by AJ Adams
Rune nodded. “And nobody hunts today. That shouldn’t be hardship.”
He looked around, and there were calls all around us.
“That’s fair!”
“Yes, reasonable.”
“I agree.”
“I vote for that.”
It was my first experience of Beast democracy, and I decided that I was liking it.
Turid turned, grinning at Siv. “Mind if we borrow your knarr?”
“Do you have to ask? Am I some greedy Prydain, grasping at property?”
“Hey!” I protested as the same time as Wynne and Tawny.
“Sorry,” but Siv wasn’t sorry at all. All I could feel from him was relief and joy. The Beast was home among his brothers, and nothing could dampen his spirits. “Just let us retrieve Bliss’ things, and it’s all yours.”
Moving into the cabin took no time at all. The Beasts simply loaded my medicines into my cart and then marched us right up the hill, with Siv carrying the cats.
Turid’s cabin was beautiful. It was built of logs and stone, sturdy yet attractive. There was a veranda on the outside, overlooking the hill and the bay, and inside there was a simple large room with a fireplace with a curtained-off alcove with a bed in it on one side, and a small kitchen with a wood stove on the other. There was a window, even, looking right out over the sea.
“Siv, we can’t take this!” I was gazing around, just stunned by it all. “Turid built this for himself.”
“Actually, we all built this, and we’ll build one just like it for him.” Rune was emptying out my cart, neatly placing all my medicines on a shelf. “Do you need this cart?”
“Erm, well, I use it for my rounds.”
“Rounds?” His eyes were the same blue as Siv’s, but the dark hair and burliness gave him a hawk-like aspect.
“I’m a healer. The Sisters of Freyja trained me.”
He hissed with pleasure. “Can you fix a broken arm that’s gone bad?”
“I can try.”
Rune was up and moving. “I’ll have her here in a minute.”
“Siv, these cloaks?” Brant was going through the rest of our baggage. “They’re all very good.”
“The long one is mine, the rest is for the commons shed.”
And that’s when I realised what it actually meant when Siv had said he owned no property. The Beasts shared everything, from decisions to cloaks.
They were thoughtful, too, because in minutes there was a knock on the door.
“Siv, we brought you some mushrooms, and here’s some mackerel, caught this morning.”
“My girl made biscuits this morning. Here’s your share.”
“Siv, we’ve got the ovens going. Here’s some bread.”
Before I could catch my breath, a steady stream of Beasts delivered enough food for all of us, including Saga and the cats.
I didn’t even have time to thank them properly, or to ask their names even because Rune came running back up the hill, devouring the distance with a long stride exactly like Siv’s.
A tall Beast inked with green and black skulls was right behind him, carrying a pale, sweating girl. “Hildegard broke her arm two days ago,” he spoke coolly enough, but I caught a wave of worry as he was stroking her hair.
The bone had been set beautifully, but the flesh around it was red, hot and puffy. It took a second to figure out the problem. “How did you treat this?”
“We set the bone and then washed it with seawater,” the Beast said.
“You probably got some dirt in the wound.”
“That can’t be,” Hildegard said quickly. “Saltwater cleans. My dad says so.”
I just stared at her. “And where do fish poop?”
That put an end to any discussion. With bad infections, you need to start cutting away the bad flesh, but this was thankfully quite fresh. Even so, cleaning it would be tricky, because delving into wounds bloody hurts. Hildegard was wincing as I touched her.
“Do you have any rum?” I asked the Beast. “Or gin?”
“We’ve got some lifvatn. Will that do?”
It was clear and smelled like pure alcohol. “Perfect.”
Hildegard though was in tears. “Are you going to burn me?”
“What? No! Of course not!”
“They do that on battlefields to clean wounds. My dad told me. They pour rum over cuts and set the alcohol on fire.”
The things people do, right? “They must be flaming idiots then.” I handed her the bottle. “Drink this. Four or five big gulps.”
“Ullr forbids strong liquor!”
