Sterling

ᚠᚨᚱᛋᛁᚷᛚᛁᛝᛋᚨᚷᚨ

Ásdís gaped at the man for a moment before a jubilant laugh escaped her. Too loud and too harsh, neighbors turned to glare at the noise but quickly turned away. How could he not know what he was signing up for!?

Grinning at the silliness of it all Ásdís ignored the press of bodies forcing her closer and closer to her companions. On the ship they’d be this close anyway; quarters would be tight.

“Of course that is what we are lining up for!” She piped eagerly. “Honor! Bravery! A chance to win our names and shields…” She had a dreamy look in those bright round eyes, as if being strapped into a wooden death trap was the finest thing she could ever dream.

Adlif had lost track of his daughter for a moment, only a moment. But when he found her again she was socializing with the seiðmann of all people! The damnable girl was too friendly, too trusting! Had she no brain? No wits?

“Ásdís!” He shouted above the den, determined to tell her that no daughter of his would consort with a witch. But the dozy redhead was animatedly gesticulating to her companion, pushed closer and closer to the man as the crowd around her compressed. Of her father’s cries she heard naught.

“Isn’t it glorious?” She wanted to know, beaming up at her companion. “I’ve never left home before…” The smallest frowns curved her lips as a knot of worry gripped Ásdís tightly. But just was quickly as it came it was gone, replaced with good natured enthusiasm. “Have you?”

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Ásdís initially pleased to have been the first to stand and join the chieftain was now slightly vexed by the press of bodies around her, easing back she found more space and glanced around. A tall man was near her. She didn’t recognize him immediately and wondered how that could be, their tribe was not so large as to not know one another, at least by sight.

These thoughts did not trouble Ásdís much and she smiled excitedly up at the fellow who, since he was in the queue to join the ship, would be her fellow shipmate.

“I am going to make a great warrior!” She proclaimed breathlessly, cheeks hot with a flush and eyes wide. Feeling generous in the moment she added “You will too.” and clapped the man, her brother in arms, on the arm.

ᚠᚨᚱᛋᛁᚷᛚᛁᛝᛋᚨᚷᚨ

Just as Ásdís was wondering if the old woman had been right, was she abandoning her people to seek glory only for herself? Was she ultimately being selfish and a coward by not staying and helping…? Fjalfar’s words had her instantly on her feet.

She wanted to be a hero so badly, to be more than just Ásdís , to be more than just a small girl in a family with many girls. Was that so wrong?

The grim look of determination in Ásdís’ eyes made Adlif feel some relief. Ásdís was clever enough, bold enough. She’d fare well...She’d survive surely and bring honor to her own name. And then the wandering and the wondering would end and his last child would know her place in the world.

This might be a fool's mission but that did not mean Ásdís could not find her way. Uncomfortably Adlif nodded in acquiescence to his daughter's wishes, trying to find pride for this choice but finding only misgivings.

Uneasily Adlif watched as his daughter strode up to the gaggle of youth and the likes forming around Fjalfar, she was smaller than many, her shoulders and hips narrower, her arms slender in her plain wool dress. Immediately Adlif had the urge to rush forward, to grab Ásdís by the neck and haul her back home. She was too rash! Too young! Too small! She couldn’t do this.

Grappling with his own insecurities Adlif stood unmoving, braced against the wall.

Be reasonable… He told himself. Ásdís was not the youngest nor the smallest. She was a woman grown really, she was no fool. Surely she was over zealous at times and passion gripped her tightly, but his daughter was capable of more than just wandering around the pastures, chatting with the swine…

Ásdís herself had none of these worries or doubts. Their great leader asked for heros and she had stepped forward, pride bursting from every pore of her.

ᚠᚨᚱᛋᛁᚷᛚᛁᛝᛋᚨᚷᚨ

Ásdís was taken aback by those words. Forsaken? She was not forsaken! Surely she was untested...It was true...But only because no one had deemed her worthy of testing. That was purely a miscalculation on THEIR part, not hers!

Looking about she finally realized that many felt the same way as their Chieftain: that this was a gamble. Feeling her cheeks flush with displeasure Ásdís had the misfortune to look in the direction of her father and see the same discontented look in his features.

Even he did not think she would succeed!

Ásdís was spared the opportunity to speak out against the naysayers as a mother in the back finally cried out “And what of our children!? Who will tend to the fields if they do not return?” Many around the woman, more mothers, nodded in agreement.

