They would be off on a viking soon enough… was it two more evenings now? Or maybe they were supposed to leave the third evening when the moon was high? Feykir had gotten himself mixed up the longer he avoided telling his wife about it. Now he wasn’t sure which day he was supposed to say and if he told Hial the wrong day then surely he would be in for it. Luckily for him that his closest friend- perhaps his best friend- was in the same band as he. Dagrún almost always knew more of what was going on than Feykir, and Feykir could live with that if it meant keeping out of trouble with the misses.
As he approached an area he knew Dagrún to frequent he was a little surprised to see he apparently was no longer the only ash colored lion in his family that was friends with the blonde maned fool. His daughter was already keeping his oldest friend company… strange or not? He was not sure. ”And here I thought no’ne could stand ye!” He called over, grinning when Dagrún and his daughter looked up.
”So when you and my father were first going out females still could go on vikings too? But now it is much more restricted… only the shield maidens.” It was more like Audhild was confirming for herself rather than just asking questions, apparently not very concerned with Dagrún’s answers. To any who saw them together without either her mother or her father being present gossip might spark, but again it was something that mattered little to Audhild. The idea of what could be said behind their backs was something laughable… Dagrún may have been a little younger than her parents but he was still not close to what she considered young and fit… not to mention she’d known him since she was a cub and the idea of anything more than a mentor or an uncle was less than appealing. She knew it wasn’t unheard of, especially when their homeland consisted of very many lions who like to lay with one another.
”But long before females were considered equals it was even more restrictive for them? None could go on vikings or hold any sort of power?” Her eyebrows raised skeptically. That was … that was just stupid. She looked up when she heard her father’s voice and snorted.
Just as he knew Audhild was barely paying mind to his answers he was only half invested in her questions, instead letting his gaze flicker over each passing lion and lioness. He was mostly interested in the lionesses, and was glad to find a few throw interested glances his way. By no means was he a lady’s lion but… he wasn’t so desperate that he had to beg or force. Plus the more successful his band was on vikings the more the ladies seemed to become curious of him, though for some reason Feykir always seemed to garner more interest. He was sure it was because Feykir had a wife and the allure of breaking that bond was much more tantalizing than coming back to a single lion’s den. ”Yes, all of that is right though I don’t know why you aren’t speaking to a lawspeaker about it… Do you think I should find myself a wife?” It was just as he was asking he could hear his dear friend and he laughed and shook his head, looking over.
”Aye, it’s true! No one but you and yours can stand me… and forever I’m grateful.” He knew Feykir to just be teasing and that was fine. ”Are you ready for departure?” Tomorrow they would leave, though he had an inkling that Feykir was no longer sure of when they were to travel.
Why did his daughter need to speak to a lawspeaker? And why in the gods’ names was Dagrún asking his little girl about a wife? His eyes narrowed and then he wrinkled his nose. No, he was being silly. There was no way in the deep watery depths of hell that Dagrún would ever consider his daughter a potential wife. ”A wife? I again feel the need t’point out tha’ no’ne likes ya.” Both of the males chuckled. He sat himself down easily with his friend and his daughter, still a little curious as to why Audhild was here seemingly asking Dagrún for advice when she had perfectly capable, advice-giving, parents in the pride. ”Ye read m’mind, was just trying to find you to figure out when we leave… surely not for three more moonrises?” By the look he was getting her was definitely wrong. Not good.
”… I still ‘aven’t told Hial that we’re returning to the rogue lands so soon after getting home…” And even now he sounded slightly sheepish, as he always did when it involved him somehow displeasing his wife.
”A wife to keep you in check, just like this one,” She nodded to her father and chuckled. ”Not a poor idea in the least.” Her ears perked as the conversation moved to an apparent raid they’d be going on, and soon by the sound of it. Her tail flicked and she sighed, flexing her claws against the dirt. She wanted desperately to see what the outside world was like.
”I think I will become a shield maiden.” She announced among her two companions, grinning brightly as she said it. Once she said it she knew that it was the right path for her… and after she would become a Valkyrie. Nothing would stop her… she would not take the same path as her mother. She would also not speak of that thought, she knew her mother gave a lot to raise she and her sisters rather than to leave the pride like her father when she’d had the chance.
Dagrún laughed along with his friend’s daughter, shaking his head. She had her mother’s strong will, and certainly her mother’s view of gender roles. ”Oi! Never in a million years would I find myself a wife as willful and powerful as your mother, girl!” He thwacked Feykir with a playful paw, winking. ”Oh no, I need my self a gentle female who wants to give me lots of cubs and won’t mind a good amount of thralls around.” He smirked, wagging his eyebrows as Audhild claimed he was disgusting. ”Maybe, but I hope you know that’s the same as most males in this pride… I think your parents gave you a rose colored world view.” He shrugged, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. There would be many males happy to live under her rule, just not as many as those who would contest it.
He shook his head at Feykir and tsked the other male. ”I think you enjoy when Hial yells at you. No not in three moonrises or even two… we leave tomorrow, though at least you have the night time part correct. I think she might kill you for telling her last minute.” He snorted and gave a soft chuckle… his friend was definitely in a lose-lose situation here.
