Chapter Eleven
The last stone of the stone ship that marked Vidarr's grave had been laid down. The men of Torkelfors were already gone. There were nobody else, but Eirikr, and Aude, standing side by side, with no words spoken.
They gathered the ashes from the ship early in the morning, when the sun was still low on the East. Then they made two burrows. In one burrow they put the ashes in a big ceramic jug, and beside it were the swords, spears, and daggers of the Göter. Arnvidr put a shield with a falcon picture on it – Vidarr's shield. In the other burrow, they put the horse and the falcon. After they covered the burrows with soil, they laid stones beside each other and made them as ship.
Somehow, Eirikr felt empty. He did not really know the man he had just buried. Vaguely he remembered the time when Vidarr had been in Erlingsäng, playing with him on the meadows, chasing butterflies or insects. And then Vidarr must go, together with the men hunting in the forest, going to the haven, and sailing. When he returned from his journey, he would spend the nights around the fire telling everybody about his journey.
Eirikr remembered watching his big brother proudly, and wished one day he would take him too in one of those ships. But the time never came. Vidarr had found his woman, and he wanted to live together with her in her village.
And his woman was now standing beside him.
Eirikr could see clearly, how red her hair was. Deep red like the colour of red berries when they were ready to be picked. Rolled above her head, and some of them which loose, touching the back of her neck, which was pale, as pale as the moon in the early morning. How he wanted to touch that neck, to feel her skin! Was it soft? Was it tender?
Eirikr breathed carefully. He did not want that she could hear it, and awoke her from whatever thoughts and dreams about Vidarr she might be having. Because if he was the one who was on her mind, he would not want anybody to disturb her either.
"You could have waited." he heard her whispering. May be he should have waited until the new moon came. But he knew, The Göter were lurking out there somewhere, and the beasts would probably return. Eirikr realized, the reason why he wanted to enter the house of Vidarr as soon as possible has changed. When he had been on the ship on the way to Torkelfors, it was only his brother's last wish that he wanted to fulfill. Now that he had seen her, he wanted her. Her figure, her scent, her. He did not know why, but very thought of her already could make him feel like he was lighted by fire. Hot, and nervous. The bottom part of his body was tensed, and hard. It was not painful, it was just, he could not think clearly about anything anymore, but her.
Eirikr took her hand. I should have not done it. He thought. But too late. To his surprised, Aude did not take her hand away. Her hand was small, and cold. How he wanted to rub that hand, to give warmth. But he did not dare to move.
"I will wait." he said, and he did not know what for.
Aude pulled her hand softly. "Soon his house will be yours." she said. "And I will fulfill my duty as your woman. But do not wish for anything more."
Eirikr looked at her. What was it, that made her looked down to him? Did he not please her eyes? Did she think he had too few winters that he could not give her what she wished? And what did it mean that he should not wish for anything more? That she would not take him as her man the way she had taken Vidarr? No, he would not wish it either. She should take him as her man the way she would take him – Eirikr son of Magnus, and nobody else! Not even Vidarr!
Eirikr raised his face. "Then it shall be." he said. He should have said something more, because his chest was full with feelings he never knew that he would have. He was glad that she had talked to him and miserable at the same time because she had not look him in the eye. His body was warm and light, that now he could hold her hand, even for a while, but then wave of anger had filled him in. Anger that had come for whatever reasons.
He could scream, he wanted to scream, and it was so close that he would scream, to let those feelings out of his body. This was not what he wanted, he did not even wish to replace Vidarr. Yes, he had wanted to be on the same ship with him, but not to take his place. Neither on the ship, nor in his house!
And then he looked at her. No, he had not wanted to take his place - that's true, but now he wanted it. He wanted her. And I will have her. He thought. Just like catching a lynx. If he was patient enough to lurk and wait, and even to trap the beast, he would get it. And so Aude. May be he would not trap her the way he had trapped the lynx, but he would wait. Oh yes, he would wait!
