philtucker

Chapter 69: Berserker

“I can’t wait.” Skadi stood up to stare Rauðbjorn directly in the eyes. “In fact, you could say I’ve been looking forward to getting this over with.”

“Over with?” Rauðbjorn reared back. “Girl, I shall hump you till the mountains—”

“Are you a warrior or a skald?” Now it was Skadi’s turn to thrust her fists against the table and lean forward. “Because if you think you’re going to get me off with crude poetry, you’re not the man I thought you were....

Chapter 68: Fordæða

“Hit me, you craven piece of shit!” Rauðbjorn strode toward Aurnir with his arms still spread. “Hit me!”

Aurnir complied.

The punch would have driven a hole in the longhouse’s wall. It rocked the berserker’s head to the side and caused his whole body to sag, one knee nearly touching the floor, but he didn’t fall.

“That all you got? I thought you were strong.” Rauðbjorn stood up straight. “If you’re not strong, what are you?”

Aurnir let out a h...

Chapter 67: Aurnir fight

It began to rain as evening fell. A soft rain at first that drizzled down from the gray sky, but which hour by hour grew in intensity until by dusk it was pounding down in extended needles that set the puddles to boiling.

The longhouse was mostly safe from the water, though the occasional missing tile meant that there were plenty of leaks, resulting in marshy footing. The firepits were set to roaring, with oversized logs hurled down their length, many of them still damp so that they cau...

Chapter 66: The Crown Is Always Right

They spent a desultory hour on the docks, speaking with fisherman and older folks, but nobody was eager to strike a deal. Many simply shook their heads and refused to speak, or if cajoled into conversation, said that they’d have to check first if they were even allowed to sail forth.

“But you own a beautiful fishing boat,” said Glámr in frustration after the third rejection. “It’s a stout knorr, you could sail it to Stóllborg or the Land of the Skaberi if you desired. How ca...

Chapter 65: We’re not leaving

Walking beneath the corpse canopy was the eeriest experience of Skadi’s life. The bodies swayed above her, just out of reach, and the dirt crunched beneath her boots as if suffused with crimson hoarfrost. The flies whirled and batted stupidly against her face, but she fought the urge to begin swinging at them; there were so many, that to lose even a modicum of control was to court panic.

Instead, she fixed her gaze on Rauðbjorn’s huge, bear-cloaked back, and allowed her anger and h...

Chapter 64: Djúprvik

They descended in the late morning to Djúprvik, reasoning that to arrive too close to dawn would be suspicious. They found the mountain road below, and the eerie familiarity of the trail that wound its way around boulders and forests to the palisade below unnerved Skadi. She’d have felt better if the route were adorned with bones and macabre omens.

The trail dropped precipitously down until leveling off at the last, so that they approached Djúprvik across a broad meadow where ancien...

Chapter 63: War Plans

Djúprvik came into view at the close of the sixth day. The mountain road rose over a ridge, for a while disappeared on the rough gray ledge that ran like a scar across the face of the mountain, and then dipped away to reveal a fjord below, broad and glorious in the evening light, a small settlement cupped at its end with chimney smoke arising from scores of small buildings.

“Well,” said Damian, hands on his hips, tawny skin gleaming with sweat. “There it is.”

“Doesn’t...

Chapter 62: Confrontation

The journey north proved surprisingly enjoyable. Skadi had focused so intently on the dangers of Djúprvik that she’d never considered how pleasant an extended, hard hike through the mountains in early Heyennir might prove.

As if aware of the intensity to come, their group spoke only of light matters, teased each other, laughed at any stumble, or simply strode on in companionable silence. Long days spent walking had a meditative quality to them; Skadi found herself entering a near tra...

Chapter 61: Setting Forth

Moonday arrived and the fjord remained empty of dragon ships. Skadi stood upon the docks and watched the dawn break over the mountains, and when the dark waters remained unruffled by any prow, she nodded once to a future that could have been, hefted her pack, and turned to stride up the road to the Raven’s Gate.

Her friends awaited her there, along with a sizable crowd. Aurnir wore a massive canvas cloak that Begga had fashioned him and bound beneath his chin with a pin larger than Sk...

Chapter 60: A Worthy Spell

The ritual took hours, though by the end of it Skadi had lost the ability to track time. Incense burned from countless sticks set in clay cups about the temple, and beeswax candles gave off such a steady, clear light that she felt as if she were illuminated by the moon. She wore a black cloak about her shoulders, part of the raiment of a völva, and at her belt hung a charm in the shape of a small silver chair.

