Thorfinn x reader, A Vinland saga romance

Sudden change

Sygnafylki, Norway
1004 AD
*         *         *

I woke up to the sounds of wood clasping against each other. The boys were playing 'war' again, and I wanted to join.

I jumped off the bed, threw on some wool, and ran down the slippery stairs. I was greeted by my mother, who was making lots of food. The smell filled my nose and lungs, my mouth started drooling.
The warriors would soon be home again after months of sailing and raiding, so we were going to host a welcome-home feast, where the whole village would bring some home-cooked food and lots of wine.

I grabbed my big brother's wooden sword from the table and ran out to join the fight that was currently just outside my house. The kids stopped fighting once I came and stared at me with annoyed faces.
"Noo, it's not fun when she joins! I don't want to play babysitter, I want to play war, and girls don't fight wars!
The boy who shouted glared at me, so I glared even harder even though he was years older than me.
"I can fight too!"

I ran up to the boy and knocked the sword out of his sloppy grip. I felt a bump in the ground as his bony ars smashed onto the ice.
"Hey! What do you think you are doing you little fart!?" He glared at me for some time, then he moved his leg upfront to get up.
His head reached far above mine, his hair making him appear even taller. He cracked his finger, one by one, as if he was going to kill someone. Long shivers ran through my back as he reached his hand forward.

"I, Olafr, son of Olaf the third, challenge you to a duel, in the name of holy Thor! If I win, you shall never play with us again, and if you win, you'll earn my title of "Captain Dane of Sygna!""

I heard gasps from the riled up viewers, among them some grownups who had found entertainment;
"What? Is that even fair? A boy to fight a girl half his age?! This can't be accepted?!"
"Ooohhh this is going to be soo epic!"
"OLAFR! You'll get my axe if you lose to this baby! Hahahahah!"
"OLAFR! OLAFR! OLAFR! OLAFR!"

Everyone started chanting his name as if I had already been defeated. An unsettling feeling passed through me as I shook the smirking boy's hand.

The chanting died out, and both of us stood still for a few seconds. Suddenly he came flying at me. I barely dodged it. He was so fast!
I turned around to face him again, this time striking first. I charged right against him, and just as he was going to block the incoming sword, I switched hands.
Splinters flew everywhere as my brother's sword grazed his side, through leather and skin. He lost balance from the blow and fell right over. I squatted down beside him and clasped my cold fingers around the remaining sword.

"Can you stand?" Instead of reaching him my hand, I put the sword to his neck, enough to make me win the battle.

"You little bastard! You're cheating! How hell did you do that?!"
"Idiot, she is the daughter of captain Fenris! It's no wonder she is so good!"
"Hey did you see that? She used her left hand..." "Well I heard she's dual-handed or something, sure comes in handy in situations like these."
"Well, cheating is after all a girl's weapon. She proved that just now."
      I could hear people talking among themselves in the crowd, but no one was cheering as they would usually do after a duel.

I can hold my temper through almost everything, but once it is about me being a girl, I can't. People always underestimate me, I had taught myself how to use swords and daggers, to prove that I am more than just a future wife, but they still won't treat me like an equal.
Because I just defeated Olafr, I am currently the strongest kid in the village, which is the best position you could have among the children.

"If I can't be equal, I shall be better."

I smirked at them, knowing that they would be dammed pissed, and ran away into the woods. My shoes had loosened, and they fell off. I felt cold water sieve into my socks as I kept my honour by continuing to run.