Page 3 of Polar Destiny
"Why would your uncle make you? I guess you're notclose?"
"Close? No, not really. I don't think he sees me as anything other than a young, unmarried woman who can be sold off. There are not many women living on our island, and even fewer ones young enough to have children. The island's population is growing older, and we need younger workers who still have energy and can be moulded-" I stop, shocked at how I had repeated my uncle's words. I'm usually so careful, locking away all I heard when he had men over for meetings. This guy and his blue eyes are getting to me. I evade his gaze and look out of the window behind him - into another set of eyes, big brown ones, surrounded by fur, lots of fur. Iscream.
Finn whirls around, on his feet before I can even see him move. He's leaning forward, looking ready to jump, when he sees what I'm seeing. A large black bear running away from the house. I've never seen a real bear, but he looks exactly like they look like in photos. Big, shaggy,scary.
Finn let's out a sharp laugh. "I see you've met one of our ...neighbours."
"Your... neighbours? Aren't theydangerous?"
"Nah, not once you get to know them. They're actually quitecuddly."
He laughs, and I'm just about to shoot him an incredulous smile when I see a white bear burst out of the forest, chasing after the blackone.
"Is that a polar bear? Here? InScotland?"
"Ehm, yes, I think so." He gives me a shrug. "Must have swumhere."
I'm about to quiz him further when the door opens, slammed against the wall by a massive man. Huge. Giant. Enormous. I can't seem to find a word for his massiveness. He's all bulging muscle, almost ripping the black t-shirt he's wearing. Wait, t-shirt? It's freezing out there, and this guy is wearing - almost nothing. I shiver just looking athim.
"Are you cold?" Finn's concerned voice comes from behind me. He must have been looking at me very closely to see the tiny shiver my bodymade.
"I'm fine. Ehm... who areyou?"
"I could ask you the same thing," the giant grumbles. He sounds like a mountain smiling at the morning dew. "You're a mysterious girl. You looked dead and frozen. Now you look... alive. Are youhungry?"
Only now I see the fish he's holding in one of his oversizedhands.
"Yes, I suppose I am. Thankyou."
He looks at me in confusion, then clears his throat. "You're welcome. Iguess."
His shoes are leaving wet prints on the wooden floor as he moves into thekitchen.
"That's Ràn," Finn whispers. "You've met him on one of his chattierdays."
"Is he always walking around in t-shirts?"
Finn throws back his head and laughs. "Usually he's wearing evenless."
"But it's winter! Isn't hecold?"
"He's got a rather good metabolism," he chuckles. "Now, where did we put theplates?"
I point towards the kitchen. "There were some on thefloor."
"Ah yes, I don't think anyone's used them for a while. But nothing a quick wash shouldn'timprove."
Men.
Ràn returns from the kitchen,the fish lying in a massive iron pan, now robbed of its scales. Its milky eyes look up at me. I'm not used to eating a lot of fish, or meat in general. My uncle doesn't like people using the boats to fish. Guess he's afraid they may not come back. There are a few chickens on the island, but they're mainly kept for their eggs, and are only slaughtered for special occasions. Like the wintersolstice.
Ràn puts a wrought iron contraption over the fire pit, then lowers the pan on top of it. My stomach grumbles at the thought of food. The last time I ate something was just before my uncle told me about his plans. After that, my appetite vanished. Two days without food. How am I stillstanding?
Finn puts a piece of fish on a plate and hands it to me. He chuckles when I rip it out of his hands.Mine. It's amazing. I don't know how Ràn managed to make a fish taste this good without using any other ingredients. Far too quickly my plate is empty. A new piece appears out of nowhere - ok, Ràn puts it there. He shoots me another confused look. Apparently, he doesn't know any other girls who like to eat. Or maybe girls ingeneral.
Now that the fish is happily swimming in my stomach, tiredness is starting to approach me like a good friend. I yawn and wiggle around on the furs to be comfier. Maybe I should go for the caterpillar look again. But I'd probably need to ask one of the men to tuck me in. And that would be embarrassing. I don't even knowthem.
I'm too tired to care. I curl up on the furs and enjoy the heat the fire brings to my skin.Comfy.
