The Beginning

The first chapter of my new novel.

 It was late Autumn in the coastal village of Torin and the leaves had just begun to turn red. The town was only comprised of about forty stone and grass huts, but the community remained tight-knit and thriving, bracing themselves against the harsh winter ahead. Silver slivers of smoke rose out of chimneys, warm laughter rung in the air and the smell of fresh-baked rye bread wafted along the dirt paths. Sigrid, a young fair-haired child with rosy cheeks was helping her aunt to gather herbs for her newest brew when she heard the hunters calling out to their wives from the woods. Their bellows rang with triumph which meant that a feast would be soon held to enjoy whatever beasts they managed to slay on their latest journey. 

With unbridled eagerness, Sigrid ran to her cottage fence and clung on tightly to watch the brave weathered warriors walk by. They waved at her as they always did with warm grins, continuing on toward the village. They sported elk and boar carcasses on the backs of their horses, but something else caught Sigrid's attention. At the very back, two of the hunters, Amund and Andor were dragging a young bear cub by a rope, the poor creature braying with every tug. It was an unusual looking beast, not like most bears in the surrounding woods. Its body was pure white with its legs fading from gray to black. It was clear what had happened- the hunters had slain the mother and other cubs for meat and fur, and kept the cub as a trophy to sport around at the weekly market.

The thought sickened Sigrid. Grabbing her raggedy skirts, she dashed inside to grab hold of her aunt Saga's wrist and pulled her outside. ”Look auntie, look what they have!”

Her aunt paled as she saw the helpless creature. ”Come inside, my svass, you don't need to watch that.” Placing her petite hand on the back of her niece's head she steered Sigrid back inside. She allowed herself one brief glance back at the cub and shook her head with sorrow. Once inside, she closed their rickety wooden door and put down the latch. ”Are you cold, Siggi? I made some soup. Grab a bowl and sit down. Did you find the herbs I asked for?”

”I did,” Sigrid replied with a hunk of rye in her mouth, ”I left it by the door in the basket.” She placed her small bottom onto an old wooden stool carved for her by her father, and allowed her finger to trace the various swirls and loops carved into it as she waited for her soup to cool.

”Good, thank you my sweet. Now, would you like to hear a story about your parents whilst you eat?” Saga took a seat by the fire next to Sigrid and put her mortar and pestle in her lap, beginning to crush some dried up herbs taken from the rafters.

Sigrid nodded enthusiastically, almost spilling some potatoes and meat onto the floor.

”Careful, I just swept in here and I would like to go a day without having to clean after you.” Although her harsh words, her aunt smiled at her and brushed a lock of her niece's hay-stack yellow hair behind her ear. ”Alright, where did we leave of... Ah that's right,” she added some more herbs to the mortar, ”your mother Eirn was always out for adventure. When the ships left Torin she and your father Knut were the first ones out. They were so brave, sometimes I wondered if your mother and I were of the same kin.” Saga paused at the memory of her sister, smiling sadly at the loss. ”One day, the Earl of Odynfel decided he wanted to go raid a far away kingdom that no other kingdom or earldom had set eyes upon before.”

”But how did they know that it was there?” Sigrid asked between bites of soup and bread.

”Hand me some more of the rosemary and I will tell you.” The girl did as she was told and then watched her aunt with strained patience. ”Because, my dear,” Saga continued, ”I told them. You see, I had learned that I was a seer when I was just a little girl. When I had visions, my mother, and your grandmother, sent a letter to the Earl informing him of what I saw. It was in important duty, and I never said anything unless I knew I was for certain. You see, it was a matter of life or death. If I led the warriors astray, they may never return.”

At this point Sigrid had finished her stew and bread and had set her bowl onto the floor. She grabbed a shawl from on top of her small cot and returned to sit by her aunt. ”Do you still see the visions, auntie?”

Saga smiled, petting young Siggi and straightening the large shawl on her tiny frame. ”Yes I do, and that is why sometimes the villagers come here to visit. They want me to see if I can read my runes for them. Sometimes I cannot help them; some things are completely up to a person's choices and therefore there is no outcome I can see. But, I help where I can and that is enough.” Saga emptied her mortar and pestle into a reindeer hide pouch and closed it with the drawstrings. She set the bag on the mantle where she kept most of her crushed herbs, and then returned to her seat. She patted her lap and lifter Sigrid as the little one struggled to clamber up.

”Do you ever speak with the gods?” Sigrid asked, shuddering slightly as Saga pulled her coarse horsehair brush through her hair.

Saga chuckled against the little one. ”Sometimes, but the gods only intervene when it is a matter of utmost importance. Otherwise, normally they will let fate take its course. Anyway, on one particular day, not too different from today, your mother came by to tell me that she was leaving to go pillage the new kingdom. I told her it was not wise, but she would have none of it. She, like your father, was incredibly stubborn, and when she made up her mind, there was no changing it. So, they set off to find the new kingdom the next day. Weeks went by and there was no sign of their ships, until one day when I was planting that very rosemary bush that you gathered from today, I saw the wooden dragons looming in from the fog. I ran to shore to find your mother, and there they were, carrying satchels of gold and other trinkets. It was magnificent!” Her heart ached but she had to finish the story, for her niece. She had promised Eirn she would not let Sigrid forget her.

