Signy Kráka - Part 2: A story of völva magic and survival in Viking Scandinavia: Signy Kráka Saga, #1.2

By NH Kerr

"The next part of a very well written saga that cost me another night because it captured my heart so much that I drank more coffee and had to read on... Signy feels like a sister by now." ~ Graureiher  

Part Two: Signy's saga continues
A freedom sought. A fear seeded. A fate steered.

In her new life in Birka, Signy finds that not everyone is how she thought they were. Her search for freedom and a way home goes on, but the Norns want more from her. They use every choice she makes to bring her closer to knowing her true strength. Harsh lessons await her. At the gathering of the Thing in Uppsala, Signy has more than one strange experience, and horror both haunts and hunts her.

In Viking Scandinavia in the ninth century, life is a matter of both fate and will. The gods smile on the brave, but the world holds plenty to fear. Heroes choose to be bold, and this is the story of a heroine.  

Please note: This is the second part of a novel told in three installments. You need to begin with Part One and read all three to get the full story.

Signy Kráka is a story of völva magic, fortitude, friends and foes, survival and betrayal. This is historical fiction with a twist of Norse mysticism and will also appeal to fantasy fans.

"A story that keeps you coming back for more." ~ zyffyr

"I have nothing but praise for this book. I have finished all three in less than a day. You can feel the world of the story in every page." ~ Miranda M.

" I loved how the history and belief system was woven into these books and learned quite a bit by reading this book." ~ M.Hodgin

"These books walk the tight rope of historical reality and magical story telling, while making it look easy. The storyline grabs you from the beginning and keeps you wanting to know more. The author's understanding of the period and gift for words submerges you in a realistic picture of the pre-christian viking world that leaves you with all the sights, sounds and smells even after the last word is read." ~ naomi

If you find the mystical world of the Vikings fascinating, you will enjoy this story.

Written with attention to historical detail and sweeping imagination, this atmospheric story transports the reader into the culture and beliefs of Viking-Age Scandinavia.

Dive into a deep and different world

Let the saga of Signy Kráka whisk you away to pagan Scandinavia

• Language: English
• Publisher: NH Kerr
• Release date: Feb 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386924586

NH Kerr

NH Kerr writes historical fiction with a twist of Norse mysticism. The mystical and mythological flavour to her stories has also attracted fantasy readers. Educated in England, Scotland, Denmark, and Spain, Danish-born NH Kerr writes with a joy for language and storytelling. Before her career as a novelist, NH Kerr taught literature and second languages to older teens in Denmark. It is her firm belief that fiction is a gift we give ourselves and each other; that stories have the power to change us and our world.

Book preview

A few tips before you begin reading:

NAMES:

I have chosen to use Old Norse forms for the names of the characters, most mythological elements, and certain characteristic practices or features which lack a good English equivalent. A little basic pronunciation help is that an accent above a vowel means that vowel is longer, so blót has a long o. And names ending in three consonants have an unwritten vowel hidden in them, so Thorulfr is pronounced Thorulfur with the final u sounding like the vowel in book.

TELLING TIME:

The time references are what is known as sun marks or day marks. These are landscape features beneath the sun as it moves across the sky. They can be a bit confusing to our modern minds. Mid-evening in the sun-mark terminology is 6 p.m. for instance, and not what we today would consider the middle of the evening. But the term is actually quite logical when you consider midnight and midday, I think. What the Scandinavian people called day mark is 9 a.m., and not when the sun rises as one might think. Of course, the sun doesn’t rise at the same time year round, anyway.

The exact sun marks used in the story are explained in the glossary at the back of the book.

EXCLAMATIONS:

Exclamations used in the story are purely my own invention. Inspired by Norse myths and mythology, and in a style somewhat influenced by exclamations we use today.

BOTANICAL NAMES (PLANTS):

Some of the plant names are also inventions or loose translations of Scandinavian common names. I found it too incongruent to use names with Latin roots. You can find a translation of them in the glossary at the back of the book.

I have also opted for the term wort for herbs. This is because of etymology again. Wort is not only old usage, it is related to the Scandinavian urt which is still in use and means herb. And speaking of etymology …

WORD CHOICE IN GENERAL:

Some word choices are influenced by the word’s etymology. Some of these are naturally connected to modern Northern English dialects, e.g. clough, lass. I have sought to favour Scandinavian and Germanic over Latin and Norman French. Sometimes for clarity this is not possible. Hopefully, I have managed to pepper the story with enough words of that flavour to create the illusion of a Norse voice and yet kept the reading experience pleasurable.

Part Two

This is part two of the complete novel, which is told in three parts.

They are best read in order.

If you haven’t read part one, you can get it here:

Signy Kráka - Part One

(Just click above)

Scandinavia

829-830 CE

The Norns know

The Norns know who you truly are

and who you long to be

The Norns know you

better than you know yourself

The Norns know all

1. Word of Warning

Frúa Helga was in a foul mood.

Don’t pull on it so. Stretching it will make my cut uneven. She waved her scissors at Edda and another thrall woman Signy hadn’t seen before. The two of them held down the corners of a length of woollen cloth on the table.

Oh, go away, you halfwit. Helga hit the thrall woman over the fingers. The poor woman cowered, wide-eyed. You’re useless.

Signy stared. Frúa Helga had never hit her, or anyone that she had seen. In fact, she couldn’t remember seeing her owner lose her temper at all. She could be angry or sharp, but it was usually in a quiet fuming sort of way, where you could tell just from her manner. Now she was openly flustered. What was wrong? Signy stopped where she was, just inside the door.

