The woman inclined her head. "Tell me, why do you seek this Taft?"
"He is my mother's brother," Eira answered.
"Are you passing through or staying?" the woman asked.
Eira raised an eyebrow.
“I am not trying to interfere in your business,” the woman added quickly.
"I would do the same in your position,” Eira said.” And yes, I shall be staying with him."
"I am surprised you made the journey all by yourself. It is not every woman who can do that."
"I was not alone,” Eira replied. There were two men with me but they turned back at the edge of the village."
"Wait, what?! You were escorted here and then they left you there by yourself? What kind of man would do such a thing?!" The woman's concern had turned into anger.
"What is your name, please?" Eira asked.
"Hella."
"Well then, Hella. I did not leave the village because I wanted a change of scenery. Let us say I was forced to leave." As soon as she'd said it, Eira realized she’d made a mistake.
The woman collected the cup from her quickly, fear and resentment written on her face. "You were banished?" she asked.
Eira made no attempt to answer. She just sat there, staring at her hands.
"Do you know why women get banished?! Because they do evil! They cause bad things to happen to people! You're an evil witch!" Hella screeched, pointing an accusing finger at Eira.
Eira tried to stand up but Hella pushed her down.
"Gather round!" she cried to the rest of the villagers.
A crowd quickly formed, many of them anxious to know why Hella was holding another woman down.
"What is it now, Hella?" a man asked sarcastically. "Has your husband brought home another wife and it displeases you?" His mockery was greeted with laughter.
"Hold your tongue in place, Canute. If you have nothing helpful to say, then keep your peace,” she told him.
There was a hushed silence as they all stared at her, awaiting whatever gossip she was going to share. She paused, adding weight to the drama. There was nothing she liked better than to be the bearer of some kind of sensational news. She enjoyed the attention it brought her.
"Well then, speak!" Canute barked at her.
Hella crackled inside with resentment. Canute hadn't allowed her to savor the moment enough, the slimy coward. "This woman here was banished from her own village and says she was told to come here,” she said, pausing for dramatic effect. “I would like to see what Halvar has to say about that!”
Her news caused an audible gasp from the crowd but Canute was unimpressed. "Hella, it is not news that people get banished from their villages. I see no need for all this drama you've created. Were you not banished from your village years ago also?"
"I was not armr!" Hella snapped back, stung by the reminder of her banishment for adultery.
The crowd went into a frenzy of speculation and accusations and even Canute was forced to keep his mouth shut. Using witchcraft to commit evil against the people wasn't a thing they could take lightly. The penalties were severe: death or banishment.
"Let the girl speak for herself!" someone yelled from the crowd. "We are not savages. We have a process of law and order for cases like this. We must hear from her!"
Eira yanked her arm from Hella's grip and stood up. "It is true. I was banished from my village," she said. "But I was only accused of being armr. I am not wicked!" Hot tears dropped from her eyes, and although the crowd remained hostile, she could sense sympathy from some of them.
"Liar!" a woman screeched. "If you are not illr, how come you were accused of it?"
"Because I am cursed with a gift that people think is evil!" Eira knew she had to hold her ground now or lose it. “I have never practiced evil sorcery or dark magic on anyone! I know not how! I am no bad witch!”
"And what is this gift, child?" an old woman asked, limping through the crowd.
Many of the villagers made way for her, and even Hella backed away.
"Uh..." Eira paused for a while. She didn't know if telling the truth would offer her any chance but she also knew she had to try. "I can sense things,” she said, deciding that honesty would be the best policy. “I am a healer, too. I use herbs of the forest to heal illness."
"What is your name, child?" the old woman asked.
"I am Eira, daughter of Bjarni, the leader of the Ottarsung clan of Thvengr."
"She's the daughter of the chief!" Canute shouted to the others. "You all know what will happen if we do anything to hurt the daughter of a clan leader, especially you, Hella!"
"Silence, Canute," Hella snapped. "You do not banish the daughter of a clan chief for no reason, either, do you?"
Eira moved towards the old woman. "I just want to see my mother's brother, Taft."
The woman looked surprised by what she had just said. "Did you say, Taft? You're Astrid's daughter?"
Eira nodded.
At the mention of Astrid’s name, there was a commotion. Many of the villagers wanted her gone before she could pollute their village with her evil witchcraft but others, Canute among them, insisted that she be treated fairly. There was no need to provoke a war with another clan.
Conflict broke out and several people tried to grab Eira, leading Canute and several other men to form a line of defense in front of her. Eira was scared for her life. She had always been at the receiving end of things like this but it seemed far more sinister when she was a long way from home
