Warmth seeped into Agneli’s room when the sun rose and he arose as well. He grew accustomed to being a thrall now and his opinion over Halle changed many times over the past weeks. He did observe one repetitive detail though, Halle never spoke to anyone else save for his father.

“Son, what is a holmgang?”

Halle complained, “Do l need to memorise this father?”

“Yes, you are the son of a jarl, therefore you must.”

“Don’t we have law speakers to memorise all the rules?”

Agneli watched Erik Tokesson argue with his son, as he scrubbed at the wooden floorboards, it was a thrall's duty to clean.

“Law speakers is an abolished tradition, the Christian monks write our laws down on parchment.”

“Then why am l learning the laws?”

“Do not make me repeat myself.”

“Yes father,” Halle sighed with bags underneath his eyes.

Erik grasped his son’s shoulders and stared into Halle’s tired pupils.

“Christianity may have been forced upon us by the barbaric Olaf Tryggvason.”

Eyes glaring hard recalling the man preaching a Christian god and committing brutal acts. Erik wasn’t even born when Olaf Tryggvason died, but his father and grandfather to Halle told him stories of the demonic man.

“He placed burning coal on stomachs, made pagans swallow whole snakes alive, forcing Noreg’s people to believe in his god. But we will practise our faith in Odin secretly remembering laws orally.”

“So what is the holmgang?” Erik demanded again.

“A duel between the accuser and the accused, where the winner is considered to be in the favor of the gods, thus innocent.”

Erik gave more questions.

“What is the test of fire?”

“To pick iron out of boiling water and carry it nine paces. If by a week the wounds aren't infected they are innocent.”

Halle answered all the questions yawning.

Satisfied at the responses, Erik smiled.

He worried though seeing dark circles under his son’s eyes. “Have you not been sleeping well son?”

“You don’t have to worry about me, father. I’m old enough to take care of myself.”

At fourteen winters, he was already considered a man capable of work and marriage.

“That is true, be careful. I will be in my room planning if you wish to speak with me.”

Given permission to leave and with Agneli finished cleaning, Halle called out to his thrall to follow behind. Passing Erik Tokesson, Agneli trembled momentarily meeting the jarl’s eyes. The slaps of a steel sword against his face scarred him mentally. He lowered his head with a slouched back to wander past Halle’s father.

Outside and free of watchful eyes, Agneli trailed behind Halle’s steps. He was surprised a boy the same age could remember so many rules.

“How are you so smart?” Agneli questioned.

Halle grinned. “It’s just remembering.”

To Agneli it was more than ‘remembering’ Halle memorised all the runes in Norse language and the laws his father spoke of.

Agneli glanced at Halle’s eyes carrying fatigue in bags painted black. They grew worse over time and as his thrall, he worried for him.

The town port bustled with people and children avoided them when they ventured out. Some spoke between each other mumbling the same word, in private for the jarl's son to not hear.

“Monster.” “Monster.” “Monster.” “Monster.”

“Monster.” “Monster.” “Monster.”

“Monster.” “Monster.” “Monster.” “Monster.”

“Monster.” “Monster.” “Monster.” “Monster.”

“Monster.” “Monster.” “Monster.” “Monster.”

Halle did not stop for the silent murmurs swarming his path, assailing any ear in range. He gazed into fields of farms while holding his silver amulet, the sweat of hard workers and labour displayed for all to see, unlike the people who spoke ill on Halle.

“Are you going to offer another stone full of runes tonight?” Agneli queried.

Halle nodded subtly.

“You’ve done enough master...they don’t seem to appreciate it or care for it.” Agneli felt awkward calling the boy the same age as him ‘master’. He still did it though.

Halle earned a sense of respect from him over the days continuing an almost tradition-like habit of giving his apologies to the family he’d caused to grieve.

“It’ll never be enough for the boy l killed.”

“Master, may l know what he said to cause you to get—”

“No,” Halle interrupted. His burdening steps hefty in weight continued carrying guilt.

“Where are we going?”

The woods grew closer every step they took and the howling winds amongst trees called to them. It was day-time but the trees were scary to Agneli.

Halle responded, “To meet a shaman first.”

