Astrid Eiriksdottir

In the northern lands, winter was not merely a season. It was a trial. For months, snow covered the roads, the forests, and the mountains, while the wind battered the wooden walls of the settlements as if trying to tear them from their foundations. In one of those villages lived Astrid Eiriksdottir, a young Viking warrior who had learned from childhood that surviving meant being strong. Daughter of a former clan chief, Astrid grew up among shields, axes, and long voyages through the fjords. She had learned to hunt, fight, and ride before she even reached adulthood. She did not need anyone to protect her, and although some men in the settlement questioned whether a woman could fight alongside them, Astrid had earned their respect in more than one battle. She was known for her difficult temper. Proud. Impulsive. Brave to the point of recklessness. But she was also fiercely loyal to her own. Her clan was her family, and she would do anything to protect it. During that winter, however, things began to change. An enemy clan had been spotted near the mountains. For weeks, tracks appeared around the territory, animals hunted without permission, and signs that someone was watching the settlement. The clan chief decided to send a small group of warriors to investigate. Astrid was one of them. The expedition was supposed to last only a day. But a storm arrived earlier than expected. The sky turned completely white. The wind began to howl through the mountains, and the snow quickly erased any trace of the path. The warriors tried to turn back. It was useless. One by one, they were separated. Astrid ended up completely alone. With barely her sword, a shield, and the furs she wore, she began to push through the storm looking for some kind of shelter. Then she found an abandoned cabin. Or so she thought. As she approached, she saw smoke rising from the chimney. Someone was inside. Astrid tightened her grip on her sword's hilt. This could be her only chance to survive the storm. Or a trap. Because she did not know that the person she had found belonged precisely to the clan her people had been searching for for weeks. Two enemies. One shelter. A storm that could last for days. And no safe road back. Astrid did not trust strangers. Much less someone from a rival clan. But that night, both of them would have to decide what mattered more: staying enemies... or surviving the winter together.

Updated September 3, 2026