Weeks later, the long-awaited travelers arrived from the north. The population of the budding village doubled overnight. As Alrek had promised, there was even a few women among them. Somehow or other, all the sordid details of Natalie’s situation and how she had gotten there was known to every other female instantaneously.
Natalie shied away from them. She could see them whispering amongst themselves. The men had barely accepted her. Hell, they’d wanted to kill her at first. The women probably wouldn’t react much better.
Instead, one of them cheerfully appeared in Alrek’s door and asked her to bring her washing down to the river with them. Surprised, Natalie agreed.
The rest of the women were already on the riverbank, rubbing tunics and smocks against wooden washboards and happily chattering. As soon as Natalie appeared, they erupted into eager greetings.
“I’m Ásta,” one said eagerly, and another introduced herself as Evja and after that, Natalie could hardly understand a word they said. They only ceased when she begged them to slow down.
“We’ve been told you came from a strange place, and know little of our ways,” Evja said conversationally. Natalie blushed, but nodded her head. “Well, we can teach you. We all need to work together away from home like this, anyway.”
Everyone else nodded in agreement. “We’ll need all the hands we can get, with all these men,” said another women, whom Natalie thought was named Holma.
“And you live with Alrek?” Ásta asked. That made Natalie blush an even deeper shade of red, but none of the other women seemed to care.
One of the women, Randvé, set down her washing and looked straight at her. “Has Alrek spoke of wedding you?”
Natalie shook her head. “He’s not mentioned it.”
There was a chorus of disapproving hmms.
“We’ll have to do something about that,” Randvé said.
“I have no dowry and no family,” Natalie said, frowning. “I have nothing of value to bring to him.” She didn’t say it, but this had become her biggest worry. If Alrek were to decide to turn her out, there would be nothing she could do.
“But you have no father to pay the bride price to,” Ásta said slyly. “He’s getting you for free. It’s only fair.”
“Besides,” Randvé said primly, “Alrek is my brother, and I won’t have him fathering children out of wedlock. He’ll do it if I tell him that I’ll send a message back to mother about what he’s up to.”
Natalie snorted. “With that hanging over his head, I’m sure he’ll give in.”
“He will if he knows what’s good for him,” his sister said darkly. The women laughed, and Natalie slowly began to relax. They had welcomed her with open arms, and more kindness than she had ever expected.
Maybe life here wouldn’t be so bad.
***
Next to a floodlight in Ireland, a golden necklace lay abandoned on the ground next to a dirty cleaning rag. Nobody was to be seen, but if there had been an observer, they would have sworn that the ornament grew fainter and fainter as the sun rose, until there was nothing left but the cloth and an empty pit.
Loki stood above the excavation, watching all that proceeded but unseen by anyone. He held the necklace carelessly in one hand, pouting. He was so bored. It would be a long time before this cycle ended, bringing about the twilight of the gods, and in the meantime, he had nothing to do. Even his latest attempt at causing chaos had not done much.
He’d sent that woman back, hoping to cause a panic among the Norsemen and the Gaels, so he could watch them tear themselves apart in their paranoia. Instead, the dratted woman had foiled the fight before it started. How was he supposed to know she could command the animals?
Loki tossed the necklace up and down in one hand. He would just have to try again. He’d gone through the trouble of making the dwarves craft this necklace. He’d better get some entertainment from it.
Suddenly, a wide smile cracked his face. He had an even better idea. Taking the necklace in both hands he snapped it, the golden discs falling into his palms. With a gleeful laugh, he tossed them into the sky. The discs quickly flew out of his sight, destined for corners of the world even he couldn’t predict.
Folding his hands behind him and whistling happily, he casually went on his way. Nobody knew what would happen next.
THE END