The threaded clouds from the continuous rain in the beginning of the week had rolled away. Remnants of it left behind mud that splattered across Magnus' boots when he stepped in it. Thor's bellowing hammer followed him across the ocean and into a Christian world, and for that he was thankful. Magnus liked to think the excess of lightning came from his god fighting with this foreign, Christian God.
The sweet scent of summer rain lingered in the air and followed the two men as they strolled to the campsite. Of course, the prince preferred his travel partner to be the tickling of tall grass or the crying of birds. The agitated sun's journey across the sky made for a better clock than the servant's flying voice.
He found himself visiting the barn when his homesickness grew. The overwhelming aroma of hay, along with the crying of various animals, touched his heart and brought him back to Denmark. As a member of this foreign kingdom, he was discouraged, forbidden, even, to dirty his hands in livestock matters like he used to.
It was here where he would speak with Eduard. The prince didn't mind the remnants of hay and manure on his clothes, though his wife made a scene whenever he entered a room in his soiled outfits. He was waiting for the day she'd tell him to just sleep in the barn, which he would happily do if given the chance.
This time, they continued their conversation away from the barnyard. Whining animals could only cover so much of Magnus' curiosity. Besides, Eduard had a price of his own, and the prince wasn't one to break his promises.
"Tell me about that soldier your king has." Magnus flipped a coin in his fingers. It was part of the kingdom's currency. This coin specifically was gold and chipped along the edges, and it was these ridges the prince ran his fingertips along as they conversed.
"Tolys, yes. He was just recently knighted. He has served the king since they were both children."
"Is he strong?"
The servant tapped his chin in thought. "I think he underestimates his strength. He could easily snap someone's neck, if he was that kind of person."
Then, despite it being only the two of them in the winding woods, Eduard lowered his voice. The veins that lined the stiff trees creaked. "I don't trust him."
Magnus quirked a brow.
"Oh? Why not?" he asked, a hint of mischievousness blossoming on his lips.
"I was demoted two months ago. I used to serve Ivan's meals, but then Tolys came back from fighting off a neighboring group of...you guys."
Eduard gulped. Magnus couldn't help but smile to himself as the image of Ivan's men retreating from the Northman's arrows came to mind.
"He's been feeding the king ever since, but…"
"Hmm?"
"What I'm saying is, Ivan has been sick since Tolys came back. Isn't that strange?"
Magnus made a noise in agreement. "Strange indeed. Are you implying something?"
The servant choked. His cocky grin fell into a trembling line. "I don't have to say it, do I?"
"I think I can figure it out on my own," the prince hurried. "What about Natalya? What's up her obnoxious sleeves?"
Magnus smirked to himself when he heard the other mumble something about her sleeves being rather puffy.
"She could drown a fish if she wanted to. I don't know what she's going to do after Ivan dies. They've always been close, or at least I'm guessing they've been. You know, she used to cry whenever he started coughing. He was bedridden like this a few years ago, too, but that was only for a couple weeks. She'd stay by his side all throughout the day and night. She barely ate, and we used to tell the time by how long her fingernails grew."
Anyone can drown a fish; you just have to take it out of water. Magnus sucked on his teeth. The more Natalya pushed him from her, the more curious he admittedly grew. He felt compelled to learn more about her. No; observe. Research, like the scholars in the humid south. What creature cries like a wolf, arches their back like a mortified barn-cat, and keeps their claws pointed out like a sickle? He didn't know of any women like this from his homeland.
"Hey, can I, uh, tell you something?" Eduard's sudden interjection broke through his reflection. The initial cockiness in his tone died down.
"Sure, go ahead."
"I'm dreading his death. Ivan is a cruel child, but Natalya is a caged animal."
"And Katyusha is...?"
"A saint, really. She's as sweet as honey! Though, I think that makes the flies stick to her." He let out an awkward, forced laugh.
"Got it."
They took a few more steps before Eduard's shaky voice started again.
"I try to not care so much about Ivan's affairs, but I can't help it. He's taken a liking to Raivis. They spend a lot of time together. I, uh, don't want to make it seem as if I think Raivis is being hurt but...he's my good friend! It's just odd that he's forced to sing and dance."
"Well, maybe if the other fools didn't go get their hands cut off, he'd still be cleaning up after the animals!"
Eduard seemed to ignore the remark. "I don't mind Ivan. I nod my head when he wants me to do so. Don't think he pities me, though. He used to move his furniture around too to trick me, before he became bedridden."
Magnus shook his head. When he swept his mane of hair away from his face, a cheeky grin became exposed to the break of light in the clouds.
'What have I gotten myself into?' he thought, though that only made the mockery seem funnier.
"When Ivan dies, Natalya's going to do something drastic." Eduard's confidence had grown between the other's cackles. "I've known her for too many years. When she doesn't get her way, she riots enough for a small town to feel it."
Muffled voices could be heard in the distance. In the crevice of the hill the two had been trekking lay their destination. Nature-cloaked men in varying sizes shuffled below them, and once again, Magnus' heart ached for home.
Magnus flipped the coin one last time. He absorbed the ridges in his fingertips before pocketing it in his purse. Its remnants lay like dried rivers in his pale palm.
"In that case, maybe this caged animal needs a smaller cage."
"Isn't this a little mean?"
The shoulder Magnus was using as an armrest shrugged. He could feel Eirik's deep stare in his temple, but the look was easily deflected. Much easier, that is to say, than Eduard's attempts at getting the arrow to stick in the bloodied circle painted onto a nearby tree.
