LongBow ~ LGBT (Historical-Romance-Fantasy)

Bløtlaug

He wished he didn't have to rouse from such a relaxed state, laying on the towels spooned inside of Rikkar's torso, but it was getting chilly in spite of the North Sea Westerlies. Tonight was the night Daniel was to gather round the fires in the village and join in telling sagas. He is expected to enlighten the leader of special visions for their village. Laying still, he ponders what should be told to them about their future. The phrase, 'Keep it simple, stupid' was one choice. The other choice was to outline some advice to keep them safe yet intact as a culture and above all, to protect their lives.

From view of the open shore to Tonsberg, the bonfires for the Sigrblot are seen blazing towards the skies, sending smoke billowing up a thousand feet into the surrounding moisture filled air. Daniel wriggles free of Rikkar's lessening death grip.

"Wake up sleepy head. We have appearances to keep," Daniel professes as he heads to shower.

"You know we can't interfere on a broad spectrum, right? By the way, your culture bathes way too often," conjectures Rikkar.

"I can impart some simple wisdom, surely. And yeah, we may bathe too often, but it's probably not best to allow the natives to smell sex on us, ya think?" Daniel jests.

Rikkar nods in agreement, "Although I doubt among the smoke, ash and other scents, it will be noted, but surely we can enjoy another shower together and redress in our expected attire."

Upon reaching the shore, Daniel and Rikkar witnessed villagers dragging model viking ships made of light wood to be sacrificed along with small flammables therein. Further inland, the stead owners had smeared a mixture of sacrificial pig and horse blood from the hlaut with staves upon divers of places. The folk also brushed themselves to dance 'round the bonfires mimicking the fiercest of forest creatures, giving both protection and frenzy to their warriors soon sailing off to do battle on foreign soils. Children scurry to finish their corn dolls fashioned from hay, for the purpose of being set ablaze in symbolic rebirth of man. Women weave magic incantations into their fabric to harken the return of their men from battle.

Once walking inland, Gudrod's magnate greets Daniel and Rikkar and ushers them to follow him. Gathered round a circle outside of the holy burial mound, the freemen, elders, warriors, and magistrate proceed to bless and conduct the 'Thing'. Everyone hushed upon beginning the blessing, "Wist gather this eve to honour Baldur, the god which gives thee light, warmth and without hist rays upon our gardens toil, life wouldst cease. Wist sacrifice as hist sacrificed himself upon this sacred day and arose trist days fort-wit. And now hist chariot and trusted steeds begin to gallop across the skies and shalt disappear at the end of the harvest. Wist further ask the energies of Njord, Odin and Tyr imparted upon thou warriors as thou dost battle with those who hath denied hist rituals. Doth any of thou warriors befell, admit those to Valhalla to fight alongside Odin in the last battle of Ragnarok."

The magnate, highest ranking official in the land then empties first goblet of mead called Odin's goblet for victory and power to the king. Thereafter, Gudford empties Njiord's and Freyja's goblets for peace and a good season. Brage-goblets of mead were then passed around for everyone to swear a vow to what was close to his heart. Then at the end all were to empty in the memory of departed friends, called the remembrance goblet.

"As much as it is possible, my vow is to help others become better people, for them to love, to care for others, and to find love," avows Daniel when time to give his brage-goblet oath.

Rikkar takes his goblet to Daniel, "My vow is to try to be a good judge of character. To listen to all sides before rendering decisions in the future, whatever future that may be."

When taking the remembrance goblets, Daniel professes that due to having so many relatives having died in a three season period, he could not drink that many goblets as he would lose his constitution and that it was against Odin's admonition to not drink in excess. Everyone in attendance follows suit and was taken by a stranger's knowledge of Odin's warning towards drunkenness. For Rikkar's toast to his deceased, he became distant because in his world, relations were not close nor even remembered. In fact, lives were shortened in his time. Someone who lived into their sixties was considered ancient. They may have sired many children in order to balance the mortality rate versus over-population, but no one knew their direct lineage. He downed two goblets of mead and announced that all his family were well, except his grandparents, whom he really had no opportunity to know.