Sigurd and his companions had just returned from the pukje lair, their sleds packed heavy with loot. He noticed a familiar face walking in his direction and hailed him.
"Pardon me friend Grim, are we about to be invaded by trolls?" asked Sigurd.
"I would welcome such news if it were true. No, this is much worse friend Sigurd." said Grim.
"A dragon then?"
"I agree a dragon would be worse than trolls, yet still I would welcome the challenge."
"What could be worse than a dragon?"
"Wulfgar the Troll."
"HAHAHAHA! Wulfgar? We killed him during our journey." said Sigurd.
"Then his ghost is here. He means to see that you and your friends are outlawed."
"Outlawed? On what grounds?"
"On the grounds that you murdered innocent Norgardians and then burned their outpost in the forest." said Grim.
"He failed to mention these innocent Norgardians were allied with the pukje that looted Thrain's corpse or how he ran from battle naked as his first morning on Midgard." said Sigurd.
"He did mention that your kin stole his clothes and left him to die."
"What manner of lawsuit will Wulfgar the Troll pursue?" asked Isgerd.
"Wulfgar knew if he tried to win by Einvigi (single combat), that you would put Magnus up as your champion; and he would die. He will not accept settlement before trial. It is rumored that he has a huge number of unknown supporters who will help him win the case by force of numbers. I have asked around and nobody admits to supporting Wulfgar. His popularity is not well known in Norgard." Said Grim.
"We need to see the Jarl. Who is leader now?" asked Sigurd.
"Gunnar Bluetooth was made Jarl the day after you left Norgard." said Grim.
"He is a good choice. We need to see him at once."
"He is busy discussing matters with the godar and elders. You will not be allowed to see him until this lawsuit is settled in two days."
"I thank you for your good explanation of this commotion Grim."
"You should spend the next two days gathering support for your defense at the lawrock." said Grim.
"Can we count on your support and the support of your kin?" asked Sigurd.
"Of course. We are friends." said Grim.
"If we lose, your situation in Norgard will be worse." said Sigurd.
"Then you had best win or I have placed my fate with the wrong side." said Grim.
Grim left Sigurd and his kin and headed down to the wharf to get supplies for his family. The ships had started arriving for the Spring raids and for the Althing. The population of Norgard had tripled.
"I will talk to Gunnar. As a godi, even if accused of crimes, I have full rights until sentencing." said Isgerd.
"Good, I will take our goods to my farm. We can stay there and make our plans until matters are settled." said Sigurd.
"As soon as Wulfgar the Troll is outlawed, I am going to request going on the raids this Spring." said Magnus.
"We will all go." said Olaf.
"Give me Thrain's cloak. It will bring us honor to bestow it upon Gunnar as a gift. I will take these men who were held prisoner for support." said Isgerd.
Magnus had given the cloak to Sigurd before they left the pukje lair. Sigurd had been walking taller since donning the cloak. "I have grown fond of this mantle. Still it does not belong to me. Take it Isgerd. Tell of the great deeds that led to its return." said Sigurd.
Isgerd placed the cloak over her shoulder. "I will tell our story." she said.
"Do not mention the key to Thor's tomb or any of our other evidence until the Al-thing." said Aesa.
"Do not worry Aesa, I am godi. I know how to win a lawsuit." said Isgerd.
Isgerd headed to Ulfgard with the men from the Pukje prison and Thrain's cloak. The others followed Sigurd to his farm. The men provided an honor guard, helping to keep Isgerd's path clear as she approached the Jarl's home. Isgerd had given each man three silver bracelets for their loyalty. It was enough to feed their families for several months.
When she reached the plateau where the meadhall and lawrock were located, Isgerd slowed her pace. She had learned that power often manifested by the appearance of power. She walked with a regal gait, projecting authority as she approached Ulfgard.
The doors to Ulfgard were open as was the custom during the day. Two warriors stood guard, spears at the ready.
"Greetings Hoskuld. Good day Aki. I must speak to Jarl Gunnar Bluetooth." she demanded.
