Page 44 of Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings
Alvion left us, calling to someone behind the bar. “Ay! These ladies are our first priority, hear me?” Alvion’s work companion nodded over to us before they resumed hastily filing mugs of ale.
“He seems nice,” Kari pointed out. Rayna agreed, and as we waited on our food and drink, she began telling Kari the story of how we’d met the man many years ago. It’d been Rayna’s first time leaving Valhalla since she’d transferred to our sect; traditionally, sisters weren’t permitted to travel within their first five years of service. I, on the other hand, didn’t want to wait another four years to take Rayna out into the realms. Sure, she’d seen Midgard, and she’d spent more time in Fólkvangr, but Midgard was our work, and Fólkvangr was still in Asgard. Rayna had needed to loosen up more than anyone I’d ever met, and the only place I’d thought might make her more tolerable for the rest of the sisters was Nidavellier.
Alvion came back with ales and stews, and we sipped and ate while Rayna recounted that first night in this very tavern from her point of view. Sure, some of the details were a little hazy, and her recollection was slightly different than mine, but I didn’t think either one of us would ever forget the sight of Rayna attempting to dance.
She’s always been the more disciplined of the two of us, but after a few too many tankards of dwarven ale, she’d been grinning like a fool, spinning in circles with wild abandon. Unfortunately, she hadn’t quite had the hang of it. At one point, she’d tripped over her own boots and sent a table full of dwarves scattering with a mighty crash. The room had fallen silent for a heartbeat, but then the dwarves burst into raucous laughter, cheering her on as though she’d been the victor of the night.
Kari laughed so hard, actual tears came streaming out of her eyes, and she had to put down her half-empty cup to avoid the choking hazard. I watched in awe as her entire face lit up, and I couldn’t help feed the spark of joy within me, finally seeing the two women get along. Somewhere along our night, Rayna had stopped acting like Kari was the biggest inconvenience to her otherwise perfect life, and once she had, Kari seemed to have no issue enjoying Rayna’s company. By the time the mortal’s second cup was gone, she even seemed to be enjoyingmycompany.
When our bellies were full of stew and bread, I settled into my stool and sighed, listening to Rayna and Kari chatting away. I didn’t think Kari would win my sister over so quickly, but maybe Rayna was starting to see why I’ve been so enraptured by her. Maybe not entirely in the same way as me, as Rayna preferred her lovers to be more muscular and much hairier, but I hoped she understood me better now.
“Rune? Is that you?” A small dwarf pushed through the crowd, her dark chestnut hair braided down to her waist. Hershort beard was textured and wispy, and she ran her fingers through it as she grew closer. “Ah! It is. I’d know that head of white hair anywhere.”
“Nori!” I shouted, hopping out of my chair. I brought the woman into my arms before pushing her back out again to get a good look at her. She wore a layered green gown with mock armor detailing her chest and bodice. Her warm, brown hands were still calloused and stained with soot, even if she dressed up for the occasion. “What are you doing here?”
“You know I always come back home for the new moon. You should’ve told me you were coming. We could’ve travelled here together,” she said.
“Nori,” Rayna called from behind me, not bothering to get out of her seat, offering a respectful salute all the same. “This was a rather spontaneous trip,” she admitted.
“Ah, well, next time,” Nori’s brow crinkled, and her pointer finger moved up to my chest. She pressed it into the gouge in my armor. “You’ve got to let me fix this. Come by my shop when you get back to Asgard. Can’t have you walking around like this. My reputation can’t handle it.”
“Your reputation will be just fine. You’re the best smith in every realm,” I laughed. “I think I’m going to hang on to this for a little while.” I motioned to the mark on my armor.
She clucked her tongue in disappointment, and I knew full well I was practically refusing her life's work. She was recruited by Odin to fashion armor for his valkyries, and even if she knew Odin wouldn’t be pleased by this act of rebellion, this armor that wrapped me was her art, and it must have pained her to see it damaged.
