way,
And may Loki give you laughter as you go."
He cried. That's all he could do. He couldn't stay. He had no money. He will move to another city. If he stayed his father will hear, his father would find him.
After the bodies were nothing but ash Toki walked back to his house. He stood in the door way for a while. He sat on the floor. He couldn't believe this was happening.
His eyes caught a glint of silver. He crawled over to it. He picked up a ring. It was gorgeously forged. A harrier made of white silver entangling with a hair made of black silver. He clenched his hand around it. The ring was an illustration of a story he told his "Sisters" the night before. Were the Gods playing with him. He extended his arms to throw it. He couldn't bring himself to do it. He brought the ring to his chest. He sobbed heavily. No tears, just breathless sobs. He went to his "sisters" bed and fell asleep there.
The next morning he decided to leave. He ate what little food he had left. He grabbed the biggest sack he had. He filled as much as he could with fruits and Vegetables from the farm on the hill. He visited the Pyres once more. He didn't cry, though. He knew they were fine. He would find a way to avenge them.
Thanks for reading. Please review and tell me what ya think :)