ᚠᚨᚱᛋᛁᚷᛚᛁᛝᛋᚨᚷᚨ

Adlif knew the avid look on his daughter's face, knew the hungry stare and the narrowing of her eyes. She was drawn in, captured, by their Chieftain. Bitterly Adlif acknowledged that Fjalfar was a master of the word. He could rouse even the dullest of crowds, and this collection of youth and honorless men were keen for the opportunities this ship, this task, afforded them. They ate up Fjalfar’s words and waited on bated breath for more.

His daughter was easily entrapped by their brave leader’s words. She wanted to prove herself so badly, it was clear. Adlif wondered if he had done Ásdís a disservice by keeping her so sheltered all her life. Had he forced her hand now? If only he had let her try as her siblings had, perhaps now she would not be so willing to plunge head first into this foolish mission.

These thoughts were atypical for Adlif and he frowned all the more for them. His life had been so straightforward until now...It was not like the warrior to question their chief, or even more so his daughter.

Ásdís was completely unaware of her father’s struggles. Her eyes shone and her cheeks flushed with excitement. This adventure was the start for her, her way to stand alone on her own two feet and show the world she was more than just the youngest Bright Eye, more than mediocre, to stand in the spotlight and not share a speck of it with her brothers or sisters. The glory, the riches, the titles… It would all be hers.

Visions of the raiding parties she would lead blinded her to the looks of incredulity and mockery of Fjalfar’s finest warriors. Had she only brought her head out of the clouds perhaps Ásdís would have known...Would have noticed that these tried and true men did not think this a worthy cause. Perhaps then she might use her brain and wonder why it was that no one but herself had faith in this mission.

Alas, as one in the heat of passion is likely to do, she saw only the shining future for all she hoped it to be, rather than the dark and decidedly ignoble path it promised.

ᚠᚨᚱᛋᛁᚷᛚᛁᛝᛋᚨᚷᚨ

Typically Ásdís could care less how long the elders took to come to a decision. Typically she would be chatting away with her friends and companions, laughing and joking just as loudly as the rest, betting and needling and ultimately having a good time. Typically such things were of no consequence to Ásdís and so it did not matter if the chieftain was swift with his proclamations or as slow and dragging as the oldest mule in the soggiest pasture.

Today was not typical and as soon as Fjalfar set his cup down Ásdís was leaning forward, her eyes keen, her lips pressed together tightly as a thrilling fear swept through her body. He would announce his reason for bringing them here. The Chieftain would speak and finally Ásdís would know her place.

Her eagerness to hear was not shared. Women, mothers and the likes, in the back bickered and bantered more, what did they care if it took a few more minutes for Fjalfar to be heard? And men also laughed and drank, oblivious to Ásdís’ plight. Only the young like herself were completely silent.

In what seemed to be hours but could only be seconds the room came to some semblance of quiet. Quivering Ásdís glanced to her father before feeling her eyes whipping to Fjalfar. Why did her father look so grim? Shouldn’t he be as expectant as she?

This thought was quickly forgotten as the Chieftain finally opened his mouth to speak.

ᚠᚨᚱᛋᛁᚷᛚᛁᛝᛋᚨᚷᚨ

ÁSDÍS Bright Eyed



• Late teens-early twenties
• Known as a good enough girl Asdis is neither disliked nor particularly welcomed in any circles. There is nothing overly striking or charming
about her, her mind sharp enough but by no means brilliant, her smile sweet but not conspicuous, her arm strong but not sturdy. She is easy enough to be near and easy enough to forget or ignore.
• Having lived her entire life in the shelter of her family’s hearth Asdis knew not much more beyond the fields and her family. But being the youngest she often felt the need to prove herself, that she too could be just as honorable, just as brave as her brothers and sisters afore. And so when the call came out for the young and the women (and the cripples and the old and the ignominious) to take to the ships she gladly obliged. This was her chance after all.

ᚠᚨᚱᛋᛁᚷᛚᛁᛝᛋᚨᚷᚨ

Excited didn’t even begin to describe her feelings. Overwhelmed perhaps…Jubilant, exuberant, a little sick to her stomach perhaps... Ásdís could barely contain herself, her constant shifting and wriggling on the bench she shared with others of her age or sex causing irritated glances to be thrown in her direction.

But what did Ásdís care? If the rumors were right then this was her chance!

Finally to prove herself, to be free of the shadows of her family and to, for once, stand on her own and show that she too was a warrior. Her honor and bravery were of equal measure to those in the community she so looked up to.