“And the Lady Freyja commands you obey your healer.” I gave it to her straight. “You can be sober, awake and in pain while I clean this or asleep and comfortable.”
Urged by her Beast, she drank it. It was strong stuff, because while I was getting out my basilicum powder and tormentil paste, she was already drowsy.
“You’ve got one hell of a way with words.” Wynne was sitting on the floor, watching with critical interest. “And aren’t you going to say some prayers?”
“We can say them together afterwards. Let’s just do this while she’s out.” I went into the kitchen and mercifully found someone had already lit the stove. Boiling water didn’t take long and when I went back in the room, I found Hildegard snoring.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” the Beast asked.
“Of course she does!” Siv was bristling protectively. “She’s the best! Look at this!” He was pulling off his tunic and proudly itemising my work. “See that stitching? Neat, right? And this burn? Healed perfectly! And see this cut? It was so deep, you could get your fingers in it!”
The men were crowding around, admiring and curious, in an instant.
“What happened?”
“That looks like torture!”
“Those cowardly Prydain!”
I didn’t have time for it. “Siv, take your war wounds and your friends outside. I need space to work.”
“Definitely bossy.” Wynne remarked. She wasn’t moving, though. “Want me to help?”
“It’s going to get messy.”
“Blood and gore galore. I can deal with it.”
The Beast was sticking out his chin. “I’m staying, too!”
“Good. Wynne, I’ve four strips of clean cloth here. As I use them, you wash them clean and then dip them in this boiling water–without burning yourself. Then give them back to me.”
“Okay.”
“And you,” I suddenly realised I didn’t know the Beast’s name.
“Hakon.”
“Hakon, you hold Hildegard. If she looks like she’s coming to, feed her more liquor.”
In Salvation people tend to go off and let me get on with it, but this time I had an audience. The Beasts stayed out of my way, but they lined the walls of the cabin and the ones in the doorway kept up a running commentary.
“I told you seawater doesn’t have healing properties!”
“Yes, it was a daft idea.”
“Crazy Prydain.”
“Hey!” Wynne snapped.
I ignored the lot of them and focused on the wound. It looked clean, but it was deep. Hildegard was out, but I’d have to work fast. My audience was right with me.
“She’s washing it.”
“Going at it like a berserker, too.”
“It’s bleeding. Nice and red. Looks good.”
“Wynne’s going pale, though.”
“So Rune’s she-wolf has a heart?”
“Shut up!” Wynne was looking sick, but she was handing me strip after strip of clean cloth efficiently.
“She rubbing in some goo.”
“Fast but efficient. It’s how I would do it.”
I was just tying a clean cloth around the wound when Hildegard stirred. “Give her an extra shot,” I told Hakon. “It will give the wound time to settle before she wakes up.”
“Will she be okay?”
“I think so. Carry her home, put her to bed
and keep her there. I’ll check on her in the morning.”
He was smiling, the dark look vanishing in an instant. Thank you, Freyja, for sending her! I was worried I’d lose her. “Thank you, Bliss.”
“Okay, and now we need some time alone,” Siv was herding his brothers to the door. “We’ll see you soon.”
Rune, Brant and Wynne stayed, with Wynne saying quietly, “I was wondering, how are you with babies?”
“Fantastic.” I sensed her fear, noted the hard corners of her mouth, and knew I had a first-time mum. “I’ve delivered dozens of healthy babies, and innumerable lambs, calves, piglets and foals, too.”
“Good, because this one is part Beast.”
I was expecting Siv to rear up and roar, but he didn’t mind a bit. “Bliss is the best,” he said simply. “Just talk to her.”
The emotion from him was clear: pregnant girls were sacrosanct. It gave me a warm glow, but Wynne was clearly taken aback. “Right,” she said faintly. “This kid is kicking like a mule.”
“So we know it’s yours.”
Clearly the truce was skin deep. I cut in quickly. “How far are you along?”
As I asked the usual questions, Siv shut the door and was opening the basket, letting the cats out.
