Warmagic

3. Chaos

I stood with my feet buried in soft moss covered in dew. The feeling was not unpleasant, but I would never have done it if it wasn't for Freke who'd told me I needed to ground myself and connect to the gods.

That was the sole reason why they'd brought me deep into the woods. I would have been lying if I had said I hadn't hoped for a different kind of alone time with them, but the wolf eyes told me this was not the time to even suggest it. They would never admit it but they were anxious after their long talk to their ancestors - I could sense it.

"Calm the spirits, I am not going to sacrifice our friends for Brokk's sake." I drew a deep breath and let the soothing scents of the forest fill my nose and lungs. "We don't even know if his wife is alive, if we did I might have considered it," I muttered as I started to walk in circles in front of Freke who sat more relaxed on the grass under a tree they chose as their favourite.

"Is the man even married?" They asked, "had anyone from your family been invited to the wedding?"

I nodded, "but even if this story is true, she's probably dead by now," I sighed, "and frankly I don't think he cares, it is merely a reason for him to fight them and take their riches."

"But you said it yourself, we won't," Freke declared, "the spirits have spoken to me. This is not our fight."

I stopped in my tracks and went to squat down in front of them, meeting their warm orange eyes with my pale grey ones. "We might as well tell him now. There might be a few who will side with him, but we can handle them."

"And Brokk, what will become of him?"

I sighed yet again, "that is up to him."

"And then what, my heart? We travel back home? I don't think the men would accept that, they came with us to raid and get rich, we can't leave with nothing."

I reached for their hand and traced my thumb along their tattooed wrist. "Freke, is this the path we want to take? Is this the new life that we want?"

Surprisingly they seemed unbothered by my worries. "We can't deny them this. You are going to take Brokk's place and lead them, and when you do, you need to give them something in return for their loyalty."

I nodded in agreement, closed my eyes shut and bit my lip waiting for a sign, some sort of guidance from my namesake, the God of war and honour.

"We will travel the long way home," I said, my eyes still closed and my hands still holding one of theirs between them, "and on our way we will stop and raid or trade smaller villages to bring something home with us. It will be a good experience."

"Experience for what, Tyr?" Freke whispered low and even if my eyelids were closed I could sense their intense gaze as they were expecting my answer.

I opened my eyes and an overwhelming feeling of sadness came over me. "It seems the old hags have changed my fate yet again, min skatt. My life won't be as peaceful as I had hoped."

"They have not," they said, placing their palms on my cheeks. "Ever since you were a young boy I knew you had a bigger purpose. This was planned from the day you were born, trust me."

I sighed deeply but let their presence calm me. I trusted them, and if the spirit-wolf and the Gods all said this was my fate, who was I to question it?

"You need to do this, Tyr, your uncle's actions will make your family name weak, and you can't return empty handed.

"And us raiding towns and bringing home treasures to my father will make up for that? Freke, my father has raised me to be a juste, to follow in his footsteps, I don't believe that he wants me to spill unnecessary blood in his name."