The servant's tongue stuck out as he concentrated. On one side of him was Timo, who kept placing his hands on the bow to reposition it for the blind shooter. Magnus and his brothers kept themselves a good distance from the blind man, as did the other Northmen, who all gathered to eagerly watch the event unfold.
The prince cupped his hands to his face.
"Oy, Timo! Unless you're going to be positioning him on the battlefield, I suggest you stop that!"
Timo jumped, startled from the other's sudden comment. He glanced over to Eduard. Magnus watched the traveler's mouth move before he patted the other on the back and rushed over to the princes.
The eldest prince felt Eirik's hair rustle against his sleeve as he turned to the middle brother.
"Sigurd," the immature voice uttered.
Sigurd had himself propped against a fallen log. One of his arms hung over the tree bark, while the other was being used to hold onto a silver cup. An earlier fit exhausted the energy from his body, though a divine message didn't come through. Seated beside him was Bjørn, who was busy ripping the fur from a wild rabbit. Without shifting his vision from the failing archer ahead of him, Sigurd gave his opinion.
"He said he wants to become one of us. We have to at least see what he's capable of."
Magnus let out an ostentatious laugh and shouted, "Oy, I think Eirik here can aim better than you!"
The teenager slid out of his grip and crossed his clothed arms over his chest. He was always a slippery kid, but Magnus couldn't ignore the scowl that seemed to be living on his face since his summer birthday.
"You'll understand when you're older." The leader pinched Eirik's cheek, only to be playfully pushed away. A hint of a smile crossed the younger one's lips, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
Timo, flushed and panting, moved to stand beside Magnus. His eyes shifted from the prince to his brothers. Magnus picked at a speck of dirt hanging from his fingernail.
"You think it's mean too, don't you Timo?"
The wanderer looked to the youngest brother, then to the oldest. He scratched the back of his head, but gave Eirik a sympathetic grin.
"Eh…?"
"What were you whispering to him?" Magnus interrupted.
Timo, flustered, threw his hands out in front of him. "Nothing! I was just giving him tips on how to aim."
"Don't get his hopes up," Sigurd added groggily.
"I still think you're being unfair," the youngest whined.
"Eh?!" Magnus' thoughts swirled. The castle had a severe lack of open alcohol, so the only source came from wherever the Northmen were able to carefully raid. Sometimes they came back with barrels of sour wine, while other days brought them a potent brew. Today they reaped a latter batch.
The teenager's eyes fell to his bare, grass-covered feet. "He can't see a hand in front of him, let alone a target. Why does he need to be publicly mocked?"
Magnus slapped his hand against Timo's back, startling the other. Then, he placed it on the other's shoulder to turn him in Eduard's direction.
"Attend to him. No...bring him over here. No, actually..."
The prince stumbled as he dragged Timo and Eirik into an embrace. Then, he dragged the two men in his grip over to the seated duo. Huddled together, he lowered his voice and began to speak.
"Look, this is the only way I can get him to help us. Besides, he has to keep those hands of his out of trouble. He knows the ins and outs of the castle. According to him, there may or may not be a knight stalking the halls with some slow-working poison."
Sigurd leaned forward with a groan. "What? Does he really think the king's being poisoned by his own best man?"
"If I'm lucky enough, I'll obtain the truth behind it." Magnus smirked and flashed an uneven grin. "I've heard the blind have ears that receive from the divine, but I think the only voice in his head is his own."
"So Lord Ivan really is dying."
Timo's tone was cold, flat, a contrast of the current season. Magnus felt the other drop in his embrace.
"Not that I care, honestly!" The wanderer straightened his back. The prince took a moment to watch the other's blond eyebrows dance as he stuttered.
"It's just...well, he's not my king. I don't have a ruler I'm loyal to since I'm always moving around. I've been here for much longer than I should, maybe two years or so. I know Ivan can be wicked, but I think part of me will still feel something when he passes."
"Like what?" Sigurd asked, crimson dribbling down his tanned cheek from the wine in his cup.
"Like permanence."
A roar, then the sound of flesh hitting wood. The commotion behind the men forced them out of their stoicism. Behind them, the bloody circle was split in half by a crooked arrow. Across from it stood Eduard, who lifted his bow high with a childlike laugh.
"Death is an extravagant event in this kingdom," the wanderer began suddenly. "Don't expect to be in and out of the dining hall-"
"Dining...hall?" Magnus asked with childlike curiosity.
Timo nodded. "After someone dies, there's a feast. There's a long funeral ceremony, and then the body is placed in a crypt on the courtyard grounds. The whole kingdom is supposed to be invited, though I can't see the princesses adhering to that rule. They've always preferred to stay away from the people. I can't remember the last time I saw one of them in the village, actually..."
The prince's stray bangs bounced as he looked to Sigurd, then to the blushing Eirik.
"I'm confident we'll be prepared for whatever they decide to do with my brother-in-law's burial. I'll send word when Ivan dies. You two will be attending the funeral I presume?"
His brothers exchanged glances. Sigurd lifted his cup in Magnus' direction.
"We'll be there."
A/N: Hey all! I'm so sorry this chapter is late. School and work are my priority at the moment, so I haven't had much time to even look at my WIPs. This chapter was going to be longer, but I've decided to combine the second part of Chapter 5 with 6 for editing purposes. I promise I haven't forgotten about this fic, haha!
Have a nice day :)