Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Jutland When my question about writing in this new world is finally passed along in translation to the seiðr, the wise woman shows us the carvings on her walking stick. The seiðr calls them “Runes.” But I perceive this as some kind of numbering system. These people are near aContinue reading “#65.2, Wednesday, February 5, 2025”
Category Archives: Historical Fiction
#65.1, Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Jutland Here I am so far in the future where my language is only spoken by slaves. Here the god that is God isn’t known and writing isn’t valued because no one reads. Dear God, maybe people always imagine a future inventing a life that will be the sameContinue reading “#65.1, Tuesday, February 4, 2025”
#64.14, Thursday, January 30, 2025
Historical Setting: 789 C.E. Jutland The feast of the solstice is over but days don’t seem long. I remind, “Marian, I would visit the seiðr after the feast.” I still have my questions about the nature of literacy here and also, why this population is oddly, mostly middle-aged men. “I can’t imagineContinue reading “#64.14, Thursday, January 30, 2025”
#64.13, Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Historical Setting: 789 C.E. Jutland The elder woodcarver is complaining about the erroneous carving by a younger smiðr which was prepared for the new ship being built. The elder brought the failed art back to his own work table to “fix it.” He will have to magically shape-change this thing into a properly ferocious dragon.Continue reading “#64.13, Wednesday, January 29, 2025”
#64.12, Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Historical Setting: 789 C.E. Jutland This morning men and the few women who passed around the horn last night are groggy with hangover. No one is here at the feasting board when I come out to clean up the dregs of celebration. Everyone who listened so long to the stories told by the seiðrContinue reading “#64.12, Tuesday, January 28, 2025”
#64.11, Thursday, January 23, 2025
Historical Setting: 789 C.E. Jutland With fire only embers now, the “seiðr” sops up the last of the juices with a broken crust and takes a long guzzle from the horn of beer then speaks. She spins a yarn, layer upon layer, starting with a boy with special powers that allow him to changeContinue reading “#64.11, Thursday, January 23, 2025”
#64.10, Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Historical Setting: 789 C.E. Jutland I have questions. When a people pull themselves into community after a devastation — a war or a famine – it happens with plague — anything that selectively removes a generation from the population — taking all of the children from families — or taking all of its young menContinue reading “#64.10, Wednesday, January 22, 2025”
#64.9, Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Historical Setting: 789 C.E. Jutland That misunderstanding of Marian’s freedom or enslavement seems rooted in a common misconception having very little to do with freedom and slavery. In the case of a child and an old man, this perception of them as less than human is all about agism. Sometimes there seem to beContinue reading “#64.9, Tuesday, January 21, 2025”
#64.8, Thursday, January 16, 2025
Historical Setting: 789 C.E. Jutland There is a lot I don’t know about where I am. Apparently, after the raids on northern river towns of Gaul, all that is left of the villages I once knew are these captives. Since the thralls here speak familiar languages and these masters do not, I takeContinue reading “#64.8, Thursday, January 16, 2025”
#64.7, Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Historical Setting: 789 C.E. Jutland Apparently, Marian’s value as a slave has soared by her ability in bread baking, and a woman here, among the masters is willing to battle for her. “Marian,” I speak to her in our language, “If you want to be the cook in this woman’s house, tell herContinue reading “#64.7, Wednesday, January 15, 2025”
Lazarus Ink 