by J. A. Day
Sonja snorted, and shook her head. “Too much, but it’s all good now. Everyone was saved.”
“Did anyone find Hannes?” she asked.
“Yes we did eventually, he had been running in the snow for an hour before being picked up by the people who saved us. Him, Britta, the Administrator, and the three Elders are tied up in one of the faith’s wagons, and are being guarded.”
Sigrun was surprised the Elders had been tied up. “Won’t they be really pissed about that?”
“Well they should have thought about that when they allowed Hannes to attack us,” Sonja said, bitterly.
Sigrun felt like her head hurt too much, because she didn’t see the connection between the Elders and Hannes. “I don’t think there is any evidence to tie them with what Hannes did, maybe Rita and the Administrator, but not Yael and Sven.”
Sonja sighed. “They were all in on it. Don’t you think they were a little quick on voting you out?”
“They did have people pointing swords at them.”
“And yet us faithful didn’t put our hands up, you didn’t.”
“Yeah, but I’ve always been stupid,” she said, trying to push herself up and getting a stabbing pain in her head again. “And you faithful have more experience in situations involving violence.”
“I guess I can’t prove it, which means they’ll probably be released eventually,” Sonja said, shaking her head. “But you really shouldn’t trust those people anymore.”
Sonja might be right. She would have never trusted Rita, but Yael also seemed suspect. The wagon had been brought over to the handymen, which lived in the Hoademakers encampment. This had allowed Hannes and the rest to get close without any suspicion. But did that mean Yael had been in on it?
Sigrun had also been surprised when Sven put up his hand to vote her out. If she confronted him he was sure to explain it. He would say that he was scared of the thugs, but that felt a little hollow to her. In her mind you should never bow to anyone who used violence to get you to do something, they’ll only use it again on you later. Also she felt that the thugs would have never killed someone like Sven.
Thinking about whether she could trust the people around her made her wish she could be back being a cattle rancher, looking after cows. They never turned on you for more power.
“I don’t really know what I’m going to do if you are right. I may be the Jarl, but my power does come from them,” she said, tired of having to think about politics. All she wanted to do was cuddle up to Sonja and forget everything.
“From what I understand the power of the Jarl is absolute, so you can change things if you want,” Sonja said.
“But significant changes, like new laws and power arrangements, need to be agreed by the Council. I believe, from what you told me, most of the Council is now tied up so won’t be able to vote for some time.”
“Yeah they’re tied up, and suspicion is on them about an attack on our lives. That should mean they don’t get a say anymore,” Sonja said, leaning towards her. “Think about it, what if we decide on everything? What if we become the new Council, deciding what happens and enacting it ourselves? It’s clear we care more about the people, both sides of them, than they do.
It did sound appealing to Sigrun, understanding what people wanted and enacting it themselves. They wouldn’t have to persuade the Elders and other Council members it was in their best interests to vote for it. They would just think of something and it would be done. But there was one big flaw.
“What if we disagree like we did about the future of the wagon train?”
“We discuss it and try to find a compromise,” Sonja said.
“What if we are both passionate about something that it blinds us, or makes us go on the defensive?”
Sonja rubbed her chin. “Good point, maybe on those occasions we get a third party that we can both agree on to find a compromise or suggest something different for us.”
“And what about the important families? They do a lot of important jobs for the wagon train, they are going to want some power because of that.”
“They have power over their own people. But those people have a voice as well, and we will listen to it. Sometimes they might be lucky and their desires and the people’s will align, but sometimes they won’t and they will have to lump it or find some other wagon train.”
Sigrun was taken aback by Sonja’s hard words. The incident in the Council Wagon had definitely sharpened her. But she did like what she was saying. She had just had a very frustrating experience trying to persuade the Council on her new law and because of Hannes it had ever even been enacted.
“I’m in.”
***
Sonja spent a lot of time next to Sigrun’s bed while Sigrun was recovering. She didn’t for one second go out of Sigmund’s wagon, deciding to sleep in the chair. Usually, the two of them slept with their hands intertwined. It comforted Sonja to know Sigrun was next to her, and that she was there to keep her safe.
This did mean that Sigmund was the first one to know about her secret, but after all that she had been through Sonja didn’t really care.
