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Itturned out to be another spectacular fight, drawing gasps and shouts from the crowd.Butafter a quick word toMaria,Louisawent over to joinKillik— and nowSuneand his friends, too — in offeringUlfarrtheir enthusiastic congratulations on such a well-fought match.
Ulfarr’seyes were still unusually bright, his nose betraying an unmistakable sniff, but he gratefully smiled and thanked them all, and then drewKillikandLouisaandSunetightly into his arms. “Ithank you, my kin,” he choked. “Youare all so, so good to me.”
Mykinagain.Itshimmered yet more warmth and hope intoLouisa’sbelly, and she squeezed him tight until his breaths felt steady again.Andthen they all cheered together forSimonandDrafli’smatch, untilSimonfinally tackledDraflito the earth, and shouted his victory.
OnceSimonandDraflihad both risen to their feet again,Drafliwryly shaking his head,Ulfarrwent and proudly announcedSimonas their winner, to almost dizzying applause.AndwhenSimongrinned over atMaria, she leapt up and rushed toward him, and laughed as he swept her into his arms.Bothof them seeming so happy, at ease, even withUlfarrstanding there beaming back toward them, and then carefully placing a braided rope crown ontoSimon’shead.
Itfelt so right, so strong, a juddering ache inLouisa’schest — and thenUlfarrraised his hands, and called for the final event of the day. “Skaiof ages past oft honouredhirthskalds, who battled each other with words, rather than blades,” he said, his voice carrying over the crowd. “NowIwelcome my kin to bring this back amongst us, so we can all share in this gift.”
Louisa’sheart hammered as she walked with the rest of their group into the ring, where they all knelt together in a large circle.WithKillikandSunetoLouisa’sright, and beside them wereRagniandKoriandFasti, andThomasandAngusandElgr, andIgullandPolly.Orcsand humans coming together, kneeling and waiting together, asSunebegan the beat, his daggers striking sharp and bright.Andthen more beats joined into it, deepening and syncopating it, until it echoed through the clearing, and rang through the trees above.
BesideLouisa,Killikdrew in breath, drew up strength from the earth — and then he spoke.Thisone a new verse, one they’d created together just for this, fully in common-tongue. “Hail, my kin.Haleyou be.Hieto the hall of the wolf, and hold high our home to the skies.”
Killik’svoice thudded against the drums, striking like a drum of its own, and then he glanced atLouisa— and with a silent prayer toSkai-kesh, she spoke her own part of the verse. “Hail, my kin.Happyyou be.Answerthe call of the wolf, and howl our hymn to the sky.”
Herheart was pounding, but she’d said it, she’d done it — and thenPollyspoke beside her, adding her own variation.Sweepingaround the circle, each speaker speaking their own truth, making the verse their own, deepening and strengthening it.Untilthey’d almost circled around again,Fasti, thenKori, and thenRagni.Andnext would have beenSune, but they always skipped him, and —
AndthenSune— signed atKillik.Tooka breath.AndwhenRagnifinished his turn,KillikgrippedSune’shand, asSunesquared his shoulders, and… spoke.
“Hail, my kin,” he said, his voice raspy, but audible. “Haleyou be.Howlyour thanks to our wolf, who holds you safe in his home.”
Itwas the first timeLouisahad ever heardSunespeak, and there were multiple other gasps around them, too — but beside her,Killikhad already repeatedSune’sverse, and after a swift sign toward the circle, they all repeated it together.Howlyour thanks to our wolf, who holds you safe in his home.
Sune’seyes had flicked over toUlfarr, who was at the front of the crowd, his hand over his heart.Andthere was water streaking down his cheeks, his hand thumping his chest, and then signingSune’sname.Ilove you too,Sune.
Itchoked inLouisa’sthroat, enough that she nearly missed her next line — but she somehow managed it, and the verse swung around again.AndthoughSuneskipped it this time, there was a small smile on his mouth, his beats ringing a little louder than before.
Whenthe verse finished, there was a breath of hovering stillness — and then one clap, and another.Untilthe entire audience was cheering and whistling, and at the front of the crowd,Simonwas clapping too, and stomping his feet.Andseveral olderSkaiwere full-on weeping, and besideSimon, evenDraflilooked rather stunned, and drew his mates closer against his side.
