((collaboration continued with idlehands and Igraine))
Near the Hall, the slaves worked, checking the smoked meat and chopping more firewood though they had to make it last since winter was long and the forests were beyond the walls. One of the guards was taking a piss, idly watching the road as the fort stirred to life in the grey light of the cloudy morning. He made a circle in the snow and chuckled to himself as he packed it back up in his trousers. He glanced up again and spotted two children racing toward the fort. They could have been twins, nearly the same size and the bright fiery hair. He was amused until he saw the terror on their white faces.
The guard heard their high pitched hoarse shouts for help and he ran toward them, seizing Raudr roughly, "What is it boy? Harald again?"
Raudr gasped for breath and shook his head, his face flushed and his dark red hair plastered to his forehead, "Draugr!"
"Leave him... Alone!" Eyja panted, grabbing at the guard's hand where he grasped Raudr's arm too tightly. "Have to... Get Loker! Draugr in the... In the healing house... And in here too! In Trelleborg!"
Her freckled cheeks glowed a bright red between the cold and the exertion, and she bent forward for a moment, her head dropping now that she could catch her breath. She and Raudr had shouted to every last grown-up they passed as the raced for the Hall, breathlessly warning them of the draugr - the draugr in the healing house! Some slammed doors on them just as the tanner had, sliding bolts and bars into place noisily. But still others slipped swiftly into their homes, only to reappear with some weapon or other and heading back the way they had come, back toward the healing house.
But no matter the choice the adults made, the children did not stop running - not until the guardsman grabbed Raudr and pulled him up short. "Let. Him. Go!" Eyja shouted, terror making her strangely brave as she swatted at the guard's arm. "There are draugr in... In the healing house! And one tried... To eat us at one of the... The long houses on the way here!"
Eyja's pale gaze scaled the Hall before them. "Mister Loker!" she began to shout, her voice high and near breathless, but as shrill and loud as only a terrified but determined little girl could be. "Mister Loker! It's Eyja! We need you! There's draugr! DRAUGR!"
Loker was standing near the entrance of the hall, he was in his leather and mail armor, his sword strapped to his hip as he always wore when he was on duty. Duty. He mused over it, he was houekarl of an empty Hall. No Jarl was in the chair, not yet anyway and which ever one took it, there was hardly a guarantee his place was secure. He sighed through his nose and was about to turn back when he heard a shout that made his hair stand on end.
”Eyja! He shouted when he recognized the high pitched cry, the needful sound in her voice tugged at his paternal nature. Loker shoved the heavy door open and bounded down the stairs, seeing her and Ragnar’s son red faced and terrified.
“Draugr, here?” He exclaimed and turned to the guard, “Gather the men, make sure they’re armed, all of them. Go now!”
Loker looked down at Eyja and reached for her, crouching down so he could look at her face, “It’s alright, we’ll get them. Now take a breath, girl. What happened?”
He listened to their halting explanation of events and it dawned on him how bad it was. Inside the walls, draugr would run rampant unless they contained and killed them all. Not just in the healing house but they were in the village, too. Loker ran his hand over his beard, the iron rings jingling slightly as he listened to her. Gods be good, they were in the shit now.
Loker looked at them both, “You were very brave, you’re safe now. Ragnar, your parents are here, they’re beyond the Hall in the grove. Go to them, take her with you.”
He held Eyja’s hand tightly for a moment and tried to smile for her sake, “I’ll see to your mother and sister, little one. Go with him.”
Eyja nodded miserably, a small, tentative gesture as she looked to Loker, still kneeling beside her, holding her hand. She wanted to say something, but she knew if she tried she’d only burst into tears all over again. The little girl swallowed, her throat dry and tight and hurting, and then suddenly wrapped her arms tightly around Loker’s neck, burying her face in the wiry lengths of the beard at his neck.
”Promise,” Eyja whispered, the tears falling in earnest now. ”Promise you’ll bring Madir and Svala back with you.”
Loker felt her small arms wrap around him and he hugged her back, her thin body felt so frail, like a baby bird. He hugged her, feeling the warmth grow in his heart, the same he had for his own child which he could not express in openly. He patted her back, feeling her tears on his neck.
“There now...little flame,” he said quietly, pulling back to look into her pale blue eyes, “You have my oath that I will bring your mother and sister back or I will not return with breath in my lungs.”
He reached up and pulled a bronze ring from his arm and held it out to her. It was highly polished, gleaming like fire and engraved with stylized animals, ”I swear by my ring. Take it, Eyja. Keep it as my promise. And you, tell your father what has happened and bring that big sword of his. We’ll need it.”
Loker stroked her hair and smiled at her briefly before standing to bark orders at the men rushing out of the Hall, armed with axes, spears and swords. He was the housekarl now, striding away from the children, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he moved to the head of the column of guards.
Raudr bit his lip, he felt the relief wash over him that his parents were nearby and he wanted to run to them but he would not leave without Eyja. Haakon had put her in his protection and he would not waver now. At Loker’s order he nodded and took off toward the back of the Hall, trotting cautiously in the slick slush of the churned mud and snow.
Eyja’s pale eyes followed Loker as he left, both her small hands wrapped about the ring he had left with her, his promise, until he was gone from her sight. Her fingers rubbed the smooth, solid bronze edges, studying all the pretty, cavorting animals a moment longer before she turned, her face still solemn and thoughtful as jogged after Raudr. Eyja was a good-hearted girl and she was truly happy for her friend, that his family was here waiting here for him.
Though it was far too large for her thin arm, she pulled Loker’s ring to her elbow, holding it there with her other hand as she picked up her pace to catch up with Raudr.
AmongHeroes
I know Kuro, right? You're the co-GM though, you have dibs over me I imagine but I'd still like to know so I don't screw posting up! haha
No, not a problem Heroes. I think if RL actually did run perfectly to schedule, that would make life just way too easy some days!