Siv awoke to Ubbe jumping on her small bed.
"Siv! Siv!"
She smiled and rubbed her eyes as she sat up.
"Yes, Ubbe? What is it?"
"Hvitserk and I want to go to the forest!"
She wanted to sigh. The two brothers always wanted to go into the forest.
"Why don't you ask-" she stopped abruptly. She almost suggested that he should go ask Siggy to take him and his brother. She felt a pain in her chest as she remembered her dear friend and everything that had happened the day before with Rollo.
Ubbe tilted his head as he waited for her to continue.
"I will take you," she said, "Allow me to get dressed first."
He grinned and jumped off of her bed before taking off running out of her room.
"Hvitserk!" he called, "Hvitserk! We're going to the forest!"
Siv sighed once the boy was out of the room and got out of bed. Lady Aslaug's boys could be tiring sometimes, but she did love them as if they were her own sons. She believed that by the time she finally had her own children she would be quite the expert at raising them.
Siv emerged from her room wearing a green woolen dress and her cloak. She took a crust of bread and beckoned for Ubbe and Hvitserk to put on their cloaks. They quickly obeyed and ran towards the door. Siv heard Ivar cry and knew that Lady Aslaug was tending to him. She would no doubt know where she had taken the boys. Siv opened the door and boys rushed out.
"Stay close!" she called as the boys made a beeline for the forest.
Ubbe and Hvitserk stopped at the edge of the forest and waited for Siv to catch up. She smiled as she joined them.
"What are you going to search for today?" she asked.
The brothers looked at each other and Hvitserk shrugged his shoulders.
"We don't know," Ubbe said, "We just wanted to go outside."
"Well, I'm sure you two will find something."
The boys grinned and dashed into the trees as Siv followed them.
Rollo carried his bow and arrow through Kattegat as he made his way to the forest. It had been a while since he had hunted, but he knew that he would have luck this time of year. He quietly entered the forest and started his search for a target.
"Siv! Siv!"
Siv had been leaning against a tree, but quickly rushed in the direction of the boys.
"What is it?" she called.
The boys were standing over a stag and moved aside as she approached. The deer was severely injured by an arrow that was sticking out of his side.
"It's hurt," Hvitserk said.
"What should we do?" Ubbe asked.
Siv bit her lip. She could tell the poor animal was in pain and wouldn't survive. However, she had no idea how long it would take the deer to die. She slipped her small knife out of her belt.
"He needs to be put out of his misery."
The boys looked at each other and took a step back. They obviously didn't want any part of the mercy killing.
Siv stroked the stag's head as she pressed the knife against his neck. She took a deep breath and began to sing to send the animal's spirit off.
"Deyr fé, deyja frændr, deyr sjalfr it sama, en orðstírr deyr aldregi, hveim er sér góðan getr," she sang as she slit the animal's throat and blood poured from the wound.
The stag struggled briefly, but she quickly held the animal down.
The boys watched solemnly as the animal's head dropped to the ground and his tongue lolled out of his mouth. The stag stilled and finally passed on.
Rollo paused as he heard a voice cut through the air of the forest. A woman was singing. He followed the sound and saw his nephews standing over a dying stag and a woman kneeling before the animal's body.
"Deyr fé, deyja frændr, deyr sjalfr it sama, ek veit einn, at aldrei deyr: dómr um dauðan hvern."
"Will it go to Valhalla, Siv?"
"No, Ubbe, he won't. But he will go to Hel with the god Baldur and all of the others who have left us this year."
"Like Gyda the goat?"
Siv nodded her head.
"Like Gyda," she said and the boy smiled.
Rollo stepped on a twig and Siv immediately whipped her head in his direction.
Siv was surprised to see Rollo in the forest. She could tell by his bow and the quiver of arrows on his back that he had been hunting. She wondered if he had anything to do with the stag she had just killed.
"Rollo," she said, "what a surprise."
The boys looked up at Rollo in awe as they took in his size and imagined his strength.
He took a few more steps forward and kneeled next to the stag. He pulled the arrow out of its side.
"Someone obviously missed," he said, "the arrow must have been there for a few days; maybe three at the most."
Siv was relieved to at least know that he hadn't been to blame for the animal's suffering.
"Do you think that the meat will be safe to eat?" she asked.
Rollo inspected the wound. His dark hair hung in his face and Siv took in his features. Battle had hardened him; that much she could tell. He had been through much in his life.
"The meat should be fine," he said, "If anything the affected meat can be cut away."
She nodded her head in understanding as the boys watched in fascination.
"I'm sure that you will be able to eat off it for a while."
He looked at her in surprise.
"You don't want it?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"You should take it," she said as she rose to her feet, "besides; I have no way to carry it back to the hall."
Rollo looked up at Siv. Her long hair was draped over her shoulder and the green wool of her dress suited her equally green eyes.
He grabbed the carcass and slung it over his shoulder as he rose to his feet.
"I will carry it for you."
She stared at him in surprise and the boys looked at each other. Siv knew that they adored dried venison above all other meats and knew that she would never hear the end of it if she turned down his offer.
"Thank you," she said with a sincere smile, "Lady Aslaug will be pleased."
He smiled and gestured for her to lead the way.
Siv, Ubbe, and Hvitserk started down the path to return to the hall as Rollo followed.
"Siv," Ubbe said, "Do you think the deer made it to Hel safely?"
The servant smiled and nodded her head.
"That's why I sang as I killed him," she said, "to make sure that he made the journey."
Rollo watched as Ubbe gripped Siv's hand and matched her pace.
"Could you sing another song, Siv?" Hvitserk asked.
"Only if Rollo also wishes it," she said as she glanced over her shoulder with a smile.
