Old Futhark
Berkana
and
Berkus

In the town where she lived, her parents were very respected, but she was, as the youngest girl of the family, the trouble child. Even when she was a little girl, she was the one that didn’t learn her lessons, didn’t want to be dressed in a pretty dress and always made herself dirty.
It was on a sunny day, when she was sitting near a window and looking outside, enjoying the sun on her skin.
"Ehum!" The teacher said.
Berkana looked at him sleepy. "Sorry." She said looking down. She wanted to look him in the eye and not say sorry, but then her mother would freak out again…
"If you don’t like it, then you can leave." She was about to close her book and walk away, when her mother entered the dining room. Berkana couldn’t help gritting her teeth.
"Hello mother." She forced a smile. She saw the look in her mothers eyes. It was a look of disgust. Berkana got up and walked away, hit the door shut and then ran towards her room. She fell on the bed and then, when she was crying and cursing her mother and the dress, she came up with the thought of running away. But where was she to go? Could she just turn her back to her family? Actually… She was 20 years old soon she would have to get married and make lots of babies. She shivered by the thought of it.
She sat up straight and whipped the tears of her face. She looked around her room. It wasn’t a really large room, but she knew that others less fortunate had to do with less for a living room. She walked to her closet and looked inside it. All dresses. She couldn’t take that where she was going.. She pushed the dresses aside and clicked a small switch unseen for noisy eyes. Inside it was her most precious possession. It were man clothing she had found. With a few stitches here and there, she made it her size.
Also a pair of comfortable boots and a little dagger were put in the cloths. She quickly undressed herself and redressed herself with boy cloths. It felt strange and oddly wrong, but she would soon get used to it.
She looked in the cooper mirror that she owned and saw a young boy of 15 years. But his hair was too long. She took some scissors and started cutting her golden hair piece by piece. When she was done, you could only tell that she was a girl by looking closely to her curving of her body. She looked at her image. From now one, she was no longer Berkana.. She was Berkus. It had been afternoon when she had run upstairs, and now, late in the evening she escaped. She, or should we say he, hadn’t eaten since that morning. She hesitated for a second when she was standing on the doorstep. Maybe she should grabb something to eat? Could she do that? Or was it just a way to temper with faith? She decided not to get some food. Sneaking outside like a thief in the night, she went away from her home, never looking back at her past life.

"Ey boy!" A kick against his feet rousing a young boy of 16 years old with dirty blond hair and smudges over his face. Scared blue eyes looked at the man that waked him.
"You can’t stay here boy. Get out of my barn!" The man showed him away. He got to his feet and ran as fast as he could.
Since the past week, he had lived on stolen bread and some vegetables taken from some peasants land. Hunger made him live from day to day.
Wondering around from town to town, he saw some things he had never seen before. Women who almost undressed him on the street, poor people who cut of a finger to get money and other horrible things.

He walked past some fields and was thinking of some corn when he bumped into a young mans path.
"Watch out!" he called as he almost fell. He had some odd costume on and his hair was very short. The boy had been eating as well.. The boy of 16 years couldn’t help but look at the seemingly delicious food. "Do you want some? Its to much for just one person." He grinned at the boy. "My name is Ehwaz." He pointed at some bushes next to the road. "We could sit over there. It seems that you have walked a long road."
"That would be great. My name is Berkus. The boy smiled a croquet smile he didn’t know why he trusted this Ehwaz fellow, but it just seemed that he was friendly.
After a meal that Berkus hadn’t had for some weeks now, they were laughin at the top of their longs.
"Why don’t you join me with my brothers. We have to go to the army… It would be more fun if you went with us." Berkus didn’t have to think about that for long. It would be a great opportunity, lots of food and a bed to sleep on.

Later that day they both went to Ehwaz’ brothers. When he had talked about his brothers, Berkus had thought it had been maximum 3. When he found out that Ehwaz came from a triplet it had been strange, but still rather normal. But when Ehwaz pointed at his other brothers, two more twins and two single brothers Berkus mouth had fallen open.
They all were great, fun to be around.

Berkus and Ehwaz and his brothers were all split into 3 groups called the Aetts. He had never liked war and even fighting, but since he was with the 9 brothers, he had changed. Every day was a day of training. Sometimes it was fighting with a word, then it was fighting with hands, there were also lessons in technique and writing. Berkus wasn’t very strong, so he wasn’t good at fighting with hands. Although he could move very quickly and make his opponent very tired. He was very good with a spear and daggers. But he wouldn’t kill. He told himself that. He got along great with Ehwaz and even his brothers, but Ehwaz was different. He was a great friend even though Ehwaz knew that Berkus was keeping a secret from him, and he didn’t mind.
But it was his brother Eihwaz that was different. He always made him smile and knew he loved him, he knew it was wrong. But enjoyed it while it lasted.

