Deviathan Coldforge sat in the hall beside the chained woman. He’d kept her company for some time, talking to her and trying to make her see sense. She’d finally calmed and was now sleeping. He watched her as she slept, her face now relaxed after the recent strain, her breasts rising and falling gently in time with her peaceful breathing. There was no doubt, she was easy on the eye. His thoughts wandered, and his mind went back to an earlier conversation . . .
Dev picked up his mould and used one of the punches to push out the small rod of rose gold onto the worktable. It clanged dully onto the wood surface. He tested the temperature warily with the tips of his fingers and found it cool enough to work with. Sifting through his tools, he pulled out a steel plate. Setting the plate down upon the table, he placed the cylinder onto it and selected a small, delicate hammer. Using it, he flattened the small cylinder into a flattened band. Lost in thought, he mused while the hammer struck the metal musically.
Keezheekoni Vayandar quietly approached the Smith’s again, hoping to gain a few moments to look over his work, thinking him to still be on the hall chatting away. In her hands, a small cup of hot tea steamed. Her lips gently blew away the steam that rose from it, then gently sipped. Drawing closer to the smithy, she immediately spotted the blond man and her lips tugged into a smile, that aching returning to her cheeks, but could she be so bold? Did she dare? “Hou, Deviathan,” she called out to the man after a few more minutes, not wanting to startle him, having almost soundlessly walked up on him. “You enjoy dinner?”
The metalsmith started slightly as the woman spoke, not having heard her through his musing and the sound of hammer on gold. “A-ah. Tal, Keez.” His cheeks were flushed with the work but he seemed pleased at it and offered her a smile, “I enjoyed it greatly. You can certainly cook. The hunting must be good here, the meat was tender and not too lean.” He stepped slightly aside to show off his work, remembering he had promised to teach her. “See? It’s taking some shape now. I was thinking a bracelet perhaps.” Indeed, the band was now taking shape with slightly rounded ends.
Keez reflected his smile as she stood there watching him work and drifted closer into the smithy, careful not to step on or knock anything over. This place was definitely a man’s working place, “Vil will be glad to have working partner if you know way of smithing as well. He is good man and his mate is good woman.” She heard the word ‘mate’ echo within her head and knew she was not so good at the dance that seemed to be going on, at least the first few steps. Before she could speak her mind, his words brought her attention to the piece he was shaping and nodded. “It will be beautiful. Did you speak with Spec to see what he would like of you to make for Nan?” She drifted closer until she stood almost at his side, but giving plenty of room for him to swing.
The man resumed his work as she stepped close enough for them to be heard over the sound. He shook his head slightly. “I did not ask him. He seemed preoccupied and I learned what I needed most to know.” The band was not yet curved to a wrist, but that would come with time. For the moment, he stopped and admired the overall shape, broader in the centre and tapering into two semi-crescents. He grunted appreciatively. “Yes, this is good. I had thought to facet the stones but now that the shape comes, I will smooth them instead.” He looked at the woman and eyed her up and down. “You said that you work leather, hide, and cloth, correct?”
She nodded slowly. “I do. It was what women be expected to do in my village, so I learn from young age. The men bring of the hunt, women clean, skin and make things. All the animal is used, nothing ever to waste. Why waste a gift of gods?” A warm smile came to her face as she casually drifted to the hanging hide, looking over the work of Vil’s mate. “She is good, but does not have natural talent of the People. Maybe I will teach.” She looked back at him. “Reason of asking?” she inquired, curious.
Dev sorted through his many punches and selected a small one. Pressing the sharp tip to the centre of the band, he hit it decisively with the hammer a single time and pulled the tool away to reveal a single circle-shaped imprint in the raw gold. He didn’t look away from his work as he replied but said, “Yes, as I travelled in the South. I left many of my warm clothes behind to make room for my many goods and tools. As such, I need several pieces of warm clothing, most notably, a cloak and a thicker tunic. If you need, I would be happy to find and prepare a fresh pelt during my next hunt.”
The Red Savage woman listened to him attentively and when he spoke of his need, she nodded, “Yes, I will make. I am working with fur of Kur and a large larl fur right now; making self something from larl, but making HighJarl and Hold a gift from the Kur. I will be more than happy to make of you things.” She smiled at him. “Bring me pelt and I will make. Soon, though, before snow comes or you will freeze.” She let pass a few moments of silence, obviously having something on her mind and not wishing to let the opportunity pass. She grabbed the opportunity. “Deviathan, when you are not of working and have no working things on mind . . . I . . .” there was a pause, as if debating whether she should continue, but she forced the words out, ” . . . would like to talk with you.” She glanced off, avoiding his gaze should he shift it to her, but oh, how her cheeks burned!
