The Emeralds

IV

Jarl Olaf and Jarl Thea were the first to annex their settlements and lands along with the people living there in a fight against the old, unjust order. They were strong rulers with numerous warriors at their disposal. Rainer trusted them and knew that both jarl Olaf and jarl Thea had as much reason to defeat their common enemy as the wolf himself. Their motivations, though different from Rainer's, were by no means weaker.

- Good. - Said the wolf loudly. - The messengers need to be hosted, given food and beer. The arrival of Thea and Olaf must also be prepared. Will you take care of that Thorstein?

- If I must. - The lynx grinned theatrically and then bared his teeth in a strange smile. - I will take care of the messengers myself. Two of them from Jarl Thea are truly beautiful women. They have already accepted my invitation to accompany me to bathe in the hot springs. I borrowed a barrel of wine from you to pass the time. You don't mind, do you?

Rainer snorted loudly, and the amused tone of his thick and heavy voice echoed through the tunnel walls. He wasn't surprised that Thea had sent women as messengers. This warrior put the strength of women above the strength of men. The women under her arms were famous throughout Scandinavia for two reasons - their prowess and their beauty. It is said that one female warrior under Thea's arms is worth two other men in battle.

- Excellent. - Rainer replied with satisfaction. However, he immediately became more serious when he saw how far he and his friend had come inside the cave. - Anything else?

Asked the wolf, knowing that he was already really close to the mountain cave where Colin was being held.

The thought of meeting the boy, of being able to talk to him alone made Rainer's heart beat faster. Although the wolf was a very adventurous man by nature, talking to Colin filled him with many conflicting thoughts. Rainer couldn't deny the stress that accompanied it.

- Yes. - Answered Thorstein, who by then had become serious.

- Go on.

- What did the gods tell you when you were with Agape?

- Did you mean, what tale did the witch tell me? - Rainer corrected the man's words and stopped a short distance away next to the sentry whose job it was to guard the captured prisoner.

- Did... did the druids cast a spell on Magnar's son? - The lynx asked naively.

- You know that Agape's words mean nothing to me. She spoke as if she was making up the story on the fly.

- She accurately predicted the future for me and several other guys on our team. - The man protested, looking reproachfully at his friend. - How do you explain that?

- Thorstein. - Rainer began with a wry smile on his lips. - Haven't you ever wondered why Agape only gives words from the gods to strong and valiant warriors? Or to beautiful and alluring women? I have not yet heard of druids learning the words of the gods through sex.

Thorstein looked outraged at his friend's words. However, he was not angry with him. Lynx simply did not understand how anyone could doubt the wisdom passed down from the mouths of the druids. The man pulled out a tiny piece of wood that served as a toothpick and put it between his lips.

- Apparently this is how Agape hears the gods. - The lynx replied irritably. - Never mind. - He added, then looked at the cave not far in front of them. - You should be careful. Foxes are cunning.

"It turns out that doe like Agape are even more devious." - Rainer thought.

- I can handle it. - The man replied, thus saying goodbye to Thorstein.

As the lynx moved away, Rainer turned his gaze to the plunging pit in the semi-darkness before him. There stood a sentry who, after greeting the man, had been relieved of this temporary duty of guarding the prisoner. The wolf instructed him to meet with his friends who had recently returned from an expedition against the settlement of the treacherous Jarl Otto. The warrior was pleased to hear his leader's words and, following Thorstein's lead, disappeared into the darkness of the cave's long tunnel. Then Rainer took a deep breath and scratched behind his neck with his massive, muscular paw. He stepped inside the cave and then immediately saw Colin.