Isegrim, my father had married again1

Union School

Isegrim, my father had married again and now I had two brothers: Lothar and Tyr. My stepmother was of course Gretel Hemstaad, my father's true love and she already saw herself in the highest social circles of our planet, being very wealthy and important. She would not let an opportunity go to waste telling anyone how important and rich she soon would be. Before she worked as Nubhir Hide scrubber, now she had servants and staff who hated her especially for her arrogance and antics.

Father's choice of wife was a source of ridicule and laughter among other Clan Chiefs, but few of them would say it when he was present. Not that he was invited much by other clan chiefs in the first place.

She also always praised the manhood and strength of my father in the presence of guests and servants alike. Praising the man's skills in bed was a truly ancient tradition and her following it pleased my evil father very much.

Lothar, the older of my two half-brothers was two years younger than me, but father treated him like his true heir. Lothar not only got my old room and most of my things, but he learned from very early on that he had power over me when my father was present and he love to find new ways of making my life even more miserable. Tyr was four years younger and since he was the second born father simply ignored him much as he did me, but he would not treat him like he did me.

At first I considered suicide. Ending it and go to the place where mother was seemed so easy and the best solution. I had seen Geirhild one of the Freewoman throw herself of the ramparts when I was seven. Nobody told me why she did it, Midril said this was something I should better not know, but I had seen her shattered body as they carried her in and back then I decided to do the same. I haf enough of the beatings and the humiliation. It was fast and I would be in the land of Hel where mother was and perhaps she even waited for me.

That night I too had climbed up to the ramparts and wanted to do what Geirhild had done, but just as I was about to jump a strong hand grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back. Up there on the Northwall where the walls clung to the cliffs and the drop was deepest was no light other than that of a sky full of stars. The shadowy figure, a hooded cloak around his shape said to me. “Who will avenge your mother if you kill yourself? Yo must endure and grow and learn to fight and then kill Isegrim and cleanse this burg from all its filth.”

The shadowy figure sank back into the darkness and was gone, before I said anything.

Up there on that rampard I swore to myself and all the Gods, I would endure it all so I could accomplish the one task I had set for me in life: to grow older and strong enough to kill him. I was not even sure if the shadow was a real person or just a figment of my imagination, but the spark of revenge was kindled and it would roar to a fire every time father beat me or tortured me. Oh yes, I feared him, a footstep or a noise that announced his coming send shivers down my spine. He would not leave any opportunity to kick or hit me, but I deep down I knew I must endure and the day would come when I would kill him and Lothar and Tyr and then throw Grethel from the highest wall.

Geirhild meant nothing to him and when he was told it was Gudrun the Cook who got killed he shrugged his broad shoulders and said." The tables smashed were expensive, that wench is easily replaced."

It turned out Greifen was right. The Elhir who were the mortal enemies of the Olafson clan dropped the Fangsnapper from the deck of a Cargo Floater into our back yard.

How they found out for sure I did not know but there was gossip that someone did see an Elhir flyer just moments before the Fangsnapper attack. Father went before the Elders and made the accusation, since open Clan wars were outlawed. The Elhir Chief claimed it could not be proven that it was them, but if a single Fangsnapper made such trouble to the Olafson Clan they would gladly train them in real combat.. Everyone expected father to challenge the Elhir Chief but he did not.

My back was burned, but not as badly as the last time when father poured boiling water down my back to punish me for using warm water for a bath, and Midril tended to it with ointment after she came back from the Union Hospital with a brand new arm they had grown her, disregarding father's command.

She never spoke about the incident, but she took care of the little girl now and she made sure I got a share of the good things that went to the Family Hall."

Six weeks later a hushed rumor was spreading that the oldest Son of the Eghil clan and two of his companions were found lying before the Gate of the Elhir burg. The companions dead and Elhir's oldest beaten to within an inch of his life. It was said he had the marks of a whip all over his body.

