Reiner and Uncle Wolfram (Ermentrude’s uncles)
Bernhard (carpenter friend of Eiriks)
Priestess Aurana (Gothic)
Faroesia (daughter of Mairathi and Greshe, who are a Greek /Daci couple)
Ianthe and Abascantus (sister of Mairathi and her Greek husband, Greshe)
Abreas (brother of Faroesia)
Feoras (Greek servant to Ianthe and Abascantus, friend of Lady Odessia)
Draga (Sporoi woman whose men captured slaves)
Bukuroshe and Bujar (Carpi farmers)
Gerardi and Romana (porter and his wife)
Old Greek Porter and his wife (they take in the Heruli woman and her child)
Ivo and Bernard (boat and ferry porters)
Hermanduri female slave and her infant
Maraga (Ansgar’s slave)
Roman soldierSporoi horse groomer pirate slavers/ Cadmus
Sarmatians and Alans (enemies of the Goths and Gepids)
Gothic villagersthieves, slavers Gepids (a tribe associated as Gothic)
farm overseer Saskia’s cousin (Thorismund)
King Gadaric and King Filimer of the Gutthiuda tribe
Children: Fidwōr (Ermentrude and Eirik’s son)
Meino (Saskia and Anselm’s son)
Kasimira and Nika (daughters of Eihidia and Badwila)
Tius and Froili (Adalwulf and Amalia’s son and daughter)
Chapter I Return to the Summer Festival
175 CE (Gothiscanza near the Wisla [Vistula] River in current Poland, home of the Gutthiuda tribe)
I felt pain. It was in my heart. I stood at the fence waiting for him—my father, whom I called Att-a. It had been too long. I only remember snow falling—covering his horse’s tracks when he left with my brother. They had gone off to battle without us. I stayed with Mama. She was ill and needed me, as did my little sister.
Every morning, I stood by the fence, waiting for my father, hoping he’d return. It had been a long winter. Now, the first signs of green appeared on the branches. Tufts of green grass pushed through the snow mounds. Trickles of melting snow dripped from our home’s rooftop. I breathed heavily in the cold of the foggy morning. My breath puffed out of my mouth as I sighed—he’s not coming, I thought.
Hearing shouts, I craned my neck to see past the trees that stood near the river’s edge. Father usually followed the river home. I knew to look there. I was sure I heard shouts. Were they shouts of an enemy approaching? I ran inside to get my weapons. I stood guard. I listened again. I heard horses—more than two. I readied my spear and sword. I waited, tense, but hopeful that it was my father’s horse among others.
“Att-a!” I yelled excitedly, when I saw my father returning on horseback, with my older brother, Adalwulf. Two young men, whom I did not recognize, rode with them.
“You were gone so long! I was afraid you would not return to us. I thought you both were killed, or captured by skōh-sl (ghosts) in the forest.” I said.
I ran to them, as they rode up to our house, almost colliding with my father’s horse. Father looked at me, not having seen me for many months. He lifted me up, and put me on his horse, sitting before him. His arms felt strong as he hugged me.
“Ermentrude, you are prettier than ever,” he said.
I thought my father, Ansgar, was the bravest man in the village. My parents had lived in our village for many years. Father, was a handsome warrior with many scars, from battles in the past. I knew how much my mother missed riding off into battle with him. In the past, my mother, Ermien, always followed Father, to tend the wounded and rally the warriors in battle. She had witnessed the bloodshed that resulted from raids on other tribes.
Our fearless warriors would advance toward our enemy’s army and cavalry, holding their round, wooden shields and spears, or their short swords and their axes. Some of our warriors rode horses into the hoard of enemy soldiers; our artillery hurled heavy rocks onto the enemy’s advancing ranks. I imagined Father in battle when I was young, but shuddered at the thought of him wounded, or worse.
Our warriors fought to defend our land, or to retaliate for cruel deeds against us. We raided enemy villages, took their land, goods, and livestock for our own. Often, our warriors would capture the enemy, returning home with slaves.
We needed many slaves to help with chores around the farm, for there were many hardships. There was little time for pleasure, since clothes needed washing, sewing, and mending. Children needed to be educated in the use of weaponry. Livestock had to be fed, bred, and butchered to be eaten or sold.
There were meals to prepare. My Aunt Gunda, Mama, and I had roasted meat and cooked vegetables for the summer festival over a fire pit in the house, when Father and Adalwulf returned. When Mama saw Father dismounting his horse she let out a cry. Mama ran outside brushing the hair off her face.
“Oh, Ansgar! I missed you over the long winter months! Adalwulf . . . you look so handsome with your beard! You are older now. Soon you will take a wife and not be so eager for my kisses.” Mama embraced each of them.
My little sister, Ava, patiently waited, eager to be lifted high in the air and swung around onto Father’s shoulders. Adalwulf tousled Ava’s blond hair. She squinted up at him and the two young men beside him. She smiled at Father.
“Att-a! We thought you would miss the festival of the gods, and the summer solstice!” I’m glad you are here to share the roast pig and the festivities,” Ava said.
Ava reached up to Father’s chest, as he hugged her. He swung her up, on his shoulders as though she were a woolen cloak.
“Would you cry if we didn’t come?” Father asked. He lowered his gangly daughter of seven years to the ground.
“No, Att-a . . . never! I would only be sad. May I ride your horse, the way Ermentrude does, Att-a?”
“Of course you may! Up you go, but do not wander away. We have a feast to enjoy, and I intend to nibble on your toes, after the roast pig is eaten.” He enjoyed teasing her.
“You wouldn’t, Att-a!” Ava giggled.
Ava and I sat upon Father’s horse, staring at our brother and the two men talking to him. Our parents hugged and kissed, walking toward our home with us still riding Father’s horse. Adalwulf and his two companions dismounted their horses.
“How are my two pretty sisters? Surely you want to meet my two companions,” Adalwulf said.
“Oh, ja, Adalwulf, please