”You were still a baby then, and you cried so often- day and night- but when you were in your mother's arms you were like a baby lamb. Your mother lived up to her name, Eirn of course meaning merciful. She was always so kind and gentle, and your father was so strong. They were happy, and you were their life and joy. She brought the necklace your're wearing from that very same voyage. It was much too big for you as a babe but now it fits you well.”

Sigrid thumbed the golden locket that held the hair of her mother and father. They had made it home from their final voyage but had died soon after of their battle wounds so Siggi had never met them. The closest she got to knowing her parents was through her aunt's stories. ”Does momma ever talk to you?” she asked, her large mossy eyes peering up at her aunt through thick black lashes. Saga kissed her niece's button nose and lifted her up into her arms.

”Sometimes, and she tells me how much she loves you and how beautiful you've grown.” She set the already drooping girl into her bed and laid the shawl over her for warmth. ”Sleep well my svass, tomorrow we will go to the market and buy you a new dress. This one is becoming too small.”

Sigrid nodded and curled into her blanket, already fast asleep. Saga stood and walked to the fire once more, staring into it blindly with hollowness growing in her heart. The more she spoke of her sister the more the darkness began to engulf her. If she had only made the Earl listen, they would have been alive today. She chose not to speak out, and now was left to relive her tortured memories time and again. But Sigrid deserved to know. She was one of them, after all. A Warbourne, and there was nothing Saga could do to keep tiny Siggy from her future. She walked across the room and picked up an unfinished tapestry that she had begun to work on. It depicted an image from one of her more frequent visions. An image of Sigrid- and a bear.

The next day Sigrid skipped along the dirt path from their cottage to the village, her arm swinging in Saga's strong grip. They lived right outside of the village, on the main road but secluded enough to have their own privacy. Saga could not concentrate on her visions with the commotion of the town, but still she managed to take her niece every week to the market to see the newest wares and to buy the following week's supply of food.

”Do you think the smith will let my try on some rings today?” Siggi asked, skipping over some rocks on the path.

Saga lifted her up as she tripped, and helped dust off Sigrid's knees. ”Well, your hands have grown a bit, maybe they will actually fit on you today. Don't get your hopes up, though, they're very expensive and he can't risk us dropping them in the mud.” Sigrid's face scrunched at the news, but she soon lit up as she spotted the market.

”Look auntie new dresses!” She dragged her aunt along to the textile worker's stall and tugged at a modest tunic that seemed to be a tad too large for her. Her old gown had holes and patches on every inch of the cloth, though, and Saga knew it was time to upgrade.

”Alright alright, take a look and see what you like. I'll make a bargain with Una.” Saga lifted her basket of medicinal brews and concoctions onto her hip and struck up a conversation with the sewer, Una, who knew Sigrid and Saga as well as everyone in town. Being the village's seer and also their medicine woman had provided them Saga with a trusted and revered position with the village elders, and of course Sigrid was the town sweetheart.

Saga heard Sigrid gasp and turned to where the girl was looking. There, on the far side of the crowded town square was a group of men huddled around a small defenseless bear cub- the same one from the day before. Saga tried to turn her niece away but she wouldn't budge, and in stead dashed in the direction of the cub. She tossed Una a potion for an upset stomach and grabbed a new deer hide dress for Sigrid before following the little girl. ”Svass, wait, do not run or I might lose you!” She managed to catch up to Sigrid just as she reached the crowd but could not grab a hold of her before Siggi pushed her way in between the men. They allowed her through and did not scold her when Sigrid crouched down to pet the bear.

The small creature shied away from Sigrid, fear blatant in its golden eyes. It was shaking badly and its right front paw carried a limp. It let out a small huff and brayed as Sigrid scooted closer.

”Watch out little one, he may try to bite ya',” one of the men announced, as if it would do anything to stop Sigrid. She brushed it off and sat down with her legs crossed. She no longer tried to reach for the bear, just sat and watched.

”Why are you holding him? Why can he not be in the forest?” she asked, looking around pointedly at the crowd. The part she liked least about the whole situation was the tight rope tied around the cub's neck.

The hunters looked at each other and paused, unsure if they should bother answering the child's queries. Deeming her harmless, however, one of the men knelt down and patted her on the head. ”One day when he grows up to be a big strong bear we're gonna use him to win our battles. Then we can get lots more goodies when we go visit other places!” He smiled as Sigrid frowned at his answer. ”Don't worry little one, we will feed him, But this is just the way of life. We are stronger than him and therefore we can choose his fate.”

”But you killed his momma! He doesn't have anybody! He's just a baby,” Sigrid yelled, furious that they weren't taking her seriously.

”Come now Sigrid,” Saga finally managed to grab hold of her niece and pulled her to her feet before she could cause any more of a ruckus. ”We cannot interfere- they are the hunters, we owe them for the food they bring to our tables. We cannot make them our enemy, do you understand?”

Sigrid nodded, obviously unhappy about the current situation.

”Look dear, I bought you a new gown. Let us finish our shopping and then we may go back home and see how it fits you, alright?” Again, Siggi nodded but kept her gaze on the ground and her shuffling boots.

