Translator's note: I tried but I didn't managed to finish translating it so here is the fourth chapter of the marathon… the fifth and last one I will post it during the day, or tomorrow.
Chapter 32
While the children rehearsed their scenes, and with all roles and Leif all proud of himself, I was trying to get to do the scenery from a few planks and some old fabrics. We should reduce almost all to dialogue and swords (though I had found a timber to which would nail canvases that would serve me to represent the ships on the sea; some branches and brooms would serve as horses, and the enemies would differ from our own people because they would bring over their heads wool wigs) We had dinner on the floor, next to the fireplace, because Eric was using the table to flay the beavers, whose meat we would boil to feed the pigs (but the most tender one we will eat tonight).
After dinner, I continued with the props for our little function, while the children were rehearsing their lines and Eric continued his work on another one of those nights where my beloved would behoove to stay awake again.
The kids went to bed very late, and only pushed by the iron voice of his father and tucked behind mine, which was pretty sweet. I put Audr in bed and I sang a lullaby and then returned with Eric.
"Aren't you coming to bed?" I asked after realizing I wouldn't get to finish the props on time with itchy eyes as I had because I was sleepy and fatigued.
"I must finish this, but I'll sleep, be calm."
"Well then, I'll wait you" I said. And I sat beside him to keep him company. He said nothing for a while, until I rested my head on his shoulder.
"Sookie, I cannot move" He told me in an informative tone "And if I move, you won't sleep and even if could get to sleep, then you hurt all over. Lie down now."
"No, no. I'm not that tired" I said like a little girl. I hadn't seen him all day and I wanted to be near him. He smiled, leaned over and kissed me.
"To bed" he ordered "Sleep with the children, they'll be happy, and at least someone will enjoy your company in the bed tonight" I kissed him on the cheek goodnight and went to bed with Erik, since it was the only bed from which I saw Eric in front. The child nearly woke up, pulled his face to mine and whispered secrets and tiny fears shameful for a great little Viking like him. I comforted him whispering that his father also cried when a he nailed a splinter.
In the middle of night I noticed a big weight on my chest. I opened one eye and saw the small Audr that settled over me. I tried to move a little, but I felt trapped in the small bed. I turned my neck and saw that I was leaning on Eric's arm, his middle son drooling his torso. I made room for me with my body as I could, with Eric beside me and Erik above him and Audr resting quietly on my soft chest, which she used as a pillow. And although it was very uncomfortable, I fell asleep again soon.
I woke up late, when Audr laughed with something that Leif had made to Erik. My Viking slept beside me, or at least he was trying. Even for the two of us the bed was too small.
"I haven't slept at all" he whispered very softly.
"My whole body is soring" I replied in a soft tone also.
They knocked on the door and Eric protested. "It's coming! Leif, go and look to see who it is."
"They are Wolfren and his mom" he said "More children also came" All of them came in and I hurried up to get up. Luckily I had slept dressed.
"Hello, good morning! You are already here!" I combed my hair quickly, crushing the hair to my forehead.
"If on him depended we would have arrived at dawn" Fiora said "He has such an enthusiasm!"
"That's fine."
"But above all is that I wonder what are you doing, and he don't tell me a thing" I laughed
"You can stay if you want."
"I'd love to, but I cannot, the sow probably gave birth tomorrow and I have to watch it during the day."
"Oh, Eric told me: you need to take great care when they give birth. Who monitors it at night? Your children are young..." I asked.
"My husband watches her"
"Well, I'm sorry you cannot stay."
"So you keep the mystery" She smiled.
"I didn't think they would hold the desire to tell the surprise we are preparing."
"I haven't said anything to my mom!" Rowena said proudly.
"My grandson neither wanted to say anything to me" Sigrir said, Helgi's wife, who brought their grandchildren.
"It is a surprise" I stated.
"I hope it's as fun as Audr's birthday" Erin said, she was coming to accompany her younger brother, who was a friend of Leif and Erik. She was a very young girl, about sixteen, she was dating one of town's cowboy older children, which was a pain for her because he lived far from the villa and she couldn't see him as much as she wanted. But all would come to Halvar's party and she was excited. They wanted to get married soon, but his father felt that both of them were too young to carry home, so for now they will move to the forest to live in the dairy farm.
