Authors: Constantine De Bohon
other women’s list. She always knew when he was watching her;
her skin would crawl. He seemed to find reasons to be near her. As
a result, a few of the woman had shied away from her. It was
apparent he was interested. But Thorvald wasn’t the only one.
Many a man looked at Sky with more than just a passing fancy. Sky
understood why. The ratio of woman to men was small. Rolf and
Brandr had their hands full protecting her from unwanted
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advances. Between the work and the demanding men, Sky was
feeling at a loss.
Thinking about that had her thinking about what Brandr had
asked her the night before. Sky now understood a great deal of
their language and was certain Brandr was trying to coax her into
having some very kinky sex with him. She was uncertain she
wanted to. She didn’t mind his rough sex when she could ask him
to be gentler. He always complied—especially when Rolf was
around. But when Rolf wasn’t around, it was harder for him to
curb his desire and he could be a bit frightening.
Sky trusted Rolf not to hurt her; she even trusted Brandr not
to harm her, but she sensed he wanted something more. Of what
she was uncertain and was worried to find out. Brandr was so big;
he could hurt her without even trying if he wasn’t careful. Sky had
seen Eirik scowl at some of the bruises she had received after
Brandr’s lusty romps. The leader had taken an interest in her after
offering her his protection. It appeared to be his right to inquire.
Sky had tried to explain to Eirik she just bruised easily, but he
appeared skeptical. Rolf was patient with the man’s questions.
Brandr was a bit more annoyed at the intrusion. Eirik always asked
if she was fearful of Brandr. Sky wasn’t afraid of himmore
concerned about his tastes in the furs. It was strange to realize after
this short time she had come to love both men. She was willing to
try anything Rolf wanted, because he was always gentle and
patient. It was more difficult to give in to Brandr. Rolf cherished
her; Brandr always seemed to want to devour her.
They protected her differently as well. Rolf kept a close eye
on her but gave her freedom to explore her surroundings and even
speak to other men. She quickly learned who was approachable and
who was not. At times, just the sight of Rolf’s tense jaw had Sky
turning herself in the opposite direction from a certain man. Other
times, his relaxed position indicated she was in no danger and free
to ask questions. Some of the men were patient and easy to chat
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with. The young men in the village would occasionally touch her in
places she preferred they not and Rolf snapped at them. If Brandr
saw them touch her, he would send them flying. The lusty young
lads learned to give her a wide berth when he was around. The
young men never hurt her, they were annoying and she smiled
inwardly thinking they reminded her of Brody. Brandr looked like
Brody; he was lusty like Brody…but he wasn’t like Brody in any
other way. She felt safe with Brandr.
Sky felt equally safe with Rolf. She had learned Rolf was a few
years older than Brandr. It made sense to her. She could see both
men loved each other. Rolf was more the wiser older brother,
almost paternal in a sense. Both men were protective of one
another, but anything in Brandr’s best interests was met head-on.
Sky’s needs always came first, then Brandr’s, then Rolf’s. Neither
man seemed to mind. All just seemed to understand that in the
end, the last say was Rolf’s. Rolf had more control over his
temper; he was more grounded. Sky had no doubt if someone tried
to harm her, he would use his sword on them. But Rolf would
think before acting. Brandr was a bundle of physical reaction.
The men’s camaraderie toward one another was so endearing.
That she was included into their loving family made her feel very
proud to have been accepted with open arms. It was one of the
reasons she tried so hard to please them. Above all else, she
wanted their acceptance to continue. She just wished she had
something special to add to their home life. Something they could
be proud of her for. Unfortunately, as she stretched and winced
again, she realized she hadn’t found it yet. The men always knew
where they belonged; she wished she did, too.
At night when she sometimes made dinner in their hut,
Brandr and Rolf would discuss the day’s activities. Brandr was less
concerned about food scarcity while Rolf was always planning a
hunt. Both men trained every day relentlessly. Rolf and Brandr
took turns watching her for the most part, but if they needed to
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both be gone, she was delivered into Eirik’s capable care. She
didn’t mind. Sky was growing very fond of Eirik’s wife and their
children. Katla, Eirik’s wife and she had become fast friends. Sky
had never had a female friend who had grown as close as a sister
could. No doubt Eirik saw that. As leader, he was more than
capable of adding a second wife to his family. Not a day went by
when Brandr didn’t complain Eirik had tried to purchase her or
trade for her. The thought made her chuckle, just thinking of
Brandr’s reaction. She often wondered if Eirik did it just to rile
him.
A howl of despair reached her ears and Sky spun about to see
Katla, carrying the limp body of her four-year-old son onto the
riverbank. He was dripping wet and wasn’t moving. Katla dropped
to her knees, screaming, the boy clutched to her breasts. Sky raced
to them as well as everyone else. It became apparent immediately
Katla had lost sight of him in the fast-flowing current for a few
moments and he had gone under water.
Sky dropped to her knees before her friend. She was
horrified—the poor boy, his poor mother. Instinctively, she
touched her fingers to the unmoving child’s throat. There was a
pulse! There was still a chance! With her revelation, she tried to
yank the boy from his mother, but Katla refused to part with him.
“He is gone; let his mother grieve,” Rolf said sadly.
“He’s not gone,” Sky insisted wide-eyed, her heart pounding
madly within her breast. “I have a pulse.” But the word she used
was foreign to them all. “Katla, please.”
