Enid tossed the priest onto the floor of the darkened long house. The village was sleeping. He was shielding his face from her. He was filthy and the smell was thoroughly unpleasant. She reached out her hand and touched him she chanted in Atlantean and transferred the frostbite and the bruises left by her daughter to herself and winced as her extremities withered then repaired themselves. He blinked up at her in the darkness. She shoved him over and stood up and sat on one of the benches. She stared down at him and spoke in Latin.

“I did that, not your God.”

“Why do you have such venom in your voice when you speak of our lord.”

“God abandoned me here. I sacrificed everything for him, and my reward was to be thrown away, kept from my family and loved ones for almost seventy years now. He called me his first-born daughter, his wrath, his angels called me their sister, and this is how they treat me. Why do you have such faith in an uncaring God?”

“God never abandons his people. He is always with us. Even here in this forsaken place. It is you who abandons him child.”

Enid leaned forward elbows on her knees her gaze meeting the priest’s.

“Look into my eyes priest, do they look like the eyes of a child to you?”

He looked into Enid’s eyes then turned away. Even in the light of the fire’s dying embers he could see the weight of the passing millennia in them. She frowned.

“I have seen countless men like you come and go in my lifetime. Blinded by faith in God and men getting fat off of his believers. They all had one thing in common. They died ignoble deaths. You would have been dead from the cold if I had not brought you in here tonight.”

She stood up and put a fresh wood on the fire and stoked it. He moved closer to the fire holding out his shivering hands. She could see the steam rising off of his frozen clothes.

“Why did you save me?”

“I would not have your death on my daughter’s conscience, and you tried to save the girl’s soul.”

“You stopped me.”

“Because your prayers weren’t needed priest. I cured her as I cured you.”

“But she suffered so much…you just took my injuries away.”

“She was sick, you were hurt, there is a difference.”

“Why…why did you tell your daughter to cast me outside to freeze?”

“I was angry, and tired after watching the girl suffer for so long. God could have saved her at any time. And there you were praying for her soul instead of her suffering to lessen.”

Enid picked up some of the preserved fish and bread and put them on one of the plates and put it in front of the priest.

“Eat.”

He started to hungrily eat the bread first.

“Your king will just toss me out into the shack again.”

“He will unless you can prove your worth. You can understand their language. Why not just do as your asked?”

“They are blasphemers, heathens and slavers. I will not serve evil men.”

“Priest if you had seen what I have seen Brits do to other people…you’d think these were the least of the evil in this world.”

“You look like you’re from the Islands.”

“I am. I was born in Scotland.”

“How are you here? Are you a slave?”

Enid laughed.

“No, I could be queen if I wished to wed again. I am here because God will not let me get home. As I told you before I am older than your religion. I walked with Jesus.”

He blinked at her.

“Surely you are no…servant of their fake Gods, you are an angel then.”

“No, I am no Angel, but I am a Saint if you must know. Or will be one day. And their Gods are not fake. They exist as did the Greek Gods and the Egyptian Gods. I have spoken directly to Odin. But I have never spoken directly to your God. Who is more real?”

He crossed himself then continued to eat, his pace was slowing. She stood up walked to one of the tables closer to the front door of the longhouse and picked up a jug of water. She cracked the ice that had formed on the water and poured a mug for him and put it in front of him. He took a drink and looked up at his hostess.

“You have a kinder heart then you let on.”

“I do not appreciate needless suffering, even in deluded fools that pray to an absentee God.”

“You know he exists; You say you have spoken to his angels, yet you still lay in sin with this king.”

“Hah. My sexual exploits are the least of my sins. I told you I am his wrath. I have killed enough people to fill this village a thousand times over. I think he’d start with that one.”

The priest looked up at her looking for any hint she may be exaggerated his face went pale when he realized she spoke the truth.

“If I were an angel my wings would be red with blood priest.”

“Why do you tell me this?”