Agneli had never met the infamous shaman but he’d heard from his father about him as he was the sole Seiðr practitioner in the region. With the rule of Christianity in Noreg widespread, the sole clan that took him in was the Hati tribe. Even so, he was often treated with disrespect for mastering the arts of—magic. Most would ignore the man, silently watching him with contempt whenever he entered nearby towns. No one spoke to him save for the jarl rumoured to seek him out for prophecies. It appeared Halle sometimes spoke to him as well.

“Ergi,” Agneli mumbled.

An insult referring to unmanliness, shamans and witches were meant to be women and they were respected. Not men who did so.

“Even if he is shameful, he is wise,” Halle said.

“But he is—”

“I know that he lusts for men.”

“Then why are we speaking to him!” Agneli cried aloud.

Norsemen before the times of Christianity plaguing their religion did not consider a man's love for another man as blasphemy. In the 11th century though, the concepts of christ and their rules bore stronger and others weaker. Disgust for such forbidden love was considered unmanly to the point where if a man were to say he would penetrate another male as an insult, the victim of such words would immediately fight to the death with whoever spoke such an offence.

“Keep your voice low, you are amongst the Ulfhednar territory.”

Agneli snapped his mouth shut afraid to murmur a single sound. He managed to whisper, “This is where they live, l thought they left years ago.”

Ulfhednars had entered the town, donning wolf hides masking their skin. The Hati clan accepted them, welcoming them with food. Plenty to fill stomachs, yet they devoured everything like beasts leaving nothing cracking bones of chicken legs. Men sparred with them for entertainment and were thrown onto the floor sprawling. They were rumoured to have left decades ago, fierce shaman-warriors who fought for coins travelling about.

“Ulfhednars returned on the day l was born. Do not ask why l do not know myself.”

“Have you seen them fight?”

“I’ve been trained by them.”

Seeing Agneli’s astonished face, Halle laughed quietly. It was a first for Agneli to see but too scared to care as he questioned, “Will they eat us if we anger them?”

“Possibly.”

Agneli wanted to run and was about to before seeing Halle grin.

“You liar.”

“They’re scary when you first meet them but you come to understand they're quite friendly.”

“How is the shaman here?” Agneli had too many questions, firing them loose when given the opportunity of answers.

“He is the leader of the Ulfhednars.”

Agneli gasped, jaw dropped.

“Why does no one know of this, where the Ulfhednars hide and their connection to the shaman?”

“The shaman made my father keep them as a secret until they desired to reveal themselves.”

“You’re lying again aren't you.” Agneli could not believe his ears, the Ulfhednars had stories of legends behind their names.

To know they were here in these woods so close to the town was frightening because there existed horror tales of them as well.

“I’m not. Ulfhednars stay here hidden while their shaman is the leader who sometimes deals with my father,” Halle casually said.

“Is your father…” Agneli did not know how to say his words properly.

He wanted to ask if Halle’s father had a forbidden relationship with the shaman in secret, but bit on the words thinking it impossible. The lone reason for such thoughts was he’d never seen or heard of Halle’s mother.

Agneli had lived far away from the town living alone with his father before he was captured to be a thrall, so he knew very little.

Halle glared knowing what Agneli wished to say, “I had a mother.”

“Had?”

“She died.”

Halle did not know why he shared such information with a thrall, he shared it nonetheless and was reminded of his mother. Beautiful blue eyes more magnificent than the seas and natural golden hair never dyed.

Agneli bowed. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It is in the past,” Halle bore no emotion in his voice.

No guards, no one to protect them, they marched through the woods. Halle always escaped the jarl’s home heavily protected with Norse men, warriors and servants. He moved nimbly, imitating a wolf’s caution and agileness.

Agneli followed behind, not as a thrall. A witness to Halle’s antics. They weren’t friends or master and thrall, he’d grown slightly closer to him until he mentioned Halle’s father. Reflecting on it, he could only secretly regret.

Bushes ruffled as they walked. Halle raised a hand signalling for Agneli to stop. Sweat dripped down Agneli’s forehead and he imagined beasts of horrors to leap out within the woods.

Green leaves shook, the concealment of bushes opened to reveal a young girl no older than them. Blue paint in runes marked her face and arms. Ageneli blushed at her beauty before he saw her growl and pull out a dagger.

She leapt forwards. Screaming as if he was about to die, Agneli turned around and ran leaving Halle to face whatever dangers this girl brought.

