A Dynasty of Giants (Viking Sagas Book 1)
Page 19
They had reached the longhouse where the warm aroma of breakfast cooking on the fire was inviting them in. Frosti stopped on the front step. His voice was still at a whisper. “I have dreams about Odin, the one-eyed god,” Frosti said. “Do you know of him, Papi?”
Kari sighed. “Ja, Son, I know of Odin,” he replied. How well he knew! How he wished he didn’t! The search for Odin was the beginning of all the trouble in the family. It was a chapter in his life he would rather forget!
“He is under the lake, Papi,” said Frosti. “I swear it! And, he keeps calling me to join him!”
Kari’s face collapsed into a worried frown. “You need not fear the lake, Son,” he said. “Odin is not there. He lives in Valhalla with the other gods. There is nothing in the lake that can hurt you if you know how to swim! It is not real, Frosti, and you mustn’t be afraid.”
“But, it seems so very real, Papi,” said Frosti. “He comes every night and sits at the foot of my bed. He only has one eye, did you know that Papi? And his beard is nasty and tangled. He is very ugly!”
Kari took a deep breath, remembering the things that happened so long ago. He tried to make his voice sound strong and wise, when deep inside he felt the tremors of uncertainty. He reached for the door and put his arm protectively around Frosti’s shoulder.
“It was only a dream, Son. There is nothing for you to fear.”
But, young Frosti was like all other boys his age and he couldn’t resist the temptation and mystery of it all. They went in to breakfast but, in Frosti’s mind, the seed of another adventure had been sown.
Another adventure for another day.
Author’s Note:
Kari Fornjotsson, my forty-seventh great grandfather, went on to rule Kvenland for many successful years after the death of his brother, Logi, and he was eventually succeeded by his son Frosti and his grandsons, Snaer the Old and Thorri Snaersson. But, as I often say at the end of my books, that is not the end of the story. The peace Kari and his sons brought to Kvenland would not last forever.
Join me next year for the continuing Viking Sagas, as we follow the descendants of Kaleva who become known at the Sea Kings. We will sail to Norway, Denmark and the Orkney Islands with the sons of Thorri, Gor and Nor, in their long ships and usher in the official Age of the Vikings. Later, in the series you will meet Rognvald the Wise, Rollo, the founder of Normandy, William Longsword, and his son Richard the Fearless. We will invade the island of England with the Great Heathen Army, with men you are familiar with such as Ragnar Lodbrok, Sweyn Forkbeard, Gorm the Old and Harald Bluetooth. And, last, but not least, you will ride along with the Norman invaders led by William the Conqueror and Cnut the Great.
From their first little toy ships they built as young boys in Kvenland, the family’s fleet will become larger and swifter; their desires and appetites for domination will become stronger and fiercer. There will be great battles, both on land and sea but there will be sweet romance as well. The Vikings were, after all, human.
See you next year with The Sea Kings!
J.A.Snow