Gorm’s mouth fell open and Raven’s men chuckled.
“Tread lightly, kona, or you will be very sorry,” Wolf warned and turned away from her, signaling the six warriors who had been by his side since yesterday to follow him and they did, the old woman opening the door to stand to the side then following in after they all entered the longhouse.
Gorm’s smile returned, though not as strongly as before and Raven forced a smile to her face to help ease the man’s worry.
“Follow me,” Gorm said and Raven and her men followed after him.
“Who was the old woman?” Raven asked as she walked alongside Gorm.
“That is Detta. She tends the keep mostly and helps me if needed. She has been here before Wolf took ownership. She is a kind soul and keeps much to herself.”
Raven filed that away in her memory. It meant she had much knowledge of the keep itself and of the surrounding land.
Gorm showed them to several buildings, some new, that housed various animals. She was pleased to see their horses would have a good, sturdy shelter. She and her men tended their animals before continuing on to their lodgings. None said a word about Wolf, nor would they dare do so in front of Gorm. Raven was surprised when Gorm led them to a grouping of six cottages and her men were each given a cottage of their own.
“The whole cottage is for me alone?” Iver asked.
“We don’t all share one?” Fyn asked, just as surprised.
“No. You each have one of your own,” Gorm confirmed.
George smiled. “That means we don’t have to contend with your snoring, Iver.”
Brod laughed. “We’ll hear him straight through the walls he’s so loud.”
It was good to see her men smile, laugh, and tease one another. Life hadn’t been easy and seeing some of that jollity they once shared return warmed her heart.
“Does someone occupy the sixth cottage that’s grouped here?” Clive asked.
“That would be me.”
They all turned to see a petite, thin woman, her long, blond hair in a braid and over it was a scarf that tied in a knot in the back of her head. She was dressed in the garments of a Northwoman, a dark linen underdress and an apron type tunic over it. Bronze brooches were clipped to each of the two apron straps at her chest and strung beads hung between them. She was pretty even with the scar that ran along one cheek. A small lad, about four years, with a thatch of thick blond hair, was plastered against her, his skinny, little arms hugging tight to her leg.
“This is Greta, our healer,” Gorm said with a wide smile.
“I am pleased to meet you,” Greta said hesitantly and slowly.
“You’re just learning our language, aren’t you?” Raven asked.
“I am,” Greta said with a pleasant smile and again spoke slowly. “I hope to have my son, Tait, versed in his homeland language as well as your language.”
“Wise of you,” Raven said.
“We’ll help teach him,” Fyn said, “if his da doesn’t mind.”
“Greta is a widow,” Gorm said.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Greta. My men are good men. You are lucky to have them nearby,” Raven said, seeing the apprehension on the woman’s face as she looked at each of them. She couldn’t blame her. She’d be living surrounded by men who were strangers to her. In time, she would learn they were good men to have around. She also thought it wise of Gorm to place her men here. With people seeking the healer, many eyes could be kept on them. No doubt her men would realize the same, though she would mention it to them.
Greta nodded, but she still didn’t appear convinced.
“Food for my men?” Raven asked, turning to Gorm.
“That is my task,” Greta said, Raven’s attention returning to her. “I will cook for them, though their task is to help provide the fish or game needed as the other men do. More is stored in the sheds for all to share and so none go hungry.”
“We’ll do our share,” Clive assured her.
“I am cooking a fish stew and will let you know when it is ready,” Greta said and took her son’s hand to walk past them and enter her cottage.
“We should return to the longhouse now,” Gorm advised.
“After I speak alone with my men,” Raven said and Gorm made no protest. He nodded and stepped away to give her time with her men.
“These cottages are a bit of a distance from the longhouse, but I suppose it’s better than a climb to the keep,” Clive said with a nod to the stone keep sitting high on a hill.”
“I’ll make sure to see all of you throughout each day as we discussed,” Raven informed them and lowered her voice. “Something has come up and I want to see what we can find out about it.”