“I know nothing of him, but the name is in my head and I do not know why,” Elspeth said. Mayhap she should go to the chapel and pray. Mayhap all this was happening because she snuck onto her brother’s ship and this was her punishment. She was supposed to be obedient and this was what happened when one wanted adventure that wasn’t meant for them. Well, she’d gotten more than she’d bargained for and it was time to beg forgiveness.
“I wish to visit the chapel,” she said. “I am overwhelmed by all of this and I wish to pray.”
“What is happening here has nothing to do with your Christian God,” Freydis said.
“That’s enough,” Magnus said. “If she has had enough, this ends now.”
“Do you not want to get to the bottom of what is happening to you? To me? To both of us?”
“Aye, I do,” she said and stood up. “My body that is being invaded by these images, and I want it to stop, not encourage it to grow stronger. I do not know who that person was in that vision, but I do know that I was afraid. I do not have your powers to heal, and I do not know your gods, but I do know that God will protect me and I want to go pray to him.”
Elspeth left the chamber with Magnus tight to her heels. She knew this castle well enough to navigate to the chapel quickly. There was no priest inside but there were candles alight so she sat on a bench and bowed her head. She immediately felt at peace. Her whole body hummed with it as if God had wrapped his arms around her body.
She sat there like that for an age. She didn’t pray, rather she enjoyed the peace and comfort as a brief respite from the chaos she’d experienced over the last several days. She couldn’t deny there was something going on and that it was larger than she, but she was having difficulty believing Norse gods had any hold over her or were working through her. That wasn’t possible in her mind. And to what end? Was this a test of her faith?
“You can sit with me, if you like,” she said.
Immediate shuffling from behind her made her smile. Had he been waiting for an invitation all along?
“How do you feel? Has your god spoken to you?”
“I feel at peace here,” she said. It was difficult to explain to him. She didn’t need God to speak to her to feel his presence.
“I will sit with you as long as you like,” he said.
“Do you understand any of what is happening here?”
“I do not. Freydis seems to think this is part of Odin’s plan, but I do not understand how that could involve you.”
“Nor I. That is what I have been contemplating.”
“Freydis said you were transported to another realm. What did she mean? What did you see?”
“We were in a forest. There was a platform with posts holding up a roof and a person sitting in the middle. When he opened his eyes, they were bright and shining and I was afraid.”
Magnus wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close to him. His strength was such a comfort, she was almost certain she could quell all her fears simply by standing beside him.
“Did the person speak?”
“I didn’t wait to find out. That was when I broke from holding Freydis’ hands. I was too afraid of what he might say or ask and I am not sure I even want to know what it means anymore.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I want to go home. I want to sleep in my own bed and eat at my own table, and stitch boring fabric with boring people and forget any inkling I ever had to go on an adventure. Mine has been filled with frightening events and I am of the mind that I am better off tucked away like the delicate thing I always resented.”
Oh how naive she’d been. All those countless hours envisioning herself sailing around the islands of Alba meeting new people and learning new things. She never dreamed she’d ever be in danger not only from a family member, but now from someone’s else’s gods. It was all too preposterous to imagine. Nay. She would give up and go home and spend the rest of her days doing absolutely nothing useful like she was supposed to. Let someone else have all the adventure, she was finished with this one.
“I will return you to your home at first light,” he said. “And do not be afraid of adventure. It often finds you when you are not looking for it as well. You are not being punished for hiding aboard your brother’s ship.”
“I’m not?”
He chuckled deep in his throat, the sound a soothing song for her soul. “We are not always meant to know the why of things. You have a gift and I believe it has a purpose. I am here and I will protect you from harm so you do not need to be afraid. If it is your true wish to return to your home on the morrow, I will ensure you arrive safely. And if you wish to remain here and explore what Freydis believes to be true, I will protect you here as well. I do not know why, but I believe that is my purpose.”
Elspeth had no words for him. Part of her wanted to explore this fantastical turn of events, but the other part of her wanted to crawl under the heavy quilts on her bed and stay there for the rest of her life.
She was sure Magnus was somehow sent to protect her. Mayhap that was the message God had sent her that she could only see here. To trust in him, that he would keep her safe.
Elspeth drew a steadying breath and stood. “I shall try to get some sleep and decide in the morning what it is I want to do. I thank whichever of our gods sent you to watch over me. I feel safe when you are near.”
