Walters took acted as if he was hit by an invisible fist." Gunnar!" He almost shouted." You managed to surprise me and gave a great answer! I will raise your grade an entire point "To the rest of the class Walters said." Gunnar or more so his father was quite correct and we pretty much still keep Earth time.
But every so often a new time reform is proposed. Mainly for reason of commerce and trade. To any known space faring society with multiple species it is not that important. Why is it then important to us?"
Annar not wanting to be behind Gunnar said. "Maybe because the Union wants every member involved and not just old Earth stuff."
"No, because we have something that all the other Empires and societies we know do not have. He pointed to the classroom system console. "Instant communication. You can call someone anywhere in Union Space, no matter where."
He gestured over the console and brown blob thing with spike like protrusion and wearing some sort of helmet appeared floating above the desk.
Walthers said. "This Rock Muncher, a Union school teacher and a Lyrharm. He is currently in the Andromeda galaxy, over 2 million light years away." To the floating being he said . "Good morning Mr. Rock Muncher."
The being had a sexless voice and answered . "Good morning Mr. Walthers., Good morning class of Nilfeheim."
The next ten minutes we learned that the Lyrharm were a space born life form and much bigger than the size adjusted avatar. We all talked to a class of students with many non humanoids in attendance.
Walthers concluded after the alien's avatar blinked out. "To our society it makes no difference if it is daylight outside or a specific season. But to know that the Union bank is open, and when a ship arrives with supplies, merchandise or passengers is important. That's why there is a Union wide time. The old Earth terms like the names for days will eventually fade away
Universal Time has already been modified from the original Earth time. All month have the same length. Before the time reform of 3044 month and years were directly linked to Earth's orbit around its sun called Sol. Most Terran settled worlds like Nilfeheim counting the years in reference to a religious leader's birth and we reached the year 5012.
He looked at one of the students behind me behind me and said." Mr. Bergeson, you have a question?"
Alvar Bergeson was perhaps the quietest of us all. If he had spoken more than hundred words all year it would have surprised me. "That religious leader was that Thor?"
"You Snapper-skull! " Lif Lindholm who sat next to Alvar blurted." Thor is a god and not a religious leader!"
"Mr Lindholm! " Walters scolded Lif and said to Alvar." Why don't you research that yourself? As a teacher I am not allowed to talk to you about any religious matters other than cultural impact and influence on society, but it might come to a surprise to some that Thursday was named after Thor and Friday after Freya."
Walters smiled and let us actually cheer on that one before he became his serious self again and motioned us to settle down, then he asked." What are you going to do during summer break?" He clasped his hands behind his back walked down the middle isle and stopped right behind me." Mr Bergeson how about you?"
"I am going to work at our Nubhir farm as every summer and every day I am not in school." Alvar sighed." I for one can't wait till school starts again. Nubhir farming for our clan is profitable and our family business but sometimes I wish we would invest in a few S-10 robots. I don't see the damage to traditions a few robots would do."
"That, Mr. Bergeson is a question I cannot answer. What is it you don't like about Nubhir Farming?"
"You sure are an Off Worlder Mr Walters. Nubhir poop and they poop a lot and if you don't feed and wash them you clean out their poop. " As if Mr Walters hit a button and released a flood. Alvar kept on talking about Nubhir farming, their diseases, fur and meat quality and pretty much everything anyone ever wanted to know about it and Walters leaned back and let him talk without interrupting. Finally however Alvar did find an end and sat down. He seemed surprised about himself and somehow he looked pleased.
Our teacher actually padded his shoulder." This was an excellent oral report on Nubhir farming. I give you five marks for it! "
He then turned to Sigvard. "How about you? What are you doing during Summer Break?"
"I am going to appear before the Council and will have to fight Annar. Only one of us will return next year to this Off World School of yours and it is going to be me!"
"I see!" Walters glanced over to Annar and said." No need to ask you then what you will do." He walked all the way to the back of the class and Ike told him he would go fishing with his family and that he looked forward to it.