Berkus never showered with the others of his group. He disliked it. He wouldn’t do it. He waited for it late at night. And it was on one of those evenings that his secret came to the surface.
The full moon was shining over the lake where he usually washed himself. He looked around and then dropped his clothes from his shoulders. He walked quickly in the water and there relaxed.
"Berkus?" He twitched in the water. It was Eihwaz.
"Eihwaz…" He tried not to let his voice tremble, but that didn’t work. He looked away, hoping that Eihwaz would go away. But he went to sit cross-legged in front of Berkus.
"I’ll just wait until you are finished." He smiled at Berkus.
"I can’t… I don’t want you to see me."
"Come on… I’ve seen other men naked.."
"Ok then. I’ll just stay here then." Berkus said stubbornly.
"And I’ll stay here."
They both waited for an hour and Berkus was thinking of getting out when Eihwaz moved. At first, Berkus thought that he was just going away, but then he dropped his clothes and entered the water. Berkus wanted to go away, but his body didn’t respond to his brain. He felt that he was shaking with desire. Eihwaz was getting closer and closer. He had to go away. Run… But he was frozen to the spot and Eihwaz, his best friends brother, was getting closer. The little waves that Eihwaz’ was making hit his shoulder. He looked away, hoping that he wouldn’t find out, but when his breath stopped for a second or two, he knew that his secret, the one he had kept for more than 5 years now, was finally found out.
Berkus looked at his own body. Then looked with his pale blue eyes at Eihwaz.
His amber eyes looked shocked. Then relief crossed his face.
"I thought that something was wrong with me." He grinned the same grin as his brother did. It seemed different with him.
"What’s your real name then?"
"Berkana.." her voice was harsh with emotions, trembling still. She clung her arms around her waist.
"Come here.." He opened his arms for her and she swum uncertainly in them. He hugged her and she kissed him.
"We have to get back.." Berkana whispered some time later in Eihwaz’ ear.
Eihwaz moaned. "I don’t want too.. Let’s stay here for ever." He hugged her tightly.
"We can’t.. Promise that you won’t say anything." She looked at him. She loved him with her whole heart, but she didn’t wanted to run away as hard as she could. This was the reason why she had run away from in the first place. But she would stay here, in his arms, for just a few seconds more..

When they got back at the camp, Berkus was back and Eihwaz was just a friend again. He had promised her not to tell the others anything.

Months passed and secretly Berkana and Eihwaz met. Even when they passed each other by, they kissed quickly.
but it was on one of these kisses that Ehwaz caught them.
At first Ehwaz was shocked. Berkana could see it in his eyes. She wanted to explain because, after almost 6 years of friendship, she didn’t want to lose him.
"Ehwaz it isn’t what you think it is…" She said
"But… you’re two boys…." He said it in disgust.
"I’m no boy…" Berkana looked down, not wanting to look in his eyes. But after the long silence, she looked up.
Ehwaz’ face was one of disbelieve. Then anger came in his eyes like a thunderstorm. "That can’t be… I know you.."
"Look for yourself.. Please Ehwaz… Believe me.." She pulled her shirt tight against her body so that Ehwaz could see her breast.
His mouth fell open. Then he turned on his feet and ran away. Berkana wanted to go after him, but she knew that he wanted to be alone. She was crying, covering her face with her hands. Then she felt the reassuring arms of Eihwaz around her middle. He kissed her neck. "I’ll talk to him." He said. "Are you going to be alright?"
"Not until it’s cleared out with Ehwaz.." She whispered. He kissed her again and then went after his brother. Berkana stood there and looked at her lover and her only friend.

