The door opened with a loud creak, and Hakon stepped into his house. He looked around at the furnishings as though they were unfamiliar, let out a sigh, then stomped over to his chair by the hearth. He let his sword fall to the ground before he sat heavily.
The fire was not lit, but the wood was prepared. It had been a brisk day, and would be a cold night, soon the fire would need to be lit all day long. Dinner would not be cooked on the fire tonight, rather, it would be from the spoils of the raid.
Elressa stepped up to him. She lifted his sword and wiped it down before laying it reverently on the table. She turned back to her husband, who has his head in his hands.
"What troubles you?" she asked, "Did not the raid go well? Was it not a success? Why do you sit here as though you grieve, while your comrades celebrate?"
Hakon did not respond right away. He looked up at her for a moment before staring back at the cold hearth.
"I have slain a man today," he said.
"You have slain many men in your life. You are a valiant warrior! What makes today different?"
"I have slain a man," Hakon continued, "from an unknown land."
Elressa sat on the chair opposite his. "Did he harm you, beloved?" she asked.
"He…" Hakon sighed. "He was not of the village we raided. I do not know what strange land he came from, nor what foreign tongue he spoke in, only that he wanted to escape."
"You are not one to kill the defenseless."
"No, that I am not! The heat of battle was upon me, and there were men coming out of the boathouse to fight us off. This fellow ran with them, seeking to escape, and I struck him down along with the others."
"The death of innocents happens. It is not your goal, but it happens without fail," Elressa leaned over and put her hand on his shoulder, "do not worry yourself overmuch."
"My strike, it… it did not kill him right away. When the others were killed I looked down at him. His chest was struck, and he was gasping for breath. He looked at me with such terror in his eyes!"
"All who are dying have fear, my beloved. This man was no different."
Hakon shook his head. "Perhaps, perhaps. But wherever he was from, he was not expecting death at that village."
There was a long pause. A chill swept through the open door, but neither of them rose to close it. The hearth seemed all the colder for the lack of fire.
"There is more troubling you," Elressa said, "please, tell me."
"He had a golden figure in his hands," Hakon said, "an image of one of his gods. He was holding onto it so tightly, reciting some prayer or chant. Hoping his gods would save him."
"His gods cannot," Elressa exclaimed, "our gods are stronger! Whatever foreign gods this man worships, they cannot stand to ours. Do you fear this man's strange gods?"
"No! Not in the least do I fear them. What I fear is that our own gods may be assaulted by those of this strange man- our gods would be victorious, but would I remain unscathed? I have long had the favor of the gods in battle. I do not wish to lose it by sparking a divine war in the heavens."
"My beloved, you are a champion for the gods. You have their fire running through your veins! Though you may be scarred, your life has been kept safe countless times by their protection!"
Hakon thought for a long moment. "It is in the final moments," he said, "that we become who we truly are. This man put all his hope in his gods. Such a plea cannot go unheard."
Elressa stood up. "And what of you? Do your requests go without answer? Do mine? Every time you leave I pray for your victory and safe return, do my prayers not matter as much as this foreign fellow?"
"Indeed," Hakon smiled, "they do. I am lucky to have found a woman such as you! You always have the words to comfort my heart."
Another gust of cold air blew in through the door, and Hakon leapt to his feet to close it. On his way he leaned down and kissed his wife deeply and gave her a wink.
"Best start the fire," he said, "it has been a day of victory. Let's celebrate that together!"
The fire was not lit, but the wood was prepared. It had been a brisk day, and would be a cold night, soon the fire would need to be lit all day long. Dinner would not be cooked on the fire tonight, rather, it would be from the spoils of the raid.
Elressa stepped up to him. She lifted his sword and wiped it down before laying it reverently on the table. She turned back to her husband, who has his head in his hands.
"What troubles you?" she asked, "Did not the raid go well? Was it not a success? Why do you sit here as though you grieve, while your comrades celebrate?"
Hakon did not respond right away. He looked up at her for a moment before staring back at the cold hearth.
"I have slain a man today," he said.
"You have slain many men in your life. You are a valiant warrior! What makes today different?"
"I have slain a man," Hakon continued, "from an unknown land."
Elressa sat on the chair opposite his. "Did he harm you, beloved?" she asked.
"He…" Hakon sighed. "He was not of the village we raided. I do not know what strange land he came from, nor what foreign tongue he spoke in, only that he wanted to escape."
"You are not one to kill the defenseless."
"No, that I am not! The heat of battle was upon me, and there were men coming out of the boathouse to fight us off. This fellow ran with them, seeking to escape, and I struck him down along with the others."
"The death of innocents happens. It is not your goal, but it happens without fail," Elressa leaned over and put her hand on his shoulder, "do not worry yourself overmuch."
"My strike, it… it did not kill him right away. When the others were killed I looked down at him. His chest was struck, and he was gasping for breath. He looked at me with such terror in his eyes!"
"All who are dying have fear, my beloved. This man was no different."
Hakon shook his head. "Perhaps, perhaps. But wherever he was from, he was not expecting death at that village."
There was a long pause. A chill swept through the open door, but neither of them rose to close it. The hearth seemed all the colder for the lack of fire.
"There is more troubling you," Elressa said, "please, tell me."
"He had a golden figure in his hands," Hakon said, "an image of one of his gods. He was holding onto it so tightly, reciting some prayer or chant. Hoping his gods would save him."
"His gods cannot," Elressa exclaimed, "our gods are stronger! Whatever foreign gods this man worships, they cannot stand to ours. Do you fear this man's strange gods?"
"No! Not in the least do I fear them. What I fear is that our own gods may be assaulted by those of this strange man- our gods would be victorious, but would I remain unscathed? I have long had the favor of the gods in battle. I do not wish to lose it by sparking a divine war in the heavens."
"My beloved, you are a champion for the gods. You have their fire running through your veins! Though you may be scarred, your life has been kept safe countless times by their protection!"
Hakon thought for a long moment. "It is in the final moments," he said, "that we become who we truly are. This man put all his hope in his gods. Such a plea cannot go unheard."
Elressa stood up. "And what of you? Do your requests go without answer? Do mine? Every time you leave I pray for your victory and safe return, do my prayers not matter as much as this foreign fellow?"
"Indeed," Hakon smiled, "they do. I am lucky to have found a woman such as you! You always have the words to comfort my heart."
Another gust of cold air blew in through the door, and Hakon leapt to his feet to close it. On his way he leaned down and kissed his wife deeply and gave her a wink.
"Best start the fire," he said, "it has been a day of victory. Let's celebrate that together!"