"Greetings Isgerd. You are charged with murder. You must wait until the Althing before you are allowed to speak to the Jarl." said Hoskuld.
"Is this what the Jarl has decreed? I bring a gift. Has hospitality withered in Norgard while I was away?" she asked.
"Come Hoskuld, let Isgerd and her men pass. We have not forgotten the duties of a host since Thrain was murdered. After all, there has been plenty of talk concerning her and her kin before she even arrived home. The Jarl must show he is above foul rumors and slander." said Gunnar.
"Greetings Jarl Gunnar Bluetooth. It gladdens my heart to know you are Jarl." said Isgerd.
"It gladdens my heart to see you Isgerd. Please come to my private room. There is much to discuss. Your men may enjoy food and drink in the hall." said Gunnar.
Isgerd presented Thrain's cloak to Gunnar. "We have fulfilled our oath to bring back Thrain's cloak." She gave all the details of the deeds that led to the cloak's return, leaving nothing out.
Thrain paused for a moment staring at the cloak in his arms. His beard started to wag and a single tear ran down his cheek. "The gods favor you, and I cannot offer you enough red-gold to show my appreciation for your deeds." said Gunnar.
"We only wish to bring glory to our people." said Isgerd.
"You have and more." said Gunnar. Gunnar motioned for Isgerd to follow him, the cloak tightly clenched in his strong hands.
Isgerd entered the Jarl's chamber. It looked much as it did before under Thrain. Gunnar kept a few personal war prizes and weapons from his days fighting in the Troll Wars in the room. Along with Gunnar, Bergar the Bold, Hrothgar Spearshaker, Serk the Godi of Burgenmark and Soti the Godi of Skaelg were present. Everyone sat near the hearth near the center of the room. Furs lined the floors and simple benches. Drink and food were available but no thralls were allowed into the Jarl's chamber. Gunnar himself handed a horn of mead to Isgerd.
When all were seated Gunnar bowed to Hrothgar Spearshaker. "Hrothgar Spearshaker you are the wisest of the elders among us. Please speak your mind." said Gunnar.
"What you mean to say is I am old. It is true the Norns mocked me on the battlefield and refused to take me in battle during the Troll Wars. I continued to raid against the Welkins until the dok-alfar came in the night and hammered my knees and back until I was bent and could no longer chase down a deer or fleeing enemy. It has been ten years since I was good for much but talk. Still I will offer what little insight the gods have left me. These young Norgardians...these kin of Isgerd the Godi...they have the eye of Odin. He watches them. It is my suggestion that we support these warriors. I am old enough to know how to recognize where luck and skill have gathered in abundance." said Hrothgar.
"What of Wulfgar the Troll and his lawsuit. Will it bring us shame to actively spurn his offer of gold and power if we support him?" asked Bergar the Bold.
"I have seen no gold. I have seen no power. What I have seen is a coward who should have been outlawed last season now trying to get others outlawed, whom we should be throwing a feast for and granting lands." said Gunnar.
"I do not believe Wulgar is making idle threats. A man does not dance naked before Freya with no cock. No, he has supporters. Perhaps from one of our rival villages." said Bergar.
"I do not believe Wulfgar is important enough to gather supporters from Uppsala. It must be Trodheim that offers him power if he can make trouble here. Trodheim has always been jealous of Norgard...for a lesser man always envies his betters to some degree." said Hrothgar.
"Serk, Soti, what do you Godar say on the matter?" asked Gunnar.
"Wulfgar is not important to the Godar. A man who would sleep with pukje will find a most unpleasant smell follows him for the rest of his days." said Serk.
"We are here for other matters. We are here for Isgerd the Godi." said Soti.
"Me? Why would the wisest of the remaining Godar have interest in a young Godi from a remote village like Norgard?" asked Isgerd.
"Why indeed. Are you versed in the law? Do you know how Mord the Beserker won his case and gained settlement when he had but one supporter, his old father back in 1014?" asked Soti.