Louisa’sown eyes were still prickling, and when she metKillik’seyes, they looked unusually bright, too — but then he drew in breath, and signed at them to continue.Sothey launched into the next verse, now in the orcs’ tongue, and then the next.Andfinally, they finished with that very first verse they’d learned, the one that still pulsed so often throughLouisa’sthoughts.Ifear you not, feeder of wolves.
Whenthey finished, the entire camp echoed with shouts and stomps, andLouisafelt hot and fluttery as their group all smiled and signed backthank you, their hands flat over their hearts.Andshe scarcely heardUlfarr’sfinal thank-you and farewell to their guests, though she could almost feel his own emotion, his own simmering happiness.Hishope.
They’ddone this.They’dheld theSummit, they’d honoured their clan, they’d welcomed their community.They’dput on a magnificent show.Andamidst it all,Ulfarrhad shown himself a humble, capable, hardworking leader, worthy of respect and redemption.
AndasLouisawatchedUlfarrstanding beside the road, saying farewell to their guests, and handing out paper lanterns and streamers as souvenirs, there was again that… rightness.Thatcertainty.Becauseeven ifSimonstill didn’t see it, even if he didn’t offerUlfarrhis forgiveness,Ulfarrhad still done it.He’dstill gained it.He’dstill faced his past, faced his fears, and stood tall as theWolfof theSkai.
AndwhenLouisaglanced atKillikbeside her, she knew he could see it, too, his eyes blinking, his tooth biting his lip.He’dhelpedUlfarr.He’dgained all he’d planned, all he’d set out to do.
Hedidn’t resist whenLouisafound his clammy hand, squeezing it tight.Andthey stood in silence together, watching, and perhaps praying, asSimonstrode over towardUlfarr, and clapped him firmly on the shoulder.AndthenSimonspoke something toUlfarr, something that had them both glancing over their shoulders, toward —LouisaandKillik.
Louisatwitched, and she could see something shifting inUlfarr’seyes, quivering on his mouth — and then he gave a low, jerky bow towardSimon, his hand over his heart.TowhichSimonsmiled back, and again clappedUlfarr’sshoulder, and then… then waved him forward.TowardLouisaandKillik.
LouisawatchedUlfarras he came, her throat tightening, because he was — smiling.Smilingat them, wider and brighter than she’d perhaps ever seen it, and his eyes were still so bright, his mouth quivering.Asif whateverSimonhad told him, it had been important, crucially important, almost as if… as if…
“WhatdidSimontell you?”Killikdemanded, as soon asUlfarrwas within reach. “What,Wolf?”
Ulfarr’sbreath shuddered out, and he grasped bothKillikandLouisaby the shoulders, steering them away.Awayfrom the clearing, from their kin, from their chattering lingering guests.Deeperwest into the forest, where they soon foundAirikand another orc from the mountain, still armed and on patrol alongRikard’sborder.Butafter a quick sign fromKillik, they nodded, and headed back toward the camp.LeavingLouisaandKillikandUlfarralone here, soUlfarrcould draw in breath, and say…
“Simon— praised theSummit,”Ulfarrfinally said, his voice choked. “Hepraised our work, and our cleverness, and our wisdom.Andhe praised my clever hardworking kin, and he said — he said —”
They’dhalted in the trees, andUlfarr’sbreath was heaving now, his hand rubbing at his eyes. “Hesaid,” he gulped, “he wished to speak more later, but for now, he has — released me from my vow.Myvow not to marry, or take a mate.”
Louisa’sheart skipped, her hands spasming at her sides.Becauseyes,Ulfarrhad sworn not to take a mate, not until he’d proven himself toSimon.Andnow — now —
NowKillikwas staring atUlfarr, his throat bobbing — and then he signed something toward him, too swift forLouisato catch.ButUlfarrwas nodding, exhaling, his hand over his heart, his head bowing low towardKillik, and then…
Thenhe turned toLouisa.Claspedher hand in his.And…