Sigmund told her a crowd had gathered outside his wagon every day, and the crowd didn’t just contain faithful. He talked about how farmers, weavers, butchers, and faithful all talked to one another, waiting for any sign of two of them. Sonja found that a little strange, but also touching. She hadn’t really thought the whole wagon train would really care about how they were after what had happened. She told Sigmund that she would only step outside when Sigrun had fully recovered.
Thankfully, Sigrun did recover. At first it was just sitting up without too much pain, but then she was able to get out of bed and walk around. There were a few occasions where she fell, and Sonja had to catch her, but these became less and less frequent. Eventually, Sigrun said that she was sick of the sight of the wagon and wanted to go out.
“I’ll warn you, there are a lot of people waiting for us outside,” Sonja said.
“Are they here to praise us, or throw rotten lettuce?” Sigrun asked.
“Praise us, I believe.”
Sigrun grinned. “Well we shouldn’t let them wait too long.”
Despite being forewarned, Sonja was still surprised by the amount of people in the crowd. The whole faith encampment was filled with what looked like every single person in the wagon train. They all cheered when they stepped out.
Sigrun waved at them, looking like she was overjoyed at the reception. Sonja couldn’t help but feel joy as well. The two of them were alive, and ready to lead the wagon train.
Sonja couldn’t think of another person she would rather want to be with now.
Even though the crowd of faithful were watching and they didn’t know her secret, she threw caution to the wind and grabbed hold of Sigrun’s hand. Sigrun turned, surprised.
Sonja didn’t wait. It was like the same spirit that had possessed her when she had been saved by the stampeding cows was possessing her now. She leaned forwards and kissed Sigrun.
There were gasps from the faithful section of the crowd, but Sonja didn’t care. This felt right, this was who she was and who she would be from now on. If the faith didn’t like that they didn’t deserve her.
However, most in the crowd cheered again and shouted out in joy. She turned to them and smiled. Everything was what she had wanted.
She turned, and saw Sigrun grin. Sigrun clasped both Sonja’s hands so they were intertwined. The crowd gasped again, this was a gesture that only meant one thing.
“Sonja,” Sigrun said, as loud as possible so the crowd could hear. “Will you join me in union?”
Tears streamed down Sonja’s cheeks. She opened her mouth, but choked. She had to close her eyes, breathe in a little, and open her eyes again. “Yes, I would.”
Sigrun grinned again, and kissed her. It was a kiss of passion, as if the crowd were not staring at them.
The act of union was in some ways unlike Sonja’s vision. The wagon wasn’t divid
ed in the middle and no one wielded swords. But in some ways it was exactly like her vision. She dressed in white, while her friends wore bright orange. They held bunches of flowers, which they threw in the gathered crowd while they walked past.
Everyone in the wagon train had packed themselves in the faith’s encampment, which made it hard for Sonja and her friends to get through.
Sonja felt the overwhelming joy of the crowd, which buoyed her and made her heart sing. Though there were a few spots that dampened the spirit down. Some faithful looked on at her, aghast; and Hannes and Britta stood in their little prison wagon, watching the proceedings with horror.
She ignored them, and focused on the joy. She pushed her way through to the crowd to the Keeper’s podium. Sigrun stood at the top. Her beauty caught Sonja’s breath. Sigrun’s face and hair shone as brightly as the white dress she wore. Her intricate knotted braid added some formality to her, but her easy grin showed the messy confidence underneath.
Sonja’s heart leapt with joy with every step to the podium. This felt right. The two of them were coming together, and so was most of the wagon train. She stood in front of Sigrun, staring deep in her eyes.
Sigmund ran the ceremony, which involved saying vows and confirming their union. As Sonja said each one she felt as if a chain with the name Sigrun engraved in it was binding across her heart. She did not want to be free. When the final vow was said, Sigmund told them that they could kiss.
It might have been her imagination, but as they did Sonja saw a bright light pulsating out. It hit the crowd and blinded them. She knew instantly it was the light of Sol. The goddess was giving the union her blessing. Sonja felt even more comforted and loved.
Just like her vision, after the kiss her and Sigrun turned to the crowd. They put up their hands, and said in unison, “We will lead you now.”
Free Book!
