Annika's Call
Annika's Call
The sun glinted off the comb that held her red locks back from her face. She was flush as she had been spinning wool all morning.
“Annika” her mother called.
“Yes modir” she replied.
“Annika, I need you to go and and gather some carrots”
“Okay, I’ll grab some more carrots”
Were the longboats arriving home, She wondered?. She walked past her family home. She loved the glow of the fire and the warmth of family she knew was inside. The wooden house was sturdy and the walls of wood filled with waddle and daub provided a shelter from the weather that could arise on the coast.
Annika knelt down and started to pull the carrots up by their long stringy green stems. Her woolen skirt got caught under her leather shoes and she stumbled forward. Her hands reached out and she caught herself but her hands were covered with mud. “faen* (*Oh Shoot)” she exclaimed. She sat down for a minute. Her mind wondered, she had never left her village. She was a Viking woman, she was expected to run the house, care for the children and teach them about Odin and Thor and offer to them for success.
But what was beyond the sea? What laid beyond the village? Sometimes she wished her father were let her go on his ship. She has heard stories of famed Viking women that were warriors. The Battle of Bråvalla, 300 shieldmaidens fought alongside the men. And how could she forget Blenda of Smaland why saves the Svealand (Sweden) from the invasion of the Jutland (Danes). In her cleverness she invited the warriors to a feast and got them drunk. She called her army of women and killed them while they slept. She smiled, as she was thinking. Women were wonderful. Her Faðir (father) loved her and used to play with her in the meadow. He would call out to her “come at me daughter of Jutland” and she would run to him pretending to strike him with her club. Her smile reached higher up her face. But she was not unhappy. She loved her village and her family and friends. She just wondered what was beyond where the blue sky met the blue sea.
“Oh, hurry” she said to herself, modir is waiting for the carrots.
The light dawned in the east, bringing tendrils of pinkish hues through the window in the top of the house. The light slowly moved toward her bed. She rolled over and stretched. Today was a big day. Faðir was going off on the longboat and they were bringing the blot sacrifice to Odin today. They had to ask for protection.
Annika's Call continues...
The whole village would be there today and she would get to gossip with Revna. She might even get a glimpse of Bjorn. Oh he was so handsome. His brown hair framed his face and those brown eyes could pierce her thoughts. Her and Revna could talk about him. Of course she thought Gorm was the guy. His blonde locks curled slightly away from his forehead. But Annika thought Bjorn’s features were much more handsome.
They needed to go to the Magistrates house today. He would lead the entire village in the ceremony. The Magistrate’s young daughter was so cute. Tove just passed her 3rd winter. She loved to flip over the low hanging tree branch and her laugh was like small bells of joy in the village. The Magistrate could help them gain Odin favor. He was like a priest who would lead the village in the ceremony.
Annika got up and started to help modir with the morning meal, dagmal. They took the leftover stew and put the pot back on the fire to rewarm it. Annika began to cut the flatbread made yesterday of barley flour, while modir started another pot with porridge of oats for her younger siblings. Annika piled up died apples, plums and bilberries. She carried the plate to the table and came back to stir the stew. It was bubbling and smelled wonderful. She then carried the plate of bread to the table and knelt by the pot of stew to start ladling it up into bowls. She grabbed the spoons her grandfather had carved from bone and the were ready to eat. There gathered around the table was her modir, faðir, her older brother Leif, he was getting married next week. He had been matched with a really sweet young lady from the village across the fjord. That was something to look forward to. Then was her younger brothers Ragnar, and Sigurd and her little sisters Frida, Asta and Saga. She smiled and she dug her bread into the last bit of stew and gathered it up.
The Wedding
Lief was pacing before Annika even roused herself out of bed. Surely he can’t be that nervous. He was always so strong, he went with faðir to the raids when he was only 11. He had never spoken to her but she heard her parents whispering about how he had killed his first man at age 12. He was so sturdy and steady how can he be nervous?
The negotiations had been made. Faðir had seen Lief’s bride at the Thing, the feast or gathering where the Vikings had their public assembly, including making laws, settling disputes, political decisions and feasting. Oh, the feasting was the biggest part of the thing. Roast lamb, rich stew, roasted haddock, carrots and turnips all with melting butter. Fruits of apples and berries. Hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds. And of course the Mead. The mead ran freely and often.
The feast would last several days and the daughters would all perform housekeeping and cooking at their fathers booth to care for him, but mostly – mostly to show off their wifely skills to prospective suitors.
Faðir had seen this sweet young girl tending the hearth and bringing meals to her Faðir. He came back and asked Lief to go meet Astrid. He knew her father from the raids they had gone on together. Her father was of prominent statue in his village.
The negotiations were a success and Faðir paid the required 12 oz of silver for the bride. This price provided proof that Lief could provide for his new bride.
Now here it was a couple months later on Frigga’s day (Friday) as that was the day weddings were held. In honor of the goddess of marriage.
“Leif, what’s wrong?” Annika whispered.
His eyes darted across the room and locked with Annika’s. His face started to redden.
“What if she doesn’t like me?” Leif wondered aloud. “What if she doesn’t love me the way modir loves faðir?” “How can I leave for a raid, knowing she is here alone?”
Annika smiled. He cared about her. “Lief,” she started, “of course she will love you. You are a wonderful Viking man. You love her and I know it will all work out. “
Leif sighed, “I know your right, it’s just such a big day.”
It was a big day and she rose to start breakfast for them. As she was cleaning up after breakfast faðir took Leif and his brothers to the back of the house. There was grandfather and a few other married men.
They took Leif and readied him for the rite of passage from his old identity to his new – that of married man. Annika knew they would bring out their ancestors sword that Leif would use in the wedding.
The men then took Leif to the bathhouse. Where he would ceremonially wash off his bachelor status and purify himself for the wedding. He was dressed and the sword hung from his belt along with a hammer as a token of Thorr, this symbol was to show his mastery in the union, and to ensure a fruitful marriage.