He smiled. "Then it shall be."
Gunnarr picked him up, and took him to the bath house, long after Aude had left him alone. He had not run after her, or asked her to stay. He'd just watched her moving away and finally gone inside her house.
Six men would give him a bath, and then he would be taken to the Freyråker, a field under the Midnattskulle, where people of Torkelsfor spoke their prayers to Freyr, and asked for rain, heirs and prosperity. On that field, he and Aude would get married.
Alvar was the first one who entered the bath house.
Alvar sat on the bank, meanwhile he took a bath inside a big wooden cask filled with warm water. Alvar told him, as a man of trade, how to attract buyers. "Good name is very important." he said. "Because if you don't have a good name, you will have a very small price for your goods, and sometimes people do not buy from you. You have to be honest, friendly, and respectful. Treat your buyers like when you treat your father or your chieftain...." and he went on about selecting goods and knowing what the people needed. "Sometimes you have to make them feel that they need the good, even when they actually don't...."
Eirikr was listening carefully, when suddenly a thought came to him. He had never been with a woman before. What he should do if he was alone with Aude, in the their room, in Vidarr's house?
"...you have to know that..." Alvar's voice came back again to his ears.
Eirikr decided to ask. Alvar must have known. "Alvar, what shall I do if I am with my woman, alone?"
Alvar looked at him. His mouth dropped. Then he touched his beard. Slowly. Eirikr could see that Alvar was thinking, very hard. Just like Gunnarr, he narrowed his eyes. And then he got up. "You should ask Arnbiorn. He is younger than me, he could explain it better."
Then he went out.
Arnbiorn went in. He smiled widely. "Young Eirikr!" he said. He sat on the bank, rubbing his hands, as if he could not wait to tell him about his work. Arnbiorn was very good in building ships and houses. Any kind of wood, in his hand, he could change and made them useful. "The secret with wood is," he said. "That they have to be old, and you have to know their line. Follow the line of the wood, then you will have a good material for building. Not only that, you will not see that it had hole or that your goods are from different parts of the tree, if you can match the line. You know what I mean with line? Every tree has written the seasons inside their body, and the seasons circle them like rings. Every line means a winter, therefore the more lines they have, the older they are. Do you know how to separate straight board from the the bent one? You have to take it to your hand, bring it close to your eyes, and see it from the thickness part, from one end to the other....."
And when Eirikr asked the same question, he grinned. "Oh," he said. "You could do a lot of things with women. Yes, young Eirikr, a lot."
Eirikr waited for the next sentence. But it was never spoken. Arnbiorn's eyes were shining, and his grin was getting wider and wider, but not a word. And when he realized that Eirikr was waiting, he said, "You'll know what to do, Eirikr." he tapped his shoulder, and went out.
The next man was a man of Torkelfors. "I am called Alfr." he said. "I am a farmer, I am more a gardener, actually. But people call me a farmer. I heard your father has taught you well in field."
"Yes." Eirikr said.
"If so, you do not need much words from me." he smiled. His eyes were wandering upon Eirikr's face, and then his hair, went down to his arms. "You are a fine young man, Eirikr son of Magnus. I envy Aude."
Eirikr looked at him. "Do you know her well?"
"Yes. We made her garden, Aude and I. She is such a lovely woman. She has taste like nobody else here. And she has good taste in men." then he chuckled. "Ah, I am talking like a soft cat."
"I wish I knew what she wants." said Eirikr. "She is too deep in grief."
"Give her time, young Eirikr. That gentle friend of mine needs time to recover her wounds, and finds herself again. People talk bad behind her back because she can not bear any children, and now she has to marry brother of her man who just died, and people already talked that she would treat her new man the same. There will be no children. Huh, children, as if there was nothing else." he touched his hair. "Talking about children depresses me."
"Are you that closed to her that you can claim yourself as a friend? What is a man who has a woman as a friend, but not as a lover?"
