“Marriage! To who?”

“Who do you think?” 

“I wish you and Valark all the best.”

“Ha.Ha. Very funny, my love.”

Is this really happening? For a short moment my body forgets how to breathe.

“Who proposed this plan? Was it your mother?”

“Does it matter?”

Yes it does.

“Well… it….” My heart moves up to occupy the space where my voice originates from. Taking a few deep breaths, I try to regain my trail of thoughts only to abandon them in favour of a new one. 

“Are you accepting this plan?”

“Are you against it?”

Will you please, just answer my questions? “I would like to hear your thoughts on this matter.”

“My thoughts aren’t important, Prince Deven.”

Prince Deven! I’d rather drown in the sea than hear her say my name like that.

“Your thoughts are important to me, A’el.” I take her hands in mine and I can feel her trembling. She tries to free herself but I hold on to her. I don’t want to marry her, but I don’t want to lose a close companion either.  “Please drop the royal act and just talk to me.”

“I understand the reasons, but I would be lying if I said that I was uncomfortable with the idea. I’ve thought about it and there aren’t many suitors for me. The list shrinks down to one friend I can trust.”

Ah, I see.

“Really? What about Leon?” 

“What about him?”

“You don’t trust him?”

For the first time, she breaks eye contact with me. Hugging herself she says in a low voice, “Not as much as I trust you.”

“Ael…..I…”

“I think you need some time. I’m sorry, I just wanted you to hear it from me first." She opens her mouth as if trying to say something. Stops. Then looks away before catching sight of her handmaiden, Naisha.  “I’ll see you later, Deven.” She hovers away towards Naisha and I watch as the two fairy ladies head off in the direction our parents had gone. I want to go after her but I see Valark searching for someone or something.

I completely forgot about escorting Gunther.

I call out and run to him, but before I can say anything he holds his hand up with his palm facing me. 

“The Queen Mother has told me to inform you that we will not be needing an engaged man on our escort. Congratulations. I’ll be sure to tell you of my glorious battles when I get back.”

“I don’t think there will be any battles, dear brother.”

“A fight’s a fight, Deven.” He taps my shoulder and heads off to the stables. 

**********

In the cool of the night I stare at the flames as they lick the air around ‘em. Stretching as far as they can and shrinking back in size, only to repeat the same meaningless attempt again and again. 

I guess the darkness can be that strong sometimes. No matter how hard you fight against it, it will always win.

I look up at the stars, most of which are covered by the clouds, and let the music take me away while the celebrations go on around me.

Should I tell Ragnar? 

I watch him dancing near the instruments with one of the women and I can’t help but picture him with his own family. A hut to call home, some girls and boys of his own to train, feed and protect. He deserves it, even though there is no room for me within that frame.

Everyone else seems to be happy. The land we’ve found has rich soil and is full of animal life. Wild pigs, rabbits, deer and other creatures I didn't even know existed are being roasted and passed around, and there is still more to share. We didn't have to go far from the shore to find wood for our fence, and animals for our meal. I think in three days, we can build a nice, small village close to this shore. After that, we move inland to find the inhabitants of this land. Offer them some coins, weapons and animal skin in exchange for information about the weather and other villages or lands nearby. In time, we will make this land our home. For now, our half circle spike-logged fence will have to do as the ships play the part of cradles, rocked gently by the sea. 

Soon, this place will be a home….. their home. 

“Vif!.... Uh… Chief!” A man as big as a bear staggers towards me with two cups in each hand. 

What does this fool want now?

“I ‘ave…. I ‘ave to… I have to yell….Listen to me!” When he gets closer, the fire reveals his heavily bearded face and red scruffy hair. His eyes are as clear as a cloudless sky. He gets close, throws one arm around me and speaks in a low voice. 

“Thank you for bringing us this far, Chief Sif. Now, I am sure we can all agree that you have done all you can. I mean, you did your best back at Ikram but your leadership is lacking. You lost nearly half of our people at sea.” 

At least he’s stopped pretending to be drunk!

“Tumak, you know as well as I do that we only lost five ships at sea. The others fled.”

“Chief, you know as well as I do that a weak leader can’t control her people.”

He’s not wrong.

“If you want the mantle, Tumak, all you have to do is call me out.” I place my hand on the hilt of me knife that is strapped to me waist.

“Oh no. No no no, my chief, I would rather wait until the people come to their senses and see what a poor leader you are. Then I will call you out and believe me, that day is coming soon.” 

A child’s scream pierces through the night. I see the child lying on the ground near the wooden gate, struggling to get free. I push Tumak aside and head towards the child.

Has one of the natives come? Why are they troubling a child?

The boy sees me and says, “Chief, someone is pulling me leg.”

I can see a slim hand with nails like a tiger, stretching from underneath the gate, holding his leg tightly. It's amazing how such a weak arm can hold a child in place. I signal for him to be quiet.

“Excuse me stranger, could you let the little one go. I’d be willing to let you come in.” No 

response. I get closer to the gate and hear strange noises coming from the other side.

Maybe the native doesn’t understand me.

I lightly step on the arm but he doesn't loosen his grip on the child. I press my foot down harder but nothing happens. No shout of pain, no loose grip, no reaction at all.. 

“Chief!” one of me people yell to me. “Above you!”

I look up and there between two spiked pillars a man stares down at me with black eyes. I hear the strange noises getting louder. More people begin to appear above the wooden-spiked fence. I bend down, unsheath me knife and stab the hand at the wrist. Immediately, the boy is free and I pull him to his feet. We head back to the group by the fire and Ragnar hands me the two-handed axe me father gave me after becoming Chief. As I take it from Ragnar, I whisper a soft prayer.

The people on the fence drop down and begin to approach us. We move with our backs towards the fire, drawing them in like many fish caught in a net. Their movement is unnatural, even though they walk upright on two feet as we do. They shriek and advance slowly, cautiously, tilting their head this way and that as if listening to a sound far away. 

“Seems like they’ve come here looking for trouble,” Ragnar says.

“We don’t want any trouble.” I say to them in a last attempt at making peace. They stop. Deafening silence fills the air. I take a moment to look around and see where me people are. The elderly and the children are closest to the fire, while the warriors surround them facing the enemy. One of the natives looks at me and gives a loud shriek. Suddenly they sprint towards us.