Chapter Twenty-Two
In the morning, they were ready to leave the village after a hearty dagmal of porridge, breads, fruits and cheeses with Gertrud and the other crafters.
Skadi was reassured that they had enough food to last the winter, but she was still worried about Thrudheim. She might need to request a pooling of resources if the stores became bare…but she would worry about such a possibility nearer the time. It wouldn’t be until mid or late winter hopefully.
Gertrud’s expression was firm, her wrinkled eyes squinting against the cold wind, as she wished Skadi goodbye.
‘Do not delay at the hunting lodge. The snow and ice will blow in by the end of the week, I imagine. I can tell in my bones that winter is fast approaching and I suspect it will be a harsh one.’
‘I wish we could stay longer,’ said Skadi, ‘It has been too long since I saw you last.’
Gertrud smiled and cupped her cheek in a motherly gesture that almost made Skadi sink into her like a warm bath.
‘When there is peace and stability for Thrudheim, there will be time to visit us again. Do not worry. We have more than enough to keep us through the winter and come spring we can feast again.’
Skadi nodded and then embraced Gertrud in a fierce hug. Astra and Brenna did the same before mounting their ponies.
Skadi made a point of playing games with Astra on the way back up the mountain.
It was quicker to get there directly from the village without stopping at any farms or the ancestral burial grounds along the way.
So, despite the increased wind and damp chill in the air, they made it on to the steep path just after midday.
Grunting, they managed to lead their horses and ponies up the winding path, but it was a difficult climb and about halfway up Astra began to complain about the tiredness of her legs.
They paused by a battered pine tree, its exposed roots making it look very precarious on the edge of the cliffside.
Every year it teetered further over the edge, but somehow it still clung on—not unlike Skadi’s rule over the years, she thought miserably.
‘Should we stop?’ asked Brenna, who was leading her own horse behind them.
Skadi shook her head. ‘No, go on. We will need someone to go on ahead and prepare the lodge for tonight.’
Brenna nodded and continued onwards. Vali and Oddmund also asked if they were well, Oddmund even insisting he stay with them. But Agnar was now climbing the mountain path at the rear of their party and he yelled at the line of horses to continue.
Skadi had to admit she’d been glad when Agnar seemed happy to allow some distance between them. Perhaps he realised she needed time to accept what she had done.
‘Is there a problem?’ he asked as he came to stand beside them.
‘Have you rested long enough?’ Skadi asked Astra meaningfully, a firm edge to her tone that made Astra grumble.
‘Fine…but my legs still hurt!’ She stomped forward and Skadi couldn’t help but smile at her child’s antics.
‘Would you like to ride on my shoulders, Princess?’ asked Agnar casually and her daughter spun on her heels and stared back at him with wide excited eyes.
‘Can I?’
Agnar nodded, handing the reins of his horse to Vali who with a smile continued up the mountain path with Oddmund, while a very excited Astra came running back down to meet with him, her sore legs apparently forgotten.
Skadi rolled her eyes. ‘I doubt Agnar will be able to carry you for long, Astra.’
‘Why not?’ asked Agnar, looking slightly offended by her lack of confidence in his strength.
Skadi laughed. ‘She’s heavier than she looks…believe me.’
Agnar frowned, but still lowered himself to his knees and allowed Astra to climb across his shoulders.
He gripped Astra’s ankles and began to wheeze heavily as if the strain of the child on his neck was making it difficult for him to breathe.
‘Hold on to my hair like they’re reins,’ he gasped.
Astra gave her mother an uncertain look, but did as he asked.
With a speed and strength that shocked Skadi enough to make her stumble a few steps towards them, Agnar rose from the ground, easily picking up Astra, who squealed with delight as she bounced on his shoulders.
Skadi shook her head with a chuckle and fell into step beside him, her horse following on a loose lead behind them.
‘It won’t be so easy by the time we reach the top of the path,’ she warned, calling up to Astra, ‘When Agnar’s had enough of being your horse, you’ll have to come down and walk again.’
Astra grinned down at Skadi. ‘Yes, Moma!’ She was obviously delighted with her ride and with a twinge of sadness she realised that Heimdall had never carried their daughter like this.
Skadi had loved being carried on her father’s shoulders when she was younger and she was glad that Astra could now experience it.
