Chapter 13
Dag's cheeks turned red and his eyes looked down.
"I like it. I like that sensation" she stated.
"I remember about you, and what you did for me when we were kids. I remember your word against Arne's word. I remember everything" concluded.
Dag felt still paralyzed but said:
"It was not fair. They had no right to force you to strip in front of everybody"
"Right? Oh, Dag…rights don't exist on Skjold, only strength matters" answered Freydis with a tone of discouragement
"but you were so kind doing that to me. Thank you" continued.
"I did nothing special, it was my man's duty. And then, this belongs to the past. Now, let's look at the future. I saw you in combat, you fight like a s.h.i.+eldmaiden" said Dag.
"Well, you knocked out that guy before… he lost his senses! You're strong too! I never noticed that rage… I don't know you well, but you seemed like another person." she answered.
"Something made me get mad, he challenged me and he hit me when I was not looking"
"You're obsessed with fairness and justice, aren't you?" asked Freydis
"No, I'm not. But sometimes, somebody must enforce it. And that somebody was me when I protected your honor" he concluded.
"Are you coming to the Arena tomorrow? We can go together if you want… I live down there"
Freydis pointed to a house slightly hidden in the wood on the roadside.
Dag was celebrating those words, he was about to explode for happiness.
But he limited himself saying:
"I know perfectly where you live, Karl is my best friend. I go to the Arena every day, but probably we never met because I'm always late! But y…yes! Of course, we can go together, I'd be happy!"
He couldn't wait.
"Ok then, see you tomorrow! Ah, Dag…put something cold on your nose, it would be better soon" said Freydis, greeting Dag with her hand, and walking towards
"See you tomorrow, Freydis"
Dag couldn't believe it really happened.
He called her name only in his dreams or talking to Karl.
His nose still hurt, but it didn't matter: Freydis finally noticed him.
Once arrived at home, Dag entered the door. Asa was inside:
"Oh dear, who did this to you? Did he pay for what he has done? Poor boy, let me help you"
Dag got closer to his mother and said:
"Yeah, I was not focused and he caught me off guard. But I beat him in the end. My nose is fine, Freydis fixed it"
He didn't add anything else, didn't talk about his loss of control.
"Freydis? Karl's sister?" asked Asa
"The puppy likes her, ma! A time I heard him talking of her with his friend"
Eirik joined the conversation, entering the house.
Stein followed, and said: "Hahaha Dag, you knew it! You've chosen to be a warrior, now, look at you. This is just a little scar on you, imagine how many others will you get fighting!"
After some minutes, Dag felt better.
Asa put a cold blade on his nose and helped him to spit all the blood inside of it with the help of some cold water. Then they sat all together and ate.
At night, when Dag laid on his bed, he continued staring at the roof.
He couldn't sleep thinking of Freydis. When they were very close, he really wanted to kiss her.
Her lips seemed warm and soft, and when she touched his face, her hands smelled nice, even if she was in the Arena a few minutes before.
He was not able to think something that wasn't Freydis. After hours, he fell asleep.
The day after, Dag woke up early, for the real first time. He couldn't wait to see Freydis again.
When he got up from his bed, only Asa was missing: Stein and Eirik were asleep.
He walked out of the house and quickly greeted Asa. Then, without any breakfast, he walked down the road.
While he was walking, a group of four people walked in the opposite direction, towards the hilltop. Dag looked at them: their faces were not so friendly, and two of them wore something similar to armor.
When their path crossed with Dag's, he observed something on one of those men's back. It seemed a metal, sharp object, maybe a sword.
One of them looked at Dag without saying anything, then, they continued for their own walk.
Dag went forward.
Why that men were climbing the hill, and why are they carrying weapons? Where are they going? On the hilltop, there was nothing, except for his house.
It was weird. He didn't know whether to continue on his own path to meet Freydis again, or turn back and find out what was happening.
He thought about Asa. She was the only one awake and the only one who could fight since Gridd was still in Hevnen. But what were they looking for?
Dag puffed, then turned back and walked back towards his home, worried. He was thinking of Freydis, she probably would be disappointed after this.
He followed the men, hiding through bushes and trees. He knew perfectly every corner in the wood that ran alongside the road.
The four men overcame the stream, they were directed to the house! He was sure. That direction only led to his home, or in the woods, but they didn't seem lumberjacks or woodworkers.
Dag stepped up the pace, moving to the rocky wall's shortcut. He s.h.i.+fted the thorns and bushes and climbed on the wall. Quickly, he hid behind a thick tree, from where he could see better what was happening.
n.o.body was outside, only animals in the fence. The coach wasn't on its place, Stein and Eirik should be in the wood.
One of the men without armor drew a dagger from his belt. The other two of them did the same: each of them extracted a sword.