The Skabelse

Feisty Isn't She?

As the sun rose, the women readied breakfast and washed their dirty clothing in the near by creek. As Tursa scrubbed her trousers in the shallow water she blushed as she recalled last night. Falkstan was a good lover and knew how to quench her needs. She decided to bathe very thoroughly after she finished her washings before she would share another night in his bed.

"What are you smiling at?" Bjorn asked Horan annoyed. His mind had been elsewhere since the had awoken. Bjorn found himself working on building the stables with Horan and a few other men who had risen early and already he was getting tired.

"I'm smiling at myself. Is that a crime?" he answered, hammering his nail into the stable. He winced and cried out in pain when he missed and hit his thumb.

The men chuckled at his expense. "You aren't smiling anymore," Dracari said to Horan with a sly grin. He was a large brute who usually smelled like a horses arse and stale mead. Horan felt bad for the small women who was paired with him.

He looked up to his friend Bjorn who was balancing on a beam working on the roof, "Do you want to know what I was smiling for?" he asked in a tone that made Bjorn curious.

Instead, he pretended disinterested, "Not really but I suppose you are going to tell me anyways?"

Horan nodded his head, "Aye. I was smiling at myself because I believe I have the most beautiful Daughter of the Glade and I plan to bed her tonight."

Bjorn laughed out loud, "My friend, you sound so confident that she would let you place your dirty fingers on her." Horan frowned and looked down at his fingers to inspect them. They were dirty indeed but nothing a good scrub couldn't fix.

Bjorn continued, "Besides, she looked quite displeased with you last night at the table if I remember correctly."

The left corner of Horan's mouth rose as he remembered her distaste for him, "Yes she was. She made me sleep on the damned floor actually. But tonight will be different."

Bjorn looked over to the tables where Horan's woman sat. She was talking to another girl and looked very displeased. "If you say so," Bjorn said, then continued to work on the stable in silence.

The sound of hammering and talking woke Rowan from her slumber. At first she did not know where she was and scrambled for her blade. Just as her fingers grasped the hilt, a recollection of the night before ran through her mind and she sighed. Looking around the tent to find it empty she relaxed and decided to change out of her armor.

Walking to her chest that held her clothing, she grabbed a pair of tights and slipped on a navy blue tunic. It wouldn't offer her much protection but the safety of her armor was no longer required. She restyled her hair and slipped on her boots and left the confines of the tent swiftly.

Fresh air greeted her and she inhaled deeply. The forest was teeming with wildlife and a soft glow of the sun brought out the colors of the greenery. It was a beautiful sight to see and she couldn't help but to smile softly. The air was slightly chilly but she welcomed it. Autumn was most definitely coming and it was by far her favorite season.

As she surveyed the camp she spotted Darsa and Anadora at the tables and made her way over to them to ask about how their first night went. Just as she was about to greet them, the loud deep laughter of someone stole her attention.

She looked to her left and noticed men working on what looked to be a stable. A mane of black tousled hair stood out and she realized the laughter belonged to her mate. It was the first time she had seen him smile, or heard his laugh for that matter, and it suited him. "Maybe if he laughed more and scowled less he wouldn't bee such an arse," Rowan said pulling out a wooden chair and plopping down.

Darsa and Anadora looked over at the men and nodded. "He does indeed look more handsome when he smiles," Anadora said playing with a strand of her blonde hair.

Rowan found herself starring at Bjorn and pulled her azure eyes away from him, "How was your nights?" She asked quietly.

Anadora blushed but said nothing and Rowan knew she had become familiar with her mate already. Deep down she felt betrayed at her fellow kinswoman but knew she shouldn't feel that way towards her.

Rowan then looked to her cousin and hoped she wouldn't share the same answer as her friend. "It was one of the worse nights of my life. My tribute, Horan, talked my bloody ear off! Then he had the audacity to try and curl up next to me in bed! I told him he is to sleep on the floor until I say otherwise or else I'd stick him with my blade. It'd be a lot easier if he wasn't so charming and polite though," Darsa grumbled.

Just then Falkstan announced that the women had finished with breakfast and the three girls walked over to grab a plate.

"What about yours?" Anadora asked Rowan as she dipped her bowl into the pot that contained porridge.

"It was...," she started as she tried to find the right words, "I not sure what to call last night. It was far from pleasant. Bjorn is more surly than Elder Gretta."

Anadora and Darsa tisked and they thought about Elder Gretta. She was a very cruel woman and always had something negative to say about another Daughter. Apparently she had many children but all were boys and with each pregnancy she grew more coarse and insulting.

"That is saying a lot then," Darsa said as the girls returned to their seats.

Rowan was about to respond when someone cleared their throat, "Are these seats taken?" Horan asked. Rowan looked up to see Anadora's mate right behind him.

"Yes they are. Find somewhere else to sit," Darsa replied without looking up. Horan and the other man pulled out a chair anyways and joined their table.

"Feisty isn't she?" Horan asked looking directly at Rowan. She couldn't help but chuckle and nod her head.

As they ate together, Rowan couldn't help but look over her shoulder for the raven haired boy. He was a few tables away eating with a group of men. She was satisfied that he wouldn't be eating with them and slightly relaxed.

Once breakfast was over, she found herself almost liking her cousins mate which surprised her because she never thought she would be able to call a man a friend.

Rowan wondered what they should do for the day as boredom slowly crept on her. For the last half hour she and Darsa had sat on the creek bed and let the cool waters caress their bare feet. They sat in silence, enjoying each other's company. She was glad her cousin was here with her.

Rowan figured that she should help with the building tasks but for the moment that was the last thing she wanted to do.

Suddenly an idea struck her and Rowan quickly asked her cousin. "Shall we train? I've been dying to ever since we left the Glade," she suggested.

Darsa purses her full lips, "I am not sure. Are we allowed?"

Rowan scoffed, "Allowed? Do you think a bird needs to ask permission to sing? The art of war is what we are known for and fighting is in our blood. Training is natural for us and a need just as eating and sleeping."

Darsa looked over to her cousin and grinned. Even though she was older, she always looked up to her cousin for her love and commitment for fighting. Out of the Daughters Rowan was by far the most skilled and soon she would be leading the armies herself.

"Aye, lets train. Perhaps we can show these men a thing or two." Rowan replied with a dangerous smile and stood up, then helping her cousin from the creeks edge. Rowan wasn't sure what she was nor excited about: finally getting to spar or showing off her skills to the menfolk.

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter! I was trying to push this out so I can get the next one up that may be up tonight as well!