Forsvollr
1087 Words
When she awoke again her mouth was dry and she was cold. She blinked her eyes open, and it was still dark.
Einar was kicking cool dirt into the fire “Get up Erling. We need to move.”
Hedda shakily stood to her feet and followed Einar through the forest.
“Where are we going again?” She croaked out.
“Forsvollr” He replied, undoing a pouch of water and handing it to her.
Hedda gratefully drank from it wiping her mouth she replied “That is a day or two walks from Sandvik” Her heart broke thinking of her village, and she teared up. She handed the pouch back to Einar who didn’t seem to notice.
“We are a half-day walk from there”
Hedda furrowed her brow “What?”
He didn’t reply.
“How long was I asleep for when you carried me off?”
“I walked for a day when I saved you” He emphasized the last part.
“How did you do that?” She now understood why the forest seemed so unfamiliar to her, she was now days away from her village “What if there are survivors? We need to go back!” It was starting to sink in that he had no intention of taking her back.
“There are no survivors.” Einar said stopping and looking at her “You can go back.” He pointed in a direction “Just keep walking straight and you’ll get there, but not before you run into them”. He began walking again.
She was in disbelief, she tried to catch back up to him “How can you say that? There are women in children in the village. My family they may need…”
Einar stopped and faced her again, his eyes intense “There WERE women and children in that village. The only help they need is being burned or buried. They are not my responsibility.”
She flinched remembering how he dismantled those six metal warriors with no effort, then apparently walked for a day with her on his back.
“You are not my responsibility either. You are free to get yourself killed.” Einar started walking again.
“Why did you take me? I mean...save me?” Hedda said overcome with sorrow, thinking of her village.
He stopped again not looking at her “You surprised me” He looked over his shoulder “When I arrived you grabbed my ax. You were swift. Also...you were sitting there when I was on my way out anyway.”
Hedda grabbed her hurt arm, intentionally making herself look small “Did you see my father?”
“No” He almost cut her off “After we saw the fire outside, it was chaos.”
She nodded. They were both still, as Hedda was grasping the situation, her eyes downcast. She saw Einar’s boots in front of her, and she looked up. His expression was soft. “Do you want to come to Forsvollr or not?”
His look her made her nervous, but not because she was afraid. Just like when they interacted in the mead hall in Sandvik “Jarl Ove doesn’t like my family. He probably won’t receive you because of me.”
Einar snorted “Jarl Ove won’t receive me because of me, not you. Let’s go.” He stalked through the woods again.
Hedda almost forgot that Einar was a berserker. They were some of the most feared warriors, as their unbridled rage literally blinded them. But, as Hedda followed him, Einar wasn’t like the berserkers she had been told about. He saved her, and even in his rage, he didn’t harm her. He had taken care of her, up to this point. She decided to follow him until she knew what to do next.
Soon they approached the settlement of Forsvallr. Usually, when her father would arrive in town, the family would come out to receive them. But she wasn’t with her father or a noble family, she was in the company of a berserker.
She followed Einar into town, and straight to the mead hall. As they made their way, people began staring and chattering. Hedda began to realize how dirty and bloodied her clothes were. Not only with her blood, but Ivar’s and whoever had crossed paths with Einar.
There were a few servants bustling around the mead hall when they stepped in. Einar went straight to a barrel of water and filled his pouch. Hedda remained standing in the doorway when she saw Jarl Ove Vang enter the hall. He didn’t notice her, he was staring at Einar.
Hedda approached the raised seat and bowed her head when she approached, “Jarl Vang, I come humbly to ask…” He was looking at her quizzically when, Eir, his wife came into the hall. She stopped and her eyes widened “Hedda?”
Hedda looked at her, and she felt Einar sidle up beside her.
Eir rushed up to her and cupped her face “What happened to you? Where are your parents?”
“They, um…” Hedda glanced up at Einar.
“Sandvik was attacked two nights ago. By strange men who were wearing metal armor but speaking our language. There is nothing salvageable left, and there are no survivors” Einar spoke.
Hedda was watching Jarl Ove, and she noticed a quick look of fear in his eyes before they turned to worry, and he looked at her. Eir’s face was washed with grief.
“Oh, my...may they all find glory,” Eir said, she finally noticed Einar and wrinkled her eyebrows.
“And who is this who accompanied you to safety?” The Jarl asked.
Hedda had to think fast “He is one of our warriors. He saved me and we escaped to find help”.
Einar scoffed looking at the floor shaking his head.
“Mmmm,” Eir said “I’ll have someone get you two cleaned up, and in fresh clothes” She motioned for Hedda to follow the servant and placed herself between Hedda and Einar.
Hedda followed a servant out of the room and she turned back and met Einar’s eyes, he was staring at her darkly.
- Writer