He smiled. "A man, like any other man. Just because I take men as my lovers does not mean I am a lesser man." he said. "I know people talk differently, but between you and me, it leaves nothing in my ears."
Heh, it would be meaningless to ask him the question, thought Eirikr.
After Alfr, Hjálmarr went in. Big and strong, proud like a bear. "It is a pity that Björn is not with us anymore." he said. " Otherwise, you, me and Björn could hunt together."
"Yes, where is Björn?"
"He had fallen. And buried with the rest the next day after we sent the Göter back to where they belong. Hel!"
"Forgive me, Hjálmarr. I have no knowledge of the matter."
"Ah, there is nothing to forgive, Eirikr. True is my word, I envy him. He is able to accompany Vidarr, and I am not."
"Hjálmarr, how shall I treat Aude?" Eirikrr asked. "What did Vidarr say about Aude?"
Hjálmarr laughed. "That he would rather face a bear than face Aude when she was angry. But you will find out your way, Eirikr."
"How?"
"Just like in hunting. First you learn, you make a lot of mistakes, but then slowly you know what the beasts usually do, the time they drink, the time they feed, where they live, what they like, and the next thing you know, you can get them anytime you want."
Then entered Dagr. Their best man in using sword. "First, you have to know the sword. You have to make it as apart of your body. Don't hold him tight, but firm. Firm enough that makes you feel having a longer hand. And practice. You have to train your body and your hand to know the sword, from what it's made, and how it moves. You can not wish to be a master without practicing. You have to be able to trust your sword, otherwise in a battle, you would be a naked man."
Eirikr nodded. And when he asked him the question, Dagr said.
"You take your sword, firm and steady, and then stab her beam."
Take my sword, and stab her beam....women have beams?!
The last one was Hamr. He sat there on the bank, and did not say a word.
Eirikr did not know how long they were staring at each other. But slowly the water was getting cold. Eirikr shivered. His hands were all wrinkled like dried fruits, and Hamr was still sitting there, and saying nothing.
"Hamr...It's cold..." finally Eirikr said.
"Oh," said Hamr, as if somebody had just awoken him from his day dreaming. "I am sorry, Eirikr. I have a lot in my mind lately. What do you want to know about my work, Eirikr? You can come anytime, and learn with me."
"I thank you, Hamr."
Hamr took a towel, and then said, "Dry yourself, Eirikr."
Eirikr climbed out from the cask, and accepted the towel.
"I call your thrall to help you dressing up." Hamr said. "You will ask Gunnarr to take you to Freyråker, I presume."
"Yes."
"And Hjálmarr, if I may say so. He was your brother's friend. Vidarr would like seeing him guarding his little brother."
"Then Hjálmarr it is." Eirikr tied the cloth around his hips. "Will you return to Erlingsäng, Hamr?"
"Yes. When Alvar tells us to. But I am not sure when. I feel something peril is out there, Eirikr. In the forest, waiting for anybody who astray."
"Do you mean the beasts?"
"Yes, the beasts. And the men." he said. "I call your thrall now, and tell Gunnarr and Hjálmarr to prepare themselves to accompany you to the Freyråker." then he left.
Sooner or later the men of Erlingsäng will return to their houses. Left him alone here with his new people. He wondered if Gunnar would stay here, with him. Arnvidr would surely allow Gunnarr to stay and have some piece of land for himself.
The door was open. Griselda entered with some clad in her arm.
"I will help you, Master." she said.
Eirikr nodded. He opened his towel and took the red tunic from Griselda's arm. For a moment, he was standing naked in front of his thrall, letting her see his long upper body which was firm and tight from hunting and doing his work in the field. He was considered of not having enough flesh in front of the men, but it was in the proper size. The soft light from the window that fell on his body made his figure like figures of a beautiful forest creature from the sagas that had been told around the fire.
But Eirikr's mind was wandering looking for answers of his own question of what he should do later to realize that his thrall was standing in front of him with hot face. He just notice that her skin was getting darker when the tunic passed his head. "Griselda, what has come into you?"