Tunic pulled on its neck ceasing his run, Halle’s head shook, staring at Agneli with pity.

“Gunhild stop trying to scare me,” Halle said.

Gunhild twisted the dagger twirling it around her fingers, letting the instrument of death dance. She smiled showing teeth marked with lines carved all across where blue dye resided, a symbol of an Ulfhednar.

Agenli paled a lighter shade of white. He exclaimed pointing at her, “She’s an Ulfhednar!”

“Halle, you didn’t mention inviting anyone here on your last visit. Can we trust him?” Gunhild questioned.

“He’s my thrall. If he dares speak a word about this place I’ll behead him where he stands.”

Nodding at Halle’s words, Gunhild saw the eyebags on her friend’s face and worried.

“You look tired. Have you been sleeping?”

“I’ve slept enough, do not mind me,” Halle replied. His exhaustion did not show in his stable voice only in appearance.

Gunhild did not question any further and scrutinized Agneli with eyes that swept from bottom to top.

“He looks like he’d sing louder than birds but if you promise on Odin’s—”

“I swear on Odin’s name he won’t mutter this secret to a single soul,” Halle rebutted.

“Good enough for me.” Gunhild shrugged her shoulders.

Agneli nearly left alone escaped his stunned mind lost for words. Catching up to the pair who strolled confidently in the maze of trees. He asked Halle quietly, “You didn’t actually mean it when you said you’ll behead me right?”

“I meant every word.”

“Then why by Thor’s hammer did you bring me with you?” Agneli cursed like a madman.

Halle shrugged. “I thought it’d be entertaining.”

“I know l’m a thrall, and we haven’t had the best—”

Gunhild hushed Agneli, “SHHH! You're in the presence of the shaman.”

A Hut built in the middle of the woods, deep into the forest of eerie trees wielding arms that looked ready to grab at anything breathing to eat.

“How has no one found this place?” Agneli whispered dumbfounded.

“Packs of wolves live here and anyone who dares march into Ulfhednar lands will hear of our growls.” Gunhild smiled.

She flashed her sharp teeth painted blue between carved lines.

Agneli gulped, he felt Ulfhednar growls were scarier than the sounds real wolves made. He shivered imagining her sinking those teeth more akin to fangs into skin.

“Shaman. Halle needs you it seems,” Gunhild spoke into the dark hut filled with wandering smoke hiding whatever monstrosities lurked within.

A croaky voice somewhat high pitched to where it wanted to stab at your ears every few seconds. The shaman spoke amongst the alluring smoke.

“Child, call me father instead of shaman.”

Gunhild sighed, “Father. Halle has sought you out.”

Not wanting to stay here for too long she escaped, walking into the bushes as her silhouette vanished into the green scenery.

“Halle, son of Erik Tokesson. What is it you need from me?” The shaman called out.

“I wish to learn of whether the family l have caused grief for will accept my apologies.”

“Child your words are too quiet, come closer into the hut for me to hear your pleads.”

Guts twisting in fear, Agneli hesitated to take one step into the hut while Halle waltzed forwards not fearing the smoke.

“Damn it all.” Agneli purged worries shouting in his mind that they were empty of any peril.

He followed behind Halle, who breathed slow shallow breaths almost not breathing at all.

Clouds of white puffs made Agneli hazy, yet he was able to focus on what hid behind the veils of smoke. A man no older than forty winters sat burning down leaves into a fire and he held a wooden staff longer than himself.

Scars trailed down his body, Agneli winced recognising how painful some of them would be. Darker blue closer to the night sky coloured his countless runes engraved into the shaman’s frame.

The shaman spoke.

“I see many spirits Halle, living and dead from the trees to the sticks, which form this hut. They whisper to me of many things, is that all you ask for? Or is there more you wish to learn?”

Seeing the smile rise on the shaman’s face, Agneli felt revolted at the sight.

Halle answered calmly in contrast to his thrall, “I desire the answer to my one question.”

“So be it.” The shaman glanced to Agneli, seeing his face full of disdain.

Agneli sensed this man could hear his thoughts and it shocked him more when the shaman pointed with his staff.

“Child you view men who lust for other men worse than Loki’s misdeeds. I can say you’ve been tricked by Christian faith, we live by Odin’s words and do not care for such things as long as you are a worthy warrior. I earned these scars through duels.”

