Thrilled rooster, thrilled face, thrilled eyes, thrilled man.

It was the crack of dawn, the roosters were cockling on the rooftops, workers at the dock were preparing to sail, and Geir has a new companion in his boat.

Her name is Estryd Einarsdottir, a spunky red head that is more boy than girl. She’s a merchant just like her brother, Marco, has travelled the world also and saw many faces. But Geir and his brothers were new faces to this land, something that she has not taught of, men from the west.

“So, tell me, really, where do you three came from?” Still suspicious and still wary of the three Arnesens.

“Look how many times have I say this… we came from the cold sea of the north!” Geir, controlling the steer of the ship, was vexed at the repeated question by Estryd.

“Sis, the very thing you are sitting on is one hell of an evidence!”

“That is true… then why did you come here?” Still suspicious and still wary, but now actually asking the right question.

“Land.” Geir answered.

“Land?”

“Land, a warm land that could grow golden wheats, grow plump red grapes… a place where you can die with the sun blasting warm air instead of cold air...”

“Wow, that’s really specific…” Estryd said.

“Well, the place we’re heading might fit your bill Geir! Welcome to Vin Côte!”

It was a city like none other, it pales in comparison to what Harranborg was, more bigger, more ships in the docks. Defended with high walls and towers, made of stone, not wood like Harranborg.

Geir was still familiar with it, he has dealt with cities of stone that is lived by many people, but what he has not seen is the massive docks Vin Côte has.

Rows of ships were docked there, there’s one that was like what Marco described, there was another that was similar to their longship, and there’s even a massive one, to the point it eclipses their longship.

Another thing of note after docking the longship, was the innards of the city itself. Vibrant colors were everywhere, dyes of all sorts were painted on the streets, the walls, even the dock itself.

“Okay, I’ll be delivering this carpet with Geir and you three just stay at a… tavern or something, we’re not going to be that long anyway.” Estryd said.

Geir coming with Estryd was more or less a deal they strucked together back in Harranborg. Being a bodyguard and a ship captain, while Estryd, and Marco to boot, became a guide to this new world.

It was a fair done deal, as Geir could see the situation of the land, he will be arriving, with full contexts and explanations.

Like Vin Côte for example, Geir learned about their declining wine quality and rumors of war on the horizon. The war part was kind of interesting for Geir, as he could sell his specialty in killing people to get land, but… sadly for him, as Estryd informed about this parts of old world, mercenaries aren’t looked upon that gracefully.

* * *

After finishing the delivery, Geir and Estryd went for a detour to the wine market. Geir was trying to confirmed if what Estryd said was true, about Vin Côte’s wine, and when he tried a sample of it in the market, he was… disappointed is not the right word nor is delighted.

He was on the fence really, something of how thick and heavy it was than the usual wine he drank. But he wasn’t going to buy it, as Estryd heavily insisted on another wine.

“I’ll introduce you to Fiorire wine, it’s much more better than Vin Wine!” Estryd said.

“Bah! Fiorire wine is an over-valued, sad excuse of a wine, just because they can be drunk straight out of the bottle! Only milkdrinkers drink that!” The wine merchant that gave Geir the sample said.

“For the love of Lux Benoit! Not everyone like to water down their wine!”

“Then don’t water it down!”

“And not everyone like this kind of dryness too Benoit!!” Estryd said lividly.

At that point Geir saw an ugly confrontation was about to happen, so he pulled Estryd back and went straight to ship.

Though it was really out of the ordinary for Geir, to be with such a strong headed and confrontational woman, it was interesting, nonetheless.

His track record of woman in his life has always been the quiet ones, timid ones, or if he was down in his luck the demanding ones. None was like Estryd, there was this fire he saw that was very familiar to his own, this thrilling nature just being around her.

But he knows that’s just for a while, just a blissful and fleeting moment for him.

* * *

After Vin Côte and its delivery, also drinking some beer in the tavern, they went back on the sea to travel to another city, Geamradh, called the Winter City as its street are always covered in snow.

When they finally arrived at the city itself, Geir saw how it pales in comparison to the Vin Côte. The Docks were quiet, nearly empty even, with only a couple of ships docked. The busyness wasn’t like Vin Côte also, as workers in the docks and in the streets were that many.

It was a somewhat disappointing sight for Geir, but… it feels like home. The snowy floor, the cold air, and the people with thick fur coats. It made him remember about his father and mother, the two people he loves dearly, he remembers how sad they were when he left home when he was 15, and now, he wonders, wonders if they are fine without him and his brothers.