"Odin spoke for him." said Isgerd.
"Odin spoke for him! Who speaks for you Isgerd?" asked Serk.
"I speak for myself, for my kin, for Jarl Gunnar Bluetooth and for Norgard." said Isgerd.
"...and you speak for Odin!" said Soti.
"What you Godar speak of has not happened since the Troll Wars began over a hundred years ago." said Hrothgar.
"Has the girl denied it?" asked Serk.
"Well young Isgerd, is it true?" asked Bergar.
"It...it is true sir. Odin speaks through me sometimes." said Isgerd.
"Sometimes or always?" asked Soti.
"Yes. Yes...I hear his voice always. His power flows through me. I can use it to help heal others and to bend myself into the shape of animals. How did you know?" she asked.
"We did not. We suspected. The Norns cast shadows behind you. No child your age has ever been made a Godi." said Serk.
"Why didn't you tell me, child?" asked Gunnar.
"Tell you? Tongues would wag like beards. I would be accused of being a witch and outlawed." said Isgerd.
"It is a gift. You would not be outlawed." said Gunnar.
"Hildagunn was outlawed." she said.
"She has a good argument!" said Bergar.
"Hildagunn was practicing seid magic and caused an infant to be deformed." said Gunnar.
"You speak of seid magic as if it were evil. It is not. Hildagunn is a fine maiden. She saved Magnus from death when a huge pukje was certain to send him broken before the singing Valkyries." said Isgerd.
"You bend the poem and send its flow against the tide." said Gunnar.
"The poem is pure. The poetry of magic flows from Odin into the hearts of those he favors. To bend Odin's favor to foul purpose will only bar the way to Valhalla. I could never do that and neither could Hildagunn. I mean to ask for her return to Norgard." said Isgerd.
"Lift the decree of Outlaw?" asked Gunnar.
"Yes, do it at the Althing." she said.
"This is no small request." said Gunnar.
"It is the boon I ask for helping to return Thrain's mantle to you." she said.
Gunnar looked at the cloak still clutched tight in his massive fists. "It will be done!" he said.
"Oh, but there is more; is there not, Isgerd?" asked Serk.
"What? What do you mean Serk? Gunnar already knows the boys want to go raiding. I need not ask for that." said Isgerd.
"We speak of your secrets. Some you have shared. Some you have not." said Soti.
"You have guessed more than you knew, and now think you know more than there is to tell." said Isgerd.
"We are godar. Your secrets may save us all. You must pay your debt to us, and tell us all that is hidden." said Serk.
"I respect you as elders, wise in the ways of our people, and as mentors. When I understand what Odin is saying to me, I will not hesitate to inform you of his will." said Isgerd.
"Just be careful that his will and your will are not confused." said Soti.
"My will is what Odin commands." she said.
"May it be so." chimed Soti and Serk as one.
"Isgerd, you have my support. We will sit with you and your kin at the lawrock. I will grant your kin land, many fine gifts and an oar on one of my longships. Eirk is captain of Thor's Fury. Give him greetings from Gunnar. Tell him you are to raid the Welkins with him, and bring back as much gold as the ship will hold. You may go." said Gunnar.
"I thank you Jarl, Hrothgar, Bergar, Serk and Soti for allowing me to speak." said Isgerd
She gathered her men and left Ulfgard in a hurry.
"That one has no trouble speaking!" laughed Hrothgar.
"You just wish she would warm your loins!" said Bergar.
"Even the gods can't help Hrothgar with that." said Gunnar.
The men laughed.
"She is hiding secrets from us." said Bergar.
"Of course she is." said Gunnar.
"She is a godi." said Serk and Soti.
Isgerd and her guardians moved briskly through the throngs of people. She recognized many of them, but they could see by her pace and her armed wall of men that she was too busy to socialize. Soon, she was out of town with Sigurd's farm in view. They headed toward the main structure. She could see Olaf and Sigurd busy talking to a few farmhands. A boy was following every action Sigurd made with great care. When Isgerd was close enough to be noticed, she hailed them.
