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The village in the dark : V

I closed the door and gave my back to it and started praying, "All-father Odin, I beg that you heal my brother from the wounds and protect us all. All-father, I beg I beg I be—"

I was knocked out of the deep prayer when I heard the grunts of brother as he woke up.

I ran to his side as he called my name, "Freyja, Freyja,"

"I'm here. I'm here."

He took a heavy breath, "Did everyone make it to the morning alright?" "T-the Hrolleif..." he went silent as he heard me.

"I should clean your wounds now. Uncle Aelfled invited us to the fire tonight. He said that it'll be big,"

Brother didn't reply. "Here, take the berries. You know that'll they'll help when I take off the cloth,"

"I have no need for those. Just get over it quickly," I sighed.

The wound was healing up slowly from the looks of it. I smeared the crushed herbs Uncle Aelfled brought on the gash then replaced the cloth. Took me less time than yesterday, but I was past breakfast when I finished with him. He didn't even say a word. I left him there went to light up the fire. I sat on father's rocking chair and started carving up the final sides of the wood hound while humming the tune. Another knock broke my rhythm once more.

"The door is open, Uncle Aelfled,"

The door creaked from behind me then stopped. "Did anyone tell you that your humming sounds just like your mother's"

I smiled at him, "Yes, brother told me that once or twice,"

He came closer to the fire, "Is he still asleep?"

"No, he just doesn't want to talk," Aelfled scoffed and went to the bedroom. I could hear that he was talking, but their voice was no louder than the wind that howled past.

A while later, they got out of the bedroom, Aelfled supporting brother to the table. My knees motioned to get out of the chair, but brother stopped me, "Don't. You fit that seat better than I did,"

I stood up nonetheless and went to the storage.

Aelfled scoffed next to brother, "So that's where you kept your food? Trig used to get pissed whenever you managed to find something to eat. "I poisoned everything," he'd keep repeating,"

Brother gave him a weak smile.

"That fat oaf never knew how to properly kill anything," he said, "Do you remember back when father took all of us to hunt? Trig could barely hold an axe, let alone chop the head of the rabbit,"

Bother's smile turned into laughter, then grunts of pain.

"I thought you said that they were healing well, sister?" I took the food out from the fire, "I told you to take the berries, Baldr. But you said that you have no need for it. You only have yourself to blame," Brother cursed under his breath, and Aelfled laughed at him.

I laid the food on the table and was about to take my leave.

"What are you doing, Freyja? Sit and eat with us,"

"What about your customs Aelfled," Brother teased him,

"To hell with the customs,"

He cut me a slab and gave me a plate. We started to eat the food. It tasted better than all the meals I had this winter.

"Say, Aelfled," said brother with a mouth full, "Were you the one who slept with Hrolleif's wife the second time round?"

Aelfled smiled and hit the table, "You're damned right I did,"