Edda caught her eye and shook her head. So, not Signy’s fault or what did that shake mean.

Taking a deep breath, Signy stepped forward with the water buckets and emptied them into the barrel, which they kept inside during winter to prevent the water from freezing.

Helga glanced at her. Come here and take over from that … She gestured at the thrall woman. She’s utterly useless. Not only does she not speak a word of Norse, she must be soft in the head. Droplets of spit flew from Helga’s lips as she spoke.

Signy hurried over beside Edda, who scooted sideways to gently place her hands on top of the other woman’s white fingers and loosened their cramped hold on the cloth.

Helga huffed and bent over the cloth positioning the scissors. About to cut, she stopped to measure again with her hands. Her mouth pulled into a droop, and she rubbed her forehead between the eyebrows. Lifting the scissors again, she squinted at the cloth. Signy and Edda both shifted their weight slightly forward onto their hands on the cloth to keep it steady, but instead of cutting Helga threw down the scissors, expelled a puff and stamped out the door.

The slam of the door against the wall echoed in their ears through the silence.

A loud sobbing from the unknown thrall broke the strange spell that had held them frozen in place. Edda pulled the woman into an embrace and patted her back.

Do you know what’s going on? Signy asked Edda.

Edda shook her head. But you be on your best behaviour, you hear? In that mood, she would sell you in the blink of an eye.

Signy gasped.

Looking puzzled, Edda wrinkled her brow. Haven’t you heard about the others?

Signy wasn’t sure if she managed to shake her head, or if Edda just interpreted her round eyes.

Edda sighed and, with her arm around the thrall woman, moved over to sit on the bench. The woman’s tears stopped.

Frúa Helga has had three thrall girls before you. Since her son died, you understand.

So in the course of a year, her owner had had four thralls counting herself. Signy nodded briefly.

The first one lasted a mere three weeks. I heard it was the crying that drove Frúa Helga mad. Edda gestured for a drink.

Signy rose.

The next one was older, Edda continued. She was from one of the local farms on the mainland. Her family lost everything for some reason. I can’t remember why. She frowned and stared into space.

Signy returned and pushed the cup into Edda’s hand.

What happened to her? Why didn’t Frúa Helga keep her?

Edda took a sip before answering. She talked too much, I reckon. Also wasn’t mindful enough of her new place as a thrall.

Was she mindful enough herself? Signy gulped. What happened to them?

Oh, she sold them to one of the traders passing through. My heart near broke for the first one. Tiny little thing. Thin as a leaf.

Signy sank onto a stool.

Edda didn’t notice her. Her eyes were still staring into the air. The one after that was foreign. Much like this one. She shrugged her right shoulder at the now silent woman beside her. Didn’t speak a word of Norse. From somewhere east, I thought.

Was she sold too?

Oh, no, that one was offered to the gods. She was very beautiful, mind. Sleek dark hair and creamy skin.

Frúa Helga killed her? Signy squeezed her eyes shut and listened to her heart beat until Edda spoke.

Oh, yes, gave her to Odinn in thanks for her son’s place in Valhalla. I saw it.

A suffocating silence spread around the three of them as they sat huddled by the fire with their backs to the gloomy edges of the room. The silence slid giant icy fingers about Signy’s neck. Even if she had found words to say, she was certain she would have no voice. The silence had snatched it from her. Thin curls of smoke snaked their way from the fire up to the hole in the roof.

She started when Edda leaned forward and touched her knee, locking eyes with her.

Listen to me. You keep your owner happy, you hear. You’re not likely to find a better. She won’t beat you or mistreat you. She’ll feed you well and keep you warm and healthy. But she will get rid of you, one way or another, if you displease her.

Signy frowned. She had been too caught up with finding a way home to be truly smart about Helga. How could she have forgotten that her fortune could change in a heartbeat? The risks she had taken by dawdling on her trips to the well and going out without errands or permission.

Her eyes fell on the abandoned cloth on the table. Should we do something about that? She pointed.

Edda wrinkled her brow. Are you mad? Don’t mess with it. She got up. Best be going. Time to get a meal started. Come on, Bitra. She began to get up, and Bitra helped her.

Signy pulled Edda up by her other arm. Bitra?

Don’t look at me. Olli named her.

That explained it. He would think bitter and uncooperative when the poor woman was simply scared and confused.

Signy decided to get started on a meal as well. There was no telling when her owner would be back, but best have something ready around the usual time, and she could always reheat if necessary.

Thinking of her owner, she wondered what had made her leave like that. What had made her angry? Was it really just poor Bitra?

Signy walked over to the table and examined the cloth. It was a beautiful weave of mostly red wool with some yellow in the bottom, which gave it a golden tone. She smoothed her hands over its warm surface before folding it neatly and placing it on top of the big chest for her owner’s clothes.

Helga didn’t return till after dark. She had a fresh glow in her cheeks and looked like she had been walking some time.

I shall need you with me at all times, and any errands must be carried out swiftly.

Yes, Frúa.

So much for making skates with Thorulfr tomorrow.

2. Frúa Loki

A cold wind off the frozen firth blasted Signy’s face when she passed the last house in the row. Hraesvelgr, the corpse swallower, the Jotun giant eagle at the north edge of the skies must be angry or hungry for more dead bodies this morning, whipping up the wind with his giant wings. Signy pulled the hood of her cloak tighter about her face.

In front of her, Helga strode on towards the town wall, seemingly unaffected by the wind although