The Prophetess *COMPLETED*

Chapter 6

I woke up at dawn, shivering with cold. The house was silent, the only sounds were the calm breathing of sleep, and in the case of the men, snores, and wind moaning against the house, which groaned whenever a particular gust came from the south side. 

I raised myself to find Marge sleeping alone in her trundle bed, naked beneath her furs. I got up, put my boots on, and sat down in her bed, shaking her awake. She blinked open those pretty eyes of hers, disoriented with slumber for a moment and then her face widened in a smile of satisfaction similar to the one the Dina woman from the boat has given her friend. 

"Oh my lady, I never knew... It was... It was so good." Her voice was breathy with excitement, but my heart was heavy for her.

Are you not too young for coupling? I demanded in my gestures. 

"I am the same age as you, I just appear younger," she told me. My mouth fell in shock. I had assumed she was younger and Yngvarr was lying. I mothered her, for Lord's sake. Still, naked as she was, her developed body said she told the truth, so I didn't say anything more about it.

How was yesterday? 

"Oh lady, you cannot believe it. He was so good and gentle, and it felt so right."

"Did... not... hurt?" I tried to talk.

"At first. Just for a moment, mind you, then it was so much better." Lord Yngvarr rose from his sleeping space at that moment, and bellowed loudly for all slaves to awake. I helped Marge dress then she helped me and we opened our sleep space by pulling back the drapes. All the slave girls gave a small bow to him, except me. Something in me refused to do it. His eyes narrowed but he did not do anything.

"My brother Throst comes today, arrange a most magnificent feast, and dress up the slave girl I purchased to him. Make her attractive so he sees the depth of my regard." He told everybody. Then, after breaking his fast with Turid, he left us to clean the abode and follow his orders.

Now in the light of day, I could see the house properly. It was large, and like I had noticed the previous day, separated by drapes. There were five large beds, one for Lord Yngvarr and his wife, one for his mother, whom I had overheard was visiting her sister, two for eventual guests, and another for his young brother who was currently at fostering with another family, custom in these wild lands so each young warrior would learn the way of weapons without softness from his family.

Before the sun reached its zenith, two other slaves brought forward a large tub, and heated water on the stove. I was washed, both body and hair, with strong smelling sweet soap despite my protests I could do it myself. When they had finished washing me, one brushed my hair while another brought a dark blue undertunic with long sleeves, and another light blue tunic without sleeves to wear on top of it, and it had two waist high slashes on each side to let the undertunic be seen further. My hair was braided and coiled around my head in such a way it didn't feel as heavy as it usually did.

Marge was the one who did my hair, and she made it seem like it was full of smaller braids like a net keeping the big mass under control. They also brought blue ribbons to thread my hair with, so it would stay in place. They gave me my jewelry back, but it did not match the tunics. Remembering that Lord Yngvarr had told them they could take from the chest of belongings that had been mine, they took a fine necklace of aquamarine stones and matching earrings, with a nice aquamarine encrusted coronet, but no veil was given. All them looked at me with jealousy but I told them, again by gestures, that I would not stay there to compete with them. I did not want their master's attention.

Next came the healer. She examined my throat, touching my neck, looking inside my mouth and forcing me to speak. She made an herb tea for me to drink and told the other girls that I should drink that tea three to four times a day, before meals, for she thought I would not understand her.