Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

Chapter 421: CDXXI. Keep An Eye On Them

"We can also walk, I don't care... the important thing is to be alone and enjoy some privacy, if you know what I mean... this place is too cramped and teeming with people... and I would like to spend my free time feeling the warmth of your body... do you agree?" 

After whispering these words in her ear, Dag squeezed one of her buttocks into his hand, making his woman feel the extent of his desire.

"Hahaha! All right, Warchief... If you insist... I'm ready to sacrifice myself for the cause!" Freydis chuckled, teasing him and implicitly accepting his proposal.

"Well, let's wait for Kjell and the others to leave for the mission... then we'll have all the time we need" Dag replied, who despite feeling like he was on holiday, having to wait for a whole day, somehow felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders.

The person concerned of the verbal confrontation with the Ice Giants was him, so the calm of that moment was only apparent: if Kranus had decided to meet him, he would have to look for a way to bargain, asking for Claire, to whom he had not stopped thinking even for a moment.

The preparations for the departure came almost to an end, when the four horses came out of their stable and the warriors chose three of them, leaving the fourth tied out, near the fence, to breathe some fresh air.

As Orvar had already anticipated, they looked run down and sickly, with the bones of their necks and legs slightly protruding.

On one of them they could even see the rib cage, which surrounded a swollen stomach, probably due to some strange parasite that lived inside his body.

Kjell stroked the horse he had chosen, trying to bond with him that had to make the short journey.

Seeing his Master behave like that, Terje did the same, beginning to caress his horse on his nose and touch his speckled mane.

From that moment on, Orvar realized that he was not in the least accustomed to that gesture, due to the fact that he had never participated in a real mission.

One of the warriors of the Hunters Of Ullr brought three bulky saddles and handed them over to the team, who placed them on their respective horses.

Kjell opened his own and adapted it to the back of the beast, looking at it with a confused air.

"I haven't seen a saddle with steel footrests in decades... I guess they haven't been used for a long time, haven't they?" Kjell asked wryly, intent on ridiculing Orvar and his men.

The leader of the hunters merely giggled, without responding to the taunts, showing a great character maturity.

When all three saddles were finally hooked, Terje was the first to mount on the back of his horse, moving slightly his barycenter to see if everything was as it should be.

"Well, apparently we're ready to go. We'll be back as soon as possible... When we get there, I will report exactly your words, Dag" Kjell said, moving the reins of the horse and turning toward the Fort gate, waiting for someone to lower it. 

"All right, Kjell... I'm counting on it!" Dag exclaimed, giving everyone the impression that he trusted Master Kjell, even though deep down, everyone knew he wasn't. 

Terje began riding in that direction when Dag grabbed the reins of his horse and looked him in the eye. 

The young Berserkr turned to his Warchief that said softly: "Terje, keep an eye on Kjell, but above all on Orvar... we don't know if we can trust him, it's better to always be wary! Make sure none of them do shit and don't worry if you need to speak out, do it quietly... you will be under my protection."

"All right, Warchief. I'll keep my eyes open!" he replied, nodding his head and continuing toward his fellow travelers as Dag left the reins. 

Dag stepped back, returning to Freydis and watching the three adventurers eagerly wait for the full gate to open, while the day's Sun was hidden behind large white clouds, barely passing its light. 

Kjell came out first, slightly pushing his horse, who as soon as he saw the outside of the walls hesitated for a moment to get out, but then obeyed his man. 

Orvar followed him and passed him, moving without stopping in a given direction, already knowing the way. 

Terje glanced back, finding Dag's gaze, who smiled and reassured him. 

"They're gone, Dag... don't think about it now. They're going to come back before you know it. You'll see, the mission is in good hands" Egill said, who suddenly sprang up behind him to tell him what he was thinking. 

"I know, Egill, I know. Kjell is an incredible warrior, that's not what I'm afraid of it's just his dialectical skills. He's never been a great speaker... not that the Jotunns are, but maybe it would have been better if one of us would have gone with them" Dag replied, speaking to his colleague and friend of his misgivings. 

When the confrontation between the two ended, every soldier in the Fort tried to commit his time, making himself useful in some way. 

Some warriors accompanied the archers to collect wood, others fixed the mess of the building and the courtyard, completely dirty and run down.

Dag and Freydis approached the horse tied to the fence and untied it. 

"Where are you two going?" a voice behind them asked. 

"Karl! Don't pop out all of a sudden ever again, you scared the hell out of me! We're not going anywhere, we just want to take a ride nearby, mind your own business!" Freydis replied, who had not noticed Karl and jolted in fear. 

"All right, okay... keep calm, I was just asking!" the young healer said, stepping back with his hands pointed forward, in sign of an apology. 

Dag chuckled, amused by the tone used by Freydis, who scolded her brother for no reason.