————-
The villager were all inside the main hall, makeing merry after a hard days hunting.
Bjarkmar that was the man’s name, he spilled his drink, covering me with mead.
Iarrarl was in front of him before i could blink, shouting loudly about how he had insulated her honoured guest.
“I want blood for this, tomorrow at drawn, the forest clearing to the death.”
She was loud and blunt, calling him out for all to hear.
“Done, i will gut you like a fish and finally be free of you and your lusting eyes.”
He spat the last of his drink in Iarrarl face.
Iarrarl smiled as the mead dripped down her face…
————
Frost hung in the air as i approached the site of the dual.
The entire village was peasant, from oldest the the youngest that waited, in a ring around the clearing.
Bjarkmar was an ugly man, a thick line of scar tissue ran diagonally across his face spitting it two.
With a vest of wooden scales covering his chest, a patted beard and a stone tipped spear in hand, he was the typical wild barbarian.
Ragnheior smiled at me as i arrived, and for the first time a could make out the scars running down her face.
She was dressed in a thick leather cuirass, held togeater with copper rivets, in her hand was a spiked fail.
“Well here’s the good news, Bjarkmar has never been in a duel in his life, and my sister has much-”
Suddenly she crowed fell silent and pointed to a figure at the tree line.
“a skull maiden, there will be much blood spilled today.” Ragnheior whispered to me.
From out of the shadows she came, a woman like no other tall and muscular, sliver mask shaped like a grinning skull covered her face save of a pair of with sea green eyes.
Her body was covered in sky blue markings that ran up her chest and down across the arms.
She stop in front of Iarrarl, fixing her with those enchanting eyes.
Iarrarl’s hands moved quicky, removing her armour and undoing the leather thongs that held her furs in place.
Striped nude to the waist save for a hide strip around her bust, she knelt before the maiden.
A twisting network of fine scars, coloured blue covered her body in a complex flowing patten.
Without a word the maiden drew her sword and with both hands on the grip she raised the blade above Iarrarl’s neck.
She lowered it slowly so that it barely touched Iarrarl’s neck, before she her self knelt before Iarrarl offering out the blade.
“.. She will watch the fight to see if Iarrarl is ready to lean the higher mysteries.
Or if need be send her on..”
The air was still as the skull maiden left the ring…
Art time
——–
The skull maiden
Iarrarl
Bjarkmar