Torkel Cederstrom said he would visit his Grandparents in Isen Landsby, the Nilfeheim town built on top of the ice pole in the south. He got similar answers from most then he came to Yngve who could barely keep his proud grin of his face." I am going off planet! I am going with my father to Stafford Planet!"
"I expect you to tell us all about it when you come back." Finally he turned to me and said." While I know where you are going Mr. Olafson, I am as your friend so eloquently pointed out an Off-Worlder. What are the Halls of Hasvik and who are the Faceless Seven?"
I rose and said." The Halls of Hasvik are a burg like structure built when Nilfeheim was first settled by Lars Erikson and a small group of men who adhered more stringently to the rules and Traditions of the Church of Odin. It was the first thing stead of this planet were the first Elders met and worshiped the Gods."
Gunnar added." It was abandoned and replaced by the new thing stead we have now in Halstaad Fjord."
Walters glared at Gunnar." I appreciate your participation and I welcome your willingness to speak but you need to get up and thus indicate that you want to speak! "
"Yes, Mr. Walters!"
The teacher turned back to me." Who are the seven Faceless?"
I shrugged. "I don't really know who they are, they never came up in any conversation I can remember."
The chime that announced the end of the morning class interrupted him before he could comment and he raised his hands. "We start punctual and on time, so as always we will end it on time. Class dismissed!"
I was surprised to see Harkun my father's man servant standing outside the school yard next to the large black Volvo. My first thought was that father was here and an invisible fist of ice cramped around my heart and I felt sick to the stomach. To describe Harkun all you would have to say is gray. His hair was thin and shaggy and had the color of dull ash. Even his skin somehow looked gray; perhaps it came from the dark gray leather over coat and the lighter gray linen suit beneath. His nose often reminded me of a Tyranno Butchers hook and I was certain it was almost as sharp. His eyelids always seemed closed three quarters of the way and due to his thin tall stature he managed to look at everything and anybody with an arrogant displeasing fashion. The only person he did not do that was father. Harkun did not speak ever about private things or matters, at least to me and there was no one in the Clan who ever questioned his utmost devotion to my father.
In his down the nose fashion he looked at me and said." Your father sends the family flyer as your Grandfather is here and wants to see you!"
Harkun managed to say this as if he was utmost displeased to be sent on this errand.
Sometimes I wished I could tell him were to stick his hook nose, but not now. Grandfather was here in person and I really looked forward to see him.
After we landed right in the main yard another thing was immediately evident. Not the dark red Olafson flags with the yellow Wolf heads were furling in the wind, but the black Ragnarsson banner with the silver falcon head. Only the oldest clans used heraldic symbols associated with our Earth heritage.
The servants and clan members that were here now wore their festive garments and either Olafson red or Ragnarsson black. There were many more black than red.
In the yard stood two gigantic figures both decked out in their finest. My father and an even bigger
man, the biggest man I knew also wearing red. Hogun fathers brother and my godfather. Both of them approached the flyer after it landed and I stepped out.
Father waved Harkun away after we climbed out of the flyer." Leave us! "
From the corner of my eye I saw my step mother standing in the window of her drawing room watching us.
Fathers hand grabbed his whip and it uncoiled, the tip of it falling to the Duro-Crete stone ground and he said." Your Grandfather is here. If you so much as open your mouth without my permission while he is here I will break every bone and use glowing irons to burn your tongue, do you understand?"
I smiled at him." You better kill me right here and now father for I will tell him what happened to mother that night! I remember every detail of it! This time he is not a powerless shadow. This time he is here!"
Father howled and smashed his fist into my face sending me back against the parked flyer. Before I even slid to the ground his whip snapped clear across my face and the pain of his fist blow was replaced by the burning pain of the cut. Through my daze I heard him." You insolent whelp, I will teach you respect and obedience!"