“I’m not sure. I used to have conversations with the Pope. I found it helped.”

His eyes went wide.

“You have been to Rome?”

“I grew up there priest. But you’re speaking of the Vatican, St. Peters. Yes, I have given confession in its halls. I told the world the truth there. Told everyone in the world I would save them, and I did. Now I can’t even save myself.”

Enid shrugged and leaned back against the table resting her back and elbows on it.

“Perhaps I could help? I could pray for you.”

Enid laughed.

“Save your prayers, but you can help me. I need you to confirm the ingredients for your incense. I believe it includes myrrh, and frankincense?”

“Yes.”

“Churches should have a store of them then?”

“The bigger ones, of course.”

“Thank you, that is all I needed you for.”

He blinked at her and started to back away. Enid quirked an eyebrow.

“I’m not going to hurt you. I just healed you why would I have wasted my blood on you?”

He blushed and stood straightening out his robe. Enid pointed to a nearby bench.

“Sleep there. I will speak to Halvd about you. I suggest on marrow you stop pretending to not understand their language and he may let you stay here during the evenings. Useful priests are living priests.”

Enid walked into the back and pulled off her dress and furs and snuggled behind Halvd. He turned over pressing himself against her.

“Where did you go on such a cold night?”

“To save the priest’s life. He is sleeping on one of the benches by the hearth.”

“You have such compassion sometimes. Yet others you seem needlessly cruel, you are hard woman to understand.”

“My instinct is to lash out my dear king, my heart tells me to show compassion to everyone. I am at odds with myself. Now make me forget my moment of weakness would you?”

She reached down and grabbed him. He chuckled and rolled her over. Enid left an exhausted Halvd laying in the early morning sun. She was quite a demanding partner especially after dawn. She tugged on her dress and some furs and walked into the long house proper. The fires were lit, and it was warm. Several of the women were preparing for the morning meal. The priest was snoring away. The women were avoiding him. Enid walked up to him and shook him. She shoved an armful of furs at him in his half-asleep stupor.

“Go find a corner and sleep, you need the rest. I’ll make sure there is breakfast for you, won’t do it tomorrow though. Go.”

He nodded and shuffled to a corner and curled up on and under the furs. Enid shrugged and shook her head at Halva who was helping with the preparations. Enid started to help as well. Unlike Rolf’s village she was treated as a woman would be. Many of these women would be raiding with their husbands come summer. Hazel joined them a few minutes later.

“Why is the weakling here?”

“I healed him and brought him.”

“Why?”

“Because he is useless if he freezes to death.”

“You are so soft hearted sometimes mother.”

Enid motioned to the empty jugs.

“Go fill those. No mead. I don’t want the men drunk before noon.”

Hazel pouted and grabbed the jugs.

*****

Enid was sitting on the docks her legs dangling over the edge. She watched the men painting the longboats and waterproofing them. Hazel was helping. She heard footsteps on the wooden boards behind her and she looked back and smiled. It was Frida she patted a spot beside her.

“Have a seat.”

Frida bounded forward and plopped down unceremoniously.

“What are you doing out here stepmother?”

Enid laughed.

“No matter how many times you say that it will not change the fact that Hazel and I will need to leave soon.”

Frida pouted she had a handful of spring flowers and offered them to Enid.

“I brought you presents.”

“You did, did you?”

Enid took the flowers and inhaled their fragrance. She started to weave them into Frida’s braids. The girl giggled.

“That tickles.”

“It does, but you should see how pretty you look.”

Frida grabbed Enid’s arm and clutched onto it tightly.

“You are staying when they go raiding right?”

“No, I’m afraid not Frida, I need something from the Christians.”

“But, I thought…”

“I’m sorry Frida, if I am anything I am a warrior.”

Frida’s eyes travelled to Hazel who had freshly shaved the sides of her head and braided her hair. Sweat dripped down her brow as she heaved with three men to pull a longboat up to be prepared for the upcoming raiding season.

