Mama led me to the field. To a circle near the edge of the woods. She grabbed two practice swords as I crossed into the circle. I tensed, eyes focusing on her. She tossed one of the practice swords and I scrambled to catch it, immediatly jumping to the left as I went. Where I once stood, mother was now standing, her sword where my head just was.

My mother was never assigned to the military. But to our family that meant very little. Mother's side was a long line of warriors. And we kept that tradition alive today. Though the government classified her as an artist, to the gods she was, is, and always will be a shield-maiden of the hall. My father may have taught me how to be a soldier, but my mother taught me to be a Viking.

I lunged forward, only for her to slide with all the grace of dancing, and swing her sword up to defend. She twisted, hooking my blade, and digging it into the ground. She quickly shot out to land the handle into my nose, but I dropped to the ground, having abandoned my sword the second control was taken from me.

I rolled to my feet, catching a sword Nikolai tossed to me. Mother glared at him. He smiled, and shrugged. I took this moment to jump to the side, and slap the flat part of the sword against the back of her thigh. She barked out a swear as I gave her a charlie horse.

“HA!” I cheer. “I win!”

Her head snapped to me, eyes on fire. I shrunk, terrified. Her face softened, smiling as she stood. “Excellent Hildr.” She said walking to me. “Now all you have to do is win.” She nodded to Volya, also preparing in a circle where the other kids gathered.

“For Thor.” I whispered. “To Victory.”

“Are you ready?” Demyan asked.

“I was ready this morning.” I say, chin up confidently.

“...no you weren’t.”

“Shut up, Demyan.”

“Kings,” Said Gothi Cadoc, with a wry grin, placing his staff in front of him, at the center of the circle. “Front and center.” I walked forward with Nadim and Faas at my side. Volya entered with Jaakko and Kacper. “Today, before Thor, the king of kings will be decided through a dual, challenged by King Volya, the Mighty, and accepted by King Hildr, the Wild. The rules are simple. Each will get two shields, a sword and an ax each. The dual is to an admission of defeat. Volya, these are your terms?”

“Yes, Gothi.” He said, grinning smugly at me.

“Hildr, do you accept?”

“Yes, Gothi.”

“Then grab your weapons.”

We all walked back to our ends of the fields. Jaakko handed me a shield, and Faas a sword. Volya and I faced each other. I shot him a challenge with a wry grin, as I tossed away my shield. Volya stared wide eyed, as Jaakko handed me my second shield. I stared him down with a raised brow, until he growled, and tossed his first shield away as well.

I smiled at this small victory. A ping hit my heart, sending warmth throughout my chest. Instinctively, I closed my eyes, looking up. Feeling something I couldn’t explain at the time. Pride, but not mine. Again, smiling, eyes still closed, I tossed away my second shield, and held out my hand for the ax. After a few seconds of not feeling anything placed in my hands, I opened my eyes to see the surrounding children looking at me wide eyed, and Gothi Cadoc looking amused. Faas looked to him questioningly. He nodded, and Faas handed me the ax.

Taking a few practice swings with the wooden weapons, again I turned to Volya challenging. His face was a wave of emotions. Loss, confusion, hatred, fear. I enjoyed every second of all of them. I would win. This I knew more than before. More than anything I’ve ever known my entire life. This battle was mine.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Came the only voice that could ruin it.

My face burned. “Go. Away. Kazimir.” I hissed without looking at him. Hearing him was hard enough. “You’re distracting.”

“I wanted to support you with your friends.” He said shyly.

“Ugh.” I say, moving to the center of the circle. I could ignore him at least for the short time I’d be beating up Volya. Approaching him, I slid the ax into my belt, swinging the sword in a wide upward arc. “We’re talking later, Kazimir. Don’t go anywhere.”

“Okay.”

Volya smiled. He thought he found a weakness. Maybe, but not nearly the one he needed. “Go ahead, Hildr.” he said with his dumb face. “Run off with your boyfriend and-”

“Begin.” Gothi Cadoc shouted, growing impatient.