The man smiled inwardly as he selected another punch, smaller this time, and punched two more holes equidistant from the larger one in the centre. He considered a moment, wondering what the woman wanted to ask of him and suddenly he felt unaccountably shy. His cheeks flushed with more than the heat of the work now as he cleared his throat and said lightly, “We can speak any time. I’m not too busy just yet, I will need to prepare flux and that will take a few moments to heat in which I will not be busy. And I thank you for your willingness to make the clothes I need. I will find a way to repay you for your work.” He wasn’t entirely sure how he would accomplish that so he simply continued working, unwilling to attempt to catch her gaze any more than she was his.
Keez brought her attention back to him as he spoke, but shook her head, “There is no need of repaying. We all work together to ensure all in village live and survive. If they are happy, then that is all of better.” She nodded as he said he wouldn’t be too busy and now she could feel more of the heat, though not sure if it was of the smithy or from her own embarrassment, but she forced the words to continue. “I know . . . I know of you only short time, but in short time I . . .” she looked down at her hands now, fiddling with the strings on her dress, “. . . maybe this is wrong, maybe this is too bold for Freed Woman, but . . . I would like to know of you more.” Her eyes flicked upward at that, doing her utmost not to embarrass him. “You and I seem to think alike on . . . much . . . and you are fast becoming friend.”
Dev almost dropped the punch he had newly selected as she rambled out her thoughts. He hadn’t expected her to be so bold, or perhaps so shy, he wasn’t sure. It made him uncomfortable. How was he supposed to act in this situation? Clearing his throat, he put the fumbled punch down among its fellows and turned to face her, hands at his sides and face difficult to read. His brows were furrowed, lips set in a line, red flaming down his cheeks and to his neck, and his pale green eyes troubled slightly. Picking his words carefully, he spoke slowly. “Yes, we do seem able to tolerate each other well and have similar interests. Yes, we haven’t known each other long . . .” he trailed off, unsure how to continue, his eyes searching her face. Looking away, he started up again, “Perhaps we should both speak more clearly. Allow me to start: I admit that it is not only the snow in the pass keeping me here. Please do not be shy with me. I find your presence comfortable and would like it to remain that way.”
The woman felt though as if she were on the slickest of ice, struggling to remain standing, as she tried to explain how she felt in a way that would not be considered as inappropriate. As he spoke, she met his eyes, for an array of emotions rested within her own, but the one that displayed most was . . . fear. She was like a rabbit before the hungry wolf, ready to dart off the moment things threatened to turn gloomy, but when he started over, she nodded. “And, I admit . . .” she took a breath, revealing more of herself than she had allowed any here to see, “. . . that I have myself in thinking ‘what if’. What if I was meant to come and you were meant to stay and we are meant to meet. You speak of children and I sleep near the Healer’s room and at night it is hard for me to hear crying baby because . . .” and now her hands clenched, forcing those unshed tears to not be seen even as they align her lids, she finally admitting something she hadn’t to anyone else. “I thought I lost of chance to have of them when I lost of mate, but you come . . . you speak of wanting family, you speak of wanting child and mate. We have minds on right path and . . .” there was another quiver to her lip, “. . . I fear being hurt, yes, but I fear of hiding emotions and feelings more that will make me of old lonely woman. So I take bold chance . . . and tell you these things.”
He looked down at his feet as she spoke, saying nothing and making no movement or noise. As she finished he said simply, “It is right for a woman of the North to speak as she feels so long as there is respect. Perhaps you are right, and it was meant for the two of us to end up upon this reach where the essence of the gods is strong.” He paused and picked up the bracelet in progress, testing its weight as he thought. “I am not sure how you wish us to progress so let me make sure I understand your feelings. You seek a mate and to build a family? And you have considered me as a prospect?” One of his brows quirked but nervously rather than skeptically. It was difficult to see a woman wishing to partner with an untested stranger who held no land and owned only what he could carry on his back. “I have no land, no beast, not even a single slave or a mead horn to my name. I am sure your family would be shamed for you to mate so lowly.”
