Chapter 36

“Gather round!” Sten bellowed.

Mato pried his eyes open and sat up. Hilda, snuggled against his back, sat up too.

“This might be bad, Mato. Just have faith in Father. Speak when you’re asked a question, and otherwise, stay silent.”

“I said to gather round!” Sten roared, louder than before.

Within a couple of minutes everyone was arrayed in a semi-circle around Sten. Erik sat on a large rock in the background, and for the first time Mato saw a simple gold circlet on his head. Thyra stood right behind his right shoulder, and Freya behind the left.

Hilda stood with Mato, and took his hand.

“I am Sten Brokenback, survivor of many battles, and right hand to Erik Bloodaxe, the rightful leader of our people. It is my duty to maintain discipline, and today I must judge some of you.

“Lady Istas Stone Foot, step forward.” Sten had a black piece of cloth wrapped around the top of his head. His greatsword lay at Erik’s feet, and he had a whip on his belt.

“No,” Mato said. He jerked his hand out of Hilda’s grip and stepped forward. “I will take her punishment.”

Sten turned a glare on him that made him want to crawl under his own boots. “Silence, Mato Stone Foot. There will be no outbursts during judgment.”

Hilda pulled him back. “Patience, Mato,” she whispered in his ear.

Mother walked forward to stand three paces in front of Sten. She looked tiny compared to the massive northman.

“Lady Istas, I have questioned many in camp, and have a clear picture of yesterday’s emergency. You were the first to spot the threat and report it. All of us are in your debt. This day will be remembered, and when you need us, we will aid you.”

“Thank you,” Mother said, very softly. Sten winked at her and waved for her to return to the crowd.

“Mato Stone Foot,” Sten said, “step forward.”

Mato walked to the spot Mother had used and faced Sten.

“You were the first to take action. You kept Ulf alive, and the two of you created such a disturbance that the ants failed to notice the rest of us.

“You also failed to see the threat. As a trail master, it is your duty to see danger before others. Why were you walking with your head down yesterday?”

He couldn’t tell them the details. That would humiliate Hilda. “I allowed myself to be distracted by my own worries--I don’t know what to call you right now.”

Sten nodded. “Right now, while we are such a small group, I don’t think we need that kind of formality. All you need to do is be respectful of the law and your leadership. My name is Sten, and you may call me that.”

“I was thinking about myself, and I failed our people. I have no excuse.”

“Well spoken,” Erik said. “You accept your failings. Will you commit to improving yourself?”

“Yes, Erik. I cannot allow something like this to happen again.”

“For your failure I sentence you to five lashes,” Sten said. “But for your courage and rapid action, I lay the punishment aside. Show us that you are improving, and it will be forgiven entirely.”

“Thank you, Sten, Erik.” Mato nodded to both of them and waited for the signal to leave.

Sten waved him away. “You don’t need to address the king unless you are asked to address him.”

Mato went back and stood beside Hilda. She put her arm around him and whispered in his ear, “Well done, Mato. Very well done.”

“Dichali Greenleaf, step forward.”

Dichali walked to the spot, and faced Sten.

“Who was assigned to scout the western side?”

“I was, Sten.”

“How did you happen to miss the anthill?”

“I assumed that since the night had been peaceful, there would be no threats. I walked past the ants before I began scouting.”

“Your analysis of your performance?”

“Unacceptable, Sten. I will take my punishment without complaint.”

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Sten blinked, then spoke, “Fifteen lashes, with ten set aside. Do better, Dichali.”

One by one they went through the men in camp. Children fussed about breakfast, and were hushed.

Once all of the men had been judged, Sten turned to Erik. “I too have failed the people. I sentence myself to six lashes, with none held back.”

Erik stood and Sten handed him the whip, then pulled his shirt off and went to lean over the barrel they’d used for Dichali and a couple of the others. Mato gritted his teeth. Standing here and watching people being beaten was far less painful than being beaten himself, but he hated it.

When his punishment was over, Sten stood and took the whip.

Then Erik spoke, “I, Erik Bloodaxe, failed my people yesterday. I sentence myself to seven lashes, with none held back.”

Erik took his lashes without complaint, then returned to his rock.

Hilda let go of Mato and walked out to stand in front of Sten. “I, Hilda Bloodaxe, failed my people yesterday. I sentence myself to ten lashes, with none held back.”

