Maroboodus: A Novel of Germania (The Goth Chronicles Book 1) (28 page)

‘I doubt it,’ I hissed. ‘I’ll not turn a Svea. Nor obedient.’

‘True Bear, eh?’ he chuckled. ‘Free as the wind, selfish as a storm. You will, no matter if you want to or not. We will keep you until gods speak plainly. Only your cousin here shall go to Hel’s tables, and that one as well.’ He nodded towards Eadwine. ‘And you’ll eat their flesh. After they are gone, the flesh of others. That also changes a man. It drives some mad, others obedient, hungry for more. It’s what the Sleeper would eat, and you will be closer to him. His heart. You’ll eat it tonight.’ He looked at Maino meaningfully.

I looked at Maino as well, and the fool’s face was white with terror. ‘I doubt he has a heart.’

Whisper barked a laugh and turned to go. ‘Heart. You’ll eat it and we’ll speak to the gods. His blood is royal, and very loyal, even if he is dull as a lump of rock,’ Whisper said and scratched his armpit. Maino’s face went slack with fear and I cannot say I was not tempted to see him die. Eadwine smiled ironically as he eyed the brief, if happy look on my face and Whisper shrugged, ready to go.

‘What is this Dark Sleeper?’ Eadwine asked tiredly. ‘We do not know this god.’

‘You do, my friends. He is also called the Trickster, the Spirit of Shadows.’

Maino breathed hard. ‘Lok?’

Whisper nodded, approvingly. ‘There, he is not so stupid as he looks. Has listened to old women and drunken poets, even when they do not sing of heroes, but the villains.’ He walked away, picking his way carefully in the dark.

I nodded and Maino looked at me with terror. We had indeed all heard of Lok, the demi-god, the friend and foe of the gods, friend to the jotuns, father to monsters, and the one who will march on the gods when the end is nigh. Of course we had. I sat down, and held my head. ‘So,’ Maino slurred. ‘We’ll be dead. You’ll be a cannibal. Didn’t see that coming.’

‘Neither did I,’ I said.

‘I don’t want to go out helpless as a fool,’ Maino cursed. ‘I’ll fight.’

I looked at him, and shook my head. I had been promised life, but what kind of life would it be? One full of madness, sorrow, suffering?

Saxa would certainly suffer.

Father would die. And so, I agreed with Maino. We’d fight, but not the way he would have fought.

‘Listen,’ I said, and they did. It took some convincing, some arguments, and when Eadwine agreed with me, so did Maino, finally.

Then we waited, allied for once.

T
hey came during the night. I heard them talking and saw them enter the cavern, and they were carrying a cauldron filled with burning wood. Otherwise it was fairly dark in the cavern; many of the torches and shingles had burnt out, which didn’t seem to bother the Svea who lived there. There was more light in the cavern than there should be, I decided. Perhaps there was a strange glow in floor below? I squinted as I looked up and noted a hole where the light of the Mani streamed inside. It was not a strong light, but it lit up a tree trunk that had been set upright in the middle of the lower hall. There were Svear standing in the shadows by the trunk, silent, figures out to witness the magic of their leaders, who were descending a path for them. I saw Gislin, wearing a helmet made of a fox face, black tails swinging on each side, then there was the vitka Whisper, naked, painted white, and he carried a stone ax with a sturdy handle. His hair was spiked with mud, his eyes dangerous and fey and he pointed a finger to the cages. Hild came last, wearing a white dress, and she carried a hlaut vessel, used to gather blood. They looked eerie in the light of the fire in the cauldron.

‘Shit,’ Eadwine said. ‘It’s happening.’

‘I don’t like it,’ Maino said nervously. ‘We should just fight, and—’

‘Shut up,’ I said brusquely. ‘Fight now, and you’ll hang from that trunk for sure, beaten and broken,’ I spat and Maino nodded sullenly, swallowing his fear.

‘I’d not go there willingly,’ he said in a terrified whisper. ‘I don’t trust you.’