But it was the bitter drink steeped in mysterious herbs that sent her head s...

Chapter 59: A Change of Heart

They were engaged in stone work the following morning when Sif came running, shouting wildly for Skadi.

Alarmed, Skadi unhitched the yoke from her shoulders, allowed both large buckets of rocks to drop, and strode forward as the young girl came pelting around the corner.

“Skadi! Skadi! Come! Your man, Kofri, he’s been badly hurt!”

Alarm punched into her gut like a knife. “Where?”

“Your home, in the back, hurry!”

Wild thoughts. Panic. How badly hurt?...

Chapter 58: Exacting Oaths

The last days of Sólmánuður drew to a close.

Skadi resolutely refused to watch the mouth of the fjord, that great bend where the water curved into view from the North Sea. To squint and stare and strain in an effort to make out dragon ships, her father’s ships, come to rescue her.

As one day bled into the next, the certainty that he wouldn’t come bloomed within her. And with it an acceptance. Both of her wyrd and her need to face Blakkr, and also of her own importance in th...

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Chapter 57: What Wonder

The weeks passed. Skerpla became Sólmánuður, and the month was true to its name, with the sunlight bright and bold and bountiful.

The hird became restive. They followed Jarl Kvedulf to plunder and raid and earn glory, not to remain home rebuilding longhouses and licking their wounds. Fights broke out, and a holmgang challenge was issued after one man’s nose was broken in an ignominious manner; the two men rowed out to the tiny islet called Eyetooth Isle just beyond the docks, where...

Chapter 56: The Right Decision

Dawn broke softly across the eastern peaks, the sky lightening by the slowest of degrees, gradating from cobalt blue to iron to robin’s egg and then finally limning the jagged edges with traceries of gold. High wisps of cloud went from charcoal to light gray, then burst into splendors of salmon pink before burning butter yellow.

Skadi watched it all from the docks.

With her back to a post, legs crossed before her, she turned Thyrnir about in her hands slowly, watching the day ap...

Chapter 55: Guests

Skadi found Kvedulf in his hall entertaining guests.

The stench of the rotting frost giant was masked by the piles of fragrant hickory and apple wood that were thrown onto the fire pits, so that their sweet-smelling smoke rose in gauzy curlicues toward the smoke hole. The rear wall was now patched by sufficient scaffolding and beams that the air was no longer frigid but merely chill, and the hird were gathered about the long tables, the mood surly and low.

Skadi entered through th...

Chapter 54: Choosing Spells

For a moment Skadi felt light-headed. “I can choose any power?”

Ásfríðr smiled and sipped from her cup. Her amusement and lack of urgency were bewildering to Skadi. “Not quite. Galdr is a potent form of seiðr, yes, but its expression is dependent on the strength of your wyrd. Say you desired to calm storms while at sea. Useful, correct? You could earn much gold standing at the prow of the greatest ships, warding away the storms that might sink them low. But a weak völva, one ...

Chapter 53: On the Nature of Power

It took two weeks to finish the Raven’s Gate, as that was deemed Kráka’s greatest priority. Ásfríðr spent three days carving the new waring runes into the broad planks and filling the grooves with silvered ash which the rain and wind failed to dislodge. When at last it was done, the town celebrated with a midday meal in the open, and then the townspeople moved on to their other projects and obligations.

But for Skadi that celebration was momentous. She’d been doing her best no...

Chapter 52: Everything Is A Weapon

With the muddy square behind the longhouse claimed for construction, Marbjörn met them in the grass sward just outside the Raven’s Gate. He had a bundle of weapons wrapped in a blanket under one arm, and a brace of shields over the other shoulder. He left these to one side as he considered the three of them.

“I’ve been thinking on how to train you.” He took a loud bite from a crisp apple. “And I have decided it best to treat you as children.”

Skadi raised an eyebrow.<...

Chapter 51: Getting Strong Now

Life in Kráka became busy.

The sun shone brightly and the calves and lambs grew large enough to pasture alone. The sweet spring grass thickened and darkened, and the mountain melt swelled the streams.

Lumber was hewn and brought down from the slopes, to be split and smoothed into the great planks with which the great hall could be repaired. Scaffolding went up, and the hird was put under the direction of Thorfin, a wizened and sharp old man whose bent frame was the opposite of hi...

Chapter 50: Cattle Die, Kinsmen Die

They found Marbjörn seated in the morning sun, slumped in a great chair furnished from beams, near large enough for Aurnir to sit in. The great warrior slumbered, boots up on a stool, his broad, scarred arms crossed over his chest.