Agneli gulped knowing all too well how many battles this man must have faced to yield such wounds that festered his body.

“The god of Christians has cursed our religion when we still believe in Thor and Odin. Such a sad ordeal.”

“Gorm l wish for my answer,” Halle spoke the shaman’s name loudly.

He wanted to leave soon for his thrall’s sake. A shuffle of feet behind him caused Halle to glance over and see Agneli swaying on his legs, this was what he worried for.

“Impatient I see, let your desires be mine to claim for l shall relinquish them. In return what do you offer?”

Halle handed over his palm. “My blood.”

“Oh, you were hesitant the last time we met. Let alone your father who stopped me each time,” Gorm smiled. The shaman had asked numerous occasions before.

“I shall leave if you don’t give me my answer.”

‘Hampr’, old Norse for Hemp thrown into the flames by Gorm’s hands after Halle’s words. The plant was grown across Scandinavia, yet shamans were the ones to know of its secret power. Never would they share its properties with outsiders, taken to the grave with each shaman after they shared the knowledge with their successor.

“Do not regret whatever words you will hear from my lips then child,” Gorm pulled out a thin knife reflecting fire’s flame in the dark.

He slid it across Halle’s palm letting blood dribble down his fingers.

Gorm pulled at the wound ignoring Halle’s groans letting blood drip into his mouth, he dragged his tongue across the palm savouring the iron taste. He allowed more of the blood to drip into the fire burning with vigour, a mixture of blood, Hampr and other secret plants.

The shaman sang a song while he hit the end of his staff into the floor, incoherent words to hear. Halle and Agneli waited.

Gorm collected the boy's blood for Halle's request and to answer his own questions. A motive he served to achieve with the aid of Hampr and other bizarre plants burning with a chilling flicker. The shaman entered another realm, the spirit world seeing the souls of dead and living.

Hati Hróðvitnisson. The monstrous wolf of Norse tales appeared in the dancing shadows of the hut and stepped out to greet him. It squandered any remaining room. It's frame crammed in Gorm's tiny abode, resting on the floor shedding fur darker than Saphire. Tail thrashing around at the sight of a plaything—Gorm was that plaything.

The shaman tilted his neck up to meet the blue eyes of Hati. He did not see any other spirit but Hati alone idling with a smile revealing teeth larger than Gorm's hands. It drooled with spit dripping to the floor.

Plop

Plop

Plop

Each drop of drool stained the hut's floor in the spirit realm, Halle and Agneli could only see the shaman's closed eyes flutter as his body trembled with fear.

This was not the vargr's true form.

(Vargr meaning wolf particularly referring to the Norse wolves causing the end of the world/Ragnarok)

The wolf in legends hungered to swallow the moon to bring the end of mortals, so its size now was a fraction of its past appearance in tales. It appeared though it would munch on Gorm's bones first if he did not run. Quickly he attempted to escape the clutches of Hati's jaws reaching for him, the shaman forced his body in the physical realm to kill the fire burning Hampr and other ingredients.

There wasn't enough time.

Gorm tensed waiting for death until he heard chains strain to halt the wolf. Bindings behind the vargr embraced Hati's legs. Gorm rushed to return to human land. The flames winked out and sweat ran down a pale face regaining colour seeing two boys and not the evil spirit of Hati.

"Are you ok shaman?" Halle reached out with his other hand not cut, to halt Gorm from collapsing into the fire's dead ashes.

"Do not worry child," Gorm laboured to breathe out. "Give me a moment to restart the fire."

Gorm kindled wood with breathing flames again and only threw Hampr without the special plants. Burning Hampr alone would not give him visions, it was he himself that was a vessel to breach the spirit realm or future as he inhaled smoke. At a cost though—his sanity.

The shaman did not try to seek out spirits again, he had gained his answer for the Ulfhednars. His ancestors swore an oath to banish and slay the vargrs, enemies to Odin and Gorm held many misgivings but this would be the worst to know. Hati Hróðvitnisson, the 'One Who Hates' lived amidst Halle's soul. Possibly trapped or growing stronger, he did not know.

