Working out

I relax my stance and decide to call it a day. I’m drenched in sweat, despite the cold weather, from the hard workout.

A day in the forge, and a training session immediately afterwards will do that to you though.

I grab my sweat rag and towel off a little, letting the bitterly cold air help me cool off a little. I stretch my arms and take a deep breath, letting it out in a cloud of fog.

I check my knuckles. I used to get bruises a lot, but my knuckles have hardened over the long years spent working the bag.

I open the door to the cabin that I share with my father Jørgen, and step inside. A mug of water is waiting for me, and I drain it in two swigs. I realise I’m parched, and go in search of more water.

I walk to the kitchen and refill the mug from the tank we have installed. It snows pretty much year round, so a few years ago, I came up with a system for getting fresh water, by way of catching falling snow and using the fireplace to help it melt into a filtration system, ensuring the water is clean, before it flows to a large tank.

‘Anything special happen today?’ A gruff voice says from behind me.

‘Old man Anders passed, but aside from that, not much.’ I reply, turning to face my father and taking a deep draught from the mug.

‘He serves Odin in Valhalla.’ He says, touching the pendant of Mjolnir hanging around his neck.

A half smile touches my face. ‘Father, Anders was not a believer in Odin. He was a Christian.’ ‘Ah! Then Hela will welcome him.’ He chuckles. I laugh with him.

‘I’m going to the mead hall to meet with Bjørn and the others.’ He nods. ‘Don’t die.’ ‘I’ll do my best.’

I step into the wash room, undress and pull the cord for the bucket to tip over, showering me with warm water, thanks to the small fire lit underneath. I towel off and get dressed, taking a look at the water clock while I’m at it.

Sun dials are unreliable due to the extremely cold and generally cloudy days, so water clocks are the best option. The time is a little after 8PM.

I pull on my sheepskin vest and step outside to begin the walk to the mead hall. I haven’t seen Bjørn in days, and I quicken my pace at the thought of catching up with him.