Translator's note: I promised to update when I got to 10 reviews, so here is it.

Chapter 10

I walked around blindly with the blindfold over my eyes. Erik and Audr encouraged me and so did the other children and women, who weren't contesting the sack race.

Several children pulled my dress, and I laughed, I could hear their little voices in my head and knew exactly where they were. Audr not know whether to approach me and pull my skirt or stay safe where she was with her new doll. Erik approached me by the back and pinched my ass.

"Erik!" I protested "Wait till I catch you, sassy tadpole."

I felt an overwhelming presence, a powerful mind and it was completely out of the general festive stream. Eric approached me grumpy. I played along and pretended that I caught him. I had arms down because I was chasing children, so the first thing my hands found was with his lower abdomen. I placed my palms on his abs and I was going up through the chest till the shoulders, feeling him, and I was there a few seconds, touching, then went down his neck and I noticed that he got the willies. Me, too, I was removing everything. I stroked his face, flicks and went back to the shoulders.

"Gotcha" I said. I took off the blindfold and smiled. He was white faced and I realized he was catching his breath, not only due to my touch, but because something else: He had heard the screams in the distance and had come galloping, thinking that we were under attack. He had galloped with a heavy heart, fearing the worst. I bit my lip and looked down.

"Daddy, Daddy, look at the doll Sookie gave me. And look what a toy" she show him the wand with the ribbons hooked. Eric looked at it very serious and the girl took shelter behind my skirts. He was thinking that we couldn't do such a waste of food.

"Not all food is ours" I said "The other mothers have also brought things."

Olga had brought a piece of roast rabbit, Finna had brought some apples, Geirlaug had brought one rye bread and one oil bread, Vilborg had brought beer and Vigdis the mead. Helga had brought a good size goatling that was roasting in the fire and each of the fifty women who had come not only mothers of children, had brought something. In the end, the birthday had become a local celebration.

Eric took two steps back and a couple of kids slipped between his long legs, laughing and running to and fro, playing tag.

"Don't you think we should celebrate that Audr has been with us for five autumns?" I said. He didn't nodded, but he was convinced. I replaced the blindfold and returned to the game. I caught one of Grim's grandsons, who had, according to Eric, the best sheep in town and prodigious woodworking hands.

Eric began leaning against his own house, away from the party to regain his confidence. He reached out to catch an apple that was floating in a basin of yew and metal and he received a scream of protest in exchange.

"What's going on?"

"You can't catch with your hands, father" Audr said.

"And how do you expect that I take them?" Audr pointed her mouth with her small, plump, dirty finger. She chuckled and her eyes shone in anticipation of seeing her father playing around at her party.

"Look, I'll show you" the girl gave him her doll and her new ribbons, leaned over the water (which I had been careful enough to heat and keep warm throughout the party), and began to try to catch the apples, scurrying, sinking and fleeing from her small teeth. I laughed and bent down beside her.

"Let me" I picked up my hair aside, I looked at Eric's eyes, and lowered my head to the water surface. I chose an apple, I went to it with my mouth, and I sucked it then snap the tooth. I raised my head, red apple in mouth. Audr applauded. I took it out and laughed, gave it a bite and handed it to the girl. Eric followed me with his eyes and licked his lips. I didn't look into his head because I risked making him go into the house and force him to do it right there. Helga took me from my stupor. She took her son by an arm and me on the other.

"Let's play that game the children have played before" she said "Capture the flag... right? Men against women" I nodded and went crazy with the idea.

The men were making their teams, twelve numbers, same we, the women, did. Eric didn't want to play, so instead did Leif, who because of work in the field had lost most fun. I was horrified to see that he was a little bit drunk. I explained the game to the men and they showed excited. We changed a little bit the game and instead of choosing random numbers, we ensure that every woman compete against her man and me, against Ivar.

