Yngvild and the Forest of Dreams

Lady Yngvild

It took a while to finish up at the House of Justice. We counted heads, and then handed the prisoners over to a King's Justice in person. Or rather we had them taken into custody. The attackers had lost three people. One dead, one knocked out, and a third grabbed by the Guards as she tried to leave the building the dead man was in.

'I think we're done here. Let's go.' said Lady Helga.
'I need to stay and clear up a couple of things.' said Old Bjorn.
'Will it be safe?' I asked.
'Not for anyone that tries to attack us.' said Noren.
'That's not what I meant.' I said.
'News will have got round about the ambush. The guards and everyone nearby knows your name. They know me too.' said Lady Helga.
'On you go. I'll catch you up later.' said Old Bjorn.
Noren, Helga and I walked to her official residence. As predicted it was uneventful. We went in the back door because it was closer. As soon as we were inside people descended on us. Friendly people. Lady Helga's household. She introduced us, but there were too many and I forgot who most of them were. Except Linhildr. She was a little older and plumper than me, with long blonde pigtails and green eyes. She wore a blue skirt with a red top over her heavily embroidered shift. She was clearly keen on needlework, all of her clothes were well decorated.
Linhildr looked after me. She took me upstairs to a room with a stone fireplace in one wall, and a large bed with curtains round it. There were two chests against the wall on either side of the bed and also a cupboard next to the chimney breast. There was a shuttered window on the wall opposite the door. The walls were wood panelling, decorated with carvings.
'This will be your room while you are staying here, my lady.' Linhildr said.
'Yngvild will do.' I said.
Linhildr smiled. 'Let's get you out of that filthy battle gear and dressed properly.'
I'd left my shield downstairs, so I took my helmet off. It was only when I saw the visor, browned with blood, that I realised how fearsome I must look. I stared at it in disbelief for a moment before Linhildr gently took it from me and set it aside on a long low bench that ran the length of the room under the window.
I unbuckled the sword belt and put it on the bed. I'd need to clean it too. Linhildr took the skirt and my bag that had been slung over my back. She wrinkled her nose. It was encrusted with rubbish, and I guess it smelt like the streets. Somehow my nose had filtered it all out.
When I pulled the mail over my head it left a litter of fragments on the floor. Bits of rubbish that had been thrown at us had stuck between the links. Linhildr helped me shake it out, but it would still need a good brush to clean it.
'Don't move.' said Linhildr. 'I'll get a brush.'
She opened one of the chests and pulled out a brush, which she then used to clean off my padded jacket.
'You can take it off now.'
'Thank you.' A wave of tiredness suddenly washed over me. I dropped the jacket on the floor. Then I let myself fall into the bed.
Linhildr stacked my jacket and mail on the bench with the helmet. She also moved the sword there.

Linhildr shook my shoulder gently.
'Wake up, my lady. It's too early for bed.'
'mm tired. Sleep.'
She shook me a little more.
'Sorry.' I shook my head in a vain attempt to wake myself up.
'Nothing to be sorry about, my lady.' she helped me back to my feet.
The floor was clean, and some clothes were laid out. Not my clothes, I had nothing but what I wore, a spare shift and hose, and the skirt I'd slung over my back.
'Hands up, please.'
I lifted my hands.
Linhildr threw a red silk skirt over my head. It rustled down and she fastened it around my waist. Then she picked up a matching bodice made from the same cloth and helped me put it on.
'Time for a bath I think.' she said.
'That would be fantastic.'
I followed Linhildr back down to the basement. She brought a fresh shift and a bag with her.

In the basement a large wooden tub filled with water steamed. Two other young women were tending the tub when we entered.
'This is Aelfdis and Sigrun, my lady. They will help you bathe.' Linhildr said.
'Thank you.' I said.
The women were both about my age and were dressed in shifts and underskirts with bare feet and sleeves rolled up. It was hot and steamy in the bath room. I was glad to get out of my clothes and into the bath.
'My lady, your necklace.' Sigrun said.
'It's fine, I never take it off.' I said. Old Bjorn had told me to keep it next to my skin to ensure protection by Malfin. I didn't feel safe enough yet to want to remove it.
The water was fragranced and Sigrun took a brush and soap to my back. Then she undid my braids. Aelfdis brought jugs of warm and poured them over me while Sigrun washed my hair.
The bath invigorated me, and I felt clean again. While I'd been getting washed Linhildr had been getting ready to dress me. This was beyond my experience. Back in Straven I bathed and dressed myself, usually in company with others, but not like this. Here I was being washed and dressed by others.
Linhildr put a new shift on me. Not my spare one, it was softer material and much more ornately decorated round the neck and sleeves, as well as along the bottom hem where no-one would see it but me. The red silk skirt and bodice went back on, but not before I was squeezed into a boned under-bodice. I also had a seriously pleated underskirt made of linen. It weighed more than my old woollen skirt. These two garments changed my shape. My waist was smaller, and my hips much wider. It also pushed me up and created cleavage on my chest.
Dressing wasn't done yet though. Sigrun and Aelfdis combed and braided my hair, weaving red ribbons into the plaits. Linhildr placed some jewellery on me. Another wide ribboned necklace, and rings for my fingers.
'Now, you are ready.' Linhildr said.
'Ready for what?' I said.
'Dinner.'
'Do you need to get ready too?'
'No, I'm not eating with you.'
'Do people here always get dressed like this for dinner?'
'No. Tonight is a special occasion. Other nights are probably more what you are used to.'