Emeralds are rare and beautiful gemstones, and as a result, they were obviously extremely expensive. They were almost unimaginably expensive to the likes of Rainer, Throrstein, and other companions of the rebellion. It is not surprising that anyone would want to be in possession of such trinkets, as they could change the life of their owner forever. Rainer was once in possession of such a treasure. He was the proud owner of the most precious gemstones in the form of his wife's eyes and his only child. An only son.
It had been two days since Rainer's team had attacked the settlement of Jarl Otto, but the man still couldn't look at the face of the young, captured fox. After the wolf heard the voice of the very young man in the main hall, Thorstein temporarily took command. It rightly seemed to Rainer's friend that the wolf had temporarily lost the ability to think rationally and make decisions, but could he be surprised? The lynx then ordered that the fox be taken to one of the rooms in the house of Jarl Otto and treated as a valuable prisoner who could not escape. Valuable, like the green emeralds desired by all.
Colin was bound and his face was covered with a rough cloth bag. This was done for fear that the son of Magnar might remember the way to the hidden rebel headquarters, which is where the team was taking the boy. While the natural reaction of Rainer's comrades should have been to welcome the capture of such a prominent figure as Colin, many of the warriors would have preferred to kill him outright. After all, Magnar had a habit of murdering entire families of his opponents. So why shouldn't Rainer's team also kill this 18-year-old at the first opportunity?
- Let's cut his head off and send him back to Magnar as a gift. - Said one of the warriors walking down the hidden path leading to the rebel hideout.
- I agree with you. - Another of the warriors supported his companion's words. - As far as I know, Magnar still only has a daughter. This will be painful for him.
Rainer heard those words, of course, but it was difficult for him to think about that boy, although on the other hand, his head was not troubled by any other thoughts now. He knew that the final decision would be his, as all his followers loved, respected and devoted to him. However, how could he allow no harm to come to the heir of a criminal dynasty? How could he allow a boy who looked so much like his own child to die?
"The gods mock me. They mock me and spit in my face. Why must he be his son? Why him? How is this even possible?" - Rainer walked with his head wounded like blades by another of his unwanted thoughts.
Thorstein, who had been walking beside his friend the whole time, must have seen Rainer's face when he heard further comments about Colin. The man furrowed his cracked forehead and then turned on his heel towards the rest of the company.
- Rainer wants to interrogate Magnar's son. We have the opportunity to learn about the enemy's plans. We will find out why the fox came to jarl Otto. - Said Thorestein loudly to his companions.
- After all, we could have questioned him long ago and chopped his head off. - One of the disgruntled warriors interjected.
- With Colin as a hostage we are able to begin negotiations with Magnar. - Thorstein replied, unsure of his own words.
- Negotiate? - Another shield-maker was surprised. - Magnar did not negotiate with us, murdering us and forcing us into slave labor. We should pay him back.
- Right! - Shouted another. - Let's not waste any time. I personally can go to North Hill and throw the fox's head under Magnar's feet.
Rainer could no longer bear these words. He himself didn't know what to do with the boy, both for political reasons, but mostly for private ones. Unfortunately for the wolf, however, he couldn't simply exterminate someone who could be his lost child. Fortunately, Thorstein knew all of this and did not want to abandon his friend alone with the problem.
- You would be acting foolishly. - Said Thorstein firmly and loudly. - Before killing you, Magnar would start torturing you to extract information about where you are currently hiding. There will be no damn chopping off of any damn heads!
Rainer merely looked back sternly. He could see the faces of the warriors under his weapon. Everyone then decided to keep quiet and not continue the debate about whether or not Colin's head should be decapitated. To Rainer's misfortune, a glance at the warriors equaled that he couldn't help but see Colin walking in the middle of the soldiers with his hands tied and a cloth bag over his head. As soon as the man saw the fiery orange color of the fox's fur, his posture, and the state he was now in, Rainer had to avert his gaze. Then a worried yet nervous Thorstein the lynx approached him.
- You don't have to say thank you. - He began in a whisper. - This is not your son. Once you get to our base, you have to make some kind of decision about what you will do with him.
- Thanks for making me aware, Thorstein. - Burked the wolf sarcastically in response to his friend.
