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Chapter Five
Last Updated:
2024-11-12 21:47:55
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Berserker Chapter Six
She stared until the man and Leif were out of her sight, then left the headland in a fury. The man was completely infuriating. Insufferable. Intolerable. Plumes of white breath billowed from her mouth as she marched across the half-frozen landscape trying to dispel the anger and frustration burning in her chest. When she reached the small wood on the east edge of the village, she invoked the words of power that allowed her to pass through the protective spell her mother had placed there. Heading straight for the clearing in the middle, she inhaled the warm air and reveled in the nature that surrounded her. The meadow there lived in perpetual summer with green grass underfoot covered in vibrant wildflowers. Chittering and chirping from the small animals and birds that were found there welcomed her. The wood was her refuge from her father's otherwise frigid, windswept lands. No one could come here but her mother and her acolytes. Only those who were trusted with the ancient incantation
Last Updated : 2024-11-12Berserker Chapter Seven
The next morning, Ulfhild stood on the slight hill just outside the village and watched the village come to life. She'd been up for hours, already having completed a warm up and bow practice in the empty training grounds. She always did more than any other warrior. She had to. Now she stood on high ground, watching for any threat. Another hour of sentry duty and she could return to the training fields to spar with the other warriors. Ulfhild told herself she was simply doing her duty. As one of the junior warriors, boring duties such as watching over the village as the farmers and people started their day, were something she was accustomed to. In truth, her eyes locked on and followed only the stranger as he stood near the kitchens with Eric and Birger. They laughed together, and Ulfhild's mouth turned down in a frown at their easy companionship. "You're watching him again, min søte." Ulfhild's eyes did not turn to acknowledge her mother's presence. "I don't know who you mean," Ulf
Last Updated : 2024-11-12Berserker Chapter Eight
Later, after the evening meal, Brand managed to slip his friendly guard and sit on a bench outside the longhouse alone. Oh, he was sure someone was aware that he had left, and it would not be long before his reprieve would be over, but he would take what he could get. Though he had felt too closely controlled by his brother at home, he wasn't watched twenty-four-seven. Brand felt the weight of it like a heavy shroud over his shoulders.He closed his eyes and breathed in the sharp night air appreciating the smells and sounds of the sea. His family had been land locked in Wyoming for centuries now, living in the middle of a large national forest area. He hadn't realized how much he had missed the ocean. The familiar, briny scent. The soothing sound of the waves hitting the shore. The occasional sea bird calling overhead. Ah, small things to be thankful for in this time he was stuck in. "Don't react, Brandur the Destroyer." Every muscle tensed as he heard the whispered words behind him.
Last Updated : 2024-11-12Berserker Chapter Nine
That night when Brand was taken to his hut, he lay on his bunk and pondered the incredible turn of events over in his mind. Though he was now being allowed to train with the warriors and take his meals with them, he didn't fool himself into believing that he was really any more than a glorified prisoner. They guarded him at night with a warrior at his door. He thought he should probably be rather insulted as his guard was only a very young warrior. The boy couldn't have stopped him leaving if he tried, but, Brand supposed, he could call for reinforcements. They wouldn't trust him with any torches or candles. The hut being too flammable and tempting to burn, he guessed, so he would have only sleep to look forward to soon. A faint light shone through the chinks of the wood that made up his prison hut. Though the days were slowly getting longer, as soon as the sun went down, he was in complete darkness until the following morning. Unable to settle his mind to rest, he got up and looked
Last Updated : 2024-11-12Berserker Chapter Ten
The hair on Ulfhild's neck prickled as she followed along in the dance. She'd been participating in this moon rite for so long, her body knew the steps without conscious thought, giving her the ability to sense something else. Someone else. Someone was watching her. She knew it as sure as she felt the sand under her feet. But who would dare? The wood and this area of the beach where the sacred circle stood were enchanted. No one could find them. Unless that someone had magicks as well. Her eyes darted to the nearby trees as she danced by, trying to find the cause of the sudden anxiety twisting in her gut. All she could see were the glowing eyes of some woodland creature. Her breathing came faster as the dance continued, and the patterns became more intricate. A familiar scent wafted faintly from the trees. What was it?She almost tripped when the answer came to her. It was the scent she associated with the stranger, Brandur. But his being here was impossible. He was locked up and gua
Last Updated : 2024-11-12Berserker Chapter Eleven
"Ulfhild?" an altogether too familiar voice asked.Reality came crashing back down upon her like a relentless tidal wave. The cocoon that had been spun around her and this captivating creature in her arms shattered into a million fragments at the voice. Ulfhild wrenched herself away from the wolf upon hearing the dark-haired woman. She blinked rapidly, her mind struggling to right itself. "Mamma? What are you doing here?""I might ask you the same, min søte." Astrid stared at the pair, a sardonic smile playing on her lips. A low growl came from the animal's throat as Ulfhild gained her feet to face her mother. She shook like a leaf in a high wind, whether from fear or being out of contact with his soft fur she couldn't say. A shiver ran down her spine at the unwelcome realization and she took a step back. The animal whined, turned in a circle, and sat again. His ice-blue eyes had a pleading quality to them. Ulfhild wondered what they could be pleading for."I…I'm not sure," Ulfhild c
