"Gualter! Gualter! How many warriors do we have?" Madelgarde ran into her husband's arms as he directed camp to be taken down.
"We have about 340 men, not counting Brunhild's forces."
"And Gerbert? How many do they have?"
"A thousand. They'll flank us the moment they meet us."
"Let's go find Brunhild. Her men are still here! Maybe they can stay just a little while longer."
Madelgarde mounted her horse and rushed over to Brunhild's camp on the other side of the river. She watched in urgent fear as most of the camp had already been uprooted. "No, no no no..." she muttered to herself. "Brunhild! Wait! There's still more!"
A pair of guards held back her steed as she approached Brunhild's tent. "Patience, my lady," one of the Lapplander guards said. "Chieftess Brunhild in in her afternoon prayers. She will be out soon."
Madelgarde nodded and waited.
Soon enough, Brunhild emerged and embraced her. "Few Sister! So good of you to see me off. We did it! Gisela is no longer a problem. I'm sure you'll do a better job taking care of the villagers than she will."
"Thank you, Brunhild, but... Can't you stay for a while longer?"
Brunhild let her go and looked into her face. "I'm getting married, Madelgarde. I've accepted a proposal from Chief Lothar, up in Kola. You remember Lothar, don't you?"
Madelgarde scrunched her nose and looked around. The Lapplanders continued breaking down the camp, not paying attention to the two women.
"Oh, sorry, yes," Brunhild whispered.
"Oh! Lothar? In Kola? That's close, isn't it? Lothar has the Mark of Power too, doesn't he?"
Brunhild inhaled. "He does, yes."
"So he can come help, too, can't he?"
"Madelgarde," she replied, placing a conciliatory hand on her shoulder, "He's not going to just call his village to war for the benefit of a friend of his wife. That's not how this works."
"But you will come to my aid?"
"After the wedding, yes. I will honor our alliance."
"Thank you, Sister." Madelgarde wiped a tear from her face.
* * * * *
Dearest Erich of Naumadal,
I am so thankful you welcomed my husband into your home. I feel relieved that you wish to maintain our burgeoning cooperation and relationship. I am compelled to write, however, because I am in danger. Gerbert of Kantalahti has sworn to come and attack my people and conquer my land. Please, I beg of you, come to my rescue. There is nothing more in this world that would bring me joy than seeing your beautiful face again, leading your men.
In honor and love,
Madelgarde
* * * * *
Dearest Madelgarde of Kemi,
I am honor-bound to answer the call to arms. I can not bear to imagine harm coming to a single hair on your head, or to a single villager of your realm. My warriors and I march to your rescue. I shall not rest until I can see you again, safe and secure.
Forever yours,
Erich
Winter came. Gualter pulled his men back first to Kemi and then continued the long, slow march to Lappland. Further afield, the Naumadalians crossed the mountains to meet with Kemi and Lapplander forces. The going was slow, through the cold and the snow. Gerbert arrived in Rovaniemi and sieged it down. Madelgarde and her allies finally met up in Westrobothnia, as Gerbert's men laid siege to the village in Kemi.
As Naumadal arrived, Madelgarde rode out to meet with Erich, to secure the alliance.
Madelgarde, Gualter, Brunhild, and Erich joined their forces and marched into Kemi. Gerbert noted the size of the combined force, now nearly 2,000 men, and pulled back to Rovaniemi. Madelgarde rallied and continued the advance on Gerbert.
One morning, Madelgarde bent over, suddenly dizzy and nauseous. Her first fear was camp fever, but soon it became clear it was something else, entirely:
Gualter was proud and happy for the entire advance on Rovaniemi. Madelgarde kept counting the days in her mind, and sent home for salt and ice from the surf she emerged from.
As spring came to the land, the allied warriors descended on Rovaniemi village, and began the long, slow process of rooting out Gerbert's men. Gerbert had established outposts, saw the approaching allies, and met them in battle. Madelgarde felt the first kick inside her. She needed guidance.
Madelgarde and Brunhild rode fast into the forest in the dawn twilight from camp. Gualter had wanted to send guards, but they insisted their offering to the First Few must be made by themselves.
The two chieftesses located the spot they were looking for. A low stone slab lay on the forest floor. Brunhild rubbed her hand over the stone's mossy covering, and it parted, revealing three stars carved into the surface.
Brunhild nodded. "The offering can be placed here. I'll be waiting a distance away. You do remember the prayers?"
"I do. Thank you, Sister. I was afraid I could never make the offering, in the middle of the war."
Brunhild looked around. "No need to Sister me. You need the help."
Madelgarde raised an eyebrow and Brunhild looked around. "It's not safe here. Gerbert probably knows this place as well. And his men aren't the only risk out here. There are wolves. Bears."
"Bears? Do you think--"
"The offering, Madelgarde. Let's do this and get home. For the sake of both our children." Brunhild lightly patted her own swelling belly, then turned and left the clearing, with perhaps the slightest scowl.
Madelgarde swallowed and approached the stone. She retrieved the salt and ice from her bag, and poured shavings into each of the three stars.
"It is I, Madelgarde of the Surf. I seek you. I beseech you, answer my prayer. Protect my child. You who saves the world, I ask for your continued guidance and protection you offer all."
