Page 63 of Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings
“Sure! My visions always used to be strong and accurate. Unlike my spells, I never had to work hard to understandthem, even as a child. It could have been because they were all relatively simple and only a day or two in the future,” she said. “They started getting more complicated a few weeks before I was taken to Valhalla. It wasn’t until I arrived in Asgard that I understood the symbolism behind them. There’d been one that plagued me repeatedly, though, and its appearance was the first time I had the same vision multiple nights in a row.”
“Ah, and each time you have had difficulty with your visions, were you, by chance, planning to travel somewhere new in the distant future?”
“Now that I think about it, yeah, I was, even if I didn’t know it at the time.”
“This makes perfect sense. You cannot have a vision of a realm you have never been to. You can see glimpses and symbols, but not the place itself. Once you do more traveling around the nine realms, you shouldn’t have this issue.”
“Really? So it’s not a permanent problem? Nothing is wrong with me?”
“No, Kari, nothing is wrong with you.”
“I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear that!” she beamed. “So we can focus more on my spells then? I need to master as many as I can if Freyja is to consider allowing me to join her council.” Kari had admitted the truth to the skald shortly after performing her first spell. It’d become difficult to explain why we were here, what we wanted, and why we were in a rush while also maintaining that little morsel of information. Plus, the skald would know better than anyone what type of skill Freyja may be looking for. Hiding the truth would’ve only done Kari a disservice.
“We may, but while you’re here, I want to discuss dream symbolism with you. Just because you haven’t been to a realm and your visions are fuzzy doesn’t mean you should be totally helpless deciphering them. A good seeress can decipherany vision, no matter how unclear. Freyja greatly appreciates someone with clear and useful visions, especially if they help her find what she seeks most.”
“Well, you lead the way. If you want me to learn it, I will. I trust you know best,” Kari said, clasping her hands upon the table.
“If only you’d had that attitude with me,” I grumbled under my breath. Kari rewarded me with an elbow to my side as she mentioned something about stalker-kidnappers not deserving the benefit of the doubt. I couldn’t argue with her, but I could scowl and pretend anyway.
“I’m going to let the two of you sort that out. I’ll be taking a walk, but call if you need me. I won’t go too far,” I said.
“You’re really leaving?” Kari asked, a hint of disappointment in her tone.
“Unless you don’t want me to.”
“No, it’s…fine. I just thought you might want to see me perform a few more spells. I’m improving so much, and?—”
“Go!” the skald said with a wave of their hands, practically shooing me away. “You’re just a distraction, and we have far too much to do here.”
I mouthed “sorry” to Kari, but she just shook her head and gave me a straight smile.
She wants me to stay. She wants to show me her spells. Gods, she’s so fucking cute.
Part of me felt bad for leaving, despite knowing she didn’t want me to, but from the look of it, I was no longer welcomed by the skald. It sounded like they had a lengthy lesson on symbolism to get through before getting back to spells anyway, and I could think of a few better uses of my time.
I wandered away, exiting the small cavern in favor of finding one of a little more interest. I followed the tunnel we’d come down but took a left through an opening in the wall abouthalfway through. Once inside, orange flames licked up the walls, as if the room was on fire, but when I ran my fingers through them, I felt nothing but a small wave of seidr. The fact that Hel was able to have false fire going all throughout her kingdom was more than a little impressive. The amount of power that would require was immeasurable, but she was a goddess, after all.
Hel reigned over death, ice, and darkness, but it was also her duty to protect the dead, and part of that was the sanity of her residents. The people here died of old age, disease, accidents, and violent acts inflicted upon them. They didn’t deserve punishment; they deserved a home. After family, a home started with warmth and comfort. These may have not been things the ice queen needed for herself, but she would certainly provide it.
Glancing around, I found a large rug covering the stone ground, upon it a few padded seats and wooden tables. The space was cozy, and a big part of me wanted to cuddle up with a glass of mead and settle in. I craved relaxation. I craved true rest, the ability to drop all masks and armor. It was exhausting being strong, being knowledgeable, being dependable all the time, even though these were things Kari needed of me. They may have not been things sheaskedfor per se, but we were living in this uncertain existence, and I feared if I wasn’t all these things, I would lose Kari to her own doubts and worries.
I knew Kari could handle way more than I was giving her credit for—she proved that today more than anything—but maybe I wanted to be strong so she didn’t have to be. Maybe I wanted to be confident so she wouldn’t have to second guess. Maybe I wanted to be dependable so Kari would see me as more than her captor, as more than the stranger who stole her death.
I sank into one of the seats, summoning a chalice of mead. When I took my first sip, I heard a faint whisper coming from the hall. I paused and listened for it again, wondering if I was going mad. When I heard nothing, I let out a sigh and released thetension in my shoulders as I took another sip. The fruity flavor tingled my taste buds, and I relished the familiar feel. I’d had no intentions of giving up my revelry, but since I’d met Kari, I felt I couldn’t indulge due to the sheer weight on my shoulders. Maybe I didn’t feel the need to as much as before.
“Rune…”the voice whispered to me again, and again I straightened, listening for where that sound had come from. Before, it had been a faint noise, but this time, I distinctly heard my own name echoed through the cavern. I set my chalice down and swung around to look behind me.
“Who’s there?” I asked into the empty room.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know.” The distorted voice laughed wickedly, sending a wave of chills up my arms. I stood, no longer craving relaxation. All thoughts of letting loose fled my mind. I faced the back of the cavern but quickly chanced a look over my shoulder, debating if I should turn back and find Kari.
Do I really want to lead the voice to her? Maybe they’ve already found her.
The hairs on the back on my neck rose, and I placed my hand over the hilt of my sword.
“Oh, now, now. You don’t need that silly little weapon. It won’t do much good,” the voice called, followed by an odd fluttering sound. When I realized the voice was coming from the tunnel, I darted into it, but there was still no one there. I followed the sounds of the mysterious beacon, wondering if I was an idiot for potentially falling into an obvious trap.
When I rounded the corner and made it back to the main cavern, I realized the sound had dissipated all together. A few skalds with scrolls in their hands looked to me, then to my sword, and I retreated with a grunt.
