Northlands Saga 0: Spears in the Ice

Impressed by his old friend’s skill and comfort with her mount, Ulf just listens and looks at the young woman as she explains her oath to the Jarl, and why she should not speak of whatever came between Olaf Henrikson and Vidar Rolfsson. He is then surprised when she then moves off towards a narrow space full of enough din that they can speak privately. He glances at the gate and frowns, not so certain the the Jarl’s girls can wait, but follows the armored blond into the alley. There, he speaks up as his horse nickers and stamps.

"Astrid. I do not mean to make trouble for you."

Again he thinks inwardly, darkly.

"I value your words on this, you must know. But speak nothing that will risk your standing here."

Ulfarr regrets his words when Astrid reacts the way she does, but he does not want to risk his old friend’s station and standing to merely hear of some old wound that still festered. Some slight or other injury that he doubted would still make sense to him after all these years. The question gnawed at him, but he would discover the truth of it soon enough, from Astrid or others.

He keeps pace with the spearmaiden as she goes, letting his mount lead him, but the man says no more as they head for the Jarl’s daughters. There is much he wants to say to Astrid, much he wants to ask her beyond the age-old feud between his father and Henrikson. Even beyond whether there has been news of his half-brother… but instead he focuses on the task at hand, putting from his mind the knots this girl’s scent used to twist in his stomach.

Inga, the Jarl’s oldest daughter.
She is named to you as Fastvi.
Little Runa’s

"Hail, young ladies," Ulf says as he and Astrid approach on horseback, glad to see that they have not gone off ahead, by themselves. "Your escort has arrived. Where is it you wish to go?"

He looks at each of them in turn. Fetching Inga with her beautiful dress, little Runa with the scars. Such marks do not trouble Ulfarr. He knows that a person's spirit often is not reflected in their appearance. And then Fastvi, who looks innocent enough. Why did Astrid warn him of her?

Inga meets Ulfarr's gaze dispassionately, perhaps even imperiously. She sits her horse as if she is anxious to be off, as if gathering flowers is of high importance and she should be back at the hall as soon as possible.

Runa doesn't look in Ulfarr's direction whatsoever. Her mouth is moving and she is looking at something askance. Ulfarr sees no one--or nothing--that she would be talking to, unless she is sharing words that only Fastvi can hear; Fastvi sits her own horse on Runa's left. Also, are there more than a usual amount of spring flies buzzing around Runa's mount's ears and eyes?

If Runa is speaking to Fastvi, Fastivi makes no indication of it. Her lively face is looking at Ulfarr with open interest. Before Ulfarr can flatter himself as an object of admiration for the girl, however, he sees that her gaze is not directed at him so much as it is at his mail, his shield, his many weapons.

Even as Ulfarr considers, Fastvi's heels tap her horse's flanks. The animal clomps forward to meet Ulfarr's. Fastvi reaches for the most curiously carved haft of one of Ulfarr's axes.

How many do you have? she says. Lend me one? Please? They say there are bandits in the forest.

Ulfarr nods at Inga first, acknowledging that she is the elder of the siblings, and that she is nearly a woman grown. Runa and the flies he has to try and not peer at, but it's Fastvi that captures his attention when she comes forward on her mount -- and asks him for an axe!

"Astrid and I," Ulf begins gently, "will protect you from bandits or anything else in the forest, Fastvi. If your father intended that you have an axe today, he would have furnished you one."

Then, trying to direct conversation away from his denying the Jarl's daughter what she wished, Ulf adds, "These must be bold men to infest woods so close to your father's steading. Are they known to him?"

Fastvi grins--How like the eldest she is, and how unlike! Ulfarr doubts Inga could smile with such genuine mirth.

My father know the bandits? Well, I wouldn't be surprised if he knows one or two. He's met many a man, across a sword, shield or ax or otherwise.

An expression crosses her gaze. Is it mischief.

He's met your father, of course!

If Fastvi expects a reaction--what, exactly?--out of Ulfarr, she has not interest in it. Already she is turning away, clucking at her mount, and Ulfarr has been in the field enough to know that--even in this unfamiliar steading--that is the sound for a high gallop.

With a toss of her braids, Fastvi reins her mount around and begins to ride across the heath.

Before he can suffer any embarrassment, as Fastvi gallops away, Ulfarr glances at his companions for some indication of what he should think of this behavior.

Inga looks as stern as ever, and haughtily meets Ulfarr's gaze with a look that may be telegraphing Inga's opinion that Fastvi's ride is all Ulfarr's fault.

Runa seems oblivious. She is laughing quietly, but not, apparently, at Fastvi's behavior. She actually is looking the opposite direction of Fastvi; Runa hasn't even turned in her saddle. Her gaze is fixed at some space in the air just beyond Ulfarr's shoulder, and Runa's laughing manner gives the impression that she is focused on some amusing tale that only she can, evidently, hear.

It's Astrid who gives Ulfarr the clearest indication of how to navigate this. Astrid's face says it all. Her expressions are so familiar. Suddenly it feels to Ulfarr that all of those absent years between them have been rolled up like a blanket and tucked away in the winter closet.

It appears that Fastvi has chosen our trail.

Astrid touches her reins; her mount begins to follow the errant rider.

Let's be off! We want to gather Freya's flowers in their fullest bloom.

In a flash, Ulfarr and his borrowed mount are at a full gallop. This would be easier on Eisa, but she was back with Ulf’s parents. They offered her for their son’s journey, but he refused, knowing how important the mare was to the running of the steading. Time to test this horse then!

"Fastvi!" the man shouts as he tries to catch and then overtake the young rider, hoping to catch up her reigns. "Slow down! Your horse will break a leg at this rate! Be kind to the beast, girl!"

At Ulfarr’s words, Fastvi turns briefly in the saddle to see her protector’s pursuit, laughs, and pushes her mount all the more.

She shouts before her, into the wind, but Ulfarr believes he hears beneath the galloping of his borrowed horse’s hooves:

I have ridden these fields since before my tooth-fee. So try to keep up, outlander!

As Ulfarr rides, he thinks he sees, beyond Fastvi’s galloping form, a group of other riders apparently heading down a muddy track through the fields in the direction of Fastvi and Ulfarr’s other companions.

Rising in his saddle to get a better look at the riders ahead when he notices them, Ulfarr curses to himself as Fastvi rides expertly -- pulling away! The girl does seem to know the field, or rather her horse does, but either way... she will not be easy to catch.

The northman does not know what's become of the other girls, or of Astrid as he bears down and signals his mount to run at a breakneck clip. His horses is larger than Fastvi's; mayhap the beast is stronger, fleeter as well.

"Fastvi!" he shouts as he hangs on, regretting pursuing the girl. She is the type to just get worse when she is pushed or told she cannot do something. Better to bore her by not engaging in a chase -- but it is too late for that now!

Ulfarr, even at a mad gallop, has wit enough about him to make out five armed riders on the horizon. The horses move slowly, as if exhausted from long riding.

As he gallops, Ulf risks a quick glance back at Astrid to see how she is reacting to the armed riders...