She listened to his words and they surprised her somewhat, but then she gently shook her head. “Lowly? No. The only man who would be ‘lowly’ is man of no honour. Do you have honour? Do you protect what is in heart and mind? I have no land. I have no beast. All this . . .” her hands lift up and spread out as if showing the Valr, “. . . is not of mine. It is the HighJarl’s. All that I make, all that I do, is of borrowed. When I come here, I come here with a single bag with a few trinkets, memories. A story fur from long times, but that is all. My mother is only adopted, she is not of blood and only she has of wealth. I hardly see of them, but I care of them because when I became Freed Woman, they immediately took of me in to protect of me so that no man would try and toss me to circle of bonds. So that I would not end up back as slave, but stay Freed. I am of darken skin. I am foreign here and there was many men wanting to keep me of collar, but that is the only thing they give of me. So you and I . . .” she motions to him and then to her “. . . we are of same.”
Dev looked at her thoughtfully, the crease between his brows smoothing and the ghost of a smile coming to his lips. “I see then.” He stepped closer to her and reached one hand out as if to place it on her shoulder. His hands are rough from his work; the backs of them have many small burn scars which shine oddly in the light. “I have honour and I protect that which is important to me, what is mine. But I have nothing to give to a mate, I will not take one until I have a life to give her.” He looks at her wistfully, wishing to say more but finding it difficult to speak. He wishes some of his natural bravado could be used in this situation – the fake smiles, the shrewd eyes, the loud laughs – but he found he could not bluff to her. Instead he said, “I will work hard and make my fortune. I will hunt, craft, and take slaves. Then I will have something to provide for a family.”
Feeling the weight of his hand on her shoulder she smiled at him nervously, listening to the words he spoke. “If you have of this honour and hold of bravery to meet of adopted family, I would like you to do so.” Now, here is where she imagined he would run for the hills. “My family is of olden ways, that if man wishes to claim woman, he speaks with Father and tasks are given. My sister’s mate went through this and they have been together for a long time. It is to show if a man is willing to work hard and give all to make of intended his own.” Yes, she was getting this all out on the table now. “When you want of this to go to that placing, let me know and I will seek of my father. I want to learn you. I want to know of you. No rushing, but at least I am not to hide behind nervous smiles and glances any more. You know of my feelings now and I am feeling better to know of yours.”
The metalsmith looked relieved and his smile broadened, becoming genuine. His voice, somewhere between a rich tenor and a high baritone, was warm as he spoke. “I would be pleased to meet your family. When you go to visit them . . . perhaps I could accompany you as a guardian . . .” She followed the Northern ways of courtship, it seemed, and he was glad to know it, it was the way he was familiar with and the way he had intended to court his eventual mate. Not one to fall for a woman quickly, he was left somehow off-balance but it was not an unwelcome feeling. “I too wish to learn of you, but perhaps we act less like children meeting for the first time and simply speak to one another. Perhaps we should just talk about ourselves.”
Keez smiled warmly as he spoke of her family, “I would like of you to accompany. It is a short journey as they are of my Northern family, but,” and then her smile formed into a small grin, “I have sent letter to my mother telling her I wanted to come and visit, so hopefully I get a response soon and she will send the serpent for me.” Her heart was dancing as if finally coming through a harsh winter and feeling the sun upon her for the first time in a long while. “Yes, less of children. I am not good at mating dance, but I would like to move like adults. Thank you for listening with me, Deviathan.” and leaning up, she placed a kiss to his cheek, a gentle touch of her lips to his flesh and lowered back down to her heels. “I should find of my bed soon, it is early day tomorrow, but now I have much to look forward to.”
Dev smiled as her lips brushed his cheek, tickling his stubble. “I hope you hear from her soon, then. I look forward to meeting your family and would be honoured to accompany you.” He gently stepped away and looked back to his work, thinking upon it, new ideas flitting through his head. “Rest well, Keez. I should also ask if it’s all right to call you that. I find your long name difficult to pronounce.”
Slowly drawing away, she replied, smiling, “You may,” and with a sweet “good night”, she turned towards the hall and her dreams.
. . . looking at her now, Dev smiled to himself and reached out a hand to gently brush away a lock of hair that had fallen across her face. He settled on a nearby fur, and fell asleep, too.
Beyond the mist of the Valr 