The Steele Wolf

“He'll be lucky if he can ever get the use of his hand back. I doubt he'll be able to hold a sword again.  Bvork crushed it,” Bearen gritted out angrily and his eyes shown with anger as he looked at me.



Odin quickly interrupted, “Well, maybe it's not as bad as all of that, hmmm? Maybe Thalia should take a look at it, considering it was her fault that he was injured.”



“What? My fau...?” I stopped as I caught Odin's pointed stare. “Yes, I will look at it.”



“NOOOO! You won't!” Bearen roared loudly. Quieting down, he came over to me and spoke slowly. “Do you understand what the consequences are of being found out? If someone sees his hand ruined now and then sees it later and it’s fine, questions will arise, and you will be banished.” Turning, he ran his hands through his dark hair. “If I was a good clan leader I would have already banished you. But I can't do that to my Thelonia. You are her spitting image, except for the black hair.” I wanted to speak up and interject on the topic, but he shushed me with his hand. “You will obey me, Thalia. I still can and will punish you if you disobey me again. Right now, having to be bonded to the winner of the Kragh Aru, is punishment enough for this crime.”



My face paled at the possibility of having to marry my cousin. “Please, I need to leave the tent.” I began to panic. “I have to know what’s going on.”



“Relax!” Odin said encouragingly. “You've caused quite a stir by entering. The clan is in an uproar! For one, Bvork injuring you the way he did after he found out it was you.  Two, that you entered the competition at all.   And three, that you were able to do so well.” He smiled. “The final match has been delayed for a few days.”



Breathing a sigh of relief, I laid back and tried to contact Faraway. But I was still in a lot of pain, and it seemed to be blocking my abilities. I heard a commotion of people outside the tent, asking various questions. Looking to Odin, I asked him if he could get me home. Nodding, Odin wrapped his arms around me, picked me up and went out the back of the tent, while Bearen went out the front to distract the crowd. I couldn't ask for a better distraction than Bearen. His fierceness and size would deter anyone from coming near me.



Taking a back path, we cut through the forest and wound our way through the trees heading towards home. There was nothing wrong with my legs, but I was weak.  My head was still spinning and I didn't want to fall and cause a scene, so I let Odin quickly and quietly carry me.



Leaning my head against his shoulder, I tried to keep my good eye closed against the fast moving trees. I still couldn't open my other eye. A quick shadow caught my attention and I motioned Odin to slow and stop. Seeing my alert expression and the tensing of my body made him tense and turn in response. Scanning the forest, he listened and sniffed the air for any sign of intruders.



“It must have been my imagination,” I said meekly.



“Nah, Thalia, my girl,” he whispered back. “I would trust your instincts any day.” Stepping with more care, we continued on. When we reached a turn, we took the path back into the open. I glanced again into the woods and I saw very distinctly the bushes move and heard a twig snap. Odin heard it too, and stepped back into the direct sunlight and quickened his step. He started to head to my home but I pointed at his. Looking at me in confusion, he nodded and went to his. Once inside, I curled up on a long wooden bench with a high back covered with furs.



“Quickly,” I motioned back to the door. “Bring Fenri, don't tell him I'm here, and try to not let anyone see him.”



Giving me a hard look, Odin bit the side of his mouth and left without a sound. Collapsing on the bench, the exhaustion overtook me and I slept until I heard the creak of the back door and the sound of two pairs of boots.



“I told you, there's nothing you can do.” The unmistakable sound of Fenri's angry voice reached my ears.



“Nah, don't you go yelling at an old man. I may have a few trade secrets that no one knows about. So you sit down and shut up.”



Fenri walked into the main room and stomped loudly over to the single stool by the fire. I could see that he had tried to bandage his hand by the evidence of wood bracers. I grimaced in guilt and empathy at his pain. Sitting down abruptly, he jumped just as fast when he came face to face with me lying down on the long wooden bench.



“I refuse to stay here.” He moved across the room as far from me as possible.



“No, you’ll sit down and be quiet.” Odin challenged, pushing him back towards me. Odin, though older, was still a large clan warrior and he demanded respect. Forcefully grabbing Fenri's shoulder, he pushed him down on the chair.



“If it weren't for her hare-brained ideas, I wouldn't be crippled,” he breathed angrily through his teeth.



“Nonsense, this could have happened during any hunting trip. And it's not Thalia's fault.  Why are you blaming Thalia, when it's Bvork who chose to play dirty? Listen to me, young warrior. It doesn't matter how it happened. What matters is what you are going to do about it.” He spoke slowly and with meaning.



“Do? Are you kidding me?” Fenri spoke with such anger and despair that spit flew from his mouth. “There's nothing I can do. I can't use my hand, old man. I'm crippled.” Standing up, he paced the room. “What honor is there when I can't hunt game or protect and provide for a future wife?” Stopping to stare at me, he went on. “I'm useless.”



I could see that Odin was quite pleased with the fact that he was wearing down Fenri. Watching silently, I listened as the old wise warrior talked down and calmed the injured young man. When Fenri was tired and out of options, Odin went and grabbed a small knife and cut his own palm, letting a small flow of blood ebb onto his hand. Fenri opened his eyes wide in confusion.



“I know that you already made a blood oath about what happened in the pass and you swore to protect Thalia. But I'm surprised that after all you saw, you didn't give her a chance to try and help you.” Fenri's shoulder's dropped in shame.



“I didn't think she would want to help me after the way I talked to her after my fight.” He looked away from me and stared at a far wall.



“I do, Fenri,” I spoke up for the first time. “Or I would like to try, if you will let me.”



A small glimmer of hope shone in his eyes. “You would still help me?” he asked disbelievingly.



Smiling, I nodded.



“But,” interrupted Odin, “you will swear a new blood oath about anything you hear and everything you see happen tonight. Your hand being healed is not worth my goddaughter’s life. You hear me?” Odin threatened, pointing the already bloody knife at Fenri's throat. Fenri swallowed and shook his head.



“Good. Now hurry up before I have to cut my hand open again,” he complained. Fenri eagerly took the knife and made an identical slice on his palm and the two swore an oath in the old language.



When they were done, Odin unwrapped Fenri's hand and I almost vomited at what I saw. His whole hand had turned purple and swollen to twice its normal size. His fingers were bent in unnatural positions. I knew that the human hand consisted of numerous bones, nerves and muscles and that usually an injury like this would make a warrior lame. I could tell that Faraway and I were both to the point of exhaustion but we needed to work fast before anyone saw this.