Griselda smiled shyly. "Nothing, Master."
Eirikr took the trousers. "It was not the true words." he said. "You should not lie to me, Griselda."
"Forgive me, Master." she nodded. Her smiled was gone. She took the buckled which laid on the bank, and put it around Eirikr's waist. Slowly she rose. "You were in the cask too long, Master. Your skin is blue and wrinkling. It is not wise to be in the water too long, Master."
I know. He thought, but he did not say anything.
"You have a beautiful chain, Master." she touched the pendant, a round pendant made of silver, with five points in the middle and from there, the points spreading like a spiral, on the edge of the pendant was embossed chains tied to each other. "A Völva gave it to me."Eirikr said.
"You seem to have a magical power to women, Master." she smiled, and again, her skin got darker. Griselda asked him to sit down so she could dried his hair. Eirikr sat down, and let her rub his head and gently combed his hair.
"How long have you been with Master Vidarr, Griselda?"
"Three winters," she said. "Master Vidarr bought me from the haven, and brought me here as a present for Master Aude."
"That makes you her thrall, and not Vidarr's."
"Yes, Master."
"Is that the reason why you do not accompany Vidarr to Valhalla?"
"I would love to, for Master Vidarr was a fine Master." she said. "But now, if I may say what's in my heart..."
"Yes, Griselda."
"I do not wish it anymore."
"What makes your heart easily changed?"
Griselda did not answer.
Eirikr turned around. "Am I not your Master? Do I not deserve obedience from you?"
"Forgive me, Master. Indeed you are. You are my Master, as Master Aude is mine."
"Then I deserve an answer."
"My heart told me, you might need me, Master." she answered in trembling voice.
Was she in fear? There is no need to be in fear. thought Eirikr. But he said, "Indeed I do." And that's the truth. He would need any help he could get. Eirikr got up. "How do I look, Griselda? Will I please your Master's eyes?"
Griselda smiled. Her big brown eyes were shining like two stars. "You are a magic to women's eyes, Master."
"Pray that I will be hers, Griselda."
The men of Erlingsäng were all gathered outside the bath house and tapped his shoulder, as a wish of good luck.
Hjálmarr gave him a sword – an old sword with black hilt, on top of it was silver in knot form, and said, "This sword is called Svartr, once belonged to your forefathers, Eirikr. And now it belongs to you to be given to your woman, as she will give it to your sons, and they will give it to their sons. May your line be long and prosperous. And by accepting this sword, you are no longer a boy, but a man who will protect his house, his land, his sons, and his woman. May your forefathers be proud when they see you again." then he gave him a hammer. "This hammer, as Thor carries his own hammer, may protect you from perils and troubles. And by Thor son of Odin, the ruler of Thunder and Lightning, let you be blessed by his wife, Sif, and your house will be strong and prosperous."
Eirikr accepted the sword and the hammer. He put the hammer under his buckle, and wanted to sheathe the sword when Gunnarr stepped forward and said,
"And by this ring, you and your woman should be bonded till Death separate you." he opened his palm, and on it was a ring, a plain ring made of gold.
Eirikr took the ring.
"You have to put the ring on the hilt, Eirikr." Gunnar said. "And give it to your woman later in the ceremony."
Eirikr nodded. He took a deep breath. Now it's the time. He thought. And he could not help but feel nervous. He would not face a bear or a bigger beast, but somehow he felt he would be calmer if he faced the beast than went to Freyråker.
They took him to the North, where Freyråker was. A huge plain meadow with nothing but green grass, and a big tree, as big as five men hand in hand together and made a circle. Under it was a long table with a bowl made of silver on it, and an old man.
The people of Torkelfors had been waiting for him too. Except Aude and Arnvidr. They were not there yet.
