Ingrid rode Taya along the outside of the outher walls. Yaras hoofs naivated the graggy, frozen soil effortlessly. She had set their course towards a set of large pens were several Renns trotted about while munching on hay and buffing their noses trough the snow to chew up the occasional hardy weed that survived the cold. It was by far the biggest of the Renn farms in the region, and it was the place Ingrid called home. having been for for nearly three months, it was good to be back. Taya had been incredibly skittish for the last leg of the journey and it hurt her to see their girl in such a state. While she was a war-mount and Ingrid knew she was lucky that Taya was even a still alive, it was still exteremely difficult to see her darling mount in any form of distress. But as soon as rider and mount could see the farm and the herd currently walking about within the confines of the pen, Tayas skittish twitches seemed to settle down noticeably. Ingrid let otu a soft sigh of relief at the noticable difference in her animals behavior. It allowed for her to stress a little less about Tayas continued health.

“That's right girl. We are back home.” She leaned in and patted Tayas flank before spurring her on gently, riding down the hill towards the farm. The farm was on the larger side, with two massive barns meant to house the renns during the harshest parts of winter and during the nights. A massive fence ran across large field, making for a pen with plenty of area for the animals to stroll about. They were currently out and stretching their legs and so Ingrid steared Taya towards a man working with heaving more hay into the troughs. As soon as she arrived the farmhand turned her way and waved. He was an older man with complicated runes across his upper chest and a bold head that was covered with even more runes. He was working shirtless despite the cold but didn't seem bothered by it at all. In fact, steam rose off his skin and runes as he worked.

“Renny. Have you seen my father?” She adressed the man as she dismounted, leading Taya towards the pens. Renny had been a farmhand for her father since she had been a child. The man was extremely loyal to the family and they had always done right by him in turn. Renny was a former raider and pirate with fire and might affinities. He had never had the stumache for it however and had asked for amnesty with the Jarl in exchange for a promise to swear of any weapons. As he had helped save a few people during his crews raid, he had been granted a second chance and he had come to work for Ingrids father as a result.

“He is at the back of the barn, mending one of fences. A berg-ulv has been sneaking down from the mountains and have skulked around here as of late. And you know your father, he would rather fight the thing barehanded then let it into his barns.” Renny said he contnued to heave the heavy hay into place. For him it was barely a inconvenience due to his might affinity. But he was a getting into the upper 60's now and he was clearly slowing down with the years.

“Aye. Thank you Renny. Take good care of Taya allright?" Ingrid said as she patted the massive beast between the ears and put her head to its side, inhaling the scent of ruough fur. "You are safe now." She whispered and Taya gave a soft snort, bumping its head agaisnt her affectionatly. She resisted the urge to cry into the fur and isntead took a step back. Renny had known Ingrid his entire life and he could tell something had happened.

“ Was it bad?” He asked, eyeing the animal that seemed a little twitchier then he remembered it to be. He had a good idea of what had happened, even if he didnt know any details

“She came far to close.” Ingrid said, her voice wavering a bit. Renny put a hand on her shoulder.

“I see. I will pamper the old girl. Don’t you worry.” He gave her a kind, warm smile and she returned it with one of her own.

“You’re the best Renny.” She said and he just chuckled.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Don't I know it."

***

She found her father hunched over, grumbling as he tried to fix a pole to the ground. The rougly hewn and sharpened log was not managing to properly push into frozen soil and Ingrid could hear him swearing before she even rounded the corner of the barn. He was a gray-haired, somewhat pudgy dwarf with keen, green eyes and a bulbous nose that took up a large part of his face. He turned as he heard Ingrid approach and scoffed. “Your back.” Which ingrid had long learned meant he needed to be done with whatever he was doing before he could give her the attention she deserved.

“I am. Need any help dad?” She said, walking over to where he was jamming the large, rune inscribed pole down. From the looks of it, he had replaced two older poles that had their runes damaged and the wood rotting slightly. The problem was the fact that he did this during winter, when the soil was hard as rock in places.

“Yes, if you’d be so kind to hammer this pole down as i hold it.” He said with a thankful huff, grabbing the pole into two steady hands, keeping it where he wanted it. Ingrid nodded as she unslung her axe.

“Of course” Ingrid stepped up next o the old dwarf, using the flat backend of their axe to hammer at the pole, driving it further down ito the frozen soil. She only needed two hard, precise strikes before her father gave hum of appreciation as it finally stuck deep enough to be secure. Then he stood up and cracked his back loudly. Grunting as his spine realigned. He looked more his age with every passing year. Dwarves in general lived long lives, to the extent of living to the age of 200. But if you worked yourself to hard, you might spend half that time wishing you had taken a much less taxing career parth.

“Where is Björn. He should be helping you with this.”

“Björns in the city, helping your mother at the Jarls stables. They need to acclimate their newest additions.”

“Ah.” Ingrid nodded. That used to be her job, before she met Olaf and started to work closely with him. She found she was away a lot more often since then. “I’m sorry I haven't been around as much.”

“Nonsense. You stretched your wings lass. Me and your mum do miss having you around to help, but you have a warrior's gift, unlike us. ” The old dwarf said and gave her a hug. “I am so glad you got home safe.” He spoke in that same tone he had always used to settle her down, ever since she was but a child. She hugged him back, mindful of his bad back.

“I almost lost Yara.” She spoke softly, her voice wavering. “She got hurt because of me.”

“But ye’ didn’t. We’ll take good care of her for you. She was a warmount. She was always going to go into battle one way or another. Most dont get back up from taking serious damage, but Yara did. That is what matters.” He hugged her harder and she just enjoyed the moment for a while. Her parents had always been there for her and this was no different.

“Thanks pa. Will you be at the feast?” Ingrid straightened up and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

“Of course. Might arrive a little late. But I’ll make sure to be there. It will do me good to be in a warm longhouse and just relax. With the fence up and whole, the berg-ulv should be no issue.” He said as he sat down to inspect that the runes were right one last time.

“See you there then.” She said as she watched him activate the runes on the pole which caused the hole fence to shimmer and faintly buzzing magical power as the links between the runic patterns had been fixed. He turned to her and gave her a smile that was as cheeky as it was warm. Her father had never been the one to turn down a invitation for drinking and eating.

“Aye. Now go. Your pa need to get himself in order and put on something more fitting for a feast.”

With that, Ingrid headed back to the city on foot. Cursing the snow all the while.