--””--

It was now almost a year after the Fangsnapper tore through the kitchen when Greifen sat in the Kitchen nursing a tankard of warmed ale with a generous helping of Midril's secret herbs and spices she gave to those who got the cold and judging by the bright red nose and the numb voice of Greifen he was very sick or perhaps had a tankard too much.

I was there as well sitting in a corner scrubbing the big kettle, because it was Wednesday and Midril would make Fin Stew.

"It's a shame how our Old Sire treats his first born!" Greifen said sipping at his ale looking at me but talking to the cook." He ought to get the hide of the Fangsnapper he killed and be celebrated for his first kill. I don't know many full grown men who would willingly go against one with just a kitchen knife."

She stopped cutting Tyranno meat into cubes, wiped her bloody hands on her apron,. Her left hand was pasty white compared to her other; the pigmentation of her new arm would eventually adjust to the rest of her body; and she said." There are many things going on in this Burg that never happened while our Old Sire was still here, but unless you want to challenge him for Clan chief and fight him you better keep quiet and drink your ale."

"I would fight him! There are more than one who would, but he wields that wicket steel cable and you don't even get a chance!"

"That and the fact that he is stronger than you and humongous as all the Olafsons."

I pushed the clean kettle to its spot and left the kitchen. It was better I didn't hear those things. I knew they would soon start talking about the Fair Lady as they called my mother and I would cry and that could not be, a boy my age was not allowed to cry.

To make sure no one would catch me idle and give me another, usually bad chore. I went outside beyond the walls using the secret passage of the old escape tunnel.

Except the small levelled area were floaters could lands the rest of the island consisted of sheer cliffs and titanic ragged boulders, but when you took the time to climb down the south side right across the gate, past Olle’s Tooth (a particular tall and rugged rock said to resemble the rotten tooth of one of my forefathers.) There was a small, perhaps seventy meter deep and 200 meters wide pebble beach known by the Clan as Sigrids Secret. It was hidden from sight on each side by tall cliffs and an overhang from above.

It was one of my favourite spots. Legend had it that the first Ragnarrson family landed here claiming this rock as theirs only a week after the Settlers Ark had landed. Sten Ragnarrson was said to have killed himself here and that one still could hear his screaming as he lamented his dishonourable death. Sigrid his Grand daughter supposedly buried a tremendous treasure here, of course no one believed that, where on Nilfheim would a woman gain a treasure? All her posessions were her dowry given to her husband. She too was said to haunt these cliffs as her spirit was searching for whatever baubles she had lost.

As isolated as Nilfeheim tried to remain from the rest of the Union, we were part of a technological advanced culture, yet many Neo Vikings believed in the supernatural and the stories of the gods and tales of hauntings and ghosts where never far from their mind and lips.

Midril was one of those and she claimed to have seen ghosts before. When I was younger I believed her if she told about the one legged Ragnarrson who supposedly haunted the storage cellar, but now I believed it was a mere tale to keep me and the other kids from the pickled fish barrel.

This was my second Shortsummer, the period our planet was on the short end of its elliptical orbit around our sun and it would last three standard years. The other period we called Longnight and it lasted for seven standard years.

During Longnight the sun would barley appear across the horizon and temperatures plunged to minus sixty degrees. Now during Shortsummer temperatures could climb all the way to 15 degrees and most of the planet wide ocean was ice free.

I sat down and watched Toe Pincher crabs as they scurried over the dark pebbles, enjoyed the wind and the weather.

I would have loved to go for a dive but I did not bring my wet suit or fins. I didn't want to go back and all across the yard to get it. However there was a good chance I would run into Bjorgolf the Yard Master who tended the subs and hunting gear of the clan. That fat bastard was a favourite of my father and enjoyed giving me lots to do so he did not have to do it. Father had given him explict permission to beat me anytime my work was not as expected. He always found something wrong and a reason to use his heavy leather belt to trash me.

Even though my father had moved the Olafson Clan, this rock was still known as Ragnarsson Isle and had been the traditional home of the Ragnarsson Clan ever since Nilfeheim was settled by Terran Colonists.