- As I said, you don't have to thank me. - The lynx said calmly. Then he looked back and whispered another word to Rainer. - This boy will bring chaos to our ranks, and what do we need that for? I think it is all a trick. Some kind of sorcery cast by druids sympathetic to Magnar. After questioning him, if you want, I can...
- Don't finish that sentence. - Rainer immediately interrupted him with a sharp tone of voice. His friend's words made the wolf extremely angry, but he managed to control it. He knew that Thorstein was the last person who would care about hurting him. - You believe too much in fairy tales. There is no such thing as magic. Druids know magic as well as I know sewing.
- Druids are the closest to the gods. - Thorstein remarked. - I think we should seek advice from Agape. She will know if there is magic powerful enough to create this illusion.
- I assume that Agape will be the first to know about everything anyway. - Rainer replied, wrinkling his forehead. - I can see that she is a bad influence on you my friend. - He smiled lazily in the direction of his companion. - Maybe if you were a less frequent visitor between her thighs, you wouldn't absorb so many tales about magic.
- Good point, Rainer. - Thorstein laughed. - If you had ever visited Agape, you would have experienced the magic yourself. I assure you that what she does with her tongue... it must be magic.
Rainer had never trusted the wisdom that the druids bestowed upon the people of Scandinavia. Agape was no exception here. The female druid had come to their encampment about two years ago, and had been traveling with Rainer's team wherever they went ever since. The council of druids supposedly agreed with each other that no social group should be cut off from the opportunity to speak with the gods. That the rebels also needed a druid to speak to the deities on their behalf. That's why Agape, who was supposedly called by the gods on a mission to serve the rebels with advice and her supposed wisdom, came to Rainer's former camp about two springs ago. Women-druids were a real rarity. Especially if they were not old, but young and beautiful. Agape was just such a druid. Young and extremely beautiful.
At some point Rainer heard something going on behind his back. There was a commotion. When he turned to look, he saw that Colin had fallen to the ground and could not get up. One of the warriors kicked the boy in the stomach and he howled sounds of pain. The warrior shouted for the fox to get to his feet. He threatened him that if he did not get up, he would kick him much harder, but this time straight into his crotch. Rainer then felt a surge of unnamed stress and panic. Without even thinking about what he was doing and whether he was doing the right thing, he immediately started to move towards the lying boy.
- What's going on? - He asked himself in the most indifferent tone of voice he could muster.
- The scabby man won't get up. - The warrior replied. - Maybe the next kick will help him.
- Let it go. - Rainer said loudly. But he quickly realized that he might have sounded as if he sincerely did not want the boy to get hurt, so he added. - See what he looks like? He has as much muscle as your youngest daughter, or even less. - Rainer almost started to bite his own tongue, because he knew that this argument would not convince his companions either. But then he decided to use the idea his friend Thorstein suggested to him. - He must live. If he dies here he will not help us in any way. I have decided to seek advice from our druid Agape. Perhaps the gods would be willing to tell us what they had in mind by allowing us to capture the son of... the son of Magnar.
When the men around them heard about Rainer's plans, they immediately calmed down. Druids have always been respected by the local people and their words and opinion on a subject counted significantly. The sentry who was leading Colin looked at the fox once more and with a wry smile on his lips said:
- But he has to get up anyway. No one is going to carry that damn prince.
- I will take care of it. - Rainer answered as calmly as possible. Immediately afterwards he instructed his companions. - Go ahead.
The men reluctantly continued their way towards the camp. Now they were led by Thorstein, who clearly did not hide his displeasure that Rainer would be left alone with Colin. For only he knew Rainer's murdered son, Ethelwulf. Only he knew how the child of Jarl Magnar resembled Rainer's son, who had died several years before.
The wolf knelt in front of the boy lying on the ground and grasped his bound hands helping him to sit up. The touch of the boy's hands made Rainer shiver with uncertainty. He then grabbed the base of the cloth bag covering the fox's face to reveal the boy's head with a slow stroke of his hand.
His face stunned Rainer once again. The man could not believe what a miracle it was to see his son in front of him. Of course, he was not his biological child. They were not even related, which made Rainer's mind even more confused.