”I do not like it auntie. That baby bear is all alone and they just want to keep it on a rope. I wouldn't like being put on a rope.”

Saga smiled despite the frown on her niece's little face. ”I know sweetheart, but you have me. That cub has no one. It has no other option, and those hunters are feeding it. It will survive much better with them than it would in the woods alone.”

The rest of the time at the market was spent in silence. Saga bought some carrots, potatoes, some eggs, a head of cabbage, and a leg of deer. Once finished gathering their necessities, the pair walked home hand in hand, Sigrid deep in thought.

”Sigrid, come finish your meal before it gets cold!” Saga called out the cottage window, searching the yard and garden for a little blonde head. Sigrid had seated herself on the fence again, her tiny feet swinging between the gaps. Her aunt walked out to fetch her, lifting the girl onto the ground and guiding her back in to sit at the table. ”You are only seven winters, how is it that you seem so deep in thought. Come, tell me what is bothering you.” Saga sat down across the small wooden table and poured herself a mug of herbal tea.

Sigrid took a large bite out of a roasted turnip and a swig of fresh milk before speaking. ”I keep thinking about the bear.”

”And what about it, my svass?” Saga prodded, a smile creeping back onto her face. She took a sip of tea, hiding her smile with the cup so as not to offend the young one.

”I don't think my momma would have let them keep it like a prisoner. I think she would have helped it.” Siggi sounded so determined, nodding her head as she spoke.

Saga leaned back in her chair and looked outside, a familiar pang of sadness grappling for her heart at the mention of her older sister. ”Your mother was a very wise woman. She would have known, as I do, that the bear cub is in good hands. Of course I do not like the way they show him off in the village, but that is the way of men. They like to boast, and the cub is proof of their feat against its mother. If we were to interfere with their triumph we would surely face some nasty consequences.”

This did not seem to deter Sigrid's resolve. She stared outside toward the hunting lodge that stood opposite of their hut on the edge of the woods. There was a small stable on the outside where the bear was likely being held, and she had been eyeing it all night.

”Eat, Siggi, you'll never grow to be tough like your mother and father if you let your food go to waste.” She pushed the small clay plate towards Siggi, coaxing her to eat. As if by magic Sigrid snapped out of her trance and scarfed down the remainder of her food. It had already grown dark outside and when she was finished, she hopped down from her stool, kissed her aunt and lept into her bed, pulling her mother's shawl over her tiny frame.

”Night night auntie,” she said behind a large yawn.

Saga smiled, walking to her niece's bedside to bestow a kiss upon her smooth forehead. ”Sleep well my svass. Tomorrow you can help me in the garden. We have some new herbs to plant for the winter. Then we need to make rounds to some of the houses in the village to check on my patients. I need you well rested for that, so sleep soundly and do not stir.” Once she had finished tidying the kitchen, Saga laid her self down onto her bed as well and fell fast asleep.

Sigrid, however, was not asleep at all. As soon as she heard the soft snoring emanating from her aunt's slender frame, she shot out of bed, grabbed a small brown satchel she'd hidden under her cot, and crept outside, careful to open the door gently to prevent squeaking. She had only snuck out once before in her entire life, and that was to pinch a left over sweet roll from the baker's shop two huts down. She had been caught, of course; the baker always stayed up late in order to hang the rye bread loaves from the rafter beams. Never before had she attempted to steal a live animal, but tonight was indeed not a night like any other.

Outside, Sigrid tiptoed across the front yard, snuck under the fence, and then made a mad dash for the stable building. Halfway she had to stop and catch her breath, and to remove a rock from her boot, but then she was off again, running headlong for the short, tall roofed building beside the hunting lodge. She slowed her pace to a inching walk as she approached, and when she got to the door, she thought best to climb through the window. She grabbed an old wooden bucket and propped it upside down on the ground to give her some height. Hopping on, she braced her hands on the window sill and swung one, then the other leg over and dropped down into the hay covered ground.

Snorts and soft brays echoed on the walls as the horses alerted to her presence. She had spent one summer helping the stable men to wash and brush the horses, so all of the beasts were familiar with her and did not spook- they simply eyed her curiously as she snuck by. One large bay draft horse stomped its foot impatiently, wanting to be let out of its pen, but Sigrid ignored it, having more important matters at hand.

As expected, the small cub's cage was located on the far end of the barn in an empty stable. It was a crude contraption made of sticks and branches tied together with rope, and there were obvious scrape marks on some of the sticks from the cub's baby teeth. It spotted Sigrid immediately and jumped back to cower against the far end of the cage. She approached slowly, and the cub began to bray with fear.

”Shh, it's okay! I won't hurt you, I want to help you.” She plopped her satchel on the ground and opened the drawstrings, peering inside. She rummaged around a bit until she found what she was looking for. Satisfied, she pulled out a hunk of roasted deer from her dinner she had snuck away into her linen napkin while her aunt's back had been turned. Unrolling the little bundle and placing the contents into the cage. She scooted closer and sat down to watch as the cub sniffed the meat, and slowly, after mustering the courage, risked a lick of the savory morsel.