“You’re also a mother, a good mother.”

Enid smiled at Frida.

“I’m a terrible mother. Look where my daughter is, she is down there with the men instead of back there preparing the armor with the women.”

Frida giggled.

“Father says she’s the biggest woman he’s ever seen.”

“She is rather muscular for a woman. You see what I’m saving you from?”

“I think she is beautiful. She told me how you slew a dragon.”

“She is exaggerating it was a demon. There was no fire breath. I guess there were fire wings though…”

Frida giggled.

“I suppose you’re here because its time for your fighting lessons then?”

Frida shrugged.

“Come on, lets go to our rock.”

Enid hopped up and offered her hand. Frida took it and pulled herself up and followed Enid to their training rock. Enid kneeled down and fixed the ring of stones she had put in place to outline their fighting area. Father Lyster had taken is usual seat on a piece of driftwood. Enid wasn’t quite sure why he would watch the training sessions. He had been fixated on her since she saved him from freezing to death, this was the one place she was guaranteed to be daily. Enid motioned for Frida to draw her old beat-up dagger. It was duller than a wooden spoon.

“I’ve taught you to punch and kick. Now it is time to use a weapon. You’re small and I think you always will be a smaller woman like I am. So, a dagger is your best option.”

“But you use a sword.”

“I do, but I’m far stronger than a normal woman.”

“Why a dagger?”

“They are small, easy to conceal. To many cultures women are weak, easy to overlook. And men often think we are easy to take, and do things too, thing we don’t want to agree too. A dagger in your palm can put a quick stop to that. Especially if you stab him in his man bits. A woman with a sword while laughable to many men is an obvious threat. Women like you and I, we’re smaller its best if the underestimate us. You need to take advantage of it quickly though once they realize we are dangerous that changes quickly.”

Enid pulled an Atlantean dagger out of her pack and spun it in her palm rolling it across her knuckles before letting it fall and catching and stabbing at Frida. Frida lept back in shock.

“If they don’t see it coming, they can’t defend. Now watch me.”

Enid positioned feet and concealed the blade under her dress’s wrist then with a flick she had it in her hand and stabbed down. She repeated more slowly, showing Frida how it worked. The girl watched in amazement.

“If you do it this way they won’t have a chance to react. You need to make sure it is to an artery. Depending on your goal you need to choose your strike.”

Enid pointed to her throat where the strike would pierce the artery and windpipe.

“Stabbing here will silence them. It is also the hardest to get off without them realizing what you’re up too. They will die quickly unable to scream, only a gurgle. It is bloody and you need to be prepared for the mess.”

Frida wrinkled her nose.

“If they are trying to rape you, they likely already have you on the ground. Striking in the crotch will stop him in his tracks but if you wait until he’s on top you can get it in his neck or here.”

Enid lifted her arm and pointed to the quickest way to the heart.

“If you can handle letting them…do what they want you can get them in the heart here. Two or three quick stabs they will bleed out and if they’re in the middle of what men do to women they will be blindsided. Its up to you and depends on how many are watching. I am sorry we are talking about this sort of thing, but its something women need to understand. That is what we are to a lot of men. Do you understand?”

Frida nodded. Enid held up a finger then walked into a storage shed and came out with a stuffed burlap man sized target and placed it in front of Frida.

“I want three repeated strikes over and over again.”

Enid pointed to the throat where she had marked it in red dye, between the ribs to strike the heart and the grown.

“Take my dagger Frida. I want you to stab this until you cannot lift your arm. Then you will use your other arm. Go!”

Enid watched as Frida started stabbing the target dummy her thrusts were not as strong as Enid would like. It would improve with time. She felt arms wrap around her abdomen and pull her close. She felt Halvd’s beard on her neck.

“You teach her the ways of Loki. Why not the sword?”

“She is no warrior maiden Halvd. I teach her what she will need to protect herself and her virtue.”

“Anyone of those will kill a man.”