Now during Shortsummer and on a clear day I could see the Oseberg Island from my tower window. It was where the Oseberg's had their burg, but down here all I saw as the churning ocean waves.

The Oseberg's were the mortal enemies of the Ragnarsson Clan and until about 500 years ago there was open war between these clans.

Iit was still forbidden to even speak the name Oseberg within these walls. Many of the older Clans, including my father lamented the fact that piracy, clan wars and the raid of other burgs was no longer permitted. He often claimed that he would rather take the wealth of another clan by axe and sword than by fishing, working and marriage, as he put it.”

That this was only empty bravado was apparent even to me, as he did not openly challenge the Elhir Chief. Using a whip in a Challenge was only permitted if the opponent would also choose it, going against a man as wild and strong as him and a master of sword and axe was something completley different than beating unarmed servants.

I was watching two crabs fighting over a dead fish. A Silver Flicker Fish, it probably went to close to the surge as the waves broke against the cliffs and got smacked to hard against the rock. Almost to late did I hear footsteps in the gravel. More out of instinct I ducked and still something hit me pretty hard on the head. I jumped back and turned to see Lothar my half-brother brandishing a wooden practice sword. He was only ten but had inherited all the Olafson Bulk and was more than my equal in terms of strength and body size. His eyes glowed with delight as he laughed and screamed. ”I made you bleed I will tell father!” He played with his sword making its tip circle before my face.” I could also kill you right now and there is nothing you can do. Raise your hand against me and I tell father and he will break you.”

“I had it with you and your arrogance! I am sick and tired of your petty games. this is Ragnarsson Rock and you and that father of ours is here by the grace of my grandfather and my mother!” I stepped inside his reach, twisted his wrist with my left and smacked my fist as hard as I could right into his blabbering smiling mouth.” I could feel something break as my fist connected, he was flung back and stumbed and fell.

For some reason time seemed to slow down as I watched him fall and the back of his head hitting one of the bigger rocks. He didn’t move or make any sound as he laid there and I was certain I had killed him! I spat out and said. “Go tell that to father!”

The realization of what I had done hit me the very same moment. Fear and guilt made it impossible to even think one coherent thought. He stirred and opened his eyes, he was not dead! A voice in me urged me to finish him off, the crabs would make short work of his remains and the surge take whatever was left. He would simply be missing and one problem of my life would be solved! He deserved to die! He was the son of a woman who replaced my mother! The woman was the reason my father had killed her in the first place! I was the rightful heir not he!

Out of the corner of my eyes I noticed movement and as I turned to see who else was here at this usually deserted beach. I saw a woman standing there, her feet still in the water.

At the very first moment I believed it to be Hel the goddess of the nether worlds who came to take Lothar. But as I looked closer I was certain no goddess would wear a modern wet suit or carry a spear gun, not a Tyranno Slayer, but from the looks of it a very modern Off-World type. Even though her suit and the gun seemed Off Word she was clearly Neo Viking. She had no breathing gear and the neck of the Wetsuit was modified to keep her gills open. She was maybe ten meters away and the water lapped against her knees. She had the gun aimed at me and she yelled. “I can’t let you live Eric as you you saw me. I am sorry I did not know you would be here. I came for him and I see you started already what I came here to do!”

Her voice was clear and female and somehow familiar, yet because of her goggles and the tight neoprene hood covering her face up to the nose. I could not fathom how this woman I had never seen knew me and why she wanted to kill my brother. How could a ten year old have such an enemy? What clan would use female swimmers anyway? “Who are you?”

“I am Venegance! Revenge is not the domain of men alone! “

From above I heard Harkun my father's man servant yelling and raising alarm! The female fired her gun! I threw myself to the ground at the same time, the spear hit me not into the chest but the shoulder as I was certain she had aimed for my heart. As I fell I found it strange how little the harpoon hurt. Then I heard the explosive puff as the harpoons explosive head went off. I saw her fire the second barrel up the cliffs perhaps at Harkin and then disappear beneath the waves and just before darkness engulfed me I felt relieved. I would die now I was certain and I would see mother again!

--””--