Norse Valor by Constantine De Bohon

distance between your
brother’s ample lungs and himself.”
    Svana whacked the man with the cloth she carried at her hip
to handle hot objects. “Stop making fun of my brother,” she scolded.
    “He screams louder than a woman giving birth. By the Gods,
he could frighten off a bear. Even my hair stands on end when he lets loose—not an easy accomplishment,” Ari said and
both men and the boy howled with laughter.
    Svana went red. “Then stop scaring him on purpose.”
    “But he’s so much fun to tease and we have had little to
laugh about,” Ari said. “Did you see him when we brought the elk in? One sight
of the blood and he fainted.”
    “You slit it open and plopped the liver right into his
hands,” Svana growled out.
    “When he woke he threw his hands in the air and went running
like a little girl chased by a wolf,” Ari continued. “His hair was standing
taller than hay stalks.”
    David chose that moment to enter the hut. He slammed the
door behind him and latched it. Svana groaned. His breathing was rapid and his
face was red. Svana knew that wild-eyed look.
    “Now what did you do?” she asked.
    “Nothing,” David said innocently.
    A sword came through one of the cracks in the door barely
missing David’s crotch. All eyes raised in surprise and David carefully lifted
a leg over the sharp object while clutching his family jewels higher.
    “David?” Vakr demanded, his arms crossed over his chest.
    “It was just one kiss,” David insisted. “Koli is demanding I
marry the girl. He can’t be serious. She doesn’t even have a grade twelve
diploma. In fact I’m certain she never even went to grade school.”
    “Come out, coward!” Koli demanded.
    “Vakr do something!” Svana yelled.
    Vakr threw open the door.
    Koli stood there, with his feet apart, chest heaving, and hair
disheveled. To Svana, he looked like a madman. His sword rose and pointed in
David’s direction. Svana maneuvered herself in front of her brother.
    “You were warned about my sister,” Koli snapped.
    “It was a kiss,” David insisted.
    “She is home crying her heart out because you spurned her,”
Koli said.
    “David.” Svana faced him.
    “I didn’t mean to make her cry,” David said. “I thought she
understood that, that…”
    “That what? She’s a toy, a plaything?” Svana yelled. “This
isn’t the land of fast sex and loose promises! These people have morals!”
    “I hardly know her,” David whined.
    “Your hand knows her breast,” Koli snapped. “How often have
you met at the hot spring? What else have you been teaching her while she
teaches you our language?”
    David went red.
    Svana groaned. “David, are you still going to say you just
kissed?” Svana demanded, arms crossed over her chest.
    “I don’t want to get married. I can’t get married. How can I
support Kitta here? I can’t hunt, and she knows that. I can’t use a sword. What
kind of provider would I be for her? I don’t want to see Kitta starve all year
long. How will I ever be able to protect her?” David was back to whining and
wringing his hands.
    Koli was suddenly smiling and so too was Vakr. Both men
looked like cats that swallowed a canary. Svana had a bad feeling about this.
Koli lowered his sword and slapped David on the back. David looked stunned.
    “A summer wedding,” Koli declared. “No worries, my friend.
By that time I will have helped Vakr turn you into a good hunter and provider
for my sister. We will be brothers.” Koli left chuckling.
    “What just happened?” Svana asked.
    “David made a fair argument,” Vakr replied. “Koli had
thought he did not respect his sister when in truth he cares enough to know he
needs to be more of a man.”
    “Congratulations on your upcoming wedding,” Ari said.
    “Married? Me?” David whispered, his face pale.
    David fainted.

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
    Chapter 5

 
    By mid-April the village food stores were gone. Svana had
taught the others to collect sap and