Chapter Twelve
The winter was coming to an end, spring only a few weeks away. Our mares and goats were heavy with their offspring, and one morning I woke early because I heard the cries of our laboring horse and needed to assist her.
As I stumbled out of the longhouse, I tripped over a bucket. By the light of the moon and stars, I saw there were two buckets, both filled with milk. I frowned but continued on toward the barn. Perhaps my father had risen early to milk the cows and had gone back to bed.
The mare was lying in her stall, clearing struggling to birth her foal. Since I would need help, I went back into the longhouse. My mother was already awake and had started to make the morning meal.
I roused my father and on our way to the barn I asked, "Did you milk the cows this morning?"
"No," he answered and frowned at me. "Why?"
"Because there were two buckets of milk outside the longhouse this morning. Did mother milk them?" My heart had started to race. I didn't want to believe what I was suspecting.
"No, she was in my arms all night long," he said. "Who milked them, then?"
I shrugged and shook my head. "I don't want to believe it, but I believe Gunnar might have snuck into our barn and milked our animals."
"Someone needs to do something about that boy," my father said angrily.
The day had nearly passed before the mare finally delivered her foal, a little black filly. I was sweeping away the soiled hay when my uncles and cousin Melnir came into the barn.
Ragi grinned and yanked the broom out of my hands. "Come, Toki, the river has melted and we're going swimming."
I laughed and grabbed the broom again. "It will still be freezing cold, you jackasses."
Sibbi, Thord, and Ulf laughed. Ragi and Melnir stayed serious. "Are you going to act like an old maiden and pass this up?" Ragi asked with a playful glance in his eyes.
"No, I'm coming," I said and finished sweeping up the mess. Taking one more look at the filly nursing from her mother, I smiled and followed my uncle.
The river was rushing and still had chunks of ice floating in it. My uncles and Melnir stripped quickly, eager to shock their bodies with the cold water. I was a bit slower, taking my time.
Melnir jumped in the water and came up gasping. "Come on, Toki, don't be shy!"
Ragi followed his son into the water. "That's right, Toki! We all know you have your father's cock!"
They all laughed and I just shook my head, shedding my pants. "It's my balls I'm more concerned about! They'll freeze off in that water." I jumped into the rushing water and felt my balls pull up closer to my body.
I came up for air and gasped, my teeth chattering. "You, uncles, all have filled your wives with child after child but I have need yet for my balls."
They laughed and dunked me under the water. Returning to the surface, I went after Melnir and plunged him beneath the water and held him down for several moments before allowing him to rise for air again.
We couldn't stay in long before we got too cold, and young Melnir was the first one out. We dried off with the blankets my uncles had brought and dressed again. We sat beside the river and talked.
"Has Gunnar been acting strangely to you?" I asked, looking at each of my uncles in turn. They all looked uneasy.
Sibbi spoke first. "Yes, he has. I've heard that he's very violent towards his young wife."
There were footsteps behind us in the clearing and I turned to see Gunnar coming towards us.
"Great, here comes the lady charmer," Sibbi mocked quietly and we chuckled.
Remembering the milk this morning, I got to my feet and went to meet him, ready for a fight. "Gunnar! Did you sneak into my barn this morning and milk my cows?"
He sneered at me, his hands curled into fists. "Why in hell would I want to do your chores for you? Perhaps your pretty little whore of a wife did your chores for you in an attempt to seduce you."
Rage boiling up inside at his choice of words and I swung my fist without thinking and struck his nose. "What did you call my wife, you leech?"
He doubled over and groaned, blood spilling from his nose. "A whore. She tempts every man to lie in her bed." He straightened and made a swing at me, but I hopped out of his aim.
"Liar!" I roared and struck out again but this time he ducked and sent a blow to my stomach. I stumbled back onto the bank of the river.
He hit again, this time my eye. Ignoring the pain, I punched him again in the face then once in the stomach.
"Argh," Gunnar grunted and barreled forward, sending us both into the icy water. We struggled and tumbled through the current, scratching and biting each other like dogs.
Needing air, I tried to rise but Gunnar held me down. I nearly blacked out from lack of air before Gunnar was pulled off of me and I broke through the surface, gasping for air. My nose was bleeding into my mouth.
Ulf had pulled Gunnar off me, saving my life. But Gunnar struck Ulf in the jaw, knocking him out. Gunnar glared at me one last time before disappearing in the forest.
Thord pulled me out of the water and Sibbi ran to fetch my wife. I laid in the grass and stared up at the clear blue shy as I caught my breath. "My own cousin tried to kill me!" I stumbled to my feet. "Where is my wife?"
A moment later Sibbi came into the clearing, Elsie trailing behind him. She ran into my arms, almost sending me to the ground. She clung to me tightly, her face pressed to my sopping shirt. "Are you alright? Gunnar tried to kill you?" She looked up at me with concern in her eyes.
"Yes, and yes." I smiled at her and kissed her pretty lips, trying not to show her my worry. "Now take me home, I'm freezing."
"Of course, my love." She took my arm and we headed back to the longhouse.
My parents were upset when they heard what happened, but I didn't wish to speak to them about it. "Mother, father, please leave the longhouse for awhile. Unless of course," I smirked at them, "You want to see me naked."
My parents shook their heads but did as I asked and left me and Elsie alone. She stripped me of my wet clothes and set me before the fire, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders. She sat beside me and took my hands into her lap, rubbing them to bring heat back to my body.
"We underestimated Gunnar," Elsie said quietly over the cracking of the fire. "He wanted to take your life today."
I nodded and shivered, smiling at my wife as she blew her hot breath on my neck, then my chest, trying to warm me. "It seems so. You must stay near me or a male member of our family at all times, understand?"
She nodded and rested her head on my shoulder. "You must stay safe too, my love."
I kissed the top of her head and prayed that the danger from Gunnar was gone.