“Suit yourself, but when you change your mind, you know where to find me.” Nori squeezed my hand before getting lost in the crowd once more. She’d left before I could even introduceKari, but I had a feeling her pride was wounded. If I could ever return to Asgard, I’d be sure to make it up to her.
When I sat down at the table once more, Kari asked, “Why don’t you want her to fix your armor?” She pulled her shawl over her shoulders, and her eyes sparkled in the lantern light.
“Ask me again after a horn of ale,” I said, my throat a bit rough.
“Why after a horn?” She leaned in, her curiosity getting the best of her. I almost wanted to place my hand over my chest to block the mark from her view, but then again, I didn’t mind her staring.
“I’ll be drunk by then, and the truth will find me easier,” I admitted.
Over the next while, I fought between slowing my pace to delay the inevitable and taking greedy gulps to get on the same level as my companions. I wanted Kari to know me, to understand me, but I also feared how she might look at me when I bore myself to her.
One more ale down, and Kari flicked my empty mug.
“So tell me,” she said with a wobbly voice. “Are you drunk yet? What’s the gouge in your armor from?”
Rayna straightened and her face dropped. I may have not explicitly told her how I acquired the groove in my armor, but she’d seen me before I’d gotten it, then shortly after, and she was smart enough to put two and two together. My sister squeezed my knee under the table, then excused herself in the name of having too much ale in her too small bladder. When she made her escape, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be seeing her for a while.
“I’m getting there,” I admitted with a tentative smile. Part of me wanted so badly to tell Kari my truth, and this seemed like a nonthreatening start. There were the facts, and then there were the emotions beyond them. Kari would get the facts, anddepending on her answer to them, I’d determine if telling her the emotions behind them felt…safe.
I took a big swig of her amber ale, savoring the flavor and the mere fact that it had been different from my nightly mead. “Interacting with mortals on Midgard is frowned upon, to put it lightly. We collect their souls, interact with their last moments, but we should never linger to see the loved ones left behind, the survivors. We have a job and shouldn’t waiver from it. And we certainly should never, ever harm the mortals in any way, because not only would that be interaction, but it would be interference.”
“Okay…” Kari said, encouraging me to go on. She laced her fingers through each other and sat them on the table, as if I had her full attention. Kari was locked in on me, taking in every word, and I found the level of interest in her blue gaze to be frighteningly distracting.
“I was, of course, nearby when you got attacked. We valkyries aren’t supposed to take sides, but let’s just say, raiders have never flown up to Valhalla with me. So, when I saw you get struck with that arrow, something just…broke in me. I was tired of seeing good people get hurt, and yes, I could sense you were good, through and through,” I tacked on so she didn’t accuse me of knowing things I shouldn’t. I felt the alcohol working its way through my veins, but not enough to slip up. I was paying too much attention to my words for that.
“I acted when I took oaths not to. There were six raiders emerging from the trees around you, not including the one you’d already taken down. Despite being a warrior, I’ve never been in a true battle. Sure, there are mock battles in Valhalla every day to give the residents a taste of action and glory. The valkyries take turns fighting in them to keep our skills sharp and give the souls a challenge. But when I swung my sword at the raiders, they would not get back up, unlike those I’m used to fighting. I thinksomething about knowing I’d be causing their true death had distracted me enough to allow one of the raiders to land a blow on my chest piece. My armor is much stronger than any raider weapon, but it still left its mark on me, in more than one way.”
Kari nodded her head in understanding, her brows pulled in as she did. I stole another sip of ale, feeling raw and exposed, though I hadn’t even reached the deepest layers of my feelings yet.
“Were those the first people you killed?” she asked.
“No,” I admitted. “Though it’d been a bit. Sometimes, people come after us while we collect souls, whatever their reason. I know better now to see it coming, but I didn’t always. Self-defense never breaks oaths, though.”
