A Whisper to the North

Chapter XXXIII ✠ Bad Medicine

Una was sitting across Ingrid, tapping her finger in frustration next to the chessboard. Ingrid just captured Una's king, yet again.

"I win again, Una!" Ingrid laughed as she flicked Una's king over.

"I could put you in the field with a real king. Try to capture him. That is our next game!" Una suggested sitting back in a leather chair and crossing her arms.

"You're just angry that I've won three times in a row!"

Una grinned and scoffed.

"What would you expect my reaction to being? No one has ever beat me before, or at least won more times than I've lost." Una laughed.

Alaric walked into the room, carrying various bottles in his arms.

"Still getting your arse beat, my lady?" He smiled brightly at Una as he set the bottles down on the table.

"I told you, you may call me Una, Alaric. I have known you for more than a month now and your sister. Besides, you can't use the word arse and lady in the same sentence unless you're in a whore tavern." Una laughed.

Alaric looked back up at Una as he gently organized the bottles by their contents.

"What potion are you making today?" Ingrid turned around and gazed up at him.

"I wouldn't be joking around like that. Samhain is in a fortnight. You mention any non-Christian denominated word during this time, and you might find yourself smoking with the hams." He laughed.

"But everyone knows we're Christian?"

"If mother Agnus heard you now, she'd call you a heretic. I would watch your tongue." Alaric scolded as he arranged the bottles into groups.

"Una does not mind," Ingrid said back.

"Una is not a Cristian woman. It's not heresy for her to say it."

"I'm neither pagan nor Christian." Una interrupted.

"You're godless?" Alaric looked confused.

"I believe there is a God, but it's not man or woman. I must say, though, I am fond of your religious texts. There is much wisdom I believe the Vikings could benefit from." Una laughed.

"Thou shalt not judge, or you shall be judged, is one of them." Ingrid laughed as she peered at her brother.

"That's rich coming from you, Ingrid. You stare at Queen Wilona's growing belly like an old crone stare at a young woman." He snapped back.

Ingrid looked away and pursed her lips. That comment had defeated her, but it was true. Ingrid despised that Wilona was with the child and with the man she had so many affections for.

"Well, Alaric, I hope you don't use too much pennyroyal in your mix today." Ingrid scoffed.

"How dare you, Ingrid. That is your queen; you curse so lightly. The child she bears will bear the weight of the entire kingdom on their shoulders. I am simply making her a tonic that will ease her morning purges. She's been suffering terribly." Alaric said, slamming down his bottles.

"Oh, hush up. It's common knowledge! Don't you have a room where you can go to mix your tonic?" Ingrid laughed.

"You're sitting in it." Alaric hissed.

"Okay!" Una said softly said as she stood up and patted her dress out.

"Thank you, Alaric, for loaning us your chessboard. Your sister has impeccable wit and talent with board games." Una smiled at him.