Vranr's Curse by Evan Oliver

Author:Evan Oliver [Evan Oliver]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Evan Oliver
Published: 2022-03-25T00:00:00+00:00

***

That evening, Jarl Ingbert of Girstadt and Jarl Ingbor of Yrdnara visited Ylmi where she was recovering by a small campfire.

“We wish you health after your victory,” Ingbor told her. “It is good to see that not all things go as the king wishes, and we are glad to know that Dragonsrest is in the hands of such a capable jarl.”

“How are matters in Dragonsrest?” Ingbert added, “do you run as short of food as the rest of us?”

“I will run shorter now,” Ylmi replied. Dranri had set her nose, but she still could not breathe through it, and the side of her head was still throbbing with waves of pain. She took a drink of the cold water they had taken from the mountain stream. “The king’s tax will be hard to bear.”

“As it ever is,” Ingbert agreed. “But if you have excess, we will pay well for it and remember it in the future.”

“Dragonsrest is a new village,” Ingbor explained. “And along the coast, we try to help each other as best we may, though that may not be much.”

“I will keep this in mind,” Ylmi replied. “Though I think this year will be the worst we have yet seen.”

The two jarls were silent for a moment, then Ingbor nodded. “So it is. Hopefully next year will be kinder, to one of us at least. All our villages will suffer greatly when Dunharvic rides upon the winds this winter and gathers the dead together.”

Ingbert shook his head, then asked, “Do you still labor on a ship?”

Ylmi wiped away blood that was trickling down from her nose. “I do.”

The two jarls nodded as though it was a matter they had discussed beforehand. “There are few who are still willing to risk the Black Isles,” Ingbert said. “But if you are successful, you will have aid from us when the time comes.”

“I think you are just saying those words,” Ylmi answered. “But I thank you for them all the same.”

Ingbor rose to go, but Ingbert hesitated. “I have said those words to others and thought nothing of it. Yet you and Karik do not seem to be the kind of people to pursue folly. I never thought any would pass through the Isles… but I have seen the ship Kalborg and heard Karik speak. I am no longer as sure as I once was.”

This being said, they left, making their way back to their own encampments.

Thora watched them go, leaning back against the trunk of an ancient tree. “That is a laugh,” she said. “You and Karik chase folly all the time.”

Ylmi let on a small smile, but small as it was, the pain lanced through her face. She had not thought of it then, but it would have been good if Karik had been there at the fight. She should have brought him with her, but there was plenty of work for him to do in the village.

The next day, Thora left them, saying she wished to do some

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