Spirits guided Gorm here to the Hati clan, slayers of the vargr, yet it still lived. The spirits had whispered into his ear of an unusual boy sympathetic and murderous marked by a monster. His birth during the blue moon and eyes mirroring the wolf's pupils brought the haunting of a famished vargr. The wolf was not thrown into the sky by Odin as the Norse legends proclaimed, the wolf wasn't killed by mankind's warriors, it was chained down by conditions held by chains Gorm believed.

His first time to see the wicked wolf and he hoped it to be his last. He needed to tell the other Ulfhednars of this news. He would do his best as a shaman to not let the chains loosen on Hati and find what conditions the vargr needed to escape to stop it. Gorm did not wish for Ragnarok to befall humanity, the end of the world, not when he raised his adoptive daughter Gunhild.

But first, he focused on the future seeing different scenes and possibilities of fate. One played out to Gorm and it was the answer Halle sought for. All at the price of the shaman's sanity, his power worked with sacrifice. Madness at times scratched him, Hampr was poison and cure letting him access visions and appeasing lunacy when he did not wish to be a vessel. His quirks and at times careless words were a result of this abuse to see the future and hear spirits.

Gorm after minutes spoke grimly, “They shall never forgive you child, you have stolen a life and they need yours in order to forgive. Are you willing to pay for such a sacrifice?”

“No.” Halle’s brows drooped.

“Then your apologies are more worthless than dirt and stone.”

“Thank you for your answer. l already knew it but I wanted to know for sure,” Halle replied.

“Now, since you have asked a question let me give you one boy.”

Halle stared into Gorm’s eyes curious what he wished to know and answered with a simple nod.

“You haven’t been sleeping well l assume with the black bags underneath your eyes.” Gorm pointed with his staff at Halle’s eyes.

“I have nightmares.”

Gorm interrogated after seeing Hati Hróðvitnisson, “Do you hear certain words, an urge within you?”

“KILL. That is what l hear.” Halle’s eyelids trembled to recall the word that embedded itself into his skull before and after he had taken a life. The word shouted sometimes but in the hut of smoke, it was quiet almost silent.

Gorm inhaled the hut’s smoke and threw a leather pouch to Halle.

“Inside is Hampr that only we Ulfhednars are meant to use. But for you, l will make an exception.”

“What am I meant to do with it?”

“Burn it within the confines of your room alone. Like how I inhale the smoke in this hut, control how much you breathe in. Do you not feel calm here, calmer than you’re meant to be?”

Gorm’s words were true, Halle did feel more relaxed. He might’ve broken down here at the knowledge he received from the shaman’s lips if the smoke did not roam the hut. His bloodlust was also quieter.

“Breathe deeply not shallow breaths like now,” Gorm said.

Halle’s eyes twitched at the shaman knowing his trick to not become someone like Agneli nearly passed out.

Gorm smiled slightly recovering from his visions. “Your father does the same whenever he visits. Though l do not need to be as careful as you two since I’ve grown used to Hampr.

He swung his staff clearing some of the smoke. “You may leave since you’ve received what you wanted and l as well.”

Halle dragged Agneli away from the hut of smoke creeping around. Before he could leave, Gorm beckoned him to hear his words that twisted with no meaning Halle knew.

“The Hati clan hides the soul of a vargr how laughable.” Gorm snickered with puffs of smoke.

“Say that to my father, not me. I don’t understand many of your insane thoughts,” Halle replied.

“But it is you that has the mark of Hati’s watchful eyes, they hide behind you in spirit. The Hati Hróðvitnisson follows you, tread lightly child for bloodlust haunts you.”

Hati Hróðvitnisson the vargr. Grandchild of Loki, who chased the moon till Ragnarok began, it’s fate to swallow the celestial body. The Hati clan boasted of being slayers of such a creature from eons ago, claiming the name ‘Hati’. To hear the shaman’s words, Halle knew best not to respond.

Gorm bowed his head to Halle's leaving back, he prayed the boy would grow up to become not a vessel for the wolf but the bane of the evil spirit.

Escaping the woods quietly. Outside of the Ulfhednar territory, Halle carried his thrall with an arm around his shoulder, no longer needing to be silent. On the edge of consciousness, Agneli’s eyelids fluttered.

The smoke’s effect had kicked in making him delirious stumbling on wobbly legs. Everything from plants to skies felt closer and further all at once, he believed he could reach and grasp the blazing white sun.