‘It will work,’ I told him angrily. ‘Are you ready?’

‘I am,’ Eadwine growled. ‘Don’t fancy this place too much. Wish to get out of here, no matter the way. Even if it means my life will end.’

‘We can only try. And do not die, Eadwine, before you kill at least half of them,’ I joked and he laughed softly.

‘They will tie us up,’ Maino said as if to an idiot. ‘We will be helpless.’

‘They will. Though not for long,’ I said with confidence I didn’t feel. ‘But if they don’t cooperate later with my plan, then it has not been a pleasure knowing you. I’ll eat your heart and probably break a tooth on the lump of cold rock.’

‘May rancid dogs hump you, Maroboodus. I—’

Men approached the cage. There were ten, and they had long spears and the dangerous looking, spear-like hooks. A tall warrior approached us, holding an ax and a shield, wearing a fur cap, his beard long, greasy, and braided with silver. He stepped near the cage. ‘Coming peacefully?’

‘We haven’t eaten,’ Maino said sullenly. ‘Perhaps later?’

The man smiled and thumbed one of the hooks. ‘Come or be dragged. We don’t mind which.’

‘We are coming,’ I told him and got up. The cage was opened and I inched my way out. They grabbed me roughly and held on to my arms, and men stepped forward.

They tied my hands.

The cords were looped around my wrists, and when the others exited the cage they were as expertly tied. Maino’s face twisted with a hint of his battle rage, but I held his feral eyes, and summoning every shred of sanity, he let them finish. Eadwine smirked at the Svea, who were not overly gentle and the knots were very tight. They placed a rope around our necks and I could only imagine how pitiful we looked as we were pulled towards the trunk, and what was likely the temple of Lok.
Like cows to the slaughter
, I thought and grunted, and Maino growled fearfully as the specter of his death approached.

‘Bring the meat, our sweet guests here,’ Whisper called out and so we followed the warriors, unable to disagree. They dragged us behind and we took a precarious, rubble filled path to the middle of the cave and I squinted as Mani’s light was bright there.

I spotted Aldbert. I had missed him before, but perhaps he had been there all along, alone in the dark. He was standing near Gislin, looking down, but he was dressed like a lord in a fine tunic and well-made pants and held his hand beneath his cloak. Hild pushed forward and pointed out our positions around the trunk, and she had Hel’s Delight on her hip.

We stood still for a moment, unsure what would follow. Whisper and Gislin were looking at us quietly, as if looking for a divine sign to start. Men were dragging the wide metal cauldron next to the trunk, and there was indeed wood inside, burning brightly, lighting the whole trunk. The cauldron was quite ominous, and I thought they’d burn the heart there, or anything they took out of Maino. Shadows danced on the floor and walls, and even the ceiling, and the high Svea still looked at us.

Finally, Maino spat with defiance and fear.

That was enough, apparently, to break the spell, because Whisper shrugged and walked to Maino. He grasped his meaty face, turned it left and right and smiled. ‘Spirited. Good. Be like that as you die, son of Bero. This is a special day and you are a very special man. Woden’s rage rushes in your veins, it does. The moon is full, spirits are awake, watching, the gods are talkative and so we shall learn great things today.’

I nodded and spoke ferociously. ‘Kill him already.’

Gislin raised an eyebrow. ‘You have accepted your lot, then? And that your blood-relative will be sacrificed?’ He nodded at Maino.

‘I wonder what,’ I chuckled, ‘would you have done had Hughnot killed him in the battle? You have no other blood from our family living here, do you?’

‘We would have taken his heart from his dead body,’ Gislin said with a vicious smile. ‘The dead are no different from the living. But we are lucky and he is fresh and yes, it is more appropriate. And there are high men, of high blood, even if not of yours here, men who failed,’ he said and glanced at Aldbert. ‘Gods would have welcomed his blood, no doubt.’ Maino was shaking his head softly, eyeing the evil looking trunk where thick rope loops would hold him high up, his arms stretched to the sides, his legs dangling, ready for his evil fate. Judging by the darker wood at the bottom of the trunk, there had been bloody and violent deaths there before. Many of them.

