It reminded me so very much of when I was younger and just joined Erics clan of sorts when we were running through the snow barefooted, Eric himself as he ran ahead, laughing at me as I complained about my feet that were so cold they felt like falling off.

"Come on coward!" he called, smirking as if we were fifteen again, not eighteen- nineteen.

I stopped for a moment to gather up a freezing handful of snow, then lobbed it at him, hitting the back of his blonde head hard and he tripped over.

"Ha-!" I yelled triumphantly, then ran over as he stood up, more than drenched in white snow- but it was always his favorite. Even when he was in his twenties, he would probably run around in the snow like a child.

"I give in." he finally said with a growl, and I grinned devilishly- success!

We made our way home now, me trying to shove him into another snowdrift that covered our home of fields and forests, the way the North always was.

Mother wasn't too happy when we got back, and she fussed over our feet being nearly blue, but she could never make her mark when telling us off.

We just tried to stop ourselves laughing as she did so.

"Freyr, could you go to the hall and ask Aminta if the mead is ready?" Mother asked me now, and I nodded- women were the head of the household in this day and age, and, even though I was treated as a male warrior, son of their leader, my adopted father, I was still a woman and expected to help.

"Of course Mother." I said with a smile, then grabbed my leather shoes of sorts and pulled them on, wrapping the furs tighter around me as I walked out into the village, the snow starting to softly fall once more, and the sky was indicating that more was to come.

"Freyr!"

I turned now and saw Eric run up and say. "Can I come with you?"

"Did I even have the choice to say no?"

"No, you didn't." he chuckled, then walked beside me as we started the little trek to the top of the hill where the hall where we held the feasts, the honoring of our gods and celebrations. A middle aged woman named Aminta was the keeper, and she stayed there, her husband killed by wolves the last spring. She had never really ventured out after the death of her husband... and I was sorry for her. She was such a bright and kind woman too, and, with a flair of making the sweetest mead, the men were already setting their sights on her.

But she refused each ones advances, very unusual in our kind of community.

The snow was slippery under our feet as we walked up the hill, and Eric had to grab me a few times before I ended up falling backwards. It didn't matter where I was, he was always there to catch me.

The hall was larger than our home, the doors made rather crudely, but effective all the same at keeping the cold out, and warm in. I could see through the hole in the stone that Aminta was cooking something, for smoke was rising from the roof.

"Aminta?" I called now, and a moment later, the door was opened and the woman with long russet hair and deep mahogany eyes faced me and smiled. "Freyr, Eric." She walked back inside now, letting us both come in from the cold.

I walked forwards now and asked. "Mother would like to know-"

"If the mead is ready?" Aminta chuckled, and I nodded. She sighed, then said. "Not long now, it will be ready for tonight. I give her my word."

There were footsteps now, and someone else walked into the hall. Urgh, him.

Him was Daren, the son of the best hunter in the village... next to Father of course. Father was the king you could say. He also liked me... rather alot.

"Freyr!" he smiled now, his longish dark brown hair waving into his emerald eyes. Sure, Daren was a very handsome young man of Eric and I's age, but his advances towards me were getting rather tiring, and, to be honest, I'd rather him just leave me alone. I would never marry him, and if Father did set me up with him, I swore I would run away.

Oh, he never noticed Eric stood next to me, and he did tower over Daren too. That was really disrespectful, and I didn't blame Eric for clearing his throat loudly, making his 'friend' notice him.

"Eric." he said, inclining his head a little, then turned back to me and said. "You are looking beautiful in your cape. What fur is it?"

"Wolf." I replied, the dark, almost black fur warm around me. He knew this, that it was my first kill so very long ago now... but he needed an excuse to talk and make conversation with me.

Huh, pathetic.

"It suits you." he flirted, and Eric smirked widely behind his back, making me sigh and go in a hard edged voice. "Did you want something? We are rather busy."

Daren looked downcast at that, then said morosely. "I apologize, I'll be on my way." he scooted off now, and Aminta chuckled, walking back into the room.

"You should not be so mean to the poor boy. The heart can be a very strange place sometimes."

I chuckled at that. "As I have seen."

As we made our way home, Eric was still talking about Daren, and how he should hint to Father that he was marriage material.

At that point, I snarled and went to slam him into a tree, but he was faster and grabbed me by my shoulders, going hastily. "Hey-! I'm sorry!"

"You dare even try Eric, and you will never father children. I assure you. Because..." I leaned forwards and growled. "My knife might just slip while you sleep. Have I made my point clear?"

"Crystal." Eric said, letting me go straight away- he knew I wasn't joking.

I knew I should have apologized to Eric for threatening to cut his balls of while he slept, especially when I was joking. Good job he valued them more than most things, or I wouldn't have leverage.

"Right, let's go home." I said now, diffusing the situation, and he nodded, staying silent.

When we did get home, Mother was thankful for our errand and gave us an apple each, freeing us for the rest of the day.

We grabbed our bow and arrows now and headed towards the target trees.

"You do know Father will want you to marry soon enough?" I told Eric as we walked, and he chuckled. "I know."

"And you are going to ignore his words?"

"Indeed I am." He smirked, and I chuckled- as if he would give up the freedom of picking up any woman he wanted for just one.

We stopped before the target trees now, and I set up my bow now, nocking an arrow and aiming at the tree, letting it loose on the central target, getting it bang on. The boy was always my strong point, and I practiced regulary.

Eric nocked his own, letting it go and I smirked as he hit away from the target. Yeah, he never could get it right.

"Do it again." I told him now, and he set it up, and I walked forwards, pushing his elbow up and aligning his hand with it.

"Keep it leveled, your eye at-" I lifted it up. "-this level. And release."

He did so, and hit it bang on.

How embarrassing was it for a man being taught by a woman? Teaching a high standing man, my brother of sorts, how to handle a bow?

Ha, it was funny.

That night was the midwinter feast that usually went on for a good few days. This was the second, and I was sat outside, listening to the sound of laughter and banter from inside. Most of the men were drunk and playfighting. I couldn't be bothered to join in for once, it usually ended in me getting knocked out... by Eric. He always did play too rough.

And talking about Eric...

"Freyr?"

He came out now with a goblet of mead which he offered to me, going. "Aminta's finest?" I took in and had a gulp- it really was quite nice.

"Thanks." I sighed, giving it him back and he asked with a frown. "Something troubling you?"

"Just... thinking." I said truthfully, looking up at the stars that were so very bright in the sky, and I remembered when I was a young girl sitting on my fathers shoulders, him telling me the names of each one.

"What about?" Eric inquired, and I told him.

"Well..." he chuckled, setting down his goblet inside the wooden doorway, then said. "You're too fat for my shoulders, but-" he crouched down, and I grinned, jumping onto his back and he groaned. "Urgh, you really are fat."

I kicked him in the chest as he stood up, grabbing my arms so I didn't fall off. He was just like a horse, but a horses back wasn't so hard.

But he was my bestest friend and brother I could have ever wished for.

But now there was a storm rolling in... in both senses...

And the next since people seem to be interested:) Hope you like, and I'll continue if people are still interested.