I jerked forward, going for the fat underneath Volyas chin. He panicked, jumping back, just managing to bring the shield up in time. His sword jutted out from the shield. I blocked it with my own, jumping back as he pushed forward with his shield. We both smiled. Our blood was pumping now.

“Is that all you got, Hildr?” Volya sneered.

“I dedicate this battle to Thor.” I hum, grabbing for my ax, and swinging both weapons in an arc.

“Do you think that’s going to-” I kick his shield. He stumbles back. I press forward, swinging my sword out to his left side. Instinctively, he plants his right foot, catching his balance, and blocks my sword strike again. This time, I hooked the top of his shield with my ax, trying to yank it away. It held to his arm, but just barely. Quickly, I bashed it again with my sword, and sent it spiraling out of the ring. My sword was splinters.

His teeth gritted, as a bruise already formed on his arm. He jabbed, but I hooked the blade, trying to tear it from his hands. His grip was tight. We exchanged three blows, I attacked twice, and guarded once, before parting. We circled each other, breathing hard. Grinning ear to ear.

Volya opened his mouth, but I stopped him. “Volya,” I said. “Stop talking.”

I lurched forward. He struck at me with his sword, but I held up my arm. He hit my wrist, and I could feel it sprain, but the sacrifice was worth it. I took my ax and hooked Volyas ankle. With all the might of Thor, I yanked upwards. He fell back with a yelp. His sword flew in the air, and I jumped on top of him. I placed the ax at his throat as his sword fell on my head. I grabbed it before he could reach for it, placing it on my shoulder.

I smiled at Volya. “The strongest wins.”

He attempted to escape for a few moments. Finally, huffing, he snarled. “Not this time.”

“The winner of the bout, is Hildr the Wild!” Gothi Cadoc shouted, followed by the cheering of the surrounding children. I felt myself lifted up. I was placed on Papa's’ shoulder. He beamed proudly.

“Wonderfully done, my little soldier!” he boomed.

“My wrist hurts.” I mumbled to myself. I watched it swell.

“What was that?” Mama asked.

“I said I need to talk to Kazimir.” I said, slyly. I shoved my hand into my pocket as I did. It sent pain up my arm.

“Kazimir?” Nikolai chuckled, knowingly, eyebrow raised. “Really?”

“Make it quick, my darling.” Mama said, with a shiver. “We will be in the hall gathering our things.”

“Yes, Mama!” I shout, as Papa puts me down. I looked around. “Now to find-”

“You wanted to talk?” Came Kazimirs voice, making me jump. I gritted my teeth in annoyance. In getting caught off guard. And him catching me off guard. But that's what this was about.

I turned, looking him up and down. He was shifting in the cold. Blowing on his hands. He looked at me, with rosy cheeks and pretty eyes. The question was in his eyes, even as he he opened his mouth to repeat it.

“Yes, Kazimir.” I say, using the pain in my wrist to distract me from the flips in my guts.”You are distracting.” he blinks, surprised. “Distracting and annoying. And you always pop up out of nowhere. You surprise me. I don’t like surprises.”

“I’m sorry.” He says meekly. “I didn’t mean to-

“Today something else surprised me.” I continued, ignoring him. “And I couldn’t react to it because I am not used to surprises.” I took a step closer to him. I could smell his shampoo. Apples. “We’re going to fix that.”

“How?”

“Every time you see me from now on, you are going to sneak up on me and tap my shoulder.” I say, patting his hard as an example. He flinched. “Until I don’t respond. Until I’m used to it.”

“Does that mean we can start hanging out too?” He asked, curious. And maybe hopeful.

The butterflies went wild. I would kill the butterflies. “Until I’m used to it.”

“Okay.” He smiled, making my face as red as his. “See you tomorrow, Hildr!”

I huffed as he left. I heard thunder in the distance.