‘I’ll not—’ Maino began but the large warrior pushed him and he went silent, eyeing me with bloodshot eyes. He would not stand for such treatment for much longer.

‘So, let’s hang him up,’ Hild said. ‘Gods await.’

Gislin snapped his fingers. ‘Strip his shirt and gag him, make him fly.’

Whisper took a step forward, the Svea grasped Maino, and he finally fought, but to no avail. A pack of Svear ripped into his clothing, and Maino howled, as a leather gag was pulled over his mouth. I heard sibilant prayers fill the cavern as Maino was dragged and raised on the trunk. Men were standing on ladders as he was lifted, and not even his savage strength helped, when the enemy overwhelmed him like ants would a carcass. He was wheezing in terror as they untied him for a moment, but only long enough for them to force his hand past the leather loops, which they tightened deftly. He was finally left to hang painfully from the trunk and the warriors retreated. Whisper, the vitka who was used to offering sacrifices took a hesitant step forward, sweat running in rivulets down his painted face, streaking the skin. He was praying, begging to gods and Hild was chanting with him. ‘Take the son of Bero to you, Lok, Sleeping God, the Imprisoned One, let us feast, bless us with your wisdom, Dark Sleeper, the great god of the night and tricks. Give us direction and send a spirit to guide us in our eternal quest. Tell us, Lok, tell us Sigyn, his wife, if Maroboodus is the one to release you, one day?’ He approached Maino, who moaned in horror as the ax was raised.

Maino’s eyes sought me out, pools of terror. I grunted, disgusted by the plan I had devised. Sparing Maino’s life was as desirable as dipping my cock in an anthill. I stepped before Whisper, nontheless. ‘I should do it.’

He looked like he had snapped out of a trance, batting his eyes like an owl chased out of its hole during the daytime. He swayed; having let himself swim deep to the nightmare of murder and slowly, very slowly he pulled himself out of it. Aldbert blanched as he looked at me, and fidgeted. ‘You?’ Whisper asked. ‘Why you?’

‘I’m the beast,
the Bear
,’ I growled. ‘I’ll eat his damned meat. But a man doesn’t eat what he hasn’t killed. And more, I hate him. I swore in Woden’s name I’d kill him one day. You are robbing me of my vengeance. Give me this, at least.’

‘I’m much more a beast than you are,’ Whisper said, but the ax in his hand grew lax. ‘I know how. And you don’t.’

I snorted. ‘How? It’s butchery. I’ve killed men this past week. Many men. It’s easy. I’ll just open him up from his throat to his belly and then you can do your divinations,’ I stated. ‘I’ll carve his damned heart out.’ They stood there, ten strong, and all turned to look at Gislin. He hesitated. All he had to do was to refuse. I spoke, pouring all my malice into the words. ‘I hate him.’

‘Let him,’ Gislin said after time, tiredly. ‘Doesn’t matter who does it. Hild?’

‘Lord?’

‘Cut his bonds. And then hold a knife on his shoulder. If he turns to fight us, cut a tendon. The Bear will roar without an arm.’ The lord’s eyes glinted and I cursed, as the madwoman approached. She stepped before me, considering the ropes around my wrists, and then pulled my sword and cut them. She nodded and Whisper stepped forward.

‘Do it,’ he said huskily. ‘Here.’ He handed me the ax. The warriors stared at me carefully, their hands on their weapons, and the spears and the hooks were turned my way. I grasped the weapon, and Hild stepped behind me, very close, and the blade was on my shoulder, cutting the skin. She put a hand around me and stroked my belly nearly lovingly, ran her fingers inside my pants and chuckled as her hands touched me where she should not go, and I cursed the mad bitch, while I shuddered with disgust. I squirmed from her, though she followed, holding on to my belt, as I stepped forward for Maino. I lifted my eyes to my enemy, saw the pain and terror there and swallowed away the bile of fear at the terrible situation.