”It's yummy, isn't it? My auntie is a really good cook. You can have food like that all the time if you come with me!” Sigrid whispered enthusiastically. The cub seemed to realize she wasn't a threat and began to gnaw on the meat, its baby teeth still too small to make much of a dent. ”Here, let me try.” Sigrid pulled her small reindeer bone dagger from her satchel and cut the meat into smaller, more manageable pieces. ”My auntie cut my food too when I was little.” The cub watched her intently, but then resumed eating.

An hour or so went by, Sigrid telling the cub about her mother and her aunt, and all of the different plants they had in their garden. Eventually the bear became indifferent to her and laid down to rest. Seeing an opportunity, Sigrid stuck her hand in the cage, first very gently, and then with more reassurance as the bear's head shot up, but then returned to rest on top of its paws. Stroking softly, she smoothed out the ridge on the cub's back and continued down its back. The bear relaxed slightly at her touch, and for a while, they simply remained that way- Sigrid stroking its fur and the cub snuffling in its sleep.

”Alright, it's time for us to go. Auntie will be very worried if she wakes up and sees that I'm not in bed.” Determined to bring the bear home, Sigrid hatched a plan. She grabbed a length of rope from her satchel, tied it onto a few of the twigs on the bear's cage, then tied the other end around her tiny waist. ”This is going to give you a bit of a fright but don't worry, our house is not that far away.” Making sure she didn't hear anyone outside, Sigrid began to pull the bear's cage behind her. Once outside of the stable doors, she noticed that the cage was leaving drag marks on the ground and decided to go over the grassy area to her home closest to the woods. That way, she would be much harder to track. Training once with some of the younger hunters had come to good use.

The cub brayed and thrashed about in the cage, unsure of what was going on. ”Shhh calm down, you're going to get us caught! We'll be home soon but you need to be quiet.” As if the creature understood her, the bear settled down and sat watching as the stable became smaller and smaller behind them.

Finally, after a grueling half an hour of pulling and stopping, Sigrid reached their garden gate. Deciding it was better to hide the bear out back, she rounded the house and deposited the cage in their back garden. ”Tomorrow I will build you a better home but for now you have to sleep in the cage, okay?” She snuck inside to grab an old rough hide blanket and laid it over the cage. ”That should keep you warm. Night night!” The bear let out a grunt as she inched away and disappeared into the house.

Exhausted and bruised from her recent excursion, Sigrid collapsed onto her tiny cot and fell fast asleep, snoring for the first time in a long while.

”Sigrid! Get out here right this instant!” Saga screamed from the back garden.

Uh oh. Sigrid rose timidly from her bed and made her way slowly towards the rear door. Taking a deep breath, she cracked the door open enough so that she was halfway inside the house and halfway out. ”Yes, auntie?”

”Do not 'yes auntie' me young lady, you know very well what this is about! Do you have any idea what the consequences for this will be if the hunters learn that we are the ones harboring their prize captive?” Her aunt was standing beside the small wooden cage with her arms crossed and an intimidating scowl upon her face. She tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for Sigrid to explain herself.

”Well...” the young girl gulped, ”I thought I could take better care of it if I brought the baby here. We could give it milk and feed it and raise it. It wouldn't have to be on a rope anymore.” Her aunt's face softened then, and she walked toward her niece who flinched, anticipating a beating. In stead, Saga took hold of Sigrid's hand and walked her inside.

”I believe it is time I showed you something.” They walked over to her aunt's bed and sat down. She reached underneath and brought up a rolled up bolt of cloth of some kind. Slowly, she unraveled it and revealed a beautiful tapestry. ”I work on this every morning before you wake. I finally finished it this morning. Look,” she pointed to a figure of a young girl riding upon a bear in a cave, followed by some sort of shadowy figure, ”that is you. I had one of my visions when you were born. It showed me what you would become- a Warbourne, like your mother and father.”

”What is a Warbourne?” Sigrid tried the unfamiliar word on her tongue.

Saga stroked the long locks at the back of Sigrid's head. ”They are a special type of Norde warrior. They have something special inside them,” she now pointed at the glow emanating from the girl's chest in the image, ”that helps them be the strongest and bravest of warriors. It's called magik.”

Sigrid's face scrunched with confusion. ”I don't have any magik.”

”But you do, you just haven't learned to use it yet.”

”Can you teach me?” the young girl asked with a hopeful grin.

Saga shook her head. ”I'm afraid not, my svass. But there is a place, far past our mountains and the woods, where people like your mother and father, and now you, can train and hone their skills to become powerful warriors and harness their power. I was trying to postpone when you found out about this, because I do not want to lose you like I lost your mother.” A small silver tear rolled down her aunt's chin, and Sigrid caught it with her tiny thumb and forefinger.

”You won't lose me, auntie. I'll be the strongest warrior ever! But wait, what are we fighting, another kingdom?”

”No, it is a race called the Orduun. They live far on the other side of the world from us, in a land called Oridor. It's a terrible place filled with fire and smoke and ash.” Saga's lip quirked up into a scowl of distaste at the thought of their foreign enemies.

”If they're so far away, why are we fighting them?” Sigrid's innocence warmed Saga's heart; her greatest wish was to keep that very innocence unscathed.