Mouth moving, slurring his words without a lick of respect.

“You fool, a braggart...who showed me. The son of an outlaw—secrets you shouldn’t tell.” Agneli paused as he pushed his finger to Halle’s lips before it was slapped away.

“I loathe you, from the way you act and live. You live better than a king!”

“I’d say I’m more jealous of you,” Halle responded.

“And why is that oh great lord of this bountiful land.” Agneli bowed, laughing with great fun lost in madness and time.

The disrespect and insults Agneli murmured could get him challenged to a fight, luckily Halle took it in great strides more so in amusement.

“Because one day you can be free of your burdens, while l can never run away from mine only in death.”

Agneli shrieked, “Burdens...BURDENS! You don’t know half my burdens, if you want to be one step closer to Valhalla I’ll behead you free of charge. Wait...a single gold coin would do.”

Gold coins were worth much more than silver and only jarls and those belonging to an aristocratic family possessed such wealth. For a karl to be asking for it was ludicrous, let alone a thrall like Agneli

Halle chuckled for the first time in many days, birds within the forest chirped gleefully in sync with the boy’s smile full of happiness.

“Truly, I’ve never heard a thrall say he would behead his master pfft.” Halle could not help and let giggles slither past his lips.

“Hey! Don’t laugh at me, you idiot.”

“I’d say you look closer to an idiot out of the two of us,” Halle retorted.

“That may be true…” Agneli was jealous of Halle’s good looks and figure that made other boy’s muscles pale in comparison.

The sadness on Agneli’s face brought endless chuckles, Halle wondered if he acted similar to this on his first meeting with the shaman as well.

“Thank you.”

“For what? You lousy noble.” Agneli stared deeply into Halle’s raised cheeks revealing a reflection of the glorious daylight, “I should punch you in the face so l can ruin that smile of yours.”

A familiar rustle of bushes was heard in front, Gunhild gawked at Halle who was cackling with laughs.

“Am I interrupting something?”

“Gunhild, hold onto Agneli for me. My shoulder has grown tired of lugging him around.” Halle wiped at his tears of laughter after handing Agneli to his Ulfhednar friend.

“Is that his name?” Gunhild stood bewildered hearing Halle be so friendly with his thrall, a slave.

“Yes, he’s quite good at making people laugh,” taking a deep breath Halle announced, “I’ll walk ahead for a bit when we get close to the outside of the woods you can hand him back to me.”

Left alone with a delirious person, Gunhild was forced to carry Agneli watching Halle continue laughing in the distance.

“Who are you...wait you’re that girl...Gunnnshield,” Agneli murmured.

“Gunhild and you better keep your mouth shut, unlike Halle l don’t take insults well.”

“You heard me?”

“Loud and clear.”

“Can you see me?” Agneli began hiding behind his hands pretending he was invisible.

“...” Gunhild sighed, “I should’ve told father to go easier on the leaves and plants.”

“How can he be your father though if he prefers men?” Agneli innocently asked.

“I’m not his real daughter, he adopted me.”

Agneli threw another innocent query, “Since you’re warriors that act like wolves, do you keep wolves as pets.”

“Yes, Halle often plays with the one l keep.”

“Hey what happened to his mother?” Agneli fired questions left and right. Not stopping as he pointed to Halle before his finger rose by accident to the sky, all the way to behind him.

Gunhild, an oblivious child straight as an arrow in nature when it came to questions. The lone person she interacted with was Halle, who was quite different from common karls.

“Killed in battle a month and a few days ago. The amulet Halle wears is the last thing she gave to him,” Gunhild answered.

Sobered up at those words, the smoke of leaves momentarily left Agneli for him to understand. Seeing he would get every answer he desired from Gunhild, who did not shy away from truths.

Agneli inquired, “Do you know why he killed a boy?”

“Words of disrespect to his mother on how she should have stayed home and that she was unworthy of battle. Halle’s sword searched for blood as his eyes saw red afterwards.”

Gunhild tapped her jaw thinking, “If l can recall at the time. Everyone looked at Halle with pity whispering words that his mother wasn’t worthy to go viking, that she should’ve stayed by the jarl’s side.”

“The cowards. What do they know?!” Agneli shook his fist in fury.

