A great man once wrote a phrase that went a little along the lines of "thou who hast the fatal gift of beauty..." He was called Byron, and probably fairly well known. Many people have fatal gifts. Helen of Troy's gift was indeed beauty. That proved fatal for the armies of both Sparta and Illion. Kennedy's gift of charisma gave him a bullet through the head. Many, many people have died for their gifts, but few have been given gifts that mean eventual death for many others.
The Valkyries, as mentioned before, were known by many names. Not the least of these was 'swan-maidens.' This was because of their swan-feather mantles that gave them the gift of flight and levitation. All the Valkyries are blessed with a noble heart, if a cold spirit. Some possess gifts of free-will, and that turned out quite ugly, as many myths prove.
Astrid's gift, however, is one that won't kill her right away. She has a kind spirit and a noble heart. She is brave and strong-willed, but she also knows humility to the point that she won't think of herself well in many ways at all. Thus, with the ideas of gifts in our minds, let us continue.
"Halt." A woman is floating in the road.
"Ingegerd?" Astrid blinks, pulling her mount to a stop.
"Come. We need to talk. Leave the horse here, my sisters will handle it. Bring Gunnhild." The Valkyrie led the way through the woods off the side of the road. She stops at the lake where she forced Gunnhild's egg upon the girl. As she stops, she motions for Astrid to come closer to her.
"You're not planning on killing me, are you?" Astrind inquires, skeptically.
"Lord Odin was not at all pleased with my choice for the dragon's bondmate."
"I'm sorry to hear that..."
"I discussed my reasoning with my sisters outside his council. We decided that my choice was a good one."
"Well, that's good, then."
Ingegerd glares at Astrid for a moment before staring up at the sky where the snow is begining to fall heavilly. "You rarely come here anymore," she states, quieter this time.
"I've little time for leisure. I manage a small farm that's just barely begun running before winter came, care for all the animals with the help of two boys with parents that hate me, am now caring for a dragon, knit, wash, clean, and you want me to take pleasure strolls!?" Her anger had flared for just a moment, but when it subsided, the hard glint was still in her brown eyes.
Ingegerd chuckles. "You're something else. Turn around, my sisters and I wish to give you something."
Astrid does as she is told and holds a squirming Gunnhild against her chest. The woman receives two firm, almost manly pats, on her back before being spun around to face the Valkyrie. Gunnhild chirps approvingly as she wraps herself around Astrid's neck.
Astrid merely blinks in awe before tears form in her eyes. "You're giving me a swan feather mantle?" she asks, embracing Ingegerd.
"Don't go and blow it by breaking down in tears on me now," Ingegerd replies. "But do you like it?"
"I love it! But... why?" she asks, stepping away.
"For many reasons, not the least of which you're Gunnhild's bondmate. She'll be a fighter due to her color most-likely, and she's the build of one. She'll do right good for us all. Besides, if she fights, you'll have to be with her. Funny thing, though, in all the prophecies of Ragnarok, no little dragons are mentioned. Why do you think that is?"
"Couldn't tell you," Astrid replies, staring at the mildly irredescent feathers of the mantle. It hangs down to her knees and is closed with a broach of silver and gold. "It's beautiful, though."
Ingegerd smiles. "I'm glad. I should be going soon. Council will be conviening and if I'm late, Odin will ask the Norns where I am."
"Can I ask you something first?"
"Errm... Okay, shoot."
"Does Gunnhild have to fight for Odin? Can she merely sit and be safe?"
"I suppose that's really up to her when she reaches maturity."
"Will I be able to understand her when she reaches maturity? All I've heard her do is chirp and whistle so far."
"In a couple of weeks. She's like a child, just born, only she'll mature far faster."
"Do you think she'll ever turn on me?"
"Only if you give her reason to do that. I doubt you will, of course."
"And what if I die while she's still young?"
"Trust me; that won't happen. You're protected by more than merely me, you know," Ingegerd responds. "I have to be off to Asgard. Good luck, Lady Astrid!" Astrid waves as the Valkyrie departs for her Lord's castle. The mortal woman sighs before heading home to bed in for the storm.
*Wind!* Gunnhild exclaims inside Astrid's head. Her voice is kind in a child-like manner, though a sense of cold and understanding is also present. She is in Astrid's arms as the woman flits erratically about the skies.
"Steady!" Ingegerd calls from below, ready to catch both the woman and the wyrm if either shall fall.
Astrid regains her concentration and insistently pushes herself to form a straight line. She wishes deeply that Gunnhild had not insisted upon flying along today. It was gusty, and Astrid usually has enough trouble flying without worrying about her.
*Cloud!* Gunnhild chirps in cheerfulness as they fly through a cloud. It dampens them all and seems to be quite thick with snow. *Dark cloud!* The first things Gunnhild had learned to project were colors and things in the sky. Her spines flick apprehensively as Astrid comes to a stop near her house.
"We'd best call it a day, Lady Astrid," Ingegerd remarks, staring up at the sky as they both descend. "It's getting nasty out and I don't want either of you harmed."
"Yes, indeed. Would you like to come in?" Astrid motions to her cabin.
"No, thank you. I need to report to Lord Odin."
"Yes, of course. Silly me. Fly safely."
Ingegerd nods and watches Astrid close the door to her cabin. As soon as the woman is gone, Ingegerd sets off for the World Tree. As she navigates the nine main roots, she reaches Asgard. Lord Odin would want to be informed of Gunnhild's progressions.
*Hungry!* Gunnhild projects in such a persistant manner that Astrid's stomach rumbles.
"Hungry!? But you just ate two hours ago!" she replies, going to the hearth and stoking the fire.
*Hungry now.* Gunnhild nudges Astrid's leg expectantly.
"Alright. Here, now, what would you like to eat?" She picks up the red wyrm and walks to a cupboard of sorts. There is half a loaf of two-day-old bread, an unopened bottle of wine, a chunk of cheese, a bag of flour, and various other foods and perishables.
*That.* Gunnhild motions towards the bag of flour.
"Oh no. You are not eating flour. It's far too messy and not at all healthy. How about some lamb?"
*Baaaaaaaaaa!* Gunnhild chirrups cheerfully.
"I'll take that as a 'yes,'" Astrid mumbles and descends a flight of stairs by the fireplace to the cellar.
Through the cellar runs a stream of cool, clean water. Astrid reaches into a barrel after uncovering it and grabs a chunk of heavilly salted, already cooked meat. She runs upstairs to the warmth of the fire and sets the lamb on the hearth stone.
Gunnhild is sniffing Freya expectantly. She looks up to see Astrid and the meat. *Baaaa!* she repeats with what Astrid swears is a giggle.
"So, you're a giggler, eh?" She tickles under Gunnhild's chin. "What's that?" She stares at a slip of parchment stuffed in the cooked lamb. Unfolding it, she sees the handwriting of her dead husband, Egil.
She trembles as she reads it, and Gunnhild peers at the slip of parchment from about her bondmate's elbow. She gains understanding through the woman's mental processes. Blinking, her spikes ripple apprehensively.
"It says, amongst all the endearments, that my husband loves me dearly and he's sorry that he could never spend much time with me at all. He writes that he gave this message to an armored woman to tell me that he is safe, but he is not any longer on any of the nine worlds connected by the World Tree. He further tells me that this woman said that Ragnarok is coming and there is away to live," Astrid explains, her eyes full of tears. "You'll come with me, won't you, Gunnhild? You'll live on, right?"
Gunnhild blinks up at her bondmate. She chirps sadly, sensing the sorrow in Astrid's voice. She nuzzles away a tear on the woman's face and seems to smile.
Background by Ender Design