Sky determinedly yanked the boy from his mother and laid
him flat. She tilted his head back, pinched his nose and puffed two
breaths of air into the boy’s mouth. His chest didn’t expand. She
dipped her baby finger into his mouth down his throat, exploring
with caution, and fished out a small rock that was obstructing his
breathing. Again she blew into his mouth. His little chest rose and
fell with each breath, until finallyhe coughed.
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The boy threw up a mouthful of water and gasped in air. He
called for his mother pitifully, who screamed in joy. The woman
crushed the boy against her and sobbed uncontrollably. Eirik knelt
beside his wife. His hand tenderly brushed his son’s drenched hair
from his face.
“The Valkyrie was sent to save my son,” Eirik said with wide-
eyed awe.
Sky didn’t realize she was shaking until Rolf pulled her to his
chest. Her knees buckled. Rolf scooped her up. He was grinning
widely. Both Sky and the boy were carried to the log cabin.
* * * *
Sky shifted from foot to foot. Rolf and Brandr remained
protectively close. She was standing in front of the council in the
main hall. All the villagers crowded around them.
Upon their return to the cabin, both Sky and Leif had been
ushered into a back room. A protesting Leif had been tucked into
bed while his mother had hovered over him with an eagle eye.
Thankfully, Katla had helped Sky dress or she would have felt
twice as vulnerable when told the council had demanded an
immediate audience with her.
Katla was her friend; Sky could see she was feeling protective
of her, especially now. Katla had asked another woman to sit with
her son. Sky could see Katla off to the side. The woman looked at
her, smiled then leveled a glance onto the council members that
surprisingly resembled that of a pissed-off tigress.
The men seated in high-backed chairs before Sky were
exceptionally intimidating. She swallowed hard. Five men in all
gazed back at her, all wearing various expressions, Eirik’s was a
soft expression, Thorvald’s harsh. Lud just seemed honestly
curious and was the first to start.
“How did you know Leif wasn’t dead? His mother heard no
heartbeat.”
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“He had a pulse,” Sky explained. But she didn’t know their
word for pulse. Biorn was standing beside her just in case she
needed his help. She looked up at him. “Biorn, what is word for
this?” She took his fingers and placed them over her wrist so he
could feel the beating beneath his hand.
He said a word. Sky repeated it.
“You are a healer?” Eirik asked.
“No,” she admitted. “Adisla is healer.”
Adisla stood to one side watching Sky. She was the village
doctor. Sky had seen the woman care for a few people. She treated
ailments and many wounds the men incurred by accident when
sparring. Sky was nothing like her. She admired the woman’s skill.
Sky knew the technique, artificial resuscitation, she had used on
Leif wasn’t known as yet, and if it was, it wasn’t apparent to this
village. She supposed the village thought she had brought the child
back from the dead. Hopefully they would chalk it up to thinking it
was because she was a Valkyrie, not a witch; the latter word made
her shudder.
“I have no knowledge of medicine. What Adisla knows she
learn long time, remember many things. I know few. Adisla smart
woman, good healer for village. I have much respect.”
Adisla smiled at her.
Sky counted her among her friends. “I watch children in water
when younger,” she stammered. How was she to explain life-
guarding and first aid? Her jobs had helped put her through
university.
Thorvald, the older man who had questioned her validity of
being a Valkyrie spoke next. She could tell from his look he was
skeptical.
“Why did you watch children swim?”
Sky frowned. “When mothers busy, I watch children while
they work,” she answered, hoping that made sense.
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“Yes, I see!” Katla cried out. “Sky is too small to help in the
field and with too hard labor, other mothers could leave their
children with her. It’s perfect.”
Other women began nodding enthusiastically and began
talking animatedly.
“Wait, wait,” Thorvald said, scowling and waving his hands as
the commotion grew louder. “We have not finished with her.”
But the mothers warmed to this idea quickly and set their
shoulders. They liked Sky and were concerned for her aching.
They knew how hard she tried. In their opinion, she was already
one of them…and they took care of their own.
“It’s hard to watch little ones in the field and at the lake and
ocean when we need to work!” an older graying woman referred
to as Amma yelled.
“If Sky watched children in Valhalla, why not here?” another
woman Sky liked, Dalla, grouched.
“Her help would be most welcome,” a friend of Sky’s, Pyrna,
agreed.
The women’s voices soon drowned out the council. Soon
Thorvald was ignored altogether and Sky could see he was none
too happy. It became apparent the men would be doing battle with
the women if they didn’t give in on this issue.
Eirik laughed loudly and held his own hands high. Everyone
quieted immediately. He looked at Sky.
She was appreciative of his big welcoming and calming smile.
He reminded her of a great gentle bear, all warm and cuddly.
Others would think her description laughable; especially those who
had witnessed him slice opponents in half.
“Do not be afraid, little Valkyrie,” he soothed, no doubt
seeing her worry. “You are in no trouble. You saved my son’s life.
We only want to know how this mouth-on-mouth thing works.”
Sky frowned thoughtfully. “Too much water, no breath.
Forget to breathe. I remembered for him until his brain remember
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on own.” She had used the English word for brain and a few looked
confused. She looked at Biorn. “What’s the name for the organ
inside your head?”
Biorn said the word and everyone began nodding in
understanding.
“Is it a trick?” Eirik asked.
“I suppose a life-saving trick. Anyone can learn,” she said and
shrugged.
“Trick or no, my son lives because of Sky. She is like a second
mother and will watch him when I am busy,” Katla said.
A few of the women groaned.
“Sky can help others when needed, but Katla is right,” Eirik