Colin in face was completely the same as Ethelwulf. He could not find even an inch of difference. Only his hair, was different from his son. Ethelwulf had a storm of orange-black hair that covered his forehead and sometimes even his eyes. Colin's hair was also two colors, but in addition to the saturated orange, it was also white, which was the complete opposite of black. His neck, muzzle and cheeks shimmered with the colors of the purest mountain snow. His orange fur literally blazed with the color of the setting sun. The eyes...his beautiful emerald eyes. So sparkling, so gorgeous. Rainer opened his mouth slightly, at the same time unable to take his eyes off this kid's blinds. It was like hypnosis. The man felt as if he was in a completely different world, one that had been lost forever.
- What will you do with me? - The boy spoke up.
Only then did Rainer come back to reality. The weak and visibly tired boy reminded him that although even the timbre of his voice was the same, or at least almost the same, as Ethelwulf's, it was not him after all. Not his son.
- Can't you go? - He ignored the boy's question. - What's wrong with you?
- I'm hungry, I'm tired, and with that bag on my head I couldn't breathe normally anymore. - The teenager continued to complain, frightened and weary on the other side. At least, that's how Rainer perceived the tone of his voice. - What are you going to do with me? - He repeated his question, staring with his emerald eyes into Rainer's sunny yellow eyes.
- I don't know. - Rainer answered as indifferently as he could, even though he felt like simply hugging his son's double with all his might.
Rainer helped the fox up from the snow and then grasped tightly the ropes that were looping his hands. This startled the boy greatly, for he opened his eyes wide and looked very uncertainly at the wolf.
- Aren't you afraid I'll run away?
- And where do you want to run to? - The man replied questioningly, looking around in a theatrical manner.
The fox looked around confusedly at the mountainous and heavily wooded area. He looked as if he was trying to find a landmark with his gaze. He looked in vain for any familiar sight. If Colin had spent his entire life in North Hill, he couldn't possibly know where he was. The truth was obvious. If Colin decided to run away, he would sooner die in the mountains and forests than find his way to distant North Hill.
- Just as I thought. - Rainer said calmly. - Can you go?
- I'll try. - Replied the boy in a resigned tone of voice.
Rainer allowed Colin's arm to grab onto his massive shoulders so that he could continue walking ahead. When they had barely taken a few steps, however, the fox nearly fell back to the ground with a groan. He was stopped from falling by Rainer, whose heart was breaking at the sight of the boy's misery. The wolf knew one thing. It didn't matter if Colin was or wasn't his son. He couldn't leave him here.
- I'll carry you. Watch out for the axe hanging on my back.
Colin didn't even have time to react. Rainer lifted him with one strong hand and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of flour. To be honest, he did not want to humiliate Magnar's son like that. He guessed that no man would want to be held captive in such a state, but what choice did he have? He could not allow him to climb on his back, for that would be badly received by his companions. Since he already had to carry him to the settlement, let him be brought there as prey. It was the safest thing for both Rainer and Colin.
- Will you give me to your druid? - The boy asked uncertainly, referring to what he had heard before.
- No. - Burbled the wolf under his breath, who was literally biting his tongue to avoid starting a conversation with the boy.
- You said you would advise the druid about what you wanted to do with me.
- But I will not give the druid any control over you.
- Do you want to sacrifice me? - Asked Colin even more, this time in a panicked voice.
- You'll be fine. - Replied Rainer, whose muscles tightened like the string of a bow from a surge of stress.
- You mean you want to sacrifice me? - Colin asked the same question a second time with even more terror and confusion in his voice.
- Are you really afraid that we are going to sacrifice you to the gods? - The man asked investigatively, somewhat amused by the boy's suggestion.
- I am afraid of not knowing my fate. - The boy admitted while curving his muzzle. - I don't know what you want to do with me.
"I want to hug you. I want to talk to you. I just want to know you..." - Thought Rainer bitterly with his lips twisted.
- You're not going to die. - The man replied gravely. - No one will hurt you, but you must obey and not try to do any foolish things. Do you understand?