I fully expected the next blow but it never came. Hogun held fathers arm with ease and with his bottom of the barrel voice." I am Olafson but I stand against you before the Elders. I held my tongue for way to long."
Father was about to strike his brother, but he knew he would lose that fight and said." You are the second born and not the voice of Olafson. You are no longer welcome at my burg!"
"It is not your burg yet!" A new commanding voice said! My grandfather appeared from the main entrance to the Main building and the state rooms and strode with large steps towards us, his hand on his sword, half drawn and he said." Isegrim Olafson raise your cowardly whip against me, I dare you!"
Father actually dropped his whip and stepped back. The expression of fear in my father's face was more soothing to my pain than anything the doctor or the nurse could have administered.
I got up, trying to ignore my spinning head and my blurred eye sight. Burning pain made my face feel ten times bigger than it was.
Grandfather looked at me." It grieves me more than I can express to see you like this! "
Hogun said with urgency in his voice." Patriarch let me take Eric to the still room. He is losing a lot of blood!"
"Yes Hogun. I shall deal with matters here. "
Hogun scooped me of my wobbly feet like a weightless toy.
***
The doctor sighed as he was done." You should consider divorcing your parents as soon as you can. I can get you a ticket on a space bus to Holstein, there is a federal court. The Union has programs available!"
Hogun stood in the back of the still room his arms crossed before his massive chest. The doctor was no small man but he appeared like a child next to my uncle and his bare underarms were thicker than the doctor's thighs. "I would take care of my nephew and he could stay with me at the Inn but our traditions don't allow me to interfere." Hogun spread his arms." He is my older brother and on Nilfeheim anyone born after the Firstborn son has little to say in family or clan affairs!"
"I am well aware of Nilfeheim traditions." The doctor responded, while he removed the Derma Patcher from my face." There are only four doctors on a World of over a million savage Neo Vikings.
I stitched and treated this young boy more than anyone and always for horrible wounds caused by that cursed whip of his own father!"
"Well his Grandfather is here today and I have never seen the Old Patriarch as furious as today. I would be surprised if he leaves enough of my brother for you to patch up., but those are family matters and should not be discussed with an Outsider."
"Let us hope for the boy's sake you are right. I would love to get this sadist on my table just once. I'd stitch him back together the ancient way and all traditional with needle, catgut and no anesthesia."
Hogun grinned." I am not sure what you meant exactly but it sounds real good to me!"
The doctor looked at me and smiled but was still talking to Uncle Hogun. "I can fix the physical wounds easily enough but I tell you if that keep going on, Eric will need serious psycho surgery to fix its mental damage and I hate Psycho Surgery!"
The doctor now turned to me. "Blood refilled, skin patched, teeth fixed and a general maintenance tune up in the vitamin and mineral department. You're as fit as a horse again!"
"I think the Hesten clan has a horse in their crest." I said." It is a sort of beast is it not? But I am not sure why I am supposed to be as fit as one?"
He waved me off with a smile." It is a very old Earth Expression and where I come from horses are part of our culture and heritage." He looked past me and perhaps past Nilfeheim "I think it's time I think of retirement and go home to Kentucky. I haven't seen a horse in ages."
To Hogun he said." I am at the Inn later today. As much as I miss Kentucky, your Snapper steaks are a great reason to be on this ice ball!" Then the Doctor shimmered out and Hogun turned off the GalNet terminal, closed the cabinet where it was hidden when not needed.
Then he gathered the Derma Patcher and the other things the doctor had used, Uncle Hogun was always a very tidy and orderly minded person and put them away in the medical cabinet and said." We better go back and face whatever happened."
He looked around. "Since no one else is here It could be deducted no one got wounded. Are you ready?"
I nodded. "Yes Uncle Hogun . I would really like to live with you and Aunt Helga. Thank you for thinking it!"
He smiled at me and it was a warm smile I knew even as his mouth was mostly hidden by his enormous beard. Uncle Hogun's smiles always reached the eyes.
