Chapter Six
Uppsala, Sweden. 845AD
Ulf stood at the water's edge, looking out over the lake that stretched out behind his fathers farm. He didn't really understand the world as such, but he knew his father worked very hard and that the world was full of great warriors fighting honourably so that they would reach Valhalla before Ragnarok fell upon them all. Ulf knew Ragnarok was a bad thing. Whatever it was. But here, on this farm where the ice cold water of the lake stretched out as far as his small eyes could see and the cattle, goats and sheep all needed tending in the grassy landscape that was their farm, the world felt a very happy and peaceful place to Ulf. At four years of age that was how it should be. That was how his mother made sure it was for him.
His mother, Brigitte was a strong woman and Ulf thought she could defeat many a man that tried to fight against her. She was formidable in his eyes. She had told him since his birth that he was so pretty that he must be born of a God himself, whichever one that may be, for he looked nothing like his flaming red haired father and his blonde mother, having dark hair that curled softly around his head and eyes that looked like they came from a lion. Ulf wondered what it would be like to be a God but he said nothing about it as his father, who had a hot temper, was always angered when his mother went on about his looks.
At this precise moment in time he was watching as someone on a boat came sailing towards them. It was probably his uncle, Bjarke, who like his name sake, looked a lot like a bear. At least to Ulf that was. He was huge, his arms like tree trunks and he was the hairiest man Ulf had ever seen. It covered his chest, shoulders and back. Ulf hoped dearly that he wouldn't look like that when he was grown up, he didn't really want to look like a bear fur and all. The boat moored itself alongside their small docks and his uncle made sure to secure the boat to the dock itself before climbing out of his boat.
"Ah there is my little nephew." Bjarke roared out, scooping Ulf up with one arm as he made his way off his boat and Ulf sat upon this man's huge arms. "Getting bigger by the day. One day you will be as big as your father."
"Hello uncle. Why are you here?" he asked the large hairy man sceptically. He wasn't quite sure what to make of his uncle, but then he was an intimidating sight to any four year old child.
"Do I need a reason to visit my favourite nephew?" He chuckled lowly, making Ulf bounce on his arm but the smile faded fast. "I need to see your father child. Can you lead me to him?" Ulf nodded. His mother and father had spent quite a lot of time indoors recently; making sure that Ulf was outside. He wasn't sure what they were up to but whatever it was they did not want him to know. He wasn't sure he wanted to know himself. He had heard strange noises coming from inside the holding. Noises that sounded a little like his mother screaming. He pointed to the house and Bjarke laughed, nodding as if in understanding.
"Let us wait a while for your father shall we?" He told Ulf gruffly and Ulf nodded once more.
It was a while before his father emerged, a large smile on his face. By this point Ulf was fed up of his uncle's company. He ran over to his father, taking hold of his leg and getting swung up to his father's eye level. "Uncle is here. He says he has something to tell you."
"Oh and what would that be little one?" He shrugged at his father's question and watched as his uncle approached.
"Brother, news from the Angle lands. Ragnar Lothbrok is dead. He was slain by the king of Northumbria." Ulf's fathers face darkened. Ulf had no idea who or what they were talking of but he must have been important for them both to have that dark expression upon their features.
"We must go to the town and find out what is to happen next." his father turned to look at Ulf and he blinked uncomprehendingly. Ulf had never left the farm. That was his whole world as far as he was concerned. "You are coming with me. You will need to start understanding these things soon enough."
Ulf's eyes widened. He was leaving the farm? What would his mother say? "What about mother?" He squeaked.
"You leave her to me."
Ulf sat at the prow of the boat, watching the world hungrily. His father had won an argument for once and Ulf was watching as they fast approached what looked like a whole number of houses all together coming towards them. Ulf had never seen so many people before ever. There was a small boy and his dog further down the beach that Ulf watched in curiosity as they played. He was about the same age as Ulf and his dog was larger than he was but they seemed to be having so much fun.
"You want to play?" His father asked him kindly, nodding towards the two of them on the beach.
"Can I?"
His father bellowed out a laugh deep from inside his belly. "Of course." Ulf smiled broadly and wriggled in his seat in anticipation. It looked like they were having a lot of fun. He practically ran out of the boat when they docked, his father yelling after him to be careful, but Ulf ignored him. He was too set on having fun.
He made his way down the beach, stopping short at the boy and his dog, suddenly becoming shy. The boy looked up towards Ulf, his eyes oceans that set Ulf's heart racing...