He glanced between his friend and his daughter, wondering if this was bout to become two conversations too much! ”Oi oi oi, hold on now…” He was looking back and forth between Dagrún and Audhild, trying to figure out what to address first. ”Alrigh’ so probably yer right… not gunna be a fun conversation tonight.” He grumbled, sighing. ”She’s not gunna believe I thought we were leaving in a few days either… oh gods.” She might even try and harm him… this was not going to be fun in the least. He focused on his daughter though, eyebrows raised. ”So a shield maiden hmm? You wanna spend your days fightin’ outlanders?” But he knew it wasn’t exactly about that either… ”Because y’wanna leave the pridelands?” Of course, she didn’t want to permanently leave like her sister… she just wanted to see the world a little. How could he blame her?
But that would also mean rowdy males… dangerous situations… problems. He blew air out before steeling himself and clearing his throat. ”I do think you’d make an excellent Valkyrie one day, if that is truly what you want.” There was no way his daughter was settling for a follower… she was a leader through and through.
She took a deep breath, ready to argue with her father. Not to mention glare at Dagrún… a rose-colored view of the world? Was he for real? She knew the realities of her ‘place’ and ‘how things worked’ … unfortunately she didn’t agree with them so that meant she had a rose-colored view? Her lip curled at him before her expression settled into something more thankful as she looked back to her father, slightly surprised at his immediate support and then all at once not surprised at all. Her father had always loved she and her two sisters fiercely and she could never remember a time he denied them something that they wanted. ”That means a lot, father.” A soft smile appeared. Yes, she could accomplish what she wanted! She even felt it warranted a little help for her father… she also knew how tough it could be to convince mother something was not exactly what it seemed. ”Go rushing back and tell her they’ve changed it because of new reports… whether it is many thrall to be captured or heavy news of spoils to be had.” She grinned.
He leaned back from the daughter’s dagger eyes, his own widening. What had he done? ”Oh my, this one has a temper nearly as hot as Hials.” He jested, a grin playing out on his face. He thought maybe he would have been hit or given a good tongue lashing if Audhild’s temper had really been as bad as Hials. Feykir just laughed at the comment, as he knew his friend would. For some reason Dagrún believed that his friend very much enjoyed a swift-tempered female. Dagrún was glad to be friends with Hial, but he preferred a more docile lady himself. This raid would mean thralls, he was determined. He hoped he could even find a few who would end up doting on him and maybe offering him cubs of his own. Wouldn’t that be exciting? But he’d wait to brag to Feykir, not thinking it appropriate to bring up in front of his friend’s child.
”Aye well I hear there’s been an increase of rogues near our boarders, so should be no problem finding competitors.” He smirked as he looked over his friend’s daughter, ”Course you could just go unleash your temper all around the pride and I’m sure you’d get yourself a pawful of duels as soon as could be.” He laughed and swatted away Feykir’s paw as the other male tried to smack him.
Feykir made a face, looking less than sure of his daughter’s advice. It was a dangerous game, stretching the truth with his wife. ”Er… maybe that could work.” He was mulling it over before Dagrún decided to tease his daughter and he leaned over to whack him with his paw, ”Oi! Hey!” He growled, nose scrunched up. ”Better watch what you say or you’re gunna be ‘er first challenger and she’ll put you down in the ground Dagrún.” He chuckled.
”He’s right Dagrún, I’ll knock you on your arse if you keep this up.” She smirked at her father’s long time friend, shifting and getting herself up before stretching out her limbs with a few groans. They’d been sitting and shooting the breeze for quite a while at this point.
It was nice to see his friend and his friend’s daughter so loyal to one another, the entire family seemed to have one anothers’ backs and Dagrún could admit he was slightly envious of the little family unit. ”Okay, okay. I got it.” He snorted and cracked his neck as he shifted his position. He gestured with his paw as if trying to shoo Feykir away, ”You should get yourself going as well. Hial is going to give you hell no matter how you spin your words.” He grinned at the other.
He laughed heartily at his daughter’s words, shaking his head at his friend before sighing deeply. ”Aye, ye be right but it does no’ make it any easier.” He joked. He followed Audhild’s lead and brought himself to his feet, shaking out his mane before nodding his head to his friend and then bumping it against his daughter’s shoulder. ”May my daughter give anyone hell who should try it.” He grinned at her as she snorted and rolled her eyes before turning back to Dagrún, ”Well I will see y’tomorrow.” And with that he turned to go, bracing himself for his wild wife.
”She’ll get over it!” She called after her father, following Dagrún’s words. She always did… they seemed to bicker often but more or less she thought it was because her parents really did enjoy it and thought it was fun. Maybe their way of de-stressing?
”Oh and don’t tell mom yet!! I want to!” She shouted when her father was farther away. She looked again to her father’s friend and gave him a level look. ”You watch out after him when you guys are gone, alright?” She knew her father would do the same for Dagrún but it felt nicer being able to have confirmation from a living and breathing source. She said her goodbyes, moving in the opposite direction as her father had. No time like the present to start finding challengers!
He shook his head lightly and snorted, waving her along. ”Aye, aye. Alright already… your father is courageous and can take care of himself… but still I’ll keep a weary eye open since you wish it.” He smirked, finally getting up himself. He took his time stretching as the father and daughter left in opposite directions, deciding what he would do for the remainder of his night. He whistled as he moved in a third direction, deciding he’d let his paws carry him where they would.
Word Count: 2,355