Eirikr was getting more nervous. His heart beat faster. He did not know if he should stay or go. May be Aude decided not to come, being spoiled as she was – like what Arnvidr had said, or she simply took her things and left. Or may be it was not a good decision after all, taking the woman of his brother as his woman, because he would always be compared with him. May be he should take another woman, and live somewhere else. May be.....
Then he heard a soft sound of a horn. He turned around, and there she was, walking towards her, putting her hand on her father's hand, wearing soft green gown. Her red hair was open, with no stones or silver on it, but a tiara made from grass and flowers. Her lips were not pale anymore but coloured with soft red. There was no chain on her chest or her wrist. Just like the first time he had seen her, soft and delicate.
Eirikr smiled. All fears had left him. She was here, she did not run away or refuse to come. She was here, to be with him.
Arnvidr gave her hand to Eirikr.
"Then we shall begin." said the old man. Then he chanted a pray to Freyr and Freyja asking for blessing and prosperity. He dipped a twig of fir inside the silver bowl, and sprinkled Eirikr and Aude with blood of a bird that they sacrificed before.
"Let the man give the ring and the sword." he said to Eirikr.
"By this ring and this sword, I take thee as my woman, and shall this bond only be separated by Death."
Aude took the ring, Eirikr helped her put it on her finger. And then she took the sword, and put it on the table.
"I accept the ring and the sword and hold the sword in trust, as I will give it to my...son." she said.
"Let the woman give the ring and the sword."
Aude took the sword from her father, and gave it to Eirikr. "By this ring and the sword, I take thee as my man, and shall this bond only be separated by Death."
Eirikr took the ring, and helped by Aude, he put it on his finger. And then he took the sword.
"Put your hand on the hilt, Aude daughter of Arnvidr." the old man said. "And let your vows be heard."
Aude put her hand on the hilt of the sword, below Eirikr's hand.
"And I promise thee, to love, protect and care, and never will I let you feel coldness nor see darkness in my house." said Eirikr.
"And I shall fulfill my duty as your woman."
"Then I declare you, Eirikr son of Magnus, and Aude daughter of Arnvidr as man and wife." said the oldman. "And you shall drink the bridal ale, and by Thor, you shall be blessed."
After Freyråker, they continued the ceremony at The Long Hall. In Svear fashion, the groom had to put the sword at the middle of the door to prevent the bride to enter. If the bride stumbled and fell, then it would be considered as a bad sign. Inside the Hall, the couple would drink the bridal ale as for Thor, so He may protect and bless them. The bridal ale was made from mead mixed with honey. They put the bridal ale in a silver cup, embossed with ivy leaves and handles which took shape of birds or other animals that the people desired. The People of Torkelfors used the shape of birds as the handle of the silver cup.
Aude stood in front of Eirikr and gave him the silver cup which contained bridal ale. "May you live long and prosper, my husband. And by your side I shall be."
Eirikr accepted the cup, and said, "I accepted this ale as a gift from Thor, may He blesses my house and my land." he drank it, then he returned it to Aude. "May you live long and prosper, my wife. And by your side I shall be."
Aude took the cup, and drank it a little. Afterward, she put the cup on the table.
"Eirikr," Arnvidr said. "Now you shall stab your sword into the beam."
For a moment Eirikr thought that he should stab Aude's beam, but when he saw Dagr and Gunnar shook their heads and pointed the beam of the Hall, he realized what Arnvidr meant with the beam, the real beam, and not Aude's, which he did not know where it was anyway.
Eirikr took his new sword, and with one swing, the sword went into the beam.
"Yeah!" the men cheered. His sword went deep inside.
Eirikr looked at Arnvidr who looked satisfied. "Now you are allowed to enter Vidarr's house. And from today it shall be called Eirikr's house."
Eirikr smiled, and turned around to see Aude. His woman, oh how proud he was to repeat that words in his head – his woman, stood beside him. There was no smile on her face, but her face was not so pale anymore. May be the mead had heated her blood, the way it heated his.
He reached out his hand, "Come, Aude. I want to see our house." he said.