Last Updated : 2024-11-12Berserker Chapter Twelve
Chest heaving, Brand skidded to an abrupt stop, his paws no longer encountering the resistance of pine needles and leaves, but instead sinking into the soft sand and tendrils of seaweed. He was standing on a narrow slice of beach. Looking over his shoulder, Brand could barely make out the wood where he had been talking to Ulfhild and Astrid only moments before. His only thought had been to escape, and he had run with no thought to where he was going other than away. Witches! By all the gods, why did it have to be witches?As he panted, he tried to take in his surroundings and figure out exactly where he was. White cliffs rose behind him. The roll and crash of the sea thundered in his ears where he had only been able to hear his heartbeat moments before. The white foam of waves swirled around his feet, rising farther up his legs with every return. The tide was coming in. He needed to get off this beach and find shelter, but he couldn't move. His gut twisted as he tried to forget the t
Last Updated : 2024-11-12Berserker Chapter Thirteen
Ulfhild marched through the village, the morning fog licking her ankles and the mist beading on her face and leathers. The weather fit her mood. Her mind and spirit were in tumult. She could see nothing clearly after her talk with Astrid the night before. A sense of growing unease permeated her as deeply as the moisture of the morning air. Arriving at the training field, Ulfhild surveyed the grounds, her eyes unwittingly searching out the one person she told herself she did not want to see, Brandur. It took only a moment to find him. He fought Erik this morning. Tall and proud, his muscles bulging under his shirt as their heavy broadswords sliced through the air and clashed so violently, they threw up tiny sparks. He taunted Erik between blows, his lips quirking up in a grin. “C’mon, old man! Is that all you’ve got? My baby sister hits harder than you.”Erik’s face reddened with the insult, and he charged sounding like a wounded bear. Brand easily parried the man’s blade and turned
Last Updated : 2024-11-12
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Berserker Epilogue
The clearing glowed with the twinkling fairy lights that adorned every tree, and the torches that had been lit along the path to illuminate the participants' way. Brand stood in front of the Yggdrasil feeling like his throat was being constricted by a stiff collar rather than a soft tunic. He wore a bearskin over one shoulder to symbolize strength and protection. He was also glad of its warmth as the first snows had started to fall just in the last week. He huffed as Brodi clapped him on the shoulder. "Nervous yet?" he asked with a smile, adjusting the leather hauberk that held his broadsword across his back and the belt at his waist where the sheath for his ceremonial dagger rested. "No, just cold," Brand lied through gritted teeth. His brother just laughed at him. "Don't worry, Brother. It will all be over soon, then we can get to the feasting," Brodi told him jovially.Brand frowned at him. "Easy for you to say," he muttered."Really, Brother. I know you missed our ceremony, but
Berserker Chapter Forty-Seven
Brand's brother turned to him, seeking guidance, just as Brand became aware of the stickiness on his hand. He at first ignored it. He had been in too many bloody brawls in his lifetime for blood to bother him overmuch. But when his mate gasped and tensed in his arms, a wave of dread washed over him. He realized that the stickiness was not merely the expected aftermath of the fight but something far more sinister. His elskede, his alt, Ulfhild, was wounded."Min elskede! Where are you hurt?" he demanded, his hands roaming frantically over her body.Ulfhild slapped at him ineffectually. "It is nothing, min ulv, only a scratch. Go with your brother. There is no time to spare."Brand ignored her and instead shouted to Astrid who had been standing on the edge of the crowd, clearly overwhelmed by her ordeal and its brutal end. Broken out of her reverie, Astrid came forward quickly and fell into healer mode. "Lie her down. Let me look," she instructed, ignoring her daughter's continued prote
Berserker Chapter Forty-Six
In the meadow, the winds seemed to take on a malevolent life of their own, their force intensifying with each passing moment. They twisted and spiraled, whipping through the grass and causing mini-tornadoes to erupt from the churned ground. The very earth under his feet seemed to groan in protest, and the acrid scent of freshly turned dirt mingled with the sharp tang of ozone, assaulting Brodi's senses as he ducked his head against the maelstrom and continued to silently advance.Above, the heavens were entirely shrouded by roiling, malignant clouds that seemed to devour any trace of starlight or moonshine. Leif and Astrid appeared to him only in the stark, searing flashes of the lightning overhead. The thunder that followed was a deafening roar, so powerful that it resonated deep within his chest, but still he stalked toward his prey. Squinting against the flying debris, he finally saw his brothers and the warriors in position against the backdrop of the ancient tree, whose gnarled b
Berserker Chapter Forty-Five
