Stranger tides

*thud* *thud* “Get up örlendr!” the husky voice barked from beyond the door, “I’m up! I’m up” I’m moaned sliding from the furred cover and looked for my boots, “Sigurd wants to speak to you, it’s important!” I nodded before groaning stood up throwing a shirt on grabbed my dagger and sheathing it headed out, too see the ice covered top mountains and the village carrying on their daily lives, “Fucking Hun!” one growled pushing past me which caused me to raise an eyebrow before venturing along the muddied path. It became clear he or I wasn’t welcome here, the states from the passerby’s and the insult of “örlendr” now came apparent that this wasn’t his name just an insult used by the townsfolk and despite the communication’s between me and the present day not working I tried to guess by the pronunciation of the word what it could mean, “Outlander? lender? Outsider... probably a foreigner here!” I began to examine my arms and seeing the darkened tan to my skin realised that this was the case, “Filthy mutt!” “Look at that Hunnic shit!” I stopped to look back at them and seeing them cower muttered, “Hunnic. Wait, I’m a Hun?” I stopped before contemplating it spoke, “I suppose it could be true but then what is this? It has to be at least 3 centuries since the empire fell; surely?” I stopped before sighing spoke to myself, “Going have to find out the hard way!”

“Wake up örlendr!” a friendly tone voice mocked slapping my back seeing the youngish teenager around my age and the faint start of a beard began to grow. He had piercing blue eyes and his hair tied back with a grubby blondish-brown to her to it, “Why does everyone call me that again?” I queried and rolling his eyes he slapped my back before raising his hand to paint the picture spoke, “Because of your heritage. You ancestors were Hunnic and roman, they ended up with your ancestor’s later fled to collapse of their empire with a few warriors to the Vandals teaching them their skills, fell in love with an vandal who later left that to join the Visigothic empire who later joined us, well you did. You have none of our blood...” “But I have: Roman, Gothic, Hunnic and Vandal blood in me at least! I understand it. Wouldn’t it just be easier to call me by my actual name?” “Not as scary calling you, Ernak isn’t!” “I suppose!” I sighed, “Wait... they aren’t starting up again!” he looked around before raising his voice so everyone could clearly hear it yelled, “MY FATHER WOULD NOT ALLOW IT!” the village quickly returned to work before he was interrupted by an feminine voice of a young blonde lady who despite wearing a dress carried a knife on her person and from my guess could wield it, “You aren’t causing anymore trouble are you Ragnor?” “Me never, I was just retelling Örlendr why we call him that and not Ernak!” “I like Ernak and he can’t help his lineage, what he offers your father and the village is much more than majority of those who insult him. He can skilfully ride and fight on a horse, hunt, track, sail on a ship without any sickness, fight with a vast range of weapons and would no doubt crush me if he wanted to!” she finished winking, “Lagertha of course you would defend him... he did teach you how to wield a sword after ignoring your father. Anyhow, Sigurd is waiting...” Ragnor stated walking off with Lagertha smirking took my hand and excitedly spoke, “I heard from my father that you almost have enough for the dowry!” “Yes almost a job or two more or this raid then he will accept it!” “I can’t wait... but maybe we could tell Sigurd!” “I... don’t want him to do anything else for me, he has done already too much!” “Okay but I’m going to be indicating to my friends and my sister, so you better hurry up?” I nodded kissing her cheek before looking up at the grandest hut/house in the village walked on in.

“They are starting again! It’s unfair!” Ragnor grumbled talking to his mother, “This will happen but when they need their horses tended to... that’s when we will remind them on who helps them and how he could indeed refuse to! Aaaah Ernak!” “Talking about the villagers again is it?” “I wish they would leave you be but according to my informants you have been very business raising funds... anything you like to share!” “No because it would involve you all lending me more money and I can’t accept that!” “Alfhild will you stop distracting the boys?” “It will only take a few moments, Ragnor go, tell your father that I will only take a few more moments of dear Ernak’s time!” “Yes mother!” he marched off until it was just the two of them standing their in the corridor and giving her familiar puppy eyes of “please tell me” I confessed, “I’m raising money for a dowry...” “Who for?” “Lagertha, I need a few more jobs and I can pay it to her father!” “We can help, we are your family it’s part of our job to!” “You have already done too much!” “No this is important; time is against you...” “Ernak hurry up!” Sigurd snapped before walking away Alfhild cried out, “You need to listen to this!” “We will finish this later, I promise!” “It could be too late then!” she mumbled sighing.