Aude took his hand, and together they left the Long Hall. Behind them, the men and women cheered and laughed. "Let's hear some music." somebody said. And the Long Hall was filled with music and songs.
But Eirikr could not hear it anymore. With Aude's hand in his hand he ran. He wanted to go away from all of those. He wanted to be alone with her, talked, watched her, or only sat together without saying any word. He did not mind.
"I love your garden, Aude." he said when they were near the house. "It soothes me."
"Eirikr, do you always run like this?"
Eirikr stopped. Aude was standing beside him, her face was red, and she was out of breath.
"Forgive me, my lover." he said. "I am eager to see what is inside our house." he smiled. "Did you hear what I said? I love your garden. I will carry its smell to Valhalla!"
For the first time since they met, a smile was broken on her face. Only for a moment, and faint, but it brought warmth to his heart. Silently he made a promise, he would make that pale face reddish like an apple again and smiling. And may be one day, he would be able to hear her laughter.
"Come, show me!" he said.
Aude walked to the door, and opened it. "Please enter, Eirikr son of Magnus. This is your house now, and may it please you!"
Slowly Eirikr entered the house. There were two rooms, and one small hall. In the middle of the hall was a fire place. Its walls were painted white with pictures of leaves and flowers, and there was a window. At the corner near by the door were two spears and a shield, with a picture of falcon on it.
"Vidarr's banner." he said.
"Yes. And if it doesn't please your eyes, I will ask the thrall to bring it to Sören the smith to remove it."
"No. Vidarr was my brother. Let his banner be mine." he said.
"The door on the left leads to the room of the thralls, and on the right leads to ours."
"Thralls? How many thralls did Vidarr have?"
"Two."
"And what are they called?"
"Griselda and Asun."
"I saw Griselda." said Eirikr. "But Asun, I know nothing of."
"She is but an old woman who helps me preparing food."
"Let's see our room." Eirikr said. He went to the right door and opened it.
The room was smaller than the hall. There was a bed covered with bear fur standing at the corner. On it were two pillows, on one of them was a twig of purple flowers.
Eirikr entered the room. He looked around and smiled. "Yes, it pleases me." he took his hammer, and put it on the floor, before he sat on the bed. "Indeed, it pleases me." He reached out his hands.
Aude came nearer, but she did not take his hands. She was some steps away from him, standing in front of him, but her face turned away to the wall.
Her scent was all over his senses. Sweet scent, smelled just like the twig of purple flowers. It poisoned his mind, he could not see anything else but the delicate figure in front of him. He wanted to touch her, pull her close to his chest and squeeze her tight, until her body became one with his. He wanted to find the source of the scent...was it on her underarms, or was it on her hand. Was it buried under her soft green cloth, on her body...? Shall he use his lips or his tongue? Did she taste sweet, did she taste sour?
But her face, which looked soft and gentle under the deemed light looked empty. As if her mind had been away, far away, to the place he could not reach, to the place he was not allowed to follow.
Gently he took her hands and pulled her until her body closed to his. With all his might, he fought the burning feeling between his legs and the hardness that came along with it. I have to be patient. He thought. Carefully, afraid to awake her from her thought, he laid her down on her pillow.
Her eyes were closed, and from each corner tear fell down on her cheek.
Eirikr licked the tears. They were as salty as some days ago, he thought it would taste different, now that she was with him. Didn't the people say, women cried also when they were in joy? Slowly, he removed the flowers from her hair, and put them on the floor, and then he laid himself down.
The room was quiet. There was nothing to be hear, but the sound of his own heart beating. Aude did not move, he did not move either. After for a time which seemed forever for him, he changed his position. Now he laid on his side, watching her. Her eyes were still closed, but the tears had stopped running.
Eirikr put his hand on her hip, and move closer to her, until he could feel her body heat. He closed his eyes. If later Aude opened her eyes and asked him, what he was doing, he would answer, snuggling.
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