Fenrik’s Fate (Abandoned on Niflheim)

Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

TRACY

I woke up to the sunlight coming through a window. I stayed absolutely still as I tried to figure out where I was. The cabin looked similar to the one I had been staying in with Fenrik, but it was one room with several low cots and a long workbench along one wall. I seemed to be completely alone. I held my breath, ready for some other attack, based on what had already happened.

The two hulking orcs that had taken me didn’t really harm me, but they’d abducted me, nonetheless. I had no idea where I was and, worse, I wasn’t with Fenrik.

I started to spiral. I’d just lost my only rock on this alien planet. Not only was he my island in the middle of the sea, but I was pretty sure I loved him. I had to find him.

I started to sit up when I heard steps approaching. I quickly lay back down and pretended to be asleep. I could hear whoever it was walking around the cabin muttering. Based on their voice, they seemed to be female.

I squinted my eyes open the tiniest sliver. An elderly female orc was puttering around by the workbench. I could only see her profile, but her black hair was streaked liberally with gray, and I could make out the wrinkles on her face as she frowned at whatever she was working with. I raised my head slightly in an attempt to see more, still not wanting her to realize I was awake. Without warning, she turned to me with a mug in hand. She’d caught me watching her.

To my surprise, she beamed at me. “You’re awake!”

“Yes, I think?” I scrunched my face up in confusion. Whatever was happening, I didn’t seem to be in a hostile situation. “Where am I?”

“You’re in the healer’s cabin at Snaerfire. And I’m the healer, Thyra.” She offered me the mug.

I sat up and took it, sniffing it suspiciously. “What is this?”

“It’s healing tea. I have already bandaged your cuts and scrapes, which should aid your recovery. It also has a calming effect, which it looks like you might need.”

My brain whirred as I sipped the tea. “Is Fenrik here?”

“Yes, but it is still early, and I doubt he is awake yet. After his ordeal yesterday, he could use the rest. We’ll let him know you got here…somewhat safely… thanks to Gris and Nils.” She rolled her eyes.

I was alarmed. “What do you mean, his ordeal?”

“The tribe has been looking for him for over a manathur. Gris and Nils found him last night and marched him back to the village. Gorm stripped him of his role as a hunter in front of the entire tribe,” she said mournfully.

She seemed truly upset about Fenrik’s fate.

“What will he do instead?”

“He agreed to farm the fields.”

“What’s wrong with farming?” I asked, confused. Farmers seemed like solid people back on Earth.

“Nothing, nothing. But he always dreamed of being a hunter like his dad. He’ll make a fine farmer. I worry whether or not he’ll be happy.” Her eyes looked misty.

I wondered how well she knew Fenrik, given her level of concern for his future. I needed to know what was going on.

“Can I go see him? Right now?” I tried to keep the panic out of my voice.

“Of course, dear. Do you think you can walk?” She offered me her arm, and we headed out of the cabin.

I was in nothing but one of Fenrik’s tunics, but it hung down to almost my knees. I was too focused on getting to him to even care. We walked a way along a cobblestone path until it split off, one way continuing with the cobblestone and the other a well-worn tree-lined path. It felt as if we were heading out of the village.

As if sensing my unspoken question, the orc woman said, “Fenrik decided he wanted to be a little out of the village when he built his cabin, he likes his peace. I think that’s another reason he wanted to be a hunter.”

We approached the front door of a small but tidy-looking cabin with a wrap-around porch, and Thyra opened it without knocking.

“Fenrik!” she called as we stood in the doorway. “I’ve brought you Tracy!”

Grumbling came from the adjacent room almost immediately, and the door opened to reveal a shirtless Fenrik. Without a thought, I ran and flung myself around him, arms and legs wrapping his body tightly. I didn’t care who Thyra was or that she was watching. For too long, I’d been without Fenrik, my rock, the only soul I knew on this wild planet. I had spent so many hours wondering if he was hurt or lost that seeing him in the flesh had me burying my face into his neck, clutching him tightly. His big arms enveloped me, pulling me even closer to him, our bodies pressed against each other.

I felt him take a deep breath, breathing in my scent, holding me tightly.

“I’ve got her, Ma—I will formally introduce you later,” Fenrik called to Thyra before taking me back to the bedroom.

I heard Thyra quietly shut the bedroom door, no questions asked. I tried to stop the tears from leaking all over Fenrik’s neck while also trying to make sense of what I’d just heard.

“Is Thyra… your mom?”

“Yes. She’s the reason I knew to get you on herbs for birth control. She is the tribe’s herbalist and healer.”

“And…” I paused, unsure what to say. “And… does she know about me?”