Gunnar stopped on the edge of the clearing where the giant Yggdrasil grew. He shifted, holding up a hand to forestall the warriors behind him. "He and Astrid are in the clearing," he whispered to the men.Birger squinted, trying to see them through the screen of skinny pines that blocked their view of the meadow. "Where? I can't see a thing through all these-" he stopped and hit his forehead with his palm. "Right. Wolf. You smell them."With a crooked smile on his face, Gunnar nodded to the man. "Yes. Their scent is very strong. The boy is fearful." He sniffed the air again. "And the woman is angry. More angry than fearful."Erik tipped his chin up in agreement. "That would be Astrid. She may not be a warrior like her daughter, but she is stronger than most men I know. She would never have gone with him if it had been only her own life that was threatened."Vidar's face showed his worry. Again, he was in the middle of a disaster. At least this time, it was a disaster not of his own ma
Berserker Chapter Forty-Four
Liv rested her forehead against Brodi's chest, fear almost taking her breath. His arms tightened around her as she shook with silent tears. Brodi had brought her back to the house, forbidding her to continue with the hunt. Overwhelmed by concern for her baby, she'd teetered on the edge of hysteria, her emotions running wild. She had to calm down, especially considering the news she had discovered just this morning."Min elskling, you must try to remain calm. We will find him," Brodi had assured her, holding her close to his broad chest and rocking her in his arms like a child. Her sobs finally quieted, taking strength from within his strong embrace and the firm certainty of his voice. He flattened a large palm on her belly. "This child will have a big brother that is healthy and hale. I swear to you."Looking up into the blue eyes she loved so much, she could see his absolute conviction that what he was telling her was true. They knew every inch of their pack lands. Surely, they would
Berserker Chapter Forty-Three
"Quit mumbling, witch!" Leif ordered as he continued to pull her along with the leather cord that bound her wrists. "I won't have you spelling me! Keep it up and I will stick a gag in your mouth. Do you understand.""Yes," Astrid said shortly. A bit of her usual calm composure returning to her after completing her frantic prayers. "I understand perfectly." She paused for effect. "But, young Leif, I do not think you understand your situation very well."Leif twisted his neck around to fix her with a venomous glare, his eyes blazing with an insanity that sent a shiver down her spine, but she maintained her dispassionate look. "What are you talking about, Witch? I'm the only one who understands exactly my situation. I've been stuck in this place for over a week, alone. How to get myself back to my proper time is all I've been thinking of.""What you have not thought through," Astrid continued calmly, "is what will happen to you once the Alpha finds you. Cubs are rare here, I understand."
Berserker Chapter Forty-Two
Leif panted as he leaned against a tree to catch his breath. The child was heavier than he'd expected, and the air here was thin. Placing the baby at his feet, he looked around, trying to get his bearings. He estimated he'd run several miles from the women and the clearing already. Suddenly, howling rent the silence of the forest. The baby inexplicably smiled and clapped his chubby hands, but the fine hair on the back of Leif's neck and arms stood straight up in atavistic fear. Were the creatures close? Dusk was approaching but he didn't dare light a fire. Where could he hide with the krakki?The wolf song died out and the baby began to fuss. Leif glared down at him. This was going to be more complicated than he thought. If the baby started wailing, the sound would bring people and wild things alike. Was he even old enough for solid food? He should have grabbed that big bag with the silly looking animals all over it that was sitting next to him. He bet that housed some baby things. B
Berserker Chapter Forty-One
Ulfhild felt more like herself than she had since coming to this new place. Asta had beat her soundly at axe throwing, Ulfhild not having much practice at that particular skill, but she was sure she could compete in archery. Though she missed a lot of what they were saying, it was good to laugh with the women and experience the comradery. She'd always been set apart by the women in her village who would never have thought of throwing axes. Maybe this time wouldn't be so bad.Suddenly, she heard terror in Liv's voice. "Brand? Brand?" she called in a panic, searching frantically around the boulder.Ulfhild realized the baby was no longer on the blanket playing with his toys. Fear clutched at her heart. She thought he could not crawl or walk? With all the wolves around, there were no other large animals around for miles. She'd heard the men discussing the lack."He can't have gone far," Asta said soothingly, trying to calm her sister-in-law's panic. She started to search around the nearb
Berserker Chapter Forty
Liv had not been kidding when she had said they'd have to tromp through some woods. The training field was much farther from the area where they had their homes than she had expected. The distance and rough terrain didn't seem to bother the women. Baby Brand was strapped onto Liv's chest with some complicated looking knots of fabric that created a comfortable carrying sack for the large infant. It was obvious by her easy stride that carrying the boy this way was commonplace to her. On the way, Liv pointed out landmarks and told her things about the area. Asta tried to keep up with all the words, but Ulfhild felt she missed quite a few. It didn't matter. Simply being in nature and stretching her unused muscles was a relief to her. And they were going to train. Her heart leapt at the thought. This was exactly what she needed to dispel her melancholy and feel more like herself.Finally, they rounded a large boulder and came into a meadow that reminded Ulfhild of the meadow in her woods
