People milled around casually as was expected on a warm sunny mid morning. No one bowed and treated me as different, a few people even threw a some ugly curse words and such as I pushed my way through the thickening crowd. And with all honesty I liked it. I liked the rough equal feeling it had and took very little offense to it.
I had wandered around gathering supplies slowly. New clothing, new bedding, nicer plates, and utensils. I was honestly excited that my family didn't have to live like hungry rats anymore, scavenging and living off of single thread blankets and clothing. I was for once in my life truly proud I could do something to help. I wasn't pathetic and helpless a I was before. I was useful and strong.
In my mini adventures across the cold tiles and stones of the market place I had overheard several conversations. It was amusing to me in all of my years at training I had learned to kill in hundreds of ways, swim well, create light from my fingertips, ride a beast with nothing, speak languages and so much more. Never had I thought I would learn to hear and comprehend so many conversations around me. Most were in hushed tones of gossip, others loud and cheery. They all had their fair share of odd subjects.
"Red or yellow beats?"
"Green!" A snotty shrill voice said.
"Did you hear about the barbarians breaching a few of the nine realms? There's rumors going around saying they're headed towards Asgard." A croaky old man coughed out.
"No, that's absurd. If they were anywhere close to us the horn would sound and the problem would be taken care of." A woman answered back, doubt lacing her carefully picked words.
"I did not bed him, Mama! He is a pig!"
"Pies should be sold in the food vendor section not the herbs. Someone is going to think you poisoned it."
"Maybe I did."
So many people in such a little place talking all at once fascinated me. The way everyone could interact with a different face every way they turn.
"Would you like a sweet roll?" A man grabbed my arm, pulling me out of everyone else's conversations. His palms were sweaty and his head was badly shaved. It was as if a goat was his barber.
"No thank you, sir," I said, prying his hand of my arm. He grunted unhappily and rolled his eyes. Or eye I should say. Rather than being a matching shade of vibrant green, one was a cloudy grey void of color.
I walked slowly through the vendors. They all shouted what they had to offer, some shaking the goods they sold in their air as if people would swarm them if they saw it. I shifted my arms, adjusting the heavy filled basket I held. I now had a few odd looks in my direction. I figured not many women carried giant baskets with a single arm in these poorer parts. I shifted my arms once again so I was carrying the basket in two arms. I didn't want any attention whatsoever.
But why?
"Silver, bronze, and iron jewelry! Sapphire, emerald, ruby, and more gemstones!" A man shouted gruffly from across the street. I turned and made my way to his booth, curious in his craft.
"Do you hold silver and amethyst materials?" I asked him softly. He stopped his loud ramblings and looked to me. I dropped my eyes to the shining gemstones below me. Silver and gold bands lined the crooked wooden table. I looked up to the man again when he hadn't answered me. He rubbed is chin thoughtfully, his calloused fingers making a crude scratchy sound as it rubbed on his rough dark beard. His dark cocoa colored eyes scanned me over and he shook his head.
"You wouldn't be affordin' it, m'lady." He said, a thick foreign accent showing. He looked genuinely sad as he looked at my attire. I shot my eyes up to him and squared my shoulders. A small pompous part of me laughed inside as his shoulders slouched ever so slightly.
"I can afford it and I will afford it. Do you hold silver and amethyst bracelets?" I repeated my question in an even tone. He dropped his eyes and nodded his head, a small apology escaping his chapped lips.
"What size?" He asked without hesitation now.
"Smaller than your own wrist. It's for my younger sister." I explained. He nodded his head, the ghost of a smile resting on his face. I looked away slightly to the western city. The sun and clouds usually rose from that side but today it looked empty and the sun seemed to show less light than before. The sky seemed ashen and pale... as if it was dying.
"Here m'lady." He said as he slipped the silver and amethyst bracelet into a soft pelt pouch. I had lost interest in the western gate- pinning my bad thought to my slowly growing hunger.
"Thank you, how much?" I asked as I set the bracelet gently in the top of the supply basket.
"One hundred five golden coins," he said, leaning back on the wooden post beside him heavily. He scratched as his head once more as I handed him the small sack of my own savings. I wouldn't take it out of my family's spending's. It was my own purchase.
~*~
"Good Gods, woman what did you buy?" Father nearly choked as I walked into the small dusty home. Uthgard turned away from the sink and dried her blue stained hands with a rag. I set the heavy filled basket on the table gently and opened the lid. It creaked ever so slightly.
"What my family truly needs. You have been living with the same things for nearly twenty years now." I chided. I slipped the small pouch into my pocket before Uthgard could see it. She had made her way over to the table, the floorboards creaking under her tired feet.
We unpacked together, occasionally Father would make sighs and uneasy sounds as I brought out fresh food, new cups, and clothing. He set his head in his calloused hands.
"You still have enough for a month to live very comfortably, and at the end of the month they will send more." I assured him, and I rested my left hand gently on his forearm.
A sickening hollow sound echoed across the house. It rang heavily in my ears even after it bellowed. We had all frozen, a ghostly chill trickling down my spine. The wind seemed to stop, the birds no longer sung and everything was sickly silent.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Every thundering blow sent a horrid shudder through me. And then there was silence again.
"What was that?" Uthgard whispered as if breaking the silence was a crime. Immediately I rushed outside, my small family following suit. I knew exactly what it was- but I refused to believe it.