“Well, the fact that she delivered you to me and watched you jump into my arms would suggest she has an idea,” he murmured into my hair as he carried me into his room.

It was adorned in blues and greens, and I wanted to sink into the giant bed immediately. Fenrik sat me down on the edge of it, his eyes never leaving me. He traced his fingers over my skin, seeing some bruises and marks.

“Did Gris and Nils do this to you?” he growled.

“Well, yes. Two unfamiliar orcs barged into our cabin and essentially said ‘this is the one we want.’ I wasn’t going down without a fight. I screamed and kicked and clawed at them as they tried to take me. I think I might have actually bitten one of them.” I grimaced. “If they had just told me they were taking me to you, I would have gone willingly.”

Fenrik pursed his lips in disbelief.

“Well. Probably not willingly, but I would have at least known that they were from your tribe and might not have fought so hard.”

I didn’t think it was possible, but Fenrik raised his brows even further. They threatened to disappear into his hairline. “For some reason I don’t think that would have been enough to convince you to go quietly.”

“Well…” I trailed off.

He was probably right.

“But Fenrik, you haven’t told me how you ended up back in your village. You didn’t leave willingly… did you?” I asked.

Fenrik’s face softened immediately as he scooted off the edge of the bed and knelt in front of me. Cupping my face in his giant hands he brushed his lips across mine.

“Never,” he said fiercely. “I would never leave you. You are my everything. Nils and Gris found me first and informed me I was being taken back to the tribe in no uncertain terms. I was outnumbered and caught completely by surprise. I let them lead me back here, but my thoughts never strayed from how you would panic when I didn’t return. As soon as they brought me to Gorm, I requested to return for you.”

“And he didn’t trust you to leave and return? Thyra—your mom—said he stripped you of your title as hunter. Is that serious?”

“No. He said I was to stay in my cabin with guards posted outside. It was only once Ma threw a fit, insisting I wouldn’t go anywhere without you that he had them removed this morning. She’s got an exceptional sway with him, being the only healer. I tossed and turned all night, worried what they would do to you.” He paused, taking a long breath. “And yes, Gorm stripped me of my position as hunter. It is a position of prestige in our tribe. I am now Farmer Fenrik.” He gave me a lopsided smile.

I got the feeling he wasn’t telling me the whole truth. “Do you want to be a farmer?”

“Well, not really. At least I didn’t want to before. I like being out on my own. I didn’t have anyone at the tribe to come home to, so staying out hunting for nights on end never bothered me. It gave me my space and made me a useful member of the tribe. But now…” he trailed off, hanging his head.

“What aren’t you telling me?” I pressed. Silence hung in the air for a moment.

He sighed. “I could be a farmer. I would be, happily—if it meant I had you at my side.”

He said it all so quietly it was barely a whisper, as if he spoke it out loud, it would be taken from him.

“Fenrik.” I pulled his chin up so we were eye to eye. “I would love to farm alongside you.”

“Really? You’d stay? After how they’ve treated you?”

I pretended to think about it for a moment, tapping my chin with my finger. “Nils and Gris aren’t farmers are they?” I asked with a grin.

“No.” He smiled. “No, they are guards.”

“Well then, sign me up for a life of farming!” I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him to me. I kissed him with everything I had, then whispered into his lips as I slid my fingers through his hair, “I will farm for the rest of my days if I get to do it by your side.”

“You’re sure? It’s not a very exciting life.”

“Who said I wanted exciting? I think I have had plenty of excitement in the past few weeks. Settling down with you sounds like a dream.”

“We’re going to have to work some things out. Gorm didn’t even want to let Nils and Gris get you. At first, he said to leave you out to die. Gorm thought he could punish me by not letting me get you. Even though I am grateful he decided to go get you, Gorm hasn’t given any indication that he’ll allow you to stay. If he doesn’t… I am not sure what we can do. But I wouldn’t let you leave without me. We’ll speak to Gorm today.”

“Do you have any idea of what he is thinking?” This was a new worry I hadn’t considered. If they didn’t let me stay, where would I go?

“Gorm doesn’t like outsiders and he’s definitely not a fan of me. But we’ve never had someone be dropped from the sky before, so I don’t know. I think if anyone has pull it will be my mom.”

While I appreciated Fenrik was being honest with me about our options, it wasn’t doing anything to soothe my nerves.

“Hey.” He grabbed my face with both his hands so I’d have to look him in the eye. “I’m here now. We’re here together. Even if we can’t stay here, I am not leaving you. I’ve run once before.” He took me back to his bed, laying me down, and began to kiss up and down my neck before attacking my lips with fervor. “I want you forever,” he said between kisses.