“Look Fenri, about the Kragh Aru.” I stepped closer and looked up at his clean-shaven face and couldn’t help but reach out and touch his cheek. “I’m sorry—.”

He closed his eyes and gently pressed his cheek into my palm before pulling away abruptly. “No, you have the right to make me fight for your hand and your honor. There is no need to feel shame.” He moved toward the stable doors and turned back with a half smile on his face. “Unless you don’t dance with me. After all, I am the best at the Tipturo.” He left.

I felt a quick pang in my heart and felt a soft nuzzle against my shoulder. I turned to pat Faraway’s warm cheek.

You’re filled with sadness for the red-haired one.

Yes, I can’t give him what he wants or probably deserves.

Which is?

My heart.

Why not?

An image of Joss flashed through my mind and then it flickered away.

I don’t know.

Well maybe it’s not your love you need to give him.

What else is there?

Your loyalty.

He had me there. It is what I was doing anyway if my plan failed. I was going to marry whoever won the competition. So why didn’t I just accept Fenri’s offer or agree to my father’s choice? What did I hope to achieve if it didn’t work? I finished my work in the hayloft and grabbed a currycomb and brushed Faraway as I went over my problems. I kept glancing out the doors to the mountains waiting for my father and Odin to return. It was nearing dark and I had to change for the celebration soon. As I was about to leave Hemi led three latecomers into the stable. He looked surprised to see me and quickly stepped in front of me, hiding me behind his large body.

“Oi, since you have no family ties, and you didn’t bring your own tents, you get what’s left,” Hemi said gruffly gesturing to the hayloft above me. “Which would be the loft.”

Taking the cue from Hemi, I kept my head low and pulled up the hood on my vest, hiding my face. I grabbed a pitchfork and pretended to muck out the stall. I studied each one, trying to see if I recognized any of them. I didn’t.

One was in his fifties with long grey hair and a nose that looked like it had been broken on numerous occasions. The second was completely bald, medium build, muscular and was the loudest of the three. The third man was slightly taller than the bald one, he wore a furred cap that covered most of his head and was apparently drunk. He collapsed onto my fresh pile of hay and immediately began snoring. The other two kicked him and made some crude gesture. I heard their words and had problems understanding. Their dialect was different- harsher.

I backed up and whispered to Hemi. “Who are they?”

Hemi stroked his long red beard and eyed them warily. “The news spread quickly and you gained attention from the Stahler clan. I didn’t think any from that clan would show themselves, but the prize must have been too much for them to pass up.”

The grey haired Stahler made a lewd comment about hoping to get ahold of some ladies tonight for some entertainment.

Hemi’s face turned bright red and he made a curt reprimand before grabbing my elbow and physically removing me from the stable and out of their line of sight. Thankfully, they never paid me any attention.

“Whatever you do,” he warned. “Stay away from them and don’t go anywhere near the stable.”  I nodded and quickened my steps to match his as we put as much distance between the Stahlers and me as possible. Something about them made my skin crawl.

Faraway, can you keep an eye on them?

How about my nose? Can’t miss that stench.

Hemi walked me to my house and paused. He shuffled his feet back and forth before looking up at me with pride in his eyes and something that could have been tears.

“It doesn’t matter to me, what happened to you. I’ve seen it with my eyes, you’re special. You are worth a hundred of us warriors and you shouldn’t hide who you are. You have my axe if ever you need it.” He put his giant hand on the handle to his axe that he always wore on his back and he lumbered down into a bow.

I felt myself begin to tear up as well. Somehow, I had earned the loyalty of one of my father’s trusted friends. Now if only the rest of my clan felt the same way.

“Thank you, Hemi. You are indeed a loyal warrior and one that I would like to call my friend.”

His large face beamed with happiness and he stood up and ambled away, but not before I caught his quick look to the mountains. I knew he knew where my father went, and if Hemi was worried then I knew I had to worry.

“Is it true that you turned down Fenri in favor of a Kragh Aru?” Siobhan asked. Her hands deftly parted my hair and began to braid and arrange it upon. She reached for another pin and gently tucked a stray piece of hair in place. I looked up in the mirror and met her amazed look and shrugged.

She had come over to help me get ready for the ceremony and had been very careful to avoid the topic of marriage for the first hour but not anymore. Her questions flowed as swiftly as the Kirakura falls.

“I’m so envious. Did you see how many people showed up to compete for your hand? I can’t imagine what it must be like to have that many people wanting to marry you.”

“Well...I never thought this many people would come.”

“Of course they would come. But I have to ask you; did you not like any of the men in our own clan? Or are you just trying to make Fenri jealous?”

I was at a loss for words. “Fenri is striking, but I’m not sure if we are right for each other.”

“Not right for you, Thalia! He is the most attractive man here! You should just be happy that your father chose someone for you that was your age. I happen to think he is…” her comments dropped off and I could see a faint rose color appear at her cheeks.

My eyes opened wide as I realized my cousin had a fondness for Fenri. How could I have been so dense? Maybe that was why she was friendlier to me, because I chose the tourney instead of Fenri.

She dropped her hands into her lap and swallowed. “Well, who am I to say what you should do. You’ve already made up your mind…but do you think you can go through with it? I mean marry the winner? What if it’s a total stranger?”

I sighed and looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes sparkled with the slightest bit of fear and excitement. I stood up and smoothed out any wrinkles in my dark blue wool dress. White fur lined the high neck collar and short sleeves. My hair arranged in twists and braids upon my head and paired with my mother’s silver wolf armbands, made me look exotic, powerful, and regal. The only hint of my worry was my slightly swollen lip, which I had been biting for the last hour.

“I keep my word, cousin. I will marry whoever wins the tourney tomorrow.” I said with false bravado. “Let us worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. Tonight is for celebrations and dancing.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her to my armoire where I pulled out a pair of beautiful gold bracelets. I put them on Siobhan’s arms and gave her a quick hug. “Let’s enjoy tonight.”

We left my home to walk the streets heading towards the main square. I felt a pang of loneliness as I realized how similar this felt. Did I not just walk like this a few months ago with my friend Avina? Could I really cast my friends aside that easily? What about Joss? I would be forced to wed someone else. Was I really ready to gamble so much, to try and prove myself? My nerves got the better of me and I stumbled. Siobhan caught me.