A knife rested on my shoulder. The men around us were tense.

I raised the weapon. It was a good weapon, sharp, sturdy, and my only ally.

I swung it. The sword moved away for a moment to allow for me to strike.

Instead of finishing the strike and opening up Maino’s chest, I slammed my elbow on Hild’s already ugly face. She fell back with a shriek, the knife clattering across the stone. I turned and kicked the cauldron over and the burning bits of wood scattered over the floor. Shadows sprung up as much of the light fled and I swung my ax at Maino’s bonds.

It struck true. One leather bond was severed and the man hung from one arm, his toes touching the ground. ‘Do it! The other one! Hurry, you bastard!’

I heard screams and yells, and a spear flew past me, and I heard Eadwine bellow a challenge behind us.

I saw Hild from the corner of my eye, up on her feet, coming for me with Hel’s Delight, her snarling, bloodied face intent on killing me. Men approached, Gislin amongst them, his face twisted with surprise and anger, trying to stop her. I could not deal with them, not if I had to release Maino. And without him, we’d die.
Woden, let them trip
, I begged.

I turned my back, and hacked at the other binding.

It snapped, drawing some blood from Maino’s wrist. He fell from the trunk onto his knees and I gritted my teeth, waiting to be stabbed mortally.

It was no Woden who intervened, but Aldbert. He saved me. Or rather, Saxa and Aldbert did.

Saxa’s axe, the one I had given her flashed in the semi-dark as Aldbert charged the völva. He was surprisingly fast, put all his strength into the swing and Hild’s skull cracked sickly as she sprawled on the floor behind me. Aldbert’s face twisted with disgust and then agony, as the shadow of Gislin pushed him aside brutally, steel dagger flashing. Aldbert screamed, wounded in the back, and I turned and attacked the Svea lord. His fox-face helmet fell from his head as he stumbled away, his eyes huge with fear, but I cared not for his fear as I swung the ax, and hit the mass of his body before me.

The weapon bit deep, chopped through his arm, slammed into his chest and he fell on his back, screaming, and blood was flying from his nose. There was a huge wound across his chest.

The shadows around me were cursing and moving with confusion. There was a shriek as someone fell, another as a Svea stabbed a spear at a man that I took to be Eadwine, who was yelling with pain as he struggled with many of the enemy. I saw Whisper’s face in the moonlight, not far. ‘Take him alive! Kill the others!’

I laughed spitefully and rushed him.

The ax came down, split a Svea shield that had appeared out of the dark to save Whisper and then some men tackled me. Whisper was dancing behind them, praying to his gods. I managed to whip the ax into a man’s foot, and it was neatly split in half, bone showing. Then two men sat on my chest, one struck me with a fist and I swooned from pain.

‘Get up, you damn weakling,’ a familiar voice growled and one of the Svea made a choking sound as he disappeared into the embrace of a huge man and that man was Maino, who slammed his fist in the Svea’s throat. Eadwine appeared, bleeding from many wounds, panting, and kicked the other one in the head, and I was freed. I heard there was a fight somewhere close, where Svearna had apparently started to fight each other in the dark. Whisper retreated to the deeper shadows, skittering up the hill.

I got up, gave the ax to Maino, grabbed Hel’s Delight, and then the Svea chief who had fetched us stumbled to us. His eyes enlarged with surprise at seeing us armed but to his credit his ax came down fast. Eadwine grasped him in mid-swing and they fell to the floor, rolling in the dark, grunting. Shouts could be heard where there was a doorway higher up, and more men carrying torches came in. I looked at Maino, who nodded, and went like an avenging spirit to the dark to help Eadwine. ‘Here,’ Maino shouted and a shriek was heard, and he came back with Eadwine, the enemy chief dead.