Lindorm Princess

Chapter 4

I made a deal with Slange, that I would keep him in my pocket in the house at meal times.

As we ate, I secretly slipped morsels off of my plate and into my pocket, stifling the urge to giggle when I felt the little forked tongue ticking my fingertips.

Far was in high spirits for once. The mowing was going well, and our yield was high in profit this season. "I'll reckon, that we'll be done in two weeks," he proudly announced at supper. I saw him lovingly clasp Mor's hand, and her small smile. He had skipped his usual draught of ale with dinner, and it seemed that for once, all was well.

We didn't need candlelight at the table on summer days like today. The sunlight still spilled onto the rough, hewn table set with bread, butter, meat, potatoes and sauces. I slipped a small piece of parsley-covered pork into my pocket, and heard what I thought was a happy groan from Slange as he nibbled it up.

"Lise, I'll take over your chores from the week after, so you can help your Far with the threshing." Mor already handled mucking the barn and stable, and weeding and tending to our garden. She also cooked, cleaned, and handled all the minor craft repairs around the home. So to add feeding and herding on top of it, meant that I knew she would be exhausted.

Perhaps I could convince Far to help Mor instead, so that I could practice my new secret in the barn. The seed of a new idea grew until it sprouted firmly in my brain, taking root.

"Far, I've been thinking. This year, I want to do the threshing and winnowing alone. I'm big enough, and skilled enough to get it done quickly. I know Mor has a lot of housework and craftwork to get caught up on, so maybe you could help her with my chores?

Far wrinkled his nose. "Are you addled, girl? Last year, it took us two a full sennight and a half of processing, just to finish threshing. If I let you do it alone, it might take you a month, and then we are well on to winter by that point."

"Far, please," I begged. "Maybe just let me try for three days?"

He shook his head, amused.

"Alright, my child. We are ahead of the season, so I suppose it will do us no harm to let you try for a few days."

Victory! I savored it.

I had always assumed magic just did what you wanted it to do, like in the fairy tales Mor read to me as a child. I hadn't realized there were rules, and knowledge involved. Inside me, a new chasm had opened, hungry to learn more. It was a gaping, yawning hope: hope that I might be able to use my new potential to make a better life for myself.

I relayed my thoughts to Slange in my bedroom, later that night. Far and Mor slept in the separate L-shaped house across from me, so I had complete privacy to talk out loud, but I still tried to keep my voice quiet.

I have given you power unimaginable for most humans, and you want to use it to make your chores on the farm easier, said Slange, amused. You aren't what I expected.

"What else should I do with it? Take over Denmark?" I asked, laughing. "I'm a simple farm girl, who can read and write, but not much more. I'm plain. I'm boring."

I took a deep breath, and began to present my idea. "My parents are pressuring me to be married to Søren, because we need help to run this place. But if I show them I can do it alone, maybe they'll be ok with me staying unmarried."

So you plan to do a month's work in three days, said Slange. I heard the disapproval in his voice. First of all, how do you plan on explaining that to your parents? How do you plan on explaining me to them?

I hadn't thought of that. I cursed under my breath, then said, hopefully, "Maybe if I first use it, to show them that it can be helpful, they won't be afraid of it."