***
The High Hall of the Burg was an impressive room with a very high ceiling, massive chandeliers made out of the skulls of slain enemies. Each skull had a name. There was a long dark table with 40 upholstered chairs along the long sides. The hewn rock walls partially covered with incredible expensive real wood paneling. The lavish use of natural woods one of the most expensive materials and nowhere to be found on Nilfeheim gave witness of the age old affluence of the Ragnarsson Clan.
Beyond the big table was a short flight of wide stairs only five steps up but as wide as the hall and leading into the Great Chamber , the biggest fire place in the entire burg was here and by decree of the first Clan chief that raised this burg, there was always a fire burning, usually large pressed cubes of Seaweed but today to honor the return of the Burgs lord long blocks of soak stones drenched with Tyranno oil flickered with dark orange flames and filled the air with a very distinctive scent. Grandfather sat in one of the high backed leather seats by the fire. Father stood next to the chimney and both had sinister expressions. No servants or other household member was there. Since mother died I was not allowed to be here and it was my first time since I was five.
I instinctively looked towards the well concealed crack in the paneling, behind it the secret passage way leading to the under croft and basements. I was almost certain I saw something move behind it. Grandfather smiled as he saw me." Eric my Grandson approach and sit with me. We are discussing Clan business and traditions!" He then waved at Hogun." What I have to say involves you as well so honor me with your presence."
"What honor could an Inn Keeper offer?" Father snorted looking at his own brother.
"Honor is a state earned and bestowed upon by peers and not a commodity you attain by gaining rank and title!" Grandfather said. Then he pointed with his gloved hand to the chair next to him. "Sit down Eric!"
I expected to find my father lying in his blood or thrown out of the burg but not this tense but otherwise calm scenario.
Grandfather straightened in his seat and his hands cramped around the ends of the armrests making a gnarling sound." Isegrim I know what happened to my daughter. I know you have beaten her to death, because you lusted after a worthless wench that is nothing but Nubhir hide cleaner's daughter!" He said that locking directly towards the small crack in the paneling.
We all heard the outraged hiss from behind the wall.
" I know you treat your own son like an outcast because he has seen your deed and you sired a bastard of no significance with that wench who is now listening to man's business behind the walls!" Grandfather got up and yelled. "Greifen, Harkur! Release the Nubhir wolfs and let the beasts into the basement and the walls. Anyone that comes out the old passageway other than the wolfs you cut up for bait!"
A part of the wooden paneling swung open with a creaking sound and Gretel Hemstaad in a red dress stumbled into the room. Her cheeks flaming red and her fat face outraged." I am the Lady of …"
"Silence your wench or I shall deal with her the traditional way for spying on clan business!" Grandfather's hand fell on the hilt of his sword and Father actually uncoiled his whip and roared. "Leave now and be silent. I will deal with your insolence later!"
She sobbed, bit her lower lip and left with a rustle of dress.
Grandfather sat back down .His tone of voice was matter of fact and vibrated with great authority. "Nothing happens within these walls without me knowing it! This is still the Ragnarsson Home!
As a father, I want to kill you; take my revenge on you. As Union citizen, I want to have you arrested and hung for murder. To see you twitch and kick on a nice rough length of rope I would give all my wealth and my right arm!
"But I am also the last of the Ragnarsson Clan and I am an Elder. We do not call the Off Worlders and we stay true to our laws and the traditions. My beloved wife could not give me a son before she died and Eric is the last that carries Ragnarsson blood. When you married my daughter, I was content that the Ragnarsson Clan would cease and continue in the Olafson clan. Your Clan is of the old lineage and I looked forward to the merging of our families. Instead of traditions and old lines I should have listened to my daughter"
He sighed deeply and continued." I am also an Elder and by most sacred oaths I took and by my very honor must uphold our traditions.
While it is without honor to beat a woman to death and you are guilty of murder by the laws of the Union there are no ancient laws that you have broken.
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 170