”Their ruler is a horrible creature. His name is Vat'ol. Their race, the Oroduun, are creatures born and raised in shadow. They get all of their power and energy from darkness, and harness it to destroy anyone and everything in their paths. Va'tol has spent centuries raising legions of fallen Norde amongst other races, gathering them and changing the into mindless drones to fight the coming war. That, however, is not the worst of his plans. He seeks to resurrect one of the Old Gods of Destruction named Fatuun who will then devour all of the other races and bestow unlimited power upon Va'tol and his people. ” She could see that Sigrid was shaking and placed a blanket over her shoulders, squeezing her tightly.

”Thus far, the Warborne- along with some heroes from other races- have been able to keep his plans from progressing, but now that their numbers have dwindled, Va'tol seems to have found his opportunity to begin the Summoning. The only known way to stop him is to destroy his Lieutenants scattered around the globe. They are the only ones who can control the Legions aside from Va'tol, and the source of his endless power. If they were to fall, Va'tol would be exposed and his ritual could be put to an end once and for all. That is why,” another tear escaped from Saga's eye and she swiped it away before continuing, ”when you are of age, I have no choice but to send you to the sanctuary where your mother and father both trained. It is called the Sanctuary of the Lost.”

Saga reached underneath her bed once more and produced a small wooden box engraved with Sigrid's initials, SE for Sigrid Eirnsdotter, literally translated to daughter of Eirn. ”Open it,” she coaxed as Sigrid hesitated on the latch. She lifted the lid then, and gasped as she saw the contents. ”It's yours now. It belonged to your mother when she was alive, and she made me promise to give it to you once you showed the signs.”

”Signs of what?” Sigrid asked, lifting the beautiful silver necklace up to view the pendant. It was a large silver claw with an ax in its center. In the head of the ax was a very small embedded moonstone. There were also some small runes carved into the handle of the ax which read 'Fight as one, fall as many'. Sigrid looked at her aunt with confusion. ”What does that mean?”

”The saying? It was an old Warbourne creed. You see, each Warbourne, upon reaching a certain age, befriends their fylgja, or an animal guide of some sort that will be their companion through battle and also lead them in times of darkness. Your mother's was a wolf and your father's was a reindeer. The hardest part about the fylgja-Warbourne relationship is that you become bonded to one another. What this means is that your souls intertwine, allowing you to harness each other's strengths and power in battle. This also means, however, that when one of you dies... so does the other.”

Sigrid's eyes went wide. She lifted the pendant she now had hanging around her neck and then looked to her aunt Saga. ”Is that how mother and father died?”

Saga nodded. ”When they were brought home, neither of them had a scratch on their bodies, but their fylgja were in horrible condition. I tried to save them but they were gone when they arrived.” Siggi placed her tiny hand over her aunt's and squeezed reassuringly. Although she was still very young, she had a remarkable way of soothing all those around her, like a little ray of sun. Saga continued with a labored breath. ”When I saw the cub out there in the back garden this morning I knew what had happened. You had found your fylgja.”

Sigrid rubbed the lingering sleep from her eyes and peered out the window of their hut, spotting the top of the wooden cage. ”Does that mean we can keep him?”

”We can't keep an animal we don't know the name of,” Saga said, smiling warmly at her charge. ”Come, let us bring him inside and then you may choose what we call him.” They both stood, placing the tapestry on the bed and walked hand in hand out of the back door. Saga lifted the wooden crate and the bear cub began to squirm. ”Hush little one, we will not hurt you.” They carried him inside and once both the front and back doors were firmly shut, Saga took her dagger and cut the ties on the corners of the cage. The sides fell to the ground exposing their captor. The cub shivered, unsure of what to do now that it had been granted freedom. First it looked to Saga, then Sigrid, and then decided the best plan of action was to bolt across the room and hide under Sigrid's bed.

”It's okay baby,” Sigrid cooed warmly, crawling over to the bed and planting herself beside is like she had at the stables the night before. ”I think I will name you Ein, because you are alone.”

”But he isn't alone, my svass. He has you now.” Saga walked over to the fire place and began to light their morning fire for porridge. ”See if you can get him to eat this. It won't do to starve him. Maybe he'll even warm up to you.” She handed Sigrid a small hunk of dried meat she had left over from the summer.

”Here Ein, you need to eat.” Sigrid took her dagger out and cut the meat into small pieces like she had in the stables. ”There, this should be easier for you.” She dropped a chunk by the bed, almost close enough for Ein to reach but far enough that he would have to crawl slightly out to get it. She began placing hunks farther and farther away to lure the cub out, keeping the last piece in her palm.

First the cub did not move, but then, obviously hungry, it began to sniff at the first chunk, his nose dripping. In a flash, he grabbed it and swallowed, moving toward the second piece. Inch by inch he came closer and closer to the final piece until he was standing in front of Sigrid. He craned his neck timidly toward her, keeping his eyes on hers all the while. He let his tongue take this first taste, and when he couldn't wait any longer, he placed his muzzle into her arm and took the last bite. He sat down while chewing, allowing for Sigrid to pet him gently on the neck.

”Looks like he's not too scared of you Siggi,” Saga laughed, ”that's a very good sign.”

”Ein, we are going to be very very good friends,” Sigrid proclaimed and stood up to go sit on her stool and away breakfast, allowing Ein the chance to sniff around the small cottage.