That produced some gasps around the crowd. Mato’s heart pounded. He wanted to interfere, but knew that Hilda would be furious. Ten lashes was a serious punishment.

He stepped forward. “Hilda, may I please take your lashes?”

She glanced over at him, jaw clenched.

“No.”

Mato stepped back.

“Your duty was to mind the children and keep the camp in order,” Sten said. “It is a duty you performed admirably. You even kicked one of the evil things out of the trail.”

“We should all be more vigilant. Not just the men. I do not need to be coddled, and I will accept no less responsibility than anyone else.”

Erik stood. “Judgment has been given, and I find it just.”

“No, Father. It is not just. We have walked for miles, gone without water and food. All of us are exhausted, and then you hold a trial because someone didn’t notice something. Half of the men have had at least one lash.”

He bared his teeth and snarled at her. “We discussed this last night, Daughter. Now you challenge my leadership in front of all our people. You are my child, and I will punish you as I see fit.

“Mato Stone Foot,” he growled and pointed beside Hilda.

Mato hurried into place, wondering what was happening now.

“I name you Hilda Stone Foot. Mato, take your wife, and see that she behaves.”

Thyra’s eyes widened. Sten’s face went white, and his jaw dropped. He found Ezhno in the crowd and mouthed, ‘what’s happening?’ Ezhno shrugged and shook his head.

Erik turned his back and started to walk away.

“Erik Bloodaxe,” Ezhno said. “Is this an appropriate forum to voice a complaint?”

Mato’s eyes widened. Sten’s hands clenched in fists.

“What is it, Ezhno?”

“All of the forms and decisions today have been based on Norland law and tradition. What do we Abo contribute?”

Erik’s brow furrowed, and Mato pulled Hilda back a step.

“What do you suggest?” Erik growled.

“No one is being treated for their injuries. In Abo, this is a punishment reserved for repeat offenders. I recommend we adopt this small kindness among our people.”

Erik’s frown relaxed a bit, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “You speak of mercy to go with judgment.”

“Yes, Erik.”

“This sounds like wisdom to me. Does anyone disagree?”

For several moments no one spoke, then Thyra broke the silence. “It sounds like wisdom to me as well, Husband.”

“Then let it be so,” Erik said. “Anything else, Ezhno?”

Ezhno smiled and walked up to the giant. “Give me your back.”

Erik shook his head and pulled his shirt up. Ezhno took a jar of paste from his pouch and spread it over Erik’s cuts, then moved on to Sten.

* * *

Hilda took off walking. Mato looked at the anger in her footsteps, then went and grabbed his pack before following. She walked for at least an hour before settling on a rock with a view of the land they had traversed over the last few days.

Tears streamed down her face, and she wrapped her arms around herself. Mato sat beside her and waited. After a long time she leaned forward and blew snot on the ground.

“You are heartbroken,” Mato said, “but I do not understand why. I thought you would be angry.”

“Do you understand what happened, Mato?”

“Not at all.”

“He disowned me. Took my name, and gave me yours. Normally we would decide how to manage our names as a couple. I might take yours, you might take mine, or we might keep our names.

“I made him hate me. I didn’t mean to do that.” She trailed off and cried some more.

“I will speak with him,” Mato said.

She nodded. “That would be best. I doubt he would speak to me.”

They sat on the rock until Hilda said her bum was getting sore. Then they got up and went back to camp. Naturally everyone had moved on, and they started up the trail.

Dusk came, and they picked their way along, trying to be alert for threats without tripping over stones or the occasional branch.

Thyra was waiting for them at the edge of the firelight, and motioned for them to follow. She walked some distance away from camp before speaking.

“I love you, Hilda. And you too, Mato. You’ll be a good son.”

Hilda threw her arms around her mother, and both of them hung on to each other for a while. When they were finished hugging, Thyra spoke.

“Your father is devastated. We have lost so much, and he was shaken by how close the ants came. He was terrified of losing you, Hilda. And then he forced you out of the family. He’s so low I’m worried about him.”

“I don’t feel much better,” Hilda said. “If Mato hadn’t gone with me, I wouldn’t have come back.”

“Are you willing to heal this wound?” Thyra asked. “Not tonight, of course, but in time?”

Hilda nodded vigorously and hugged her mother again. “Of course I will.”

“Good. Come join us at the fire. We’ll get you something to eat, and we can talk about things that don’t matter.”