“Which is why I am teaching her body to strike in those locations so she can do so without thinking.”

“Have you trained many?”

“Hundreds. Though only a few with a dagger.”

He kissed lifted Enid up and kissed her neck.

“You should stay, she would do well to have a mother like you.”

“You have said that many times and I have told you what it would take.”

“I am trying woman; I am trying harder than I ever have.”

Enid turned and kissed him. Her hands pressed against his chest.

“You know why it is dangerous for me to stay. However much I would like too.”

He nodded. Enid turned and leaned against him watching Frida exhaust herself stabbing the targets with her left arm now. She finally collapsed panting. Enid touched Halvd’s hand gently and h released her. Enid stood over Frida.

“If you can rub your face you have not followed my instructions, keep going.”

Frida grumbled and stood up. She started again. Her arm was obviously exhausted her thrusts were weak and ineffectual.

“Do you think a man coming to kill you and your children is going to care if your arm is tired Frida? Stab it again. In the heart, like your life depends on it.”

Frida glared up at her and stabbed it with all her strength the dagger forced the gourd Enid had been using as a heart out of the body and it hit the ground its insides spilling out.

“Good. That’s the strength you need Frida. Now that your arms are tired go tire out your legs run to the dock and back. Go.”

Frida looked up at her with disbelief.

“Was I not clear? You should be halfway to the docks already.”

Frida sighed and started running to the docks. Halvd gave a soft chuckle.

“You keep this up she’s going to beg to go back to sewing lessons with Halva.”

“She begged me to train her. I told her it would not be easy.”

Enid leaned down and picked up her discard dagger and wiped the gourd guts off of it with the burlap dummy. She walked to Halvd.

“You will be slaughtering animals soon?”

“Yes to prepare the meat for raiding.”

“I’ll need the blood.”

“Why?”

“For the dummy, stabbing a man is slippery business I’m going to add bags of blood to the next one so when she stabs it will spray and bleed on her. So, she’s used to the slickness on the hilt.”

“That sounds like a bit much for a child.”

Enid looked up at him.

“You want me to train her, but you don’t want me to prepare her to kill someone? When I was her age I was hunting wild boars with a knife.”

“Your father allowed this?”

“He encouraged it. I was trained by a woman whose entire civilization revolved around war. She was hand picked to train us. They were called Spartans. I am training your daughter the way I would train my students in Karate. Self-discipline it the most important lesson I can teach her. I’m also teaching her Aikido”

“What is this Karate and Aikido?”

Halvd spoke the words uncomfortably.

“Without going too in depth, they are the way I laid your men flat without a weapon. They turn your body into a weapon. I taught many girls Frida’s age. The lessons teach you how to use your opponent’s strength against them. Of course, they were never expected to actually fight for their lives. Not like Frida. So, for her I am weaving in some of my own instructor’s techniques. Such as feeling blood on her hands when she stabs something.”

Halvd stroked his beard and nodded.

“I see what you’re saying. If you can teach my daughter to put grown men down like you do, I will not interfere.”

Enid nodded. She clapped when Frida returned. The girl was bent over hands on her thighs panting and gasping for air.

“Your lungs aren’t used to working after lazing about for a winter.”

Frida nodded, collapsed and looked up at the sky. Enid stood over her and looked down in her eyes.

“Do you think the men coming to raid your village are going to clap for you after you flee? Or are they going to catch up and gut you?”

Frida blinked up at Enid with her green eyes.

“I’m so tired.”

“I know.”

Enid offered the dagger again.

“The men caught up with you. Kill them.”

Enid pointed at the burlap target dummy. Frida pushed herself up and started stabbing the dummy again. Enid picked up a staff and whapped Frida’s forearm hard. The girl dropped the dagger and cried out.

“You just got your arm cut off, switch hands.”

Frida picked up the dagger with her left hand and started stabbing again. Enid made her go for another five minutes. Then motioned for her to stop.