The salt began to glow a faint blue, visible against the first golden rays of dawn.
"I beg of you, show favor on my child."
The glow rose from the stone, suspending in the crisp morning air. The shadow of a triangle appeared between the three luminescent vertices. The floating shape pulsed. A voice was heard, clipped, aloof, transcendent. "User: Madelgarde. Domain: Kemi. Emergence: Surf. Password accepted. Welcome, Madelgarde. Request for child's beneficence received. Please designate form of request. Designate: Brawn. Beauty. Brain."
As much as she understood the value of brawn or brains, all she could think of was everyone else who had gotten her here.
"Beauty," she replied, voice trembling.
"Beauty accepted," the spirits intoned. "Attention: Full effects may not be visible upon birth. Effects may also differ depending on father's source. Full mating with locals is still experimental at this time."
"Wait! Does this mean Gualter is the father? Not Erich?"
"Authorized service completed. Logging off." The stars' glow faded, the triangle disappeared, the sun announced its full force across the clearing.
"No, no, wait..." Madelgarde fumbled in her pouch, looking for more salt, when Brunhild hastened to her side. She ran her hand over the stone again, the moss cover returning.
"Time to go. Riders approach."
"Can't I stay?"
"No, now I'm protecting your child. We need to go, now."
The two women mounted and rode back to camp. Madelgarde kept looking behind her, thinking of the stone, and of the spirits.
The camp opened and welcomed the two back and sent off warriors to meet the last of Gerbert's men, before routing them.
The village was resecured, and they marched forth into Kantalahti.
"My dear," Gualter started, "I know you wish to be here to bolster our spirits, but Kantalahti is no place for a woman with child. Please, head back home to Kemi. Erich and I can handle the forces from here. Get some rest.
"Yes, my husband, so I shall." She gathered her belongings and prepared the ride back home. "Brunhild, won't you please join me? I'll have everyone toast you for the occasion. Really, I can't thank you enough for coming to my aid so much."
Brunhild considered this. "A feast? For me?" She looked around. "All right, let's do it. Let's see how you live."
Kemi was bright with Madelgarde's return, and the central hearth was lit and welcome. She had boar and ice-fish and seal brought in for the feast. "This child has the hugest appetite," she explained.
Brunhild laughed. "Our children need it. They'll be beasts in a new world."
Madelgarde giggled. "I know you married to the Few, but I decided I wanted to keep my name and crest. Only the locals would allow for that. Not even Erich was willing to budge."
"He had been following you around like a puppy. I've heard rumors about you."
"All true, I'm sure!" Madelgarde chuckled. "But really, the locals are just as good as the Few."
"What do you mean? Marrying Lothar hasn't been bad at all. He's mostly away in Kola, though."
"Doesn't that get lonely?" Madelgarde rested her tilted head in her hand, curious.
"Sometimes, I suppose?"
Madelgarde looked over the villagers, all willing servants. Mostly men. Their loyalty without question. She turned to one, young, with blond hair and broad shoulders. "Yohann, come here." The lad obeyed, and she held out her plate. "Skewer my meat."
Brunhild watched with astonishment as Yohann obediently reached down, sliced a bite sized portion from the boar haunch, placed it on a metal rod, and fed it to his chieftess. She could barely contain herself as Madelgarde then grabbed Yohann by the back of the neck and clamped her mouth over his. Coming up for air, she replied, "You really need to try the local meat."
Brunhild left later that week, hazy and oddly satisfied. It wasn't the only caller to the feast.
In the end, Madelgarde only laughed at how she and Yehudah always sneaked into each other's bedchambers somehow.
Gualter came home victorious from Kantalahti, Gerbert surrendered, and Madelgarde gave birth to a son, named Gualtari, after his father.
Madelgarde took Gualtari with him on a trip to Lappland to call on Brunhild. She had also given birth to a son, Lothar.
The two new mothers embraced. "Madelgarde! So good to see you. And this is Gualtari! An honor to meet you, good sir."
Madelgarde giggled. "We had to visit and see you and little Lothar. I do hope all is well."
"It is. Lothar will be going to his father for his education. I'm sure he'll be well off there."
Madelgarde bit her lip. "That will be good for him. It'll leave this place needing something to do."
Brunhild inhaled and rubbed her temples. "I'm afraid I won't be available for another banquet, as lovely as that was."
"Oh, that's all right. I wasn't planning something like that."
Brunhild sighed. "All right, Surf Girl, what are you planning?"
"Well, it's just that Gerbert's weak now that he's been defeated, and it's only right to make sure he doesn't try anything like that again."
"Ah. Have you spoken to Erich? I'm sure he'll give you the support you need. Or perhaps Yehudah? Don't you have any more Few in your pocket? I've heard rumors about you and Waltgaud of Kainuu."
"Please, Sister, the difference between dalliance and alliance is more than just the d."
"Plenty of that, I'm sure," Brunhild retorted. "Fine. my warriors will join you one more time. But dear Madelgarde, you really need to learn how to handle these things yourself. We can't forever just jump to satisfy your whims."
The war went well. Erich, Brunhild, and Madelgarde made short work of Gerbert's men and forced him to submit.
And yet, with child, husband, lovers, and the servants of three villages, Madelgarde felt as lonely as ever.