He made himself larger, the thick fur hanging from his shoulders, his hands claw-like and a his fangs bared to the people around him. His eyes held a rage, they looked as if they were filled with blind fury. People around him gasped in shock, backing up a bit but not looking away from him. They were staring at him as if he was a beast.
Ulfrikson let out a bloodcurdling roar.
“. . . so the bear lashed out with his large paw, like this!” His arm swung past the faces of the gasping children, their eyes filled with healthy childlike wonder.
“What happened then, Bjørn?” a small girl asked while tugging at his shirt.
The brute smiled, allowing his body to fall back into its natural, relaxed posture. They were all sitting on the ground, a circle of which Bjørn was the centre and moved around on his knees, telling his story about how he had gotten attacked after someone - a child - asked him about the fur he carried with him. He patted the child on her head and then gestured them all to come closer as he himself spoke a little more quietly. Even the parents happened to lean in to hear what he had to say.
“I tried to duck, but its large paw struck me.” He quickly gestured towards his face, the memories imprinted in the form of a large scar.
“It blinded me and threw me onto the ground. I thought I was dead. But then I looked to the side while the creature was already advancing on me and saw my dagger laying there.” He spoke louder again and everyone moved back, knowing that this was the queue that he would move again.
Swiftly he drew his knife, showing it to the circle.
“She came closer and closer, finally ready to deliver her last strike, but I was quicker and drove my blade through her thick skin, into her heart. Blood poured down my hands, she roared and tried to lash out again. But it was too late for her. She had wobbled on her big, furry paws before hitting the ground. It was the grizzly’s end.”Obviously, that wasn’t how it really went. Ulfrikson had almost been dead hadn’t it been for her to get distracted by one of his comrades who shot her with an arrow. They had been sent out in a group of five to slay her. The size of her had been abnormal, Bjørn hadn’t ever seen a beast as big as her. He also decided to leave the part where he passed out from blood loss, his face not having been the only part that had been within her reach, and lack of air after she had dropped dead right on top of him.
A boy, probably around the age of ten, came closer and then sheepishly patted his shoulder, which had Bjørn arch his brow.
“It is good that you killed her. She is evil.” He just chuckled in reply and ruffled his hair. She hadn’t been evil. Her rage was the cause of farmers who had killed her cub. They had it coming, but their children and wives had been the reason why the giant had accepted the contract. They were 'innocent' in this case.
He respected animals more so than men. They weren’t evil. Mankind, however, he was not so sure. People made poor decisions based on thoughts and impulses which made no sense. That included himself. Mankind was selfish, he knew, and greedy.
He was about to say something when he heard someone call his name.
“Ulfrikson, get back to work. We ain’t paying you to sit on your arse and tell fables.”“Aye, aye..”With an apologetic shrug he got on his feet, telling his ‘audience’ that he had to get back to work. He received a few quick hugs from the children who had befriended him with their innocence and curiosity, loving his stories no matter how many times he had told them already. The parents were mostly people who hired him to do dirty and hard work for them for an unacceptably low amount of coin. Ulfrikson just never really thought about it that way, he could eat at night and buy himself an ale.
The rest of his day was spent chopping wood and stacking logs. At the end of it he was cold and wet and had some coin back in his pocket. He was thanked and dismissed for the day.
Quickly he made his way through the streets of Galloway, knowing exactly where to go to find his favourite tavern, the Retired Sword. He could find the place with his eyes shut. The scent of well brewed drinks and oak fuelled fires had a smile tugging at his lips. this was what he nowadays considered as home.
He entered through the heavily-used, wooden door, reminding himself to duck as not to bang his head against the low frame, leaving the dark and chilly outside behind him to be greeted by warmth and the welcoming scent of ale and roasted meats. In his enthusiasm to get inside he nearly waltzed over a rather short individual. The irritable man, obviously annoyed by Bjørn’s accidental clumsiness, snarled at him,
“Look out where you walk, you big oaf!”. Bjørn halted, slowly looking down to see the man who had sneered at him the way he had. Brief eye-contact was enough for the man to mutter a soft apology as he quickly turned around and hobbled away. Licking his lips thoughtfully, though not focussed on the little incident but more so on the drinking options he had, he gazed up to see Elaine, a woman who he had seen working here plenty of times before.
Sheepishly he waved at her, seeing how she was occupied by an elder man, so he ordered his tankard with the other lady, Adriana. Some shuffled aside as he made his way towards the hearth, longing for the warmth of a fire.