"That wretched bellow was that of the Barbarian Horn. It signals invaders are near. The three thundering sounds belong to King Odin's staff. He summons us." I said as I unlatched the satchel on Bjorn's back. Bjorn snapped his head up and stiffened feeling my distress. Out of the sack I grabbed out silver lined gauntlets and the rest of my gear. I didn't have time to change all of the way, as long as I had enough armor to cover me.
I jumped onto Bjorn and I could feel the small pit of worry form in my stomach.
"Where are they coming from?" Father asked, his worry showing slightly in his tone. Bjorn shifted backwards impatiently and I pat his neck as I slipped on my shin guards quickly.
"The Western Gate most likely. I need you two to reach the safe point quickly. Don't grab anything, we don't know how far they are or if they have even breached the city. Just please get to the safe point I will meet you there." I pleaded and without further comment I dug my heels into Bjorn's sides and he was off. His hooves clicking rapidly across the cold stone roads.
I hooked my knees to his side and leaned back to fetch my dagger sheaths. The pack bounced more the emptier it got. I slipped the belt with the sheaths around my hips easily and sheathed the twin daggers.
I leaned forward and took the reins once again into my clammy hands. The streets were empty, everyone in their homes or headed to the safe point in the hearth of Asgard.
~
Bjorn had gotten me to the Golden Palace in under ten minutes. Bjorn slowed and I jumped off and exhaled as I saw the slowly growing group of our comrades outside in the courtyard. Everyone was wearing the basic three armor pieces. Some were even in full battle gear. Odin's large throne was empty but the two princes stood with their hands tucked in front of their chests. Their brows heavy with thought. Orgnar stood in between two pillars, the growing group of warriors forming a semi circle around him as he spoke. I stood beside Ur, a stern cold look etched on his face.
"Barbarians of Jotunheim have made their position known to us. The sit on the South Western gate and have already breached the walls. This has never been done before so we don't truly know what to expect. Six of you will go down to the wall and prepare for possible battle. If the Western wall falls, use the fire signal and we will send in more troops. For now you six are the Vanguard-the front line of warriors." Orgnar spoke. The air seemed to become tight as he talked more. Silence sat uncomfortably between us. "The rest of you will help evacuate the people from the West and South district quickly. If they break through half of you assist the six below, the other half stay with the people at the safe point. Do we all understand?" He said sternly, the silver beads in his beard clinked softly as he talked.
We all nodded collectively.
"So we are up against giants?" Ceri asked and he rested his hand uneasily on his mace.
"Not exactly. They are hybrids of the giants of Jotunheim and several other races in the nine realms. They will not be as massive as pure-blooded giants but they can be as dangerous. Truthfully we don't know what to expect. Just kill the damned things and be done with it." Orgnar said, his eyes softening ever so slightly in helplessness. "Go."
~*~
Asmund had been divided into one of the six in the front lines. He adjusted his shoulder plates nervously and began chewing the inside of his cheek. He patted his horse, Az, on her broad shoulder and began quickly tightening the straps on the heavy saddle. His lips twitched ever so slightly.
"They won't break through. And if somehow I am wrong- kick their bloody hybrid asses to Hel." I said firmly, though the flutter of worry in my stomach told me it would be everything but okay. I didn't show it however for it would make Asmund nervous as well. He nodded, a small, more relaxed smile on his lips. He turned away from me without responding. In retaliation I slapped his backside and he turned and stuck his tongue out at me.
"You're a kinky one." He teased and raised his eyebrows rolled my eyes. At least I was easing his worry.
"Just don't die." I said softly. His smile faded slightly.
"I won't." He answered back and slapped Az's backside and she bolted down the path. Other warriors followed behind him quickly, determination etched in their faces.
I turned and patted Bjorn's side.
"It's going to be a long day, Bjorn." I whispered as I climbed atop him to meet the evacuation squad circling in the center of the village.
*
Together we rode down into the Western District in solemn silence. The only sound being the clicks beneath our beast's hooves and the whistle of the wind through the desolate homes. We finally arrived to see everybody was already mostly evacuated, save for the few people scattered about. A pang of guilt slid through me as I saw my comrades taking turns giving rides to safety to the Asgardian villagers. I simply rode around on Bjorn looking for stragglers but found none. The Prince's had been in our group as well but were ordered to not get involved in battle unless it was an emergency.
I turned down a street- clothes hung on their lines above us between the buildings. They hung from windows and other buildings and flapped quietly in the dry wind.
The sky was dull with no bright sun to warm our bare arms. Suddenly the hair on my neck and arms stood on their ends. My stomach turned as I yanked Bjorns reigns to the left sharply. Bjorn snorted as if to sass.
To the south smoke began to rise from the watchtower. The fire licked at the pillars, growing ever so slightly.
All of the sudden a thunder like sound rippled through Asgard.
"The wall has been breached!" I screamed, my voice cracking loudly as I dug my heel into Bjorn's sides, the buildings around us slowly becoming a gray blur as we raced to the breached south wall. I could hear the faint sound of hooves on the tiles as the warriors followed me but that was soon drowned out by the sound of blades clashing and faint screams.
The west district was likely all evacuated in fear of barbarians invading the west. The south district had not yet been evacuated thoroughly- most likely the front sections of the walls.
My family was in the south right corner on the edge of the wall. Not close enough to be evacuated first, and if the villagers took the south route to evacuate, it would close off most access to the evacuation route from my family.
I only prayed to whatever devine powers were listening that they had left early as I had told them to.