Valkyrie Fallen, Chapter 24

Brenna

*

Signe waited until Bjorn left to tell me what she wanted.

“Brenna?”  

“Do you need something?” I was sweeping the packed-dirt floor of debris and tidying the home so Signe wouldn’t feel obligated to do it. Yrsa had taken Astrid outside for a walk, and we were alone. Since I wasn’t working in the field today, I still wore the soft woolen dress Signe had given me, and it brought a tiny smile to my lips every time I looked at it.

“I want to do it.” The words rushed from Signe in a breath, as if she pushed them out before she could change her mind.

It took me a minute to catch up. “Do… what? Oh. Your foot?”

She nodded. “I think now is the best time, while Bjorn is away. It will be a few weeks before there is much work to do in the gardens. Yrsa can manage it for now. If Bjorn were here, I don’t think he’d let you. But I want to try.”

“You’re probably right… but are you sure you want to do it without him here to support you? I won’t lie to you: it will hurt a good deal. Especially given how swollen and damaged the area is, it won’t be easy for me to manipulate everything back in place. I may not get it right on the first try and we might have to work it a few times.”

Signe’s eyes were wide, and she swallowed with difficulty before she replied. “I can brew some tea to help with the pain. We keep the herbs in the pantry.”

“Signe, if you have tea to help with pain, why do you not drink it now?”

“I didn’t see a point. If this is the pain I had to live with for the rest of my life, then I needed to get used to it. Besides, it makes me sleepy and I can’t sleep while everyone else works.”

My heart thumped painfully against my rib cage. This sweet, brave girl, enduring incredible pain because she needed to take care of her siblings. I had to help her.

“Okay. Let’s get everything we need and set it this afternoon. We can have Yrsa take Astrid out of the house again… is there an errand you can send them on that will keep them out for a couple of hours? I need to concentrate, and Astrid won’t understand what’s going on. She may be frightened.”

“Yes, I can send them to the river in the hills beyond the farm. There should be some early herbs and wild onions growing that we can have them gather.”

“Perfect. I’ll get everything I need together.” My eyes drifted to the side with concern. “I wish we had someone here to help you through it, though.”

Signe sighed, abruptly annoyed. “I’ll be fine, I don’t need my brother’s hand for comfort.”

“I know you don’t, it’s just… if it’s really painful, I may need someone to help hold you still so I can finish.” I didn’t want to scare the girl, but I had to be honest. “We’ll just have to do the best we can. I suppose if it becomes too much, you may pass out, and then it won’t be a problem since you won’t feel anything after that until you wake up.”

I meant that to be comforting, but I realized as soon as I said it how it’d sound to Signe.

“Signe, I-“

“No, you’re right, that would be better. I’ll make the tea really strong,” she added in a lower voice.

A knock at the door startled both of us. Signe’s eyes turned meaningfully to the swords hung on the wall beside the door, and I took her hint. I pulled my Valkyrian blade from its peg, then opened the door carefully.

Outside, appearing so heartbreakingly beautiful I could have mistaken him for a dream, stood Leif. His hair was down today, parted down the middle and shining like gold in the morning light.

“Hello, Brenna. I promised Bjorn I’d check in while he was away. I didn’t have much to do this morning, so I thought I’d see if there was anything I could help you with?”

Heat rose in my cheeks. “Leif, please come in. I’m not sure we have work to do, but you are welcome to visit.”

I moved back to allow him to pass and caught the panicked expression on Signe’s face as she hurried to arrange her skirts over her injured foot.

“Signe, it’s good to see you,” Leif smiled in her direction. “How are you feeling? How is your leg?”

The poor girl’s face was beet red. “Oh, it’s much better, thank you.” Busying herself with the basket of wool beside her, Signe set about spinning it into thread and studiously avoided eye contact.

Leif glanced around the longhouse, rubbing his long-fingered artist’s hands together, as if unsure of what to do next. He tucked hair behind one ear, then directed his attention to me.

“So… Bjorn and Soren will be gone for a week.”

“Yes, that is what I understand. They were trying to get an audience with the Jarl, I believe.” I cast my eyes meaningfully to Signe and pressed a finger to my lips to clue him in. None of Bjorn’s family knew about the ship.

Leif nodded in understanding, changing the subject. “You’ve finished plowing and sowing the fields, and just in time. In town, they said we’re due for a few days of rain this week. The crops will need it.”

While I was curious how vikings actually predicted the weather—my money was on someone who made it their business to collect money for favorable weather reports—the topic wasn’t exactly the most stimulating. I made a polite assenting noise and tried to come up with something else that was safe to talk about in front of Signe.

“Leif, I apologize, but I don’t know very much about your family. I know you had an older brother. Do you have any other siblings?”

He seized the topic gratefully. “Yes, I have—had—three brothers, actually. Two now, and a sister. Arne is thirteen, close to Signe’s age I believe, Gorm is eight, and Tove is two.”

Signe flushed deeper at hearing her name mentioned and shifted in her seat as she continued spinning.

“Do you live with your family still?” I wanted to keep this conversation going—I knew nothing about Leif and was genuinely curious. I also wanted as much information as I could gather about Soren, and the first step to getting someone talking was asking about themself.

“Ahem,” now Leif looked slightly uncomfortable. “Yes, I do. Only until I can earn my name and start a family,” He added quickly. “Hopefully this summer will bring me that fortune.”

At his age, most men he knew had already made moves in that direction, if not already settled. He, along with Bjorn and Soren, were definitely the outliers. Perhaps to him it was embarrassing, but to me… the customs that different cultures held about age had all become moot.

“It must be nice to have that time with your family,” I encouraged. “I’m sure they appreciate your help at home.”

“Yes,” he agreed, relieved. “It is good to help my parents. But they understood when I said I would be here more this week, while Bjorn is gone.”

“I appreciate that, but I’m not sure we have much for you to do. As you said, the fields are plowed and planted, Yrsa does an excellent job tending the animals, and between Signe and I we can manage the household duties.”

“Surely there is something I can help you with? Even if it’s just fetching water or cooking, I am happy to do it. Anything to provide comfort while Bjorn is away.”

A thought popped into my head, and I glanced at Signe, whose eyes rose to mine in alarm. “Leif, how loyal are you to Soren and Bjorn?”

The younger man’s clear blue eyes clouded with confusion. “We’re like brothers… I’d do anything for them. Why?”

“If I were to ask you to help me with something, knowing Bjorn may not agree, would you do it?”

A flash of surprise crossed Leif’s face. “I don’t understand. Why would you want to do something Bjorn wouldn’t agree with?”

“It will help him in the long run, but he may not realize it yet. When he returns, he may be angry at first. But it’s a good thing, although it will be difficult.”

Signe’s face had drained of blood, and she shook her head at me, pleading silently.

Leif glanced in her direction, weighing her reaction to my statement, then turned his gaze to me. “If you say it will be a good thing for Bjorn, I will help you. Now, will you tell me what this thing is that you need my help for?”

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