Freyja’s Feast
For three glorious days, Haldor poured his soul into Úlvhild.
Each morning, as sunlight poured through the fissure in the cave roof where Freyja had floated in on a moonbeam. they made love in the sacred, golden glow.
He fed her nourishing barley, fruit, nuts, and fish, all seasoned with healing herbs.
They walked together outside the cave, bundled in furs against the biting wind. Overhead, theDragon’s Leapledge offered shelter from storms and would shield them from winter’s heavy snow. The rocky ground was scattered with moss, lichen, and crowberry bushes, the dark berries touched by autumn frost. Although bitter, the wild fruit sustained them, its sharp flavor a welcome addition to the rich reindeer meat and barley pottage.
Skjöld’s joyous shout carried on the whistling wind. “Úlvhild! You’realive!”
Haldor looked up just as Skjöld appeared over the ridge.
He was breathless and wide-eyed, the bulky supplies strapped across his broad back. For a heartbeat, Skjöld simply stared, his bearded face breaking into an elated grin. In a flash, he was upon Úlvhild, stumbling over the moss-covered stones. He dropped to his knees, and wrapped her in a clumsy, crushing embrace. “Freyja be praised! She healed you!”
Úlvhild laughed and kissed Skjöld’s bristled cheek as he rose back to his feet. “Indeed she has. I am healthy and hale.”
Haldor gripped Skjöld’s forearms, nearly as overjoyed to see him as the lad was to see Úlvhild. “I see you’ve trapped a few hares,” he said, nodding toward the six white rabbits strung by their feet and lashed to Skjöld pack with leatherstraps. “Their fur will be welcome this winter.”
Skjöld padded his pack with a gloved hand and grinned at Úlvhild. “I’ve got fresh cod from the fjord, caught just this morning.”
Her eyes widened in delight.
Úlvhild broke off several branches from the crowberry bushes whose berries they had just picked. “I’ll grill them over the hearth with these skewers,” she said, removing the leaves and smoothing the wood, “while you and Haldor clean the hares outside. But first, come into the cave. Unload your pack, and share a cup of mead.” Her voice slightly frail from fatigue but still filled with quiet resolve, she took hold of Skjöld’s hand and led him toward the mouth of the cave.
Haldor followed them inside.
While Haldor unpacked the firewood, dried reindeer meat, smoked fish, and other supplies, placing them on the shelf at the back of the cave, Skjöld unwrapped the fresh cod and gave the cleaned fish to Úlvhild.
She slipped the cod onto skewers and laid them carefully over stones on either side of the hearth, above the glowing embers. As Haldor and Skjöld headed outside to clean the hares, she tossed juniper berries and wild thyme into the fire. The earthy, herbal aroma blended with the briny scent of the sea.
Skinning the hares on flat rocks outside, they pinned the soft white pelts with branches to dry in the sun and wind. They placed the rabbit meat and bones into separate bowls, saving them for tonight’s stew. As they worked, Haldor told Skjöld of Freyja’s appearance in the moonlit cave and the divine guidance she gave him to heal Úlvhild by pouring his soul into hers through theseiðfjáðrwhich bound them.“I shall follow Freyja’s will and nurture Úlvhild in this sacred cave throughout the winter.” He placed a section of rabbit meat into the wooden bowl and met Skjöld’s eyes, a tight knot twisting in his throat. “I will not be able to send word to Sigurd. And my silence will stoke his wrath.”
Skjöld tossed the last piece of meat into the wooden bowl. “I plan to return to Normandy,” he said cautiously. dipping his seaxinto the bucket of melted snow and wiping the blade clean with a linen cloth. He sheathed the knife at his waist. “I want to present Skadi to my parents, and ask my father for permission to wed.” After Haldor had cleaned his own blade, Skjöld rose to his feet and dumped out the bucket of bloody water. “Elfi plans to bury her brother’sLjösálfarbladeGaladirwith hishaumrin the sacred grove.” Grief and profound respect blazed in Skjöld’s stoic gaze. “Dag was my first mentor, before you. I wish to be at the memorial tribute. To honor his memory with my presence.”
Haldor stood and sheathed his blade. “After you ask Skårde for his blessing to marry, speak with him about Sigurd. Perhaps he, or Njörd, or your wise grandfather, Jarl Rikard, may offer a solution I cannot foresee.”
Skjöld nodded, wrapped the rabbit meat in a clean cloth, and handed it to Haldor. “Best to store this inside. The scent will attract foxes or wolves.”
When they returned to the cave, Haldor tucked the meat into a nook and smiled at Úlvhild. The air was rich with the scent of juniper, thyme, and grilled fish. “Smells delicious. When do we eat?”
She rose from a crouch over the fire, slipped across the cave floor, and kissed his bearded lips. Her golden eyes glowed with mirth and restored health. “Right now. Have a seat, gentlemen. And I shall serve you.”
As Haldor and Úlvhild settled onto the furs around the fire, Skjöld fetched a wooden container from his pack, which leaned against the wall of the cave. “I brought mead from the village,” he announced with a broad grin, his bright eyes flicking between Haldor and Úlvhild. “With meadowsweet, wild rose, and a touch of juniper — to honor Freyja’s blessing.”
Skjöld poured the amber liquid into carved wooden cups and raised his mug in a scarred, steady hand. “To health, to healing, and toFreyja’s Bloom— the gift of blossoming life. May Úlvhild emerge from winterlike the cave bear, restored, refreshed, and renewed.”
They feasted around the simple hearth, seated on folded hides laid over the cold stone floor. The fragrant fire crackled between them, the piney scent of juniper deepening the crisp flavor of the honeyed mead and the flaky white flesh of cod. The crisp charred skin crackled slightly between Haldor’s teeth, offering a trace of sea-brine and smoke. With the freshly picked crowberries lending a subtle fruity tang, the barley pottage was both welcoming and warming.
When they’d finished the simple but sumptuous feast, Haldor and Skjöld rinsed the bowls outside and fetched a fresh bucket of snow, which Úlvhild melted in a pot to make the rabbit stew. She added wild carrots, garlic, onions, and turnips, with a pinch of rosemary and wild thyme. The fragrant herbs filled the air with a warm, woodsy scent that mingled with the smoky embers, promising a savory, soothing meal.
“I must leave now, for I promised to meet Skadi in Vågan. She and I will depart at first light tomorrow. We’ll row to the island of Skrova and pass through the waterfall cave toÁlfheim. From there, we’ll emerge in the Mermaid Cove of Étretat and arrive in Normandy while still morning.” Skjöld hugged Úlvhild and kissed her cheek before turning to wrap Haldor in a fierce farewell bear hug. “Gråskegg, Bjarni, and Yrjar will deliver more supplies each week until I return.” He strapped the empty pack beneath his Dwarven shield, adjusting the axe and sword sheathed at his hip. Draping the white bearskin cloak over it all, he fastened the lapis lazuli clasp. A broad grin stretched across his bearded, tattooed face. “May the gods be with you. See you soon.”
With a nod goodbye, he parted the reindeer cloaks and exited the mouth of the cave.
Chapter 25
The Dragon Herald