“Ohh! I almost forgot! If you three are interested, you can go see the Seeress of the North! She gives free foresight of the future, though she’ll give it cryptically.” Marco said.

And when the three brothers heard that, they can’t help but to be interested on this Seeress.

So, the Arnesens went uphill to the castle where the Seeress was living in, seeking audiances for her to tell their fate and future. But something interesting happen when they stepped their foot in the first gate, they suddenly teleported inside the castle, right in front of a huge door.

The door then suddenly opens itself where… they were greeted by a young girl.

“Ahh! The Arnesens, come, come!” Geir, with his two brothers sticking behind him, went in slowly with their guards up. “Please, be at ease, I teleported the three of you, so no time were wasted, as It seems you three are seeking my ability of foresight. So, sit please!”

After assessing the situation and confirming the young girl’s words were true, Geir and his brothers sat down at the three chairs that were perfectly set up for the three of them.

“Good, let me introduce myself first! My name is Ciara Feannag, the Seeress of the North, and yes… I am young, too young even to be a Seeress, but I assure you, my age does not hinder my role as a Seeress!” Ciara said.

“Nice to meet you Lady Feannag, my name is Geir, son of Arne, and these three are my little brothers, Karl and Eirikr, sons of Arne also.” Geir introduce them three.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you! Now, let’s get to why you are here in the first place! Which one of you wants to know your future first!”

““Me!”” Karl and Eirikr, said simultaneously.

“Haha, well let me see what I see… ahh… kings you two will be, but your crowns will be different.”

She then tilted her head to Karl.

“You, your crown will be that of an unalloyed gold, pure, gleaming, and beautiful, studded by all gems that is extraordinary. But no throne will be given to you, only steel you will be given.” She paused for a moment. “And I see you using that steel to your enemies, to your friends, and then yourself. You will cut yourself, cut your enemies, and cut your friends to many tiny pieces, where your son, your grandson, and so on, will piece them together to make a man.”

Like Marco said to Geir, the Seeress’ mouth will only give riddles and puzzles, it is the one who hears it that must piece it together.

“But you…”

She tilted her head next to Eirikr.

“Will have a mixed iron crown upon your head, it is unpure, dirt-ridden, and abhorrent…” She paused again for a moment. “Unlike your brother you will have a throne, steel also, and you will unite brothers, but… it won’t be steel nor your throne that unite them, it is your seed. It will flourish in many lands, bearing more fruits than what you are bearing now and even in the future, sadly… it will also be the destruction of what you have built with your sweat and blood.”

After that, after hearing what the future holds for Karl and Eirikr, they left, with mixed feelings, feelings of happiness, sadness, and curiosity. They then left after getting what they thought they wanted.

“Where are you going Geir Stålder?” Geir stopped, that nickname, it was a nickname that no one knows except for his brothers in arms.

“I am leaving…” Curious, suspicious, but wary nonetheless as he answered the obvious.

“You’re not interested what the future has for you?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…” the Young Seeress smiled. “No songs will be sung in your name and your stories will never see the light, some will know, but many will relegate it as any other ordinary story.”

Geir floundered, this is exactly why he doesn’t want to know his future, but… hearing this could also be an opportunity for him, to change it.

“Now your son… ohh… your son, I see many things in him, many things he will do to this world! I see a cabal of metal masters, I see a stomped grape near a river, I see… a wounded crow in the hills, and I see… a witch, a naked witch, a wrong naked witch that your son will wrong… but there’s one interesting thing that I saw, a red lion, crowned and armed with a sword, standing tall against many animals. No other being can stand toe to toe with that red lion, even a dragon, as only another lion can fight it back and… a wolf, no, a fox? Wait… a human… no, that’s not even it… he is… not of this world... huh…”

“Can I leave now?” Geir asked a bit vexingly, even though he was slightly happy at what his blood will do.

“Yes… you may leave.” Ciara said, still a bit shaken at what she just saw. “But one other thing, do you truly believe you deserve what you deserve?’

“Of course!” Geir knew what she meant.

“Hmm… well off you go then and remember this Stålder, you are a good man, through and through.”

* * *

The predictions as predicted took a toll on the three Arnesens, they still can’t make sense of what the seeress said to them, but the thing that they can make sense of are things… that doesn’t lift their moods up. It doesn’t push them down either, as instead it just fuel more questions after questions.

“That’s the Seeress of the North for you! Don’t think of it too much, the only thing you’ll get is a broken mind.” Marco said sarcastically.

“Hmm… well, where to next?”

“Høyde!”