of cleaning up after him every morning. So instead of beating him, what did I advise her to do?”
“To buy as much milk as she could carry from the market and give it to him to drink.”
“Aye.” Her mother grinned at the memory. “The boy thought he’d outsmarted his mother, didn’t he? After the eventide meal, he sat down at the fire and called for his mother to serve him. Again and again she refilled his cup. He drank so much his stomach bloated. But still he didn’t stop. Until he awoke in the middle of the night with the worst belly pain and then started retching. It lasted for hours. And by the time I arrived, he was pale and weak.”
“He never touched it again.”
“Aye. Now stand up and let me have a closer look at you.”
She slowly rose to her feet, ashamed of herself and afraid of what her mother’s reaction would be to the rumors her brother had spoken of.
“You are not the same girl that left the village, Eva.”
Her shoulders drooped. “I know.”
Her mother framed her face between both her hands. “You are a woman now. A woman in love.”
“No,” Eva denied.
Her mother tsked. “You cannot hide from your own feelings.”
“Maybe I don’t have the same feelings you do. Maybe I don’t have a heart.”
“The gods give us what we need to survive, daughter. I was blessed with sharp vision. Even at my old age, I can see through your veiled words. You are in love with the jarl.”
Eva pulled away. “You know everything?”
“I know what the women chatter about. I know that Jarl Brandr was honored days ago, sent to Valhalla in glory. I know his son is a capable leader. And I know Markkos is a jealous liar who covets anyone’s happiness.”
Her mother’s words shocked her. “What are you saying?” All her life Eva had waited for her mother to defend her, only to be disappointed. Whenever she had a disagreement with her siblings, her mother sided with her brothers. Until now.
“That I know what my eldest son is capable of. He is bitter in his own marriage bed and instead of making peace with his wife, he has taken that negative energy and invested it in you. Hoping to capture joy in another way. By expanding his herd and making money by marrying you off to a wealthy man.”
“B-but Markkos told me you agreed to the match.”
“He only hears what he wishes to hear. My permission is required for any marriage contract to be binding.”
She gazed upon her mother with renewed, deep affection. “So you do not expect me to wed Iisku?”
“Child…” She cradled Eva’s hand. “You are my only daughter. But more than that, we are both women cursed by a talent that almost exclusively belongs to men. I carry the burden of my people on my shoulders every day of my life. Passing that on to you when it is time for me to give up my spirit is something I’d rather not do.”
By the gods… Eva had been wrong. Desperately wrong about her mother’s love. “Is this why you’d never recognize me as noaidi ?”
Her mother nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I’ve misjudged you. Grown up envious of my brothers’ closeness to you.” Eva embraced her mother.
“If you knew the truth, our people wouldn’t be convinced you couldn’t take my place. Especially, Markkos. I sacrificed tenderness to give you a chance at a better life. The village is no place for my daughter. Things are changing, child and not for the better. War is coming to Scandinavia. Even the Sami will be forced to choose a side. I expect great things from you, Eva. You are a true noaidi . I’ve known this since the day you were conceived. The lowlanders need a teacher, a Sami healer to broker peace between our people. Go to your Norseman. Love him.”
Eva needed to sit down. “How can you call me noaidi if I haven’t had visions?”
Her mother joined her at the table. “You’ve always dreamed. But I gave you potions to keep you from remembering.”
Eva covered her face with both hands, frustrated and
“To buy as much milk as she could carry from the market and give it to him to drink.”
“Aye.” Her mother grinned at the memory. “The boy thought he’d outsmarted his mother, didn’t he? After the eventide meal, he sat down at the fire and called for his mother to serve him. Again and again she refilled his cup. He drank so much his stomach bloated. But still he didn’t stop. Until he awoke in the middle of the night with the worst belly pain and then started retching. It lasted for hours. And by the time I arrived, he was pale and weak.”
“He never touched it again.”
“Aye. Now stand up and let me have a closer look at you.”
She slowly rose to her feet, ashamed of herself and afraid of what her mother’s reaction would be to the rumors her brother had spoken of.
“You are not the same girl that left the village, Eva.”
Her shoulders drooped. “I know.”
Her mother framed her face between both her hands. “You are a woman now. A woman in love.”
“No,” Eva denied.
Her mother tsked. “You cannot hide from your own feelings.”
“Maybe I don’t have the same feelings you do. Maybe I don’t have a heart.”
“The gods give us what we need to survive, daughter. I was blessed with sharp vision. Even at my old age, I can see through your veiled words. You are in love with the jarl.”
Eva pulled away. “You know everything?”
“I know what the women chatter about. I know that Jarl Brandr was honored days ago, sent to Valhalla in glory. I know his son is a capable leader. And I know Markkos is a jealous liar who covets anyone’s happiness.”
Her mother’s words shocked her. “What are you saying?” All her life Eva had waited for her mother to defend her, only to be disappointed. Whenever she had a disagreement with her siblings, her mother sided with her brothers. Until now.
“That I know what my eldest son is capable of. He is bitter in his own marriage bed and instead of making peace with his wife, he has taken that negative energy and invested it in you. Hoping to capture joy in another way. By expanding his herd and making money by marrying you off to a wealthy man.”
“B-but Markkos told me you agreed to the match.”
“He only hears what he wishes to hear. My permission is required for any marriage contract to be binding.”
She gazed upon her mother with renewed, deep affection. “So you do not expect me to wed Iisku?”
“Child…” She cradled Eva’s hand. “You are my only daughter. But more than that, we are both women cursed by a talent that almost exclusively belongs to men. I carry the burden of my people on my shoulders every day of my life. Passing that on to you when it is time for me to give up my spirit is something I’d rather not do.”
By the gods… Eva had been wrong. Desperately wrong about her mother’s love. “Is this why you’d never recognize me as noaidi ?”
Her mother nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me? I’ve misjudged you. Grown up envious of my brothers’ closeness to you.” Eva embraced her mother.
“If you knew the truth, our people wouldn’t be convinced you couldn’t take my place. Especially, Markkos. I sacrificed tenderness to give you a chance at a better life. The village is no place for my daughter. Things are changing, child and not for the better. War is coming to Scandinavia. Even the Sami will be forced to choose a side. I expect great things from you, Eva. You are a true noaidi . I’ve known this since the day you were conceived. The lowlanders need a teacher, a Sami healer to broker peace between our people. Go to your Norseman. Love him.”
Eva needed to sit down. “How can you call me noaidi if I haven’t had visions?”
Her mother joined her at the table. “You’ve always dreamed. But I gave you potions to keep you from remembering.”
Eva covered her face with both hands, frustrated and
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