"Number five" Ulf yelled. I ran picking skirts and watching Ivar, who had taken a second to get out of row himself, we reached the handkerchief and stood there. Lengthen the hand and made a move to take the piece of cloth, after a few seconds of hesitation and nervous laughter, he grabbed it and ran, slipped on a muddy area, and sufficiently destabilized so that it could give scope. I reached him, I grabbed him, we stumbled and fell to the ground. We laughed a few seconds and then he got up and helped me up. I shook the handkerchief to my team so they see the females win. Men booed me and women whistled and shouted. The kids had fun playing what's the time Mr. Wolf.

Helga lost with Leif, who though he was young, had strong and long legs. Sure sign that he would be as tall as his father. A lot of women ended covered by soil with their husbands or boyfriends, giggling, both. They came to say my number and was Ivar who reach me this time, that undo the stalemate and men won. Some of them carried their women are their shoulders to celebrate.

I saw a girl whimpering near the barrel of apples and found that Olaf, a burly troll-like boy, with red hair and beard improper for someone his age, he had taken an apple from her. He was a head and a body taller than me and laughed at me when I demanded him to return the apple to the little one. Not only didn't return the apple, but he took another with his hand, ignoring the game. Eric, who was nearby, intervened. He looked at him sternly, but the kid was not discouraged. And I wasn't surprise, although Eric was older, I had heard Olaf's mother bragging about the time her child knocked a goat with his head. Don't ask me why a woman might be proud of such a thing. Eric grabbed his shoulder and squeezed, the boy kicked in the shin my Viking, but if he was hurt, Eric did not show: he returned the two apples.

Helga made an announcement loudly. She show everyone a doll and a wooden ox that Halvar had carved and told the children that the girl who won the sack race, win the doll, and the boy who won the sack race too, will win the ox. Eric, who had just pay attention to the food and the capture de flag game, seemed to want to contribute with something, spontaneously organized a game for older children: A fight with wooden swords. Ulf, the blacksmith, presented a small metal dagger, a little bit used, but of his own pocket. The boys were excited even more (think adding the knife would not have been necessary because the prospect of showing off in combat in front of their fathers, mothers and brothers and the ability to gain prestige in the fight was enough stimulation for them)

Erik tried to join, but I didn't let him. I didn't care what Eric said. However, Leif was impossible to stop. There were only two other kids about his age.

Ulf, Finna's husband, and Sturla his second wife organized the matches because neither had children that age who participate in the games. Sturla was very young, wouldn't have been more than twenty four and Ulf was an older man, in his early fifties, though he had a wife of only twenty years. He was a good man and a great blacksmith with large financial resources, so she considered herself lucky and happy. They would have a son who would be born at the beginning of spring.

The first match pitted two boys of fifteen and twelve, one of the sons of Bera against one of the middle of Freira. I clapped and I had fun until it got ugly. The fight ended when one of the two abandoned or with the third stroke of the sword in the chest or at the first stroke in the head. Helga told me that the exhibition bouts or challenges had different rules, but at the end, were only children. There was no winner for death and neither could you try to leave the opponent being unable to hold his sword (young ones helped with housework, and a hand or a broken arm meant a pair of helping hands less at home)

The match winner was the young Solvi, who's fifteen, and son of Bera. Only one of the first five bouts was won by the younger opponent. Leif will fight in the eighth match. Eric and Halvar seemed very excited. And Helga and I were also quite nervous. Audr and Erik stood by me in the circle of people around the fighters and encouraged his older brother.

Leif fought a boy of thirteen, who was a about a hand taller, but much thicker and stronger build. His father was Helgi, was one of the two men who accompanied Halvar when he found me. Eric said he had one of the fastest horses in the village. He was a good friend of both. And one of the chief advisers. Halvar's right hand.

Helgi's son beat first, Leif shook him off as he could, putting the shield between them and shielding his head with the wooden sword. But Steinn, that was the young man's name, managed to hit him in the arm... I let out a yelp, but it was turned off by the men's voices. He had hit almost in the shoulder, looking for the neck, if he had hit there Leif would have lost the match.

Leif sought Eric's gaze, he nodded and Leif waited again. Steinn attacked again, but this time Leif used the sword to get rid of the other's lunge, pushed the shield, and hit him with the sword in the leg.