Brant was captivated instantly. “They’re beautiful! Real kisa! And they’re truly tame?”
“They’re practically human.” Siv was handing him a dish. “Here, feed them some fish.”
Rune was making friends with Saga, pulling her ears and running big hands down her back as he listened to Wynne confiding her worries, “I’m no longer sick in the morning, but I’m tired a lot. Also, I’m only six months gone, but I’m bigger than a broodmare. And the kicking is just hell.”
“Let me have a feel?” I touched her belly and instantly felt a surge of life. Two surges, each distinct and lively. “Twins!” I said.
“Really? How do you know?” Wynne asked wide-eyed. Is she for real? Nobody’s that good! Not even the duke’s own healer!
Her thoughts were loud and clear, but my guard was up. I was going to give her my usual misdirection, talking about muscle tone and other “sure tell” signs, when Siv announced, “Bliss reads minds.”
Witch! Wynne’s instant reaction pierced me like an arrow. She’s a witch!
“I’m not!” But I was seeing woodpiles. Before I quite knew what I was about, I was moving backwards, my body taking over and aiming for escape. Saga was up and growling.
“Bliss,” Siv was reaching for me. “Kisa, you’re among friends.” His arms were around me, the bulky muscles offering physical comfort while his love flowed over me. “We Skraeling don’t do woodpiles.”
Rune tutted at Saga, “It’s okay, girl. Nobody’s doing anything.”
She was convinced because she went back to him and let him rub her chin.
There was a dead silence, and then Wynne was hugging her belly. “You could hear their thoughts? The babies?” She sounded curious, not angry or afraid.
“Babies don’t think, but they have a presence.”
“But you heard me thinking you’re a witch.”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes, waiting for someone to invoke Odin, Hekate or Ullr, but then Brant said quietly, “That’s going to scare a lot of people.”
“Why? We’re honest Skraeling, we have nothing to hide,” Siv said quickly.
“You never bother to hide what you’re thinking,” Wynne didn’t make it sound like a compliment. “But the others won’t like it.”
“It can help sort out a lot of fights,” Siv maintained. “Especially when the girls lie, and you know they do, Wynne!”
“Nonsense! You’re just black and white, Siv, but some of us see shades of grey!”
“We have problems,” Brant said slowly, “because the Prydain and Skraeling ways are different.”
“Right,” Wynne said acidly, “our problems come from our differences.”
“Oh, not that again!” Siv spat.
“Yes, that!” Wynne snapped right back.
“That’s enough.” Rune spoke quietly but they all shut up. It was clear that in the Beast democracy, this was their leader. He turned to me. “Bliss, what am I thinking?”
“I don’t know because I’m not touching you.” I explained my limitations and to my amazement, when I was done, they were just nodding, accepting what I told them about my talents. “Erm, don’t you want to test me or something?”
“We’ll do that in conclave,” Rune said absently. “Everyone needs to see.”
I didn’t like that idea at all. Beasts or not, woodpiles were uppermost in my mind.
But before I could get it together, Rune was laying down the law. “Siv, you’ve brought us a treasure. A vala with unusual powers and a healer to boot. It’s a miracle.”
He was being nice, but I sensed reservation. I was right, too.
“Frankly,” Rune continued, “Bliss reading minds will make people feel vulnerable. We’ve too many troubles at the moment. I’m not risking this causing any more.”
“If Bliss goes, I go!” Siv was snapping instantly.
“Who says leave? Have you taken leave of your senses?” Rune was biting back just as quickly. “Did someone knock out what little brain you have back in that fishing village?”
“Hey, calm down!” Brant was clearly the peacemaker. “We’re all brothers here.”
“Right, sorry.”
“Yeah, didn’t mean it.”
The rumbling apologies were automatic, but the tension lessened.
“Rune is right,” Brant said to Siv. “With the girls being homesick and pregnant, and all of us on edge because of the battle that’s bound to come, we have fights almost every day.”
“The duke left port a week ago,” Siv announced quietly. “So at least we have a timetable.”