”Indeed you are my svass, indeed you are.”

Twelve Years Later

”Ein, did you hear that?” Sigrid asked as Ein moved through the thicket deeper into the woods. The bear snorted with agreement, jarring his rider. ”I should have covered you in dirt, that way that deer wouldn't have seen you so easily in the clearing. That's what I get for having a white bear,” she teased, earning herself a sharp look and a grunt from her companion. ”Whoa, stop. I heard it again.” Ein lifted himself onto his hind paws to peer further between the trees. ”There! That way! I see it! Let's get him Ein!” With that command, the large bear bolted toward their pray and Sigrid strung her bow for the kill. Each stride gained them an immense amount of distance until they were only a few paces from their prey- a large spring buck with impressive antlers. ”Auntie is going to love us when we bring him home. Come on, get me closer so I can shoot.”

Ein slowed his gait to a crawl and the closed in on their target. A few trees in between them, Sigrid notched her arrow and let it loose, whizzing through the hair and landing itself in the deer's hind quarter. It lept with agony and bolted once more, this time leaving a trail of blood in its wake. Sigrid nudged Ein's side and they took off after it. ”You know what to do Ein, take it down cleanly so we can bring it home for dinner.” The bear barreled through the trees, closing in on the deer just as it came to the edge of the trees.

”Oh no, Ein stop. STOP!” But it was too late, the deer flew off of the edge of the ravine, plunging into the rapids below. Ein tried to skid to a halt, clawing at the loose gravel and dirt beneath them but to no avail. They hurtled toward the edge just as the deer had. With a final scrape of the edge of the cliff and they were falling. Sigrid could see the panic in Ein's eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, while squeezing his sides with her legs. ”Just aim for the water, we can try to swim to the bank.” They turned over once and then they were in the icy water. Ein hit the bottom and pushed himself and Sigrid up to burst through the surface. They gasped for air and immediately began trying to claw for the shore.

Sigrid grabbed onto a root on the shore but it snapped off in her hand. Ein bit down on a small tree that had grown over the river, and for a while it held, but like the root it broke off and he was forced to spit it out and watch it float away in front of them. ”What do we do Ein? There's a waterfall up ahead!” Sigrid was beginning to panic and she could feel that Ein was as well. Knowing there was nothing else to do, Ein focused on keeping them afloat and braced for the impending descent over the waterfall.

Closing their eyes, the pair we shot out of the rapids and the second time in minutes they were falling through the air into water below. It wasn't a deadly drop, but far enough that it made Sigrid's stomach turn. She had never been one for heights and falling from them repeatedly was next to horrifying. She let out a scream as they hit the water and were plunged to the bottom once more. This time the water was deeper and she lost her grip on Ein. Unsure of which way was up, she struggled to hold her breath as her chest grew tighter. Her consciousness was beginning to waver as Ein shot out of nowhere and grabbed hold of her tunic, beginning to drag her towards shore.On dry land, Sigrid coughed out the contents of her lungs and then some, and laid back to stare at the sky.

Ein ran back into the water and Sigrid sat up to see what he was doing. Moments went by and she couldn't see him or even a ripple on the surface of the lake, but then he emerged, sporting a large spring buck between his powerful jaws. He paddled to her and dragged the downed beast onto the shore by the neck. ”Unbelievable,” Sigrid breathed, admiring the buck up close. ”You never disappoint me, Ein.” She hugged the bear's great head and then laid back down, closing her eyes. ”How about we take a nap. It won't be dark for a while still and we can make our way home once I've dried a bit.” Ein nodded and shook some water off of his fur before curling himself around Sigrid. She nuzzled into his side and the two slept until dusk began to crawl over their homeland.

Yawning loudly, Sigrid stood up. ”Come on Ein, time to go home.” The bear stood and lowered his head so that she could climb on. He then took the deer's neck into his mouth and they set off for home. ”I'm so glad I have you, Ein. The other hunters are so jealous.” Ein snorted in response and Sigrid scratched him behind the ear. Since stealing the cub and raising him as her own companion, the two had become inseparable. Of course, when the hunters had found out who had taken him, they had intended to punish her, but Saga had showed them the tapestry and they had understood. Another Warbourne would mean the protection and prosperity of their village, and they had decided to allow Ein to stay with her, as well as offer her hunting lessons as she grew older. The two were absolutely inseparable, and the closer her final days with her aunt became, the more she clung onto her fylgja, not wanting to be alone.

”Where on earth have you two been, and what happened to you?” Saga took in Sigrid's disheveled hair and clothes and Ein's mud caked fur and crossed her arms over her chest. When she saw the buck, however, her face lit up. ”That is a magnificent beast, we will eat like the Earl himself tonight!” She gestured for them to come through the back garden. ”Stay here while I fetch some clean clothes and a bucket of water to clean you two with. Leave the buck by the door, I'll have you gut it and skin in for supper.” Saga disappeared into the house, emerging with a pail of water and a fresh tunic for Sigrid. She also handed her a horsehair brush. ”Wash yourself and then brush off Ein. I don't want him tracking mud into the house. I would also do something about your hair,” She added upon second glance before returning inside.