Kráka was returning to life. Men were emerging from the hall, rubbing at their heads, bleary-eyed and smacking their lips at the foul taste in the backs of their throats. Thralls were busy sweeping and tidying, picking up platters and cups, horns and discar...

Chapter 49: The mountain road

Begga had Aurnir hauling an ancient stump out of the bleak yard behind their home when Skadi returned. She’d intertwined a stout rope between the roots and was now encouraging Aurnir to pull. The half-giant stared at her without understanding as she mimed him yanking.

“Pull! The rope! Grab the rope with your big hands and pull the stump out. Out, Aurnir, out!”

Aurnir gave the rope a listless tug and then looked expectantly at the old woman.

“Skadi! Thank the gods, se...

Chapter 48: A Gift

“Wake up,” someone commanded and kicked Skadi’s boot.

She blinked and palmed her eye, restraining a groan. She wanted nothing more than to remain lost in the depths of sleep. Her head span and her stomach was a mass of greasy eels.

Her uncle must have known but didn’t care. He kicked her boot again. “Up. We’ve business to attend to. Unless you wish me to give your prize to another?”

That got her attention. Skadi sat forward. She’d fallen asleep against the wa...

Chapter 47: An Offer

The hall listened, enraptured, as Kvedulf spoke of their climb to the utmost peaks of the Draugr Mountains. Listened as he captured them with his charisma, potent and amused. Cloak flung back, hands raised his gesture, he brought to life the moments of life and death. The ragged rocks. The hiss of blood on snow. The cries of the wounded. The clamor of spear-din.

Skadi listened, but more, she observed. It was amazing. Normally so taciturn, so reserved, it was a revelation to see her uncl...

Chapter 46: Seiðr Craft

They returned to Kráka with great fanfare.

Lookouts had been placed a half-mile outside of town, and upon sighting their return party raced back home. By the time the patched-up Raven’s Gate hove into sight, the whole town was gathered before it, and their cheers were thin but vibrant in the morning air.

Despite being footsore and aching from the falls and beating she had received, Skadi’s spirits lifted when she recognized Begga, Kofri, and Ulfarr hurrying up the trail towar...

Chapter 45: Hunt well, Skadi Styrbjörnsdóttir

Blood pumped from the stump of the ice queen’s neck.

Skadi staggered back. Natthrafn fell from her fingers. The throne room spun about her. She pressed the base of her palm to her brow and closed her eyes.

“What… what happened?” Damian’s voice.

Other conversations broke out all around. Confusion became celebration. Voices raised in incredulous joy. Shouts of victory that rang off the high ceiling.

A great and terrible weariness washed over Skadi. She didn’t...

Chapter 44: It is done

Skadi felt obliterated. Overwhelmed. Nauseated.

And then she felt nothing but the purest hate.

Heaving for breath she clenched the hilt of Natthrafn so tightly the leather creaked and raised it to point the tip at Grýla’s smirking visage.

“Hear me, Freyja.” Her voice had a hollow, echoing sound to it. A wind immediately blew up, gusting through the throne room and making torches stream. “Hear me, goddess of battle, of witchcraft and death! Hear me now, as I stand so...

Questions about Royal Road & Patreon

Hey everyone, 

As most of you probably know, I'm a complete novice when it comes to web novels on Royal Road and Patreon. And despite hitting the Rising Stars list (unexpectedly awesome), I can't help but suspect I'm overlooking a bunch of best practices/expected behaviors on both platforms. 

So I thought: maybe you awesome folks could clue me in on anything I'm missing? For example, I didn't know authors were supposed to award Rep on RR for comments, or to call out revi...

Chapter 43: Fate goes ever as fate must

“The jarl is enchanted,” Skadi said firmly. “We must defeat those who have ensorcelled his wits.”

“I shall focus on the Snærún,” called Ásfríðr.

Marbjörn hefted his axe. “Let’s leave the witchery to the others. Give the jarl wide berth, and we’ll begin by slaughtering the troll.”

The warriors were clearly off-balance; they gazed wide-eyed at their implacable jarl, at the great ice queen behind him, but when Marbjörn broke into a jog, moving out wid...

Chapter 42: The Queen

They entered the palace.

The halls were large enough for giants. The ceiling was lost to the darkness. Illumination came from their foul torches, but also from the frost-light that burned along the edge of the hallway. Twin lines of burning runes whose ghostly illumination imparted upon everything a spectral glow.

Skadi strode alongside Kvedulf, Natthrafn held at the ready, shield raised.

The silence was terrible. It felt as if they were penetrating a tomb.

Where were ...