"What news, Isgerd?" asked Sigurd.
"We have the support of the Jarl in both the lawsuit and our desire to raid South." said Isgerd.
"Wonderful news! Perhaps now I can go to the meadhall and persuade others to support us." said Olaf.
"Don't you mean you want to go to the meadhall and have sex with as many women as you can handle?" said Sigurd.
"We all have different skills. I'm a skald. Skalds understand the importance of rhythm, the subtle movements of the hands and mouth over a fine instrument...sublime transcendence! The delicate vibration of..." said Olaf.
"I do not need to hear this. Where is everyone else?" asked Isgerd.
"Magnus and Kara ran off to get drunk. I don't know where Aesa went. She did not tell me, nor did I see her leave." said Sigurd.
"Well I guess that just leaves the adults to seek political favors from our people." said Isgerd.
"I will walk over to the artisans booths and work to gain support among them." said Sigurd.
"I will make sure all of our kin show up to support us." said Olaf.
"I will speak to anyone I have helped in a lawsuit or have aided in some other way." said Isgerd.
The boy who was shadowing Sigurd jumped up and down excitedly while tugging on Sigurd's cloak. "And I will talk to the other children. They will come to the lawrock and support our heroes."
"Who is the boy?" asked Isgerd.
"He is Sigmund. An orphan. He is ten. His father was Faxi Hair-breeches. He was killed in last year's raids. I have agreed to foster him now that I have land." said Sigurd.
"Sigurd is a great hero. I am honored to be his foster-son." said Sigmund.
"And Sigmund is a fine son. No father could be prouder than to have him to foster." said Sigurd.
"May the gods show their blessings on you both." said Isgerd.
As soon as Sigurd was occupied with the duties of running a farm, Aesa slipped away. She padded to the most isolated part of the village near the craggy cliffs just past the wharfs. Several old storage buildings lined the path out of town. Some were still used to store surplus goods for the winter...others seemed abandoned. Aesa crept between the buildings careful not to be seen. She could see several men standing around one old building. It was a building not used for storage, but for other purposes.
Without hesitation, Aesa vanished behind that building and climbed down the wet, uneven cliff facing the ocean. She did not have tools for this, but descended with ease, finding hand and foot holds as if she knew exactly where they were. Aesa came to the edge of an alcove and let go. She used her momentum to pull her into a dark cave.
She touched the key to Thor's tomb without looking at it and could see in the dark. With the key's help she could tell that the room was filled with goods and treasure. She ignored this and headed to the far end of the cave. When she came to a corner of the cave stacked with boxes, she stopped as something made a distinct metallic clicking sound. She leaped straight up as two mechanical scythes whirred out of the wall. The blades would have removed her legs from the knees down if she had been slower. Gravity pulled her down toward the moving blades as a pit opened up below where she had been standing when the trap was triggered. Aesa vaulted off the handle of one of the blades toward the wall and back-flipped onto the floor, inches from the pit. Fast as a cat, Aesa covered her face with an air-tight mask and vaulted for the stack of boxes. While in flight she watched as the floor where she just had landed flooded with a liquid that melted anything organic it came in contact with. Green-gas flooded the room. She landed safe on the top box in the stack. From her position, Aesa checked the wall and found the well-hidden indentation she was looking for. She started to thrust a specialized tool into the indent but noticed at the last second that a thin filament touched the indent, its other end tied to a rod a few feet above the indent. Aesa replaced the filament with a line of her own of the same length, gluing it to another place on the cave wall. Then she prayed to the Norns and cut the original filament. Nothing happened. Smiling, Aesa used her specialized tool to unlock a mechanism in the indent. An unseen door opened. Aesa jumped from the boxes to the door entrance and vaulted inside. The door closed behind her. She pulled off her mask, gasping for air. Some days were more interesting than others.
