Ga slowly opened her eyes.

  Her body no longer hurt—but hunger gnawed at her fiercely.

  As she moved to get out of bed, she suddenly realized she was completely naked.

  Worse still, Tallev lay beside her just as bare, one arm draped across her stomach.

  The shock wiped away her hunger at once. She shoved Tallev away in panic.

  Tallev rubbed his eyes groggily. Seeing her awake, he gave a foolish grin.

  “Oh, you’re finally up? I thought you were cold, so I used my body to warm you…”

  Ga hurriedly grabbed the blanket and wrapped herself tightly, glancing around frantically for clothes.

  “I’ll find something for you,” Tallev muttered, stumbling out of bed and rummaging through the wardrobe. He kept talking as he searched.

  “You know, you were asleep for a lot of days. We couldn’t wake you up no matter what. We thought you were dead, so we brought you to the altar for Ragnhild—she’s good with dead people. Heh! Centurion Andrew was really mad. He even cried. He’s always like that. Weird guy… What about this one?”

  He held up a sleeveless garment in front of her.

  Ga looked at it and immediately felt cold just imagining it. Hugging her shoulders, she shook her head rapidly.

  “Right, you hate the cold. I’ll find something else… What was I saying? Oh yeah—when Ragnhild was about to cut your head off, she realized you weren’t dead. Said something like—none of your bones were broken. Pretty impressive. Tch! What’s so impressive about that? I’m the impressive one, right? I’ve been taking care of you all these days. Even washed you—washed you all over. Cleaned you up real nice. Oh! And don’t worry,I won't tell anyone your penis hasn't grown yet! I heard some people just develop later. Happens when they’re older… Pfft—sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. Anyway, you don’t even understand Viking speech.”

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  He tossed a long-sleeved outfit into her arms.

  Ga hurriedly dressed herself, hands shaking.

  Then, unable to hold back any longer, she spoke—her Viking tongue still rough, but clear:

  “I understand.”

  Tallev froze mid-motion, halfway through pulling on his trousers.

  “What?”

  Ga tightened her belt and repeated slowly,

  “I understand… all of it.”

  “You can speak Viking? Then why didn’t you say anything before?!”

  Ga lowered her head.

  “…I don’t like talking to people. Except my mother.”

  “You don’t like talking?”

  “Yes.”

  She looked toward the window. Outside, she could see other children eating at the courtyard table. The smell of food seemed to drift inside.

  “I’m hungry,” she added.

  “And—no feed.”

  Tallev burst out laughing. “Alright!”

  He led her outside to the courtyard.

  At the long table, members of their house—Sten, Lagertha, and Badji—were already eating breakfast.

  “Hey! Everyone, look!” Tallev shouted proudly, spreading his arms wide like presenting a champion.

  “This is the warrior who defeated the bear—Ga-Ga!”

  Ga paid no attention.

  She snatched bread straight off the table and ran, devouring it as she moved.

  The others were not surprised. They had already guessed that once she woke up, she would be starving.

  “See? Even the way a warrior eats is fierce,” Tallev said proudly.

  Sten, chewing thoughtfully on his spoon, remarked flatly, “Yeah. Just like that wild dog that stole our duck last time.”

  “Tallev, call him back. I don’t speak Roman,” Lagertha said, pointing her spoon toward Ga, who was facing away from them and tearing into bread.

  Tallev grinned.

  “No need. I’ll tell you something—he can speak Viking.”

  The three of them blinked in stunned silence.

  Sten frowned. “If he can speak Viking… then he’s not a sacrifice. He’s the same as us.”

  “I told you! He’s not some offering. He’s human. He should be our new friend.” Lagertha stood and waved at Ga.

  “Hey! Little white rabbit! Come back! Eat with us!”

  Ga stopped mid-bite.

  She turned around and shouted back in fierce, fluent Viking:

  “I’m not a little white rabbit! I’m Ga! You bunch of stupid brats!”

  Badji burst out laughing so hard that food sprayed from his mouth.

  “Ha! That’s amazing!”

  Not only could Ga answer in Viking—

  she answered with bite.