I clapped because they had just get even. The last point would be the final. Leif and his opponent looked each other, gauging what the next move of the other was. Steinn attacked with the shield, clashed first and then raised the sword above his head to hit upon my child the final blow but Leif placed the shield over the elbow slowing the movement and took the tip of his wooden sword into the stomach of Helgi's son. The boy hung his head in shame, and Leif leaped for joy. I did it too, clapped, cried, kissed Audr and hugged Eric excited.

After the second round of matches, which would leave the quarterfinalists, the only kid under fourteen still in contest was Leif.

In the quarterfinals he faced Olaf, which looked like a goblin. He was a bully, a giant, a brute and was nearly five years older than Leif. They had allowed him to participate even though when the spring begin he would be considered an adult.

He attacked Leif a second later they were presented to the public, gave him such a blow that his shield jumped from his arm. Then hit him with the sword in the leg and dropped him to his knees.

"Damn brute" I already had one foot in the ring when two powerful hands, Eric on my right shoulder and the Halvar on the left, pulled me back.

"I like you, Sookie" Halvar said "But you're soft like all women."

"He will crush him!"

"Surely" Eric said "But it would be humiliating for him if you interrupted the fight."

"But is..."

"If he win, he will win with one of the strongest young men of the village, and if he lose, he'll do against..."

"An orc" I interrupted. Halvar chuckled and Eric laughed.

"Come on, Olaf!" his mother shouted from the other side "Show him who's the strongest."

"Come on, Leif!" I shouted "You are more skilled and smart than that troll" people bent with laughter.

"What did you say, bitch?" She shouted me.

"What you heard viper!" Sparks flew between us.

"Give them a sword too!" hefted Helgi. There was more laughter and after that Ulf presented the second round. I took Eric's hand and squeezed it. Olaf looked at Eric and I noticed his evil laughter and his evil eyes. He was going to get his revenge.

"Eric..."

"Chist" he squeezed my hand and told me to look at the fight "Whatever he'll do, he'll do it well. It has already come so far."

Olaf hit his helmet hit with the wooden sword, Leif swayed from side to side, trying to guess where he would hit and how it would be. Olaf had won all the match while attacking with the shield, using brute force, and Leif knew it, I could read it in his small, sharp mind. Olaf charged like a bull, Leif waited for him, but instead of resisting the coup he let I go and turned around at the same speed that Olaf lunged. Leif shield slid down the surface of young orc's shield, Leif turned with agility proper to who isn't a troll with gigantism and with his sword he struck a blow to Olaf head.

"AHHHHH!" I hugged Eric, who smiled and returned the hug. I ran and hugged my little winner. I sucked a peck my apron and I cleaned a wound on his cheek.

"Sookie…" he protested. Everyone cheered.

"The fair winner is my grandson Leif!" Halvar announced lifting the boy's arm "Grandson of Halvar's 'Fearless Rider', son of Eric 'Iron Fist', nephew of Leif 'Strong Legs'" His grandfather told him "Leif 'Giants Killer' today defeated Olaf 'The Orc'" He winked at me and I giggled.

Leif won his opponent on the semifinal. First he struck him in the arm and then he managed to touch his head with the wooden sword, however he lost to his opponent in the final. He won the first point with a blow to the leg, lost the second by a blow in the same way, and his opponent won the third point after hitting him in the back. It was a hotly contested battle and we all were very proud of him, but he couldn't be more disappointed.

Night had fallen and it was time for the little ones go to sleep, it was also the time that the elderly and pregnant women withdrew because despite the fire, at open air was cold.

Before that, Halvar sat us around the fire and told one of his chief stories. I had heard the old Viking stories and I feared that he could tell things unsuitable for children's ears, but Halvar told us an episode of his life when in the Siberian steppe, a night when the moon was growing up, he killed a berserker, completely naked and that had the ability to become bear. I'm sure it was a bear man. The kids and I listened intently and when he had finished the story, the women retired to the children to their homes.

Several young people took their flutes and bone piccolos and started playing while the skald (poet) recited poems to accompany the music. As in all cultures, men preferred to drink, and women to dance. Audr went to bed at Audr protesting and Erik protested even more because we had allowed Leif, a little older, stay.