The boy only grunted quietly in response. Although Rainer did not want to have any conversation with the boy, he was now struggling to force himself to remain silent. Although he knew that this fox was the son of his family's murderer, the wolf did not think of him in those terms at all. He was aware that this kid was not his offspring and yet his heart was tearing apart. Rainer clenched his jaws tightly and walked with his head bowed with furrowed brows looking into the snowdrifts in front of him. He did not bother to carry the extra weight on his shoulders in the form of Colin. To tell the truth, Rainer did not feel much difference in the load on his back and even had the impression that his axe was heavier than the boy. He had the same impression years ago when he carried his then fourteen-year-old son. It was on the day of the summer solstice, for example, when a young fox poured a bucket of water over his father as a joke. Rainer grabbed the boy in response and ran with him straight to the nearby river to throw his son into its icy depths. Rainer smiled under his breath recalling the event. However, it lasted a short moment, after which his smile gave way to an expression of bitterness and sadness.
Ethelwulf had great difficulty gaining weight and was a rather sickly boy. He was not strong, quite the opposite. The fox could not cope with lifting weights and had, as they say, two left hands for all technical matters. Nevertheless, the boy tried to help his father as much as he could. Although his stature did not prove it, the boy did not lack courage. Rainer always knew that. As the thought of how his son had passed away crossed the man's mind, he felt pride and bitterness for his offspring. He knew that Ethelwulf had died defending his mother Olga. He knew that his only son had fought to the end despite his fear.
When Rainer felt the taste of blood in his mouth from biting his own tongue, he finally couldn't help himself after a long moment and started:
- So your name is Colin?
- Yes. - A teenage boy answered without thinking. - Colin Olsen. And you are Rainer Thorde.
- Clearly my fame precedes me. - He muttered under his breath somewhat displeased with this fact to Rainer.
- It was hard for me not to hear about you in my house. - Replied the teenager just as brandily. - It's hard not to know a name belonging to a South Port butcher.
- A person who murders your father's henchmen is not a butcher. - Replied the man again with a frown and displeasure.
- Murder is murder. It doesn't matter who kills who. A murderer remains a murderer.
- It is with great ease that these words come to you. You are not very thoughtful.
- The truth is not always comfortable. - The boy remarked in a now indifferent tone of voice.
- I assume that your father is feeding you the truth he created. - Rainer replied, already a little more upset and irritated.
- Both your and my father's sins will be judged by the gods in due time.
"For Odin, what the hell is he doing? He knows perfectly well that I could strangle him with one hand for what he says, and yet his mouth won't shut. Perhaps he knows that the living are far more valuable than the dead? Or maybe... does he sense my weakness? Foxes are crafty, that's a fact. It certainly didn't escape his notice how I reacted when I first saw him," Rainer thought, confused by the boy's behavior.
Rainer might have been angered by the boy's behavior. After all, he had been disrespected by him in some way. Unfortunately, how was he supposed to show this anger? Was he supposed to punish him? After all, he was in no position to do anything to him. Rainer could not imagine that he could harm this boy in any way. He was already experiencing the inner torment of having Colin tied up, having his head covered with a rough and uncomfortable bag.
The wolf drew icy air into his lungs and then let it out loudly, releasing a large cloud of steam. He felt helpless, for the boy did not trust him at all and was hostile to him. But Rainer was not surprised by the fox's attitude. He also knew that he himself could not fully trust him. As much as he wanted to, the same thought still plagued him. The thought that the boy he had just carried into the mountains over his shoulder was a representative of a hostile family. A family that was trying to kill Rainer and all his friends with whom he had fought against the tyranny of Magnar for many years. Paradoxically, in spite of all this, Rainer dreamed of nothing now more than sitting alone with this kid. Pour him and himself a root beer and start a conversation by the burning fire in one of the caves in his hideout. He didn't even want to ask him about his father's plans, even though he knew he had to. He wanted to get to know him. To find out what his favorite color was. To ask him about his favorite food, what gives him the most pleasure, what saddens him the most. Rainer - a powerful, strong and awe-inspiring wolf in contact with Colin seemed to soften. The rebel leader already knew this and it made him fearful. Fear of what might happen now, as his team was just beginning to reach their hideout in the mountains.