The boys immediately turned their heads to stare at the man behind them.
"I would love to hear," he said with a small smile.
Siv's smile widened and she looked down at the boys walking next to her. She took a breath and began to sing a song her mother had taught her before she had passed.
"'Hefir hon haft langan vanmátt,' ok þat var kröm mikil. Fekk hon enga nótt svefn ok var sem hamstoli væri."
Rollo had heard the song before many years ago, but the boys obviously never had. They listened intently and Ubbe gripped her hand tighter.
"Ristnar hafa verit rúnar, ok er sá einn bóndason heðan skammt í brott, er þat gerði, ok er síðan miklu verr en áðr."
Rollo watched Siv as she sang. Her eyes seemed to shine as she smiled at the boys. There was a skip to her step and he imagined that she was also a good dancer. They walked into Kategatt and Siv smiled and nodded to those that greeted her. Rollo nodded his head to the people in passing.
"Egill reist rúnar ok lagði undir hægendit í hvíluna, þar er hon hvíldi. Henni þótti sem hon vaknaði ór svefni ok sagði, at hon var þá heil."
They were approaching the hall, but Siv continued to sing to entertain the boys.
"Skalat maðr rúnar rísta, nema ráða vel kunni. Þat verðr mörgum manni, es of myrkvan staf villisk. Sák á telgðu talkni tíu launstafi ristna. Þat hefr lauka lindi langs ofrtrega fengit."
She finished just as the hall came into sight.
"Can you and your brother push open the doors?" she asked, "I imagine that you two are strong enough."
The boys rushed ahead to prove their strength and Siv sighed softly in relief.
"I imagine that they can be trouble," Rollo said.
She glanced over her shoulder and gave him a small smile.
"They can be," she said, "but they are good boys. I love them as if they were my own sons."
"You have a beautiful voice," he suddenly said.
"Thank you," she said with a faint coloring to her cheeks.
"Would it be too much to ask for you to sing at my funeral should I die?"
Siv stopped abruptly and turned to face him. There was a glimmer in her eyes.
"Still aiming to die young, are you?" she asked teasingly.
"It is likely that I will die in battle," he replied.
"Ah, yes, of course," she said, "Then I would be glad to."
He smiled and she returned it.
"We should hurry. The boys are probably growing impatient."
"As young boys are wont to do," he said with another smile.
Siv returned it and walked up the steps of the hall with Rollo following behind her.
The boys were still holding the doors open for them and Siv gave an exaggerated gasp.
"Look at how strong you both are!" she exclaimed and the boys beamed with pride, "One day you two might be warriors!"
"Like Rollo?" Hvitserk asked as he gazed at the man before him.
Rollo smiled and leaned in to the boy slightly.
"Yes," he said, "I believe so."
The boy beamed with pride and Siv was surprised by Rollo's interaction with the boy. She walked inside and Rollo followed.
The boys allowed the doors to close and quickly ran off to find their mother and tell her about what had happened in the forest.
Siv glanced at Rollo and caught him looking at her. He abruptly looked down at the floor and Siv grinned.
"I'm used to being stared at, Rollo," she said.
He glanced up at her. He could only imagine how many men would stare at her when she stepped outside of the hall. He knew that he had stared at her once or twice before. He just hadn't known her name.
"It's honestly hard not to stare," he admitted and she blushed in response.
Ubbe and Hvitserk rushed back into the room with Aslaug in tow.
"Rollo, what a surprise," she said, "My sons told me that you wish to give us this deer."
He nodded his head.
"It is only fair because Siv killed it."
Siv looked down at the floor as she felt Aslaug's eyes on her.
"Is that so? I'm surprised, Siv."
"He was suffering, Lady Aslaug," Siv said, "I put him out of his misery."
"I understand," Aslaug said before turning her gaze on Rollo, "We happily accept your offering."
"Where should I lay it?" he asked.
"Siv, show him to the smoke room."
"Please follow me," Siv said as she walked past Aslaug and her sons.
Rollo followed Siv outside to the smoke room and laid the carcass down on the floor.
"Thank you for your help," she said, "I appreciate your kindness and generosity."
He nodded his head.
"It was my pleasure," he said with a small smile, "You did save my life after all. I owe you a debt."
Siv smiled.
"I would say that you have repaid it."
"I would have to disagree."
She looked at him in surprise.
"I owe you much more than a deer carcass," he continued, "If you ever need my help, please ask me."
She nodded her head.
"Thank you, Rollo," she said, "I will keep that in mind."
He smiled and she returned it.
"I'll show you back to the hall," she said, "Lady Aslaug will most likely wish for me to give you something before you are sent away."
"Mead would be nice," he said as he followed her.
She shook her head with a sigh.
"Do you ever wish for something more practical, Rollo?"
"Mead is quite practical," he said, "It wipes away bad memories."
She snorted and he grinned.
Rollo was sent home with a horn of mead. Siv waved him off from the doors of the hall before shutting them behind her. As he walked home, he thought about the way Siv's smile seemed to light up her entire face and made her eyes shine like emeralds. He also considered how well she interacted with his nephews. It was as if she was their mother or perhaps their older sister. Siggy had also been quite talented with children. He assumed that there was a motherly instinct within women that he would never understand. He understood fighting the best and he figured that he should stick to that. Siggy had said that he was a good lover, but he wasn't so sure. As soon as he shut the door behind him, he took a sip from the horn of mead and sighed. He decided to stick to what he knew best: killing other men.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I enjoy writing Siv and Rollo interacting, so I will continue this fic.
The songs mentioned in this chapter are the following:
-Verses from the Havamal (verses 75-76; .edu/~ #wanderers )
- Egil Saga by Faun ( )