Token of Loyalty

Chapter Three

Taryn needed them, their family needed them, and most importantly Hrafn needed Sindri. This petty revenge that Sindri had against Aegar had eaten Sindri alive for far too long.

Hrafn shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. "Summer is coming to an end, I can feel it in the air. Taryn isn't ready for the cold months ahead." He turned to Sindri when he groaned. "Do not act that way. You yourself know this. There is no point to us being here any longer, Sindri. Aegar hasn't shown any interest in coming out of his kingdom to attack us. This is a waste of our time when we could be home."

Hrafn held his tongue. Sindri huffed and soared out of his seat then marched out of the middle of the tent. He disappeared behind the curtain that concealed their sleeping area, not bothering to hold it back for Hrafn. Hrafn followed, pushing the fabric out of his face and brushing past it. His brows furrowed as he approached Sindri once more.

Nobody, except Hrafn himself, ever dared to draw closer to Sindri. Sindri stood head and shoulders above most any man, towering over everyone at his height of a giant and outweighing them by several fold. His ancestors were said to have been giants themselves, having come down out of the deepest depths of the mountains to grow a powerful kingdom. Since the dawn of time, Taryn had a rich and bold history of war, it was why Sindri despised it when Hrafn spoke against it.

Sindri scowled. "You want me to abandon the East then, to forget about Taryn's expansion and the promises that he broke?"

"I'm not asking you to forget nor to forgive him for his wrongdoings, I am merely telling you that Taryn cannot continue to sustain itself off of raids and wars," he stated, his tone level but increasing in tension. He was exhausted and his morale was at its lowest. "Times are changing. We need to make allies, not more enemies."

"Peace is not a damn option with Aegar," Sindri replied, with a mocking laugh that turned into a dark, sinister glare. He stepped towards Hrafn, staring down into his hardened gaze. "My presence alone keeps him well under lock and key in Eadburga, he hasn't come West in five years. I'm not concerned with our ability to survive the winter. Our yearly campaigns bring more wealth into our coffers and an overabundance of goods, and Aegar sits back and does nothing while we do it. Your worry is misplaced."

Hrafn ground his teeth. He would die on this hill if he must. "It's not sustainable–"

"Enough, Hrafn," Sindri barked before he turned away, putting his back to Hrafn. "We will be gone tomorrow after we have received our token of loyalty," he glanced over his shoulder and added in a growling voice, "Now leave me be."

Hrafn had stood his ground long enough to know that pushing this any further would only infuriate Sindri more. When Sindri believed himself to be right, nobody could change his mind except for himself. It was something Hrafn had learned overtime, and that patience was a virtue needed when it came to their dynamic. Sometimes they had to agree to disagree and lay it to bed until the other or both saw reason.

Sindri stepped away and laid down on the cot, face first and with his head on a pillow. He buried himself in it and didn't make a noise nor utter a word for what felt like ages to Hrafn. Hrafn missed the ambitious and loving man he had known all those years ago. War had changed him and not for the better.

Hrafn frowned long before he grabbed a fur blanket from the foot of the cot. He brought it up Sindri's body and draped it over him, ensuring he was covered from head to toe. It was a little gesture to show Sindri that he still cared and wasn't permanently upset with him. Hrafn was one of the few that saw the real Sindri, the one that he had buried beneath the rage and revenge. It was why Hrafn refused to abandon Sindri. Hrafn wouldn't give up on Sindri.

When Hrafn withdrew and began to leave Sindri to his brewing, he heard the quietest of words from behind him.

"I'm sorry, Hrafn."