Sture

Sture is a brave 12 year old boy who lives on Ketil's land with his family. He and his sister Thora are caught thieving by Snake and one of his subordinates in Chapter 66 and brought to Ketil for punishment in Chapter 67. Sture and Thora are sentenced to ten hits each, though Sture takes on his sister's ten despite her protests. At Pater's suggestion, Sture and his family become Ketil's servants to pay off their debts.

History
Sture's father Snorri rented land from Ketil, until he one day left to go sell vegetables and never returned home, leaving behind his wife and three young children. Although neighbours would typically have taken in a family who's main working member was gone as servants, a sickly woman, two young children and a baby would have been unsuitable. Desperate to keep their family alive, Sture and his sister Thora stole some food from Ketil's farm. They later admit to one of the thefts, that of a sack of flour, when Snake tricks them into confessing. Snake tells them that bags of flour from Ketil's farm have Ketil's name written inside, on the bottom. He begins to pour the flour out and tells them that their punishment will be light if they confess before the bag is empty.

Sture, despite being so afraid his hands shake, is protective of his sister Thora when they are bound and brought to be punished by Ketil. When Thorgil suggests that they each have an arm chopped off as punishment, Sture begs that they not chop his young sister's arm off. After Pater suggests that they be taken on as servants along their family to pay off their debts instead, their punishment is reduced to a beating. Ketil decides on ten hits each, but Sture asks to take on his sister's share despite her protests. Thorgil, pleased by Sture's resolve, asks Snake if he can deliver the punishment instead of him. Despite Snake's words of cautions to reign in his strength and be careful, Thorgil hits Sture in the stomach so hard that Sture is immediately sent flying to the ground. Horrified, Ketil demands to deliver the rest of the punishment himself.

Sture is later seen having his wounds tended to by his sister Thora.