Want to know more about Sigrun’s past and some of her favorite fables? Learn how the world became an icy wasteland, how Sigrun got her braid, the real story behind her father’s death, and the fable that inspired her to stop being a cattle rancher and start being someone important. Read all this in How Manang Ate The Sun, and Other Fables. To get this book sign up to my newsletter at: jadaybooks.com/newsletter
Thank You!
Thank you so much for purchasing this book and reading to the end of it. It means so much to me that the ideas and characters I created are out there and being read by people like you. I hope you enjoyed it.
Independent authors like me need the help of readers like you to be noticed in the sea of content out there. It would mean a lot if you went to the place you bought the book and reviewed it. Don’t worry you don’t have to write an essay, just say if you liked it or not and give it a star rating. It really helps. And hey, if you really loved this book maybe even recommend it to someone you know.
If you want to keep up to date on the books I have please go to my website: jadaybooks.com
If you want to get updates of when new books are going to get released please like my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/JDXercies. It is also a place where I will share the Fantasy books I’m reading and the activities I’m doing.
If you are interested in following what’s happening with me on a more casual basis, you can follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/JDXercies.
Last but not least, if you really loved the cover design of this book and the free book please follow my cover designer, Meli, on Instagram: instagram.com/meliplanet
Acknowledgments
First of all, thank you so much to the wonderful partner I had for ten years, Emily Perugia, who sadly passed away before they could read this novel. Without their love, their pushing of me to always do my best, and the emotional grounding of a happy home, I wouldn’t be confident or happy enough to write or publish this book. You are terribly missed every day and I will always cherish the joy and silliness you brought into my life.
Thank you to Selristai, Elisterre, and the others at the Loaded Trifle discord writing group. Without your short story competitions, and very brutal but necessary critiques, I wouldn’t have become a good writer. You picked up all the problems I had with my work and gave me the very necessary tools to improve. You also taught me what common rules of writing that I probably shouldn’t follow. I owe a lot to all of you and hope to see some of your books out there on the shelves. Double thanks to Selristai for editing this book and making it that much better.
Thank you to my family: Mum and Dad, Dahnya, Phillip and his wife Kerry, Robert and his wife Kerri(yeah it confuses us as well), Andrew, John, and Helen, for giving me emotional support, reading the book, and giving advice. Also you know, for raising me and encouraging my pursuit of the creative arts. Thank you to my siblings for all the engaging arguments about games and books over the years.
Thank you to my friends, Adam Taylor and Jo MacQueen, who I had a lot of fun working and making films with back in the day, and would always find my discussions about what I’m writing entertaining. They also encouraged my creativity a lot.
Thank you to the members of the Dice Club: Adam, Simon, Bexy, JD, Martin, and Meli for being a great gaming and friend group. You made life a lot more entertaining and funny, especially during a sadder time in my life. Special thanks obviously goes to Meli for being a great cover designer, and making this book look beautiful.
About The Author - James Anthony Day
When I was 10 years old I found a copy of Fellowship Of The Ring in my school’s library. The story of hobbits going on a journey through Middle earth, and singing while doing it, created a life time of passion for the Fantasy genre. The film that came out a year later sealed the deal.
I’ve always written from a young age, creating stories about zombies when I was a child – I got in trouble with the teacher because they were too gory – and creating stories about space battles and robots when I was a teenager. But they never came to anything. I was one of those writers that would write a chapter and then go onto the next thing, always bursting with ideas but never completing them.
I started to take writing more seriously in late 2016. I had just moved to a new job in London and felt like I had a lot of free time in the evenings, and it was coming to NaNoWriMo. Feeling like I missed writing stories and I had never completed one, I decided to join the competition. The first story was terrible, but the feeling of finishing was incredible. This started a journey of trying to get better at the craft of writing, and trying to get the fantastical ideas in my head on paper.
Apart from writing, in my free time I like to play Roleplaying Games. My brother introduced me when I was younger, but it wasn’t until university when playing with friends did I truly get into it. I started as a Game Master straight away because everyone wanted to play an RPG but no one wanted to run it.
It was trial by fire, having to learn how to make narrative and get rules right on the fly. But I loved the experience. The ability of creating my own worlds, acting out characters, and creating intriguing situations for my players to deal with was exciting.
At the moment I live in London, and I work as a health administrator for the NHS. In my spare time I play board games with a local group on Wednesday evenings, and am currently looking to GM an RPG soon.