“Not bad. I’ve seen five-year-old boys do better, but you’re just a girl, right?”

Frida glared at Enid who took the dagger.

“Watch me, Frida. You will not always need to fight someone head on. Remember the lessons I taught you about sneaking around. If you can approach from behind you have several modes of attack.”

Enid crept up behind the dummy and slit its throat causing some pebbles to fall out she stabbed it under the armpit. Then up behind the ribcage hitting it where it would pierce the heart. Then she stabbed on the inner thigh. She repeated it quickly on the other side with the other hand.

“You, see?”

Frida nodded tiredly.

“Any one of these blows is fatal some quicker than others. If you want to silence them, you go for the throat and you cut deep. If you want to suffer you will stab them in the lower back through here. Kidneys and stomach are there. If you managed to get this part, nasty things will get into their blood, and they will suffer and die. So, if its personal you stab them there. If you want them dead quickly stick to the first three places. If they are armored, inner thigh. That is usually lightly armored because otherwise it is hard to walk.”

Frida nodded. Enid motioned for her to stand and come to her. She stood behind her and took her hand and helped her do the strikes on the target dummy a few times with each hand. Enid too the dagger and put it in her pack.

“Now its time for our hand-to-hand lessons.”

“Stepmother, why are you teaching me how to kill a man and not capture him?”

“Because if you’re fighting and you want to survive you need to make sure they will no longer be a threat and killing them is the only way to be sure. Also, you know very well my name is Enid.”

Frida blushed.

“If you want to subdue people you will these skills. But if you’re alone kill them.”

Enid motioned to Halvd.

“Come king, I need a partner to show your daughter how this works. Father Lyster is still bruised from yesterday.”

“Me?”

“Are you scared?”

“Of course, I am, you’re a Valkyrie.”

Enid laughed.

“I will be gentle.”

He laughed.

“I have seen your gentle. I still have the bruises.”

Frida looked to her father.

“Please father? It helps me learn to see her do it for real.”

He grumbled and pulled off his tunic and held up his hands. Enid motioned for him to come at her. He came at her with a punch and she grabbed his hand with both wrists and spun using her own weight and his momentum to throw him a feet. He landed with a thud and the soft sand Enid had gathered. She smirked at him then looked to Frida.

“You see how I used his movement and his weight against him. How I used my own weight to pivot him?”

She nodded.

“If you hesitate or start at the wrong point you will be in a terrible position and you will be at a disadvantage you have to learn how balance and weight work. You can tell if someone is off balance.”

Frida nodded.

“Stand up Frida, time to practice your blocks. Remember make them pay for attacking you. The harder you block the more it will hurt them. Like the staff.”

Frida nodded and stood up and rolled her dress sleeves up. She stood in front of her father who was blinking at the mass of bruises on Frida’s forearms he looked to Enid. Who quirked an eyebrow.

“The only way to get used to getting hit is to get hit.”

“Go ahead try and strike her.”

Halvd looked at Enid again.

“Go ahead, she is used to practicing with me. She needs to practice against someone taller than her.”

He sighed and Frida motioned for him to try. He tried to strike her, and she slammed he forearm into his with an aggressive block and he shook his arm. Afterwards looking down at Frida who giggled at him. He tried hitting her several times more, not full-strength punches but he found himself deftly and brutally blocked by his daughter. He eventually held up his hands and rubbed his reddening forearms. He reached forward to hug Frida and she wasn’t there she dove through his legs and took his knees out and latched onto him from behind in a tight bearhug. Halvd started to laugh from the ground. Frida giggled again.

“You little she-devil.”

Frida kissed his cheek and let him go. He looked to Enid who shrugged.

“I cannot argue with your success.”

Enid and Frida tackled him again and he found himself being kissed on the lips by Enid and hugged tightly by Frida. Enid got off of him. She left Frida and Halvd to play wrestle and dusted the sand of off her dress and blushed when she saw Halva eyeing her figure.