“Don’t accuse anyone of anything until we have proof that something happened. For all we know, both women will traipse back here with marriage proposals by noon.” Joanna tries her best to lighten the mood, but Enora doesn’t budge. I don’t blame her.
“Are you thinking about Shaw?” Joanna changes the subject with a little, mischievous grin.
“No, I was thinking of looking for our friends.”
“Maybe when you go back to the stronghold you can ask around? Did you and the blacksmith exchange more than glances last night?” Enora’s tune quickly changes.
“We haven’t kissed,” I confess, and all the women look at me, their mouths slightly parted as if I am withholding the truth. I should be looking for Ingrid and Katrine instead of gossiping about my feelings. Enora and Joanna lay out the dresses on the tables, securing needles and pins where the next rows of stitches need to be placed.
“But you want to.” A younger girl who wasn’t at the feast giggles, and a smile breeches my cheeks. Yes, yes I do want to kiss him.
“He has many talents, that’s all.” I try to make it sound less romantic, which makes them laugh more.
“No one will blame you, but Harald will kill him, so make a wise choice,” Enora says from across the table where she adds white fox fur to the trim of her dress. We will all be hidden behind animal masks, which are being decorated at the next table.
“Rasha, I wanted to ask you something?” Joanna whispers, laying out her dress next to mine. Katrine did the embroidery on both our dresses because I have no sewing capabilities. The frontbodices are open, and for the Hunt, we will tie them loosely, so if we are caught, the hunter has access.
“That sounds ominous, but go on.” I find a collection of dull needles and start sharpening them on a whet stone. Keeping tools sharp is more my forte.
“Would you be angry with me if I slept with Jorvik?” she asks, and I pause to look at my best friend with the thin needle between my fingers.
“No, but is that what you really want?” I ask. Avoiding my gaze, Joanna looks down at the long loop of green and red thread she’s rolling out to have enough for the bottom section of her dress. “He’s my brother, and I would love nothing more than for us to be family in blood. But I know how he can be.”
“I don’t have anyone else who can protect me besides Jorvik,” she admits.
“Oh, Joanna.” I stop sharpening needles and wrap my arms around her neck. “You have me. I’d place a wager on Shaw stepping up if I asked.”
“I’m sure you would fight till the death to keep me and all the women safe, but you need to live and be happy too. That’s why I wanted your blessing for me to be with Jorvik during the Hunt. Maybe we can move on from this Yule with less bloodshed,” she murmurs against my cheek, and I nod.
“Of course, you’ll always have my support.”
“Thank you.” She squeezes my forearm. Her hand takes mine, and the bracelet falls down my wrist.
“Who gave this to you?” Her brown eyes narrow on the glinting silver and gold.
“He did,” I point to Shaw walking up the field to greet us. Joanna drops my hand in honest surprise and buries her head in the rest of her embroidery.
“Good morning, care for a walk?” Shaw asks, and I hear soft giggles from the women coming in and out of the longhouse.
“Let’s go before they enact their own ritual on us.” I throw my most motherly scowl back at the group and leave with Shaw.
“I haven’t been around such a large group of Viking women in along time. Are they always rooting for a Maiden to be swept off her feet?”
“Is that what you think you’re doing?” I question his boldness, and the first smile of the day breaks across his face, which I hate that I am about to change. “Apparently, all the women’s runes depicted reindeer at one point last night.”
“Are they sure?” Shaw’s tone clips.
“Yes,” I say on his heels as we hurry through the back end of the village.
Shaw glances over at me. “Sometimes we see what we want to see.”
“That’s not how the Seidr works.” I am quick to defend the women, even though I am not sure what the runes mean.
“Think, Rasha. Maybe they saw the reindeer because they are counting on you to find the bow and save them from a life of servitude to Harald.”
“Skadi taught Vikings how to hunt. We only see her depicted with reindeer and her bow. Doesn’t that mean she didn’t have a family or a partner? I always thought it meant we could survive like the ancients did, living side by side with the reindeer herd and the seasons.” I am talking more to myself than Shaw, raising my face to his and waiting for him to dash all my thoughts like my brother would.
“Maybe Skadi isn’t the only god at play here.” He keeps our conversation open to possibilities. I am ready to ask another question, but by the way his brow furrows, I am not sure what he’s thinking.
