Chapter 16
Hey, thanks to everyone who responded last chapter. It made my day. Review always welcome and very much appreciated. Enjoy :)
Agnarr's POV:
We rode off into the night, as fast as our mounts could carry us. The lights of the town soon faded away and soon the only illumination came from the torches, casting shadows upon the trees and fields. Loki was up in front of me and the rest of the band, he being one of the best trackers the town had ever seen. The men whispered and exchanged jokes with each other but I remained silent.
Loki raised a hand, signalling for the company to stop, before dismounting his horse and squatting down, placing a hand upon the dirt-packed road. His eyes scanned the ground for several seconds before he pushed himself up and gestured to me.
The tracks are still fresh. We should be able to reach them in about an hour.
'Good the sooner we catch them, the sooner we can go home' I thought, shivering as the early autumn breeze rustled past me.
When Loki had once again mounted his horse, we set off once again into the night.
After about an hour of riding, the glow of a campfire was finally spotted as we neared Thor's creek. I put a finger to my lips and gestured for the men to dismount from their horses, leaving them back away's so any noise that might emanate from them wouldn't alert Alfarr or anyone else that happened to be with him.
I held up a finger and moved it in a revolving motion, and the men soon surrounded the camp site. I was so close I could see Alfarr hunched over the fire, warming his hands, and another man whom I did not recognize.
I nodded to Magni and suddenly stepped out of the bushes.
"Hello ladies" I replied, dangerously calm.
They sprang up, startled.
"Surprised to see me alive, or were you hoping I'd be prepared for burial by now?"
They didn't answer at first.
"Agnarr...listen..you..you..don't understand" Alfarr stuttered nervously.
"I understand perfectly well thank you!" I shouted and suddenly the two attempted murderers were surrounded by more axes, swords, and spears than they'd probably seen in their lifetime.
I slowly strode into the middle of the circle.
"Now you two traitors have two choices: Come back willingly and be given a swift execution or I'll force you back and you'll still be executed, only this time the death shall be rather slow and painful. You have five seconds to decide."
They remained in stony silence.
"As you wish."
I jerked my head towards them for the men to seize them.
Suddenly, the man behind Alfarr pulled a dagger from his boot and stabbed one of the men in the chest. He cried out in pain, falling to the ground and opening the way to escape. The man bolted through before anyone could catch him.
"After him!" Several of them followed in hot pursuit, while I remained to see to my wounded comrade.
Magni already knelt beside the man and it soon became apparent that it was none other than Aki.
Magni's POV:
I knelt my oldest and dearest friend, who was currently bleeding heavily from his chest, Agnarr soon joined us.
"Magni..I'm not..going to make it..."
"Don't say that, everything's gonna be fine. You're gonna be fine. We'll get you back to the village.."
"Magni" he interrupted "you seen enough battles to know that that's not true."
I felt tears spring to my eyes.
Aki turned to Agnarr
"Some fight huh Jarl?"
Agnarr nodded, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"Indeed it was, and you were the bravest of us all Aki." Aki gasped for breath.
"Sword.." he murmured. If a man didn't die with a weapon in his hand, his soul would be lost forever.
To my surprise Agnarr pulled his own sword out and curled Aki's fingers around it.
"I cannot take this Jarl. I am not of your family."
"Yes, you are" Agnarr whispered. Aki coughed once more, and I held his hand until it went limp.
Freyja's POV:
The next morning dawned bright and clear, as I headed to Aki's vegetable garden to cut some vegetables for breakfast for Bryn and I. (He'd told me I could make use of it if they happened to gone more than a day.) Bryn still snoozed away inside the longhouse, and I saw no reason to wake him. He was probably exhausted with worry for his Father. I set my basket down next to me and began to cut some of the carrots and remove some of the cabbages when a deep voice said behind me "Freyja."
I turned my head to see Agnarr standing there. I took my basket and made my way toward him with a smile that he'd returned safely until I saw his expression.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
"Aki is dead."
"Oh that's awful. What happened?" Concern laced my voice.
"Bastard stabbed him and got away" he replied, frustratedly.
"I'm sorry. I know he was a loyal follower of yours."
"More than that he was a friend." My heart couldn't help but swell with sympathy for him.
"Is Magni alright?"
"Alive? Yes. Ok? No."
"Take me to him."
"First where is Bryn?"
"Oh of course, he's still resting inside the house."
"When a still half-asleep Bryn had been transported in Aganrr's arms back to his home and placed into the care of Gyda, Agnarr led me to Magni.
