Chapter 11

Vicki was worried about Ulfr. When they had returned to the village, it was thankfully the right time. Hott and Valerie were happy to see them, although oddly enough Ulfr looked guilty and embarrassed when he saw his brother. When they had begun to converse Ulfr sounded reluctant, his words laced with a cryptic reluctance. He sounded apologetic. His tone had been stunted and odd and Vicki had left them to their own devices. Vicki was now sitting at Valerie’s table sipping sweet tea inside her hut, and the men were outside.

“He won’t tell you what he dreamed?” Valerie asked.

Vicki had confided her dream to her friend and explained how Ulfr would make no mention of his.

“No,” she replied. “Just that he hurt me.”

“Ulfr can be rough, but I can’t imagine him hurting a woman on purpose. Especially if he’s saying he hurt you. These barbarians have odd ideas about what hurts a woman,” Valerie said. She rolled her eyes. “Has Ulfr ever explained ram thrusting?”

Vicki chuckled. “Some game, huh?”

“My ass hurts just thinking about it,” Valerie said.

“Wolf agreed to teach me to use a sword, that is, after he makes me a new one.”

“Strange how the old one vanished,” Valerie mused. “Although after your display of prowess, I doubt anyone will touch you again.”

“Maybe I should change my name to Xena,” Vicki said and grinned.

“Mommy, I’m tired.”

Both women noted Hrolf who stood in his doorway rubbing his eyes. Unlike Ulfr’s hut, Valerie and Hott had a two-room home. Another young lad stood near him. The boy, Gunnarr, who was few years older, was Hrolf’s little friend and would be spending the night while his mother was giving birth in the cabin. Valerie rose but Vicki stopped her.

“Oh, let me, please? It won’t be long before I have my own to tuck in—that is if you’re right about the mist and needing some kind of connection,” Vicki said.

Valerie smiled and nodded. Vicki took both boys to the bedroom and tucked them under soft furs on a high bed Hott had made. She smiled when their dog, Petal and their pet pig, Porky, settled near the bed on the floor. The animals pressed close together for warmth. A very large cat jumped up onto the bed, purred and settled. Hrolf leaned down to scratch at Ksi-Ksi’s ears.

Vicki had learned Valerie insisted no son of hers would be sleeping on a floor pallet where there were dangerous vermin about. Vicki had learned the rats in this time were a wee bit bigger than she was used to.

“We want a story,” Hrolf said in a somewhat demanding little boy tone.

“Please!” Valerie yelled from the other room.

“Please,” both boys said dutifully.

“All right, let me think,” Vicki pondered. “Once upon a time there were two Viking warrior boys, Hrolf and Gunnarr, who were best friends. Both boys were not only the sons of great warriors, but they had been given magic gifts.”

“What? What gifts?” Hrolf asked, eyes wide.

“A magic flute and a magic rock.”

“Oh there’s nothing you can do with a stupid rock and a tiny flute. They need big swords to be strong warriors,” Gunnarr grumbled.

“What could their gifts do?” Hrolf asked.

“They weren’t certain. You see fairies had given them to the boys one day and told them to hang onto them, that they would need their gifts very soon for an important journey. It wasn’t long before the Viking king came to their village and asked for help from mighty warriors. Fierce warriors from a distant place had stolen the beautiful young Viking princess. Brave warrior after brave warrior went to save her, but died because in the castle was a huge fire-breathing dragon.”

“How can you fight a dragon that breathes fire? You would never get close enough.” Gunnarr asked with worry.

“The Viking king promised a great reward to any who would save his only daughter—the child of his heart,” Vicki said. “The village had met with hard times; a reward would restore it and both boys knew for certain the gifts they were given from the wise fairies were to be used to save the princess. The boys snuck to the castle where the huge dragon walked back and forth. Little puffs of ominous smoke rolled from its nose. Gunnarr looked at his little flute. Determinedly he put his trust in his faith. He put it to his lips and began to play. A beautiful soothing melody was suddenly playing. The dragon seemed to settle, then slump. Soon the great creature was asleep.”

“Wow,” Gunnarr said, amazed.

“But it could still wake up,” Hrolf said with worry.

“It was now Hrolf’s turn,” Vicki said. Her eyes brightened with laughter seeing the boys’ little chests rise and fall in anticipation. “Hrolf pulled his small rock into his hand. Unsure of what to do he listened with his heart. Soon he thought he heard words whispered on the gentle wind. Confidently he ran his open palm over the rock three times then tapped it with his finger. He moved bravely to the dragon that still wheezed out billowing puffs of heated smoke—and touched it.”

“What happened?” both boys cried in unison.

“The dragon turned to stone.”

“No,” they gasped.

“Yes,” Vicki insisted. “They went all through the castle with Gunnarr putting warriors to sleep and Hrolf turning them to stone. It wasn’t long before the Viking princess was safely home with her father and the village had great wealth.”

“I can’t believe such small weapons could be so powerful,” Hrolf mumbled sleepily.

“It doesn’t matter how strong your weapon is,” said a voice from the door.

Vicki saw Ulfr watching her with as strange expression.

“What matters is the skill you use it with, and your determination.”

“Like when your little Valkyrie kicked Falkor’s ass?” Hrolf asked.

Vicki giggled behind her hand. The expression was obviously learned from his mother. Another funny thing was this small boy had called her little, although no doubt one day he would be an impressive size. It was apparent he was learning from his father and uncle. Perhaps one day he would learn it wasn’t all right to harm a woman in the form of forceful sex no matter how gentle he was if she wasn’t a willing partner. Sadly she knew captives were far from a thing of the past.

“It’s time to leave,” Ulfr said and Vicki rose.