Chapter 5
Freydis
By morning, the clouds were gloomy. My head ache, and the wound was open. A pyre was lit on the lawn to burn the warriors who were killed during the battle against the Hounds. The Queen got very angry when she found out that I wasn't in the prayer hall with the rest of the people. After that, she gave thanks to the Lord for saving the people from the Hounds.
I stared at her intently. What would happen if she heard that it was the same Hounds that saved us last night?
After breakfast, I left for my room, nursing a strong headache. I had sent Siggy to make me some herb tea to help with the pain.
While she was away, I sat near the window reading a book. Just then, I heard a knock on the door, and I called for the person to come in, thinking it was Siggy. My eyes widened a little when I saw Ragnar walk in.
"Ragnar," I said. "I'm surprised to see you here this morning."
I stood up from the chair.
"You are wounded. Sit."
"I will be fine. I already sent Siggy to boil me some herbs to relieve the pain."
"If ye leave that wound to fester, it'll rot."
"I'm afraid, but this is what I look like after every Hound attack."
"Why must ye be stubborn?" he asked. "I brought salve for that wound. I won't say it again. Sit, Freyja."
I walked back to the chair and sat down with a long sigh.
"You need not stress yourself. I've survived this many times."
"Survived what?" he asked.
"What happened last night. You were there to witness it yourself," I muttered.
"The Hounds."
I nodded.
"Why has your father done nothing to hunt them down and put an end to this?"
"You don't understand. The more we kill them, the more they come back, many."
"How do you lot endure this?" he questioned.
"It's been three years. We've grown to adapt to it. This is not a surprise anymore."
I swallowed hard when his fingers brushed against my skin. I groaned.
"I'm sorry—"
"Don't be," I said.
He continued to rub the wound, his hands trailing down my face, and I closed my eyes at the feel of his touch. My body hummed, and I felt a new sort of heat gripping me.
The salve was hot on my skin. With both his touch and the salve on me, it felt as if my body was set aflame. Ragnar's hand was now far away from my forehead and was brushing my face down to my neck.
I drew a long breath. My body shuddered as his hands traveled across my skin.
All of a sudden, I jolted, seemingly realizing what was going on.
Ragnar pulled his hand away. "I was checking to see if there were any wounds there."
My cheeks flushed. "Thanks for the help."
He walked towards the table, grabbing the skin he'd brought along with him.
"I'm not certain if ye would be up for some mead," he said. "The Northern mead tastes stronger than the South. It's hard to stomach if ye are not used to it."
"I'm not fragile."
He raised a brow, turned to the skin, and poured some mead into a horn.
"Yesterday ye would not drink."
"That's because I already had some. Drinking any more than that would make me drunk, and being drunk like a fool is a sin."
He turned to me, handing me the horn.
"The smell is strong."
"Tis brewed and aged for twenty-five summers," he said.
My eyes widened. "I can't believe I'm about to drink something older than me."
"Ye are twenty summers."
I nodded.
"Recently, we have been introduced to a new drink. Wine, it's called. Made of grapes," I said. The King had brought some for us during one of his trades with the Europeans. He made everyone have a taste of it. And though it tasted sweet, I was already accustomed to ale and mead.
"Wine sounds like something for soft-bellied nobles," he said.
I brought the horn to my mouth, taking a sip, and I almost spat it out. It was hotter than the regular mead here because it was allowed to ferment for a long time. It burned my throat and chest.
I coughed twice. The taste was harsh.
"Forgive me. The taste is stronger than anything," I said.
"It's interesting," I added. "Sometimes I get jealous of you Northern folks."
"Why?"
"You have traveled to distant kingdoms. You live with no rules."
Women here are forbidden from traveling. The only time they can travel is when they are going to meet their husbands after weddings.
I took another sip of the mead. It was strong.
"Oh Lord! I'm already feeling it in my head," I said, handing back the horn to Ragnar.
He smiled.
"Any more than that, I'll be drunk and stumble around the halls," I said. "What will the Queen say if she sees me?"
"That we had a good time together," he grinned, and I was reminded that she forbade me from seeing him.
A single knock sounded on the door, and Siggy walked in.
"My Lady," she bowed, her eyes widening when she saw Ragnar.
"My Lord," she greeted.
"Siggy," I said.
Ragnar slowly stood up, taking the skin and salve.
"I'll take my leave now, Freyja," he said, walking away.
Siggy smiled with a knowing look as she locked the door.
"What was that, Freydis?"
"What?"
"Both of you in this room... alone."
"Shh," I said. "You don't want the Queen to know now."
She smiled.
"He brought me an ointment for my wound," I said.
"How kind of him," she said, walking towards me. "Here's the tea you asked for."