The small lake behind the cottage was surrounded by tall trees with deep green, dense foliage. Its calm surface glimmered in the late afternoon sun. Elfi shed her clothing, waded into the cold water, and dove into the dark depths. When she surfaced, she realized Njörd had done the same. She felt his hands caress her legs as he emerged beside her.
“My skin feels smooth and sleek. This water has healing power, like the Ísilwenn Spring.” Elfi dipped her head backwards into thelake, rinsing the sea salt from her long hair.
Njörd pulled her against him, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He nuzzled her neck. “Odin’s eye, I want you again. But we need to go back inside and see if Úlf is awake.” A lusty glint sparkled in his deep blue eyes. “Tonight,elska minn. I will worship your sea goddess body.”
A wave of desire surged up Elfi’s spine. She kissed his full, bearded lips. “I cannot wait.” Withdrawing her legs from his hips, she swam back to the grassy bank of the lake. She arose from the crystalline water and squeezed the excess from her hair before donning her clothes and leather boots. Strapping thedragonscalesheath with her white wolf dagger around her hips, she fastened the necklace andtrollkorstalisman behind her neck.
Njörd shook the water from his hair and body like a shaggy wolf, then dressed and belted his sword. He grinned when he realized she was watching. “Like what you see?” he smirked, clearly pleased at her ardent attention.
“Mmm,” she purred, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders. “You look good enough to eat.”
“Tonight,elska minn. Tonight.” His husky voice was a warm whisper in her ear.
When they returned to the cottage, Úlf had not awakened, but Lugh had returned. He was sitting at the table, drinking from a silver goblet, while Ylva and Luna peeled and sliced vegetables nearby. Lugh’s smile was as radiant as the sunlight streaming through the glass window overlooking the sea.
“Ah, I’m glad you are back!” he boomed, rising from his seat to shake Njörd’s hand. “Jarl Rikardmentioned that you fostered with a fisherman as a lad in Norway. Want to join me on my boat—and catch tonight’s evening meal?”
A wide grin stretched across Njörd’s elated face. “Indeed I would.” He kissed Elfi’s cheek. “See you soon.” Inclining his head to Ylva and Luna, he dashed out the door behind Lugh.
****
Njörd followed Lugh down to the beach where a magnificent boat was nestled on the sandy shore. Crafted from the same frosted ash as the carved doors and furniture inside the cottage,its elongated hull and curved bow gave the vessel the image of a graceful swan. Gleaming stone and glittering crystals lined the edges of the ship, whose two sails were made of a pale blue, silvery silk. Etched into the fluid lines of the sleek hull, climbing vines wove amongst Elven scrolls and Nordic runes. At the prow, an elegant swan was carved into the frosted wood, its wings unfurling along the sides of the ship. Gilded by the setting sun, the luminous vessel glowed with goldenLjósálfarlight.
“Sjósvan.A swan gliding over the sea.” Lugh indicated the clear crystals and glowing gems which embellished the border of the ship. “These stones are enchanted, to navigate by the sun and the stars.” He motioned for Njörd to give him a hand. Together, they pushed theLjósálfarvesselinto the salty water of the sheltered inlet, hopped aboard, and unfurled the ice blue sails.
Spirit soaring like theSjósvanship, theWolf of the Nordic Seasheeded the ocean’s call.
As the ship left the small inlet and sailed out onto the open sea. the salty wind blew Njörd’s long hair, the sea spray tingling his braided beard. Under the pale blue sky, the brilliant turquoise of the Elandrian Sea glimmered in the golden sun.
HisÚlfhéðnarsenses kicked in. He could hear fish swimming under the surface in the wake of the ship. “There’s a group over here.” Njörd indicated an area on the starboard side of the vessel.
Lugh grasped a net, woven in a shimmery, silken material that emitted a translucent glow. He cast it over the side of the ship, and Njörd helped him haul it back onto the deck, teeming with flopping fish.
