Author’s note: This was written for week 2 of Klaroline Fanfic Week @klarolinefanficweek - Historical. When the Norse invaders slaughtered her people, Caroline fled to the safety of the borderlands where she bargained with her gods to be made strong. Her enemies made a bargain of their own...  Â
Something Old, Something New
            The hunt had yielded a fine stag to carry her through the next bitter winter moon. Caroline cared not for the biting winds, but she’d always been fond of snow. Must be her skrælingi heritage. It meant barbarian, a cruel taunt the Norse invaders of these lands had called her people when they themselves made war as easily as one would breathe.Â
            Her people had fled to the far-off mountains, or had fallen by the Norsemen’s blades. The mountains weren’t the same as their ancestral lands, but over the years, Caroline and others had heartily embraced them, banding together to form a new, stronger clan from the remnants of their village. And appealed to their gods to ensure they’d never be caught unawares by the blade again.