The women glanced at Eric, still skulking in bed and cursed that we had no longer good weather and they couldn't see Eric in his morning grooming ritual. It is known that among the women of the village, that Eric's washing time (and full nudity) was a daily entertainment program and I should admit it also had a record as the most seen thing in our village.
Children launched squeals while playing, and I tried to silence them when Eric cursed and complained.
"Don't bother Eric" Erin said "What beautiful furs you have hung, Sookie. Are they beaver furs?"
"Yes, Eric and Leif have been away two days for hunting. And these two big ones" I pointed out the two furs hung and stretched abroad "Leif captured them."
"Lots of girls will be after you" Erin said giggling. Leif blushed to the roots of the hair.
"It's a shame you're going to marry, Erin" Olga said laughing "If you wait a little longer... not much, eh, because Leif is almost all grown up."
"Maybe I wait, if he will be like his father" all of us laughed, including me. After chatting about men and laughing like fools (occasionally accompanied by an Eric's grunt) they left. And it was time to the children to make the trouble.
I organized them and explained the plot and we started rehearsing. I had prepared a few different colors wool wigs so that children could do double roles. So Gunnar was Wulfric in the first part of the play, but in the battle in the town, when he put the wig on, he became Ulrich the odious. Children were memorizing their roles and lines, as if it was a game, and text varied almost every repetition, but the important thing is that the context and the argument was the same. Eric got up cranky and children looked as if they expected him to go to eat them as a big ogre. But when he pulled a large knife as long as the children's arms, they looked at him with eyes shining with excitement and sincere admiration. I smiled.
When he finished his breakfast and clean impurities from the beavers furs, Eric took a wig, placed it on the head, accompanied the children in their trials and began to play his part. I have to say that children get more exited after Eric got in the role of Harald. They were fighting to cross (wooden) swords with Eric when they knocked on the door. It was Halvar. He was accompanied by Wulfric and Helgi.
"We are going to the forest to see if we hunt something for the festival tomorrow. Join us" the old boss inquired.
"Are you busy?" Helgi asked.
"Just a little fun" He hugged his son Erik against him "I prepare my bag and go. Leif: get the horse ready for me."
"I'll give you something to eat" I said, and I started to wrap in a cloth a piece of bread, smoked bacon, salted cod and an apple. They left at gallop a few minutes later.
The children went to their own houses before eating time. We ate some herrings, some marinated tuna and bread of the day before. I left Leif in charge of taking care of his siblings, reviewing the numbers and the first Latin letters they had learned and I went to the palace, to see if Helga needed my help.
Halvar servants were setting woodpiles near the palace, while Helga and other women prepared the tables inside. Behind of the house was the stable of the heads of out town, which was huge, at least five times Eric's. They had a mule, a female donkey, two warhorses and boarhound, and the rest of the animals were geese, ducks, chickens, rabbits, pigs, turkeys, goats and even a cow.
"Oh, Sookie, its good you are here!" Helga said. She was thinking about how to arrange some imaginary tables and benches along the entire stay. I do not think that would fit all the people inside her home. Helgi's two wives and Wulfric's wife were helping. "We must prepare the tables here inside, the ones that go outside are prepared by the rest of the villagers. Wait, wait, that doesn't goes there, put it more far away! Go with Jora, Sookie" I accompanied Jora to the back and from there we picked up some logs that were tied with ropes in bundles and take them to the great hall. Helga struggled to untie them "These are the tables for the party. First you have to assemble the structure and then cover them with tables that are behind the house."
"I never get how to assemble these things" Jora said.
"Well… we have to put it together"
"Well the men will do it when they return" Sigrir intervened.
"No way. We'll do it ourselves. Halvar has laughed at me when I said I would go setting the tables. He believes I'm unable to assemble a simple piece of furniture."
"It's because you are unable" Sigrir he replied.
"This is easy" I said fitting a pair of woods. The women looked astonished at me "See? These go on the ground, like this" I said leaving four flat timber on the floor, which had two large holes in each end "And in each hole is inserted a leg. The legs are these do you see? They are worn here by the friction with the ground, while these others are what make transoms and sustain the tables on which we dinner. They are rounded for this side."
"How do you know that?"
"Ironically, I've assembled lots of IKEA furniture."
"What?"
"It doesn't matter. Come, help me with this" We began working and we get to assemble that afternoon all tables inside the house, but we didn't managed to assemble the benches. We decided it would be better to tell men that we hadn't time instead of telling them that we didn't know how. It was much less humiliating.