2 weeks passed and for Berkana it were two weeks of hell.
She couldn’t face Eihwaz and Ehwaz didn’t want to talk to her. Eihwaz had talked to him, or so he had told her. He had tried to talk to him, and even tried to talk with his brothers so that they would calm him down. But it hadn’t had any effect on him.
After the two weeks, Berkana was standing near the lake where it had all gone wrong. She wanted to leave it all behind when she heard a twig break. She turned around quickly and thought she saw Eihwaz. But it was Ehwaz. She could see it in the little things. Ehwas had larger hands and Eihwaz’ movements were a lot stiffer than Ehwaz’.
"Ehwaz… I.." He made a motion with his hand and she stopped.
"Let me talk. And don’t interrupt me." He looked at her with his amber eyes. Berkana said nothing. She was trilled that he finally spoke to her.
"I don’t know why you tricked me, or what you were thinking loving my brother. How would this end? Did you really think at all?" She looked at him guilty. It was true. She hadn’t thought at all.. She had only looked at her own emotions.. Not those of her best friend.
"I hope that this will all end from now on. Because you are crazy to think it will ever work that way!"
She looked at the ground. She would do anything to save her friendship. But then again.. She loved Eihwaz. She loved him too much… She couldn’t drop him too..
She was gathering her thoughts to say that when Ehwaz went on.
"I want you to tell my brothers that you’re a girl so that Eihwaz’ name is cleared at my brothers. But tell them secretly. They won’t tell anybody. You’re secret is safe with us all. You’re my friend Berkana.. Even though you’re a girl. I’ll stay your friend until the end of times."
Berkana was so happy that she ran towards him and hugged him tightly.
"Oh thank you Ehwaz. You’re truly a great friend!"
"Hold on… You’re not on the clear here." He grinned the grin that almost everybody in his family did.

Later that day, at dinnertime, Berkana asked all 9 brothers to wait and follow her. She told them all that she was a girl and that she loved one of the brothers, Eihwaz.
They all laughed and then hugged her as if she was one of the family.

Another year passed when it was the first time that they all had to go to the battlefield. At first all the brothers didn’t want her to join them, but she made clear that she had as much right as they all did. She had had as much training as they all did and she was fairly good with spears and daggers.
She was really scared, but she didn’t really gave into it. She wanted to fight next to her friend and his family. And she knew that if she was got hurt, her lover would take care of that. And if she would dye, she didn’t mind. She had found love in this life and friendship. She had everything to be happy about.

But it was on the night that she and the rest of the 3 Aetts left, that something interfered.
She believed that they were called dragons. She had read about them in one of the stories so long ago. Berkana had never thought that they were real, but as she touched the cool skin of the dragon, she knew that they were real.
And when one of the riders asked them to join them in stead of some useless war where only lives were sacrificed for some fools quarrels, they didn't hesitate.

Berkana is a candidate at
Lantessama

Lucas was busy applying ribbons and stremaers to the already hanging hearts when Cyan entered the holiday caverns. She looked around, no doubt judging his work with the eyes of a true critic before she asked, "Will we have enough room?"
"There's only 6 candidates sought, so yeah."
"That's little." Cyan sighed.
"Just as well. i told the finders to be picky. After all only a few of the eggs seemed to do well under the influences this time."
"What did you do?"
"I've been playing with a couple theme for a long time now and this year i tried it. But I think only a few eggs actually were compatible enough to survive and grow to full size. I'm lucky any did at all."
"So what are they looking for?"
"True love of course." Lucas said, climbing down from the ladder and taking out the pink tablecloths, "Help me with this will you."

When the preparations had been made, the 6 candidates, three couples, and two dragons from a previous valentine hatching entered the cavern. Berkana and Eihwaz were the most noticeable. The two of them had impressed at the valentine hatching two years ago, but they'd requested to take care of a new set of dragons. The love they had for each other knew no boundary and it seemed that their hearts were big enough to take on a new charge with the help of their now adult dragons. The second couple were also runic warriors, but they had only been found recently. Raidho, an axe-wielding blacksmith, his wife Mayra stood nervously awaiting the hatching. they were accompagnied by their young son Luc. Lastly, a newly-formed couple had been found on earth. The two of them, Alissa and Rudolph, had been set up by their mothers to have a blind date. Only hours later they'd been asked to come to Lantessama. Though the couple barely knew each other they seemed to hit it off in weird ways (including strange outfits).
As if timed by the most precisely tuned clock two of the eggs split open. A  dark red female and a lighter red male stood face to face on the sands. The two of them clearly looked like they'd been made for each other. The both of them gazed into each other's eyes and then moved as one to the waiting Berkana and Eihwaz.
"We've decided to come with you." the female said.
"We would love to join you." the male added.
"I'm Xanthina." the red female said.
"My name is Frangipani." the male added.

Line is typed with Dwarf Runes 1 was found here
Titles are written in Duke and was found here