”Alright Ein, let's get cleaned up.” Ein grabbed the hem of Sigrid's tunic and yanked it off, allowing her to pour the warmed water over her body to clean off the remaining bits of algae and mud from her skin before donning her clean clothing. She then took the brush and began smoothing it over Ein's fur, making him shiver. ”Does that feel good, boy?” Sigrid noticed a cut on Ein's front left paw and called for Saga.

”What is it? Did you call me?” Her aunt asked from the window.

”It looks like Ein cut his foot on something while hunting, can you bring us the lavender oil and some bandages?” Ein licked his wound and the cut began to ooze with fresh blood.

”Of course, give me a second.” Saga came out with a small clay bottle in one hand and a bolt of cut cloth in the other. ”You're lucky I'm the village healer or you'd have to wait for tomorrow to have this looked at.” She knelt by Ein and examined the damage. ”Well it's a clean cut and it looks like it's not very deep, so I can wrap it but you can't go hunting tomorrow. You have to let it heal so it doesn't fester.”

Ein grunted with disappointment and Saga smacked him lovingly on the nose. ”Do you want to lose this paw? I didn't think so. Now stand still while I patch this up.” She poured some of the lavender oil on the wound and Ein let out a roar of pain. ”Oh you big baby hold still,” she commanded, taking the bolt of cloth and wrapping a hefty layer of bandage around his paw, securing it with a pin. ”There. I'll change the wrapping tomorrow. But remember, no trolloping in the woods until I say so.” She then turned to Sigrid. ”I trust you have your knife on you. Go ahead and clean the deer and bring me the meat inside so I can make our food. Leave some for Ein, though, I don't have any more of the lamb for him.” With that, Saga went back in.

Sigrid sat down on the stoop and pulled the deer in front of her. Taking her dagger, she made a clean incision down the middle of the beast and taking out the organs from inside. She also sliced the deer's throat to allow for the excess blood to drain before skinning it and removing the meat. A good half an hour went by as Sigrid cleaned, but finally she had the hunks of meat ready and tossed Ein a leg. ”There, that should be enough for your supper. We can go talk to the farmer tomorrow about some more lamb.” Ein nodded and began to tear into his meal with his claws, ripping the flesh with his large incisors. ”I'm glad you enjoy your food,” Sigrid laughed and carried the rest of the meat inside in a clay dish her aunt had left for her.

”So what exactly did you two get up to out there?” Saga asked when she saw her niece enter. She took the dish from her and began cutting one of the chunks with her knife, placing the rest of the meat aside to be salted.

Sigrid sat down and grabbed an apple from a bowl on the table. ”Oh, you know, we just went for a swim since we worked up a bit of a sweat catching the deer,” she shrugged, taking a generous bite out of the fruit.

”You just decided to go for a swim, huh? Just like last week you decided to scorch your hair with a torch while hunting for bats.” Saga gave her a curious side glance but didn't prod further, wanting to remain somewhat oblivious to the danger her niece got herself and her fylgja into.

”Yeah, just decided. It was a sunny day, after all.”

Saga dropped chopped up cubes of meat into her cauldron and stirred the soup she was making for their supper. When she decided it was boiling sufficiently, she came to sit by Sigrid. ”I have some news for you.”

”Oh?” Sigrid threw her apple core out the window and took her aunt's hand. ”Has something happened?”

Saga took a deep breath before she spoke. ”One of Va'tol's Lieutenants has broken through the border of the western kingdoms. The elves and the humans have rallied against him but I'm afraid they won't be able to hold out for very long. The Sanctuary of the Lost has sent out a request for you.”

”For me? When? What do they want?” Sigrid was on her feet now, one hand on her hip and the other on her mouth.

”They have allotted you four days to answer. They say they cannot wait any longer for you. They will send for someone to come retrieve you from the nearest city, but you have to leave as soon as you can.” She could see her aunt tearing up and Sigrid came to her side to reassure her.

”I will be alright, auntie. I promise. Where is the letter?”

”I left the summons on my bed, you may read it if you wish.” Sigrid went to fetch the paper and read through the information, confirming what her aunt had just told her. ”It will take you two days to reach the city on foot, so you must leave tomorrow. I will pack a map and some food for you and Ein. There is one last thing I need to give you, that I haven't been able to until now.” She moved to her bed once more and kneeled down to see underneath.

”How is it possible you have anything more down there? I've lived here my whole life and you just keep pulling out surprises from under that bed of yours?” Sigrid's attempt at lightening the mood worked shortly, but then the gloom returned to her aunt's expression.

Saga rummaged around for a while until finally she found what she was searching for. ”Ah, here they are.” She pulled out a large brown sack and brought it to Sigrid. ”Here, these were your mothers. It is finally time you have them.”

Sigrid's eyes became saucers as she revealed the contents of the bag. Her mother's battle axe and shield, painted with a white bear. ”I took the liberty of repainting the shield with your fylgja, I hope you don't mind. I felt that you needed to make it your own.” The axe was astonishing. The handle was carved out of reinforced whale bone and spiraled iron, sporting intricate carvings of battle both on sea and on land. The head matched its intricasy and, like the axe on her mother's necklase, it had a stone embedded in the center. It was milky like the moonstone, but there was something odd about it- it seemed to swirl and move like clouds on the inside when she looked into it.