Aesa padded down a long hall, inspecting the entire path for any more surprises. She ignored a few simple traps, using her raw skills to avoid any trouble, disarmed another and then slipped inside a room with no door. The room was lit by large flickering candles. A man was sitting on a chair with his back to her. He seemed to be reading something. Aesa drew her daggers and eased behind the man, placing her daggers firm against his jugulars.
"Ah, Aesa. You thief! I told you never to use the back way into this hideout ever again!" he strained to say.
"Well father, how do you know it is not one of your thugs, angry you shorted them of their cut of the loot? said Aesa.
"Because I dumped the last ten bodies that tried into the sea...or what was left of their bodies...You are the only person lucky enough to bypass my traps and disarm my alarm without getting my attention...well other than me of course!" he said.
Aesa removed her daggers from his blood streaked neck and put them away.
"You could have killed me!" they said in unison.
"Yes! I should have!" they responded in unison.
"You owe me money!" said the man.
"What does Gust the Lucky need with money from a poor orphan girl?" she said.
"Orphan? Is that what you are telling people these days? I gave you skills that any father would be proud of. Who can outrun you? Who can see you if you want to remain unseen? I gave you that and you repaid me by stealing my favorite wolf and his gem-studded collar!" said Gust.
"That wolf was Lokispawn, and he ate better than I did." she said.
"At least tell me what you got for him!"
"two silver bracelets for the wolf and four for the collar. It was more than he was worth." she said.
"Bah! I could have gotten ten silver bracelets any day! Aesa? WHY are you here?" he said.
"You know why I am here or have you stopped monitoring all activity in Norgard?" she asked.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked.
"Get your men...ALL of your men to go to the Althing and support us at the lawrock." she demanded.
"I don't know why I should." Gust said.
Aesa placed a bag on the table. Gust opened it and looked inside with widening eyes.
"Because you love me Father, that's why." said Aesa.
"I can't believe you scored this much treasure. They're not real are they?" asked Gust.
"Oh, they are real. Call it luck. I'm not the street urchin you raised. I'm a hero now. People will write my name in sagas some day." said Aesa.
"I am sure they will my little sembling." Gust said.
"I never understood why you call me that." said Aesa.
"If you ever meet a sembling, you will understand dear one." he said.
"So I can count on you? You are not going to pocket this and waste it on thralls and mead?" she asked.
"I'm hurt. I always have your best interests at heart." he said.
"If you have my best interests at heart, share some news with me. What do you know that no one else is privy to?" she asked.
"What kind of question is that? I know everything that no one else is privy to...but I think I will share something with you. Wulfgar is not working alone against you. When you interfered in his business you actually made some powerful enemies." he said.
"Who? His mother? Not washing doesn't make you powerful it makes you a pukje." she said.
"Oh no. Not his mother and not any Norsemen. Rumor is there is a new power from the Welkin lands to the South that wants something in our lands...something powerful...something that has been hidden for a long time. Rumor has it that this new power is dangerous."
"I like danger. It eases the boredom." said Aesa.
"You don't like THIS kind of danger. Rumor is this power is allied with witches and wizards who would like this land for themselves. Be careful how much you want to be a hero my sembling." said Gust.
"You are alright sometimes father. I may forget you are a liar and a thief." said Aesa.
Aesa walked away as silent as death and headed down the hall toward the front entrance where the men had been standing around.
When she was out of hearing range Gust the Lucky shed a single tear.
"I love you too my daughter. May the Norns look after you...just how old is this treasure you've found my little sembling?" He began examining some of the pieces with a jeweler's lens and nearly dropped it. "She has more secrets than I do!"
Aesa walked past the men out front. "Keep up the good work Mord. I'd hate for the old man to get his throat slit because you were not alert enough to know when someone had walked right past you." she said.
"Where? Where did you come from?" asked Mord.
"Me? Didn't you see me go in? Were you sleeping or drunk again?"
Aesa walked away without waiting for an answer while Mord slapped his companion in frustration for not seeing Aesa arrive.
"Dumber than a pukje in a map drawing contest." she murmured under her breath.