Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

Chapter 419: CDXIX. The Final Checks

"If you agree, you can sleep in this room, right next to ours. I know it's not the best, but as you know, we weren't waiting for visitors" Skaldr told Gridd and Dag, pointing to the interior of a small damp room upstairs along with the other bedrooms. 

Dag accepted and thanked the archer again, explaining that the next day he would wait for him in the courtyard to prepare everything necessary for the diplomatic mission with the others. 

Skaldr agreed and together with Orvar entered the room where other warriors had already taken their seats, arranging themselves on the ground, occupying every warm corner of the building.

Knowing that this time he could not spend the night alone with Freydis, Dag lay down next to her and his sister, both ready to rest in the designated room.

Unlike the previous night spent in the cave, this time the ceiling above their heads was solid and real and the weather outside the building was nowhere near perceptible.

"I think today went better than I hoped" Dag said, looking up and expressing his thoughts aloud.

Gridd and Freydis both turned to him and smiled at him.

Freydis placed her head on his chest, as she used to, and slowly fell asleep, as Gridd slowly reached her brother's hand, gently touching it.

Dag turned his gaze to his sister, perceiving that she, like his woman, needed physical contact, not having a man ready to hug her and make her feel loved every night.

He shook her hand and began to caress it with his thumb, helping Gridd to relax and fall asleep, while Freydis was already in the dream world.

Dag continued to look at Gridd, thinking back to the last adventures they had lived together and reflecting on the fact that, although she was a talented warrior, he sometimes forgot that she, like others, was a woman. And like every human being, she needed demonstration of affection and kind words.

Her blonde hair slipped on his hand, touching it.

She was a beautiful girl, one of the most beautiful he had ever known in his life, yet, she had never had a man to be selflessly loved by. 

Dag thought it was strange, but he didn't care. 

Indeed, a side of himself was even happy with this, because so he should not have shared Gridd's love with anyone.

Although the two of them were not brothers of blood, there had always been a strange and strong attraction between them, which over time had greatly strengthened their relationship and their empathy.

As Freydis continued to sleep on his chest, he continued to watch Gridd, who with her eyes closed and her mouth slightly open, had fallen asleep.

In the room, a half-loose candle above a shelf provided a small amount of light.

Dag had remained the only one still awake, in silence.

With the image of his sister in front of his eyes and the warmth in his heart, thinking he was very lucky to have two beautiful women by his side, he fell asleep with a smile painted on his face.

...

The next morning, there was no rooster to give good morning, but it was better than the previous days.

No one had been forced overnight to stay awake for guard shifts and everyone, for the first time since they were in Krypstorm, had benefited from a full night's sleep.

Rejuvenated and without the coldness in their bones, the warriors came out of the rooms one at a time, trying not to step on their companions lying on the ground and still numb and headed out of the building, to breathe some fresh air and escape the damp stench of which the walls of the fort were drenched.

Dag opened his eyes, noting that in front of his face there was that of Gridd, who was already awake and was looking at him, after realizing that her brother had been in that position for a long time, judging by the saliva that had poured from his mouth.

Seized by a sudden embarrassment, Dag immediately turned his head, returning to look at the ceiling and pretending nothing, even though he was aware that his sister had understood what had happened.

Slowly, he moved his hand through Freydis's hair, gently waking her up and without sharp chest movements, waited for her to open her eyes.

"Good morning" he said, referring to both his woman and his sister, who responded and then stood up.

"Hey... hello, Dag" Freydis said, opening one eye at a time and stretching over him as if his body were a comfortable mattress.

The two lovers exchanged a kiss and then got up, leaving their room lastly and heading outwards like everyone else, noting that the air inside had become practically unbreathable because of all those people piled up to sleep.

When they arrived in the yard, all the soldiers were already there, as were the archers, some of whom were feeding the horses in the stable, handing them tufts of straw from the opening in the door and filling the large tank from which they drank with water.

"Have you had a pleasant night?" Orvar asked, approaching Dag from behind and touching his shoulder as if they were life-long friends.

"The best we could imagine. Thank you again for the hospitality, we will never thank you enough" Dag said, who at the time thought that if he wanted to seize the fort with violence, he would succeed anyway, killing the archers from the first to the last, even on his own.

Slightly shaking his head and trying not to make these malicious thoughts, he approached the other Masters colleagues, who were already discussing the plan.

"Then? Have you decided anything? Do you know which one of you will go on a mission this time?" he asked, curiously, knowing that he did not have a key role for the first time.

"I will go with Orvar and a third warrior to choose. I think that guy, Terje, wants to volunteer, I have that feeling" Kjell answered, who incredibly had chosen of his own free will to accompany Orvar on the mission, despite not trusting strangers.