“A few glimmerfish,” Lugh observed, indicating the small fish with iridescent scales. “A dozen silver salmon. And Luna’s favorite—frostfin snapper.” Njörd eyed the blue fish with scales of shimmery violet and shiny silver fins.
Lugh selected a few tiny fish trapped in the net and tossed them back into the sea. “Too small to keep. And we have plenty here for tonight’s meal.” He retrieved a cutting board and large basket secured byhooks on the side of the ship, setting them on the deck. “We’ll gut them here, toss the scraps overboard, and place the cleaned fish in this basket. That way, when we return to the cottage, they’re ready to grill.” Lugh withdrew a sheathed fishing knife from a wooden toolbox and handed it to Njörd. “Use this. The blade is sharp and thin.”
As they scraped the scales and split the fish down the belly, Lugh and Njörd tossed the entrails to white birds who swooped down to snatch them with slender beaks. “Wrap the cleaned fish in these,” Lugh said, indicating a stack of large leaves, “then store them in the basket.” He demonstrated by wrapping the frostfin snapper he had just cleaned inside the large leaf of a bracken fern, tucking it into the bottom of a large woven container.
Njörd nodded, enveloping the silver salmon in a leafy frond, placing it in the basket beside Lugh’s. As they continued cleaning the fish, Njörd mentioned the upcoming voyage. “Something has been troubling me… about the prophecy I must fulfill.” When Lugh raised a curious eyebrow, Njörd elaborated. “My mother has been guarding the Dwarven sword I must reclaim in Ísland. The one which belonged to my father Brökk.” He placed another cleaned fish onto the pile. “I know that I must slay theDökkálfar Blacksmith of Dorestad. But when? Where? And how will I recognize him when I have never even seen him?” Njörd tossed a frostfin snapper into the basket. “Will I battle him in Ísland? Or must I sail to Dorestad, in the Frankish territory of Frisia? How am I to fulfill the prophecy when I don’t know how to find him?”
Lugh finished cleaning the last remaining silver salmon, wrapped it, and stacked it in the willow basket. His deep green eyes glimmered like the emeralds in Elfi’s enchanted necklace. “I have invited a guest to join us fornáttmáltonight. ALjósálfarnamed Ildris. He’ll be sailing with us to Ísland. When he comes to the cottage this evening, he will answer all of your questions.”
They cleaned off the deck with buckets of sea water and returned to the inlet at the base of the cliff. Njörd helped Lugh push the boat up onto the shore, rinsing the ship and riggings with fresh water stored in a large wooden barrel. Lugging the basketof fish between them, they climbed the sandy embankment to the grassy ledge at the top of the cliff and entered the crystal cottage.
Luna, Ylva, and Elfi were setting the table in preparation fornáttmál. Njörd spotted several platters of roasted vegetables, the appetizing scent of rosemary, garlic, and thyme mingling with the delicious aroma of fresh bread and fruit pie.
“The grill is ready for the fish,” Luna said to Lugh as she placed silver goblets, plates, and spoons on the table. “I checked on Úlf a little while ago, and he was still asleep. Perhaps the aroma of food will awaken him.”
Lugh placed the fish on a metal grid suspended over the open flames in the stone hearth. “I’ve invited Ildris to join us. He should be arriving soon.”
Ylva spun her head toward Lugh. “Ildris? I haven’t seen him in years! It will be wonderful to talk to him again.”
Elfi placed an elaborately carved silver pitcher in the center of the table. “Who is Ildris?” Her lips curled up in an expectant smile as she glanced at Ylva.
“He is one of theLjósálfarwho sailed with Skårde toHeiðabýryears ago, when Sweyn—who was just a boy at the time—was abducted by the Franks. They warned King Harald of a betrayal by his highest ranking warlord, Anvarr Hrafnsson. Known as the Raven Warrior.” Ylva seemed about to say more, but a knock at the door interrupted her.
As Lugh carefully turned the fish over on the grill, Luna opened the door to greet their guest.
