Sigrid Olofsdotter hated crows. Ugly things, with their black and grey plumage, and the noise they made! So when a murder of crows took up residence in the oak tree adjoining the thrall’s living quarters, she took up the fight, hurling rocks and sticks at the damned birds.
“You should be careful,” Gunnel One-Eye said from where she was sitting on her customary perch. “Crows are vindictive creatures. Hurt one of them, they may well hurt you.”
“Pah!” She threw her mother-in-law an irritated glance. The old crone should be dead by now, but somehow, she was still here, thin to the point of being skeletal, her one good eye a glimmering blue. “What could a crow possibly do to me?”
From the thrall’s quarter came a wail. Oden’s toes, did she have to screech like that? Birthing was best done through gritted teeth, but then Dana was a weakling, not like her, Sigrid. Another wail, and in the tree above, several of the crows cawed.
“You never know,” Gunnel replied. “Only the Norns know what role the crows may play in your fate.” She extended a thin arm to pat a small child on the head. Sigrid glared. Torvald bedded his thralls and left a wake of children behind. Something twisted inside of her. She knew he blamed her for there only being one surviving child and suspected he knew just how much she detested being surrounded by his get – healthy, lively children, albeit they were thralls. She, on the other hand, had buried four miscarried babes after the birth of Gunnar. (Read more)
FATE offers tales of history, mystery, and magic—sometimes all three. From Anglo-Saxon conquest to the pursuit of alchemy, from ghostly warnings to hidden identities, these short stories explore the threads of destiny that bind us all. You’ll meet mothers, invaders and long-lost lovers, time travellers and vengeful spirits, each navigating a world where fate plays its hand. Whether you crave historical depth, puzzling mystery, or fantastical wonder, there’s a story here for you.
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