Iðunn’s story
This is a part of Idunn’s story. It’s not the happiest story. Kaari Arcano and the idea of Skalafell belong to @kathrynalicemc . I merely get to occasionally play in the sandbox. tw: implied rape, implied owl murder, unhealthy coping habits
December, 1994
The year… was going poorly.
After losing her owl of ten years, Vangar, to a rogue muggle “bullet” in April, only a couple months after The Incident, she had then been unceremoniously booted from her job at the beginning of June.
She still wasn’t sure why, all these months later.
She hopped around the continent for the last few months, staying with her old dorm mates. She and Ellie had crashed together in France and Germany, before hopping over to Denmark and Annika.
She had forgotten how much fun Annika could be.
After that, Spain, and trying not to burn herself to a crisp, while out exploring with Jasmine. There had been plenty of laughter between them, reminding her of the adventures they shared at Hogwarts.
Somehow, she made it to London before The Result arrived, squalling into the world. She would’ve preferred Skalafell, but was terrified of how her family, and the village at large, would react.
She buried her face further into the pile of furs currently on top of her. All she could remember about the party, at least, the last things she could remember was trying to fend off a co-worker who seemed far more interested in her than she was in him.
After that, nothing.
So here she was, in one of the village longboats, clutching baby Kaia, and racing over the choppy North Sea, into Skalafell four days before Yule.
It wasn’t any closer than when she’d returned from Hogwarts, but whether it was from the pain still radiating from her body or a deep sense of guilt, she had no idea how anyone would react.
Olaf Henderson, one of the Vikings who acted as Harbour Master and a good friend of her father’s, was at the helm of said longboat. He was also respecting her wish for silence, though by the glances she caught, there would be plenty of questions waiting for her.
A thought struck her, and she patted her bag. She hoped that she had her bow and arrows. Ellie’s owl, Hoots, was possibly winging his way north if they weren’t. If she did, that was a perfect escape from all the stares and scowling faces.
Who was she kidding? Her parents hadn’t wanted her to take a job in London. They’d never leave her alone.
Another thought hit her as they got closer. Kaari Arcano was no doubt going to be hanging around the village, if not around the brewery, when they docked. Unless he happened to be at the Flossen Dragon Reserve instead.
That was her preferred option. She was in no mood to deal with the charming dragon wrangler. Part of her wished Ellie was here to try that charm from fourth year again. But she also remembered the equally charming worm of a dragon that he’d happily fly in the middle of a snowstorm anyways.
As they got closer, she caught sight of the massive copper bowls of the giant torches flanking the entry to Skalafell harbour, poking through the fog that tended to hang around the entrance.
“We’re almost there, lassie,” came Olaf’s deep voice through her thoughts. “Another half-hour and we should be docking. How’s the wee lass doin’?”
“Happy,” she replied, forgetting her own wish for silence. “She seems to be enjoying this.” Olaf gave an awkward sort of nod, and an uncomfortable silence descended on the boat.
They edged their way into the fjord, and she huddled further, if possible, into the furs. She could almost feel the bows poised to loosen, as Olaf raised the family flags of Larson and Henderson alongside the one for the village. This would be the moment of truth…
Pulling baby Kaia closer, and shifting the furs enough to further deaden the shouting, she braced for the arrival call that typically preceded docking. She was not disappointed, though she missed most of it by ducking into the furs.She shivered some as they reached the docks, belatedly realising that warmer clothes were needed. No doubt her parents still had her things… she hoped.
Emerging from the furs, and promptly pulling one around her and Kaia, she disembarked and took in the sight of the village she hadn’t seen in almost four years.
It hadn’t changed much in that time. There might be a few unfamiliar faces mixed among the, now slightly older, familiar ones. The Yule goat ever so slightly different…
The thunk of barrels and crates being unloaded brought her from her thoughts. No one seemed to notice that she was there. She picked up her bag, drew her coat and the fur closer, but waited on the docks until Olaf himself disembarked from the longboat.
“Righ’ then, lassie,” Olaf said, far too cheerfully in her opinion, clapping his hands together. “I’ll walk with yeh to the brewery.”
She nodded absently. No doubt someone from the docks had mentioned she was here, now spreading like wildfire through the village.
part 2