Sigrid rose to embrace her aunt. ”Thank you, the shield is beautiful. I wish I didn't have to do all this, but I hope you understand that I want to follow in mom's footsteps. I need to, to protect you and the village.”

Saga nodded reluctantly. ”I know, my svass. It is your fate, I have seen it. I only wish I could do something to change it, but I also know that you will make your parents so very proud.” They embraced once more, and just then, Ein entered the hut. ”Ein dear, will you please salt these for me?” Saga brought him the meat in question and the bear took them to their salt chest, turning them around until they were covered in the white crystals.

”I like how you use my fylgja for slave labor, auntie.” Sigrid laughed, reseating herself on her stool and grabbing another apple.

”He has to earn his keep, just like you do. And hey, no more apples, you're going to ruin your apetite.” Saga commanded, bringing over two bowls of steaming stew.

That evening there was a sense of peace in the air, intermingled with anticipation. Ein was fast asleep but as Sigrid lay against him buried in his warmth, she couldn't help but wonder what the next few days would bring, and would she survive the coming war? Sighing defeatedly, she snuggled into her companion and tried to get at least an hour of restless sleep before their journey.

The sun broke through the windows and Sigrid shook Ein awake. ”It's the morning Ein, we leave today.” The bear groaned and snorted but stood reluctantly, yawning loudly. Sigrid went to wake her aunt but found that she was already out of her bed, standing in the front garden. ”You're up early.”

”I could say the same for you,” Saga replied, putting her arm around her niece. ”Tea?” She offered Sigrid her earthenwear mug filled with herbal tea and continued to gaze out at the fog still lingering over their small village. ”I can't believe nineteen years has gone by this quickly. I can still imagine you and Ein running toward me with such excitement from the market when the baker gave each of you a free roll.” The smile on Saga's face was sad yet again, and a bit hollow. Sigrid would have given anything to relieve the turmoil in her dear aunt's heart but she couldn't even do so for herself. She was terrified for her future, but there was no other option. She had a duty to her people, and she would not forgive herself if she didn't do everything in her power to protect them from the Orduun. Her parents could not have died for nothing.

”Today's the day auntie, will you help me gather my things?” Saga nodded and they went inside. Gathering the aforementioned map, salted meats, fruit, and a loaf of bread, her aunt set them into a large sack and handed it to Sigrid.

”Here, take this as well, it might help.” She handed Sigrid the tapestry she had woven, taking one final long look at its beautiful golden details.

Sigrid bowed slightly at the tremendous gift, and threw it onto Ein's back to use as a saddle blanket. ”I won't lose it, I promise.”

Saga went to Sigrid's bed and retrieved her cloak, donning it over her niece's shoulders. ”There, that should keep you warm. I also packed a change of clothing in your bag and some coins that should help you with room and board if you were to need it. Please be safe, I cannot lose you as well.” Now Saga burst into full on weeping sobs, and Sigrid wrapped her arms around her as tight as she could, burying her head in her aunt's long brown hair.

”I will be back, that I promise you,” she whispered. Sigrid stepped back, strapped her mother's battle axe and shield onto her back, and headed for the front door to meet Ein who was waiting outside the gate.

”Keep her safe Ein. Protect her with your life, but don't you die either!” Saga squeezed tightly around the bear's neck, and Ein pressed on her back gently with one of his massive paws. Turning to Sigrid, she said,”If you need anything, don't hesitate to write to me. And please, please don't make any reckless decisions.” With one final hug, Ein lifted the new Warbourne onto his back and they began their journey away from the village. Sigrid watched over her shoulder as her aunt's figure faded into the fog and soon the town seemed to be swallowed into nothingness. They took the main road out of Torin along the dirt road, following the directions of her aunt's map. Sigrid wiped a tear from her cheek and vowed to stay strong lest she falter.

She had no choice, this was her fate.

Ein nudged her calf with reassurance, sensing her distress. He let out a worried groan and Sigrid patted his neck. ”Don't worry, Ein, I'll be alright. This is just the first time I won't be going back home after leaving. It's hard but I'll be okay. I have you, don't it?” Ein snorted and they went on in solemn silence, unsure of what the next days would bring.

Author's Note

Anything you can think of would be a huge help. Does the plot move quickly enough, are the characters developed, does the wording work, can you picture the characters, etc. etc.

Thank you in advance!

Reviews

[xansizi]

I think there are a lot of really good ideas in this story and, as a rough draft, it reads well. I think there could be more development too. The link between Sigrid wanting to free the bear and her aunt telling her about her destiny is not particularly clear to me. I also think that while it is important that Sigrid have something from her parents that a locket with hair in it is a little cliched. It may be a good idea if she was left something that she could not possibily understand the significance of until she leaens who she is and how to bring forth and control her magic.

I hpe this feedback hasn't upset you. As I said I think there are really good ideas on tis story and I would be happy to read mre as and when you release it

[Charlotta Anna Adelina Bergius]

This didn't upset me at all, I appreciate the feedback. This was a very old story of mine so therefore it's very very rough. I will look into the changes you said, thanks :D