A large crowd was gathered on the town's main road. It took pushing past several people until we were finally able to spot Magni, staring limply down at the body of Aki which was now on display for all to see. His eyes were closed in peaceful sleep and his skin had been drained of all color. His hands laid wrapped around the hilt of a sword which was laid out along his form. A gothi, or priest, stood by, muttering unintelligible words, no doubt a prayer for the soul. I made my way over to Magni and placed my hand upon his shoulder.
"It should've been me."
"No Magni. Aki wouldn't want that."
"How would you know?!" he shouted. I backed away, tears stinging my eyes as I walked away.
"Freyja!" Agnarr called after me. I didn't stop and his footsteps kept pursuing me until we got near the border of the woods.
"Freyja, wait up!" I stopped, suddenly too exhausted to continue anymore. He stepped in front of me.
"Look I'm sure he didn't mean it. He'll calm down eventually."
"That still no way to act towards someone."
"No. Yet, grief makes people do funny things. A wise man once told me that when someone yells, that means he's scared."
"And who, pray tell, was this man?"
"None other than Magni himself."
"So...you get scared?"
He looked out at the early morning sun on the horizon for a moment before answering.
"When I was a boy, it was the dead of winter. I was out on a lake because I had been dared to go out into the middle and back without falling through. Arn was there, we couldn't have been more than thirteen. I had gotten to the middle of the lake and was just about to head back when all of a sudden the ice cracked and I found myself dangling from a patch of ice in freezing cold water. Arn ran to get help but I knew he'd never make it back to town in time. As I started to freeze I prayed to the gods for help, and I believed I was going to die. My fur coat was pulling me down and just as my frozen fingers were about to slip from the ice, I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Magni. He tugged me out with only one arm. I don't remember how we got back to shore, only laying in the snow for a minute, shivering in the cold as Magni wrapped his fur cloak around me. I went into shock soon after that and got up and started yelling at him about why he didn't save me sooner, I still don't think i've thanked him for it to this day. Yet, he didn't yell back at me, instead just sat there calmly watching me until I had exhausted all the possible hateful words I could've used. Then he gazed at me and said 'When someone yells, that means he's scared."
I gave a small comforted smile at the heart-wrenching story.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't take it personally. I don't like seeing you sad."
My eyes widened in surprise and I think Agnarr was even shocked himself that he'd said that out loud.
"Anyway...uh..I should be getting back to preparations for the funeral tonight." He stumbled over a root as he made his way back. I grinned to myself, giggling inwardly at his embarrassment, as I followed him back. The townspeople had dispersed, already having paid their respects to their fallen hero. While Agnarr hurried off to the preparations I stepped up next to Aki's body, praying inside my head:
"Lord, have mercy upon Aki. He did not know you Lord and for that I know you will hold him to no blame. He was a good man. Amen." Then, not daring to cross myself in public, I made my way home.
###
When night had fallen, the funeral celebration began just as the Northmen preferred it: with lots of drinking, loud conversation, music, and food.
It was held outside in the darkened street, lighted by torches. Agnarr was seated with a group of men, who were currently drinking heavily and telling stories of Aki in previous battles or competitions.
There was one face I failed to see however: Magni. I was about to get up and go look for him when Agnarr stood up and the crowd quieted.
"My friends, today we'vr lost a loyal comrade and a good friend. Let us now honor him as a true warrior."
The body was brought out and the whole town walked down to the docks.
Aki was laid to rest honorably in a wooden boat with several goods such as a knife, gold coins, and his sword of course. The Northern believed they would be used by the dead in the after life. The greatest warriors were said to dine at their god Odin's table in Valhalla(heaven). The men pushed the boat out and as it floated away upon the sea, a multitude of arrows with fire on the tip soared through the air, lighting up the night sky like a thousand tiny stars. The arrows that struck the boat slowly set it ablaze until it was engulfed in flames.
When I waited long enough for the body to be respectfully honored, I made my way over to Agnarr.
"Agnarr, have you seen Magni?"
"I thought he was with you."
"No, I haven't seen him."
"Arn have you seen Magni?" Agnarr asked Arn, who stood next to him.
"Not since we got back."
"I figured he would've wanted to be here to honor Aki."
"Have you checked the house?"
"Not yet."
"Come, he has to be around somewhere." When we got to Aki's house, now so silent and dark, I knocked on the door.
"Magni, it's Freyja can I come in?"