Gunhild nodded, “We Ulfhednars respected Halle’s mother for her skill and strength. She could’ve become a Ulfhednar. Though fate is not too kind to all.”

Agneli stared at Halle’s daunting distant back. “How can he hide his pain so well?”

“I do not know, but he pretends to be fine even after losing his mother and grandfather.”

“Grandfather too?” Agneli pupils widened.

“Died by fever, my father often spoke with him before he passed a winter ago.”

After their conversation, Agneli walked silently. The shaman’s smoke wore off, and they reached the forest’s borders where Agneli now stood tall without falling over himself.

A bright smile plastered on Halle’s face, he entered the town greeting those who stiffly welcomed him in kind. Agneli followed, watching Halle’s large back. The thrall could not imagine Halle’s pain that was so different from his.

He whispered, “Damn it I’m meant to hate you, not respect you.”

Night fell, time passed but it felt slow once Agneli realised it arrived. He’d pondered for an entire day on Gunhild’s words about Halle’s grief. Agneli knocked on Halle’s door as routine whenever his master was going to the family that had lost their son to him.

“Enter,” Halle beckoned.

Agneli glanced to see another rock carved with runes in Halle’s hand. The thrall hoped he would not see his master apologise again and bow his head so low.

“Are you leaving again?”

“Yes.”

“I will follow.”

“You always do, l wonder why?”

It was a first for Halle to ask his thrall a question.

“Because you are my master.” Agneli bowed his head, he’d come to accept this boy no older than him as someone he admired deeply.

Halle nodded once and stepped out of his quarters escaping into the dark filled with stars glowering for attention. Carrying stone in hand, Halle followed the same path, same steps until he changed directions halfway running to somewhere else entirely. Agneli pivoted to turn his body in Halle’s directions, nearly left in the dust not knowing where Halle raced to.

Nonetheless, he fell into pursuit.

A tiny lake caught both the boys' view, in the middle of the night they stood there quieter than spirits. Halle stared at the pool of water and screamed with all his might letting a roar be heard for only him and Agneli to hear. The stone in his hand flew as far as he could throw. Water splashed causing small ripples to dance within the lake’s shallow depth.

Halle panted heavy breaths relieving burdens, he glimpsed to the side to see Agneli mimicking his action. Arching his eyebrows, Halle pondered what was this thrall about to do.

Agneli cupped his hands and screamed piercing the sky. He hoped gods could hear his sorrow, anger and pain for however high they may be above the black skies dazzling with stars. He wanted to copy his master to release some of his own burdens.

“That felt good,” Agneli said.

“I should be the one to say that.” Halle grinned.

Agneli cheeks blushed and even redder when he heard his master’s words.

“I also recall you saying you’d behead me for gold.” Halle pulled out a glistening coin and flipped it towards Agneli’s fumbling hands.

“I can’t keep this for a threat l stated.” Agneli pupils widened at the sight of such a golden coin.

“Then take it as payment for keeping me company on this night.”

“Still...then pardon my mistake for insulting you beforehand. It was because of the shaman’s smoke that made me say such words.” Agneli bowed deeply, apologising.

He wanted to hit his mouth that claimed empty threats.

Halle guffawed away laying flat on soil near the lake grabbing his stomach at the sight of Agneli bowing.

“Is something funny?” Agneli wondered if he bowed wrong, the child bowed even lower.

“No, no it’s not your bow. It’s the action itself. To think you who hated me so much when we first met is bowing to me of their own freedom. It surprised me.”

“I’m sorry,” Agneli awkwardly apologised not knowing what to say in this situation.

He’d never been in one like this. Being social was not one of his talents when he had lived in a home far away from town assisting his father in forging swords.

“Don’t be, honestly I’m glad you hated me.”

Halle stretched his body digging in it into the cold soil around him, which hugged his limbs.

“It was why I let you follow me to meet the shaman and the family l inflicted sorrow on. I did not care if you were a thrall, I just wanted to prove to someone that I reflected on my crime.”

Halle continued earnestly speaking, “No one reprimanded me for it. From my father who stated the boy was worthy of death to the family l had caused to grieve that hid behind doors to hate me.”

Halle spread his arms wide, stretching them as far as they could announcing his claim.

“All the townspeople look at me with fear."

He dropped his arms to his side and then pointed at Agneli with one hand.