Agnar turned towards her with an unexpectedly charismatic and sensual smile. ‘One good thing about you having a younger husband is that I have the stamina to match… I imagine I could be ridden up and down this mountain with ease,’ he teased.
Surely, he was talking about carrying her daughter…and not…
She tried to ignore the heated blush that crept up her face and neck, remembering how satisfying his stamina had been the previous night. She looked away and was sure his smile widened, but she couldn’t be sure as her gaze was fixed resolutely on the path ahead.
The climb was pleasant, the weather holding off from another downpour like the one the night before.
* * *
As they arrived at the hunting lodge, Agnar finally allowed Astra to climb down from his shoulders.
One of the servants hurried over and took the reins of her horse, leading it towards the stable.
Astra, more than happy now that she was on flat ground, said, ‘I’m hungry. Do you think Nattmal will be long?’
Skadi looked up at the sky with its ominous clouds. ‘Hopefully not. Why don’t you go in and find Brenna? I will follow in a short while. I wish to speak with Agnar for a moment.’
Astra, who seemed to have forgotten her upset from the previous night, nodded and eagerly ran into the lodge.
‘What do you wish to speak with me about?’ Agnar peeled his tunic from his body and flapped it a little to get some air to his skin.
She imagined it had been harder work than he’d ever admit to carry her ten-year-old daughter up the side of the mountain.
As he flicked the fabric, she caught glimpses of thick muscles and dark hair, her mouth dried immediately and wicked thoughts bubbled to the surface of her mind.
Odin’s teeth! She wanted him again!
Something about his desire to care and look after her child did strange things to her body. Urges she thought she’d grown out of long ago came flooding to the surface, made somehow worse by the knowledge that she could easily find her release with Agnar.
Had he been merely boasting earlier? Or was it an invitation?
‘There is a hot spring not far from here. It comes from the mountains and it’s little more than a trickle, but you might find it refreshing after your climb,’ she said.
Agnar could have rightly told her that the nearest source of water for him to drink and wash himself with was only a few feet away inside the cabin. But he seemed to realise her need to speak with him alone, so he nodded and gestured for her to lead the way.
They made their way through the bustle of people who were busy caring for the horses and unloading their packs, and entered the forest through a narrow path that wasn’t obvious from the clearing until you stumbled upon it.
She doubted anyone would follow them, though, even if they were noticed leaving camp.
Agnar was the kind of man that did as he pleased and no one questioned it.
Skadi pushed through the forest, glad that most of the vegetation had died back for winter, leaving spindly branches and only a few fallen logs in their way. The path ahead was little more than a rocky climb uphill.
It didn’t take long to reach the stream. It sprang from the cliff further up and trickled down through moss-covered rocks, until it reached a little pool and then ran towards the bigger stream further down the hillside by the lodge.
Even as she pushed through some bushes to reach the pool, she felt the heat of the spring immediately.
‘Sorry to make you do more climbing, but the pool here is more refreshing than the main stream. It’s always warm even in winter.’
‘I see, I didn’t realise you had hot springs here,’ said Agnar, his deep voice causing a shiver to run down her spine, followed quickly by a wince as she realised how odd her dragging him here must seem.
‘Only a couple of small ones.’
She perched herself on a boulder and folded her hands in her lap, afraid she would start wringing them otherwise.
He smiled, watching her with a tilt of his head, his messy long hair falling over his shoulder the only movement in the quiet rocky clearing.
‘What did you want to speak to me about?’ he asked, moving towards her and the stream.
Pulling off his cloak and tunic, he threw them on to the boulder beside her, before bending forward to cup water from the pool with his hands, splashing it over his face, chest and arms.
She watched the water run down his back, suddenly feeling a little thirsty herself. ‘I wanted to speak with you about last night…’
He straightened and the sight of him bare chested in front of her sent her pulse racing.
‘Are you ashamed?’ he asked sombrely.
Skadi swallowed and shook her head, even though she did feel a little embarrassed. ‘Not…ashamed, as such…but…’
‘Just say it,’ he said darkly, washing himself thoroughly with the water, steam rising from his skin.
She pinched her fingers tighter together. ‘Astra will always come first. I do not want you to hope for a child that will never come.’
He paused what he was doing and then said, ‘I understand.’