“You saw him?” Rune asked amazed.
“No. Bliss had a vision.”
That took some more conversation, and by the time it was done, the emotions in the room were surging so wildly that I felt like a limp rag. Wynne was frightened, but the Beasts were happy.
“It will be good to have it over and done with, one way or the other.”
“Yes, we’ll be ready for him. We can go over the counter-attacks again, focusing on a sea battle. And he’ll have a hundred men at most.”
“We’ll win, but we need to think long-term. This is going to change some of the elements.”
“Right. A city alliance is something we have to avoid.”
I had no idea what they were on about, but one thing was crystal: the Beasts were sophisticated warriors. All the nonsense we’d been told about them being savages with a mind only on plunder was horse manure. These men had spent months planning for this attack, and by the sound of it, they had evolved counter-moves.
Rune was totally focused, clearly incorporating my presence into his plans. “Bliss, at conclave you will share how your visions work. We also reveal that you are a truth-sayer. But you keep quiet about the mind reading.”
Siv was appalled. “Rune, you would hold the truth from our brothers?”
“Damn right I am,” Rune replied frankly. “Siv, you give this a week, and you’ll thank me.”
“I agree.” Wynne had been silent while the men talked, but now they listened to her intently. Siv had told me that their system gave women equal say, but I hadn’t really believed him. Now I saw he’d told the truth.
“When you said vala, I wasn’t too happy. I mean, call them what you want, sibyls for dukes and witches for everyone else, but mind-reading is creepy.”
“Hey! What do you mean, creepy?” Siv demanded.
“I felt as if the gods were looking right at me,” Wynne said calmly. “And as I’m a sinful she-wolf, it makes me nervous.”
At that, everyone burst out laughing.
“All right,” Siv grinned finally. “I think we all agree with that.”
“While I’m up for new ideas and willing to accept tha
t Bliss is our friend,” Wynne continued, “the others still have their heads in Brighthelme.”
“That’s true,” Brant agreed. “Mina would think it’s a piety test sent by Ullr, and my Tawny might agree.”
At that, I was seeing woodpiles.
“Exactly,” Wynne continued. “We don’t want the girls to panic, and they will, given half the chance.” She smiled at me. “It’s not personal. They’re angry and frightened, so any excuse for a focal point will do.”
“Thanks.” I was seeing flames.
“The fact that you’re a healer is important,” Wynne said. “Give it a few months, and they’ll be all over you.”
Rune was nodding. “We take it slowly, Bliss. When they know and trust you, it will be easier.”
“I agree,” Brant said. “We Skraeling would accept you, Bliss, but the women are difficult.”
“Hey!” Wynne and I said in unison.
“Is it agreed then?” Rune asked.
“Yes.” Brant and Wynne responded instantly. Siv hesitated and then nodded.
Rune’s hawk-like eyes were on me. “And you, Bliss? Do you agree?”
So I got a vote, too. “Yes.” A squeaky one.
“Good.” He got to his feet. “Come on, the others will be impatient. It’s time to let them see our new vala.”
Chapter Sixteen: Siv
They’d gathered by the commons shed, settling on the grass and talking excitedly.
“With a vala our future’s secure.”
“Yes, it’s a turn in our fortunes.”
“If she’s any good…”
“Siv says so, so it must be true.”
Bliss was shaking like a leaf but trying not to show it. I took her hand, “Conclave is just like your village hall meetings, except there’s no Patriarch looking to trip you up.”
“You know that fat gut?” Wynne was hackling instantly. I’d forgotten she had a history with him.
“He’s poisonous as ever,” I told her, “but Bliss wouldn’t let me kill him.”
“Pity.” Sometimes Wynne is very sensible. “It would be nice to see him come to a sticky end.”
“All right!” Rune was looking around. “Are we all here?”
“Hildegard is sick, and Ingolf is out hunting,” Turid called.
“They can catch up tomorrow,” Rune motioned to me. “Our brother Siv is back,” there were cheers and whistles, “so we’ll start with his tale.”