The fact that the opposite end of the hall was filled with miscreants and cripples was of little notice to Ásdís. The darting looks into the shadows at the back were missed by the youngest Bright Eye, too fixated was she on the group of important warriors bantering near the hearth.

Her future was right there. She could smell it. Taste it. Eagerly she leaned forward. What were they saying? Furtively Ásdís looked about her father, surely he was here? It was too important a meeting to miss.

He stood resting against the far wall, his typical thoughtful expression replaced with something between dislike and disbelief. The winter had been a hard one, it was true. It was true all the more that the strong hands and arms were needed to ensure the survival of their people… But this? Sending untrained, untested whelps, and the leftovers? Cast offs?

How could this be right?

Ásdís smiled as her father looked her way. She would make him proud.

And that was the worst of it. His youngest, off to seek her fortune and make her mark on the world with a bunch of fledglings and criminals. Adlif could barely contain his contempt for it all, crossing his arms over his massive chest and staring at the group of men bickering at the center of it all.

If he could he would have kept her away, but Ásdís had her mind to this folly and there was naught Adlif could do or say to make her budge. At her core his daughter had iron. A fact that typically made a father proud, today he was silently cursing their lot.

Knights and Nobles~Tales Of Heroes (Open)

Hey all just checking in @Eremul@Snake Face@CorinTraven

Knights and Nobles~Tales Of Heroes (Open)

Dinner later that night:

Listening to the careful chewing, the precise placement of a cup, to the inhaled breath for a word to be spoke and then to be forgotten and a sigh instead escaping… Catrin kept her own expression solemn as she ate. Seated between Wil and Eira it was as if she too sat right on the border, and the uncomfortable, unnatural peace between her two siblings was only enforced by the authority of their parents across the table.

Eating in one of the private rooms afforded the Hywel’s instead of the main Hall Cadi thought her parents were both avoiding the rising tempers of the knights and lords, or perhaps they knew their time with Wil and as a complete family could be coming to an end very soon.

After all...Catrin would have to be married soon, it only made sense. She had heard mention of several agreeable matches coming to Montgomery in the next few months and surely one of them would come to an arrangement.

And even if she remained with her family for a time longer, Wil would not. Battle was coming, England was upon them. It made her heart ache to think of her young brother off fighting for their country. So many did not back whole, or at all.

Then there was the obvious chance that Eira could be sent off to the nunnery.

This private joke cheered Catrin and she smiled, ducking her head demurely so no one would see her unseemly glee at the sedate dinner.

Eira in a habit and coarse woolen clothes... Those poor sisters wouldn’t know what hit them.

Sea green eyes darted over to the ‘sister’ in question and crinkled with an unshown smile.

Eira shifted restlessly in her seat, picking at her food, and every so often, lifting a morsel to her mouth, however she mostly was waiting for her parents to finish their meal and dismiss the girl, really she had no interest in eating with them at all. The silence was uncomfortable, and only furthered Eira’s wish to leave, brown eyes centered on her plate, as she hoped someone would speak up about something, about anything, but she would not risk the lecture she might endure if she was the one to do it. If she was next to Gwillym, she might have nudged him, to try and prod the boy into talking, but when she looked over, instead she caught Catrin looking toward her, a hint of a smile in her eyes.

That only furthered the girl’s frustration, curious on what Cadi had found amusing, but knowing that she could not just ask her. Why she had to bare this torturous formality daily, to sit and dine in silence with her family, Eira would never understand. It was the only time of the day her presence was ever mandatory, and Eira felt even that was excessive. Usually, she would sit in uncomfortable silence while her father lectured, and felt criticized

Guessing at the reason for the pained look on her younger sister’s face Catrin straightened up a bit more and settled her fork on her plate, preparing to diplomatically change the tone of the meal.

Folding her hands gracefully in her lap Catrin coughed softly to draw her father’s gaze. His brow twitched in consent that she might speak.

“Will you and Wil be going on the hunt tomorrow? Perhaps I ought to prepare a basket for your travels?”

Her lips curved sweetly into a smile and her father actually reciprocated. It was a gentle and genteel gesture of her to make, sending her father and brother off to hunt with a basket made by the Lady rather than the servants. And the topic of hunting seemed safe enough, no politics, no marriage, no rules.

It was assumed and understood Catrin and Eira would NEVER go on a hunt with the men,and really why would they want to?!

“A lovely gesture my dear…” Her father grunted as he set down his glass. “The hunt might be cancelled however…” The way he held his lips together tightly let Catrin know she had touched on yet another sensitive subject.

“Another time.” Their mother chimed in before the meal was resumed in silence.