Saga turned around to see her sister standing behind her. “I believe I am with child,” she said, hardly believing the words herself. There could be no other explanation. She had not bled since before Giric arrived on Islay and that was six weeks ago.
Vigdis wrapped her arms around Saga and squeezed her waist. “Oh sister, I am so pleased! We shall make a blot sacrifice to the Allmother Frigg this day.”
“A sacrifice?” Giric asked. “What kind of sacrifice?”
Saga laughed. She wouldn’t expect Giric to understand the importance of asking Frigg’s blessing, but she hoped he would not challenge her on it. The sacrifice at their wedding had been so quick that Saga wondered if Giric had missed it.
“We will slay an animal to honour Frigg and ask for her blessing for our child. The animal will be cooked and we shall all share it at tonight’s feast.”
“What kind of animal?”
“We usually hunt for a deer, but we do not have time for that this morning.”
Osgar moved toward Giric then. “She can slaughter one of your sheep,” he said to Giric. “Congratulations, my friend. I am certain we will all enjoy roasted lamb at the feast this evening.”
Saga watched as Giric rolled the information around in his head. Her acceptance here hung by a thread, she knew it and he knew it. Performing a sacrifice in the manner in which she was accustomed, would be shocking to most of the people here so she would need to take care.
“I will help you,” he said and took her hand in his. “If this is important to you, I will help you.”
Her heart soared. Just when she thought he could not surprise her more, he did.
* * *
Saga and her sister pointed at the sheep and nodded their heads. Sacrificing an animal for the benefit of their child was such a foreign concept to Giric, he could scarce comprehend. His only reconciliation was that the animal would be slaughtered as they normally would, swiftly and cleanly, and that they would consume it. Whatever prayers Saga wanted to impart in that process, he could accept. He had to. This was part of her and so he would find a way to make it work.
“Have you made your selection?” he asked her.
“Ja,” she said. “I have.” Saga pointed to a sheep standing a bit apart from the rest of the group. It was a fair size, but wasn’t as frisky as the others.
“If you are certain, I will have it done for you.”
“I will watch,” she said. “And I will send up my prayers to Frigg for our child.”
“You are certain you are well enough to watch?”
Saga laughed. “Do you know how long I have hunted, husband?”
“I do not, but probably since you could first hold an axe,” he said with a grin. Hints of the powerful woman he’d met broke through when she stood a little taller. He marvelled at the thought of her regaining her full strength.
Giric motioned for the herder to lead the sheep into the slaughterhouse. He held Saga’s hand as the herder put the animal into position. He found it curious that the animal did not try to escape; it stood there as if it had already accepted its fate.
“We are ready when you are, Saga,” he said.
She stepped forward while holding her sister’s hand. Together, they lifted their faces and hands to the sky.
“Allmother Frigg. Goddess of life and love. Accept this offering as a token of our love for you and bless my child with your grace.”
“Allmother Frigg,” Vigdis said. “Accept this offering as a token of our love and bless Saga’s child with your grace and carry the spirit of this animal to its great reward.”
Long moments passed as they closed their eyes and smiled as if their goddess whispered sweet affirmation in their ears. After a time, they lowered their hands and heads and nodded to the herder.
“She is ready to receive our gift.”
The herder sliced the sheep’s neck and laid it on the ground so the animal would not panic as its lifeblood flowed onto the thirsty earth. Vigdis reached down and drew a small amount of the blood from the pool then brushed it across Saga’s forehead and her own.
Giric was fascinated watching them and the connection they displayed between the animal and their goddess. The two women hugged as they walked out of the slaughterhouse together.
“Have the butcher prepare the meat and have it brought to the kitchen immediately,” he said to the herder.