No answer. Agnarr gestured for me to go ahead and open the door. What greeted us was the same darkness and silence that had been observed on the outside of the structure.
"Magni are you here?" Still no answer. I made my way to his sleeping space and found it completely devoid of all his belongings.
"Agnarr, his personal effects are all gone." Agnarr knit his brows together in confusion.
"Where else could he be? He could not have just disappeared."
Agnarr was silent for a moment.
"Arn, go and check my stables, see if there's a horse missing."
"Right away." Arn scurried out the door.
"What is it Agnarr?"
"I have a hunch and I don't think you'll like it." Arn returned not moments later.
"You were right, a horse is missing."
"Which one?"
"The new black stallion. The fastest you have."
"I knew it."
"Agnarr, do you really think he would go after that man himself?"
"I believe he already has."
Agnarr's POV:
"You can't be serious!" Arn exclaimed.
"I'm not going to change my mind." I shoved an extra blanket in my saddle pack.
"You're gonna go after him in the dead of night alone!"
"I won't be alone. Loki will be with me."
"I'm coming too." I turned to see Freyja standing there, still in her signature blue dress only this time her hair was up in a bun with a dark blue band of cloth tied around her head to keep any remaining strands back. She'd also donned a brown cloak.
"Freyja no."
"I'm coming with you. I want to find Magni too."
"I understand that but..."
"Please Agnarr."
I sighed, realizing I had no time whatsoever to argue with her, with Magni getting farther and farther away.
"Get her a horse." Arn quickly rushed to the stables and had another one saddled in minutes.
"How fast can you ride?"
"I am a cautious rider."
Not good if we needed to move fast.
"Tie her horse to mine." That way all she'd have to do is hold on. Arn linked the horses by a thick rope, not so close that they would bother each other but just enough so the one behind would feel the tug and follow.
I helped her onto the horse and once she was properly settled, I mounted my own stead.
Who''s gonna be in charge while you're gone?"
"You are."
Arn looked thoroughly horrified at the prospect.
"But I've never been in charge before."
"Never too late to learn." Then before Arn could raise any other objections, we sped off into the night.
Freyja's POV:
After we had rode faster than I could ever remember doing in my life, we finally slowed the horses to a walk.
"It's getting late. He's still far ahead of us. We'll have to make camp here" he said, turning to me after relaying the message from Loki.
"Are you sure?"
"Loki's one of the best trackers you'll ever find. I trust him."
He helped me down from the horse and we set to work preparing a simple place to rest for the night.
I led the no doubt tired horses to a nearby stream and allowed them to sip at the water while unsaddling them, and afterwards tethering them securely to the trees for the night. ( I needed Agnarr's help with that unfortunately due to the fact that I'd be never been particularly good with knots.)
Loki worked on the fire and eventually had a moderate blaze going.
I sat near the fire, pulling my cloak further around me as the chilly evening air graced my form.
"Loki, I think we'll need more firewood."
Loki got up without a word and left, returning a few minutes later with a good sized bundle. As he placed the sticks upon the fire I said:
"Thank you Loki." His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, as if he wasn't used to being thanked, before settling himself down a good ways from the fire, probably to keep watch.
"May I ask you something?" I turned to Agnarr.
"Anything."
"Does he ever speak? I mean has it always been like that for him?"
"He hasn't spoken aloud since he was a child."
"You seem very close to him, with knowing him so long and all" I ventured, remembering my promise to Magni to never discuss the family connection between the two.
"He grew up on my family's estate, so naturally our paths crossed often" Agnarr said with a tone that implied that that was all he wished to say about it.
I was beginning to understand Agnarr's reluctance to openly share about who Loki truly was. They were both trapped in prison's of sorts, Loki as a slave and Agnarr a chieftain, forced to treat Loki with as much indifference as was demanded by his position, when he obviously cared for him as his own brother. I couldn't imagine having to treat a family member that I was close too in such a manner simply because they were different, because to do otherwise would surely result in nothing less than exile from the community and a greatly increased risk of starvation or worse. Vagrants were treated little better than slaves among the Northmen, though they were considered free, since they had no home to call their own. Under their law it was legal to castrate, maim and even kill a vagrant whenever a property-holding free man wished. Begging in the streets was seen as despicable and pitiful and would usually result in the vagrants being driven out of town, back to the woods or other places outside the town in which they had once lived.
Yet, I was a follower of Christ, a man who preached to always help the poor, weak, lame, and oppressed. I vowed that I would not stand by and watch such things happen ever again. I would be the change.