"You alone glared at me openly, spoke rashly and treated me as l should have been.”

Halle longingly gazed at the celestial body and bride to Hati, a rock larger than any land. He held his amulet which glinted with the moon’s light.

“If my mother was still alive, she would have slammed my head into the soil. In front of the family’s home forcing me to apologise. Grandfather would have lashed at me with his stick, beating my back purple.”

Halle’s eyes grew teary.

“For a few words, l lost all sight of everything and killed someone. Someone no older than me, the first person l killed was a boy who insulted my mother.”

Sitting up, Halle held his head with trembling hands ashamed and scared of himself.

“Everyone whispered of my mother’s name and even my father agreed that she should have not gone to fight. But to say she was not worthy as a warrior, it made my blood boil. Insults are worthy of death, but...he was just a child like me. l killed him...”

Halle cried, “I don’t believe l was right to kill him, but no one has told me I was wrong, was l wrong?”

His blue eyes he’d inherited from his mother stared at the thrall he barely knew. Agneli sat silent before he stood up and hugged Halle, his tone gentle hushing cries, “You were wrong, you were wrong.”

“Thank you.” Halle sobbed louder and louder amid the night. He heard the words that he had waited to hear for so long.

Agneli repeated them, lulling him till Halle regained his composure.

“It’s been a few more days than a month, and I’ve already cried in front of you, how pitiful l must look.” Halle wiped at his tears, sniffling.

“I think it is those who have stayed too strong are the ones that cry. I’ve cried plenty of times these days,” Agneli replied.

Halle pleaded, “Tell me. You’ve heard of my pain, let me hear of yours.”

Determined eyes encouraging Agneli to speak.

“I...I before becoming a thrall and serving you. I was a child helping my father forge swords, we ate together, farmed together and laughed together. But one day he vanished. One day passed, two days went and the third day your father arrived.”

Agneli fought tears that wished to run down his cheeks.

“My father abandoned me for coins as he lied to your father on a promise to finish swords. I bore his crime and became a thrall. I didn’t believe he’d left me, even when your servants tortured me.”

His solemn voice grew heavier, “The days were long, too long and I’d come to learn my father would never return.”

Tears rushed through breaking the dams that Agneli attempted to maintain holding.

“That scoundrel...my own father left me. If l ever see him, I’ll kill him l swear on my name. I’ll kill him!”

Seething with rage, Agenli meant every word, syllable and vowel. He’d kill his own father on sight for being abandoned to become a thrall.

“I loathe how you can feel remorse when you killed someone, I for one can’t for my father. I want to kill him, no...I will kill him.”

Those words did not twist Halle’s opinion on Agneli, rather he felt closer to him than ever, a friend. And for a friend, Halle tried to soothe his thrall’s pain that spoke of rage.

“I don’t think l will feel remorse ever again for killing. My emotions may dull over time and I may become used to it.”

Halle stared into his hands that had stolen a life.

“For those that would try to kill me or those truly worthy of killing, I say the man that abandoned you is worthy of being slain.”

Agneli stared at Halle with resounding shock, laughing at himself.

“We’re both no less than fourteen winters and we already have wounds that probably will never heal. l wonder if we will have more when we grow up.”

“Then let's make a promise.”

Halle stood pulling Agneli up offering his arm. “Even if we are master and thrall, we will be friends who will hide each other wounds for us alone to see.”

Agneli did not hesitate and clasped Halle’s lower arm and said, “Deal.”

A tradition between Norsemen for greetings and promises, clasping the lower arms of another, which imitates what we have now in modern-day handshakes.

Halle shouted, “Whoever breaks this promise first will be beheaded!”

Agneli laughed, “It is a deal oh sire, king of Noreg.”

“Thrall. l remember you said you’ll behead me.”

“Yes l do recall, but it is you who threatened me first.”

Picking up a long stick on the floor, Agneli pretended to wield it like a sword playing along.

“I will cut at your neck since you have rewarded me with a gold coin.”

Halle laughed and laughed till he believed he wouldn’t need the Hampr the shaman had given to him. The eyebags on his eyes eased away, and his fatigue he hid lessoned a tiny bit. He felt he would sleep easily on this night.

The two fought giggling amongst a clear blue lake that saw and heard of youth and their pain.